Heresy in the Library - Wolf King

Greetings good people and welcome back! Trooper here with another installment of "Heresy in the Library", where I review Black Library publications and let you, the reader at the other end of the data-slate, know how it is! Up for review is the new Horus Heresy novella Wolf King. In the aftermath of the disastrous engagement with the Alpha Legion and with no help coming from the nearby White Scars Legion, the Vlka Fenryka flee into a nearby nebula. Leman Russ is distant and it falls to his sons to lead the remnants of the VIth Legion out and back to Terra.

RobPod #28: Mechanicum Series - Part III

Hello everyone, and welcome back.  I'm continuing my stay on Martian soil with another installment to my running series, this time I am joined by Trooper as we dive into two Black Library publications.  Novel reviews are normally a part of the Into the Black Library or Heresy in the Library series', but given the specialty of the topic, we figured they fit better here.  Today we're covering Mechanicum and Cybernetica. So strap in for some bionic hi-jinx and enjoy.

"When I grow up... I wanna go to MARS!

Cheers!

Heresy in the Library - Deathfire

Greetings good people and welcome back! Trooper here with another installment of "Heresy in the Library", where I review Black Library publications and let you, the reader at the other end of the data-slate, know how it is! Up for review is the new Horus Heresy novel, Deathfire, by Nick Kyme. The Salamanders get another novel and we get to see more doom and gloom from the paltry few dudes in Green. Were you hoping for some major plot advancement in the series? Perhaps some cool military action and bolter porn? What about...aw hell, you're not going to find anything like that here. Vulkan lives, but he doesn't do it well.

Heresy in the Library - An Opinion on the Excessive

Hello again fellow dwellers on the front line. Trooper here, back again without a review, but an opinion piece. It's been months since my last transmission but I wanted to post a piece (and meet the Commissar's quota for propaganda inspirational pieces) explaining my thoughts about the recent unswing in Black Library publications. The diversity in publications, the flood of new authors, the massive fleshing out of the 40k (and 30k universe). What does it all mean?

Sorcerous Ways: Thousand Sons

Greetings fool mortals, the way before you is ever changing, and only those gifted of higher consciousness may yet experience it. A tale told in two parts, each dependent on the other. For those of you unaware, my first 40k army is my Blood Ravens company, near and dear to my heart. As I dug and dove into the lore of the army, I was lucky enough to experience their story as it unfolded across DoW II, as well as some of the novels, not the least of which was A Thousand Sons, so hailed for cryptically documenting the birth of Magnus's last great offering unto the Imperium. Upon reading the tome, I too fell in love with the first sons of the Red, slowly working myself away from my highly competitive Necrons, and the breadth of my loyal Company. Where this love lead me was into a second book (and happily soon to be a third) in the form of Ahriman: Exile as well as into what I have deemed my 'escalation army', a joint venture into the fluffiest purposes of Tzeentch. Read on for reviews of two sorts.

Heresy in the Library - Rebirth

Greetings good people and welcome back! Trooper here with another installment of "Heresy in the Library", where I review Black Library publications and let you, the reader at the other end of the data-slate, know how it is! Up for review is the new Nick Kyme novel, Rebirth, the first in the "Circle of Fire" trilogy detailing the Salamanders chapter and their "legendary" war with the Sisters of Battle against the Black Legion. While I don't know what exactly is so legendary about the "Promethean War", Kyme has seen fit to make another Salamanders trilogy on the matter. So sit back, grab some amasec, and enjoy my review of Rebirth.

Heresy in the Library - The Talon of Horus

Greetings good people and welcome back! Trooper here with another installment of "Heresy in the Library", where I review Black Library publications and let you, the reader at the other end of the data-slate, know how it is! Up for review is The Talon of Horus, the first in a new trilogy to come out Black Library. Following the origins of the Black Legion, author Aaron Dembski-Bowden begins the trilogy to explain just how and why the Black Legion came about and the trials they faced. It's...different...that's all I am going to say. So let's dive right in to The Talon of Horus!

Heresy in the Library - The Damnation of Pythos

Greetings good people and welcome back! Trooper here with another installment of "Heresy in the Library", where I review Black Library publications and let you, the reader at the other end of the data-slate, know how it is! Up for review is the newest Horus Heresy full length novel The Damnation of Pythos. The follow up novel from the audio drama Veritas Ferrum chronicles the crew of the Veritas Ferrum as they escape from Istvaan V and begin a guerilla war against the traitor legions. It's an interesting mix of things so sit back, grab some amasec, and enjoy my review of The Damnation of Pythos.

Heresy in the Library - Night Lords Omnibus

Greetings good people and welcome back! Trooper here with another installment of "Heresy in the Library", where I review Black Library publications and let you, the reader at the other end of the data-slate, know how it is! Up for review is the newly released omnibus for a not so new series. Night Lords: The Omnibus is Black Library's collection of the Night Lords series of books into one gigantic tome. There isn't much new, but for fans it will be a treat to revisit the prophet of the eighth legion. So sit back, grab some amasec, and enjoy my review of Night Lords: The Omnibus.

