Dead Winter by C L Werner

More than a thousand years after the Age of Sigmar, the Empire he struggled to create rests on the edge of destruction – the reign of the greedy and incompetent Emperor Boris Goldgather has shaken down the great and prosperous edifice of his erstwhile realm. Without warning, a terrible and deadly plague strikes, wiping out entire villages and leaving towns eerily silent through the long frozen months. As the survivors struggle to maintain order and a worthy military presence, vermin pour up from the sewers and caverns beneath the cities, heralding a new and unspeakable threat – the insidious skaven!

Finding myself reading another Time of Legends novel kind of happened by accident. As we mentioned back here, Liz and I went off to the inaugural Black Library Weekender a few weeks back. There I finally got to meet Clint Werner, the first and only man cool enough to carry off wearing a rattlesnake on his hat. After that, it was pretty much a given that I was going to have a go at something he'd written! 

Dead Winter is set in the Empire at a time when the scurrying hordes of Skaven are setting in motion a grand plan to destroy the world of man. Werner is no stranger to the ratmen of Skavenblight, having penned several novels centred on them already, and there's no mistaking how firm a grip he has on their shadowy culture as things get underway. But there's more to Skaven here- the backbone of Dead Winter lies with the plague-riddled lands of men, where the tightfisted arrogance of Emperor Boris 'Goldgather' is threatening to do the Skaven's job for them. 

What ensues is classic Warhammer- everything either balanced on a knife edge or teetering towards destruction as Werner starts building the pace, bringing together rat-catchers, a plague doctor, a fallen priest of the god of death, Skaven infighting, plagues and the occasional giant spider into an atmospheric whole that bodes very well for the rest of the series (but not so well for the poor Empire!)

Devious, bloody and fun, with a great cast of characters and a rich setting, this was a fast and enjoyable read and I look forward to seeing exactly how far Mr Werner can twist the knife.

You can read an extract here, or visit Clint's website here.

Black Library Weekender - Our Write-Up

We drove up super early to get to the Weekend held up in Nottingham this weekend past.  It was held at the Nottingham Belfry and we were worried about various things, for instance:

Parking
Crowding / Over-crowding
Queues for signings / getting into talks
Food
Quality of rooms

Frankly, it was a doddle.

We arrived at quarter to nine after leaving the house at ludicrous o' clock.  Officially the "doors" opened at ten but there were a few people wandering around touching the books put out on display.  And there was a huge selection of books out on display.  All the gorgeous new hard covers and some print on demand titles too.  And of course, there was all the art you could buy. *swoons*

Mark ran around and picked up a stack of titles to purchase after we got our passes.  It was busy, but friendly and everyone circled the tables in the foyer for ages, choosing and deciding what to get.  I enviously watched one guy pick up several pieces of art and wanted to claw his face off from jealousy but didn't. I know how to behave in company.

From L/R - Christian Dunn, Nick Kyme, Laurie King, Graeme Lyon - Black Library Editors

Whilst the talks were underway, there were also signings. The talks were varied and interesting.  I sat in on the Writing for Black Library panel and I have to say, the questions that were asked this time around, compared to the questions asked at the Black Library Live showed how the audience had taken Christian and Laurie's advice on board from previous talks.  The big news here, for me, really, was that Hammer and Bolter will cease to be later this year.  But! Christian hastened to add that they will still be releasing short stories via the website, every Monday - so you can pay and download them for minimal amounts and get the stories you'd like to read.  He also pointed out that it won't just be the stalwarts writing but also newbies.  Laurie fielded questions about the open submission period and revealed that they got over 3000 entries in that period and that he's worked his way through maybe 1500 of those - it's a long process and he asked everyone for their patience.  Christian mentioned that he would be throwing open the door to some themed anthologies in the future and that it won't be widely announced, but that it would be on the website so it's a good idea to keep an eye out.

The "boys" also told the audience that the best way to get a foot in the door is to be already published - they acknowledged that it was a Catch 22 situation (how can you get published if you can't get published) but they mentioned that if you've been published in an online magazine or an anthology in Real Life to actually mention that in your covering letter and to remember to provide links to the actual product, and not to be vague about it.

I asked the question about them perhaps holding a weekend event or a day event for aspiring writers in order to talk characters and plotting and crafting plots etc. and they said it's something they are thinking of doing for sure, because clearly, looking at the subs they received and the popularity of the Weekender, there is a hunger for this.  So definitely something for the future.  Personally, this pleased me immensely!

Other bits of advice was general - read the guidelines, be thorough, be alert, don't try and do something so new it scares the editors.  Show you can do "traditional" well before attempting to go off the rails.

I liked and enjoyed this talk tremendously - the four editors really gave the impression that they enjoyed what they did and although they joked around occasionally things were professional.  It gave me the idea that writing for BL means that you become part of their family - and that is rather special in this day and age.  Good luck to everyone who'll be going for those open windows in the future! May the scrivening gods be on your side.

Next up, we broke for lunch - you could either order a whopping meal via the bar staff or you could join in in the "packaged" lunch from the main cafeteria which was not too shabby - fresh sarnies, crisps, a drink, a piece of fruit and a choccie for £7.  Enough to sustain you till dinner, basically. It was low key and without much fuss and got some food in your belly.

Mark sat in on one of the immensely popular Horus Heresy talks after lunch (although to be fair he went to all of them) whilst I got some books signed by James Swallow, CL Werner (the coolest guy at the Weekender #fact) and Rob Sanders.  I also told Rob that I enjoyed the talk he did with Andy Smillie, Chris Wraight and Rob Sanders on the Space Marine Battles because he always talks so enthusiastically about the Space Marines and how he enjoys making them 3D characters rather than just killing machines.  I do think Rob is one of the shining stars of BL because he's a writers' writer and clearly enjoys his craft.  This is also true of James Swallow who I think eats, sleeps and drinks story.

As I enjoy the Warhammer fantasy novels I dragged Mark to the Time of Legends panel hosted by Nick Kyme, Chris Wraight, Josh Reynolds and CL Werner.  They spoke enthusiastically about what they're working on, the things that make the series stand out for them and the scope for future additions.
All very exciting.

