Upcoming: “Stormcaller” by Chris Wraight (Black Library)

The final Upcoming post related to Black Library for a little while, this is for the second in Chris Wraight’s Space Wolves series: Stormcaller. The sequel to Blood of Asaheim (which I really wish I’d had the chance to read by now), I’m really looking forward to it:

As events on the plague-wracked world of Ras Shakeh spin out of control, the Imperium descends upon the world in force. Njal Stormcaller, Space Wolves Rune Priest, arrives to reinforce the embattled Jarnhamar pack, and finds his battle-brothers at one another’s throats, each pursuing their own agendas. Meanwhile, the forces of the Ecclesiarchy arrive to retake their world and uncover the sinister secret behind the world’s corruption, a secret that threatens the survival of the Imperium itself…

One of the first Games Workshop books I ever bought was Codex: Space Wolves. Njal Stormcaller was a pretty prominent special character for Warhammer 40,000 game at that point. Interestingly (at least for me), the first ever issue of White Dwarf, the monthly gaming magazine that Games Workshop publishes, also featured the Space Wolves, as I think they’d just been re-released or something. It was so long ago, I can barely remember the details, expect for the battle report and the fact that Ragnar Blackmane was released that month. Perhaps. This would have been back in 1994/5, I think? [Damn, I’m getting old…] I kind of miss getting the magazine – I always liked looking at the new miniatures and reading the short bits of fiction and background when they were included. (This was before Black Library started, so there wasn’t much Warhammer fiction available at all.)

Stormcaller is due to be published by Black Library in March 2014.

And, in case you weren’t aware of it, here’s the synopsis for Blood of Asaheim…

The feral warrior-kings of Fenris, the Space Wolves are the sons of Leman Russ. Savage heroes, few can match their ferocity in battle. After half a century apart, Space Wolves Ingvar and Gunnlaugr are reunited. Sent to defend an important shrine world against the plague-ridden Death Guard, the Grey Hunters clash with the pious Sisters of Battle, who see the Space Wolves as little better than the enemy they fight. As enemies close in around them and treachery is revealed, Gunnlaugr and his warriors must hold the defenders together – even as hidden tensions threaten to tear their pack apart.

Blood of Asaheim is out now in Hardcover and eBook.

“Dead in the Water” by Sandy Mitchell (Black Library)

Performed by Toby Longworth

Commissar Ciaphas Cain is a renowned and revered hero of the Imperium, a man who has faced and survived some of the vilest creatures the universe can throw at him. But when he is sent to a river-world, he must deal with a dangerous enemy, an enemy whose true identity remains unknown. As his vessel traverses the straits of the planet, Cain must uncover the face of this new foe so that he can understand and escape it. Caught in the enemy crossfire, the commissar has no place to run, and his nerve will be tested to the very limits.

I’ve been a fan of Sandy Mitchell’s Ciaphas Cain series ever since the first book, For The Emperor, so I wanted to put together just a quick review of this audio-drama. I was interested to see how the character transferred over into this medium, and I have to say I think it worked quite well. The series and character add a refreshing cynical tone to the WH40k setting, and I quite enjoyed this. Not to be missed if you’re a fan of the novels.

“The Primarchs” edited by Christian Dunn (Black Library)

Four Tales of the Primarchs

Created in the Emperor’s own image, the Primarchs had long thought themselves to be princes of the universe and masters of their own destiny – they led the Space Marine Legions in glorious conquest of the galaxy, and no enemy of the Imperium could stand against them. However, even amongst this legendary brotherhood, the seeds of dissent had been sown long before the treacherous Warmaster Horus declared his grand heresy.

In this highly-anticipated anthology, we are presented with four stories of the Primarchs. We see the rifts within and between the two sides, traitors and loyalists. Each story looks at the psychologies and psychoses of the Primarchs, how those close to them perceive them, and how they consider different events.

Overall, this is a superb anthology, and I really hope Black Library release at least a couple more similar anthologies in the future, looking at some of the other Primarchs. This certainly lived up to my expectations.

“Eye of Vengeance” by Graham McNeill (Black Library)

When grizzled Ultramarine Scout Sergeants strike…

Narrated by: Sean Barrett | Performed by: Rupert Degas & Saul Reichlin

When the twisted Dark Mechanicus priests of the Bloodborn descend upon Quintarn, the Ultramarines are quick to move in defence of their prized agri-world. However, it soon becomes apparent that the planet’s fate will not be decided by the massed battle companies of the Space Marines, but by the actions of just one lowly sergeant – Torias Telion. A master marksman and Scout with a long history of service to the Chapter, Telion must now face the worst of the Bloodborn’s technological terrors and secure the city of Idrisia from the enemy advance, if the Ultramarines are to have any hope of prevailing against an enemy whose numbers swell with every victory.

