QUICK REVIEW: A Common Ground – Mike Brooks

Mike Brooks’ first Necromunda story for Black Library, released before his novella Wanted: Dead, the short story A Common Ground is a tale of pit fighters and blood-sport brutality, but also of careful planning and lasting legacies. Jaxx is a member of House Goliath, and has chosen to make a name for himself fighting in the arena of impresario Drost Khouren rather than work in the foundries. Shortly after discovering that Khouren rigged his last contest, costing him a shot at a lucrative fight, Jaxx is offered an opportunity to claim one last paycheck, but at a high cost.

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QUICK REVIEW: Repentia – Alec Worley

Repentia is Alec Worley’s second Adepta Sororitas short story, after the impressive Whispers, this time exploring – as the title suggests – the Sisters Repentia, Battle Sisters whose sins have seen them cast out from their Orders and sworn to seek redemption in death. Two such nameless Sisters are all that remains of their squad, sent out to search for a priceless relic that might turn the tide of an ongoing campaign. Though their prize is at hand, the forces of Chaos stand between them and safety, and the God-Emperor has need of their lives yet.

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Of Honour and Iron – Ian St. Martin

The fourth novel in the Space Marine Conquests series, Of Honour and Iron completes the set of the big four Chapters as Ian St. Martin tackles a story of the Ultramarines during the Indomitus Crusade. Pulled from an active warzone by order of their Primarch, Chaplain Helios and Sergeant Theron are sent on a secretive mission to retrieve something vital to the ongoing crusade, with only a handful of the new Primaris Marines for company. Meanwhile on a ravaged Imperial world, the Genesis Chapter lead a doomed defence against the forces of Warsmith Bolaraphon of the Iron Warriors.

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Black Library Weekly – W/C 08/10/18

Hello and welcome to the latest instalment of Black Library Weekly, my regular look at what’s been happening in the world of Black Library. I’ve spent a lot of this week working on my 1,000th post on Track of Words, so I hope you’ll forgive me if I’m a bit worn out and don’t write too much for this one! Don’t get me wrong, there’s been some very interesting BL-related news, and so let’s take a look…

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One Thousand Posts on Track of Words

I can’t quite believe I’m writing this, but after four years and nine months of working on Track of Words this article is my 1,000th post! To celebrate that milestone, I asked around – in my reading/gaming group, and on Twitter – to see what sort of article might be of interest, and the resounding majority of responses asked for some form of retrospective looking back at the last few years of Track of Words, and my own history with Black Library and Warhammer. The people have spoken, and who am I to deny the will of the people?

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RAPID FIRE: Guy Haley Talks Corax: Lord of Shadows

Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with Black Library authors talking about their new releases. These are short and sweet interviews, with the idea being that each author will answer (more or less) the same questions – by the end of each interview I hope you will have a good idea of what the new book (or audio drama) is about, what inspired it and why you might want to read or listen to it.

In this instalment I spoke to Guy Haley about his latest Horus Heresy Primarchs novel, Corax: Lord of Shadows. It’s Guy’s second novel in this series, and one of no fewer than three releases from Guy all coming within a few weeks of each other – he’s a busy man! Lord of Shadows is available to order this weekend as a Limited Edition hardback, and will be available in standard editions in a few months.

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QUICK REVIEW: No Hero – Peter McLean

Peter McLean returns to the Reslian 45th for his third Black Library short story, No Hero. Abandoning the jungle world of Vardan IV to the rampaging orks, Imperial forces are pulling out and redeploying elsewhere. The troopers of One Section, D Company are finally on their way to being evacuated when their Valkyrie is hit, and the survivors must slog through the jungle on foot to try and reach the landing fields before the orks do. For one young Guardsman keeping a journal of events, it’s a journey that tests him body, mind and soul.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Unsung War – David Annandale

Available as a standalone e-short or as the first story in Inferno! Volume 1, The Unsung War sees David Annandale tackling Ultramarines Primaris Marines in a story of pragmatism and sacrifice. Deep in the bowels of the freighter Summons of Faith, two Ultramarines Intercessors are being held captive by drukhari raiders, in the wake of a disastrous mission to cleanse the ship of its tainted crew. A resourceful human stowaway offers them hope of fighting back, but in order to have any chance of victory, and avert a great tragedy, the Ultramarines may have to turn to the lesser of two evils for aid.

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QUICK REVIEW: Judge of the Wastes – David Annandale

David Annandale’s 22-minute audio drama Judge of the Wastes is at once a 40k ghost story, and a tale of a man whose rigid faith and fervour have left him ill-equipped to cope with doubt. Commissar Selander stands in judgement over the Imperial forces locked in a seemingly endless stalemate on Solennes, fighting and dying over a bleak wasteland. After the execution of an apparent deserter fails to provide sufficient motivation for a decisive advance, Selander begins to see the shade of the executed soldier, and finds doubt creeping in to undermine his certainty.

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Inferno! Volume 1 – Tales From the Worlds of Warhammer

Way back in 1997, issue 1 of Inferno! magazine was the first publication from a newly-created Black Library, featuring short stories, artwork and comic strips exploring the Warhammer settings. Fast forward to 2018 and Inferno! Volume 1 is the first in a new series of short story anthologies which promise to breathe new life into the Inferno! name. The eleven featured short stories cover Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Necromunda and even Warhammer Chronicles (tales from the Old World), and come from the keyboards of Black Library authors both old and new – including three never-before-seen stories from Black Library debutants (not to be confused with debutantes).

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