Tag Archives: David Guymer

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – The One Road

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An Age of Sigmar short-story by David Guymer

The One Road 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:

Out for the count and oblivious to the world around him, Gotrek Gurnisson becomes a prime target for the vengeful Slyvaneth. Can the bold riders of the Freeguild Cavaliers reach the stricken baggage train containing the blacked-out Slayer before the forest warriors do?

For those of a certain vintage, they will remember Gotrek (with Felix) as being key adventurers within the Warhammer World (that was). Well, Gotrek is now in the mortal realms of Age of Sigmar and – whilst I don’t think he should be there (he isn’t a god.. really!) – it does give David Guymer a perfect opportunity to explore the Realms through the eyes of someone who only knew the Old World – much like the reader.

Since the proper introduction of humans to the Age of Sigmar setting in the guise of the Freeguild, the Realms are also being fleshed out well, and there is a faction that we (humans…) can consider ours – which is important for story telling.

In this short story, we don’t see Gotrek much – he is instead the basis of an excuse for a story – rather than the main character within it.

And David Guymer does well here – sure it’s short, but there is a little character development here, some enemies, a short battle and an heroic rescue (maybe not in the that order)… and I lost myself for 30 minutes reading it. So I think he got it near perfect!

Rating: 4 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

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Lion El’Jonson: Lord of the First

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Horus Heresy Primarchs #13 by David Guymer

The 13th Primarch novel (novella) takes us to the Dark Angels and their Primarch – Lion El’Jonson.

From the book:

Each primarch is an exemplary being, derived from the Emperor’s own genetic stock to embody a facet of His personality. Their powers are unfathomable, but only one of them is the First. Lion El’Jonson is the paragon of what it is to be a primarch. His Legion, pre-eminent for most of their long history, typify the virtues of temperance, pride, and martial excellency that the Lion embodies. They are the Emperor’s last line and final sanction. They are His Dark Angels.

Now, while the Emperor gathers His mightiest sons for an assault on Ullanor Prime, the Lord of the First instead draws his Legion to the farthest reaches of the known galaxy, seeking to subdue a single rebellious world. Is this but another example of the Lion’s infamous pride, or is there more afoot amidst that graveyard of empires that is the Ghoul Stars, more than the Lion will share even with his own sons?

One of my favourite things in the novella’s and books of the Horus Heresy is hearing about the different alien species the Emperor’s sons meet alien species that will never appear in a rulebook and will never have miniatures. This freedom allows the authors to explore alien species without limitation.

The enemies facing Lion El’Jonson and his Dark Angels are facing the Khrave who are able to take over the minds of weaker species… but in the Dark Angels – and The Lion – they may have finally met their match.

The Khrave are well written, spooky and scary and use psyker powers in some extreme ways – they definitely add peril to the book as the human elements of the Dark Angels fleet and Imperium army cannot be trusted to stand alongside the Space Marines – and so they must fight the enemy – and those members of the fleet/army taken over by the Khrave – on their own.

Guymer also throws in scenes between the Lion and the Emperor – it is always interested to read above the Emperor in these books – and this definitely adds flavour to the Dark Angel’s Primarch…

However the way they kill the Khrave – using weapons only they have access to – is characterful but always leaves the question ‘why not against Horus then…?’ and this is a question I found difficult to overlook.

Overall it’s a good book, with a well written and described enemy which is let down a bit by a disappointing ending.

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 & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore