Gav Thorpe's Blog, page 12
November 24, 2016
Interview with Forge The Narrative – November 2016
I spoke to Paul and Chris from Forge the Narrative, and in roughly 60 minutes managed to cover topics as diverse as the physicality of books, the Arthurian underpinnings of Azrael, changes in Games Workshop’s policies of the last year and how to pronounce ‘Adeptus Arbites’.
“Hey Guys,
Azrael is out now in a sweet limited edition production from the Black Library. We caught up with Gav the day after the Black Library open day so he is able to talk with us about all the sweet things they spoiled there.
I jump right into it with some hard hitting questions but don’t worry, we keep this spoiler free.
Gav talks with us about not only his current projects but also a few things he has coming out in the future. We get to discuss a little bit about the 2016 Advent Calendar from BL and some really neat Eldar pieces he has in the works.
It is pretty neat to pick his brain about why he chose to write about some of the subjects he has. It is even neater to see that stuff come to life the way it does on the page. Gav has brought a lot of color and depth to characters that had previously been on the fringe.
If you were curious if we talk about Primarchs and upcoming Primarch releases…. Don’t worry, we do.”
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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November 23, 2016
Space Hulk: Deathwing – Competition Time!
December 9th sees the PC release of Space Hulk: Deathwing, a first-person shooter experience of Games Workshop’s classic Space Hulk boardgame set in the universe of Warhammer 40,000.
I was approached by Streum On Studio in early 2015, to develop a story based on the mission structure and characters that had already been built into the game. The team at Games Workshop Licensing recommended me based on my history with the Dark Angels – I’ve written several novels bringing light to the most secretive Space Marine chapter, including Angels of Darkness, The Purging of Kadillus, and the Legacy of Caliban series (amongst others). It probably helped that the Dark Angels fans at Streum On were already aware of my work!
As many will know, I also have history with Games Workshop’s original Space Hulk boardgame, having written the background text and missions for the 2009 edition, and the companion book Space Hulk: The Novel.
You can find out more about the game, over on my Space Hulk: Deathwing page.
Competition Time
I’ve got four Steam keys to give away, and you’ve got four chances to win.
How to Win
I thought I would use this as an opportunity to settle one of the most debated issues in Warhammer 40k.
1) Twitter: Tweet me @dennishamster using either the hashtag #thelionisloyal or #thelionisatraitor
2) Facebook: Comment on my pinned Facebook competition post with either #thelionisloyal or #thelionisatraitor
3) Blog: Comment on this blog post with either #thelionisloyal or #thelionisatraitor
4) Newsletter Subscribers: Look out for a competition e-mail on the 26th November (sign up here), but you can probably guess the competition.
I’ll be selecting one winner at random from each of Twitter, Facebook, this blog post and the newsletter competition, on Thursday 1st December. The winner of the newsletter competition can also read more about the early battles of the Deathwing, as they will also receive a signed paperback copy of my Horus Heresy novel Angels of Caliban (you can sign up to my newsletter here).
I promise not to discount all those that vote for #thelionisatraitor…
Good luck!
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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November 22, 2016
Wolftoons – Music for The Thirteenth Wolf
On the face of it, my Thirteenth Wolf playlist looks like most of the others – percussion-heavy soundtracks, action-packed bombastic tunes.
And you’d be right. Like the Space Wolves themselves there is a surface of studied barbarity, even crudeness. But like the Sons of Fenris, the obvious serves to mask a subtler purpose and mind.
Firstly, we have Epic North, who came to my attention with the album Viking Warriors from Outer Space. How could I not include that in a playlist (and fortunately the tracks have just the right vibe to complement some other Nordic-inspired warriors). There’s also a bit of an ancient-y power from the 300 soundtrack, a different mood to the likes of the Fury Road OST but in a similar vein.
Secondly, I wanted to explore the portal maze soundscape a little as well, looking at the otherworldly feel of the portals and the city of Tizca. That’s where Brian Zeno comes in, with a more cosmic undercurrent. I had a couple of other prog rock albums originally, but some unknown iTunes mishap has deleted them unfortunately. You’ll get the idea though.
