Category Archives: Black Library

Book Review – Traitor Rock

Cadia #3 by Justin D Hill

Following the Fall of Cadia, Minka Lesk is back to defend the Imperium… but no longer on Cadia. She’s now on Malouri, fighting Traitors on an island fortress.

From the book:

Cadia, ten thousand years a stalwart bastion against Chaos, is broken. Its collapse at the hands of Abaddon and the Thirteenth Black Crusade has fractured the Imperium of Man, and in its wake spreads the seeds of heresy, lies, and insurrection. It falls to Cadia’s survivors to fight on, bloodied but unyielding, in the name of the Emperor.

On the world of Malouri, traitorous forces have retreated to the impregnable island fortress of Crannog Mons. After years of stalemate warfare, the task of breaking the siege is given to Minka Lesk and the Cadian 101st, who find themselves fighting a meat-grinder mission that threatens to devour them. In the midst of slaughter, sacrifice, and brutal attrition, a question must be answered: what does it mean to be Cadian in a galaxy without Cadia?

Minka Lesk’s Cadian’s are tasked with taking the island fortress of Crannog Mons (in traditional Warhammer 40k style, via the land). But she’s also dealing with others regiments in the Astra Militaruim. After a behind the lines altercation, Minka finds herself left behind with her squad when the supporting regiment retreats early… And she finds out that friendly fire ain’t friendly!

Hill brings us the third in his Minka Lesk series, and she is now fighting off-world after the Fall of Cadia. By book 3 we already know the character, which allows for more story telling and less background. And the new planet allows Hill to put Minka Lesk into a situation where she can have rivals within the Imperium,. as well as her more traditional enemies – the traitors.

In many ways this brings it closer to a Sharpe novel, and without the need to tell of a key event in Warhammer 40k lore, the author is able to add peril, and add their own colour to the story.

Verdict

Astra Militarum novels are some of the best Warhammer 40k from the Black Library… That’s probably why there are so many of them (Gaunt, Minka, Caiphas) . In a world of the warp, demons, and long dead dynasties, the humble human still has to survive – and these stories are great to bring you into the world of Warhammer 40k.

This is their strength – but sometimes a weakness as well. Throughout this book I was left feeling why they were attacking the fortress from the ground, and not air or space. Or even just Exterminatus. And it was difficult to get over that.

The story is fun, the characters are well written and the story flows… but I just struggled with the basic premise. It’s still a fun read, but definitely wouldn’t be on my must read list for Warhammer 40k novels.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & aUSA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Review The End and The Death, Volume III

Dan Abnett brings the Horus Heresy story to a close in the final (not really) book of the series.

The End of an Era is finally here. The Emperor and Horus are about to clash and find out who wins, who dies, and who gets to sit on a seat of power for over 10,000 years.. oh the suspense!

But it’s not the end of the journey that matters – what started out 20 years ago has spawned a lot of books, and a lot of stories and for that I am certainly grateful… even if Sanguinius’ Death is still raw after so long.

From the Book

The Great Angel, Sanguinius, lies slain at his brother’s hand. Terra burns as reality itself unravels, and the greatest bastion of civilisation teeters on the brink of annihilation.

Desperate defenders gather, banding against the rabid traitor hordes. The Hollow Mountain, host to the pilgrims of Euphrati Keeler, is one of the last redoubts held by the Dark Angels while the unclean host of Typhus lays siege. Malcador the Sigillite sits ablaze on the Golden Throne, trying to buy his master more time. But time is running out…

Guilliman races across the stars to reinforce the Throneworld. Will he return to ashes, where a Warmaster of Chaos has ascended to godhood, or will the Emperor have triumphed? And at what cost?

Review

How do you tell the end of a story that has been told and hinted at through decades of Games Workshop output? Where the picture of Horus and the Emperor is iconic, and where everyone has an opinion on what happened? If you’re Dan Abnett and the Horus Heresy / Siege of Terra team you spread it out… over 3 books!!

But that is now truly at an end and we can settle down and read the story of the final climatic conflict.

Although, I listed to it on audio book… and I’m glad I did. This is long… long! And the fight between the two great protagonists feels even longer as they fade in and out of realities. Fight with gun, sword, and psyhcic powers. And generally tear each other apart. All whilst Gulliaman approaches Terra. The defenders go on the attack (helped by the Blood Angels being ‘slightly’ upset at the death of Sanguinius. And Oll & John Grammaticus set up the strings of fate, so that they can be / were there at the end. All whilst Malcador dies on the Golden Throne.

