New Books (July-August)

September 3, 2022September 1, 2022 Civilian Reader New Books Aaron Dembski-Bowden, AJ Tata, Andrea Hairston, Annalee Newitz, Christopher Bollen, Denny Flowers, Ed Brubaker, Erin M Evans, Fonda Lee, Frank Dikötter, Hamish Duncan, Isaac Fellman, Jacqueline Holland, John Brownlow, John French, Julia Bartz, KJ Parker, Malka Older, Ness Brown, Nghi Vo, Richard Norton Smith, Scotto Moore, Sean Doolittle, Sean Phillips, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Taylor Koekkoek, Thilde Kold Holdt, Vaseem Khan, Wesley Chu, Will Sommer

Featuring: Julia Bartz, Christopher Bollen, Ness Brown, John Brownlow, Ed Brubaker, Wesley Chu, Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Frank Dikötter, Sean Doolittle, Erin M. Evans, Isaac Fellman, Denny Flowers, John French, Andrea Hairston, Thilde Kold Holdt, Jacqueline Holland, Vaseem Khan, Taylor Koekkoek, Fonda Lee, Scotto Moore, Annalee Newitz, Malka Older, K.J. Parker, Sean Phillips, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Richard Norton Smith, A. J. Tata, P. J. Tracy, Nghi Vo

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New Books (April-June)

June 12, 2021June 8, 2021 Civilian Reader New Books Ada Hoffman, Anthony Ryan, Ben Rhodes, Bill Clinton, Brian Klingborg, Caitlin Starling, Cassandra Khaw, Cat Rambo, Chris Bosh, Clint Smith, Darius Hinks, Daryl Gregory, David Annandale, Denny Flowers, Genevieve Gornichec, Haruki Murakami, James Patterson, John Green, Kathy Wang, Kimberly McCreight, Kyle Beachy, Lee Goldberg, Lisa Taddeo, Megan Collins, Megan O'Keefe, Peter V Brett, Tom Lin, Walter Goodwater, Zin E Rocklyn

Featuring: David Annandale, Kyle Beachy, Chris Bosh, Peter V. Brett, Bill Clinton, Megan Collins, Denny Flowers, Emma Goldberg, Lee Goldberg, Walter Goodwater, Genevieve Gornichec, John Green, Daryl Gregory, Darius Hinks, Ada Hoffman, Cassandra Khaw, Brian Klingborg, Tom Lin, Kimberly McCreight, Haruki Murakami, Megan O’Keefe, James Patterson, Cat Rambo, Ben Rhodes, Zin E. Rocklyn, Anthony Ryan, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Clint Smith, Caitlin Starling, Michael J. Sullivan, Lisa Taddeo, Kathy Wang Continue reading →

Quick Review: VAULTS OF OBSIDIAN (Black Library)

October 29, 2020 Civilian Reader Review Black Library, Blackstone Fortress, Darius Hinks, David Annandale, Denny Flowers, Guy Haley, JC Sterns, Josh Reynolds, Nicholas Wolf, Nick Kyme, Sci-Fi, Thomas Parrott, Vaults of Obsidian, WH40k

A collection of stories set on and around the Blackstone Fortress

For uncountable ages the Blackstone Fortress has kept its watchful silence. It patiently waits, willing those brave enough to gamble everything exploring its halls. Only the most determined of adventurers will return with riches – the unworthy are never seen again. But to many, the rewards far outweigh the risks. Among the denizens of Precipice, ratlings, robots, and rogue traders all pursue their own agendas, pitting themselves against the myriad forces of darkness that have claimed the fortress as their own. Deadliest of all is Obsidius Mallex, who aims to twist another Talisman of Vaul to Chaos’ unholy cause. Unless this traitor is stopped, the galaxy will burn beneath the wrath of the Ruinous Gods.

CONTENTS
Talisman of Vaul by Darius Hinks
Shapes Pent in Hell by Josh Reynolds
Fates and Fortunes by Thomas Parrott
Past in Flames by J C Sterns
Negavolt by Nicholas Wolf
The Three-Edged Blade by Denny Flowers
Motherlode by Nick Kyme
Purity is a Lie by Guy Haley
The Oath in Darkness by David Annandale
Man of Iron by Guy Haley
The Beast Inside by Darius Hinks
The Last of the Longhorns by Nick Kyme

I recently read Darius Hinks’s Blackstone Fortress, which served as a great introduction to this setting. Naturally, I was interested in reading more, and Vaults of Obsidian was available for review. It’s an interesting collections of stories, offering a variety of perspectives on the Blackstone Fortress and its unusual place in the WH40k setting. I enjoyed it. Continue reading →

Quick Review: LOW LIVES by Denny Flowers (Black Library)

January 9, 2020May 14, 2021 Civilian Reader Review Black Library, Caleb Cursebound, Denny Flowers, Low Lives, Necromunda, Novella, WH40k

An excellent Necromunda novella featuring a great pair of protagonists

Even in the nightmare depths of the underhive, there are heroes… or at least those who’d like to be heroes. Caleb Cursebound is one such soul, but pursued by bounty hunters and desperately outgunned, can he even survive, let alone prove his worth?

Caleb Cursebound, the Underhive’s ninth-most-dangerous man, and his ratskin partner Iktomi are in hiding, having deposed the tyrannical lord of a Necromundan noble house. Pursued by relentless bounty hunters, the pair descend to the remote mining settlement of Hope’s End, the last place anyone would think to look. They soon learn, however, that all is not well in Hope’s End; the people are being terrorised by a powerful Orlock gang, and in desperate need of a hero. Caleb cannot resist the opportunity to prove himself, but there are those who would see his reputation forever tarnished…

I’m very happy that GW decided to re-launch Necromunda — it was the game that most caught my attention and imagination when I was in my teens. With the recent re-launch of the game, there has been a welcome return to the setting in BL fiction. Denny Flowers is just one of the authors writing about life in the Underhive, but he has quickly become one to watch. I very much enjoyed this novella. Continue reading →

New Books (October-November)

November 11, 2019May 14, 2021 Civilian Reader New Books Andy Clark, AP Sylvia, Brian McClellan, Danie Ware, Denny Flowers, Elizabeth Wetmore, Flea, Graham McNeill, James Islington, John le Carre, Joseph Kanon, K.B. Wagers, Kacen Callender, Kate Reed Petty, KJ Parker, Leigh Bardugo, Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Luke Arnold, Michael Connelly, Miles Cameron, Nate Crowley, Rana Foroohar, RWW Greene, Ryan Wick, Rym Kechacha, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Tasha Suri, Timothy Brook, Timur Vermes, Tochi Onyebuchi

Featuring: Luke Arnold, Leigh Bardugo, Timothy Brook, Kacen Callender, Miles Cameron, Andy Clark, Michael Connelly, Nate Crowley, Flea, Denny Flowers, Rana Foroohar, R.W.W. Greene, Lucy Hughes-Hallett, James Islington, Joseph Kanon, Rym Kechacha, John le Carré, Brian McClellan, Graham McNeill, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Tochi Onyebuchi, K.J. Parker, Kate Reed Petty, Tasha Suri, A.P. Sylvia, Timur Vermes, K.B. Wagers, Danie Ware, Elizabeth Wetmore, Ryan Wick

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