Tag Archives: John French

QUICK REVIEW: The Knave of Stars – John French

John French turns his attention to Duke Cleander von Castellan in his Horusian Wars short story The Knave of Stars, digging into the Rogue Trader’s troubled history to explore the roots of his glib, nihilistic attitude. In the Rot-margins of Panetha Varn, Cleander seeks a balm for his soul, finding it in the elusive Decagogue and his patchwork followers. As he takes his first steps on a new path which promises freedom from his past and the void at his core, Cleander faces up to the pain that shaped him and the man it made him into.

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RAPID FIRE: John French Talks Divination

Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with 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 Black Library author John French about Divinations, the latest book in his Horusian Wars series. This time it’s a short story anthology (about which I’m very excited – I love short stories), featuring no fewer than 11 stories. It’s available to order right now in hardback and ebook formats!

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Agent of the Throne: Ashes and Oaths – John French

The third instalment in the excellent Agent of the Throne audio drama series (and follow up to the Scribe Award-winning Truth and Dreams), John French’s Ashes and Oaths continues the story of inquisitorial agent Ianthe and the dangerous missions she’s sent on by Inquisitor Covenant. This time around Ianthe and her team are tasked with acquiring the services of an ex-Administratum information broker, on the war-scarred world of Dustcorn. When things don’t quite go to plan, and a dubious figure from a past mission reappears, Ianthe is forced to make some unwelcome compromises in order to get the job done.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Spirit of Cogs – John French

A short story in John French’s ongoing Horusian Wars series, The Spirit of Cogs is a sinister little ghost story told by Glavius-4-Rho to Severita while the ex-magos is working on a repair. Casting his machinic mind back to his first experience on a true forge world, Glavius-4-Rho tells a tale of his younger self being recruited into a mysterious project, swathed in secrecy, which requires his expertise. He and another magos throw themselves into their work, despite the strange phenomena plaguing their efforts, but before long they start to question the consequences of the Mechanicus’ thirst for knowledge at all costs.

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RAPID FIRE: John French Talks The Solar War

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.

This time around it’s a slightly longer instalment than usual, as I spoke to John French about his novel The Solar War, book one in the new Siege of Terra mini-series which concludes the Horus Heresy. As befits such a huge book – both physically and metaphorically – I wanted to try and dig down into a little more detail than usual. For everyone who didn’t get hold of a copy of the Limited Edition hardback, I hope this gives a useful and exciting insight into what you can expect from this novel! The Solar War is available to order in standard hardback/ebook/audiobook editions right now.

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The Solar War – John French

This novel was first released as a limited edition hardback, before receiving a full release in May 2019.

The Siege of Terra – the final chapter of the Horus Heresy – begins with John French’s The Solar War, which tells the story of the colossal void war that forms the opening stage of the Siege. To the backdrop of the largest void battles imaginable it weaves together a compelling, character-led tale of duty, honour, determination and even hope. While Mersadie Oliton desperately searches for a way back to Terra and Sigismund seeks out atonement in battle, Abaddon cleaves to the path laid out for him by Horus and even Ahriman diligently plays his part. As the war rages on multiple fronts, these and many other individual stories play out with the fate of Terra and the Imperium in the balance.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Mistress of Threads – John French

One of a growing number of Horusian Wars short stories each focusing on a different member of Inquisitor Covenant’s warband, John French’s The Mistress of Threads is a compelling, if unusually constructed, story centred on Viola von Castellan. Told through the medium of correspondence between Viola and (mostly) a wayward member of her extended family, it’s the tale of a commercial empire’s ups and downs in the wake of the Great Rift, a sinister cartel, and the strange relationships that underpin the von Castellan dynasty. Plus a typically dark glimpse of a mystery lurking beneath the surface of the Imperium.

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QUICK REVIEW: Son of Sek – John French

Originally published in the Sabbat Crusade anthology and linking in with Dan Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, John French’s short story Son of Sek is a sinister, ambiguous tale which offers an insight (of sorts) into the dark world of the Sanguinary Tribes and what it means to become a Son of Sek. It’s the interwoven stories of a Son waiting to hear his master – the voice of his god – speak and give him purpose, and an Imperial warrior rising through the ranks in blood and violence without finding any meaning in his life.

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RAPID FIRE: John French Talks Slaves to Darkness

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 (once again) to John French, this time about his latest Horus Heresy novel – Slaves to Darkness. It’s the 51st book in the series, incredibly, and it’s available to order right now.

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The Horusian Wars: Incarnation – John French

The second instalment of John French’s brilliant The Horusian Wars series, Incarnation follows on pretty directly from Resurrection to continue the story of Inquisitor Covenant and his pursuit of the shadowy cabal known as the Triumvirate. Guided by the Imperial Tarot, Covenant and his warband journey to the shrine world of Dominicus Prime where, amidst the secrets and machinations of the sprawling Monastery of the Last Candle, a terrifying power is about to manifest. The Triumvirate seek to use that power to raise a weapon against Chaos whilst Covenant – ever the puritan – is determined to see them fail.

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