Tag Archives: Warhammer 40k

QUICK REVIEW : Gift of the Gods – Ben Counter

The fifth 2015 Advent Calendar story from Black Library, Ben Counter’s Gift of the Gods features the disgraced, exiled Chaos Lord Antonidas Hajos of the Dire Claws, abandoned on feudal jungle world after leading a failed coup within this chapter. Accompanied by a handful of his warriors and driven on by anger and pride, he sets out to turn the locals to the worship of the chaos gods, undertaking a series of tasks to prove his worth. The question remains though, will this be enough to set him on the path to revenge and glory? Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW : In Wolves’ Clothing – Ian St. Martin

For the third story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar the action returns to the 40K universe with Ian St. Martin’s In Wolves’ Clothing, in which a pack of Space Wolves finally track down Lucius the Eternal on a daemon world deep in the Eye of Terror. Battling twisted cultists and the constantly shifting surface of the planet itself to bring Lucius to heel at last, pack leader Hrothgar leads his Wolves to a famous victory, but at what cost to their souls? Fans of 40K will know what happens next when Lucius meets his match…
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QUICK REVIEW : Divine Will – Andy Smillie

The first story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar is Divine Will by Andy Smillie, a micro-short featuring a Vindicare assassin, an Inquisitor and an extremely risky trick shot. It takes place on the world of Drex, whose population has been swayed by a dangerous, heretic cult. To bring them back into line and re-instil the appropriate fear of the Emperor into them, Inquisitor Gerhart plans to make a public, visible demonstration of the Emperor’s divine will, but to do so he requires the particular skills of a master marksman.
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QUICK REVIEW : First To Hunt – Chris Dows

First To Hunt, by Chris Dows, is the sixth short story in Black Library’s Deathwatch serial, and the first to feature the White Scars chapter. Set on the planet Ballestae it sees Jetek Suberei on a solo scouting mission, accompanied only by his trusty bike and faithful cyber-eagle, hunting for intelligence on the invading eldar forces. As he approaches the eldar encampment he begins to realise that all is not well within the xenos ranks, and an opportunity presents itself to him to use the eldar’s division against them.
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QUICK REVIEW : Deadhenge – Justin D. Hill

The fifth Deathwatch short story in the current serial, Justin D. Hill’s Deadhenge follows Ennox Sorrlock, an Iron Hand grievously wounded by a dark eldar haemonculus and rebuilt as more machine than man. Joining a kill team led by Chaplain Cassius on a mission to an area of abandoned space known as Deadhenge to take out a dark eldar Archon, he learns that the same haemonculus will be in the Archon’s retinue. With the opportunity to take vengeance for his wounds and the deaths of his brothers, is there enough humanity in him left to relish the chance?
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QUICK REVIEW : Redblade – Robbie MacNiven

For the fourth short story in the ongoing Deathwatch serial we get the first tale from a new Black Library author, in the shape of Redblade by Robbie MacNiven. It sees young Space Wolf Drenn, or Redblade as he prefers to be known, recently attached to a Blood Claws pack and railing against the cautious leadership of his older pack leader. Reckless and arrogant, he butts heads with his superior even while defending a floating refinery platform from waves of orks, while members of the inscrutable Deathwatch look on.
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QUICK REVIEW : The Flesh of the Angel – Ben Counter

The third short story in Black Library’s Deathwatch serial and Ben Counter’s second contribution, The Flesh of the Angel follows brother Zameon Gydael of the Dark Angels as he infiltrates a brood nest of the xenos sslyth. Venturing alone through alien-infested territory in order to detonate a virus bomb at its heart, he approaches the conclusion of his mission only to find his loyalties torn between the objectives of his Deathwatch kill team and the hidden, ancient goals of his parent chapter as an unexpected enemy shows itself.
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Sons of Wrath – Andy Smillie

His second novella in Black Library’s Space Marine Battles series, Sons of Wrath sees Andy Smillie continue to delve into the psyches of the brutal Flesh Tearers chapter, this time setting his story almost immediately after the events of the Horus Heresy. Still struggling to come to terms with the emotional and psychological impact of Sanguinius’ death, Chapter Master Amit and his brothers rail against their new identities as Flesh Tearers – as they vent their rage first against each other and then in battle with a tricksy foe, it remains to be seen whether the blood-thirsty Flesh Tearers are truly able to control their thirst for violence.

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Ahriman: Unchanged – John French

The third and final novel in John French’s ambitious Ahriman trilogy, Ahriman: Unchanged sees the Thousand Son sorcerer firmly back at the peak of his powers. Using knowledge gleaned from the Athenaeum (see Ahriman: Sorcerer) he prepares to enact a new Rubric, a grand undertaking that will correct the mistakes of his past. To do so he has to lead his forces back to Prospero and the scene of his legion’s darkest hour, and from there to face their father Magnus deep within the Eye of Terror. Standing in his way are foes both seen and unseen, from within the Imperium and without. Keep reading…

Ahriman: Exile – John French

Released back in 2012, Ahriman: Exile was John French’s first novel for Black Library, and you’re unlikely to find a more assured, complex, detailed debut novel than this. The first in a trilogy regarding one of the most famous villains in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, when we first meet him Ahriman is at his lowest ebb, years after the failure of his Rubric and his exile from the Legion he tried to save. Masquerading as a lowly sorcerer serving a motley warband of Traitor Marines, he’s a far cry from the former Chief Librarian of the Thousand Sons, resigned to his fate as an exile and hiding away from his past, his enemies and his own power.
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