‘Butcher’s Nails’ – Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Black Library)

Don’t get me wrong, as much as I enjoyed being at home these last few months I was really pleased and actually quite grateful to have the chance to get back into a job. It’s tough to find work right now, really tough, so I wasn’t shy about grabbing the opportunity when it came my way. So yeah, very glad to find work but I’d totally forgotten about what an absolute nightmare commuting in London can be (and I’ve got one of the easier commutes!) I’m sure all the commuters that I come across are lovely people when they leave the house in the morning; they’re just entirely different people by the time they get on the train… It’s a good job then that I’ve got audio books to numb the worst of the pain :o)

Aaron Dembski-Bowden has become one of my favourite Black Library authors and I’ll take almost any chance I get to read his work (I say ‘almost’, still can’t quite afford a Kindle…) The arrival of one of his audio books (and set in the Horus Heresy no less) felt like a real treat, especially with the rain hammering down outside and a dull air of negativity in the train carriage. The story itself was a good one, it was just a bit of a shame about the rest of the whole audio book experience…

Of all the Primarchs, Angron was ever the most bloody and warlike. With the Heresy casting the shadow of warfare over the galaxy Angron is now free to indulge in his brutal conquests, all in the Warmaster’s name. The Primarch and his World Eaters are tasked with a secretive mission alongside the Word Bearers and their Primarch Lorgar; secrecy that is constantly endangered by the World Eaters’ violent excesses. Tensions run high between the two Legions then, especially with what is at stake. Things are about to get a lot worse though as the alien Eldar take an interest in the World Eaters and their Primarch, a warrior destined to become ‘the Blood God’s son’…

If you pick up a work by Aaron Dembski-Bowden you are more or less guaranteed a thoughtful yet gripping affair that does a lot to remove the stigma of ‘bolter porn’ that surrounds Black Library fiction. Dembski-Bowden is not afraid to unload serious amounts of ammunition, over the course of the book, but he’s far more interested in telling a good story and I’m happy with that :o) ‘Butcher’s Nails’ is another good example of this with Dembski-Bowden cramming far more into the run time (seventy five minutes) than most other Black Library authors are capable of.

‘Butcher’s Nails’ is a tale of dark deeds carried out in the dark spaces between the stars and how such enforced isolation can play on a mind. It’s a story then of the conflict between doing ones duty and the urge to let loose and be true to what you are and this conflict is especially evident within Angon, a Primarch barely able to keep himself under control as it is. What a character to use to examine this conflict! Angron will quite happily jeopardise everything if there is a good fight to be had, full on combat (and cybernetic enhancements) being the only way to soothe a pain wracked mind. Not only does Dembski-Bowden give us a really clear view of what’s going on inside Angron’s head but he also leaves us with no real idea of what Angron will do next, only that it will involve blood and lots of it. This certainly kept me interested in finding out what happened next and I couldn’t help but feel a little sympathy for Angron at the same time. Here is a man forced to combat agonizing pain with a method that will eventually kill him, what’s not to feel sorry about? I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the rest of his Legion though, having to adopt that very same method… And why was the Equerry Kharn able to deal with it better than his Lord…?
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You never really find out what Angron and Lorgar’s mission involves, only that they must be quiet about it, but I think this will be fully covered later along the line in the ‘Horus Heresy’ series. That’s not a big deal here though as there is plenty to keep you occupied in the meantime. The sense of tension between Angron and Lorgar is palpable and I liked the way that this tension slowly began to trickle down to their Legions. The mystery of the Eldar unfolds at a decent pace, culminating in some awesome scenes of warfare both in space and up close. Again, there is no real closure here with events set up to play out at a later date. ‘Butcher’s Nails’ is self contained but is also very much a tale of transition that should sit nicely within the overall series. Just bear that in mind…

A great tale then but one that is marred, ever so slightly, by the actor playing Angron himself (I couldn’t tell who this was). Angron is supposed to be the embodiment of sheer rage and I have to wonder whether this is something that can only really be captured on the page rather than in an audio book. The actor playing Angron didn’t capture this at all, coming across as quite pissed off rather than consumed by rage (sounded like one of my old bosses in fact). This made it really difficult for me to take the character seriously when he spoke, not so good when you’re talking about the main character of the piece. Lorgar was a much more interesting character to follow in this respect.

