Yet More Books Received…

May 4, 2014 Civilian Reader Uncategorized Black Library, David Annandale, Gollancz, Image Comics, Josh Reynolds, Recent Acquisitions, Steven Erikson, Titan Books, Transworld

I appear to have published the previous post a little prematurely, as yet more awesome books have recently come in the mail.

Featuring: David Annandale, Monica Byrnes, C. Robert Cargill, Steven Erikson, Ari Marmell, Josh Reynolds, Rob Sanders, & graphic novels

David Annandale, Yarrick: Imperial Creed (Black Library)

Yarrick: the very name carries the weight of legend, of great deeds and of wars won for the Imperium. But Sebastian Yarrick, who fought on Armageddon, who Space Marine Chapter Masters show their fealty to on bended knee, was not always Lord Commissar. He was once just a man, a newly minted officer from the ranks of the schola progenium.

His first mission under the tutelage of Lord Commissar Rasp was on Mistral. Here, an uprising of barons had upset the delicate balance of power. But, as Yarrick was soon forced to learn, Mistral and Imperial politics are often murky, the truth seldom clear cut. As war engulfs the world, a plot unravels that pits old friends against one another and fashions unusual alliances. Chaos cults, the fanatical Adepta Sororitas and clandestine inquisitors all stand between Yarrick and his mission. Here is where the legend began. In this crucible was Lord Commissar Sebastian Yarrick forged in blood.

I’ve mentioned before on the blog how much I enjoy Annandale’s writing. Having especially enjoyed his two previous Yarrick works (a novella and a short story), I’m itching to get started with this.

Monica Byrne, The Woman in the Road (Crown)

When Meena, a young woman living in a futuristic India, gets out of bed with mysterious snake bites on her chest, she decides India has become too dangerous. As she plots her exit, she hears of The Trail and knows this is her salvation. The Trail is a bridge that spans the Arabian Sea, connecting India to Africa like a silver ribbon extending to the horizon. Its purpose is to harness the power of the ocean – “blue energy” – but it also offers a sub-culture of travelers a chance for escape and adventure. Meena gathers supplies – a pozit GPS system, a scroll reader, a sealable water-proof pod – and embarks on a journey to Ethiopia, the place of her birth.

Mariama, a girl from a different time, is on a quest of her own. Forced to flee her home, she joins up with a caravan of strangers heading across Saharan Africa. She meets Yemaya, a beautiful and enigmatic woman who becomes her protector and confidante. Yemaya tells Mariama of Ethiopia, where revolution is brewing.

As one heads east and the other west, Meena and Mariama’s fates will entwine in ways that are profoundly moving and ultimately shocking.

Spotted this on NetGalley. Looked interesting and something a little different. So I was very glad when my request was approved.

C. Robert Cargill, Queen of the Dark Things (Gollancz)

Six months have passed since the wizard Colby lost his best friend to an army of fairies from the Limestone Kingdom, a realm of mystery and darkness beyond our own. But in vanquishing these creatures and banning them from Austin, Colby sacrificed the anonymity that protected him. Now, word of his deeds has spread, and powerful enemies from the past-including one Colby considered a friend-have resurfaced to exact their revenge.

As darkness gathers around the city, Colby sifts through his memories desperate to find answers that might save him. With time running out, and few of his old allies and enemies willing to help, he is forced to turn for aid to forces even darker than those he once battled.

This is the sequel to Dreams of Shadows, which I shamefully have not got around to reading, yet. Now that this has arrived, though, I think there’s no time like the present.

Steven Erikson, The Devil Delivered and Other Tales (Bantam)

The Devil Delivered: In the breakaway Lakota Nation, in the heart of a land blistered beneath an ozone hole the size of the Great Plains of North America, a lone anthropologist wanders the deadlands, recording observations that threaten to bring the world’s powers to their knees.

Revolvo: In the fictitious country of Canada, the arts scene is ruled by technocrats who thrive in a secret, nepotistic society of granting agencies, bursaries, and peer review boards, all designed to permit self-proclaimed artists to survive without an audience.

Fishing with Grandma Matchie: A children’s story of a boy tasked with a writing assignment becomes a stunning fantastical journey with his tale-spinning grandmother.