A solid Warhammer 40,000 audio-drama, from one of Black Library’s best authors. The story focuses on an Ultramarine campaign against a group of renegade Dark Mechanicus priests. The Ultramarine campaign leadership dispatches a grizzled scout veteran and his team into enemy lines, hoping to sway the battle in their favour. I think this audio-drama delivers everything a fan of McNeill’s and also WH40k would want.

“Void Stalker” by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Black Library)

The Conclusion to the Night Lords Trilogy

The hunters have become the hunted. The Night Lords flee to the dark fringes of the Imperium to escape their relentless pursuers – the Eldar of Craftworld Ulthwé. Their flight takes them to the carrion world of Tsagualsa, where their Primarch died and their Legion was broken. There, history will repeat itself as a deadly assassin stalks the shadows, and the Night Lords are drawn into a battle they are destined to lose.

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s fiction. I think he is ridiculously talented, and his novels and short stories are all among my favourite sci-fi stories. In this final volume in his Night Lords series, in which he has managed once again to humanise what are effectively super-human terrorists, he ties up all the plot points into a very satisfying conclusion. Superb. Again.

“For the Fallen” by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Black Library)

A poignant micro-eBook

A historian visiting the ruins of Rynn’s World has an unexpected encounter with Crimson Fists Space Marines that will change the way he looks at history forever.

Seems to be connected to the story of Steve Parker’s Rynn’s World (part of Black Library’s Space Marine Battles series), as well as Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s own One Hate, a short-story that appeared in the Heroes of the Space Marines anthology.

For the Fallen is a pretty good glimpse into the WH40k setting, away from the battlefront. Unlike Abnett’s Kill Hill, this story looks at the emotional nobility of the Astartes, rather than their potential for savagery. The small contingent of Crimson Fists are on Rynn’s World to remember their fallen comrades, and we get a glimpse of one of their rituals of remembrance. It’s quite a touching, poignant scene. Dembski-Bowden gives the short story a reverential, sombre-yet-martial atmosphere. It’s a very short example of what Aaron’s best at: making these post-human, giant warriors feel human, more easy to relate to. It’s quite superb.

I’m not familiar with any other fiction featuring the Crimson Fists, so I may just have to give Rynn’s World and One Hate a try.

In the meantime, however, there’s going to be a fair bit more of Aaron D-B’s work featured on Civilian Reader: I’ve started Void Stalker, the last in his Night Lords trilogy, today; I will also listen to Butcher’s Nails at the gym this week, and soon after that read The Emperor’s Gift, all three of which I’ve managed through to acquire early. Given how much of I enjoy Aaron D-B’s work, I’m absolutely stoked to have more to read. (I also have Helsreach, Aaron’s Space Marine Battles novel to read at some point.)

“Garro: Legion of One” by James Swallow (Black Library)

The second Nathaniel Garro Audio Drama

Read by Toby Longworth

Nathaniel Garro, loyalist Death Guard, and hero of the Eisenstein, has found a new calling in his service to the Emperor. Surrounded by a cloak of secrecy, Garro travels the galaxy in pursuit of his new goal. His quest will lead him to heart of the most destructive warzones, and reveal a secret that will change the course of the Horus Heresy itself...

This is the second audio drama featuring Nathaniel Garro, loyalist Death Guard, hero of Flight of the Eisenstein, and special agent of Malcador the Sigilite, the Regent of Earth. Garro and his pair of comrades are on Isstvan III, long after the treachery and a year after Oath of Moment. I enjoyed this audiobook, and it manages to improve on its predecessor quite well.

“Garro: Oath of Moment” by James Swallow (Black Library)

A Horus Heresy Audiobook

In surviving the horrors on board the Eisenstein, Nathaniel Garro proved his courage and absolute loyalty to the Emperor.

On his return to Terra, Garro is despatched on a mission of even greater importance – a mission given to him by Malcador the Sigillite himself. He soon finds himself back amongst the stars and on the fields of battle, thrust into a warzone where the Ultramarines are purported to be battling a greenskin invasion.

Once again Garro must fight for survival, but now he also fights to achieve a higher purpose...

Read by Toby Longworth, this is the first of three audiobooks focusing on former Death Guard Nathaniel Garro, who we last saw in Flight of the Eisenstein. I must admit that I’ve not been the biggest fan of the medium (I struggled to get into audiobooks in the past), so I came in without too high expectations. Given the chronology of this story – the battle of Calth, roughly the same time (or near enough) as Know No Fear – I was interested to finally get around to it. And it’s actually a pretty good audiobook, and perfect for those times when you aren’t able to read, but want some sci-fi fiction.

25yrs (& a Day) of Warhammer 40,000

Ok, so this probably should have gone out yesterday, but I had something planned for the site already, and just never got around to posting this until now.