There’s a lot! And if anyone can make a fight last a while it’s Dan Abnett… but perhaps there was a point here that an editor should have stepped in and said ‘no’.

Verdict

End End rarely justifies the means, and after so many years Dan Abnett was never going to be able to close out a story which was so old, and so drenched in fable and myth… But… he just took long to do it. The fight sequence between the Emperor and Horus Lupercal is – of course – epic. But it is also too long, involving too many changes of scene and style.

There is not enough about the remaining defenders, but a lot about Oll & John – who are after all ‘Abnett’s characters’… But what about the others?

Guilliman is mentioned at the beginning (perhaps the beginning of the end)… but never again as the fleets clash.

I am left with the feeling that this end isn’t an end… that there is more – and too many open threads. And I’m not alone because after the End and the Death… there is another book – ! Era of Ruin which will tell us yet more. So the End, isn’t even the end.

It’s not a bad book by any means, and I don’t know how to finish a series of such depth but this just took too long. Three novels, could easily have been two and Abnett could have included more from the other characters we have followed throughout the Heresy and less on the fight. But… it’s still a bestseller. And it is an essential addition if you want to finish the story. Let’s face it – if you’ve got this far, you will want to finish.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Review Low Lives

A Necromunda novella by Danny Flowers

Necromunda is back on my reading desk, and this time it’s Denny Flowers from the 2nd Novella Series. With our ‘hero’ Caleb Cursebound.

From the Book

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…

Review

Caleb Cursebound is a rogue extraordinaire. But, he has a problem. He is on the run, and he likes to play as a Hero. Not the best combination in the dark of the Underhive of Necromunda.

After a drink or two (or three) in the tavern of his new hiding place – Hope’s End – he promises to remove a powerful gang of Orlocks from a nearby mine… and when he wakes up the locals remember his promise.

All the while his pursuers – bounty hunters – are getting closer… although also mysteriously ending up dead. Does Caleb have a guardian angel… or something much scarier stalking him and his Ratskin partner – Iktomi.

With the great ‘Wanted: Dead’ in the first Novella series I was looking forward to this one as well. And Danny Flowers did not disappoint. Caleb does have some competencies but also has a lot in common with Caiphas Cain of Warhammer 40k. He is another epitome of the acccidental Hero.

It all unravels quickly and Caleb learns that you can’t please everyone in the Hive all the time (or even some of the time). And often blood (or House loyalties) run deeper than water… although sometime not.

Warhammer 40k is at it’s best when writing about human characters with human flaws. And Caleb certainly joined those ranks… even if he is only still there because of Iktomi.

Verdict

As a writer you can’t waste time in a Novella and every scene and chapter has to have a place. That makes them great fun to read and I often finish a novella wanting ‘more’. Either more of the character, more of the setting, or more of the adversary!

This definitely hits that spot, and is a fun addition to the Necromunda fiction produced by Black Library.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Review Wanted: Dead

A Necromunda novella by Mike Brooks

Necromunda is a classic gaming system and – despite some changes between editions – remains mostly with its roots in old editions of Warhammer 40k. The support from the Specialist Games Studio is also superb with new gangs and models released regularly.

And the stories are great fund also – including this older gem by Mike Brooks from the Novella Series that Black Library produced some years ago.nto a Book Review A Line in the Sand by James Barr.

From the Book

In the teeming hives of Necromunda, from the highest peaks to the lowest depths, life is a constant fight for survival. When an ambush in the Underhive goes wrong, and a Guilder gets killed, an Escher gang suddenly find themselves outlawed. Now the hunters have become the hunted, and everyone is after their blood – enforcers, bounty hunters, even other gangs. With their leader dead, Jarene has to take control and save the lives of herself and her sisters in arms, as well as restoring the honour of their gang. For the fateful ambush was no accident, and the true culprits need to face justice.

Review

Jarene’s gang is (mostly) entirely dead. Caught in an ambush by Goliaths after the death of a Guilder. She has two choices, hide forever or avenge them.

But Necromunda isn’t a Hive that allows people to disappear if the Guilders are after them and so despite her best efforts she is forced to prevent the danger… but who can she trust?