The paperback release – still have the hardcover, sadly yet-unread. I’ve never read anything by Erikson, but a lot of people have been telling me in the last couple of months that his Malazan series is superb. It’s also a considerable reading commitment, to I will read this collection as a more-manageable introduction to his writing.

Ari Marmell, Hot Lead, Cold Iron (Titan)

Chicago, 1932. Mick Oberon may look like just another private detective, but beneath the fedora and the overcoat, he’s got pointy ears and he’s packing a wand.

Oberon’s used to solving supernatural crimes, but the latest one’s extra weird. A mobster’s daughter was kidnapped sixteen years ago, replaced with a changeling, and Mick’s been hired to find the real child. The trail’s gone cold, but what there is leads Sideways, to the world of the Fae, where the Seelie Court rules. And Mick’s not really welcome in the Seelie Court any more. He’ll have to wade through Fae politics and mob power struggles to find the kidnapper – and of course it’s the last person he expected.

I actually read a very early version of this novel, a couple of years back, when I was reading some submissions (at a work experience placement). I really liked it then, and I’m hoping I really like this final version. Generally speaking, I’m not a fan of fae-related stories. I find them pretty limited in scope. Nevertheless, having read a number of Marmell’s previous novels, I have high hopes that this won’t disappoint as others in the sub-genre have. The 1930s time-setting is a nice alternative touch, too.

Josh Reynolds, Gotrek & Felix: The Serpent Queen (Black Library)

Gotrek and Felix: unsung heroes of the Empire, or nothing more than common thieves and murderers? The truth perhaps lies somewhere in between, and depends entirely upon whom you ask…

Travelling to the mysterious south in search of a mighty death, the Slayer Gotrek Gurnisson and his human companion, Felix Jaeger, find themselves caught up in a battle between warring kingdoms. Captured by the sinister Queen Khalida and forced to do her bidding, the adventurers must brave the horrors of the sun-soaked Land of the Dead… And the dead do not rest easy.

The fan-favourite characters return, in the last stand-alone novel (as far as I can tell) before BL returns to the chronology started by Will King and continued by Nathan Long. Fans have been clamouring for a direct follow-up to Zombieslayer for years, and we will finally be getting it! I used to eagerly buy each new G&F novel on the day of release and devour it immediately. However, for the last few years I haven’t been doing that. I have somehow failed to read any of the three stand-alone novels (Road of Skulls and City of the Damned being the other two). I think this is just because they’ve come out right in the middle of one of my recently-all-too-frequent fantasy apathy patches. Other reviewers have said this novel and the others have been fantastic, so I shall try to get caught up with plenty of time before David Guymer’s Kinslayer arrives, later this year.

Rob Sanders, Archaon: Everchosen (Black Library)

In the north of the world the forces of Chaos gather, awaiting their moment to strike. At their head is the Everchosen, the warrior who will lead the final, cataclysmic assault that will usher in the End Times and the reign of the Ruinous Powers. But he was not always thus – he was once a man, a devout servant of the warrior-god Sigmar. What could cause such a soul to fall to the worship of the Dark Gods? What dark events could have put a knight of the Empire on the path to becoming the harbinger of the world’s end? And just who was the man who will become known to all as Archaon?

The digital edition of Archaon: Everchosen also includes the short story Archaon: The Fall and the Rise.

I’ve had a mixed experience with Sanders’s full length Black Library fiction. I thought Redemption Corps was brilliant, but found Atlas Infernal a little disappointing (it’s a novel I intend to go back and re-read at some point in the not-too-distant future, as I think my mood at the time reduced my interest and enjoyment in it). I have, however, really liked his short fiction. Here, he tackles the backstory of one of my favourite Warhammer Chaos characters, and so I’m really hoping he pulls it off. I’m sure he will.

This also reminds me that I have Ben Counter’s Van Horstmann still to read…

Graphic Novels

Extinction Parade, Vol.1 (Avatar)

Max Brooks, the best selling Zombie writer in history, unleashes an all-new horror epic!

As humans wage their losing fight versus the hoards of the subdead, a frightening realization sets in with the secretive vampire race: our food is dying off.

This is the story of the vampire’s decent into all-out war with the mindless, hungry hordes of the zombie outbreak as humanity tries to survive them all!