The Heresy panels were very well attended, and the vibe around the whole series was one of genuine excitement and passion. The various writers and editors took turns sitting in on these and fielded the questions thrown at them with enthusiasm, even on the Sunday morning. Saturday night had seen the writers spitting into two teams to tackle a fun quiz set up by Christian Dunn, with Andy Smillie keeping score in his own special way on a Thunderhawk shaped card. It was very, very funny and a good precursor to a few drinks in the hotel bar afterwards... I called time and retired to our very comfy room while Mark 'took one for the team' and stuck around to chat over a pint or two.

Sunday also saw us sit in on the Gamebooks panel with Christian Dunn, Jonathan Green and Graeme Lyon, which became a wide ranging discussion of the appeal of gamebooks, how to expand it to younger readers who hadn't grown up with them, their appeal and suitability for reluctant readers in particular and things that people would like to see explored in this type of product. It fired up our enthusiasm for the books all over again and we could see Jonathan's eyes lighting up as some of the ideas were fired at them, and he went away muttering about Titans. We can only hope..

Graeme Lyon, Jonathan Green, Christian Dunn

The Big Announcement of the weekend was that the phenomenal talents of Neil Roberts and Dan "Oh God that's the opening line of one of my books"Abnett have been marshalled to produce a 100 page, full colour, hardcover Horus Heresy graphic novel. It'll be set after the events of Dan's novel 'Know No Fear' and should be ready in time for the 2013 Weekender. And the intention is for there to be more than one, and for this to be released initially as a collector's edition shortly before going up for general sale, which is a relief. Neil made a point of stressing how excited he was to be working on the project and that his intention was to make it 'the best graphic novel you've ever seen, a $500 million movie in your hands', and from the glimpse we were given of some of the pages he's done already, I don't think he's kidding:

Tres exciting!

The Belfy had ample parking space for everyone who drove up.  The staff were, as a whole, rather splendid and welcoming and friendly.  They helped and advised where needed and I got the chance to briefly chat to the girl running the bar/ coffee area and she was hugely complimentary about everyone attending BLW2012, saying that everyone came across as so friendly and patient, happily waiting to be served.  This pleased me hugely because not only did they make a good impression on attendees, we made a decent impression on them.  This is rather splendid.

And that's the other thing that made the Weekender gel for us- the people. Sure, the talks were cool, there was loads of loot to buy and drool over but without the right kind of vibe things just wouldn't have gotten off the ground the way that they did. One of the key things that came up in various conversations was how much better a two day event was - it took that awful must-do-everything pressure off, giving both sides a chance to have a chat without stewards having to ask them to hurry along because the queue was growing. It was great seeing the writers being able to walk around and stop and chat or sign things off the cuff, and I'm sure it made a nice change for them too.

Everyone who attended was there because of a shared enthusiasm and as testament to the hard work, dedication and passion of the Black Library crew and the calibre of the product that they are putting out there. This is only going to get bigger and better. Well done guys.

The Great Betrayal by Nick Kyme

Thousands of years before the rise of men, the dwarfs and elves are stalwart allies and enjoy a era of unrivalled peace and prosperity. But when dwarf trading caravans are attacked and their merchants slain, the elves are accused of betrayal and the peace begins to fracture..


This is the first instalment in a new six book series under the banner of the Black Library's Time of Legends series (essentially  the fantasy equivalent of the record breaking Horus Heresy saga) and delves into the story behind The War of Vengeance, the great conflict that would turn the dwarves and elves against each other.  I don't play Warhammer and only have a sketchy idea of the history behind the races, so it seemed a perfect fit to see if this was something that Joe Average could pick up off the shelf and enjoy- more often than not tie-in fiction comes across as having a lot of baggage of the do I need to read all 18 of the previous books to understand it variety. 

The novel opens with a huge, 42 page battle scene illustrating what the dwarves and elves had accomplished together, then switches to the story proper as cousins Morgrim and Snorri explore some of the ancient, abandoned tunnels beneath the mountain stronghold they call home. It's a decision that soon leads to Snorri earning his future nickname 'Halfhand' but it also sets them on a path that neither of them could have foreseen. Snorri, a prince amongst his people, burns with the desire to prove himself to his father, to try and match the glory his father earned in the long years of war it took to secure the mountains against the orks and other menaces that had plagued them. But it is a time of peace, and his ambitions are stymied and his frustration manifests itself in impetuous outbursts and biting retorts, all wedges in a widening gulf between him and his father. Morgrim is his steadying influence, a solid and sensible presence and a good foil for Snorri's brash arrogance.

The Elvish homeland at this time is beset by civil war between the High and Dark Elves, and commando- like parties of Dark Elves are loose in the mountains, seeking to stir things up between the dwarves and the High Elves. Their ruthless cunning and cruelty is matched only by their paranoia and one-upmanship, all of which is shown in the thread of the story that follows one such group. Suspicion and xenophobia soon follow in the wake of the rising bodycount in the hills, and much of the novel revolves around the resultant turmoil as the peacemakers on both sides strive to hold back the mounting tide of anger and fear. Snorri, never a friend of the elves and buoyed by the company of belligerent advisors, becomes the figurehead for the rebellion against his father's edicts while Morgrim fights to moderate his cousin's attitude and to pull his people back from a war that increasingly seems inevitable.

There are multiple storylines woven through TGB that Kyme uses to flesh out his world, providing different viewpoints on the events that Snorri and Morgrim are at the forefront of, expanding the scope of the principal thread of the story, hinting at hidden plots and generally keeping it fresh and the reader hungry. The path that the story follows twists and turns, balancing gentle worldbuilding and intrigue with beautifully savage action and this, combined with a cast of well plotted and interesting characters, is what kept me turning the pages. He's managed to seed the novel with sense of the epic scale of the brewing conflict, making it a meaty and most satisfying read right up to the merciless death that brings TGB to a close. If you've never liked or understood Dwarves, either in Warhammer or general fantasy, you'll be wanting to grow a beard and carry an axe by the time you finish this. It approaches their culture with respect, eschewing cheap shots and short cuts, and in doing so, makes it all feel very 'grown up'.