Into the Black Library: Priests of Mars

Greetings all, and welcome back.  I thought I'd write up my thoughts on my most recent reading material from Black Library, Priests of Mars.  It is the first in a trilogy by none other than my favorite author Graham McNeill, avid author of Black Library and once upon a time the author of Codex: Black Templar.  True to his high standards, the book is a fantastic work of art which covers a huge swath of the lore which until now has remained fairly shrouded in the mysterium of the 41st millennium. It is one of my favorite single groups not only among the Imperium of Man, but in the whole of 40k... The Adeptus Mechanicus.  And as an added bonus, I also get to read more about my favorite chapter of the Adeptus Astartes.  And who better to capture their essence in detail besides he who bore them into their own right?

All bias aside, The book stands as the foundation of an excellent tale which breaks the boundaries of the galaxy itself.  And it's only the first of three.

A Word of Warning, there will be spoilers ahead.  Turn ye from this page should you not wish the spoils of plot upon yourself.

Heresy in the Library - Vengeful Spirit

Greetings good people and welcome back! Trooper here with another installment of "Heresy in the Library", where I review Black Library publications and let you, the reader at the other end of the data-slate, know how it is! Up for review is the newest Horus Heresy full length novel Vengeful Spirit. In it we revisit the Sons of Horus legion about midway through the Horus Heresy itself. Horus himself returns in full swing and some interesting, albeit "old" side plots open up throughout the novel. Ultimately the Battle of Molech, which the book details, comes out to be apocalyptic and fun as we could expect. So sit back, grab some amasec, and enjoy my review of the Vengeful Spirit. 

Heresy in the Library - Mortarion's Heart

Greetings good people and welcome back! Trooper here with another installment of "Heresy in the Library", where I review Black Library publications and let you, the reader at the other end of the data-slate, know how it is! Up this time we have the latest Black Library audio production "Mortarion's Heart". Kaldor Draigo gets some audio drama love, Mortarion gets to be his creepy psyker hating self, and the Grey Knights get just a biiiiit of redemption after being "warded". Huehuehue. So sit back, grab some amasec, and enjoy my review of Morarion's Heart!

Heresy in the Library - Hunter's Moon

Hello there! Alpharius (Trooper is my cover name) here reporting for Heresy in the Library, where I review Black Library productions and give you, the reader, insight into what is coming out. Up for review this time is my first tackle at Black Library audio productions, the new Horus Heresy audio drama "Hunter's Moon". In it we will find Space Wolves, normal folk caught up in the Heresy, and Alpharius. Spoiler alert, EVERYONE is Alpharius. So sit back, grab some amasec, and enjoy!

Heresy in the Library - Scars

Greetings good people and welcome back. Trooper here with another installment of "Heresy in the Library", where I review Black Library publications and let you, the reader at the other end of the data-slate, know how it is! Up for this review is the latest Horus Heresy mini-release turned major book, Scars. A look into the often mysterious and dubiously loyal White Scars Legion as they figure out who they can trust, who they need to fight, and everything else in between. There are the Wolves, lots of Primarchs, and space mongols. So sit back, grab some amasec, and enjoy my review of "Scars"!

Guest Article: Heresy in the Library Continues

There were several amongst our readers who where kind enough to inform me that Trooper's first appearance on the Blog was not only well formed, but that they wanted to see more of his work.  Having passed along the good word to the avid 40k lore enthusiast, he has given me his follow up article to be posted for your enjoyment.  It's time to delve back into Black Library's 40k series.

Guest Article: The Heresy in the Library

Greetings and salutations everyone.  After a long silence, the Rites of Battle inbox light popped on.  A friend of ours has decided to take a crack at writing for the blog, and having read through this article, it's a great insight and review of some of Black Library's Horus Heresy series.  This Guest Article is brought to you by Trooper.  Hope you all enjoy it.

Cheers!

Into the Black Library - Yarrick: Chains of Golgatha

Well, After finishing my most recent dive into the Black Library in a single sitting, I can come to you now with my thoughts and feelings on one of the few novels that features Commissar Sebastian Yarrick.  He has always been one of my favorites amongst the Imperial Guard, and this read gave me great insight into him as a man, and how he lives with the legend he has created for himself.  And he doesn't disappoint.

Into the Black Library: Helsreach

So I have been enthralled by a new purchase of mine. After a trip to the bustling city of Indianapolis, I snagged Black Library's Helsreach novel. It is the first time I have ever purchased a book from the 40k universe... and I must say it has been one of the most rewarding experiences and best reads I've had since the old Halo novels came out.

Helsreach covers the Black Templars during their time in the Armageddon campaign, and more specifically it follows Grimaldus during his rise to the rank of Reclusiarch and his actions on the surface of the industrial world.

I have had a hard time putting this one down, and even though I am a slow reader, it has been simply amazing so far, and I haven't even reached the conflict yet. Black Library has really done a beautiful job capturing the feeling of the universe, and I feel like I have gotten a more intimate understanding of the Grimaldus character. I own the model, and will more than likely be painting it soon after this read... not to mention this book had a hefty hand in shaping my list for an upcoming tournament (Guess which HQ I'll be using [along with the Emperor's Champion of course :P]).

If this book is anything like the others, and I would assume it is, they are defiantly worth the price tag. If you know of a book Black Library has done concerning your army of choice, I would highly recommend them if nothing else to get a great first hand feeling of what makes your army tick. If you have any recommendations I would love to hear them here. Till then, I must get back to the book. I'm stoked to see this war start!

Cheers!