Gav Thorpe's Blog, page 14

October 8, 2016

Corax: The Story So Far

Today is official publication day for my new Corax anthology – Happy New Book Day To Me! In case you missed them, here are the five ‘Story So Far’ teasers that were on the Black Library website last week.


Corax The Story So Far Part 1 Part One: The Deliverer


When the primarchs were scattered across the galaxy by the Dark Gods, the one who would become known as Corvus Corax landed on the industrial moon Lycaeus, orbiting the forge world of Kiavahr. Lycaeus was both mine and prison in one, a place the rulers of Kiavahr could send their enemies and use them for their own ends.


Corax, kept a secret from the moon’s overseers, grew quickly and became a legend to the prisoners of Lycaeus. He would be their Deliverer. Eventually, after years of planning, he led the prisoners in a revolt and captured the moon in a swift and bloody assault. When the Kiavahran tech-guilds responded,Corax was equally brutal, crushing their armies and devastating their five key cities with atomic mining charges.


Lycaeus was free, and the jubilant former prisoners renamed it ‘Deliverance’. The very day Corax had his victory, his entire universe changed, as the Emperor arrived and told his nineteenth son of the destiny that awaited him in the stars.


Corax The Story So Far Part 2 Part Two: The Great Crusade


Corax was given command of the Space Marine Legion formed from his gene-seed, his Raven Guard. With the Imperium’s help, he brought peace to Kiavahr and led his new Legion, bolstered by many of his comrades from the Lycaean resistance, out into the Great Crusade.


Corax was paired with Horus, the Emperor’s favoured son, to learn the ways of the Imperium. But Corax’s preference was to fight wars by stealth, the way he had learned in his youth, using rapid strikes, sabotage, infiltration and other covert means. This clashed with Horus’ preference for brutal, uncompromising shows of force, and the two were often at odds. Some sources say that the pair parted company after almost coming to blows.


As the Great Crusade progressed, it was suggested that Corax began to favour his fellow Lycaeans and Kiavahrans over the Terrans of the Legion. Whatever the truth, events overtook him and he found himself plunged into a war he never thought to fight…


Corax The Story So Far Part 3 Part Three: The Betrayal


When news came that Horus, the first and seemingly greatest among the primarchs, had fallen into treachery, Corax was shocked but not entirely surprised, and he rallied his Legion to bring an end to the traitor.


Battle was joined on the killing fields of Isstvan V. A task force of seven Space Marine Legions faced Horus and his allies. Corax, with his brothers Vulkan and Ferrus Manus, led the first strikes. Battle went well, the traitors driven back – and then disaster struck.


The second wave of the Imperial retribution force were in league with Horus. Four Legions fell upon their supposed allies and all but destroyed them. Ferrus Manus fell and Vulkan vanished, but Corax survived. Rallying the pitifully few survivors of his once-mighty army, he retreated into the wilds of Isstvan to fight a campaign of vengeance and sell his life dearly…


Corax The Story So Far Part 4 Part Four: The Survivors


For 98 days, Corax and his surviving Raven Guard fought a guerrilla war against the traitors who had devastated them on Isstvan. Scavenging supplies from fallen foes and operating in small bands, the Raven Guard put all the skills they had learned on Lycaeus and beyond to the test, and against the odds survived until a strike force of their brothers arrived to extract them from the embattled world.


Corax returned to Terra to seek guidance from his father. If any being knew how to rebuild his Legion so that they could revenge themselves upon Horus and his traitors, it was the Emperor.


After a long journey and many trials, Corax emerged from the vaults of Terra with the secrets of creating new Space Marines, and returned to Deliverance intent upon creating an army that would allow him to strike back.