Warhammer 40,000 – Games Workshop’s science-fiction table-top wargame – became 25 years old yesterday. There were in-store events with exclusive products available. In terms of stuff related to this blog, and my own tastes, GW’s publishing arm Black Library also released a “25 for 25” eBook:

The Week In Review

Trying something new this week: a collection of links to the most interesting posts I spotted from around the blogosphere – ranging from reviews, commentary, interviews, and more. I’ll probably keep the number of links down to about five, but sometimes there will be more, sometimes less.

They’ll be pretty basic posts – just text and the links, probably – but hopefully they’ll help generate more interest in the blogs I follow and like. So, in no particular order, here are a few links to things I found particularly interesting…

Stomping on Yeti: “Fact: Internet Polls Suck” [Comment]

The abominable blogger takes a look at possibly the dodgiest reader poll ever compiled by man.

Staffer’s Musings: “Pillars of Hercules” by David Constantine [Review]

No secret I’m a fan of Justin’s site, and especially when he reviews books that didn’t really work for him. Cheryl and ‘Fizzy’ are great creations, and this approach to negative reviews is one of the best out there. While you’re there, check out… well, pretty much everything else he’s posted. Great blog, deserves to be read by way more people than read this one.

A Dribble of Ink: “Prince of Thorns” by Mark Lawrence [Review]

Probably the best review I’ve read of the book (which I thought was fantastic), and more proof of why Aidan’s A Dribble of Ink is one of the best blogs out there (and not just taking into account book-related blogs).

Jim C. Hines: “Who Controls Your Amazon E-book Price?” [Article]

An author (whose work I really want to read) gives some thoughts on a recent pricing issue he’s experienced on Amazon, while also pulling back the curtain on Amazon’s policies regarding self-published authors’ work and how much control the company demands.

Tor.com: “Warhammer 40k: 25 Years of Orks in Space” by Robert Lamb

This article was originally published on HowStuffWorks.com, but Tor kindly shared it, and that’s how I stumbled across it. It’s a great, fun look at “five sciencey reasons to be thankful for the Warhammer 4oK universe”.

There are special 25th Anniversary events taking place in (I believe) all Games Workshop stores today, in case you’re a fan and want to join in the celebrations.

Michael Sullivan: “A Digital Feast” [Article]

This is actually from January, but I really liked the post, and wanted to link to it again. Michael takes a look at writer communities, past and present, and how the internet has changed things. Really liked this one.

*   *   *

Also, because I think this week’s been pretty good as blog-content goes, I would like to draw your attention to the Robert Jackson Bennett Interview & Giveaway, my review of Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed, and yesterday’s guest post by Jon Sprunk.

That’s all for this week. Anything else you’ve seen out there you think people should read?

“Know No Fear” by Dan Abnett (Black Library)

The Heresy arrives on Calth

Unaware of the wider Heresy and following the Warmaster’s increasingly cryptic orders, Roboute Guilliman returns to Ultramar to muster his Legion for war against the orks massing in the Veridian system.

Without warning, their supposed allies in the Word Bearers Legion launch a devastating invasion of Calth, scattering the Ultramarines fleet and slaughtering all who stand in their way. This confirms the worst scenario Guilliman can imagine – Lorgar means to settle their bitter rivalry once and for all. As the traitors summon foul daemonic hosts and all the forces of Chaos, the Ultramarines are drawn into a grim and deadly struggle in which neither side can prevail.

The Battle for Calth is a huge event in the canon of the Horus Heresy – it’s when the Word Bearers’ corruption was laid bare on a Legion-wide scale, and it’s also when the Ultramarines entered the conflict. Know No Fear is a different kind of Heresy novel, but I think Abnett makes it work very well, and this is sure to please fans of the franchise. No matter how many novels Abnett writes, he always manages to surprise.

“Beneath the Flesh” by Andy Smillie (Black Library)

A brutal Flesh Tearers novella

The Flesh Tearers descend upon an Imperial world to retrieve gene-seed from fallen brothers. Death haunts the shadows, as does the spectre of the Chapter’s curse, the Black Rage.

This novella was originally collected across two issues of Black Library’s monthly Hammer & Bolter eBooks. As someone who much prefers getting the whole story whenever possible, I decided to wait for the complete version, and I’m rather glad that I did. This is a brisk, brutal slice of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, sure to please fans of the franchise and also conflict-heavy military sci-fi. This is a very good, well-constructed and well-written novella, and I really enjoyed reading it.

“Cadian Blood”, by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Black Library)

The Imperial Guard attempt to purge a horde of plague zombies!

