EXCLUSIVE! Introducing: First Team by Robbie MacNiven

Today I’ve got something really special for you, with a Track of Words exclusive in which I can reveal the next book in Aconyte’s growing range of Marvel prose novels – First Team by Robbie MacNiven, the latest instalment in the Marvel: Xavier’s Institute series. I’ve been a fan of Robbie’s writing ever since I reviewed his first Warhammer 40,000 short story (check out that review here) back in 2015, and I had a lot of fun reading his first novel for Aconyte – The Doom of Fallowhearth – so I can’t wait to see how he gets on with this X-Men novel! It’s due to be published in ebook and as a US paperback on the 2nd February 2021, with the UK paperback following on the 4th March.

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Blood of the Everchosen – Richard Strachan

The debut Black Library novel from Richard Strachan, Blood of the Everchosen is labelled as a Warcry Catacombs story but in truth is simply a fantastic Age of Sigmar novel which offers the best depiction yet of life for the mortal followers of Chaos. In the benighted lands of the Eightpoints, a child is born beneath a savage storm, his destiny entwined with that of Archaon himself. As the boy’s father races for safety, powerful forces converge from across the Bloodwind Spoil. Some, like Burak the Bloodseer and his Untamed Beasts, or Lord Rakaros’ Scions of the Flame, seek to kill the child while others, like the Splintered Fang of Ashrath Silenthis, hope to protect him. All hope to gain Archaon’s favour through their actions, except for the hunters in gold who search out the child for their own mysterious purpose.

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RAPID FIRE: Jamie Crisalli, Liane Merciel and Anna Stephens Talk Covens of Blood

Welcome to this slightly unusual instalment of my Rapid Fire series of quick author interviews, in which I chat to a trio of fantastic authors – Anna Stephens, Liane Merciel and Jamie Crisalli – about their new portmanteau Covens of Blood. Part of Black Library’s Age of Sigmar range, this comprises three linked novellas featuring the Daughters of Khaine, each focusing on different characters but tied together by an overarching theme. It’s available to buy right now, and it looks like being the perfect read if you fancy learning a little more about these intriguing characters in the Mortal Realms.

Without further ado, on with the interview…

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QUICK REVIEW: Duty Unto Death – Marc Collins

Few things are as bleakly heroic as a desperate stand against overwhelming odds, and in his Warhammer 40,000 short story Duty Unto Death Marc Collins ramps the concept up to eleven with a tale of the Adeptus Custodes standing against the ravening tyranid hordes. Stranded on the burning surface of a volcanic death world, a handful of Custodians make what preparations they can before the numberless swarms of alien monstrosities crash down upon them. As they stand their ground, determined to protect their precious cargo, the battlefield comes to represent the distant fortress the Custodes were engineered to defend.

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Legacies: The Power of the Past – Matthew Ward Guest Post

Hello and welcome to the first ever Track of Words guest post – The Power of the Past – in which the fantastic Matthew Ward discusses the importance of legacies in storytelling. With the second novel in Matthew’s Legacy Trilogy just released via Orbit, I’m delighted to present this guest post as part of the Legacy of Steel blog tour, alongside some fantastic bloggers and SFF websites. I’ll link out to all the other stops on the tour at the end of this article, and I would highly recommend you check out all the reviews, interviews and guest posts that make up the tour.

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Danie Ware Talks Sisters of Battle and Women in 40k

Hello, and welcome to ‘Danie Ware Talks Sisters of Battle and Women in 40k’, in which I’m chatting to the fantastic Danie about her Adepta Sororitas fiction for Black Library, and her thoughts on the importance of female authors and characters in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. With her third Sisters of Battle novella – The Rose in Anger – just released, there’s no better time to find out more about this particular story, the Sister Augusta stories overall, and what it’s like being a woman writing badass 40k fiction!

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW: D.K. Fields Talk The Stitcher and the Mute

Welcome to this Track of Words Author Interview, in which I’m talking to D.K. Fields – the pseudonym for collaborative authors Katherine Stansfield and David Towsey – about their new novel The Stitcher and the Mute, which is book two in the Tales of Fenest. It’s published on the 12th November by Head of Zeus, in hardback and ebook formats, and ahead of its release I asked Kath and Dave to give us a rundown on the series, some details of the new novel, and what it’s like writing as a pair.

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Day Zero – James Swallow and Josh Reynolds

Veteran authors James Swallow and Josh Reynolds team up for modern, high-tech thriller Day Zero from Aconyte Books, a prequel novel to the Watchdogs: Legion video game. Trouble is brewing in an alternative but worryingly believable London, with organised crime rife, private military contractor Albion muscling in on the Met, and hacker collective DedSec leading an underground resistance. Tensions begin to escalate when a spate of shootings rock the East End, and players from all sides – local government, DedSec, Albion, the brutal Clan Kelley crime family – step up their efforts, as a deeper mystery starts to come to light in the battle for control of the city.

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Matthew J. Kirby Talks Geirmund’s Saga

Welcome to this Track of Words Author Interview, in which I chat to author Matthew J. Kirby about his new Assassin’s Creed novel, Geirmund’s Saga. Written to accompany the launch of the new Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla video game from Ubisoft, this is only being published by Aconyte Books in the US and Canada, with the ebook due out on the 10th November and the paperback following in March 2021. Expect Vikings, Anglo-Saxons and all manner of adventures…

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Author Spotlight: Justin Woolley

Welcome to this instalment of my Author Spotlight series of interviews, in which I’m chatting to author Justin Woolley about his background, his approach to writing and some of his published work to date. We’re also taking a look at his latest release in particular – Prisoners of WAAAGH!, Justin’s first novella for Black Library, which is available to order right now and looks like being a lot of fun! Read on to find out a bit more about this 40k novella, and get a few hints about what Justin’s working on for publication at some point in the future.

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