Corax The Story So Far Part 5 Part Five: The Weregeld


Unbeknownst to Corax, not all those who had left Isstvan with him were who they seemed to be. Alpha Legion infiltrators, taking on the appearance and gene-print of dead legionaries, were in his midst and, as Corax worked to rebuild his forces, these traitors strived to stop him…


After much experimentation, Corax unlocked the secrets he had retrieved from Terra and created new legionaries in a fraction of the time it usually took. But something went wrong. Whether it was a flaw in the techniques he used or Alpha Legion manipulation, his new Space Marines were unstable and soon began to mutate into strange, twisted beasts.


Despite their monstrous appearance, these legionaries were loyal to their father and the Emperor and still wished to fight for the Raven Guard. And so they were organised into a new fighting force, the Raptors, and made part of Corax’s force for the guerrilla war he planned to wage against Horus’ armies…


If that has whetted your appetite, you can buy Corax here.


**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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Published on October 08, 2016 01:00

October 7, 2016

Shadows & Night – A Weregeld Extract

Cover of Corax by Gav Thorpe (Black Library Horus Heresy)This extract is from Weregeld, a new novella within the Corax anthology.


It takes place after Commander Agapito chooses to board a crippled Night Lords vessel on the edge of a star system occupied by the Raven Guard, he and his companions wearing the last few Terminator suits left to the Legion.


They headed in the direction of the command deck. Tactical data placed them somewhere amidships, about three levels below the bridge. Gangly, starved humans in filthy rags with whip-scourged flesh fled before their advance.


‘Hold your fire,’ Agapito told his warriors. ‘These are slaves, not slavers.’


They pushed on towards the prow, unopposed, reaching the central access way that ran most of the ship’s length. As they did so, Agapito noticed movement on the upper floor of the main arterial corridor. Floods of unaugmented humans, many of them not much older than children, streamed along the walkways and mezzanines.


The pattering of naked feet and drum of boots disappeared towards the stern, away from the command bridge and, Agapito assumed, the rulers of the vessel.


‘What do they know that we don’t?’ joked Corbyk.


Agapito said nothing, having come to the same conclusion but without mirth.


‘Scanners to maximum. Anything comes near, kill it, slave or not.’


The commander switched his vox-channel to signal the Shadowed Guardian. ‘Confirm teleport recall signal.’


‘Still clear, commander. No interference. We can you bring you back instantly.’


‘I want an active scan, precision burst directed at the command bridge area.’


‘Understood. Directing the surveyors and compiling data will take approximately one hundred and twenty seconds.’


‘Yes, just do it.’


They continued their advance, the lamps of their suits shining bright beams through the murk of the ship’s gloomy belly. They did not veer from their course, but looking into some of the adjacent chambers – magazines, storerooms and dorms for the most part – they found a lot of detritus and graffiti. Agapito had thought the poor lighting was some kind of energy conservation measure but the entire ship was in disrepair. Maintenance was clearly poor, with exposed cabling, broken lighting and intermittent atmospheric cleansers in several halls and corridors. The decks were rusting from lack of care and the bulkhead paint was peeled down to the bare metal and plasteel in many places.


Agapito checked the chronometer. They had eighteen minutes remaining before the automatic teleport would take them back to the battle-barge.


‘We don’t have time to clear the upper decks,’ he told the others. ‘We’ll head directly to the bridge.’


‘Access steps, quadrant four,’ replied Corbyk. ‘I wouldn’t trust the conveyors, not with the state of everything else.’


‘Good point. We’ll take the stairs.’


The stairwell was made of solid ferrocrete, reinforced with a mesh of plasteel, strong enough to hold the weight of the Terminators – a benefit of boarding a Legiones Astartes ship. They had ascended two flights to the deck above when Jasson’s voice cut through the background hiss of the long-range vox.


‘No concentration of personnel, or force. Minimal readings from your objective, commander.’


‘Minimal readings? What does that mean, watch captain?’


‘Just background energy signature from the vessel itself, commander. I would say the bridge is inactive, if anything. There should be some kind of blip on one of the scales – vox-traffic, energy grid, life signals from the servitors. Nothing, commander, just the background noise of the ship systems.’