When the Imperial shrine world of Kathur is blighted by Chaos, the brave Guardsmen of Cadia are sent to reclaim it. The plague of Nurgle has set in deeply on the planet, forcing the Cadians into battle with an innumerable legion of the infected. In the midst of battle, Captain Parmenion Thade is thrust into an unlikely commanding role. Yet, he cannot imagine what lies ahead on Kathur, and just how important it will be to ensure victory there…

I’m a big fan of Aaron DB’s novels – his Night Lords series and his Horus Heresy contribution The First Heretic are among the best novels Black Library has ever published. I completely missed Cadian Blood, his debut novel when it was available in print, and have been meaning to read it ever since it was made available as an eBook. While it does not quite match his others, it is still a really good novel, and one that shows the promise he would later build on.

Interview with ROB SANDERS

Rob Sanders has been writing Black Library fiction for a little while, from short stories to novels. I particularly liked his debut novel, Redemption Corps, and have since been reading everything by him that I can find. With the upcoming release of his anticipated Legion of the Damned novel, I thought it would be a great time to ask him some questions about his latest novels, his writing practices, background and more.

“Deliverance Lost” by Gav Thorpe (Black Library)

The Horus Heresy continues…

As the Horus Heresy divides the Imperium, Corax and his few remaining Raven Guard escape the massacre at Isstvan V. Tending to their wounds, the bloodied Space Marines endeavour to replenish their numbers and return to the fray, taking the fight to the traitor Warmaster.

Distraught at the crippling blow dealt to his Legion, Corax returns to Terra to seek the aid of his father – the Emperor of Mankind. Granted access to ancient secrets, Corax begins to rebuild the Raven Guard, planning his revenge against his treacherous brother Primarchs. But not all his remaining warriors are who they appear to be… the mysterious Alpha Legion have infiltrated the survivors and plan to destroy the Raven Guard before they can rebuild and threaten Horus’s plans.

The Horus Heresy series is one of the best collaborative sci-fi series currently being published, in my opinion. All of the authors working on it bring their A-game, producing some of their best fiction. Deliverance Lost is Gav Thorpe’s first novel for the series, and it is excellent. Like some of the other, more-recent Heresy novels, it offers something new and takes a slightly different approach to the fictional time and setting. Deliverance Lost is great – nuanced, tense and action-packed. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

An Interview with NICK KYME

Nick Kyme has just finished his epic Tome of Fire trilogy for Black Library, where he is also an editor. I therefore thought it would be a good time to ask him for an interview. He kindly responded with the following great answers, in which he talks about getting to know the Salamanders, some hints of his upcoming work, his working practices, and some thoughts on the genre.

“Blood Pact”, by Dan Abnett (Black Library)

With the paperback release of Abnett’s Blood Pact coming up in the not-to-distant future (October 2010), I thought I’d re-post my earlier review of the hardback, with just a couple of tweaks, in case you missed it the first time. Almost a year on from reading, I still think fondly of the book, which is certainly among not only the best in the series, but also one of my favourite sci-fi novels, ever. I can still remember most of it and how much I enjoyed reading it. Abnett is, without doubt, the Black Library’s best author – his writing is as good as, if not better than, most other science fiction published today, and I can’t recommend his work highly enough.

(A small warning: there are a couple of minor references to earlier volumes in the series, so if you’re afraid of spoilers, then you might not want to read this too carefully.)

*     *     *

Far from the front, trouble comes for the resting Tanith First & Only

Pulled back from the front line, the men of the Tanith First await news of their next deployment. But when an enemy prisoner is brought in for interrogation, Gaunt is drawn into a murderous web of intrigue.

Who can be trusted, and what exactly does the prisoner know that makes him so valuable? The fate of the Sabbat Worlds Crusade rests upon the answers, and Gaunt must find them out before he is eliminated.

Kicking their heels on Balhaut, far from the warfront, the Tanith First & Only are awaiting their next deployment. After the bloody events of Only In Death, Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt is recovering well, and getting used to his new augmetics. While he finds himself slipping with ease into the calmer life far removed from the battlefront, the same cannot be said for his men: experts at the conduct of war, unequalled in their given specialty (infiltration, scouting, and being generally sneaky), it turns out they don’t do well as a garrison force. As Commissars Hark and Ludd (Gaunt’s junior officers) discover, the more time spent with nothing-in-particular to do only makes restless Guardsmen go crazy, pushing the envelope and boundaries of what is allowed and acceptable behaviour from Imperial forces.

All is going moderately well until Gaunt is called in by Section (the HQ of the Commissariat on Balhaut) to take part in the interrogation of a high-level prisoner. As events escalate to violence, Gaunt must navigate through the web of intrigue (on both sides of the conflict) to discover what is so valuable about the prisoner’s knowledge. Without knowing who can be trusted, he has to rely on his wits and a small core of the Ghosts to survive and get to the bottom of things. The legacy of the Gereon campaign (the subject of Traitor General and The Armour of Contempt) makes him distrusted by his superiors, and the Inquisition is sniffing about the Ghosts, looking for anything damning. Gaunt just needs to stay alive, keep his prisoner from being killed, and discover the truth that, supposedly, could help decide the fate of the Crusade. As Gaunt hunkers down, the various factions looking for him and his companions draw nearer, culminating in an explosive, gripping and bloody finale.

