Tag Archives: James Swallow

Rogue – James Swallow

James Swallow’s excellent Marc Dane series continues to excite and entertain with its fifth instalment, Rogue, which sees the tenacious ex-MI6 operative caught up in a plot which threatens the survival of the Rubicon Group and its founder, Solomon Ekko. When a figure from his past emerges from the shadows to cause havoc, Dane and partner Lucy Keyes set out to uncover who it is and where they came from, stirring up old secrets along the way. As the mystery unravels it reveals attacks on Rubicon from within and without, uncovering yet more secrets and bearing the unmistakable hallmarks of the Combine.

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Shadow – James Swallow

The fourth instalment in James Swallow’s Marc Dane series of contemporary thrillers, Shadow offers up another powerfully topical slice of high-stakes drama packed full of action, excitement, great characters and credible threats. When a bio-scientist and her family are kidnapped in Singapore, Dane and partner Lucy Keyes are sent to investigate, and it quickly becomes clear that there’s more to her work – for the Rubicon Group, no less – than it first appears. Meanwhile the escape of a right-wing extremist from Belgian police custody, and growing unease within the power structure of Rubicon itself, means their mission becomes more dangerous by the minute.

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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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Scions of the Emperor – Anthology

Continuing with the template (and naming convention) laid down with 2018’s Sons of the Emperor anthology, Scions of the Emperor is a Primarchs anthology featuring eight Horus Heresy short stories from eight different authors. Where it differs is that these stories are almost all from authors not normally associated with their chosen characters. There’s a mixture of stories from across the breadth of the Heresy timeline, from young Ferrus Manus and Roboute Guilliman on their respective home worlds to Rogal Dorn on Terra on the eve of the Siege, via the highs and lows of the Great Crusade and onwards.

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RAPID FIRE: James Swallow Talks Red & Black

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.

In this slightly longer than usual instalment I spoke (in places at length) to James Swallow about his classic 40k Sisters of Battle audio drama Red & Black, which has just been reissued several years after its original release, and is once more available to order in CD and MP3 formats.

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Ghost – James Swallow

The third book in James Swallow’s high-tech thriller series featuring ex-MI6 agent Marc Dane and the Rubicon Group, Ghost provides another relevant, contemporary story as Dane tackles a mysterious hacker collective tapping into the world’s digital weaknesses. Marc is mid-mission gathering information on a link to the sinister Combine when sudden new orders arrive, sending him to Malta to investigate an unusually public assassination. Who the victim is, why he was killed and what it means for Rubicon all come to light as Marc, Lucy and co. chase digital ghosts and fight back from a devastating betrayal.

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Corsair: The Face of the Void – James Swallow

Taking place (largely) well away from the usual characters and locations of Warhammer 40,000, James Swallow’s audio drama Corsair: The Face of the Void is a bold adventure story featuring Rogue Trader Santiago and her crew of misfits taking on pirates, aliens and even Imperial authority. Closing in on a pirate ship carrying a valuable bounty, when her prey is strangely becalmed Captain Santiago leads a boarding action to retrieve and claim the prize only to find unexpected dangers lurking in its depths. It soon becomes clear that this is no ordinary bounty they’ve been sent to claim.

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RAPID FIRE: James Swallow Talks Corsair: The Face of the Void

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.

In this instalment I spoke to long-serving Black Library author James Swallow about his latest audio drama Corsair: The Face of the Void, which is available to buy right now.

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