Dark Imperium

Warhammer 40,000

by Marc Gascoigne (Editor), Andy Jones (Editor)

In the war-torn 41st millennium, humanity stands on the shores of damnation, their only savior is the Immortal God Emperor and the massed armies of the Imperium, in this anthology of Warhammer( 40,000 stories ripped from the pages of Inferno! magazine.

Genres: Science Fiction, 40k, Fiction, Anthologies

Paperback

First published January 30, 2001

About the author

Publisher, editor, designer – a lifetime in books. Previously publisher of Aconyte, Angry Robot, Black Library, and Solaris. Before that, responsible for a whole bookcase worth of books, both fiction and non-fiction, tie-ins and original works, as well as games design, journalism, computer game scripting, etc. Winner of both the World Fantasy Award and British Fantasy Award.

Reviews

[Eroldren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review can be read over at The Founding Fields: http://thefoundingfields.com/2013/01/...

Eroldren reviews the WH40K anthology, Dark Imperium, edited by Marc Gascoigne and Andy Jones, collecting shot stories from Simon Jowett, Ben Counter, Gav Thorpe, Barrington J. Bayley, Neil Rutledge, Robert Earl, William King, Andy Chambers and Matthew Farrer.

“All strangers interested in Warhammer 40,000 will find themselves enthralled by the grim darkness somewhere within these pages .” – The Founding Fields

“Apothecary’s Honour” by Simon Jowett
With a simple premise we’re introduced to Apothecary Korpus, brother of the Avenging Sons’ 2nd Company faced with a troubling burden: leave behind the battle, a dead company and save what already extracted gene-seed glades he still yet carries. The pacing and action overall flows smoothly without too much hindrance here and there by the midway point through “Apothecary’s Honour.” The dialogue though present all the way through, I did found it bit somehow lacking in substance compare to the stories nowadays, more but the end offers a substitute. There are fleeting moments of slight questioning that can be read over quickly, there’s one jarring scene that twitches a nerve that makes myself question the torn loyalty of duty that Korpus bears as a apothecary between ensuring his chapter’s gene-seed survival and ties of brotherhood amidst the war lost against to Chaos.

In the closing pages where the twist enters into play, our protagonist thrust into grim territory and meets a monster infamous to his specialized calling. The end one the best highlight moments I regard in reminiscence out of the story, if not the entire book. Apart from a few bumps in the road and a good twist Jowett’s story one I still enjoy to this day makes it a average but fitting start for Dark Imperium.

“Daemonblood” by Ben Counter
A world has found itself quickly falling to the diseased touch of Nurgle two battered survivors find themselves together – an Ultramarine and Sister of Battle – at the edge of corruption, and encounter the mastermind behind the unfolding events. Faith and duty doesn’t hold out so well for either party and now one resolves to bring down the other: the fallen one. To learn that one faction has its burden of shame whenever one embraces Chaos, by willingness or force, to hear such heretical matters from another group may sound preposterous to today’s modern readers. But there’s always room for exceptions.

The early surprise and interesting plot settings (lore fans may like the appearance of a certain capital hive world) yet the main protagonist came across to some extent hollow during the story’s development. Additionally, though the writing was not unreadable, but in the course of reading both the pacing and action skulks, failing to keep ahold my undivided attention, leaving me to scan over the pages to pick out the main points. That aside, the last issue I had with was “Daemonblood’s” ending which left me uncertain by the downer. Primarily it was between the conflict of accepted lore and the creative flexibility authors can play out. Otherwise we got ourselves an average read.

“Nightmare” by Gav Thorpe
Third in line is following the involuntary dream adventure of the outcast youth Joshua, set up by his spiteful yet unseen companion, the Voice. During the course of the induced fantasy undertaking and daemon slaying Joshua made uneasy and wishes to sever his ties with the Voice. Once you pick up the scraps of the background events you can appreciate how Gav’s contribution broadens up the scale of the universe from the great battles we typically treated. Danger lurks far and wide; from the ravages of great wars to the common people. The action written brisk and the reading is fast paced. “Nightmare” actually finds itself a niche were its fits reasonably well in the confines of 40k fiction.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although a lot of these stories were written as one-offs by established science fiction authors, there's a few solid entries especially the stories from Bill King, Gav Thorpe and Ben Counter. Perhaps this is unsurprising given that they're among the top talent in the Black Library even now.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit it, I have a weakness for the 40k universe. Shrug. Check it out, it's pretty metal.

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to review short stories. There are some brillant stories but others fail to impress me either because they are oo small or not that good. Some of them have spoilers.

Apothecary's Honour - Simon Jowett - 26Criticisms
Interesting story with a good character central character. It was my first story with this chapter (Avenging Sons) and I enjoy it. The apothecary do everything do save some of the gene-seed but in the end after saving it he is captured and come face to face a famous traitor space marine apotechary.

Daemonblood - Ben Counter - 26
This story is about vengence and repentace. Sister Aescarion of the Ebon Chalice pursues Castus a former ultramarine now turned champion of nurgle. This tale takes a span of several years which emphatise the feelings of sister Aescarion. In the end the quest that seems about vengeance turns out to be about repentance.

Nightmare - Gav Thorpe - 10
This one was somewhat strange. It could be inserted here on 40k world as in the fantasy. A young boy is trouble by a voice in his dreams and because of that he was cast out of his village. This voice is the only friend his got. In this last dream the voice makes him go on an adventure or crusade against "evil" monsters. The ending is quite good. There are far worse foes than a daemon , well, what I am saying it's that a foe that deals with mind sometimes is worse that the one dealing with the flesh.