When writing Warhammer 40k novels, I always enjoy reading about things that aren’t from the tabletop. (Or at least not common on the table top). Mike Brooks does a great job here of describing the Underhive, the tunnels, passages and creatures that reside. And the peril of just existing.

The ambush and destruction of the Escher gang is a great start as this would often be the end of a story in Necromunda the game. But here it is a starting point. He captures the rivalry between the Houses of the Hive, but also the competitions with the Houses themselves. So Jarene is left with the fundamental question – who can she trust.

Verdict

As a Novella it is short, but that results in Mike Brooks ensuring the pace is kept high – and there are no spare chapters in here. It is a great story, that brings Jarene’s struggle to the reader in quick, sharp vignettes. As she lurches from one crises to another, as there is no respite in the Hive.

My only critiscm is of Black Library – when these were first relesed the series was great value, with 10 books costing £30, but they are now only available electronically at £5 which seems high. Equally it is a shame they changed the format from paperback to hardback for Novella Series 3 later – but that is a different gripe.

If you are looking for a fun Necromunda story or just love Escher gangers then this is a great story – and a must for the collection.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Review – Valdor: Birth of the Imperium

A Horus Heresy novel by Chris Wraight

There are a few characters beyond the Primarchs that loom large within the Horus Heresy. The Emperor, Malcador and Valdor are three of them. And Chris Wraight takes us back to the beginning of the Imperium and the role of Valdor in it’s birth.

From the Book

Constantin Valdor. It is a name that brings forth images of heroism, honour and peerless duty. For it is he who commands the will of the Legio Custodes that most esteemed and dedicated cadre of elite warriors. He is the Emperor’s sword, His shield, His banner and he knows no equal. Clad in shining auramite, his fist clenched around the haft of his Guardian Spear, he is the bulwark against all enemies of the throne, within or without.

Nearing the end of the wars of Unity, Valdor’s courage and purpose is put to the test as never before. The petty warlords and tyrants of Old Earth have been all but vanquished, and the Emperor’s armies are triumphant. What now for the nascent Imperium and what fate its forgotten soldiers, its Thunder Warriors and armies of Unity? A new force is rising, one which shall eclipse all others and open the way to the stars. But change on Terra is seldom bloodless and for progress to be ensured darker deeds are necessary.

Review

Valdor has always been part of the story of the Imperium, but the Horus Heresy has allowed Chris Wraight to give him a lot more background here, and – crucially – background of the Birth of the Imperium.

This is a story from a time in the Warhammer 40k lore of which not much is written. The Emperor has conquered Old Earth, but not all the denizens of the planet are convinced this is a good idea… and the Emperor doesn’t do weak or bloodless.

I was recommended this book some time ago and added it to my To-Read pile on Goodreads. … Why did I wait? … It’s a great addition to the story of the Imperium and in particular that thorny transisition from Thunder Warriors to Space Marines.

Thunder Warrior – John Blanche / Games Workshop

I don’t often say a book is essential reading, but Chris Wraight has got a story here that fits this bill. And he writes well, as well! Go out there and buy it, now!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Declan & Eeeyore

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Review – Lorgar: Bearer of the Word

Horus Heresy: Primarch series #5 by Gav Thorpe

The 5th Novella in the Primarch Series brings us to The Bearer of the Word – Lorgar. We’ve reviewed a few in this series already – this is number 11! There have been no ‘timing’ issues yet with stories ruined.

Cover picture of Lorgar: Bearer of the Word by Gav Thorpe
From the Book

Most devoted of all the primarchs, it was Lorgar who first fell to the lure of Chaos. Once known as Aurelian, this golden son of the Emperor of Mankind found himself an outcast because he worshipped his father as a god. Humbled before the ruins of Monarchia, chastened and brought low, Lorgar yearned for deeper meaning. He found it in the power of Ruin and thus began the descent into heresy. His fate had not always been so. On Colchis, his adopted birth world, Lorgar was not always the zealot, though his path would be nurtured by the priest Kor Phaeron.

Review

Gav Thorpe has always been a great writer and has had significant success since leaving the hallowed pages of WD.

And with Lorgar: Bearer of the Word; he smashes it out of the park! This is the book I was hoping all the Primarch books would be. It’s the origin story of Lorgar. How he is found on Colchis. When he is adopted by Kor Phaeron. And how he is manipulated / prepared for greatness by the priest.

