Black Library Advent Calendar 2016

Series · 24

books · 2016

By Rob Sanders, Dan Abnett, J. C. Stearns, and more

Books in series

Perpetual

2016

Escaping from ruined Calth, Oll Persson and his band of refugees are trapped on a dark, forgotten world. But the enemy draws near, and immortality may not be enough to survive... Oll Persson stands apart from the rest of mankind. He is one of the old ones, one of the undying. One of the Perpetuals. Now, fleeing from the ruins of Calth with his band of fellow refugees, the vagaries of the warp have brought him through the backways of time and space to a city that rests on the edge of oblivion... and no further. The path has ended abruptly, and Oll's enemies are finally closing in. Will his immortality be enough to save him this time? It's the return of Oll Persson in a tale following the events of 'Know No Fear' and 'Unmarked' which drives the mysterious Perpetual towards his ultimate destiny… Written by Dan Abnett. Running time 27 minutes. Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Ian Brooker, Cliff Chapman, Steve Conlin, Penelope Rawlins, Saul Reichlin and Luis Soto.

The Maiden of the Dream

2016

An Inquisition short story Mylasa Yaygus is an enigma, her origins a mystery even to her master, the Inquisitor Covenant. She is the Maiden of the Dream, a psychic torturer and manipulator of consummate skill, but amongst her many lives and histories is there a mote of truth that reveals who she really is? READ IT BECAUSE One of John French's strengths is crafting intricate mysteries with strong characters at their core, and this is another such tale of a powerful psyker who may be her master's most useful ally or most dangerous foe. THE STORY Mylasa Yaygus is an enigma, her origins a mystery even to her master, Covenant. Of all of the inquisitor's acolytes, Mylasa is the least known and arguably the most dangerous. A powerful Primaris psyker, the truth about her past is as byzantine as her abilities. As Ilk, she is a hive-born wretch bound for the Black Ships, as Verrun, she is the daughter of a rich merchant clan... but if these are false memories, who really is Mylasa? She is the Maiden of the Dream, a psychic torturer and manipulator of consummate skill, and amongst her many lives and histories might there be a mote of truth that reveals who she really is?

Into Exile

2016

When the traitorous allies of Horus and Kelbor-Hal seized Mars, they sent elite hunters to apprehend key targets and ensure that any loyal resistance would fail. One such target was the legendary technoarchaeologist Arkhan Land, the discoverer of many lost treasures and curiosities from mankind's Golden Age - and the Imperial Fists cannot allow such a valuable mind to fall into the hands of the enemy. Does Land have good reason to fear his apparent saviours? Finally, for the first time ever, you'll see the story behind one of the most famous names in the Imperium – Arkhan Land, whose name is on some of the Imperium's most powerful and revered weapons. Oh, and the events of this story tie in to 'The Master of Mankind'…

The Road of Blades

2016

A Warhammer Age of Sigmar short story Those who tread the Road of Blades do so seeking glory in the eyes of the Dark Gods, or so Ahazian Kel believes, but the Deathbringer must endure the trials of Chaos and prove he is worthy before he can become exalted. READ IT BECAUSE It's an exploration of what a servant of the Blood God will do, and how far he will go, in the service of his dark master and in pursuit of power and glory. THE STORY Those who tread the Road of Blades do so seeking glory in the eyes of the Dark Gods, or so Ahazian Kel believes. He is the last of his tribe, a Deathbringer, a fearless warrior whose path leads him to the dreaded Soulmaw, a forge-citadel and bastion of Khorne's Skullgrinders, a place between realms. To breach such a fortress... the rewards could be beyond imagining, the power to determine your own destiny, but Ahazian must endure every trial of Chaos and prove he is worthy before he can become exalted.

The Calculus of Battle

2016

The beleaguered Astra Militarum defenders of Varasine fight against the alien menace of a tyranid invasion, but their only possible salvation approaches in the form of something almost equally inhuman. Warleader Kardan Stronos of the Iron Hands, long having studied the xenos threat, now brings his fearless battle-brothers to join the war - only he can save Varasine, measuring his Chapter’s infallible logic and ruthless strategy against the cost in human lives. The Iron Hands can be among the most inhuman of Space Marines, pitting cold logic and precise calculations above the lives of those they ostensibly fight to defend… as the Astra Militarum are about to discover. Written by David Guymer. Running time 21 minutes. Performed by John Banks, Cliff Chapman, Steve Conlin, Toby Longworth and Luis Soto.