‘I hate Night Lords,’ muttered Chovani. ‘Cowards, all of them.’


‘At least Word Bearers just fight you,’ added Corbyk. ‘That’s the sort of despotic traitor I can admire.’


‘Focus, all of you,’ growled Agapito. ‘Jasson, you keep monitoring the surveyors. Anything spikes, anything looking like a reactor surge, any dip in beacon quality, you teleport us straight back.’


‘Yes, commander.’ Jasson did his best not to sound too put upon. ‘We’ll be monitoring for any threat.’


The stairwell was completely dark. The steps were heavily tarnished and a brief olfactory analysis confirmed the presence of dried blood.


‘Here,’ said Gal, his power fist pointing at a line of deep holes in the plastered wall. ‘Bolt impacts.’


‘We’re not the first friends to come calling,’ said Corbyk.


Their sensors flared with a renewed energy source a moment before Agapito heard boots on the steps above. A second later the walls echoed with metallic rings, their source revealed as several grenades bounced down the steps from the landing above.


‘Frag charges,’ Agapito said dismissively, recognising the pattern of the grenades. He continued up two steps before the grenades detonated with three successive cracks, the noise magnified by the confined space. Fire and shrapnel engulfed the massive greaves of his Tactical Dreadnought suit. The blast scratched and burned the black paint and gilding, but did no actual damage to the heavy gauge layered ceramite and adamantium.


‘Gal! Take the lead.’


The commander stepped aside as best he could, turning so that the heavy-flamer-armed legionary could fit past on the steps. Reaching the mid-flight turn, Gal raised his weapon and unleashed a burst of burning promethium around the corner, the wave of flame filling the space beyond.


Agapito pushed into the still-burning residue, armour capable of operating in magma vaults more than enough protection against the heat. Through the haze he saw two Night Lords, one of them slapping at a burning slick of promethium on the backpack of the other.


He burst from the flames at full speed, the elongated claws of his left gauntlet already in motion. The closest Night Lord had time only to half turn before the crackling fist connected with the side of his helmet. Ceramite and skull snapped apart at the touch of the gleaming energy field, component atoms scattered by the disruptive effect of the lightning claw.


The second traitor ducked beneath the swing, bringing up his bolter to fire a long burst into Agapito’s chest even as the commander’s momentum carried him directly into the Night Lord. Agapito stumbled as the traitor fell. The Night Lord’s leg armour buckled beneath the weight of the Terminator war-plate. Agapito’s second stride landed on the traitor’s arm and crushed the elbow into the edge of the reinforced ferrocrete step, messily severing the limb.


He turned, weight grinding the remains of the Night Lord’s arm to splinters of ceramite and mashed flesh, tearing forth a drawn-out bellow of pain, until Agapito dropped to one knee to drive the points of two claws through the eye lenses of the traitor. Sparks scattered like embers on a breeze when the claws speared from the back of the Night Lord’s head and earthed through the step.


The squad regrouped at the next landing, one deck below the bridge entrance. Another quick consultation with the Shadowed Guardian confirmed that there were no new readings of note from the command chamber.


‘We hit hard, we hit first and last,’ Agapito told his warriors as they ascended the final flight of steps.


The stair brought them into an access passage about ten metres wide, some thirty metres from the armoured gate of the main bridge access. The portal was closed, an immense single plate that had been dropped across the doorway.


‘This might take a moment,’ said Corbyk. He hefted his thunder hammer meaningfully as he advanced. ‘Watch my back.’


He was a few strides from the portal, the others following close behind, when a hydraulic hiss resounded down the corridor. Gears rumbled in the depth of the wall and the portal rose up to reveal a hellish ruddy glow streaming from the interior of the main bridge. A crimson fog billowed around the Terminators, its touch registering freezing cold on their sensors.


They stood looking at the open gateway, weapons at the ready. No enemy emerged, and sensors detected no movement within the bridge.


‘Are we supposed to just step inside?’ asked Gal. ‘I really hate Night Lords,’ Chovani muttered.


Agapito forged forward, determined to show no fear. ‘Let’s end this.’


In case you missed it, you can read my author’s notes for Weregeld here.



Buy Corax


**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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Published on October 07, 2016 01:00

October 6, 2016

Corax (Weregeld) – My Writing Playlist

Cover of Corax by Gav Thorpe (Black Library Horus Heresy)Putting together the playlist for Weregeld presented a two-fold challenge. Firstly, there is a strong clash between the more thoughtful, slow building narrative of the first and second acts and the crashing conflict of the battle-driven conclusion. Secondly, I wanted tracks that would combine elements of the character of the Raven Guard and the Space Wolves.


So as well as my usual suspects of pulse-pounding, grating action toons, I’ve also thrown in some more suspenseful, tension builders, wracking up the atmosphere for the less physical confrontations that take place.


Aliens: The Deluxe Edition, James Horner & London Symphony Orchestra

Army of Two: The 40th Day, Tyler bates

Terminator Main Title, Brad Fiedel

Hunger, Hans Zimmer

Barra Barra, Rachid Taha

Black Hawk Down, Hans Zimmer

Cataclysm Vol. 3 – Kingdon, Erik Ekholm

The Dark Knight, Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard

Dredd, Paul Leonard Morgan

Dune, Toto

Gears of War: Judgement, Steve Jablonsky & Jacob Shea

Babylon 5, The London Theatre Orchestra

Iron Man, Ramin Djawadi

Mad Max: Fury Road, Junkie XL

Pacific Rim Soundtrack, Ramin Djawadi, Nick Glennie-Smith & Jasper Randall

Pandorum, Michl Britsch

Percussion Power: Intense, Cinematic & Explosive, Tyler Lee Bates

Shockland, Elite Force & Klaus Badelt

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, James Horner

Starship Troopers, Basil Poledouris

The Black Hole, The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

Battle Beyond The Stars, The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

Battlestar Galactica Theme, Giorgio Moroder

Suite (From Predator), The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

Giza 1928/ Going Home, Hanny Williams

Star Trek The Motion Picture – Klingon Attack, The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, Sascha Dikiciyan & Cris Velasco

Watchmen, Tyler Bates

Battlestar Galactica, Stu Phillips & Royal Scottish National Orchestra

Inquisition Symphony, Apocalyptica

The Miskolc Experience, Therion

The Classical Conspiracy, Epica


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 ‘Weregeld toons’ 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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Published on October 06, 2016 01:00

October 5, 2016

Corax – Author’s Notes

Cover of Corax by Gav Thorpe (Black Library Horus Heresy)All stories end. Whether they end with events satisfactorily concluded, or in anticipation of things to come, or hinting at great themes and thoughts, or perhaps leaving a faint sense of disappointment, they all end. Corax, and in particular the novella Weregeld, is not the end. Not THE END of the story for the Primarch of the Raven Guard and his Legion. But is is one of the ends. The end of the second act of their story (the conclusion of the first act being the disaster at Ravendelve as described in Deliverance Lost).


It is my final installment concerning the Raven Guard for the time being, though I am sure Corax and his warriors, both his close companions and those more further flung, will continue to appear in the tales of others in the coming books and stories of the Horus Heresy.


(That is, strictly speaking, not quite true. I have penned two entries for Black Library’s advent releases this year, one of which concludes the story of Librarian Balsar Kurthuri and the other picks up events for Marcus Valeruis as they pertain to his actions after the events of Weregeld. But they are more truthfully extra epilogues that would have got in the way of the proper ending as included in the collected novel.)


If you are an existing fan of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, you may well know how matters end for Corax. For those that do not, we shall keep this (and the comments) spoiler-free. It is no surprise to anyone that Corax’s journey does not end in a land of smiles and bunnies, for his is a tragic tale, and tragedy must end with sadness and loss.


Cover of Raven's Flight Enhanced Audio Edition by Gav ThorpeIt is one of the great challenges of the Horus Heresy series to weave these stories for both the initiated and the ignorant. For those that know nothing of the background, or perhaps having some inkling of the scope of the setting but not the individual threads that make up the history of the Imperium, every event is a revelation, every entrance and exit from the stage a stepping stone into the darkness. For those that know what is coming, we must use their foreknowledge to add poignancy, tragedy and drama to the unfolding events and, if we can get the words just right for a paragraph or two, maybe even let them forget they already know what is going to happen, to fool them into hoping or dreading that their current understanding is in error.


Most of all, though, the novels, novellas, audio dramas and short stories of the Horus Heresy series allow us to experience the events portrayed through the characters themselves, rather than as abstract tracts of historical ‘fact’. We witness the betrayal, suffer the wounds of the Primarchs and their sons, and cheer or grieve at their victories and losses.


And so it is to this element that I turned my greatest efforts for Weregeld, concentrating upon the personal journeys of characters introduced in Raven’s Flight and Deliverance Lost. Branne and Agapito, brothers divided by the massacre at Isstvan. Navar Hef, victim of the Raptor corruption, embodiment of the curse laid upon the Raven Guard. Marcus Valerius, touched by a greater power, but to what purpose?


And Corvus Corax, Lord of the Ravenspire, saviour of Deliverance. It is his story, his journey that has informed all others and with which this titular collection is primarily involved. Where one has always lived in the shadows, can one ever escape the darkness?



Buy Corax


If you’ve enjoyed this blog post, you may also like to read my Author’s Notes for 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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Published on October 05, 2016 04:31

October 4, 2016

September 2016 – Q&A

Gav drinking a cup of teaThis is a compilation of questions that have been emailed and messaged to me recently.


If you want to ask anything, you can post a comment here or get in touch through the contact page (and newsletter subscribers can just reply to any of my emails).


I’ve been posting Q&As for a few months now, so if you’ve found this one interesting, you can look back at previous Q&As here.


Jace asked via email: Does each Watcher in the Dark represent a single traitor from the Dark Angels faction who joined Horus? Is each Watcher in the Dark, perhaps a representative of a part of The Lion? Thank for your work on the Dark Angels!


Those are some interesting ideas, but the Watchers in the Dark existed on Caliban before the Fallen turned traitor and even before the arrival of the Lion.


Robin asked via Facebook: I have a bit of a Fluff/Insignia question and I figure you might be the man to answer it: Have the Dark Angels always used the winged sword icon as their legion symbol, or was that introduced by the Lion? If so, what was it before they found the Lion? Just a 1 or an I?


Judging by the existing material the Winged Sword is the symbol of the Dark Angels Legion. Perhaps a more interesting question would be what the symbol was of the Order before the arrival of the Dark Angels? Or maybe, what symbols did the Six Hosts of the Hexagrammaton use before they became the First? Alas I do not have the answers to those questions, but maybe a forthcoming Forge World book will shed more light on the matter…


Also, Nathan asked: Hey man I have a weird question about Warhammer, do alpharius and omegon have two different geneseeds?


I think they are supposed to be identical, but it would have interesting implications if they did have slightly different gene data.


Also on Facebook, Michael inquired: Cheeky question, I don’t suppose you have any idea of the price of the new Blood Bowl game to be released and the price of separate teams, would be great to have a rough idea? Also will the space hulk game still be coming to consoles? Worried it won’t make it.


I’m afraid I don’t have any insider info from the Specialist Games team, I’m as eager as you are to find out more concerning Blood Bowl (one of my all-time favourite games). Regarding Space Hulk: Deathwing, according to what I have seen on their FB page the game is planned to be released on PC in November and console in 2017.


Vishwas asked me: Hay Gav! Loved the Unforgiven [Legacy of Caliban] series. Superb! Any more?


