On the eighth day of Christmas Black Library gave to us…no less than six Blood Angels short stories. With contributions from veteran authors (Dan Abnett and James Swallow), well-established names (Chris Wraight and David Annandale) and relative newcomers (Ray Harrison and Mark Clapham), between them these six 1000-or-so word stories illustrate various facets of this noble but flawed chapter, only really scratching the surface but hinting at what lies beneath.
On the seventh day of Christmas, Black Library gave to us…a World Eaters short story by Josh Reynolds. Enyalius, in Memoriam follows the World Eater Marakitedes as he leads what’s left of his brothers in battle against the Ultramarines, in order to honour their fallen captain, the titular Enyalius. As they fight their way across the hull of the Ultramarines’ ship Marakitedes recalls what brought them there and considers what the future holds for him and his brothers, all the while taking skulls on behalf of Enyalius.
On the fifth day of Christmas Black Library gave to us…a Commissar Yarrick short story by David Annandale. Picking up threads from elsewhere in this growing series, Concordat sees still-young Yarrick on the hive world of Aighe Mortis, participating in a recruitment drive to replenish depleted Mortisian regiments. As some familiar faces unexpectedly appear and he’s forced into conflict with the Inquisition, he has to draw upon every weapon at his disposal to survive.
On the fourth day of Christmas Black Library gave to us…a Shield of Baal short story by Guy Haley. Sitting within the wider Shield of Baal series but also tying in with Haley’s own novel Valedor, Wraithflight sees the eldar of Iyanden come to the aid of an embattled Imperial world against the might of Hive Fleet Leviathan. Spiritseer Iyanna leads a void attack, using the wrathful dead of the craftworld to combat the hive mind’s control over its fleet, but it remains to be seen exactly what the eldar are hoping to achieve with their intervention.
On the second day of Christmas Black Library gave to us…a Brazen Claws story by Joe Parrino. Cold Roads, so named for the vessel on which the story takes place, offers a snapshot of the chapter’s Eighth Company, deep in the Eye of Terror, battling Emperor’s Children and suffering from their long exposure to the Eye. With this and its predecessor, No Worse Sin (from the Angels of Death collection), Parrino is introducing readers to the Brazen Claws as a chapter, hinting at their shadowed history and their organisation, while setting the scene for what’s to come next in their story.
On the first day of Christmas Black Library gave to us…a Horus Heresy short story by Guy Haley. The Final Compliance of Sixty-Three Fourteen takes a look at how a compliant world might react to Horus as he returns to to demand its fealty, claiming the Imperial Truth to be a lie. As the Sons of Horus fleet hangs in orbit as a blunt threat, and their emissaries wait impatiently, the Imperial governor must choose whether to turn away from The Emperor or defy Horus.
Of all the Traitor Legions the Death Guard have had by far the least coverage in Black Library’s Horus Heresy series so far, barring the loyalist Nathaniel Garro. With only the odd exception they have largely been observers or at best incidental players, Mortarion’s duel with The Khan in Scars being perhaps their most exciting scene yet. Whether as an intentional part of the wider Heresy plan or simply by happenstance, we simply haven’t had much of an insight as yet into Mortarion and his legion, either during or prior to the Heresy, though long-term fans of Warhammer 40k will know his eventual fate. On the basis of Daemonology, a new short story from the pen of Chris Wraight, that could be changing pretty soon.
The Legion of the Damned – spectral Space Marines clad in ebon and bone, wreathed in flame, appearing only when the hour is darkest and humanity’s need is greatest. It’s a wonderful concept, one which entered the Warhammer 40,000 canon way back in the ’80s and has been a fan favourite ever since. They’re classic 40k – dark and gothic, morally ambiguous and forever shrouded in mystery. For anyone hoping to get a concrete explanation of their background, you won’t find it here. Instead we get a collection of short stories (including one very short story) from six Black Library authors exploring different aspects of this most mysterious of forces.
Black Library’s Horus Heresy series is a big beast, there’s no doubt about it. From fairly humble beginnings it’s grown and grown, to the point that there have now been over 50 separate releases in the series. As a nice gesture to those die-hard fans who have invested big bucks for the beautiful limited edition of the new graphic novel, Macragge’s Honour, each person who has bought a copy has received a free short story in ebook format. That story is a pre-Heresy tale featuring Horus and his Luna Wolves legion taking on an enormous ork scrapfleet. With the help of The Emperor of Mankind. And yes, it’s brilliant.
It’s good to see Sarah Cawkwell back on the Black Library radar after a fairly quiet year in 2013. The Tyrant’s Champion, her latest short story, returns us to the world of Huron Blackheart and his Red Corsairs, pretty much following on from the events of The Gildar Rift. Blackheart was the antagonist in that novel, providing a good mixture of moustache-twirling criminal mastermind and scary, anger-fuelled power maniac. As the title suggests however, this new story is concerned with his champion, or rather the selection of a new one after the last one met a sticky end at the hands of the Silver Skulls.