Each new Gaunt’s Ghosts novel is an event for me. Each time Abnett turns his attention back to Gaunt and company, he goes some way to reimagining the science-fiction war novel. He has been referred to as the “master of war”, which is certainly accurate: no other author can bring you into the mindset of the grunts on the ground, while retaining a keen eye on characterization, character development, and superb story-telling. Whenever there is a switch in perspectives, you really get a sense of the person’s character and voice; and Abnett manages to keep things fresh and exciting each and every time (the only novel of his that I couldn’t really get into was Double Eagle, a stand-alone).

For Blood Pact, things are a little different in terms of style. For one, it’s is a slower novel – the action only really starts quite a way into the book. The novel has a more thriller-like feel to it, as the story is slowly unravelled for the reader. From the very beginning, I was hooked (it can sometimes take a couple of chapters for me to become truly taken with Black Library releases), and the plotting is expertly crafted for maximum effect and reading addiction. There’s a fair amount going on in every chapter – and, if it’s been a long time since you’ve read any of the previous Ghosts novels, it might take a moment to remember who all the characters are – but the pace is balanced and there is never a lull in the story.

The second big departure is the more nuanced approach to the Imperials and Chaos/Archenemy forces. The Blood Pact soldiers of the title aren’t portrayed as mindless minions – rather they are presented in a more three-dimensional manner, as Abnett gives us a deeper glimpse into their mindset. Eyl, in particular, is a clinical, sociopathic adversary for Gaunt, frighteningly focused, with the perspective of a true believer. That the Imperials have taken an agent of Chaos prisoner, rather than execute him on the spot is also a new take on the galactic crusade that forms the backdrop of the whole series (not to mention the complete Warhammer 40k oeuvre), and allows the author to take a look at the Imperium’s approach to non-combat warfare. Indeed, the author’s approach to the whole Warhammer 40k universe feels very different from other authors who take up the task of writing about it – things are more nuanced as a whole, deeper, and often far more intelligent and original, relying more on his own imagination than the information and background laid out by the army books. I wouldn’t be surprised, actually, if Abnett’s novels have gone a long way in redefining the universe he writes about.

Abnett’s sense of humour comes through well, without coming across as forced, out of place, or over-done – it is almost Pratchett-esque, in fact, made up as it is of amusing asides and sarcastic remarks, slightly impish in nature; the interactions between different troopers and members of the regiment, as well as Ayanti Zweil and Dr Kolding adds further colour to the novel. Considering it’s set in a fictional, dark and brutal future, it all feels very realistic, and Abnett’s skill at writing sympathetic characters will make you care about each and every one of the Ghosts.

It’s difficult to go into much more detail about the novel without ruining the story, so I won’t go into the plot any more. Needless to say, Abnett has written another winner – perhaps the best so far – and any fan of his writing should snap this up ASAP. His writing is broad in scope, with a keen eye for human nature and the effects war can have on the individual – not to mention the effects of social re-entry away from the battlefield.

Blood Pact should definitely appeal to readers of the Black Library’s wider catalogue, but also to fans of science fiction as a whole. Abnett’s noir-tinged war tales are exciting, engaging, and far more enjoyable than anything else in this genre. I also can’t help thinking that this is how good the writers of Battlestar Galactica wish their show had been (I was not a fan of that series).

Military sci-fi at its peerless, superior best. Highly recommended.

Series Chronology: First & Only, Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard, The Guns of Tanith, Straight Silver, Sabbat Martyr, Traitor General, His Last Command, The Armour of Contempt, Only in Death, Blood Pact

Abnett’s Other WH40K novels: Eisenhorn Trilogy, Ravenor Trilogy, Double Eagle, Horus Rising & Legion (Horus Heresy series)

*     *     *

For those interested in the Sabbat Worlds setting, I just want to draw your attention to another Black Library release: the Sabbat Worlds Anthology, also released in October 2010, features a new Gaunt’s Ghosts short story, alongside other contributions from the Black Library’s stable of established and up-and-coming  authors. Here’s the cover art and the blurb from BL’s website:

Across the Sabbat Worlds, a bitter conflict is fought, a conflict that can only end in victory or annihilation. The innumerable forces of the Arch enemy attack without mercy, and planet after planet burns with the flames of war. Yet even amidst this nightmare, the Imperial Guard stand stoic against their foes. The Phantine Air Corps battle the enemies of mankind across burning skies, while the Gereon resistance tries to break the foothold of Chaos on their beleaguered world and the legendary Gaunt’s Ghosts fight in the most violent and bloody of warzones.

This anthology opens the gateway to the Sabbat Worlds like never before, featuring new stories from some of the Black Library’s best-known authors including Dan Abnett, Graham McNeill, Aaron Dembski-Bowden and many more.