Trevor Jones – Aegis
Brian Eno – Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks (with Daniel Lanois & Roger Eno)
Erik Ekholm – Best of Epic Music 2
Erik Ekholm – Cataclysm Vol. 1 – Heroes
Erik Ekholm – Cataclysm Vol. 3 – Kingdom
Paul Leonard-Morgan – Dredd (Original Film Soundtrack)
Junkie XL – Mad Max: Fury Road (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Epic North – Rising Storm (Music From the Motion Picture Advertising)
Epic North – Viking Warriors from Outer Space
Tyler Bates – 300 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
You can listen to my ‘Wolftoons’ playlist on Apple Music.
As always, if you have any suggestions to add to my music library, please let me know.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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November 21, 2016
The Thirteenth Wolf – Extract and Script
Taking part in the Black Library Audio seminar at Black Library Live! this past weekend brought home how little of the audio process is known by listeners. With an audio extract of The Thirteenth Wolf available over on the Black Library website, I thought it would be good to show people a piece of the script that was used for the recording.
Many audios start off written in regular prose, typically a short story of around 10,000 words for an audio that will fit into the 80 minute recording limit of a single CD. Some get written directly as a script, and certainly that has advantages for the author but does mean that should Black Library want to publish the story, in an anthology for instance, it needs to be edited into prose, so there are pros and cons to each approach.
The Thirteenth Wolf started in prose and the editors turned it into a first draft script for the purposes of a read-through for length, plus adjustment to make it work slightly better in the audio format (for example turning pieces for narration into dialogue or timing the descriptions and dialogue differently).
This then undergoes a further transformation into the production script, which includes direction and emphasis prompts for the actors, tags for atmospheric (background) sound effects and spot FX for the sound engineers and scene introductions to aid with the recording.
Included below is the opening section from the production script. If you enjoyed this, I hope to feature more on audios in the future, including talking to some of the voice actors as well as Matt Renshaw, BL’s in-house audio producer.
SCENE 1: INT. STORMBIRD TROOP COMPARTMENT – SPACE
[ATMOS: inside a cramped dropship, fifty Space Marines are strapped in for a bumpy combat mission; the engine whine is rising as they hurtle down through to the surface of Prospero, the hull shaking around them in a powerful wind-roar; the characters have to raise their voices over the din]
Aboard the Stormbird Clawrend, the Old Guard of the Thirteenth Great Company shared a poignant silence. The growl of plasma jets and wind from the thickening atmosphere shook the hull around them. Bulveye stared at each of his veterans in turn, and met their gazes with his own knowing look.
They were armoured in bulky war-plate of storm-grey, gilded and silvered, decked with trophies, medallions and honours. Necklaces of alien fangs and bones hung about their gorgets and their arms were bound with iron torqs. Tatters of parchment – oaths of moment and honours from the Allfather himself – marked them as heroes of a hundred wars.
Each had been a grown man when the Imperium had rediscovered Fenris. Too old, they said. Too old to benefit from Great Russ’s gene-seed. Too old for the transformations. Bulveye grinned toothily.
BULVEYE (muttering): Too tough to die, too stubborn to give up, eh? We proved them wrong…
Halvdan, his single eye shadowed in the light of the troop compartment, asked a question of the Old Wolf.
HALVDAN: Will we offer terms to Magnus?
Bulveye shook his head.
BULVEYE: I asked that same question of the Wolf King himself. There is no chance of reconciliation. The sorceries of the Thousand Sons must be extinguished.
Halvdan offered no argument. Ranulf nodded sombrely.
BULVEYE (cont’d): We are the Vlka Fenryka, brothers, the Space Wolves, the Rout. We have come as the Allfather’s executioners, with a single purpose – to destroy a world, to annihilate its people and render its civilisation down to ashes. Prospero, home to the Thousand Sons, Legion of Magnus the Red, the Crimson King. Traitorous lord of a corrupt world. We are righteousness, and that cannot be held at bay.
[SFX: Jurgen laughs]
Jurgen let out a short laugh.
JURGEN (laughing): Yet the power of Magnus protects his capital. Mass drivers and magma bombs have burned all the rest of Prospero, but Tizca still stands.