This collected edition contains the entire first chapter of Extinction Parade (issues #1-5) and a massive undead cover gallery!

Max Brooks’ best-selling novel, World War Z, has been adapted into one of 2013’s biggest blockbuster movie releases, bringing increased media attention to this acclaimed author. Legendary Pictures announced they have optioned Extinction Parade for a TV series.

Somewhat confusingly, this is an “intentionally incomplete manuscript” (missing, I think, the final issue and a bit). So it doesn’t contain the whole story. This is slightly annoying, but I’ll give it a read anyway. As someone who hasn’t read World War Z, I didn’t find the movie as objectionable as some. It’ll be interesting to see what this is like. If I like it, I’m sure I’ll buy the published version, so I can finish off the first story arc.

Manifest Destiny, Vol.1 (Image)

In 1804, Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark set out from St. Louis, Missouri with the intent of blazing a trail to the western coast of North America – a trip that would set the foundation for the future of the United States of America.

But what the history books don’t tell you is the true purpose of Lewis and Clark’s journey to the west…

In this imaginative retelling of their famous trek, Lewis and Clark embark on a secret mission under direct orders from President Thomas Jefferson.

They are going to do more than explore the wild frontier: they’re going to catalog exotic life and eliminate the monsters that stand in the way of the safe and rapid expansion of the United States.

Collects: Manifest Destiny #1-6

I’m fascinated by American history, and particularly early history. I do like comics very much. And I like weird, supernatural retellings of history. So this sounds pretty much cater-made for one of my genre tastes. Hopefully get it reviewed very soon.

Short Story Review: “A Plague of Saints” by David Annandale (Black Library)

April 24, 2014 Civilian Reader Review Black Library

A quick look at an early mission

Heresy in a hive city has brought Commissar Sebastian Yarrick and the 252nd Armageddon Steel Legion to the barren world of Molossus. With the inquisition at his back and a ragged force of rebels before him, Yarrick must discover the cause of the uprising and bring it to an end. Venturing into the hive’s lower levels, Yarrick and the soldiers of the Astra Militarum discover a deadly horror in the shadows.

This release also includes the bonus short story ‘Sacrificial’, in which Yarrick and the Steel Legion face corrupted cultists.

This is a really good short story. Whereas Annandale’s first Yarrick story, the novella Chains of Golgotha, told us of the mission during which the Commissar met his arch nemesis, A Plague of Saints takes us further back. Here, Yarrick is a relatively short-in-the-tooth Commissar, not yet risen to the heights of heroism and respect that long-time WH40k fans will be familiar with. All in all, it’s a great story, and helps flesh out one of the Imperium’s most interesting (human) characters.

Yarrick has been dispatched to a world seemingly in revolt. He’s attached to the Armageddon Steel Legion Guard regiment. An inquisitorial team meets them on arrival, and things almost immediately appear sketchy. What are the inquisitor and his henchmen getting up to? What is causing the lower-level inhabitants of the Hive to revolt?

A Plague of Saints has all the hallmarks that I’ve come to expect from Annandale’s fiction. It is expertly crafted, and populated by interesting and well-rounded characters. The author’s prose is fluid and evocative, without being over-done. And he’s an expert at atmosphere and locating the reader in the story without info-dumping or over-describing. Later in the story, the author manages to paint a picture of tense menace, furious combat, and just a shade of horror. [No spoilers, here!] This is probably one of the best short stories I’ve read from BL in a while. Annandale just keeps getting better.

The micro-story included in this eBook, Sacrificial, was a short, sharp display of how ruthless Yarrick can be in executing his prerogative. A good addition.

Annandale’s done a great job bringing this character to life. I am very eager to get my hands on the full-length novel, Imperial Creed. Absolutely recommended for all fans of WH40k and military science fiction.

Upcoming: “The Damnation of Pythos” by David Annandale (Black Library)

April 24, 2014 Civilian Reader Uncategorized Black Library, Upcoming

I’m a big fan of David Annandale’s work. So, when I found out that he was going to be writing a full-length Horus Heresy novel, I was most intrigued. Details are still very thin on the ground, but the novel – The Damnation of Pythos – is apparently due for publication in November 2014. It is, I believe, the 30th full-length novel/book in the series, too (including anthologies).

Best of all, though, it has an awesome cover…

And yes, that is a Death Guard shooting at a big-ass dragon/lizard-monster. It also looks like a Salamander’s shoulder-pad in the bottom right, there. Here’s the full, wrap-around artwork:

Also, here’s the synopsis (via Waterstones.com):

In the aftermath of the Dropsite Massacre at Isstvan V, a battered and bloodied force of Iron Hands, Raven Guard and Salamanders regroups on a seemingly insignificant death world. Fending off attacks from all manner of monstrous creatures, the fractious allies find hope in the form of human refugees fleeing from the growing war, and cast adrift upon the tides of the warp. But even as the Space Marines carve out a sanctuary for them in the jungles of Pythos, a darkness gathers that threatens to consume them all.

Horus Heresy Series (Novels & Anthologies): Horus Rising, False Gods, Galaxy in Flames, Flight of the Eisenstein, Fulgrim, Descent of Angels, Legion, Battle for the Abyss, Mechanicum, Tales of Heresy, Fallen Angels, A Thousand Sons, Nemesis, The First Heretic, Prospero Burns, Age of Darkness, The Outcast Dead, Deliverance Lost, Know No Fear, The Primarchs, Fear to Tread, Shadows of Treachery, Angel Exterminatus, Betrayer, Mark of Calth, Promethean Sun, Scorched Earth, Vulkan Lives, Brotherhood of the Storm, Scars (I-III, IV-IX), The Unremembered Empire, Vengeful Spirit (2014)

Short Story Review: “Hidden Depths” by Sandy Mitchell (Black Library)

April 23, 2014 Civilian Reader Review Black Library

A Secondary Character steps into the Foreground

Inquisitor Amberley Vail, best known for chronicling the escapades of Commissar Ciaphas Cain, follows the trail of smugglers of alien technology, and finds herself in the middle of something much bigger… An artefact of an ancient race leads Inquisitor Vail and her warband into the depths of an underhive, where more than just mutants and gangers lurk in the darkness. Will Vail survive to tell Commissar Cain about this adventure?

Inquisitor Amberley Vail, chronicler of the Ciaphas Cain adventures, finds herself in deadly peril when an ancient alien artefact leads her into the depths of an underhive.

I’ve enjoyed a number of Mitchell’s Warhammer 40,000 novels – in particular, his Ciaphas Cain series, which takes a more amusing, less-serious (but no less action-packed) approach to the WH40k aesthetic and universe. Hidden Depths takes one of the secondary-characters from the Cain series and brings her to the fore: Amberley Vail – she appears in the Cain novels, but she’s also the ‘narrator’, as the novels are presented as edited narrative histories of Cain’s “heroism”. And the story really works. This was a very good read.

Mitchell takes what is becoming the ‘standard’ template for stories that feature an Inquisitorial warband at its centre: there’s an OCD and pedantic savant, the dreamy psychic, former-Arbitrator enforcer, and usually someone who is some variation of a former underhive ganger (Mitchell checks each box). There’s nothing wrong with this make-up, but it would be interesting to see some more variation.

Nevertheless, Mitchell offers a story with a classic-Black Library feel to it. It reminded me of the stories we used to get in Inferno!, the quarterly fiction magazine, and some of the earlier anthology stories. It also reminded me of the now-old Necromunda game that Games Workshop used to produce (and was always my favourite). The warband descends into the underhive to figure out what’s going on. Naturally, they come face to face with ravenous beasts and an unexpected enemy.

There are some nice, cheeky jokes in here, too – for example:

“We wasn’t expecting the Holy Inquisition…”

“No one ever does.”

Sometimes the sense of fun veers a bit too close to glib and maybe even threatens to become slightly annoying. But, for the main, Mitchell maintains a lighter tone that works, and doesn’t get too silly. In fact, that’s what makes his fiction work so well – the fact that he obviously doesn’t take the source material and aesthetic too seriously, but at the same time he keeps well within the sub-genre’s bounds.

This is a fun, quick read. If you’re a fan of the Ciaphas Cain series, this is a must-read. If you’re a fan of BL fiction in general, too, you should enjoy this. Recommended.