‘Butcher’s Nails’ is an absorbing tale then, spoilt by an actor who didn’t (couldn’t?) meet the demands of the character whom he was playing. It made for some good listening but felt like a bit of a shame at the same time…

Eight and Half out of Ten

‘Eye of Vengeance’ – Graham McNeill (Black Library)

‘Eye of Vengeance’ is a short story that will be found in the forthcoming ‘Ultramarines: The Second Omnibus’ as well as being an audio book (also forthcoming, I think) in its own right. Both are appearing at roughly the same time and I do find myself wondering how that’s going to work. Do you pay ten pounds for an audio book that only lasts sixty five minutes or do you get the omnibus which is crammed full of books that have been out for ages and most people already have? I’ve got them, here are my reviews for ‘The Killing Ground’, ‘Courage and Honour’ and ‘The Chapter’s Due’.
This short story is a bit of an odd one to place then. I think it would have been best suited in one of the Space Marine anthologies where there would have been enough variety amongst the other tales to make the repetition of this one a little more forgiveable. Given that the story itself isn’t that much cop either… Well, you can see where I’m going here.

The agricultural world is under attack by Dark Mechanicus priests and their terrifying weapons of destruction. The Ultramarines stand firm against the onslaught but their resistance can only last so long against an enemy that rebuilds itself even as it is destroyed. More subtle measures are called for if the forces of the Dark Mechanicus  are to be thrown back; measures that can only be employed by sergeant Torias Telion and his band of Ultramarine scouts. Their mission will take them deep into enemy territory to halt the supply of fresh armaments at its very source. If they don’t fall foul of the many dangers on the way though then what lies in the Temple Forge could well prove the death of them all.

I was lucky enough to have a chance to experience ‘Eye of Vengeance’ in both of its formats. Unfortunately though, it didn’t really work for me in either…

‘Eye of Vengeance’ sits at the end of ‘Ultramarines: The Second Omnibus’ like a misplaced afterthought. There’s very little connection (that I could see) to the preceding three novels and I really felt this lack, especially as those preceding novels fit together so tightly. You end up wondering why ‘Eye of Vengeance’ is there at all (especially as it’s also an audio book) other than to fill in a few extra pages.
The story itself is set up well but tails off into a series of smug encounters between the Ultramarines and their enemy. There’s no tension to speak of as the scouts either win through or withdraw from more dangerous threats because they have a mission to complete. What waits for them in the Temple Forge does make up for this a little bit but to have Telion take it on single-handedly…? I couldn’t buy that one, especially with the foregone conclusion.

Being exactly the same tale, I had exactly the same issues with ‘Eye of Vengeance’ as an audio book. The production made up for it a little bit, there’s plenty going on in the background that you can immerse yourself in. What I did have trouble getting around though was the actor’s (not sure which one but I’m guessing Rupert Degas) decision to portray Telion as a rather posh sounding RAF captain from a World War Two film. That really didn’t work for me at all, I found myself wanting Telion to stop talking so I wouldn’t have to listen to him.

Overall then, a disappointing experience on both fronts. If I had to recommend one format over the other I’d… Oh, I don’t know. There’s not a lot to recommend either really although I can see the audio book doing better as it’s not saddled with three other books that people already have.