[SFX: others laugh and jeer, but not Bulveye; his pretence of being annoyed quietens them all]
BULVEYE (stern): A Legion destroying another is a humbling matter. We should take no joy from the destruction of our brothers. Be brutal and efficient, the Wolf King said, but do not glory in the fall of Magnus and his sons. [pause, then playing for cheers] But show no mercy either!
[SFX: whipped up by that, they all laugh and jeer their foes even more; these guys clearly do not fear death]
BULVEYE (cont’d): The other Great Companies are already on the ground. We will have some catching up to do…
[ATMOS: distantly at first but drawing closer, anti-aircraft fire starts to throw the dropship from side to side; the Space Wolves cheer the closest explosions that rock the hull and ping them with shrapnel, defying their foes to do better]
The hull started to rattle with the detonation of anti-aircraft fire, and the rush of wind grew louder and louder as the gunship descended.
[SFX: dropship’s thrusters fire; a klaxon begins to sound in the cramped compartment; the Space Wolves quieten down]
With a change of inertia that would have broken the spines of lesser men, the Stormbird fired its landing thrusters, forcing the Old Guard into their harnesses. Bulveye stroked the sealskin-bound haft of his single-bladed power axe, Eldingverfall – the storm’s strike.
[SFX: dropship makes a messy combat landing; outside, the sounds of war can be faintly heard; Bulveye unbuckles himself and hits the door release button]
They landed, the gear hydraulics shrieking below them and the hull shuddering from the impact. Bulveye stood, hitting the activator for the assault ramp.
[ATMOS: heavy hydraulic ramp opens, revealing an apocalyptic battle raging in the city outside]
The brightness and all-consuming roar of battle swept into the gunship. Bulveye lifted Eldingverfall, catching the ruddy light on its rune-etched blade, and raised his voice over the din.
BULVEYE (as a war-cry): Did you not think we would get our hands bloody today?
[SFX: the legionaries roar, and charge down the ramp]
I hope you found that interesting. If you’re having a go at writing for audio yourself, you might like to read these writing advice blog posts that I’ve posted on the subject.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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November 20, 2016
The Thirteenth Wolf – Author’s Notes
It was quite some time ago when Laurie Goulding, BL editor and brainboy of the Horus Heresy, announced that Games Workshop would be revisiting the Horus Heresy with the Burning of Prospero boxed game. He asked if I was willing to write an audio drama spin-off from the events portrayed in the game. I agreed, obviously, since you are reading these notes now.
Laurie had in mind a specific theme already, playing on the idea of the Space Wolves navigating through the magical Portal Maze of the Thousands Sons on Prospero, their haphazard teleporting breaking apart the delicate metaphysical structure as they became more and more lost. That seemed solid enough and, when I had the chance to read the background as presented in the game, several ideas sprang to mind on how to handle that.
The Thirteenth Wolf gave me a chance to return to some preparatory work that I did a few years ago. Back then I was going to write the script for a Horus Heresy graphic novel based on the battle of Prospero. Unfortunately, that never came to pass. However, as every good author knows, you never threw away a document or ideas! Elements of the story I had started to develop for the graphic novel seemed eminently suitable for an audio drama instead.
I’ve spoken before about how writing an audio drama presents a unique opportunity and also quite specific challenges. For this story in particular the Portal Maze itself as both opportunity and challenge. Most of the work would have to be done by the sound engineering, creating identifiable atmospheric effects for different locations as the Space Wolves of Wolf Lord Bulveye traverse the labyrinth of Tizca and far beyond. But it fell to me to create the foundations of that soundscape.
Neil Roberts’ full artwork for The Thirteenth Wolf
So it was that I began with a series of images in my head, of different places that the Portal Maze might take our characters. I had the thought of events almost literally spinning out of control with each ‘jump’ in the story taking the Space Wolves further and further from what they knew, into increasingly bizarre circumstances.
The main thing I brought from the graphic novel pitch was the concept that neither the Space Wolves nor the Thousand Sons are the ‘good guys’. The warriors of Prospero have studied forces that have been forbidden by the Emperor; the Space Wolves, manipulated through Leman Russ by Horus, are embarked on an all-out pogrom.