The descriptions of the desert, his challenges, the treatment of Lorgar by Kor Phaeron and his reaction as a young child were expertly written and very believable. Many of the Primarchs had tough upbringing on their new homeworlds, but it is fair to say Lorgar’s wasn’t the easiest.

The action is mostly set on Colchis. There is the occasional flash forward to Lorgar burning his chapter’s books after censure by the Emperor. However, fortunately, this is a tiny part of the novella so doesn’t distract from the story being told.

A must read for me in the series – great work from Gav Thorpe.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Declan & Eeeyore

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Review – Mephiston – Blood of Sanguinius

Mephiston series #1 by Darius Hinks

The 1st Novel in the ‘Mephiston’ series is by Darius Hinks and brings us the Chief Librarian of the Blood Angels in all his glory.

From the book:

A religious civil war brings the Blood Angels, commanded by Chief Librarian Mephiston, to a shrine world where they find a mystery that might help Mephiston understand how he survived the Black Rage – and perhaps cure the Blood Angels of their affliction.

The shrine world of Divinatus Prime has become lost to the light of the Astronomican and no ship can piece its veil. Only the Lord of Death himself, Blood Angels Chief Librarian Mephiston, has any hope of discerning the fate of this once pious world. After enacting a powerful blood ritual, Mephiston and an honour guard of his fellow Blood Angels reach the stricken shrine world to find it seized by religious civil war. Each faction fights for dominance of a potent artefact, the Blade Petrific, said to be wrought by the Emperor Himself. Yet there is more at work here than a mere ideological schism, for Mephiston believes Divinatus Prime could offer answers to how he became the Lord of Death, he who resisted the Black Rage, and possibly even a way to end the curse of ‘the Flaw’ in all Blood Angels.

My last review of Darius Hinks’ work did not go well in the case of Dominion, but as Blood Angels are my favourite chapter I wanted to give him a second go… and I’m glad I did.

This first in a trilogy of books about Mephiston of the Blood Angels, sees him hunting down a relic – The Blade of Petrific – which was once touched by the Hand of The Emperor Himself… (lots of capitalisation there).

The Blade is held on Divinatus Prime but it has gone ‘missing’ and Mephiston is the only one capable of travelling through the Warp to get to it. Fortunately, he can bring an honour guard of his fellow Blood Angels and some other Librarians.

As you may expect from a Warhammer 40k novel, this has lots of shooting, and just general ‘Grim Darkness’… there is death here. There is also a lot of background knowledge assumed – unlike Dominion – this is not intended as an introductory book to the Warhammer 40k universe – or even the Blood Angels.

And that is fine, different books can have different aims and in this book Hinks shows the power, knowledge and skills of Mephiston to the ‘max’. It’s a great book for this, and if you already like Blood Angels and Mephiston in particular then this is definitely one for you. It also means I can happily move Hinks off my ‘naughty’ shelf and read some more of this novels.

My grade for the book is probably slightly biased by it including Blood Angels, and it’s probably only 3 stars if you don’t like the Chapter… but that’s the joy of Black Library releasing so many books – there’s definitely something for everyone.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

PS – I listened to the audiobook for this, which I do regularly, and I’ve always pronounced Mephiston as ‘Mef-is-ton’, but the narrator said ‘Meh-fist-on’… another childhood assumption gone, but I’m not sure after 35 years I can change how I say his name!

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Review – Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar

Horus Heresy Primarchs #1 by David Annandale

The 1st Primarch novel (novella) takes us to the Ultramarines and their Primarch – Roboute Guilliman.

From the book:

Long before the coming of the Imperium, the realm of Ultramar was ruled by Roboute Guilliman, the last Battle King of Macragge. Even after learning of his true heritage as a primarch son of the Emperor of Mankind, he strove to expand his domain as efficiently and benevolently as possible, with the XIII Legion Ultramarines as his alone to command. Now, facing a rival empire on the ork-held world of Thoas, Guilliman must choose his weapons carefully – otherwise his dream of a brighter future could be lost forever.

Do like ‘Practicals’, or is your Google Search locked on ‘Theoreticals’? If you can answer yes to these questions then this is the book for you… but it does get grating. I get that this is how we know we are dealing with the Ultramarines, but it probably didn’t need repeating quite so often.

That gripe aside, Roboute Guilliman is on the Ork held world of Thoas where there are strange pyramids, which appear to have been built by humans before or during the Age of Darkness. The Orks just want to kill Ultramarines, but Roboute Guilliman also wants to answer the question of what happened to the humans who used to live on Thoas.