Fixed

2016

Nordland Rangers star player Greig Garr is in trouble, and living a lifestyle he can no longer afford now his glory days are over. As the team slips down the league, and his debts mount, it becomes harder and harder for him to keep his coveted position as team captain. Badly injured after a nasty run-in with a lizardman, Garr must find a way to play in the next match or he won’t be able to pay back his debts. A mysterious stranger offers to cure his leg, but what will the true cost of his amazing help be? It's a classic sporting dilemma taken to the extremes that only Blood Bowl can provide – in a world of daemons and monsters, the cost of mysterious magical help is always going to be higher than you'd like…

The Grey Raven

2016

Balsar Kurthuri of the Raven Guard has always followed his primarch's orders. When the Edict of Nikaea forbade psykers within the Legions, he returned to the line squads without a second thought. When the Warmaster's treachery became known, he gave freely of his powers. Now, as the war appears to be entering its final, grim stages, at Lord Corax's command he must return to Terra to face judgement for the apparent crime of unswerving loyalty… After a shocking twist in 'Weregeld', the Raven Guard Chief Librarian returns to Terra to face judgement. Will his unerring loyalty to his primarch be punished, and if so, what does that say about the the Imperium the Sigillite is working to build?

Wraithbound

2016

An Eldar short story A force of eldar attacks an Imperial world that has been overrun by orks, their objective to stop the waaagh becoming any more powerful. But have the eldar underestimated their opponents’ cunning and ingenuity? READ IT BECAUSE Those tricksy eldar are up to their usual ploys – manipulating mankind for their own benefit. But with humans on one side and orks on the other, have the aliens bitten off more than they can chew this time? THE STORY Though the Imperium defends its worlds with vigour, not all cries for help are answered in time, or even heard at all. A nameless Imperial world has been conquered by orks; its resources seized for the greenskins’ war effort, and its human population enslaved. The eldar have foreseen that if the ork warlord is not stopped, and soon, the consequences will be dire. Enraged by its losses, the Imperium will eventually launch an anti-xenos crusade of unparalleled ferocity. To protect the future of their own craftworld, the eldar must be prepared to sacrifice all to defeat the ork invaders.

The Soul, Severed

2016

As Lord Commander Primus, Eidolon leads the Emperor’s Children in the absence of his primarch - who even knows where the daemon prince Fulgrim resides, now? But a challenge from within the Legion forces Eidolon to confront one of his rivals, the ambitious Archorian, a capable officer and tactician who would see the Legion returned to glory. Dissent is unacceptable. It is time for the Kakophoni to be set against their erstwhile brethren. With their primarch obsessed with, shall we say, other matters, the Emperor's Children turn to infighting, in a typically extreme way… Written by Chris Wraight. Running time 25 minutes. Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Steve Conlin and Luis Soto.

#10

Prodigal

2016

A Fabius Bile short story When Fabius Bile is attacked by daemons aboard his frigate Versalius, he is surprised to be rescued by an old friend, one of his very first experiments. But does the prodigal’s return bode well or ill? READ IT BECAUSE When you have as long and chequered a past as Fabius Bile, occasionally things are gonna come back to haunt you. Such is the case here, as an early experiment returns, and chaos ensues… THE STORY When Fabius Bile is attacked by daemons aboard his frigate Versalius, he is surprised to be rescued by an old friend, one of his very first experiments. It has ever been the Apothecary's desire to improve mankind, to render them hardy enough to endure in a galaxy of pain and war. Such desires have often led to abominations created by Bile's own hand, and enemies too numerous to list. This creation, Mesuline, though ostensibly an ally, bears a cryptic message, one that could bode ill or well for her Progenitor.mmer-40000/quick-reads/prodigal-ebook.html

#11

Bear Eater

2016

On the hunt for the vampire Mannfred, Hamilcar Bear-Eater and a handful of Astral Templars cross the Sea of Bones to find a civilization untouched by Chaos, and attempt to bring them back into the light of Sigmar. But Jercho is a curious land and a secret lurks at the heart of this wealthy, seemingly blessed realm. When all the Mortal Realms have been cast to flame, and ravaged by Chaos, how is it that these sun worshippers remained inviolate? A mystery from the Mortal Realms awaits for the Astral Templars. Is it possible that the touch of Chaos can be resisted? If so, that could be amazing… but let's be honest, it's probably too good to be true, isn't it?