Horus Heresy Short Reviews: CENSURE and WOLF OF ASH AND FIRE (Black Library)

April 15, 2014February 12, 2015 Civilian Reader Review Black Library, Censure, eBook, Emperor, Graham McNeill, Horus Heresy, Nick Kyme, Sons of Horus, Ultramarines, Wolf of Ash and Fire, Word Bearers

Just wanted to flag up two Horus Heresy short stories I’ve read recently, as they were both very good, and well worth an enthusiast’s time.

CENSURE by Nick Kyme

In the depths of Calth’s arcology network, the Underworld War has raged for years. Aeonid Thiel, previously an honoured sergeant of the Ultramarines, once again finds himself in trouble – pitted against the daemonic forces of the Word Bearers, he has no choice but to venture back to the ravaged surface and brave the deadly solar flares that have scoured all life from this world. With a lowly Imperial Army trooper as his only companion, it falls to him to drive the maniacal Dark Apostle Kurtha Sedd and his warband from the overrun XIIIth Legion stronghold.

This was originally released as an audio-drama. When it was released as an eBook, however, I picked it up right away. Kyme is really growing as an author – each new story of his that I read, I can see that he’s just getting better and better. This story is set (once again) on Calth, the planet at which the Heresy and the extent of the betrayal truly exploded out into the open. After the battle of Calth, there could be no denying that the galaxy had indeed been set on fire. Censure is set some years after the events of Mark of Calth and Know No Fear, and Aeonid Thiel has returned to the ravaged world to fight against the Word Bearers and support the remnant loyalists. It focuses on a specific mission and conflict, and is fast-paced, nuanced, and expertly paced. Quite excellent, and very highly recommended.

THE WOLF OF ASH AND FIRE by Graham McNeill

The Wolf of Ash and Fire is a Horus Heresy short story that takes place during the Great Crusade, before the outbreak of the Horus Heresy. The Wolf of Ash and Fire follows Horus Lupercal, fighting alongside the Emperor Himself, as the Luna Wolves fight for control of the Ork-held planetoid of Gorro. The Wolf of Ash and Fire was released as a free e-book with every copy of Macragge’s Honour.

This short story was released free through the Black Library website some time ago. It’s a quick, battle-filled tale of Horus’s strategic expertise, battlefield fury, and pre-Heresy devotion to the Emperor. It is also one of the few stories that features both the Emperor and Horus on the battlefield together – and it is epic. The battle scenes are great, swirling and furious. I’d really like McNeill (or any of the Heresy writers, actually) to revisit this campaign, or just write some more stories like this. As with Censure, this is highly recommended for all fans of the series. I can’t wait for McNeill’s next Heresy novel, Vengeful Spirit (out later this year).

Upcoming: “Fall of Macharius” by William King (Black Library)

March 22, 2014 Civilian Reader Uncategorized 2014, Black Library, Fall of Macharius, July, Macharian Crusade, Military, Sci-Fi, Upcoming, Warhammer 40000, WH40k

The epic conclusion to The Macharian Crusade trilogy.

Long-time readers of the blog will know that I’ve been a fan of William King’s fiction ever since I read his first Gotrek & Felix short story (now collected in Trollslayer and the First Gotrek & Felix Omnibus). I’ve fallen a bit behind, though, and I need to catch up with the previous book in the series, Fist of Demetrius.

For decades, Lord Solar Macharius and his loyal forces have crusaded across the stars, bringing the Imperial Truth to uncounted worlds and purging aliens and heretics from the dark places at the fringe of the galaxy. But all things must come to an end. His soldiers are weary, his generals fractious, and the legend of Macharius may no longer be enough to hold them together. Called by a representative of Terra to a council of generals, Macharius fears treachery – but will it come from closer to home than he could possibly imagine?

Fall of Macharius is due to be published in hardcover on July 22nd, 2014, by Black Library.

“Stormseer” by David Annandale (Black Library)

March 6, 2014 Civilian Reader Review Black Library, David Annandale, eBook, Eldar, Games Workshop, Military Sci-Fi, Novella, Orks, Sci-Fi, Space Marine Battles, Stormseer, Tyranids, Warhammer 40000, WH40k, White Scars

White Scars vs. Orks, with a dash of Eldar…

The green-skinned hordes of the Overfiend of the Octavius system have long been a thorn in the Imperium’s side – and now, with human worlds caught in the crossfire between the orks and eldar, that thorn will be removed. Temur Khan and his brotherhood descend upon Lepidus Prime to cleanse it of the green taint. The swift and brutal hammer to the Imperial Guard’s anvil, the White Scars strike hard and fast – but when the orks reveal a super-weapon, it may take more than just power to win the day?

