Tag Archives: Death Guard

QUICK REVIEW: Unification – Chris Wraight

Chris Wraight’s short story Unification, available in the special edition hardback of The Lords of Silence or the Warriors and Warlords anthology, shows Vorx of the Death Guard – main protagonist of The Lords of Silence – in various earlier incarnations, sort of ‘Vorx through the ages’. When the Death Guard fight alongside Blood Angels in a pre-Heresy compliance, Blood Angels captain Camanio offers Vorx an insult that leaves him speechless. As Vorx recalls his youth on Barbarus fighting by his primarch’s side, the gravity of Camanio’s insult – what it means to the Death Guard – becomes clear. Much later, so too do the consequences.

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The Buried Dagger – James Swallow

Book 54 in the Horus Heresy, James Swallow’s The Buried Dagger brings the main-range series to a close as the final book before the Siege of Terra begins. It’s a deserved moment in the spotlight for the Death Guard both past and present, told across two narratives with similar themes. One strand features the long-awaited ‘doom of the Death Guard’, the moment when Mortarion and his sons are becalmed in the Warp and turned to Chaos, while the other focuses on ex-Death Guard Nathaniel Garro and Malcador’s Knights Errant as they unravel a series of complex, unexpected mysteries back on Terra.

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RAPID FIRE: James Swallow Talks The Buried Dagger

Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with Black Library authors talking about their new releases. These are short and sweet interviews, with the idea being that each author will answer (more or less) the same questions – by the end of each interview I hope you will have a good idea of what the new book (or audio drama) is about, what inspired it and why you might want to read or listen to it.

For this instalment I spoke to veteran Black Library author James Swallow about The Buried Dagger, his latest Horus Heresy novel – the 54th and final book in the main-range series! As befits the book that closes off the Horus Heresy this is a somewhat longer interview than usual, so settle down with a mug of recaff and enjoy!

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QUICK REVIEW: Lantern’s Light – James Swallow

Ostensibly about how, when and why Mortarion received his pistol, the Lantern, James Swallow’s Horus Heresy short story Lantern’s Light is really an exploration of the Death Lord’s relationship with and attitude towards the Emperor. For a year after their first meeting, Mortarion has been learning the ways of the Imperium and beginning to bond with his new legion, but has not been permitted to lead his sons into battle. When the Emperor returns to Barbarus to meet with him once more, Mortarion finds himself questioning his new life and the role he sees for himself in his father’s empire.

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The Lords of Silence – Chris Wraight

Chris Wraight’s first ever ‘bad guy’ Black Library novel, The Lords of Silence takes a close look at the actions and outlook of the Death Guard in post-Cicatrix Maledictum 40k. As the galaxy reels in the wake of Abaddon’s successes and the changes they’ve caused, the old Legions – including Mortarion’s Death Guard – are faced with different challenges to overcome. When the Lords of Silence, led by the strangely philosophical Siegemaster Vorx, are knocked off course they find themselves deep in Imperial territory and faced with the unexpected decision of what they ought to do next.

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RAPID FIRE: Chris Wraight Talks The Lords of Silence

In this instalment I spoke to Chris Wraight about his new 40k novel The Lords of Silence, which sees him turn his attention to the Death Guard. You can order The Lords of Silence right now!

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QUICK REVIEW: Endurance – Chris Wraight

An appetiser before his upcoming novel The Lords of Silence, Chris Wraight’s short story Endurance takes place (mostly) on the besieged Imperial world of Lystra, where the shattered remnants of the defenders continue to battle on against the endless hordes of walking dead. The situation for the Imperials is bleak, even with a scattering of loyal Space Marines bolstering the defences, and that’s before the Death Guard arrive. Dragan, known as the Gallowsman, leads his warband on the hunt for slaughter, and Lystra is in his sights.

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QUICK REVIEW: Exocytosis – James Swallow

On the nineteenth day of Black Library’s 2016 Advent Calendar, James Swallow’s short story Exocytosis oozes onto our e-readers, the penultimate Horus Heresy story in the collection. Amidst the forests of Zaramund, Luther and his Dark Angels offer aid to the battered forces of First Captain Calas Typhon, but there’s little trust between the Angels and the Death Guard. Plagued by unsettled, troubled thoughts and unsure what to make of the slow changes coming over his body, Typhon waits while repairs are made, whiling the time away in restless contemplation. Meanwhile the Dark Angels watch and listen, making their own plans.
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QUICK REVIEW: Blackshield – Chris Wraight

The first short story in Black Library’s 2016 Summer of Reading campaign, Chris Wraight’s Blackshield follows Khorak, a Death Guard legionary commanding an old and battered warship and a handful of legionaries. Pursued by unknown enemies and forced to set down on the murky, toxic world of Agarvian he leads his men in the sort of stoic, stubborn slog typical of the Death Guard, determined to stay alive long enough to blood his pursuers. All the while the identity of his enemies remains unclear, while Khorak’s loyalties are…uncertain.
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QUICK REVIEW : Distant Echoes of Old Night – Rob Sanders

The Death Guard are still somewhat under-represented in the Horus Heresy series, but Rob Sanders’ Distant Echoes of Old Night goes some way to filling that gap. Here we see Death Guard Chaplain Morgax Murnau as he leads a Destroyer squad through a dying world to finish off a detachment of Imperial Fists from a downed ship. The brutal, implacable Death Guard will have to use every awful weapon at their disposal if they are to prise the dug-in Imperial Fists from their tenacious defences.

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