Author Archives: Michael Dodd

QUICK REVIEW : Cross Kill – James Patterson

Cross Kill, by James Patterson, is the first in a series of quick reads called Book Shots, designed to be rapid-fire stories that can be read in one go. While most of these titles are co-authored, this one comes entirely under Patterson’s name, and features much-loved character Dr. Alex Cross. Set ten years after the events of Along Came a Spider, it sees that book’s antagonist Gary Soneji apparently returning from the grave to take revenge on Cross, first shooting his partner in the head and then returning to plague Cross as his investigation continues.
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Xenos – Dan Abnett

Widely held as a Black Library classic, Dan Abnett’s Xenos is the first installment in his Eisenhorn trilogy and the first novel to take a close look at the workings of the Inquisition. First published in 2001 following the release of the Inquisitor game by Games Workshop (in which the character of Eisenhorn was briefly introduced), it sees the young Gregor Eisenhorn closing in on a target only to realise he’s just beginning to scratch the surface of a much, much wider conspiracy involving the noble Glaw family and a foul xenos race.
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Trigger Warning – Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman’s third volume of short stories, Trigger Warning is a strange, eclectic collection that fails to follow one of Gaiman’s own tests by assembling stories ‘hodgepodge and willy-nilly’ but nevertheless still feels totally appropriate for a book of Gaiman stories. There’s a little bit of everything in here – poetry, stories both long (ish) and (very) short, ghosts, Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, saints, dogs, David Bowie, and all sorts of captivatingly strange goings-on. They range in length, style, structure, genre, each one standing separate but contributing to a whole that’s occasionally confusing but always interesting, and very, very appropriate to Neil Gaiman.
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Medusan Wings – Matt Westbrook

EDIT: since writing this it’s come to light that Matt Westbrook is in fact a pen name, and the actual author of this novella is Ian St. Martin, he of the excellent Deathwatch short story City of Ruin. Given that the name on the cover hasn’t changed I’m going to leave both the title and body of this review as it is, but please feel free to substitute Ian’s name for any mention of Matt Westbrook! I’ve also inserted an occasional comment here and there, marked in red italics.

Following the tried and tested route, Matt Westbrook’s novella Medusan Wings is released to tie in with a new Games Workshop game, in this case Stormcloud Assault. The focus is on Atraxii, an Iron Hands Techmarine just returned from his tenure on Mars who joins his mentor Oblexus and the fighter squadron the Medusan Wing in the defence of an Adeptus Mechanicus forge world against an ork invasion. As their relationship with the Mechanicus gradually sours, Atraxii is forced to learn how to combine the strengths of the flesh and iron like never before in order to succeed in his mission and survive against endless waves of ork fighters.
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The Hunt for Vulkan – David Annandale (The Beast Arises Book Seven)

IMPORTANT: This is book seven in a series – there will be spoilers unless you’ve read I Am Slaughter; Predator, Prey; The Emperor Expects; The Last Wall; Throneworld or Echoes of the Long War.

Black Library’s ongoing The Beast Arises series moves one step closer to completion with book 7, David Annandale’s The Hunt for Vulkan. Annandale’s second contribution to the series, it focuses primarily on Chapter Master Koorland of the Imperial Fists who, after forcing the Adeptus Mechanicus to reveal the origin of the ork invasion – legendary Ullanor, calls for aid from other First Founding chapters. Recognising that the Imperium needs a powerful figurehead if they are to strike at the heart of The Beast’s forces, an unlikely source points him in the direction of a mythical figure who might just fit the bill.
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The Vagrant – Peter Newman

The debut novel from Peter Newman, The Vagrant is a genre-straddling, expectation-defying book that represents both an assured debut and an impressive willingness (from author and publisher) to take risks. Set in a world that’s equal parts dystopia, fantasy and science fiction, where living swords and ephemeral demons coexist with futuristic firearms and vast sky-ships, it follows the titular Vagrant as he journeys through lands long corrupted by a conquering foe bearing a sentient sword and incongruously caring for a baby. Never speaking, communicating through body language alone, he stubbornly makes his way ever northwards in search of home, and safety.
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Black Rift – Josh Reynolds

Josh Reynolds’ Age of Sigmar novel Black Rift was initially published in eight short story-length instalments under the Black Rift of Klaxus banner, before its subsequent release as a combined volume. However it’s read, it details the battle for the crater city of Uryx fought by the Stormcast Eternals of Lord Celestant Orius Adamantine and the Khornate warlord Anhur the Scarlet Lord. Orius and Anhur have a personal connection, having fought side by side to protect the city in their previous lives, and while Orius believes he has backed Anhur into a corner, the Scarlet Lord plans to open a gateway to Khorne’s realm and ascend to daemonhood.
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QUICK REVIEW – The Black Rift of Klaxus : The Sulphur Citadel – Josh Reynolds

The Black Rift of Klaxus comes to an end with Josh Reynolds’ eighth and final instalment, The Sulphur Citadel. The Rift has opened, spilling legions of daemons out into Klaxus and swamping the remaining Stormcasts, who fight on regardless. As Orius and Anhur clash for the final time, Lord Relictor Moros confronts his Khornate counterpart Volundr, while Lord Castellant Gorgus battles the monstrous bloodthirster Skul’rath. The fate of Klaxus hangs in the balance, everything now resting on the outcome of these three epic duels.
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QUICK REVIEW – The Black Rift of Klaxus : Bridge of Smoke – Josh Reynolds

Josh Reynolds’ serialised novel The Black Rift of Klaxus closes in on the end with part seven, Bridge of Smoke. Having fought through never-ending hordes of Khorne worshippers and the twisted city of Uryx itself, Lord Celestant Orius and his battered Stormcasts are almost at their goal when Anhur’s great ritual finally comes to fruition. As numberless daemons flood into existence, Orius leaves the greater part of his forces to bear the brunt of the assault while he leads a small group into the Sulphur Citadel to confront Anhur and put an end to his plans for apotheosis.
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QUICK REVIEW – The Black Rift of Klaxus : Ten Skulls – Josh Reynolds

Josh Reynolds’ Age of Sigmar mini-series/serialised novel The Black Rift of Klaxus reaches part six with Ten Skulls, in which Lord Celestant Orius and his Stormcasts continue to battle on, inching ever closer to their goal. Hungry for glory (or just lots of blood), more of Anhur’s Gorechosen fling themselves in the Stormcasts’ path, to varying degrees of success, until Orius and co. finally find themselves in open battle against last remaining lines of the Chaos defence. Amidst the carnage the two lords finally meet face to face, albeit not for the final time – this is part six of eight, after all.
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