Tag Archives: Mike Brooks

Short and Sweet – April 2023

Hello and welcome to April’s Short and Sweet review roundup on Track of Words, where I’ve picked out a trio of my recent reads to talk about in relatively little detail. This time around I’ve gone for a modern fantasy novel that a lot of people have been talking about, a brand new Black Library novel (which is something of a novelty for me these days), and a reread of a classic epic fantasy book, that’s part of one of the biggest fantasy series of all time. As always, these are books that I’d like to talk about, but which for one reason or another I don’t have the time or headspace to cover in a full standalone review.

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Mike Brooks Talks The God-King Chronicles (and a Busy 2022)

Hello and welcome to this Track of Words Author Interview, where today I’m welcoming Mike Brooks back to the site to chat about his epic fantasy trilogy The God-King Chronicles, which is now complete with the recent release of book three, The Godbreaker. It seemed like the perfect time to look back on the trilogy as a whole, what readers can get out of it, what inspired these stories and the world in which they’re set, and how Mike feels now that it’s all done. But that’s not all! It’s been a busy year for Mike in terms of book releases, so once we finished chatting about The God-King Chronicles we moved onto discussing several of Mike’s Black Library novels that have been published this year, featuring Chaos Space Marines, Orks and…more Chaos Space Marines.

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Sanction & Sin – Warhammer Crime Anthology

Sanction & Sin, the third short story anthology from Black Library’s Warhammer Crime range, collects together nine stories from a mixture of BL veterans and newer names (including debuts for J.S. Collyer and Jude Reid) exploring the trials and tribulations of some of the women living amidst the blood, the dirt, the crime and corruption on the grim streets of Varangantua. Whether trying to maintain the Lex, care for others’ bodies and souls, make a killing or just make a living, each of these characters is forced to confront the realities of life in this vast and unforgiving city, the inequality and the brutality, the squalid streets and the merciless conditions. While some thrive despite the odds, others aren’t so strong or so fortunate, and justice means little in Varangantua.

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Cover Reveal: The Splinter King by Mike Brooks

Today I’m thrilled to reveal the amazing cover for Mike Brooks’ upcoming fantasy novel The Splinter King, book two in The God-King Chronicles, which is due to be published by Orbit on the 15th July 2021. It’s an unusual situation as the first book in the series – The Black Coast – isn’t out yet (it’s coming very soon, on the 18th February in the UK), but the way I see it this just means we’ve got TWO awesome new fantasy novels in this series to look forward to in 2021! Along with the cover itself, I spoke to Mike to get a few of his thoughts on the artwork and what we can expect from the series as a whole – so read on to find out more.

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RAPID FIRE: Mike Brooks Talks Alpharius Head of the Hydra

Welcome to this instalment of my Rapid Fire series of author interviews – today I’m chatting to Mike Brooks, author of Alpharius: Head of the Hydra. This is Mike’s first Horus Heresy novel for Black Library, and the 14th novel in the ongoing Primarchs series, and promises to be a treat for all fans of the ambiguous XX Legion – the Alpha Legion. I asked Mike for the lowdown on the new book, and despite all the secrets in which it’s shrouded he was able to reveal a little information about what to expect. Alpharius: Head of the Hydra is available to pre-order in swanky Limited Edition hardback on Saturday 16th January, with the standard hardback, ebook and audiobook versions presumably coming three months or so later.

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RAPID FIRE: Mike Brooks Talks Brutal Kunnin’

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.

For this interview I spoke to the prolific Mike Brooks about his new Warhammer 40,000 novel Brutal Kunnin’ – the first ever Black Library novel to be written from an ork’s perspective! It’s available to pre-order as of Saturday 12th September, so if you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like inside an ork’s head while he’s getting stuck into a good fight…now’s the time to find out!

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Road to Redemption – Mike Brooks

Mike Brooks’ second novel for Black Library, Road to Redemption swaps Navigator Houses for Necromunda in a dark and character-driven story about faith, atonement, buried secrets and impossible decisions. For Zeke, once of House Cawdor, a quiet life of hard work, hard liquor and honest friendship provides a way of silencing his demons, right up until it’s burned out from under him. With that life destroyed, and his friends’ children taken, all he has left is the drive to find the culprits and either rescue or avenge the children, but to do so he’ll need to face not just the risk of death but a return to the life he tried so hard to escape.

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RAPID FIRE: Mike Brooks Talks Road to Redemption

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.

For this interview I spoke to Black Library author Mike Brooks about his new novel Road to Redemption, his second book in the Necromunda setting after his excellent novella Wanted: Dead. It’s available to order in ebook and paperback right now, so if you’re looking forward to your next visit to the underhive, this might be the book for you.

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QUICK REVIEW: Where Dere’s da Warp Dere’s a Way – Mike Brooks

In case the title doesn’t give it away, Mike Brooks’ Warhammer 40,000 short story Where Dere’s da Warp Dere’s a Way is a rare story told from an ork perspective…and it’s just as much fun as it sounds. Ufthak Blackhawk joins his Bad Moon mates, under the command of Badgit Snazzhammer, in a gleeful boarding action against a ship crewed by humie mekboyz. The boyz happily get stuck into the fight in typically boisterous fashion, but when things don’t all go their way Ufthak is forced to think quickly in order to prove his status in the mob.

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QUICK REVIEW: Serpents of Ardemis – Mike Brooks

A prequel to Rites of Passage, Mike Brooks’ short story Serpents of Ardemis adds a little context to a key character in the novel, and provides a sharp exploration of the abuse of power amongst the privileged. Chetta and her (not yet dead) husband Azariel are on the water world of Ardemis for an annual social engagement, rubbing shoulders with other Navigators and nobility whilst simultaneously maneuvering for political gain. Chetta’s disarmingly blunt approach to diplomacy makes as many unexpected friends as it does enemies, friends which will come in handy if she and Azariel are to achieve their goals.

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