So, could Joe Average pick up and enjoy The Great Betrayal? A resounding yes- and more than that, he should. This is good, solid fantasy writing that deserves a prominent place on any bookshelf. 

You can visit Nick's website here, or read an extract of TGB here.

Defenders of Ulthuan by Graham McNeill

The high elves have long been the protectors of the Warhammer World, and their homeland of Ulthuan is known for the powerful magic that surrounds it. At the heart of Ulthuan lies a magical vortex, and the mages who created it remain trapped in a space out of time, endlessly working the spell that keeps the world from becoming a seething Realm of Chaos.
 
When Ulthuan comes under attack from the forces of Chaos and dark elves led by the Witch King and the hag sorceress, Morathi, the high elves must hold firm or face disastrous consequences. 

In Defenders of Ulthuan Graham McNeill tells the epic tale of the struggle between good and evil.

Readers, I read myself a Warhammer book (my first ever) and I loved it.  I had no prior knowledge of the world Defenders of Ulthuan is set in, before going in and reading this and although I was worried about it, I really shouldn't have been.  

I felt, as a noob reader and newcomer to the world, that I was 100% safe in Mr. McNeill's hands. The narrative is rich and evocative when it comes to describing the world of Ulthuan.  I was surprised, I admit it, by the strength of the world-building (noob, remember) and how much work went in to setting the scenes and laying the foundations of the story so that towards the end of the book, and the big reveal, you actually do feel the loss and horror of the betrayal. 

DoU easily stands on its own merits as a fantasy novel, regardless of it being a Warhammer fantasy title.  McNeill writes beautifully and goes out of his way to ensure that we recognise and realise how badly things are going for the elves and what the ultimate outcome will be.  

Something that took me by surprise is the (I initially thought) over-use of description.  It is superlative and as a reader it surprised me as I'm no longer used to writers getting away with using such rich descriptions for things - however, I understand why it was done and allowed in Sons of Ellyrion - it's all about building this majestically beautiful world, allowing us to see how definitive and unique it is, making us realise what's at stake here if Ulthuan ultimately falls to the dark elves.  Within the space of possibly two chapters, I got over my "this is overwritten" worries and just fell utterly in love with it and luxuriated in the richness of this world. 

I learned a lot from Graham McNeill in this book - from an aspiring writer's point of view I learned how to set up characters and how to set up bigger stakes through small incidents and how important identifying with characters really are.  From a reader's perspective, I relished the action, the betrayal, the horror and the sheer spectacle of where the story was leading.  

There are multiple points of view in the book but each one very much has it's own voice. Also, there is sexy times! and it it made me grin as it was described lightly and sweetly. *grins* 

I realise this review doesn't really make much sense...but this is what I'd like you take away from this: 

If, like me, you've wondered about reading the Warhammer fantasy titles, I don't think you have anything to worry about.  If you're a fantasy fan, you'll get the world and what's going on here.  The book keeps you paging.  Poor Mark had to sit through me going: OMG! This is happening and omg, do you think this guy is actually the bad buy and OMG! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS PERSON DIES!  <- this is a sign of an involved reader and good writing.  

I have the second title: Sons of Ellyrion lined up to read in the next few weeks.  And I gotta know what happens.  No spoilers, please!  

Read an extract from Defenders of Ulthuan here. 

Fear to Tread by James Swallow

Since the earliest days of the Great Crusade, Sanguinius – angelic primarch of the IXth Legion- was ever among the closest and most loyal of Horus’s brothers. But the Blood Angels have long kept their true nature hidden from the rest of the Imperium, and when the Warmaster hints that the key to their salvation may finally be within their grasp, the sons of Sanguinius race to claim it.

Now, as the revelation of their betrayal dawns and the traitors’ hand is revealed, the Blood Angels must face all the warp-spawned armies of Chaos, as well as their own personal daemons upon the blasted plains of Signus Prime.

The first thing that grabbed me about Fear to Tread was how nice and chunky it was. Clocking in at a respectable 508 pages, it’s a lot of bang for your buck and also means that most people won’t blaze through it in a single sitting. Note the use of ‘most’.

FTT opens with a pre-heresy battle, the culmination of a hard fought campaign prosecuted by Horus and his Luna Wolves in conjunction with Sanguinius and his Blood Angels, and lays the foundations for one of the cornerstones of the horrors that await the Angels on Signus Prime. From there, the action moves ahead to the uneasy period following the Council of Nikeae, the calm before the storm that encompasses the scourging of Prospero and the moment when the traitor legions reveal their new allegiance on the ashes of Isstvan. It’s the time when Horus is making the most of the last days of the Crusade, using the unsuspecting trust of the loyalist legions to isolate or manoeuvre them into vulnerable positions for a swift, decisive attack, and in FTT it’s the Blood Angels who are in his sights.

Horus ‘ manipulations crystallise slowly at first, and seen from the perspective of a small number of Blood Angels, you can understand just how it is that he can pull off such a monumental gambit. Sworn to the Emperor’s vision of universal apostasy, holding to science and logic over the foolish and destructive superstitions and mysticism that have held mankind back, the Angels wouldn’t know a demonic trap even if they were standing in one. Or in this case, obediently flying into one. And once it’s unleashed, how do they fight something when every fibre of their being and all they have been taught tells them that it doesn’t exist? The answer to that question is earned in blood as Horus’ daemonic catspaws enact his plan into action, filling the plains around their macabre cathedral with rage and blood as the primarch battles his greatest foe.