#12

The Embrace of Pain

2016

Lucius the Eternal is openly challenged by a champion of the old Death Guard Legion. Could an immortal daemonhost, blessed by Nurgle, be the undoing of the blademaster’s curse? While voyaging through the depths of the warp, the infamous blademaster Lucius the Eternal is challenged by a servant of another god - a champion of the old Death Guard Legion, no less. Keen to remain dominant over his preening and ambitious rivals in the Cohors Nasicae, Lucius takes up his sword without a second thought... but could an unfeeling daemonhost of Nurgle, or the voices inside his own head, be the undoing of his Slaaneshi curse? Lucius the Eternal is a fascinating character, and his unique curse (or blessing, depending on your point of view) coupled his pride and pitted against the gifts of Nurgle make for one hell of a tale. Written by Ian St Martin. Performed by John Banks, Antonia Beamish, Robin Bowerman, Steve Conlin and Luis Soto.

#13

The Painted Count

2016

Following the disastrous invasion of Sotha and the dimming of the Pharos' light, Gendor Skraivok languishes on board the VIII Legion flagship Nightfall. Distrusted by his allies and despised by his rivals, he nonetheless means to claw back leadership of the Night Lords from the pretender Captain Shang, by fair means or foul. And, rather than a portent of doom, the daemonic blade that seems to have chosen him as its bearer may be the answer… We've seen a bit of the Ultramarines after the calamitous events of 'Pharos', but not so much of the Night Lords… Here's Guy Haley to remedy that with a tale charting a power struggle in the Legion.

#14

Becoming

2016

As two young squires prepare for their ritual of Becoming, the Herald Markos Dar Draconis recounts the story of his first battle at the helm of a Knight Titan, a mighty Imperial war engine. In defending his home, Markos must quickly learn the ways of war and repel the greenskin hordes of the Warlord Skarjaw or see Adrastapol ransacked by an ork menace that has blighted his lands for many years. His deeds during the war will see Markos become a hero, an inspiration to his fellow Knights, a legend that only he knows the truth of... It's the tale of a legendary Imperial Knight pilot recounting his first battle to two aspiring warriors. What more could you want?

#15

Doc Morgrim's Vow

2016

Having sworn an oath and despite his misgivings, Doc Morgrim is returning to Norsca and the hold of Krakadrak to take part in the Tournament of a Hundred Woes. His Blood Bowl team, the Middenplatz Manglers, must prove their mettle against The Dragon's Hold Drakeslayers in a game where victory will not only determine the spoils but something much more important to Morgrim... his freedom! It's been a long time, but Blood Bowl is back! And this brand new short story has on-pitch action and off-field intrigue – everything you could want out of a tale from the astrogranite.

#16

Valerius

2016

Though he knows such beliefs are forbidden, Vice-Caesari Marcus Valerius of the Therion Cohort is willing to lay down his life in service to the immortal God-Emperor, for the good of all mankind. Sent by Corax to the great slaughter at Beta-Garmon, every last one of the Imperial Army soldiers under his command knows that the end is nigh - but can Valerius' holy visions guide them to one final victory over the hordes of the hated Arch-traitor? Written by Gav Thorpe. Performed by Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Ian Brooker, Cliff Chapman, Steve Conlin, Saul Reichlin,Toby Longworth and Luis Soto.

#17

The Aegidan Oath

2016

Almost a thousand years after the Great Heresy, the apparently insignificant backwater world of Sotha has been all but forgotten, out on the Eastern Fringe. Why, then, are warriors of the Ultramarines treading the overgrown paths to Mount Pharos once more? Chaplain Segas has been charged with a most solemn duty - to erase the last evidence of Roboute Guilliman’s greatest mistake, by dealing with the venerable Captain Oberdeii once and for all... It's a tale that straddles the Horus Heresy and the 41st millennium, connecting the dots between the sons of Sotha who defended the Pharos against the Night Lords and the Scythes of the Emperor who inhabit the planet ten thousand years later.

#18

Carcharodons

2016

A Carcharodons short story When the Carcharodons land on the planet Zartak, the rebellious miners think they will be taken to book for plotting against the Imperium, but in reality, the Space Marines have come for a very different purpose. READ IT BECAUSE Okay, the Carcharodons might have a bit of a reputation for being bloodthirsty and savage, but that doesn't justify them being treated as pariahs by the miners on Zartak, does it? So what's going on? THE STORY The human Imperium is vast indeed, and not all worlds are happy with the terms that grant them the Emperor’s protection. When the Carcharadons land on the mining planet of Zartak, instead of being welcomed, they are treated with suspicion and hostility by its population of miners. What dark secrets does this planet hide, and how far will its inhabitants go to protect them, even if it means pitting themselves against such powerful adversaries as the Adeptus Astartes? With both sides pursuing their own agenda, bloody conflict can be the only outcome.

#19

Exocytosis

2016

Having long been hounded across the galaxy by the Dark Angels, First Captain Typhon of the Death Guard has limped his fleet to sanctuary in Segmentum Obscurus - as a guest of the separatist Luther of Caliban, no less. On the world of Zaramund, long a symbol of brotherhood amongst the Legions, Typhon begins to suspect that a new form of corruption has followed him out of the wider war. Will he embrace it, or escape into the darkness once more? It's another step towards what we all know is coming for the Death Guard and Captain Typhon. Is it time that he embraced his destiny as a pawn of the Plague Lord?

#20

Pantheon

2016

A Warhammer Age of Sigmar short story In the age before Chaos, during a time of myth, the pantheon of gods ruled at Sigmar’s hand. As dark times return to the Mortal Realms, Sigmar beseeches the goddess Alarielle to heed a tale of those better years, one he hopes will restore not only her faith but the faith of all noble creatures. READ IT BECAUSE Sigmar's quest to reunite his old pantheon of gods has been one of the underlying themes of the Age of Sigmar so far, but we haven't seen much of the time when they did stand together. Well, here's your chance. THE STORY In the age before Chaos, during a time of myth, the pantheon of gods ruled at Sigmar’s hand. As dark times return to the Mortal Realms, Sigmar beseeches the goddess Alarielle to heed a tale of those better years, one he hopes will restore not only her faith but the faith of all noble creatures. Heed then the saga of the mage Bayla who seeks the Realms' End, a mythic place believed to hold a great secret. Beseeching the aid of wise Teclis and dread Nagash, Bayla's desire for knowledge and the fulfilment of his quest blinds him to the danger in his midst, one that could imperil his very soul.

#21

The Art of Provocation

2016

A Space Wolves audio drama Lukas the Trickster plays a dangerous game. With hordes of orks massing on Polix Tertius, he risks the ire of Wolf Lord Kjarl Grimblood, as well as the blades of his xenos foes… READ IT BECAUSE Even among the Space Wolves, Lukas the Trickster is a unique and unusual individual. Here's a tale that shows just how different he is. THE STORY Amongst the Space Wolves, the name of Lukas the Trickster is as much a curse as anything in the old tongues of Fenris. Named Jackalwolf by his masters, none of whom wish his dubious fealty, he now plays a dangerous game with the hordes of orks massing on Polix Tertius. Risking the ire of Wolf Lord Kjarl Grimblood, as well as the blades of his xenos foes, he turns his attentions to the planetary vox-communications network, and begins to broadcast...

#22

Unearthed

2016

When his inquisitor master is killed by the Alpha Legion, Interrogator Kiefer swears revenge. He marshals a force, a band of Attilian Rough Riders and a cohort of Ogryn Auxilia, and tracks the killers to Grendl's World. Here in the dust of the deserts and the carcass of a derelict freighter, a deadly game of cat and mouse begins, with neither side prepared to back down or accept defeat. With overwhelming force and the element of surprise on his side, Kiefer's confidence grows, but the Alpha Legion are seldom outmanoeuvred easily... Rob Sanders weaves a tale of a grieving and overconfident interrogator who takes on the might of the Alpha Legion. Probably safe to assume it's not going to end brilliantly for him…

#23

Da Bank Job

2016

Brobag, captain and owner of the Big ‘Uns, is in trouble. His lacklustre orc team has never won a single match, they’re running out of money, and they’re on the verge of being relegated. A local invitational gives him the opportunity to change the team’s fortunes, but there’s one big problem – they have to fight their way past all the other challengers, then play the Reikland Reavers, one of the most famous Blood Bowl teams in the Empire! There’s just one option left to Brobag – bend the rules big time (and hope he can keep his pet squig under control). Cheating is obviously an integral part of playing Blood Bowl, but even by the game's standards, Brobag's plan to (literally) improve the fortunes of the Big 'Uns is audacious…

#24

The Last Son of Prospero

2016

The Thousand Sons sorcerer Revuel Arvida guided his White Scars kinsmen through all the horrors of the ruinstorm, even though the psychic exertion almost killed him. Now on Terra, he clings to life by the merest thread, his body ravaged by the curse of his Legion - the insidious flesh-change. The primarch Jaghatai Khan demands that Arvida be saved, no matter the cost. But even if such a thing were possible, what would remain of his mind and soul? His Legion may be traitors, but Revuel Arvida has proved himself among the most loyal of the Emperor's servants, bringing himself to the point of destruction in defence of the Imperium. What will his fate be?