I’m a big fan of Annandale’s Black Library fiction, and Stormseer is a great example of just why I think he’s so good. This is the first of three novellas in the Space Marine Battles series, all of which are connected to the same campaign. Fast and furious, excellently written and well-paced, this is an excellent novella. A must-read for fans of the White Scars and Warhammer 40,000 in general.

The story starts off with an excellent battle scene, which is a perfect example of the White Scars’ rather headlong approach to warfare. The action on the battlefront is only half the story, however, and we alternate between there and a lone Stormseer’s mission behind enemy lines. Accompanied by some scouts, and driven by a vague psychic vision, he infiltrates and investigates an ork manufacturing plant, joined by some mysterious Eldar. What they find explains the orks’ mysterious ability to be everywhere on the battlefield.

The story was less battle-heavy than I was expecting, but of course Annandale does not skimp on the action, which is well-presented and described (without going over the top). He does an excellent job of providing a proper story, rather than just an excuse to kill some orks in ever more brutal fashion (or “bolter-porn”, as it’s known).

There’s some mystery, and also allusion to what else is going on elsewhere in the wider campaign, with a mention of the Salamanders and Raven Guard (who, I assume, are the stars of the other two novellas). Despite the brief length, Annandale’s characters are well-rounded and believable (as super-humans and aliens go). His prose is fluid and well-constructed.

David Annandale is one of Black Library’s best new(ish) authors. If you haven’t read any of his stuff yet, you really should. Stormseer is a great place to start.

Review: BROTHERHOOD OF THE STORM by Chris Wraight (Black Library)

February 27, 2014December 16, 2014 Civilian Reader Review Black Library, Brotherhood of the Storm, eBook, Horus Heresy, Jaghatai Khan, Military Sci-Fi, Novella, Orks, Scars, Sci-Fi, Warhammer 40000, WH40k, White Scars

A White Scars Horus Heresy Novella

As word of Horus’s treachery spreads to fully half of the Legiones Astartes, Terra looks to the remaining loyalist Space Marines to defend the Imperium. One group, however, remains curiously silent in spite of apparent efforts from both sides to contact them – the noble Vth Legion, Jaghatai Khan’s fearsome White Scars. In the ork-held territory of Chondax, a bitter war has been raging since the Triumph at Ullanor, and only now do the sons of Chogoris return their gaze to the heavens…

Originally published as a limited edition, Black Library has finally released Brotherhood of the Storm for a wider audience, in both hardcover and eBook. It’s well timed, as the characters within feature prominently in the latest full-length Horus Heresy novel, Scars. And, happily, this does not disappoint – Wraight has really upped his game with his Heresy fiction. While this novella was not quite as good as Scars, it was still a cracking story, filled with a good balance of furious action and away-from-the-battlefront context and character development. Continue reading →

“Legion of the Damned” Digital Anthology (Black Library)

January 27, 2014 Civilian Reader Review Anthology, Black Library, CZ Dunn, David Annandale, Graham Lyons, Josh Reynolds, Laurie Goulding, Legion of the Damned, Nick Kyme, Sci-Fi, Short Stories, Warhammer 40000, WH40k

A collection of short stories all focused on that enigmatic Space Marines legion, the Legion of the Damned, from some of Black Library’s best up-and-comers and a couple of not-quite-old-hands. The Legion are a peculiar addition to the WH40k lore. I remember when they first made models for them (they were a custom job by one of their professional modellers, if I remember correctly). Since then, there’s no doubt that they’ve fleshed out the background and the story of who and what the Legion is. Sadly, I haven’t been keeping up-to-date with more than the fiction set in Games Workshop’s science fiction and fantasy systems for well over a decade. As a result, these six stories contained some interesting new detail. I still don’t have a full picture of how the Legion ‘works’, but by no means does this bother me. These authors have done a great job of writing tales that tap into the horror and menace of the Legion of the Damned, and their mysterious appearances on the battlefields of the 41st millennium. I’ll deal with each of the stories individually, below…

I read the stories as individual short stories on my Kindle, so I have no idea if I read them in the order that the collection is compiled. I’ve listed them in the order I read them.