The Lives of Ferag Lion-Wolf - Barrington J Bayley - 12
One of the best stories on this anthologies. These tale is about Ferag Lion-Wolf a champion of Tzeentch and as he tells another pretender of his throne about his rise into the power he's got now. The ending was excelent and a twist you will not see it coming. Isn't Tzeentch also called the Great Betrayer? Is anything true?

Small Cogs - Neil Rutledge - 26
This tale depicts the Imperial Guard as they hold a position against the eldar. I didn't find this tale that interesting. The ending was not that good either. A bit of dissapointed and one of the weakest tales.

Angels - Robert Earl - 10
This tale is another that, with a small exception, could be fantasy. This tale had nothing in particular interesting and I didn't enjoy it. Then I thought better and I did enjoy it. This "Angels" are of course Space Marines as we all know it but as some tales say the space marines are just a myth to thousands upon thousand worlds. Very few people see space marines in their lifetime. The Imperium have a milion worlds and taking the account there are around 1000 chapters with 1000 space marines then the probabilities to see one are slim. These tale is set on a world without much technology and to see a space marine is quite something amazing. And in that viewpoint I enjoy the tale.

Hellbreak - Ben Counter - 20
This tale had Dark Eldars so how could it be a wrong tale? It's about a commissar that escapes the dark eldar and the he joins with other humans and try to escape. Knowing that to be impossibility they do everything to make a revenge for everything they did to them. It's quite interesting and the end it's quite good. The Dark Eldar society is not that forgiving and the end of this tale is about that. One of the Best.

Battle of the Archaeosaurs - Barrington J Bayley - 20
These tale is quite frightful. After sending two parties to reclaim the world without sucess they send a third party. This one has tanks and even two Titans. The book is quite good with the confrontation between the titan and the dinnosaurs's kind. The ending is the frightful thing. After failing with the two titans they decide to exterminate the planet. It's how we humans work? If we can't break someone spirit then we destroy it? Humans suck thats what Bayley said.

Know Thine Enemy - Gav Thorpe - 32
These tale takes us to the confrontation between the Salamanders Space Marines and the Eldar for a world where the eldar want a device. For what? Mankind with that thing that makes us unique (Curiosity) tries to unveil the mistery behind the device. The Eldar want it as well but for other purpose. The end is very good. Dark Eldar again.

The Wrath of Kharn - William King - 12
These tale is another gem of the book. William King is as anyone know one of the best writers writing for Black Library. Thank godness is coming back because Black Library needs him. Barrington Bayley was another that could have contributed more for Black Library. Unfortunally he only wrote Eye of Terror. This tale is a Chaos tale as Khorne Berserkers attack a Slanneshi cultists. I don't know if these tale could have been writen by anybode else. The language and images there are quite unique to the beginnings of Black Library

Ancient History - Andy Chambers - 34
With these tale I had hard time to get into. I must say that it was another story I didn't enjoy or didn't care.

Snares and Delusions - Matthew Farrer - 24
Word Bearers vs Eldar. Excelent. These tale is quite unique. With the view of a Word Bearers chaplain as he gets his chapter into war. It's quite good. The ending is delicious as well. Great addition to the book.

Hive Fleet Horror - Barrington J Bayley - 13
These tale is another gem of these book. Only these writer could do it. A view of Hive Fleet Kraken as it lay to waste another world. The ending is frightening. The ending of these tale tell us what we already know. The Empire will succumb eventually. Chaos as well. Eldar, Orks and even the almost undead Necron. They will all bow before the mighty Tyranids. Only the tyranids lasted forever. Excelent.

Criticism
Besides two or three stories I don't have a particulary criticism. The only one I could think of is why did Barrington Bayley stoped writing for Black Library? Or even William King or Brian Craig or Gordon Rennie? Bah

Good
There are excelent stories here. Some of them are way better that full-lenghted books. The stories of Barrington deserve a book for each story. They are excelent. I really hope that Black Library chiefs think what BL Fiction is about. These are the tales that made you special. Nice cover.

Conclusion
Excelent book. Anyone who enjoys Warhammer 40k should read these. Even outsiders could read three or four of them.

[Tepintzin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really early anthology. Perhaps because the lore was still less set than it is now, the authors, some of whom are respected SF names and some of whom are classic BL writers, seem to have had much more freedom in telling their tales.

And the stories are really good! Sure it's Warhammer 40k with all its mandatory cheesiness and over-the-topness, but they're all satisfying reads. I liked that the majority were about humans and not Space Marines, although Word Bearers, Salamanders, and even Kharn make appearances. We have hive worlders, agriworlders, Imperial Guard, and press-ganged Navy ratings. They face off against Tyranids, eldar, warp-daemons and in one case even GIANT FIRE-BREATHING DINOSAURS. I mean, beat that.

[Dragoonfliy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone trying to get acquainted with Warhammer 40k fluff, anthologies are a godsend.

Yeah there were definitely a couple stories I had to slog through to finish, but the few that were good were REALLY good.

Really it was Hellbreak. Hellbreak was VERY good.

[Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good collection of Chaos-related short stories for the 40k fan.

[Wayne Woodgate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining gruesome short stories set in the 41st millenium.