With a fistful of Blood Angels novels under his belt, and an audiobook, there was never any doubt that James Swallow would be the one tasked with bringing the story of the Blood Angels and the legend of the Red Angel to life. That level of familiarity with their history, the fate of Sanguinius and the nature of their legacy comes through in his writing; there’s no feeling of having to digest lumps of exposition and overall it simply feels effortless. Even if you’ve never picked up a Blood Angels story before, FTT will draw you in and keep you turning those pages. I think he’s definitely nailed it. It’s ripe with the feeling of that era, and the knowledge of what lies ahead for Sanguinius and flawed sons gives it a subtle but unmistakeable air of tragedy. Just what I like for 40K! 

Buy it, read it, beg for more.

Read an extract here of Fear to Tread and watch the trailer below: 

Wrath of Iron by Chris Wraight

After months spent in the service of the Chaos god Slaanesh, the ruling classes of the Contqual sub-sector have finally brought true damnation upon their people - innumerable hordes of foul and lascivious daemons swarm from a tear in the fabric of reality to embrace their mortal pawns and drive them on to ever more depraved acts of worship. It falls to the merciless Space Marines of the Iron Hands Chapter to cleanse these worlds of the warp's unholy taint, and it is upon the surface of Shardenus that the fate of a billion lost souls will be decided.

Having devoured Chris Wraight’s previous offering, Battle of the Fang, in record time and with no little pleasure, it was a no brainer to pop Wrath of Iron into my hand luggage for our recent holiday. 

It lasted a day, reminding me why Kindles are worth twice their weight in gold for holiday breaks.

Wrath opens with a clever gambit- it’s the start of the Iron Hands led invasion, but seen from the defenders’ point of view. Defenders who are convinced that they’re loyal to the Imperium. It’s an early, unexpected twist (and no, this isn’t a spoiler) that lets Wraight demonstrate how devastating it is for normal men to try face up against Space Marines, establishing this early so that the you can understand their effectiveness in the battles to come without him having to put the point across each time.

The target of the Iron Hands wrath is Shardenus Prime, a massive heavy industry based Hive City comprised of a central spire supported by six others, each heavily defended by deadly weapons and soon-to-be-revealed minions of chaos. It’s too big a target for the Iron Hands to tackle by themselves, not with the deadline they’re working to, and as such they are supported by Imperial Guard and a titan legion. 

The respective commanders and a handful of individuals of these support factions play a large role in Wrath, and it’s through their frustration and suffering under the ‘do this or die’ orders of the Iron Hands that we get to experience the reality of the Iron Hands’ sociopathic tendencies and disregard for any considerations beyond the successful execution of their mission. These threads (including that of an Imperial assassin - always cool) come together around the foundation of the Iron Hands' story, expanding the scope of the struggle and providing both a contrast to highlight the scope of the Iron Hands' obsessive nature and a respite from the same. These threads are distinct, but mesh smoothly and, importantly, are each brought to a suitable conclusion. 

By the time Shardenus Prime begins to yield its secrets and the reasons behind the Space Marine commander’s haste becomes apparent, you’re able to see both sides of the story.. but of course by then it’s too late for the poor old Imperial Guard to do anything except try and survive. The final confrontation is a maelstrom of action, both physical and psychic, delivered with a ferocity that must've made his keyboard smoke when he wrote it. 

This was a great, fast read. Despite their cold hearted bastardness, Wraight has made the Iron Hands an interesting, complex Chapter to delve into and I know I’d like to have more of the same. Please. 

You can read an extract here.  

Sisters of Battle: Faith and Fire, Hammer and Anvil & Red and Black by James Swallow

When dangerous psychic Torris Vaun escapes from her custody, Celestian Miriya is disgraced in the eyes of her fellow sisters and superiors. Following Vaun’s trail to the planet Neva, Miriya takes her sisters in pursuit and, along with Hospitaller Sister Verity, starts her investigations.

When they uncover a terrifying a plot that could threaten the future of the Imperium, is Miriya’s and Verity’s faith strong enough for them to triumph?

I first read Faith and Fire back in 2006, when it was first published, and remembered enjoying it then. When I heard that there was a sequel in the offing, I discovered that my copy had vanished, either lent to a ‘friend’ or eaten by the sofa, and horror of horrors, it was out of print. Thankfully eBay came to the rescue, although it’s since been re-printed to coincide with the new releases.
The sequel, Hammer and Anvil, and the audiobook Red and Black, all follow Miriya and Verity, who are both Sisters of Battle, who are essentially militant nuns. Very, very militant nuns, each sworn to the service of The Emperor and possessed of a penchant for alternately blowing very large holes in heretics or setting them on fire. And, importantly, they’re human. Not Space Marines, but good, old fashioned humans, albeit highly trained and equipped with top of the range weaponry. SEAL nuns then, with powered armour and the tolerance for blasphemy that makes the Taliban look like a commune of free-spirited hippies.

Amongst their order, Miriya is known to be a headstrong commander, one not afraid to ask questions that others would deflect or ignore. But she’s a good soldier, and devoted to her cause. Vaun’s escape is ruthlessly executed, but far worse than the censure of her superiors is the memory of being held captive by his warp-craft and forced to watch his callous desecration of her sisters in impotent rage.

What begins as a personal quest for redemption and revenge leads her onto an unexpected path, thick with secrets and danger as she is forced to confront uncomfortable truths about those she serves as well as herself. The truth of what Vaun is seeking is an ingenious and ambitious twist, one that makes the conclusion a bittersweet one truly in keeping with the spirit of the universe. It’s a perfectly satisfying standalone read, but the strength of the characters has always called out for more of their stories to be told.

Hence Hammer and Anvil.



On a distant world, the Ecclesiarchy outpost of Sanctuary 101 was wiped out by an implacable foe- the fearless, soulless Necrons. Now, a mission of the sisterhood has returned to reconsecrate the site- but the metallic nightmares still lurk in the darkness, guarding a secret that has lain dormant for millennia.

A vicious battle will be fought, one that only end in the total destruction of the unrelenting xenos, or the annihilation of the proud Adepta Sororitas.

Hammer and Anvil is set some years after the events of Faith and Fire, and we rejoin sisters Miriya and Verity as they join the mission to reclaim Sanctuary 101, a mission that has been delayed by long years of political manoeuvring and stonewalling by the Inquisition. Each is seeking their own redemption, although Miriya’s path is the harder one as she seeks to put the ghost of Vaun’s actions behind her once and for all, while fearing that she never will.