I thought of historical examples of the barbarians at the gate – the fall of Rome, the destruction of the Library of Alexandria, the invasions of Constantinople. It was this sense of the end of something wondrous that I want to allude to, while using the stubbornness and dutiful pride of Bulveye to push the story further and further into tragedy for all involved.
Keep any eye on my blog this week to find out more about The Thirteenth Wolf (and sign up to my newsletter for your chance to win a signed copy in my November 2016 draw).
If you’ve enjoyed this blog post, you may also like to read my Author’s Notes for Corax, Asurmen: Hand of Asuryan, Angels of Caliban, Warbeast, The Emperor Expects, and The Beast Must Die.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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November 19, 2016
The Thirteenth Wolf
My new Horus Heresy audio drama, The Thirteenth Wolf, will be in shops next Saturday, but if you just can’t wait, you can download the mp3 version from today.
CD: 978-1784964887
MP3: 978-1785722356
Official Publication Date: 26th November
Keep an eye on my website this week for my author’s notes, and music playlist.
“For more than two hundred years, the armies of the Emperor of Mankind fought to reconquer the galaxy – led by the superhuman primarchs, the Space Marine Legions brought countless worlds back under the rule of ancient Terra. Now Horus, once honoured Warmaster and favoured son of the Emperor, has been corrupted by the whispered promises of Chaos. At his command the Imperium is torn apart by a terrible and bloody civil war, the likes of which the galaxy has never seen…
At the Emperor’s command were the Wolves of Russ unleashed, but it is by the will of Horus alone that Prospero now burns. The VIth Legion have stormed the world of Magnus the Red, with venerable warriors of the Thirteenth Great Company always to be found where the fighting is at its most bloody, seeking to write their own names into the sagas of Fenris. But the Thousand Sons are far from defeated, and their foul sorcery may yet be the doom of all, deep within the maddening heart of the Portal Maze.”
With the recent return of the Space Wolves 13th Company to the 41st millennium, the question has been asked: just what happened to them on Prospero…?
“A return to events on Prospero has given me the opportunity to revisit some ideas I brewed up several years ago for a project that never quite happened. The conflict between the Thousand Sons and Space Wolves is a genuine tragedy and a study of extremes. In The Thirteenth Wolf I not only get the chance to play around with these themes but also to take a look at one of the greatest and most popular myths among fans of the 41st Millennium – the legend of the Wulfen! And doing so in audio has brought the battle to life in a unique way.”
You can find out more about this audio drama over on The Thirteenth Wolf page of my website. I’ll update it later this week with links to all the new blog posts.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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November 17, 2016
Azrael – My Writing Playlist
It surprised me to find that when I looked on my website for past Dark Angels themed playlists I hadn’t shared one yet, except for Angels of Caliban. My playlist for Azrael could be considered slightly atypical on that account – my aims for the novel were a bit different to those for, say, Ravenwing or The Unforgiven.
You see, after a pretty militaristic first act, Space Marine Legends: Chapter Master Azrael takes a bit of a turn. When I was writing it I certainly had in mind more of a fantasy epic than a hardcore SF story, and that shows in the playlist.
One of the particular stepping off points when I created the playlist was the music of John Williams. There is no finer composer of theme music – tracks that immediately resonate with the film, that move around consistent quality and mood, shifting depending on the scene but retaining a core of the theme through everything. (Aside from Howard Shore’s soundtrack for The Lord of the Rings which I consider on par with Williams.) I have quite a few soundtracks, but few film scores from the last 10-15 years have had a soundtrack as iconic as Star Wars or Superman or Indiana Jones or Jurassic Park. You just need to read those titles and immediately the theme comes to mind. What is the Avengers’ theme? Transformers? Ah, you say, what about Harry Potter? That was Williams… Okay, and I’ll give you Pirates of the Caribbean, Batman and Gladiator too. Hans Zimmer and his protégées can crack out a good tune.
But the challenge with a lot of Williams’ work is that it is so iconic it’s all but impossible not to picture very particular scenes and imagery when they get into your head. Which can be problematic if you’re trying to write about a Dark Angels Chapter Master taking on a Chaos Heldrake and all you can think of is Darth Vader emerging to the dark pomp of the Imperial March… Having heard a radio program recently about John Williams’ influences, and one piece in particular they played which could have been lifted straight from a Star wars film, I investigated a little and found a handy little playlist. Not only these particular tracks but some of the albums gave a me fresh seam to mine for inspiring, orchestral music suited to the fantasy vibe I was going for.