He has recently put a new Chapter Master in charge of the 22nd Chapter of the Ultramarines… someone from outside the Chapter – against the tradition established. In doing this he also sidelines the Destroyers which form a large portion of the 22nd Chapter. This decision causes descent within the Chapter, and his refusal to deploy the Destroyers causes additional friction.

The balance of the 22nd Chapter are left as rearguard against the Orks, and in fighting a Pyramid is destroyed… causing significant damage to the Ultramarines.

Annandale does a a good job of telling the story, and Guilliman comes across as a true combat beast, besting all the Orks that try to kill him, whilst investigating the reason for the lack of Humans on the planet. It is an interesting story — but I struggled too much with the ‘Practicals’ and ‘Theoreticals’!

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Review – The Long Promise

A Warhammer 40k short-story by Mike Brooks

The Long Promise was released in 2023 but re-released in the free ‘Black Library Celebration 2025’ anthology available in English, German & French either from a local Warhammer store or free from Black Library with most purchases.

This coincides with World Book Day (6th March), and as avid readers ourselves we will be marking this occasion by reviewing all 4 stories in the anthology – and encouraging reading of course!

From the book:

Solomon Akurra, Chaos Lord of the insidious Alpha Legion, infiltrates a Deathwatch watch station. When this most elite and pious of kill teams returns, Akurra offers them the real truth…

Stories of the Alpha Legion can be hit and miss, but one thing they always are is different. With their love of subterfuge, scouting and infiltrating they are unlike any other Space Marine chapter, and Mike Brooks has done well here to bring Solomon Akurra’s motives to life in a short story.

The Deathwatch come back to their watch station and find an Alpha legion vessel and Akurra quickly begins to question them over the vox – will they let him go, to discover what he knows, or will they hunt him throughout the ship and ensure his end?

I very much enjoyed this short story, and one of the interesting pieces was the tie back to a human with our narrator (of sorts) being Tulava Dyne, a sanctioned pskyer who has defected to the Alpha Legion. Importantly this allows the viewer to have a more human perspective on the Space Marines of the Alpha Legion – something that is not always achieved.

And the narrative rattles along at a pace – no wasted words here – such that you reach the end, and really want more of the story. A great sign.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Book Review – Web of Ruin

An Age of Sigmar short-story by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Web of Ruin was released in 2023 but re-released in the free ‘Black Library Celebration 2025’ anthology available in English, German & French either from a local Warhammer store or free from Black Library with most purchases.

This coincides with World Book Day (6th March), and as avid readers ourselves we will be marking this occasion by reviewing all 4 stories in the anthology – and encouraging reading of course!

From the book:

The Tarantulos Brood are Slaves to Darkness who seek out mutagenic substances to uplift their mortal forms and grow ever closer to the sacred shape of their spidery god. In order to reach the top of their power structure they must demonstrate that they can wrangle the most deadly arachnids into servitude. Follow as one Broodkin seeks out his Chaos tained prey.

When Warcry was released Warhammer Community put one of the models from the Tarantulos Brood on the Rumour Engine… and all the Gloomspite players thought that we would be getting new spiderfang grots… or something. Because spiders were always a Destruction thing. To say that the Destruction community was ‘not happy’ with a Slaves to Darkness unit taking their spiders would be an under statement.

Well Adrian Tchaikovsky brings us a story from the Tarantulos Brood as they are ambushed (unsuccessfully) by a Grot Shaman and are told of the location of a Arachnarok spider who is close to death. The Brood can’t resist and force the Grot to lead them to his spider… who will emerge victorious.

This is another great short story, and has characters that even those new to Age of Sigmar will be able to understand. There are humans worshippping Chaos via a Spider God and Grots (goblins) trying to ambush them and then stop them reaching their version of a Spider God – and Arachnarok Spider (although Tchaikovsky never uses this term).

Could this be the revenge Destruction want from their false spider brethren, or will Slaves to Darkness arise triumphant?

Whilst this is a good story, I again have to question why it was in the compilation for 2025… a quick look at the Games Workshop website to see Warcry and the game itself is ‘Online only’… oh dear!! but you can’t even buy the Tarantulos Brood – they are discontinued. Weird!

But the star rating is for Adrian Tchaikovsky’s writing, not the strange editing decision.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore