Tag: War

Captain Moxley and the Embers of Empire – Dan Hanks – Review

“Captain Moxley and the Embers of Empire really is one of the most accomplished, impressive and enjoyable debut novels I’ve ever read, and a thrilling, pulse-pounding action-adventure novel with some surprising depths to it. While there’s plenty of fast-paced guns-blazing, fists-flying action firmly in the mould of cinematic classics like Indiana Jones, Hanks’ own unique touches and imagination make it stand out as far more than a simple pastiche or pale imitation. A potent blend of occult elements, a sly sense of humour, three-dimensional characters, and an often thoughtful consideration of the nature of mid-20th Century archaeological practices leads to a novel that is far more engaging, memorable and even introspective than Indiana Jones and his ilk could ever hope to be.”

The Test of Faith – Thomas Parrott – Quick Review

“Once again I’m deeply impressed by Thomas Parrott and his Warhammer 40,000 fiction. The Test of Faith demonstrates once again his intuitive understanding of the setting, and an ability to create an immersive, engaging and action-packed story that also has some great characters in it. He really nails the Dark Angels as a Chapter, giving them a depth and dimension that some writers have failed to imbue them with, and the nature of the story’s revelation is a grimly fascinating one that I’d like to see expanded upon in a future story.”

Born of the Storm & Last Flight – Edoardo Albert – Quick Reviews

“Taken together, Born of the Storm & Last Flight are an indication of just how skilled a writer Edoardo Albert is, able to compose two thrilling, engaging and memorable stories set in two very different aspects of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Taken alongside his excellent novella Lords of the Storm, all three act as clear evidence that Albert is one of the best authors in the latest Black Library cohort, easily ranking alongside fellow newcomers like Thomas Parrott and Danie Ware, as well as veterans like Reynolds, Wraight and and Annandale. I hope to see more stories from him in the future, and fervently hope that this includes novels as well as short stories.”

Inferno! Volume 1 – Charlotte Llewelyn-Wells (Ed.) – Review

“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.”

Armor #1 – The Battle of North Africa – Craig DiLouie – Review

“Armor #1: The Battle of North Africa is an instant classic of World War II historical fiction, and certainly DiLouie’s greatest novel so far in his career as a writer. It is brilliantly written, populated with realistic and entirely human characters who stay with you long after finishing the last page, and is searingly, unflinchingly open about the realities of combat during World War II as experienced by the crew of an M4 Sherman medium tank. It takes the best elements of the dime store genre and blends it seamlessly with DiLouie’s inherent skill as a writer and his phenomenal imagination.”