The Horusian Wars: Divination – John French

The third book in John French’s Horusian Wars series, Divination is not a novel but rather a collection of short stories, exploring some of the key characters in Inquisitor Covenant’s warband to add depth and emotional weight to the series as a whole. Covenant himself remains a slightly distant figure, always seen through others’ eyes (as per the novels), but over the course of these eleven stories French delves into the backstory and/or mindset of all the inquisitor’s key companions, and even an old ally. Each story takes a very different approach, some more action-packed than others, but they’re all united in shedding light on these intriguing characters and through them Covenant’s philosophy.

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Gareth L Powell Talks Light of Impossible Stars

Welcome to this Track of Words Author Interview, part of my ongoing series of quick interviews with authors talking about their new or upcoming books. 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 the fantastic Gareth L. Powell about his new novel Light of Impossible Stars, which is the third and final volume of his Embers of War trilogy. With the release of this book, all three novels are out now in paperback, ebook and audiobook formats from Titan Books, and if you’re after engaging, character-driven British space opera then this series should definitely be on your list. Especially if you’re a fan of worn-down, relatable characters and sentient, talking spaceships!

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QUICK REVIEW: Voice of Experience – JC Stearns

JC Stearns’ Warhammer 40,000 short story Voice of Experience takes a look at the T’au Empire through the eyes of its auxiliaries, exploring how the t’au interact with their gue’vesa allies. Having turned from the Throne and firmly embraced the Greater Good, Captain Kalice Arkady of the Follaxian 113th is now the highest-ranking and most trusted human on the orbital shipyard Suu’suamyth. When a series of worrying accidents seem to suggest sabotage, she’s called upon to investigate on behalf of the ruling council, and in the process comes to question her understanding of – and place within – t’au society.

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Neon Leviathan – T.R. Napper

Bringing together twelve bleak, powerful short stories into a single volume (published by Grimdark Magazine), T.R. Napper’s cyberpunk collection Neon Leviathan paints a suitably, at times harrowingly grim picture of a not too distant future. Across a deliberately jumbled, back-and-forth timeline Napper explores tales of desperation, survival, love, loss, corporate greed, oppression and fear, all set in a loosely defined world formed from a warring, conflicted melange of Australia, South and Southeast Asia. As nations, alliances and realities blur, as technology becomes increasingly pervasive and life ever more stratified, Napper asks questions of what’s real, what’s possible and what people will do to survive.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Knave of Stars – John French

John French turns his attention to Duke Cleander von Castellan in his Horusian Wars short story The Knave of Stars, digging into the Rogue Trader’s troubled history to explore the roots of his glib, nihilistic attitude. In the Rot-margins of Panetha Varn, Cleander seeks a balm for his soul, finding it in the elusive Decagogue and his patchwork followers. As he takes his first steps on a new path which promises freedom from his past and the void at his core, Cleander faces up to the pain that shaped him and the man it made him into.

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The Library of the Unwritten – A.J. Hackwith

A book about the power of storytelling and the nature of stories both told and untold, A.J. Hackwith’s fantasy novel The Library of the Unwritten reveals a wonderful world of demons, angels, librarians, heroes and villains. Every story left untold resides in the Unwritten Wing of Hell’s library (it’s a tenant, more than an actual part of Hell), protected and guarded against by the head librarian, Claire, and her assistant Brevity. Venturing to Earth in search of a runaway hero before he can do too much damage to his author, Claire and Brevity – along with jittery demon Leto – find themselves unwitting players in a plot which threatens the library’s impartiality and risks inciting a new war between angels and demons.

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QUICK REVIEW: Thin Red Jellies – Lina Rather

A slow-burning tale of subtle body horror by way of near-future technology and near-death experience, Lina Rather’s short story Thin Red Jellies examines the stress placed upon two people who find themselves cohabiting in a single body. When Jess ‘dies’ in a car accident, Amy agrees to have her girlfriend’s mind implanted in her own brain, sharing her body until they can arrange for a replacement for Jess. The realities of healthcare insurance and corporate greed, however, mean that Jess’ stay in Amy’s body is extended while they scrimp and save, testing their still-new relationship in new and unexpected ways.

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Farsight: Crisis of Faith – Phil Kelly

Phil Kelly’s Farsight: Crisis of Faith follows on from his 2016 novel Blades of Damocles, and continues to explore the career of the headstrong t’au Commander at a pivotal moment in time. As the T’au Empire rebuilds after the aborted Imperial crusade, Farsight is tasked with leading a massive expedition back across the Damocles Gulf to reconquer worlds lost to the humans. Uncomfortable with the role given to him by the ethereals, Farsight has to deal with conflicting emotions regarding his people’s leadership and secrets lurking within the expedition even as he faces up to the brutal, uncompromising might of the Imperium.

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The Sabbat Worlds Crusade – Dan Abnett

A richly detailed and beautifully produced 220-page hardback, Dan Abnett’s The Sabbat Worlds Crusade makes for a fantastic companion to his epic, 15-novel Gaunt’s Ghosts series. Written from an in-universe perspective as a historical account of the Sabbat Crusade from its outset up to the liberation of Urdesh, it covers everything from the macro-level – the original context of the crusade, and Warmaster Slaydo’s (and later, Macaroth’s) overarching strategies – down to the micro-level – individual character portraits, vignettes, even vehicles, wargear and regimental awards. With gorgeous maps, graphics and artwork complementing the meticulous text, every page highlights new details and serves to expand both the setting and the series as a whole.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Last of the Longhorns – Nick Kyme

Blackstone Fortress short story The Last of the Longhorns sees Nick Kyme revisit the cheeky ratling twins Rein and Raus from his previous story Motherlode, and explore some unexpected details from their backstory. In the depths of the Fortress, the twins find themselves at the mercy of malicious Traitor Guardsmen, whose sinister leader seeks an item in the ratlings’ possession. When physical interrogation tactics fail, the traitors employ psychic means to try and ascertain where their prize is hidden, dredging Raus’ mind for information and bringing to light painful memories of a time before the Blackstone Fortress.

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