Authors

James Swallow is a New York Times, Sunday Times and Amazon #1 bestselling author and scriptwriter, a BAFTA nominee, a former journalist and the award-winning writer of over sixty books, along with scripts for video games, comics, radio and television. DARK HORIZON, his new stand-alone thriller, is out now from Welbeck; OUTLAW, the 6th Marc Dane novel, is published by Bonnier, and the 4th book in the series - SHADOW - is available in the USA from Forge. His writing includes the Marc Dane action thrillers, the Sundowners steampunk Westerns and fiction from the worlds of Star Trek, Marvel, Tom Clancy, Warhammer 40000, Doctor Who, 24, Deus Ex, Stargate, 2000AD and many more. For information on new releases & more, sign up to the Readers’ Club here: www.bit.ly/JamesSwallow Visit James' website at http://www.jswallow.com/ for more, including ROUGH AIR, a free eBook novella in the Marc Dane series. You can also follow James on Twitter at @jmswallow, Bluesky at @jmswallow.bsky.social, Mastodon at @jmswallow@mstdn.social and jmswallow.tumblr.com at Tumblr.

Andy Clark

Author · 18 books

Andy Clark is a background writer for Games Workshop. Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. Andy^^^^^Clark

Guy Haley is the author of over 40 novels and novellas. His original fiction includes Crash, Champion of Mars, and the Richards and Klein, Dreaming Cities, and the Gates of the World series (as K M McKinley). However, he is best known as a prolific contributor to Games Workshop's Black Library imprint, and has sold over 1 million books set in their Warhammer universes.

John French is a writer and freelance game designer from Nottingham, England. His novels include the Ahriman series from Black Library, and The Lord of Nightmares trilogy for Fantasy Flight. The rest of his work can be seen scattered through a number of other books, including the New York Times bestselling anthology Age of Darkness. When he is not thinking of ways that dark and corrupting beings could destroy reality and space, John enjoys talking about why it would be a good idea... that and drinking good wine.

L.J. Goulding

Author · 17 books

L. J. Goulding is a British novelist, scriptwriter and editor, living and working in Los Angeles, California. His credits include 'League of Legends: Realms of Runeterra', the Black Library audio dramas 'Malcador: First Lord of the Imperium', 'The Heart of the Pharos', 'Scythes of the Emperor: Daedalus', and 'Mortarion's Heart', the novel 'Slaughter at Giant's Coffin', and many short stories for publishers in the UK and US.

Robbie MacNiven

Author · 27 books

Robbie MacNiven is a Scottish author and historian. His published fiction includes over a dozen novels, many fantasy or sci-fi works for IPs such as Warhammer 40,000 and Marvel's X-Men. He has also written two novellas, numerous short stories and audio dramas, has worked on narrative and character dialogue for multiple digital games (SMITE: Blitz and Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground), has written the colour text for multiple RPG rulebooks and has penned the scripts for two graphic novels and two comics, for Osprey Publishing and Commando Comics respectively. In 2022 his X-Men novel "First Team" won a Scribe Award. On the non-fiction front, Robbie specialises in Early Modern military history, particularly focussing on the 18th century. He has a PhD in American Revolutionary War massacres from the University of Edinburgh - where he won the Compton Prize for American History - and an MLitt in War Studies from the University of Glasgow. Along with numerous articles for military history magazines he has written four books on different aspects of the American Revolutionary War, three for Osprey Publishing and the latest for Helion Books. He has also written the scripts for eight episodes of the hit YouTube educational channel Extra Credits. Outside of work and writing, his passions include re-enacting, gaming, and following Rangers FC home and away.

Joshua Reynolds

Author · 83 books

Josh Reynolds’ work has previously appeared in such anthologies as Historical Lovecraft from Innsmouth Free Press and Horror for the Holidays from Miskatonic River Press, and his novel, Knight of the Blazing Sun, is currently available from Black Library. He can be found at: http://joshuamreynolds.wordpress.com Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Chris Wraight

Author · 70 books

Chris Wraight is a British author of fantasy and science fiction. His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting. He is based in the south-west of England.