The truth of what happened at the Sanctuary is quickly figured out, and even as the indentured workers begin the reconstruction the scheming minions of the Mechanicum set a chain of events in motion that will see the Sisters draw weapons against both them and the fearsome Necrons who have been roused from their sleep. But this isn’t just any tomb-world of that age old and forgotten race; it holds the key to unleashing the kind of force that saw the Necrontyr dominate the galaxy countless aeons ago. War soon returns to Sanctuary 101, and it’s clear that not even the tenacious defiance of the Sisters will be enough to stave off disaster.

Beset by self-doubt, and surrounded by distrustful Battle Sisters, a damaged escapee from the Necrons’ cruel research and a self serving techpriest, Miriya’s battle is fought on several fronts, all of them desperate. H & A flies along at a frenetic pace as the truth and intriguing glimpses into the history and lives of the key Necron figures are teased out, all leading to a massive and breathless confrontation. Happily, despite the years since Faith & Fire did the rounds, Swallow has kept Miriya and Verity true to the original characters and as interesting as before (although Miriya wins, hands down) and has maintained the background feel of the intrigue and one-upmanship that are so rife in the Imperium. Hammer and Anvil stands on its own and can be read alone, although you will get far more out of it by having read Faith & Fire.

The Nuns-With-Guns trifecta is completed by Red and Black, an audio drama featuring Miriya again, who is at the rank of Celestian again, which suggests this is a prequel to Faith and Fire, although to be honest it again works as a standalone.



After two millennia, the warp storms raging around the Hollos star system have abated, allowing the isolated planet of Hollos to reconnect with the Imperium. When a mysterious messenger contacts the Orders Militant, Celestian Miriya must travel to Hollos and pass judgement on the world. Will she find a world embracing the Emperor’s truth or one in need of cleansing? Her decision will liberate or condemn an entire planet.

Miriya’s ‘flaw’ of being willing to think for herself is one of the factors that sees her put forward to lead this expedition. It’s a heavy responsibility and one that’s never far from her mind; Hollos will live or die by her judgement.

The expedition has a promising start. The envoy shows a devout belief in the Emperor, and the landing pad on the prosperous capital city of Hollos is thronged with cheering crowds. But soon enough things go awry and Miriya and her sisters find themselves fighting off a faction of extremists, the presence of whom raises a score of questions as to the price the inhabitants have paid for the facade of peace and prosperity that they enjoy- and the price they will have to pay for their survival. The history and secrets that lie at the heart of Hollos are systematically revealed by the not-so-delicate investigations of the Sisters and their accompanying tech priests, yet as she gets closer to the judgement she must pass Miriya finds that the decision will be harder than she would ever have expected.

It’s not an action heavy drama, but James nonetheless crams a lot into the 71 minute running time. It’s an interesting concept and one that could easily have been expanded into a full length novel. Beth Chalmers and Lisa Bowerman’s performances are consistent, clear and spirited, and the background effects are handled well, neither overwhelming the narration nor becoming repetitive. You can listen to a sample here.

I transferred this onto my ipod and listened to it while at gym, which worked out perfectly. It’s the right length for a casual, one-off listen and an easy way to get a 40K fix on the go. The Sisters of Battle provide a nice change of perspective, and if you're new to the 40K universe and worried about trying to coming to grips with the physio- and psychology of superhuman Space Marines, the Sisters are a good introduction to the setting and mindset... and the kick-ass, no holds barred action that makes 40K so addictive. I guess that makes them a gateway drug :) but what a rush!



You can visit James' Livejournal site here, read an extract of Faith and Fire here or Hammer and Anvil here.

Black Library Live 2012

This Saturday past saw Liz and I hurtling northwards to Nottingham, a journey where the greatest danger came not from bandits in trees but mile after mile of traffic cones on the M1 (apparently putting cones on the hard-shoulder constitutes roadworks these days, and is considered traumatic enough to warrant a 50 mph speed limit). Despite the best attempts of the Highways Agency, we arrived at Warhammer World with about 15 minutes to spare before the doors opened.

We met up with fellow BL fan Amanda Rutter and joined the queue of chilly but enthusiastic attendees and were soon shuffling through the doors under the baleful gaze of Lurtz. We collected our programmes and Chapbooks from Andy Smillie, who was on door duty (what the hell do they feed them up there?) and headed upstairs to the castle themed main hall, which had been split into the usual gaming hall and a space for the heavily laden tables of Black Library goodies on sale and the signing tables. I left Liz to collect (free) tickets for the panels we wanted to attend while I ducked into the sale area to rifle through the stacks of cool stuff that were on sale. Limited edition art prints vied for space with pre-release titles, limited edition novellas and several titles that were normally restricted to the Print-on-Demand section of the BL website. I picked up a very modest three items, but I was certainly the exception to the rule- most of the people around me were walking around with armfuls of stuff, their eyes glazed in satisfaction.

I quickly stashed the books in the boot of the car and topped up my caffeine levels with a surprisingly good coffee in Bugman’s before we headed to the first panel. Liz and Amanda headed off to the “Writing for Black Library” while I took a seat for “Space Marines”, which was headed by Gav Thorpe (who had quite a full day: he was everywhere) It was a bit of a broad description but, as it turned out, it was a discussion about understanding what made Space Marines tick, and the issues of who, and what, they were, elements which are key in writing them well and ensuring readers could connect with them without diluting the same.

We all met up for the next panel, this one on the Warhammer fantasy setting, this one again helmed by Gav Thorpe, the focus turning to what sets it apart as a fantasy world and why those traits work so well. The discussion ranged from the decline of the Dwarven empire, the classical origins of the elves and the level of despair felt by your average Imperial commoner. It was a good one, and left me wanting to do do nothing more than go grab a pint and settle down with the newly released Gotrek and Felix anthology.

