Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror Book Reviews
“The Man-Butcher Prize is one of the most original, imaginative and engaging fantasy novels that I have read in the genre in a very long time, with a fast-paced and imaginative plot that overturns many of the stale tropes in the genre and refashions them into fresh and innovative concepts.”
“With Curse of Honor David Annandale once again demonstrates why he is one of the premier authors in the fantasy (and science fiction) genre, able to utilise his absolute mastery of atmosphere, sublime prose and skilful characterisation to turn his hand to any setting that he is tasked with writing. Curse of Honor is a deeply compelling and sophisticated novel, with Annandale using the Five Rings setting to weave a thoroughly enjoyable story about arrogance, ambition and rigid caste systems that are deftly merged with the grim realities of the demon-infested Shadowlands and its many occult dangers.”
“Days Pass Like A Shadow is a deeply impressive accomplishment, bringing together a series of short stories and vignettes that comprehensively demonstrate Paula Readman’s undoubted skill as a writer of intense, engaging and often darkly gothic horror and mystery stories.”
“The Black Library Celebration 2019 Anthology really is a marvellous little collection, gathering together some of the best authors published by Black Library, with each providing complex, multi-layered and action-packed stories that effectively demonstrate just how varied the different Warhammer settings can be. Whether you’re a fan of Age of Sigmar, the Horus Heresy or Warhammer 40,000, you’ll find stories to engage and enthral you, and this collection absolutely deserves to be read by anyone interested in Warhammer as a whole.”
“Black deftly blends historical fact and mythological debate with close-quarters combat and a spirit of adventure that seems so sorely missing from many titles in the genre these days. It often felt like what the The Da Vinci Code should have been, if Dan Brown had been able to do more research and ground himself in reality, rather than entering into conspiracy theories and other strange concepts. I thoroughly enjoyed Bel Nemeton, and cannot recommend it highly enough: for the last two days, it’s helped to keep my spirits up during an incredibly difficult time in my life, and what more could I possibly ask for from a book?”
“Editor Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells has done a superb job in gathering together a disparate yet highly skilled set of writers for Inferno! Volume 1, ensuring that the collection is packed full of stories that both inherently understand the various Warhammer settings they take place in, but also engage with the source material in ways that the short stories contained within the previous Inferno! magazines would never have done. Each story is a masterpiece, carefully written and considered, and the entire anthology is a genuine triumph that deserves – indeed, requires – to be on the bookshelf of any discerning fan of Black Library fiction, or anyone interested in learning more about the background and lore of Games Workshop’s many universes.”
“…I absolutely loved every minute of reading this anthology. There’s a real sense of fun and enjoyment that runs through each of its stories, all which mix action with heart and an often sly sense of humour, as well as a surprising amount of depth; and it rapidly becomes obvious that each author was carefully chosen by editor Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells because of how well they engaged with the setting, in addition to their high quality of writing skills. If KeyForge as a game is even a tenth as fun, enjoyable and heartening as this anthology, then it will have found a dedicated fan in me and, I’m certain, many other readers…”
“Action-packed, imaginative and populated with a fantastic cast of characters, and with a deeply satisfying ending that just cries out for a continuation of some kind, The Measure of Iron is yet another success for Black Library’s Novella Series 2, and a triumph for new author Jamie Crisalli”
The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviewer 