Category Archives: Books

Warlord: Fury of the God-Machine – David Annandale

Anyone familiar with David Annandale’s writing for Black Library will know he likes to tell big stories. There’s not much bigger in 40k than a Warlord Titan…except lots of Warlord Titans, which you’ll find in David’s novel Warlord: Fury of the God-Machine. The legios of Pallidus Mor and the Imperial Hunters couldn’t be much less alike in philosophy or approach to warfare, but on Khania they forge an uncomfortable alliance against the tyranid hordes. When rebellion arises on nearby Katara they’re forced further still into uneasy cooperation, exposing dangerous cracks even as Chaos rises and a world falls.

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Cult of the Spiral Dawn – Peter Fehervari

Peter Fehervari’s Cult of the Spiral Dawn comprises a short but powerful novel – originally released with the bland title of Legends of the Dark Millennium: Genestealer Cults – plus an accompanying short story, Cast a Hungry Shadow (or Casts…depending on which version you read). You can find reviews for both of these elsewhere on Track of Words (click the links in the previous sentence) from their original releases, while this article aims to take a wider look at what this book offers across both stories. Suffice to say, whether as an introduction to Fehervari’s writing or part of an ongoing exploration, it is – quite simply – essential reading for any 40k fan looking to dig beneath the surface a little.

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Fire Caste – Peter Fehervari

Despite its bland, misleading title, Peter Fehervari’s debut Black Library novel Fire Caste is a captivating tale of damaged, haunted characters spiralling into hell. The Imperium and the T’au Empire are locked in an endless stalemate over the planet Phaedra, into which stumble the 19th Arkan Confederates, still haunted by the trauma of their world’s recent rebellion. Commissar Holt Iverson – twisted and troubled from years spent on Phaedra, sees in the Confederates the possibility of redemption. The Confederates, however, are soon suffering under the troubling influence of Phaedra and find themselves drawn ever deeper into the tangled conflict taking place.

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Traitor’s Gorge – Mike Lee

Mike Lee’s Space Marine Battles novella Traitor’s Gorge picks up where Steve Parker’s Rynn’s World leaves off, with Pedro Kantor left leading a pitiful number of Crimson Fists once Rynn’s World is relieved and Snagrod’s ork hordes driven off. With the Imperial reinforcements long gone, it’s left to Kantor to wipe out the last remaining pockets of orks – a dangerous task, but one the vengeance-hungry Crimson Fists approach with relish. Bringing one such group to battle at Traitor’s Gorge, Kantor doesn’t realise the trap he’s fallen into until it’s too late, but help is on hand from an unexpected quarter.

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Rynn’s World – Steve Parker

The very first Space Marine Battles novel, published back in 2010, Steve Parker’s Rynn’s World kicked the series off in style with an action-packed story of Crimson Fists battling a vast ork invasion. Despite the apparent folly of attacking a Space Marine home world, the Arch-Arsonist Snagrod’s unusual tactics surprise the Crimson Fists, resulting in huge numbers of orks landing onto Rynn’s World. When a million-to-one accident sees the Fists’ ancient and treasured fortress-monastery destroyed and the majority of their warriors slain, a determined defence turns into a desperate fight for the survival of the Chapter itself.

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Ferrus Manus: Gorgon of Medusa

Book seven in Black Library’s Primarchs series of short novels, David Guymer’s Ferrus Manus: Gorgon of Medusa provides a rare long-form glimpse of the Iron Hands’ primarch. In the middle stages of the Great Crusade, when three primarchs are still to be found and rumours of the Emperor’s future plans are just beginning to circulate, the Iron Hands and Emperor’s Children are performing joint exercises when they hear of the 413th Fleet’s difficulties bringing the Gardinaal empire to compliance. Instead of waiting for reinforcements, Ferrus decides to take Gardinaal himself and send a statement to his brothers and father.

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Malleus – Dan Abnett

Published the very same year as the seminal Xenos, Dan Abnett’s second Eisenhorn novel – Malleus – is set a hundred or so years after the conclusion of the Necroteuch affair. Following a near-death experience at the hands of Beldame Sadia, Eisenhorn reluctantly returns to his estate on Thracian Primaris to join a great celebration taking place. When disaster strikes during the Triumph, Eisenhorn sets out to discover the culprits, but despite his best intentions he begins to find that his reputation has been tarnished by his association – such as it is – with the daemonhost Cherubael.

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Knightsblade – Andy Clark

The second novel in Andy Clark’s Imperial Knights series, Knightsblade follows on from the excellent Kingsblade, picking up events several years later. Luk Kar Chimaeros, now known as the Knight of Ashes, hunts his stepmother Alicia Kar Manticos from system to system alongside a small band of fellow exiles. Danial Tan Draconis, meanwhile, rules Adrastapol as High King, working to bring the three remaining noble Houses together and help his world to flourish. When he learns of a great danger threatening Adrastapol, Luk puts his quest aside and risks much to return home and fight alongside his former comrades.

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The Thunder of Madness – David Annandale

One of six monster vs monster novellas edited by Josh Reynolds and James Bojaciuk as part of a series called Cryptid Clash, David Annandale’s The Thunder of Madness offers a dark, unsettling throwdown between the Beast of Dean (a dirty great boar) and a tatzelwurm (a horrifying cat/lizard hybrid). It’s 1917 and while the Great War is engulfing continental Europe, in Gloucestershire two brilliant women – Miriam and Ingrid – are preparing to tap into the powerful ley lines running through the Forest of Dean. Meanwhile in Austria, Edgar Richter sets out on a perilous journey to bring a tatzelwurm into England. When it arrives, blood will flow and sparks will fly.

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Storm of Iron – Graham McNeill

2002’s classic Iron Warriors novel Storm of Iron was Graham McNeill’s second Black Library novel, and introduced us to Honsou, a villain who would go on to feature heavily in future books. On the barren world of Hydra Cordatus, the 383rd Jouran Dragoons man the defences of an Adeptus Mechanicus fortress. Nobody seems quite sure exactly what they’re defending, but a massive invasion force of Iron Warriors suggests it’s something important. The Imperial defenders believe themselves safe behind formidable fortress walls, but the Iron Warriors bring 10,000 years of guile and brutality as well as their mastery of siegecraft.

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