David Annandale, THE DARK HOLLOWS OF MEMORY

The sinister limbo of winter is falling on the Imperial archive world of Mnemosyne. A great fog rolls in, one that will not dissipate for months. With it comes unimaginable hell for the planet’s citizens as the Chaos Space Marines of the Company of Misery stage a brutal invasion. But as the defenders of Mnemosyne fall before the Traitors, something moves in the mist. There are phantoms abroad, warriors of darkness and flame. The Company of Misery is now confronted by the Legion of the Damned, and the terrified scribes of the Librarium find themselves caught in a war between the armies of horror and terror.

This was a really good story. It’s peculiar, atmospheric, well-paced and very well-written. I also liked the battle in the library-feel to it. Just right for a short story, I think. A tricky story to write about without ruining the ending. Needless to say, the Legion of the Damned and their aesthetic and tactics are perfectly suited to Annandale’s skills and style of writing – he does a great job of evoking the sinister-spookiness of the Legion. The author continues to impress, with each new piece of fiction. I’ll have to bump his latest Space Marine Battles novella, Stormseer, up the TBR (e-)mountain.

Josh Reynolds, REMORSELESS

After a gruelling siege, the Iron Warriors scent victory over their eternal enemies the Imperial Fists. Alongside their grand battalions is a host of Traitor Guardsmen – Skaranx is unique amongst their number, a killer of Angels. As he stalks his singular prey, he encounters Space Marines the likes of which he has never seen before. Remorseless, these warriors are beyond life and death. They are damned and so, he realises chillingly, is he…

This story didn’t start as slickly as I’ve come to expect from Reynolds. It certainly improved tremendously and quickly as the story unfolded, though. The antagonist, who is also the narrator, is sufficiently brutal and twisted. The near-claustrophobic urban battlefield setting is well-written and presented, and adds to the frantic combat and atmosphere of chaos. I imagined this could be filmed with close-focus handicam, all shaky and intense (like a baroque, military sci-fi version of the Jason Bourne movies). By the end of the story, this has turned into a very good, engaging cat-and-mouse battle. If the mouse was a genhanced killing machine, and the cat was just a creepier, more efficient killing machine…

L.J. Goulding, ANIMUS MALORUM

Fighting against ork invasion, Fourth Captain Erices and his few surviving warriors are prepared to sell their own lives dearly in the name of the Imperium. However, when dark legionnaires led by the mysterious Brother-Sergeant Centurius emerge from the catacombs to aid in the defence of the city, it becomes worryingly unclear what exactly they might expect in return…

This story takes on a very interesting aspect of the Legion of the Damned’s presence in the WH40k universe. Specifically, what happens after the battle? It’s a nice alternative approach to the Legion: after all, they are only usually presented on the field of battle. I had never read any fiction or background text that discussed what happens next. Animus Malorum is a well-written tale, with a superb, sinister twist at the very end. I didn’t see that coming. Very cool indeed.

Graeme Lyons, FROM THE FLAMES

Battle-brother Seoc of the Invaders is alone. With his brothers dead around him, killed by the avatar of an alien war god, he prepares to sell his life dearly and join the Emperor in eternity. Until something emerges from the flames… Spectral Space Marines, their black armour adorned with symbols of fire and death, move to engage the enemy, but can Seoc survive the battle between the bloody-handed horror and the terrible revenants?

This was more a micro-story, really, but it is nevertheless a pretty good one. It’s a very quickly-paced battle scene, which offers an interesting and inspired way to deal with a burning enemy (Eldar Avatar) and what that means for burning saviours (the Legion of the Damned squad that does the battlefield equivalent of a drive-by). It was a very good decision to keep this short, as it gave the story more punch.

C.Z. Dunn, SHIP OF THE DAMNED

Far from home, Sister Agentha travels aboard an ancient pilgrim vessel, providing a sacred light in the vast darkness of the void. However, on answering a mysterious distress signal, she soon finds herself with far more to contend with than the ignorance of children as plague zombies flood the decks and wreak bloody havoc on the faithful. Trapped in the belly of the ship with death on all sides, Agentha’s only hope is a mysterious black object taken from a group of refugees… but will it send help, and what will be left of them when it does?