We decided it was a good time for lunch, and after some crafty hovering-with-intent, we managed to snag a table in Bugman’s, which was proving as popular as ever thanks to the reasonably priced plate bending portion sizes and the sheer geektastic pleasure of sitting and having a drink in a place with a dwarven anvil over the fireplace and a mounted Ork’s head sharing the wall-space with enormous canvas maps and banners. Then it was off to a talk about Xenos in 40K, covering such things as the difficulties in writing from an alien’s perspective (and how to get around it), whether Tau were naive or manipulative gits with a darker agenda and pointers about their upcoming submissions window.

A quick break followed before we filed into the very popular panel about the Horus Heresy series, helmed by Christian Dunn and populated by HH stalwart Graham McNeill, Nick Kyme, Rob Sanders and Gav Thorpe. This was largely a Q&A session, and for me the most thrilling moment was Dunn’s reply to the question of whether there were plans afoot to expand the HH into media beyond books and audio dramas – there will be an announcement on this at the Black Library Weekender. For the rest, I was pleased to hear that there were loads of new projects in the offing, including books for the White Scars and the Salamanders. It was interesting to hear how carefully the series is being orchestrated behind the scenes and while it’s frustrating knowing that the final confrontation is years away, it’s simultaneously comforting to know that there are dozens more of these cracking novels ahead.

I left the others in Bugman’s afterwards to spend more time poring over the goodies for sale and admiring the display cases of armies and mock-up models. I also bought some tickets for the raffle to win some of their amazing posters but sadly my luck wasn’t in. Mind you, I’m not really sure what I would have done with a 12 x 6 foot poster at home, but hey, it would’ve been a nice problem to have though!

We said our farewells soon after and began the long drive home, with most of the time spent in rambling conversations about Space Marine psychology and the perils of Warp travel, an awesome side effect of being immersed in such a vibrant, friendly and shamelessly enthusiastic atmosphere. Top marks to the Black Library & Warhammer World crews!

And yes, I’ve already bought tickets for next year.

You can find out more about the Black Library and the Weekender here.

The Gildar Rift by Sarah Cawkwell

When the ancient warship Wolf of Fenris emerges from the warp, Imperial forces find that it has been overrun by the dreaded Red Corsairs. However, this is no mere raiding party – Huron Blackheart and his entire renegade fleet soon follow, intent on conquering the Gildar Rift and tightening their grip on the sector. Lance batteries and torpedo salvos burn fiery contrails through the void, and only Captain Arrun of the Silver Skulls Space Marine Chapter can halt the renegades’ advance. The fate of the Rift will not be decided in the heavens but on the surface of Gildar Secundus below.

Space Marines are cool. So are pirates.

So imagine the possibilities offered by the idea of Space Marine Pirates, particularly when they're a band of chaos worshipping superhumans led by an even larger, wholly psychopathic specimen who's crazier than a bag of possessed possums. And these are exactly what young Ms Cawkwell gets to play with in this, her debut novel.

TGR opens with the calm before the storm, introducing us to the 'Rift, which is a treacherous stretch of space surrounding a planetary system rather than a valley. It's a system thriving (as much as anything in that bleak future thrives) under the protection of the Silver Skulls chapter of the Space Marines. Their fleet is at the forefront of that defence, a fleet led by Captain Daerys Arrun, a veteran who already has enough on his plate without the puzzle posed by the arrival of the battle- damaged ship The Wolf of Fenris. Impossible to ignore, the Silver Skulls mount an expedition into its cold and apparently lifeless interior, but it's soon revealed as the opening gambit for an invasion by Huron Blackheart and his Red Corsairs. Battle is joined, and the cold vacuum of space is lit by lasers, torpedoes and exploding ships in a very nicely described bit of deadly stellar ballet. Blackheart might be batshit crazy, but that hasn't yet suffocated his strategic genius, and Captain Arrun and the 4th company are soon reminded that it's not over until the fat Marine sings.

Space Marines aren't that easy to write. I've tried it. They don't have days off. They don't do emotions all that well, unless it's rage. If they're not at war, they're training for war. Making them accessible and interesting while staying true to what they are is no mean feat, so it was a relief to find that Sarah has managed to do just that, while also managing to bring the little known Silver Skulls to life and make them her own. Captain Arrun and his supporting cast are each given their chance to shine, and the sub-plot with the tragic heroism of Volker was unexpected twist and a very cool concept. Blackheart and his ghoulish apothecary come across equally convincingly, and the interaction between them sparks nicely and I welcomed the fact that they're there for a reason other than generic carnage.

The action's pretty good throughout, although a minor whinge is that I would have liked a bit more Marine vs Marine action in the ground battles- this is a Battles novel and while exploding cultists are always welcome, it would have been nice to have some squad on squad tactical action to get stuck into. Still, there's a cool bike scene, and these are Corsairs- they're not there for a drag out fight. Not yet. There's enough left unanswered to act as a hook for a follow on, but not so much that you're left scratching your head as to what just happened.

The fact that it was a debut novel never crossed my mind when I was reading TGR. It's a good, solid addition to the 40K shelves, suitably grim and dark without being depressing, and I for one am looking forward to seeing what crawls out of Sarah's head next.

You can visit Sarah's blog here, and read an extract from The Gildar Rift here.

Sabbat Worlds - edited by Dan Abnett

So what the hell is ‘Sabbat Worlds’ I hear you ask.

Well, gather round, make yourself comfortable and I’ll tell you. No, that’s my chair.

In it’s simplest form, the Sabbat Worlds is the name given to a small corner of the Warhammer 40K that forms the backdrop for Dan Abnett’s hugely popular Gaunt’s Ghosts series of novels. As with most things, it started small, then grew and grew, acquiring its own history, legends and heroes with each instalment – there are 14 books in the series so far (well, 15 if you count Iron Star, which was printed as a limited edition short story but is now included in this anthology), and it now stands as a fully fledged and recognised corner of the universe. Until recently it’s pretty much been Dan’s personal playground, but now he’s invited a few select friends over for literary sleepover, and the result is this anthology.