I’m currently reading the Fear the Alien anthology between novels (review should go live perhaps by the end of next week), but as soon as I’m done with that, I’ll get started on this collection. It’ll be interesting to see how other authors work with Abnett’s setting, and of course the new Gaunt’s Ghosts story is a real draw.

[I really hope Dan’s novels are among those that are released as eBooks when Black Library finally gets around to publishing in this format – apparently this October]

“Enforcer”, by Matthew Farrer (Black Library)

The Shira Calpurnia Omnibus

The Adeptus Arbites are responsible for enforcing Imperial Law across the Imperium. Enforcer Shira Calpurnia is a newly assigned officer to the Hydraphur division, charged with maintaining a tough line on law and order in the system. Home to Imperial warfleets which dock, rearm and repair in a neverending cycle of conflict, in this violent and corrupt sector of space. Calpurnia's duty is to protect the innocent and punish the guilty… With extreme prejudice.

Crossfire: Calpurnia is a newly-appointed Arbites officer. But she soon finds herself investigating a series of assassination attempts at the dockyards. With so much at stake, she must unravel a mystery that goes to the heart of Hydraphur’s elite.

Legacy: Calpurnia is appointed to protect an ancient trading charter; a document highly-prized by a number of potential heirs willing to go to any lengths to obtain it. Calpurnia and her fellow Arbites must don their armour and fight, to ensure the charter ends up in its rightful place.

Blind: When a telepath is killed, Calpurnia faces suspicion and mistrust from his disturbed fellows, as her investigation takes her deep into a deadly conspiracy. In a hostile environment, and dogged by her new ‘minder’, can she solve her most difficult case yet and ensure Imperial law is restored?

Collecting Farrer’s three Calpurnia novels, along with a new introduction and ‘dossiers’ for each novel, Enforcer is a excellently-priced omnibus. I read these three novels when they first came out, so it was nice to re-visit the series.

Different from Black Library’s usual output, the novels are more crime investigations in a gothic sci-fi setting than proper tales of war and fierce battles. Some might find the pacing a little slow (even I did at times), or the premise not what they were expecting or to their taste, but I really welcomed the different approach to the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Shira Calpurnia is an interesting, strong (if short) lead character, and one you will grow closer to as the novels unfold – we only really get to know her slowly, as Farrer reveals her background at a leisurely pace. With the Adeptus Arbites (the police force of the Imperium) as the central focus of the novels, we are taken away from the front lines of battle, and brought into the cities of the Imperium and all the intrigue, politicking and plotting that typifies life within them. It made a nice change, one that Dan Abnett’s Eisenhorn and Ravenor series also provided. The added information about how the Imperium works was, for me, a big draw.

The greatest strength of the novels, however, is that they were the first to really delve into how the Imperium actually worked, rather than just how it made war. Crossfire is particularly strong; more about human nature and its failings than inter-species, intergalactic war, well suited to introducing us to the Imperium and how day-to-day society works within it. Legacy is also good, giving us more information and background on the Rogue Traders and how their strata of society works – some have complained that Calpurnia didn’t feature enough in this novel, which is a fair complaint, but ultimately there was enough intrigue and dynastic politics to keep it interesting. Blind is a little different, adding to our understanding of the lives and operations of the blind psykers, the astropaths, with a more interesting antagonist and premise – to add to her problems, Calpurnia is also awaiting trial for a misstep, postponed so she can help solve the murder of a psyker.

Farrer’s prose are well-crafted, and the plots unravel at a good pace, always giving us just enough to draw us along, and he is adept at bringing the worlds and Imperial citizens (loyal or otherwise) to life, as well as describing the lives of the multiple strata of Imperial society.

Even though I enjoyed these novels, I must admit that if I had to choose something in the 40k setting, I would probably still opt for anything by Abnett, Graham McNeill or something in the Horus Heresy series. It’s not that Enforcer isn’t worth reading, it’s just not what many people will want from a 40k novel. The dossiers included for each novel are a pretty nifty inclusion, offering something more to enhance the novel you’ve just read. The most recent novels from the Black Library that have the most similar feel to these are Sandy Mitchell’s Inquisitor novels, Scourge the Heretic and Innocence Proves Nothing.

Enforcer is recommended to anyone who loves the setting, but wants something a little different while still identifiable as Warhammer 40k. That being said, Farrer writes some good sci-fi here, so even if you’re not familiar with the universe, or haven’t read anything from Black Library, then this could be an interesting introduction.

(As with all Black Library omnibuses, Enforcer is also priced very well – three novels, with bonus content, for just £11? Bargain.)

“A Thousand Sons”, by Graham McNeill (Black Library)

Introducing the enigmatic, psychic, and misunderstood Sons of Magnus

Censured at the Council of Nikea for his flagrant use of sorcery, Magnus the Red and his Thousand Sons Legion retreat to their home-world of Prospero to continue their use of the arcane arts in secret. But when the ill-fated primarch foresees the treachery of Warmaster Horus and warns the Emperor with the very powers he was forbidden to use, the Master of Mankind dispatches fellow primarch Leman Russ to attack Prospero itself. But Magnus has seen more than the betrayal of Horus, and the witnessed revelations will change the fate of his fallen Legion, and its primarch, forever.

I’ve been waiting a long time for this novel. Ever since the Black Library announced the Horus Heresy series, I’ve been eagerly awaiting coverage of a number of key events: from the initial descent of Horus (in Horus Rising, False Gods and Galaxy in Flames), the war on Mars (Mechanicum), and also the Space Wolves-Thousand Sons conflict. In A Thousand Sons, Graham McNeill offers us the story from the perspective of the eponymous legion (Dan Abnett’s Prospero Burns will give us the perspective of the Space Wolves).

The novel opens well before the events described in the blurb, which I thought strange, but it’s also good as it allows McNeill plenty of space to flesh out the Thousand Sons and the history of the period. To begin with, Magnus’s legion are on the desert-world of Aghoru, investigating an ancient, psychically-charged, malevolent force buried beneath the world.

It takes a little while to get used to the different terminology used by the Thousand Sons (each legion has its own quirky jargon for legion-related things such as hierarchy, structure, practices, traditions, and so forth), but we quickly figure out what is being referred to. The author brings the Thousand Sons to life on the pages, one of the more strange and eccentric Space Marine legions. McNeill manages to balance the clear Egyptian influences that make up a lot of the Thousand Sons’ iconography with the more standard imagery of the Warhammer 40,000 universe as a whole, as well as convey their ‘otherness’ perfectly. The differences are particularly stark when compared with the Space Wolves, one of the more feral legions (think Norsemen and Vikings, only with really, really big guns and swords…). The scenes featuring Magnus and Leman Russ, the Primarch of the Space Wolves, are particularly interesting, as the friction and animosity between the two is palpable, and McNeill is very adept at portraying the tensions through his writing. Indeed, it is always interesting to see the Primarchs brought to life on the pages of this series; so impossible and impressive they are, so legendary, it is a testament to the quality of Graham McNeill (and also Dan Abnett) to have made them such realistic, flawed and three-dimensional characters.

The story is not rushed, as befits the legion’s methodical, calm, scholarly approach to all things. The story is, actually, utterly absorbing, and kept me up well into the night – it’s one of the longer Horus Heresy novels, clocking in at over 500 pages, though this didn’t seem to matter at all – whereas in the past I have been put off by some of the longer Black Library releases, McNeill’s writing, the plot, and the intriguing characters all helped make this easily one of my favourite Sci-Fi novels, period, let alone just Black Library releases.

The novel is enjoyable, though not without one minor flaw. It’s a common sci-fi trope, rather than anything that can be blamed on Graham McNeill alone. It’s also not really that much of an issue, but given that it occurred on page one, it bugged me (and the length that I discuss this should not detract from the other 99% of the novel that I loved). Specifically, it’s the insistence on writing the “science” into science fiction. Take this excerpt from the first page:

“Though its people had no knowledge of geology, the titanic forces of orogenic movement, compressional energies and isostatic uplift, they knew enough to know that the Mountain was too vast, too monumental, to be a natural formation.”

For me, the emphasised text should have been left out – including it doesn’t make me think the author’s done his homework (which, to be fair, he has), but rather that someone was trying to make the novel sound more impressive. McNeill is a great author, who doesn’t need to rely on such devices to make us like his work. This isn’t a text book. Having said all this, however, the decision to use this style does start to make sense – it is perfectly in keeping with the temperament and character of the Astartes of the Thousand Sons, who progress through the ranks by ridding themselves of ego and favouring learning, with intellectual prowess as important as their marshal prowess.

This very minor quibble aside (and, again, it’s true for many sci-fi authors), this is a great addition to the series. We are shown how one of the most loyal and least bloodthirsty legions fell out of favour through suspicion, betrayal, and misunderstanding – unlike the Sons of Horus, who fell through hubris; the Emperor’s Children who fell through decadence and arrogance; and various other reasons that afflicted the other fallen legions. The story of the Thousand Sons is perhaps the most tragic of all the legions.

The Horus Heresy series has been, for the main, a very enjoyable reading experience. The first three novels, for example, proved to be amazing, bringing the age into amazing, violent and chaotic life. A Thousand Sons belongs not only in the upper echelons of the series, but is one of the best novels released by the Black Library thus far.

To sum up: an utterly absorbing, exciting and expertly-crafted novel.