It’s amazing what a little displacement activity can lead to…
Without further ado, here’s the final playlist for Azrael:
Aliens: The Deluxe Edition – James Horner & London Symphony Orchestra
Amon: Divinus – City of the Fallen
Batman Begins – Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
Conan the Barbarian – Basil Poledouris
The Dark Knight – Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard
Dredd – Paul Leonard-Morgan
Ironclad – Lorne Balfe
Mad Max: Fury Road – Junkie XL
Percussion Power: Intense, Cinematic & Explosive – Tyler Lee Bates
Verdi: Messa de Requiem – Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano
Wagner: The “Ring” Without Words – Berliner Philharmoniker
Best of Epic Music 2: Erik Ekholm
Mittelalter Musik und Alte Musik – Mittelalter Musik Akademie
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi – Lorne Balfe
Iron Man – Ramin Djawadi, DJ Boborobo, Jack Urbont
Battlecry – Two Steps From Hell
Institutionalized from Suicidal Tendencies – Suicidal Tendencies
Wagner Reloaded – Apocalyptica
War of the Worlds – John Williams
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring – The Nightingale
Mars & Neptune – Holst: The Planets
Main Title – Kings Row Soundtrack
Nutcracker Suite, Op.71a – Tchaikovsky: Ballet Suites
The Wasps – Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia Antarctica/The Wasps
Die Walküre: The Ride of the Walkyres – Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen
Symphony No 9 in E Minor (Dvorak) – Wiener Philharmoniker Symphony Edition Vol 2
Symphony No 2 – Hanson: Symphonies Nos 1 & 2
Fanfare for the Common Man – Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man
Symphony No 5 in C Sharp Minor: IV – Mahler: Symphony No 5
The Firebird – Stravinsky
Also sprach Zarathustra – Strauss
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna – Orff: Carmina Burana
As well as entire albums listed above, some are individual tracks that I’ve handpicked specifically to create the right mood.
You can listen to my ‘Azrael’s Greatest Hits’ playlist on Apple Music.
As always, if you have any suggestions to add to my music library, please let me know.
The limited edition Azrael is now available to pre-order over at Black Library.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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November 15, 2016
Space Marine Legend Azrael – Extract
My new limited edition novel in the Space Marine Legends series, Azrael, is now available to pre-order.
Here’s a short extract to whet your appetite (there’s a longer version available over at Black Library).
Azrael stood alone. He felt cocooned in silence, isolated from everything that had transpired in the last forty-two seconds since the tightband communique had arrived from Master Sheol. The universe had changed. Azrael’s world had shifted on its Axis and what happened next would determine not only his own fate, but very likely that of the entire Chapter of the Dark Angels. Not just the thousand warriors that besieged Rhamiel, but unknown generations to come.
Into the gulf came a storm of thoughts of personal, strategic and historical import. He considered ripples from a stone being thrown into a pool, but really a boulder had been tossed into a raging torrent. To try to discern what effects that might have, and what measures might be taken to guide the course of the ripples, was pointless.
‘Focus.’
It was as if the word came from outside him, but Azrael had whispered it to himself. The single utterance brought clarity. His priorities were clear, the issues to be addressed falling into place as soon as the decision was made.
He activated the channel-wide vox channel.
‘This is a terrible day in the history of the brotherhood, he began. ‘Supreme Grant Master Naberius is dead. By authority of my position as Grand Master of the Deathwing, I hereby issue notice of command and assume temporary leadership of our Order for the duration of the current campaign.’
All eyes on the bridge turned to him, surprise in some, shock and despair in others, and he could imagine such a reaction from the many Dark Angels fighting on the world below. It was imperative that tragedy did not become disaster.
You can find out more about the book over on my Azrael page.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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November 12, 2016
Black Library Live! 2016
November 16th sees the return of Black Library Live!, a one day event for fans of Black Library.
“Black Library Live! returns with a packed schedule of seminars, signings, readings and Q&As – plus of course, the chance to meet your favourite authors and pick up new and pre-release books and CDs. It’s an unmissable event for all Black Library fans.”