The anthology features eight stories, and pole position goes to Apostle’s Creed by Graham McNeill.

Apostle’s Creed revisits a squadron of elite Thunderbolt fighter aces called the Apostles, who made their debut in Double Eagle back in 2004 (so long already? Where’s our sequel?). Graham’ story revolves around Larice Asche, a capable and experienced ace in her own right who’s still trying to find her place amidst the emotionally distant brotherhood of the Apostles.

With her Thunderbolt damaged in a savage dogfight, Larice is escorted to the nearest airbase by an army pilot, who she discovers is an ace in his own right. Impressed, she approaches the rest of the Apostles to put him forward as a candidate to join their ranks. But her peers know there’s a cruel but unavoidable truth that Larice has to face up to, one that she will have to confront sooner than she expects.

That journey is the crux of the story, and it works because Graham really does well to bring her character to life in such a relatively short time- by understanding her, we understand more of the campaign they are fighting and the nature of what she is -and will be- going through, which gives it a good emotional resonance. Not only that, he’s also recaptured the exhilarating feel of high speed, life or death dogfighting with a distinctly 40K flavour. And there’s plenty of it too, which is ace.

Guest Review: The Outcast Dead

I'm very leased to be able to introduce Sarah Cawkwell's guest review of the latest instalment of the best-selling Horus Heresy series. We've been chatting to Sarah (a.k.a @pyroriffic) for some time now and have vicariously shared the giddy excitement of her induction into the ranks of the Black Library's team of authors (more on that below).

With that thought in mind, I thought it would be interesting to have her perspective on The Outcast Dead. So, without further ado...

The Outcast Dead

A spoiler-free review by Sarah Cawkwell

It may come as no surprise to those of you who know me to realise that one of my favourite traits in any character is a tendency to a delicious brand of grumpy, self-inverted sulkiness. Oh, angst. How I love you. (Not the brooding, sparkly Twilight kind of angst, but the proper ‘I’ve really suffered’ kind). Don’t ask me why; it’s a trait I find incredibly irritating in real life. But I like my heroes to be less than likeable and to be packed to the gunwhales with personality flaws and nuances. It’s some kind of inverse physics thing, perhaps. The less inherently likeable a character, the more I seem to like them. It's similar to my theory on the fact that the smaller the handbag, the more rubbish you can fit in it.

Whatever the reason, I am filled to the brim with undying love for Kai Zulane, one of the central protagonists as featured in Graham McNeill’s latest addition to the million-selling Horus Heresy series. The Outcast Dead is set almost entirely on Terra and is a 'Meanwhile...' piece. It opens the eyes of the reader quite widely to life elsewhere in the Imperium whilst the Adeptus Astartes are going through the wringer millions of miles away. It primarily follows the (mis)adventures of an unlikely hero in the shape of an astropath who is the unwilling carrier of a vital message. This message must be delivered at all costs and he falls into the care of an even more unlikely and largely reluctant band of protectors.

There are other plots woven neatly into the story as well, with some excellent cross-over and more than one or two surprises.

Because this is a spoiler-free review, I’m going to come straight to the point here. I liked this book. It reads well, has a great story that reaches a satisfactory resolution and a brilliant cast of great characters (including the aforementioned astropath). But I may be biaised. I have a particular love for character-driven stories and also for astropaths and psykers of any kind, so for them to form the core of a story is my idea of a good time. It’s like a party that just won’t quit. There is a delicious mix of psykers you like and psykers you don’t. And then the eponymous Outcast Dead of the title are thrown into the mix and it all goes a bit wild and crazy.

Which is no bad thing in my opinion.

I’ve always found the illustrious Mr. McNeill presents characters with whom it is easy to engage, although not always necessarily easy to identify with. I’m unlikely to ever be an astropath, for example. This both pleases me and in my nerdier moments, invokes a certain air of resentment. Because apart from the down side of, you know, losing your eyes, your identity and all the other stuff… you’d be an astropath. Which would be kind of cool. Sucky, but cool.

I digress. I do that.

Anyway.

When you find out what it was that happened to Kai to make him into the Grumpiest Man Alive, you do feel a certain pity for him. I wanted to know what happened to him and then later, I wanted to know what happened to the Outcast Dead. That wanting to know turned into needing to know. And it was this Need To Know that kept me eagerly turning pages until I tragically ran out of book.

With The Outcast Dead, readers are treated to an entirely different side of the Heresy. Away from the militarian, organised lives of the Legiones Astartes, ordinary citizens are going about their business… but this is a world in which things are constantly changing, where the bad guys are evolving all the time (sometimes quite literally)… and the ordinary soon morph into the extraordinary with disastrous consequences for our protagonists.

This isn’t your average Horus Heresy book. Whilst there are Space Marines present and at least one primarch puts in an appearance, there is a distinct absence of full-on battle scenes. For many, this may cause them to dismiss the book out of hand. But for all those people – and there are many of them – who often bemoan the fact that the Black Library don’t publish books that are more character driven… well, they should grab this one.

It’s quite heartfelt in places and as a reader, I appreciate it when I genuinely care enough about a character to care what happens to them. By the end of the book, my initial fondness for Mr. Grumpy had gone all the way through deep pity and out the other side into enormous respect.

It’s a tale about courage and determination, about understanding one’s duty, about loyalty and even about friendships in the face of the worst kind of adversity. It adds gently to the Horus Heresy mythos without scrambling anything and also clears up one or two other grey areas with well-placed exposition.

I have enjoyed all of Graham McNeill’s contributions to the Horus Heresy series so far and The Outcast Dead is no exception. Will it please everyone? No. I don’t believe it will. After all, everyone has different expectations and for some, the absence of full scale warfare may lead to a less-than-satisfactory read. For me, though, it was a good, solid story with interesting characters who I cared about. And as far as I’m concerned, if I come out of a book thinking ‘I enjoyed that’, then it’s done its job admirably.

And The Outcast Dead definitely did that. With bells on. I award it nine screaming psykers out of ten.