Series Chronology (thus far): Dan Abnett, Horus Rising; Graham McNeill, False Gods; Ben Counter, Galaxy in Flames; James Swallow, The Flight of the Eisenstein; Graham McNeill, Fulgrim; Mitch Scanlon, Descent of Angels; Dan Abnett, Legion; Ben Counter, Battle for the Abyss; Graham McNeill, Mechanicum; Various, Tales of Heresy; Mike Lee, Fallen Angels; Graham McNeill, A Thousand Sons; James Swallow, Nemesis (August 2010); Aaron Dembski-Bowden, The First Heretic (November 2010); Dan Abnett, Prospero Burns (January 2011)

To order A Thousand Sons, click here.

“Tales of Heresy”, eds. Nick Kyme & Lindsey Priestley (Black Library)

Collection of new short stories set in the time of the Horus Heresy

When Horus the Warmaster rebelled against the Emperor, the ensuing civil war nearly destroyed the Imperium. War raged across galaxy, pitting Astartes against their battle-brothers in a struggle where death was the only victor.

This collection features stories of heroism and tragedy set during this turbulent time, by Black Library’s star authors Dan Abnett, Graham McNeill, James Swallow, Mike Lee, Anthony Reynolds, Gav Thorpe, and Matthew Farrer

Black Library’s Horus Heresy series has been a huge success, adding extra layers of detail and understanding to the background of Games Workshop’s popular table-top wargaming universe. Up until now, there have been nine novels in the series, but Tales of Heresy offers up seven short stories that take a look at less grand vistas of the time. For example, Dan Abnett’s opener, “Blood Games”, introduces us to the Custodes, the elite guardians of the Emperor and his palace on Terra. This story was pretty good, and featured Abnett’s breathless action-writing as we have come to expect it. However, given the short length, and the amount that is packed in, it felt rushed (three missions are covered in just 50 pages) and there wasn’t the space for the author to flesh out his characters (something he is very good at in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series).

The other stories in this volume are a mixed bag, providing some innovative approaches to the age. There are three tales of expeditionary forces from three Space Marine legions, two loyalist and one that would eventually turn to Chaos: Mike Lee’s “Wolf at the Door” covers the Space Wolves and a mission to a newly discovered planet (it should also help whet people’s appetites for Graham McNeill’s A Thousand Sons and Dan Abnett’s Prospero Burns, which will feature the Space Wolves); Anthony Reynolds writes from the perspective of the Word Bearers in “Scions of the Storm”, as they assault an enemy bastion. Gav Thorpe’s “Call of the Lion” covers a Dark Angels attempt to being a world into compliance with the new Imperium edicts.

The remaining three stories are the ones that grabbed my attention more because of their different approach and content. “After Desh’Ea”, by Matthew Farrer (the last story in the anthology), follows the days after the discovery/reunion with the World Eaters (then known as the War Hounds) primarch, the somewhat psychotic Angron, and his integration into the rigid structure of an Astartes Legion after growing up on a savage world of battle. James Swallow’s “The Voice”, is about a group of Sisters of Silence and their hunt for a missing Black Ship (effectively Imperial prison ships for the Chaos tainted and newly found psychics).

Finally, the most interesting story in the book, “The Last Church” by Graham McNeill. This last story is very topical, as a priest is confronted by a secularist, who introduces himself as ‘Revelation’, asking questions of the priest, about

“what keeps you here when the world is abandoning beliefs in gods and divinity in the face of the advances of science and reason.”

For the chosen forum to ask such questions, McNeill has done a good job of writing an intelligent, interesting dialogue on the place of religion in modern society and life. Some of the observations aren’t new, such as Revelation’s point, “Politics has slain its thousands, yes, but religion has slain its millions”. Definitely a nice surprise to find it in this volume. The story also contains perhaps the only honest appraisal of what the Emperor’s grand vision, painting a picture of such narrow-minded arrogance and self-belief. (Like some other reviewers, I think “The Last Church” would have worked better as the last story in the anthology, much more powerful is its content and message, not to mention the strength of the McNeill’s writing.)

Overall, I would say that, if you’ve been following the Horus Heresy series, or are a fan of the Warhammer 40,000, then you will probably like some, if not all, of the stories within. The stories are all pretty good, some clearly better than others, but if nothing else, they’re really handy time-fillers if you can’t decide on what to read/review next (this is how I ended up reading them).

Series Chronology (as announced so far): Dan Abnett, Horus Rising; Graham McNeill, False Gods; Ben Counter, Galaxy in Flames; James Swallow, The Flight of the Eisenstein; Graham McNeill, Fulgrim; Mitch Scanlon, Descent of Angels; Dan Abnett, Legion; Ben Counter, Battle for the Abyss; Graham McNeill, Mechanicum; Graham McNeill, A Thousand Suns; James Swallow, Nemesis (August 2010); Aaron Dembski-Bowden, The First Heretic (November 2010); Dan Abnett, Prospero Burns (January 2011)

To order Tales of Heresy, click here (UK)