Author Archives: Michael Dodd

QUICK REVIEW : The Staff of Asclepius – Graham McNeill

The final 40k story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar comes from Graham McNeill, who returns to the Ultramarines with the micro-short The Staff of Asclepius. Fleeing through his ship carrying the precious gene-seed of his fallen brothers, apothecary Isstvan Cantaro races against time to keep his cargo from the grasp of the Emperors Children fleshsmith Dzyban and his horde of cultists. With hope fading fast, Cantaro faces the possibility of failing in his duty to safeguard the chapter’s future.
Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW : The Sacrifice – Graeme Lyon

Day twenty-two of Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar brings Graeme Lyon’s third contribution, the Age of Sigmar short story The Sacrifice. This time round events take place in the Shyish, the realm of Death, where the Tzeentchian sorcerer Arioso sacrifices a defeated vampire in order to summon a daemon and learn about his glorious future. Acting upon the information he acquires, he sets out to fulfil his destiny and reach the prophesied moment of his ascension, never considering the accuracy of the prophecy.
Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW : Without Fear – Aaron Dembski-Bowden

The Ultramarines show up for day twenty-one of the Black Library 2015 Advent Calendar, in Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s micro short Without Fear. Brother Aeneas joins his squad in an aerial insertion to break the back of a Chaos force and reclaim a defaced relic, and we watch as he prepares himself for battle before (literally) throwing himself into the fray. With his weapons sanctified and his brothers around him, nothing is going to stand in the way of their victory.
Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW : Godless – David Guymer

David Guymer contributes the twentieth story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar with Godless, an Age of Sigmar short story dealing with the search for the missing Chaos god Slaanesh. The decidedly ambiguous Shahleah leads her fellow champions and their collective warriors to seek out a daemonic oracle, whose guidance leads them to a seemingly abandoned temple where they hope to find a trace of their absent deity. Despite its outward appearance the temple proves to still have its guardians, while the oracle’s trustworthiness is definitely in question.
Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW : Midnight Rotation – Dan Abnett

Dan Abnett joins the party on day nineteen of Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar with Midnight Rotation, a 40k short story that takes place within his Sabbat Worlds setting. Trooper second class Cawkus, of the Fiftieth Urdesh Regular, offers his take on the events he witnessed in the run up to the destruction of a Munitorum facility under his squad’s watch. Being only a trooper second class he might not have the most strategic overview of events, but he knows what he saw.
Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW : The Eighth Victory – Graeme Lyon

On the eighteenth day of Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar it’s time for The Eighth Victory, an Age of Sigmar short story from Graeme Lyon. Krev Deathstalker, another wonderfully titled champion of Chaos, has led his forces to seven mighty victories against the invading Stormcast Eternals, spilling much blood for Khorne. The eighth victory promises to bring him glory and power untold, but to achieve it he has to keep his battered army together and inspire his eight champions to one last slaughter. Meanwhile some within his army are starting to question their role in his upcoming glory.
Keep reading…

Black Library Advent Calendar 2015

It’s that time of year again and Black Library have released their usual Advent Calendar, only this time it’s a little different to previous years. Firstly, it’s themed entirely around Chaos – specifically the Call of Chaos. Secondly, with Warhammer Digital (previously Games Workshop Digital Editions) now seeming to come under the Black Library banner, this year’s Advent Calendar combines the two strands with each day providing a new short story as well as a new gaming supplement.

Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW : Glory From Chaos – Chris Dows

Day seventeen in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar, Glory From Chaos sees the return of Jetek Suberei from Chris Dows’ previous Deathwatch short story, First To Hunt. Taking place at the beginning of his journey as a White Scar, it sees the young warrior on his first mission as a full Marine, joining his brothers in an all-in charge against the forces of the Tzeentchian sorcerer lord Karnel. Having run Karnel to ground after a long hunt, the Scars see the end of their task in sight, but Karnel has other plans for how the day will turn out.
Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW : Gorechosen – Andy Clark

On the sixteenth day of Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar it’s a battle for supremacy as two Khornate champions duke it out in Andy Clark’s Age of Sigmar short story Gorechosen. The slaughterpriest Akhagor leads his warband into the Scorchpit, a veritable arena of death filled with all manner of foes to battle, while the aspiring deathbringer Vorhak chafes under his command and threatens to turn the warband against him. With the realm of Fire under assault by the Stormcasts, can Akhagor lead his army to glory and reach his destiny?
Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW : Blood and Iron – Robbie MacNiven

Day fifteen in the 2015 Black Library Advent Calendar provides Blood and Iron, Robbie MacNiven’s second contribution and the third story to feature the might of the Iron Warriors. On the Dark Mechanicum forge world of Dementius, Warpsmith Ferrix oversees the gory rituals necessary to bind a powerful daemon into the body of a captured Titan, sacrificing much to create a weapon of devastating power. As the blood flows and the daemon rises, Ferrix knows he must use all of his knowledge and skill to complete his greatest work.
Keep reading…