You can download the full schedule here, but my whereabouts are:
9-10am – Book signing in the main hall
10-11am – Black Library Audio (learn about how the audio books and full-cast dramas are created, with insight from both sides of the production process)
11.15am – The Thirteenth Wolf (I’ll be giving an introduction to an exclusive first play of my new Horus Heresy audio drama, The Thirteenth Wolf)
12.30-1.30pm – Book signing in the main hall
1.45-2.45pm – Warhammer 40,000 (meet some of the creative minds behind the most bloody conflicts of the 41st millennium, from Space Marine Battles to The Beast Arises)
3-4pm – The Horus Heresy (The highlight of any legionary’s calendar! The High Lords of Terra convene to reveal the future of the greatest war in the history of mankind)
Other than that I’ll probably be trying to find food and drink, but do stop me for a chat if you see me wandering the halls (unless it’s lunch-time, in which case bring biscuits).
The other big news for Black Library Live! is that the limited edition Azrael will be on sale, before it’s general release in December. I’ve recorded an ‘unboxing’ video of my author copy, and as soon as I can figure out how to upload the video I’ll post it on Facebook.
There are still tickets available, so if you’re undecided whether to attend you might like to look back at some of my previous event reports for 2011 and 2012, and some general thoughts on the importance of events like these.
See you there!
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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November 9, 2016
Beastly Beheadings
The Beast Arises comes to its climax this week, with the publication of Guy Haley’s The Beheading. If you’ve been waiting until all the books are out before starting the series, here’s what you can expect from my two contributions.
The Emperor Expects (Book three)
“As ork ships lay waste to world after world, heading inexorably towards Terra, Imperial citizens despair. The High Lords become desperate to prove that victory is possible, no matter the cost. A massive Navy fleet is assembled – their mission to make a definitive strike against the orks at Port Sanctus, an area of enemy-held space. But when the Imperial armada arrives, they find themselves outclassed and outmanoeuvred – can human courage and faith possibly prevail against such terrible odds?”
“Now that is a cliffhanger ending. Gav Thorpe did a great job and delivered the first great entry in this series.” 5 out of 5 Stars
– Michael Butler, Goodreads
“This book series is just getting better and better with each entry. Gav Thorpe here has introduced new character, fleshed out existing ones, and taken the story arc into a place we have no idea where it go go next. I await the next title hungrily.” 5 out of 5 Stars
– Rob, Goodreads
“The characters are a strong part of this book. They are truly… – human. Yes, that’s exactly it – Gav has created a believable characters who are truly alive on each page.” 5 out of 5 Stars
– Andrey Nalyotov, Goodreads
The Beast Must Die (Book eight)
“The Imperium has been brought to the edge of extinction by an ork invasion of unprecedented scale and depth. Piecemeal strikes against the invaders prove ineffective – for every ork fleet destroyed, five more appear. The only solution is to find and kill the orks’ warlord – the Great Beast. Surely if its leader is killed, the greenskins’ empire will fall apart in agony of infighting and confusion. Lord Commander Koorland assembles a mighty army, but when they arrives on the orks home world, the forces of the Imperium discover they have disastrously underestimated the might and ingenuity of their enemy.”
“The Beast Must Die takes the fight back to the orks for good. It is full of action and, oddly enough, development for the orks and the Great Beast. The latter makes it one of the coolest ork focused books in Black Library’s stable (at least as far as 40k is concerned), which is at least in part due to Gav Thorpe’s attempts to feature old and forgotten pieces from the background. The Beast Must Die is an excellent book.” 5 out of 5 Stars
– DarkChaplain, Goodreads
“The pace of this book, as with all the other Beast Arises books is excellent, the action is great and there are no logical gaps in the narrative. The story is very action focused as you would expect it to be and the ending of the book once again makes you wonder where things will go.” 5 out of 5 Stars
– Rob C, Amazon
“Gav’s done an excellent job with a tricky subject, and given us a book full of inventive action and suspense, with none of the massive shocks of the early books but plenty of thought-provoking details.” 4 out of 5 Stars
– Michael Dodd, Goodreads
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
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