I have ‘Azrael’ coming out soon, though not directly related to Legacy of Caliban it is more Dark Angels. I’ll be taking a break from the Sons of the Lion after that, not sure when I’ll get back to them, but I might return to the Consecrators after having so much fun with them in The Unforgiven.



If you want to ask anything, you can post a comment here or get in touch through the contact page (and newsletter subscribers can just reply to any of my emails).


**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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Published on October 04, 2016 03:57

October 1, 2016

Corax Anthology – Order Now

Cover of Corax by Gav Thorpe (Black Library Horus Heresy)Need more Corax in your life? Today you can order the hardback of my new Horus Heresy Corax anthology, or if you just can’t wait, you can download the eBook or mp3 right now.


Hardback: 978-1784962203

eBook: 978-1785722493

MP3: 978-1785722509


Official Release Date: 8th October 2016

Digital Release Date: 1st October 2016


“As the Horus Heresy gathers pace, the Raven Guard primarch Corax and the remnants of his once mighty Legion now wage an entirely different kind of war – liberating worlds oppressed by the traitor forces.


After Isstvan, after Deliverance, the Raven Guard still endure. Their primarch Corvus Corax has rallied countless warriors to his banner, striking back at the forces of the Warmaster on every front – from the degenerate hereteks of the Mechanicum to the cruel legionaries of the Sons of Horus, none shall escape his wrath. But although Corax has managed to stall the physical corruption of his own Space Marines, what of their spirit? And what sinister end must await those who dwell forever in the darkness?”


This anthology contains all of my tales of the Raven Guard in the Horus Heresy since Deliverance Lost – the novellas Soulforge and Ravenlord, along with the short stories The Shadowmasters, The Value of Fear and Raptor. Also included is my brand new novella Weregeld, bringing Corax’s legend to its grim conclusion.



Give Me More Corax


**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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Published on October 01, 2016 03:00

September 28, 2016

Corax Book Signing – Warhammer World 1st October

Cover of Corax by Gav Thorpe (Black Library Horus Heresy)To celebrate the launch of Corax, my latest installment in the Horus Heresy, I’ll be at Warhammer World in Nottingham on Saturday 1st October between 10am and 12noon.


The anthology doesn’t hit the shelves until the 8th October, but I’m told some exclusive copies have been smuggled into Warhammer World for me to sign, so if you absolutely cannot wait, make sure you get to Nottingham in plenty of time to pick one up. As always I’m happy to sign other books too, old or new, so feel free to bring along any others you’d like me to deface.


This new anthology includes all of my tales of the Raven Guard in the Horus Heresy since Deliverance Lost – the novellas Soulforge and Ravenlord, along with the short stories The Shadowmasters, The Value of Fear and Raptor. Also included is a brand new novella Weregeld, bringing Corax’s legend to its grim conclusion.


“As the Horus Heresy gathers pace, the Raven Guard primarch Corax and the remnants of his once mighty Legion now wage an entirely different kind of war – liberating worlds oppressed by the traitor forces.


After Isstvan, after Deliverance, the Raven Guard still endure. Their primarch Corvus Corax has rallied countless warriors to his banner, striking back at the forces of the Warmaster on every front – from the degenerate hereteks of the Mechanicum to the cruel legionaries of the Sons of Horus, none shall escape his wrath. But although Corax has managed to stall the physical corruption of his own Space Marines, what of their spirit? And what sinister end must await those who dwell forever in the darkness?”


Date: 1st October

Time: 10am-12noon

Location: Warhammer World, Nottingham



Give Me More Corax


**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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Published on September 28, 2016 01:00

September 24, 2016

Bumper Crop of Heresy!

Cover of Echoes of Imperium with Gav Thorpe (Black Library Horus Heresy)If you haven’t been keeping an eye on the Black Library website recently, you might have missed a few Horus Heresy titles.


First off, audio anthology Echoes of the Imperium, which contains my short story The Shadowmasters, was released as MP3 last weekend, and the CD will be in stores today.


The second release is the hardback of the Shadows of Treachery anthology, book 22 in the Horus Heresy, which contains the prose version of Raven’s Flight – this should be hitting the shelves today.


Finally, the Horus Heresy Volume 7 eBook, which contains Honour to the Dead, The Divine Word, Guardian of Order, By The Lion’s Command, Inheritor, and Master of the First (amongst many other titles from a host of Black Library authors), went on sale last weekend.


Cover of Horus Heresy Volume 7 eBookTitle: Echoes of Imperium (The Horus Heresy)

Format: CD (978-1784962593)

Format: MP3 (978-1785725197)


Title: Shadows of Treachery (The Horus Heresy)

Format: Hardback (978-1784964818)


Title: Horus Heresy Volume 7

Format: eBook (978-1785721489)


That should fill our your reading pile for a few days at least!



Visit Black Library


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Published on September 24, 2016 01:00

September 22, 2016

Tabletop Gaming Magazine

Front Cover of Tabletop Gaming Magazine - Issue 6I’ve recently picked up my second copy of Tabletop Gaming magazine, and thought I’d post a quick review of it, in case people haven’t come across it yet.


It’s relatively new – published quarterly – and the latest magazine is issue number 6. I picked up issue 5 at The Dice Cup board game cafe in Nottingham, and the latest in my local WH Smiths – it would be great to see it as a staple publication in board game cafes up and down the country, as well as on the shelf in Smiths to appeal to the more casual gamer crowd. It’s produced by Warners Group, the same company who create Miniature Wargames magazine. (Sad to see Henry Hyde ending his tenure as editor but wish John Treadaway the best of luck for the future.)


There’s a nice mix of articles, and even the adverts are of interest (no ‘serious’ gamer should gloss over the adverts – you might miss 20-30 new games you absolutely MUST have right now). As an example, here are some of the editorials and features in the latest issue:


* Counter View – Becky Ottery of eclectic games in Reading guides you through the perils and pitfalls of opening a games shop [something I’ve often idly dreamed of doing, next door to Kez’s card craft shop more then likely…]


* 10 of the best co-op games


* James Wallis replays the winners of the Spiel des Jahres in order (this issue looking at the game Focus)


* The Walking Dead: All Out War – Ronnie Renton, CEO of Mantic Games, talks about the company’s most important game ever while Mark Latham discusses the difficulties of creating the rules for such a huge license.


* Deadzone 2.0 – A battle report


* In-depth reviews of Beyond Baker Street, Mystic Vale, The Gallerist, amongst many, many others.


* Painting Guide – Wolsung Inventors Club miniatures


Retro gaming article from Tabletop Gaming Magazine

Retro gaming article from Tabletop Gaming Magazine

And there’s much more besides. It feels like a proper magazine for tabletop enthusiasts – covering so many areas of interest, and going behind the curtain on games and the gaming industry; it’s definitely not a 130 page advertising catalogue (yes, you read that right – it’s 130 pages long). I’ve had an idea myself for an article I’d love to write for them, so when my current work storm calms down a bit, I’ll get in touch.

The physical magazine itself has a very high quality feel to it (most important, obviously), with the ink and paper stock similar, if not better, in quality to equivalent video games magazines. You may wonder why I’m giving boring details like this, but I feel it gives a clear indication that the team at Warners Group are aiming at a quality product that will be around for some time (long live the Board Game revival!).


You can find out more information about the magazine here.


If you’ve already read a copy, let me know what you thought of it in the comments!


**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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Published on September 22, 2016 10:06

September 16, 2016

Book Signing – Warhammer Scarborough

If you live near Scarborough, here’s your chance to meet FOUR Black Library authors, whilst we’re in town for Fantasycon by the Sea next weekend. Come along for a chat, and get your books (new or old) signed while you’re at it. You can find all the details below.


Poster for Warhammer Scarborough Book Signing


**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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Published on September 16, 2016 01:00