Thanks, Graham – look forward to the next one.

**



**

A great review, thank you!

Sarah's first novel, The Gildar Rift, is out in December, and you can follow her on Twitter, or visit her website.

Battle of the Fang by Chris Wraight

It is M32, a thousand years after the Horus Heresy. The Scouring is over and the Imperium at the height of its post-Crusade power. When Magnus the Red is tracked down to Gangava Prime, the Space Wolves hasten to engage the daemon primarch.

Even as Great Wolf Harek Ironhelm closes on his ancient enemy, the Fang on the Space Wolves home world is besieged by a massive force of Thousand Sons. A desperate battle ensues as the skeleton forces of Wolf Lord Vaer Greylock attempt to hold back the attacking hosts before the last of his meagre defences gives in. Though a single Scout ship survives to summon Great Wolf Harek Ironhelm back to Fenris, none of the defenders truly realise the full scale the horror that awaits them, nor what the Battle for the Fang will cost them all.

In simple terms, this is the story of a siege. What ups the ante though is that it's the survivors of the Thousand Sons legion who are laying siege to the Fang, the fortress of the Space Wolves. Their motivation is ostensibly revenge for the destruction of Prospero a thousand years previously (see Prospero Burns), but as ever with the Thousand Sons, there is more to it than meets the eye, for there are secrets hidden in the Fang, secrets that could damn them all.

With the main body of the Wolves haring across the galaxy to lay waste to the planet where Magnus has taken up residence, the Fang is left with a single company of Space Marines to hold off a huge force comprising close to a thousand marines and uncounted legions of their mortal troops, all supported by a powerful fleet of ships and armoured regiments. But the Fang isn't just home to the Wolves and their slumbering heroes, but also the hundreds of native Fenrisians who serve them. And as the mortals are mobilised in the defence of the Fang we get to experience the fury of the battle from their perspective, notably through a father and daughter who serve in two different sectors. It's their experiences and points of view that add depth to the story, providing an insight into a world that only respects martial prowess and highlighting the arrogance of the Wolves alongside the desperate heroism and singleminded determination that makes them who, and what, they are.

Wraight does well to do justice to the Thousand Sons, capturing their bitterness and a sense of a Legion fighting desperately not to lose themselves to the mistakes of their past.

Battle of the Fang is absolutely stuffed with the kind of fast, brutal violence that erupts when mortal enemies collide, particularly when said enemies are 8ft tall genetically engineered killers armed with chainswords. The pace is unrelenting and the tension is maintained as Magnus' plan is revealed and the Wolves are forced back into a last stand. It's the combination of the human perspective, the sympathetic treatment given to the Thousand Sons and his understanding of what makes the Wolves tick makes this much more than a simple action fest and hugely enjoyable. I demolished it in two sittings.

You can read an extract here.

Defenders of Ulthuan and Sons of Ellyrion by Graham McNeill

Defenders of Ulthuan

The high elves have long been the protectors of the Warhammer World, and their homeland of Ulthuan is known for the powerful magic that surrounds it. At the heart of Ulthuan lies a magical vortex, and the mages who created it remain trapped in a space out of time, endlessly working the spell that keeps the world from becoming a seething Realm of Chaos.

When Ulthuan comes under attack from the forces of Chaos and dark elves led by the Witch King and the hag sorceress, Morathi, the high elves must hold firm or face disastrous consequences.

Defenders opens strongly, quickly setting up the various threads that will combine to form the core of the story, which spans the final weeks before the Dark Elves launch their invasion of Ulthuan, the home of the High Elves.

Central to the story is the relationship between the two main characters, the brothers Eldain and Caelir, which is exlored and expanded on throughout the novel, giving them a depth and complexity that befits personalities that have been maturing for centuries, yet who still suffer from flaws and vulnerabilities that we can relate to. Eldain and Caelir set out on their respective quests across Ulthuan, and McNeill uses the opportunity to bring Ulthuan to life, from the soaring mountains to the endless plains and forests basking in a gentle, endless summer, all in all an idyllic, utopian setting. Importantly, he also manages to put across how intrinsically magical it is, a factor which is central to understanding the threat posed by Morathi.

Admittedly I did get to a point where I was having to grit my teeth at every mention of the Elves' beauty and impossible grace as they wafted across picture perfect landscapes. Fortunately it's a relatively short lived episode and the increasing tension as Morathi's plans begin to swing into motion cancels it out. What you're left with though is a clear image of what is at stake for the High Elves.

Defenders quickly builds up to a shocking cliffhanger ending, one which left me desperate to get home and start the sequel, Sons of Ellyrion.

SoE opens with the repercussions of Caelir's actions shaking Ulthuan even as the Dark Elf invasion gathers pace. As the title suggests, the brothers take central stage again, albeit that this time they share it with the heroes of their age - Tyrion, Imrik and Teclis. But there's carnage aplenty for each of them to deal with as the dark elves push deep into Ulthuan, slaughtering the living and despoiling the land, so it never feels crowded. The action is handled very well and is both plentiful and consistently savage as the High Elves reel under the onslaught.

These are very much High Elf novels, and the Dark Elves aren't given much 'screen time' outside of burning and killing their way across the land. Morathi herself seems to do little more than bathe in blood and gloat about her own evil genius. However, her evil genius is just that (with a generous helping of insanity) and her actions imperil not just Ulthuan but the whole of the old world. Eldain and Caelir are drawn into a desperate attempt to thwart her twisted ambition, and it's here that the care McNeill has put into making us care about these characters pays off, crowning the story with an emotional and bittersweet conclusion.

I finished both novels in a matter of days. Graham McNeill knows how to spin a story, and he's in top form with these. He manages to carry across a real feel for the Elven homeland and their society, whilst keeping it accessible to casual readers and without getting bogged down in too much exposition. You grow to care about the characters, and cheer the 'fuck yeah!' moments when they eventually happen amidst the bloody carnage (of which there's plenty). It's solid, satisfying fantasy action and a stark reminder why he gets to have the epithet 'NYT bestselling author' on the cover.