I really liked that this story was focused on a female non-combatant: Sister Agentha, who is effectively a teacher (although, one with considerable faculty for violence, seeing as everyone from her order is still trained to battle the foes of the Emperor). She confiscated a shiny metallic ball from one of her students, something he picked up after the shuttle he was originally on was left adrift, dropped by space marines in black armour. The pilgrim vessel the characters inhabit answers a distress signal that proves to contain… plague zombies! It’s been a while since I read anything about those gribbly beasties. The story is atmospheric and tense. Good stuff.

Nick Kyme, VOTUM INFERNUS

Fleeing in the aftermath of a terrible defeat, troopers of the Vostroyan Firstborn are being hunted by dark eldar. A pair of wyches, a brother and sister, plan to make brutal sport of the mon’keigh. But as the mists thicken a strange figure appears on the battlefield, one clad in armour of blackest night. Who are “the Damned” and what do they want with this world and the souls upon it…?

What happens when warriors who employ and embody fear are faced with an enemy more terrifying? This is a pretty interesting story. Sometimes, the description went a bit further than necessary, creating tautologies, but it’s still a solid addition to the collection. It’s perhaps not Kyme’s best, but does the trick. In addition, the twist at the end was unexpected and pretty cool.

General Thoughts…

There is a slight feeling of repetition, if you read all of these stories together. This is neither the fault of the authors, nor me saying that the stories are all the same (just see what I’ve written, above). Rather, the nature of the Legion of the Damned and how they “work” in the WH40k setting means there are only a limited number of ways to describe (particulars aside) their appearance on a battlefield and also their physical aspect (for example, from Lyons’s piece, “Hulking black shadows wreathed in witchfire, they are of sinister aspect, ebon armour decorated with arcane sigils made of what looks like bone” – this tells you everything you need to know, and is a variation on what’s to be found in all these stories – and probably the Space Marine Battles: Legion of the Damned novel, too…). Overall, though, I enjoyed reading these stories. If you’re looking for short stories set in the WH40k universe, with a slightly more dark, horror-feel to them, then this collection should suit perfectly.

Upcoming: “Vengeful Spirit” by Graham McNeill (Black Library)

January 25, 2014 Civilian Reader Uncategorized 2014, Black Legion, Black Library, Games Workshop, Horus, Horus Heresy, Military Sci-Fi, Sci-Fi, September, Sons of Horus, Titans, Upcoming, Vengeful Spirit, WH40k

I’ve already posted the full artwork for Graham McNeill’s next Horus Heresy novel, Vengeful Spirit. Now, however, I’ve managed to dig up a synopsis, which gives me another opportunity to feature it – I’m sure everyone who reads CR is fully aware of how much I enjoy the HH series of novels and short stories. So, without further ado…

On the planet of Molech, the Titan Legions go to war against the armies of Horus.

Once the favoured son of the Emperor of Mankind, the name of Horus has become a curse to the loyal defenders of the Imperium, and a rallying call to the traitor forces tearing across the galaxy. While their allies wage war on a thousand different fronts, the XVIth Legion descend upon the Knight World of Molech – home to House Devine and their feudal levies, and a principal seat of Imperial military power. Just what could have drawn Horus to attack such a strongly defended planet, and what might he be willing to sacrifice to fulfill his own dark destiny?

I’m still not 100% sure when this is going to be released – Amazon UK has September 2014 listed as publication, but Black Library often releases things a little earlier through their own store/website. So maybe a couple months earlier? Needless to say, whenever it’s available, I can’t wait to read it.

The Horus Heresy: Horus Rising, False Gods, Galaxy in Flames, Flight of the Eisenstein, Fulgrim, Descent of Angels, Legion, Battle for the Abyss, Mechanicum, Tales of Heresy, Fallen Angels, A Thousand Sons, Nemesis, The First Heretic, Prospero Burns, Age of Darkness, The Outcast Dead, Deliverance Lost, Know No Fear, The Primarchs, Fear to Tread, Shadows of Treachery, Angel Exterminatus, Betrayer, Mark of Calth, Promethean Sun, Scorched Earth, Vulkan Lives, Scars (episodes I-III, IV-IX, X-X11), The Unremembered Empire