‘Eye of Vengeance’ The Short Story: 6/10
‘Eye of Vengeance’ The Audio Book: 7/10

‘Labyrinth of Sorrows’ – George Mann (Black Library)

There haven’t really been any audio books featured here recently and this is very much to do with the smallest member of the household becoming fascinated with the way that the CD tray slides out of the computer. After repeated button pushing, the CD tray still works but I can’t put anything onto my iPod now… Thanks a lot little miss…
The problem rectified itself when I realised that I still had my old personal CD player on a shelf somewhere. I feel like I’ve suddenly gone back to the nineties but that’s not such a bad thing sometimes ;o) At least I now get to catch up on some of the audio books that I’ve been missing out on.
Audio books like ‘Labyrinth of Sorrows’ for example. Regular blog followers here will no doubt already know that George Mann’s work is as likely to infuriate me as it will enthral me (no links this time, it’s all on the blog if you want to look). That’s not going to stop me giving his work a go though and ‘Labyrinth of Sorrows’ was next on the list.

I suspect that the faults I found with ‘Labyrinth of Sorrows’ are because of its format, as much as anything else, but it still made for an entertaining seventy five minutes listening.

On the mortuary world of Kasharat, a drama is playing out (far from the front lines) that could well determine the fate of an entire Sector of contested space. While Imperial and Chaos forces clash, a small force of Marines from the Brazen Minotaurs Chapter infiltrate a temple complex on a mission to retrieve something of vital importance to their Chapter. Traitor Marines of the Death Guard stand between them and their prize. The Brazen Minotaurs and Death Guard are not the only Marines in the complex however. The secretive Raven Guard lurk in the shadows waiting to strike… but why?

It pretty much goes without saying that you can only fit so much story into an audio book that’s only seventy five minutes long. That’s fair enough but I couldn’t help wondering whether this happened here to the cost of the story itself…

‘Labyrinth of Sorrows’ has to be one of the most linear stories I’ve ever come across, more than likely because there wasn’t much room for anything else. Or was there? I’ve listened to a lot of stuff from the Black Library that has done so much more in the time allotted. Does the fault lie with George Mann then? Maybe… An interesting premise is set up but the way it all unfolds is just that little bit too straightforward to really hold the interest. There are no real surprises (and the sense of urgency decreases because of this) and it ends in just the way you would expect. Without giving too much away, a little ‘friendly fire’ incident right at the end could have turned everything on its head and left us thinking for a long time afterwards.

So what kept me listening then?

Like I said, the set up was intriguing and you never find out what the Brazen Minotaurs are after until the very end. That in itself was enough to keep things ticking over.
What really kept me going here was the fact that, in my opinion, ‘Labyrinth of Sorrows’ is one of the better produced audio books from this range. Nothing springs to mind (ok, ‘Throne of Lies’) as being quite so atmospheric as ‘Labyrinth of Sorrows’ and it is a very easy audio book to get sucked into because of this. I particularly liked the change of background music whenever the focus switched onto the Raven Guard.

The narration and acting were top notch as well with Sean Barrett’s world weary narration giving us a real feel for the setting while Saul Reichlin and Rupert Degas give us a clear and distinctive line between the two sets of Marines. The Black Library look like they’re building up a great cast for these audio books and I’m looking forward to hearing more from these guys in the future. It’s almost enough to make me forget about Toby Longworth…

‘Labyrinth of Sorrows’ is a case then of a slightly weak story being more than buoyed up by superior production and acting. That was what really gripped me in the end and I had a great time listening as a result.

Eight out of Ten

‘Thorn & Talon’ – Dan Abnett et al (Black Library)

I couldn’t get a seat on the train yesterday morning and was the recipient of an absolutely foul glare off a middle aged woman, just because I happened to be wearing earphones (not that she could hear anything, I checked). I didn’t care though. Transferring from the train to the tube, someone (who really could have done with leaving his house five minutes earlier) decided that the carriage wasn’t jammed enough and took up a little more space, leaving me a little less room to do things like move and, well... breathe. I still didn’t care though, the reason being that I was listening to the latest audio book from the Black Library.
The quality of these audio books has been known to vary, check out my earlier reviews, but I’m always pleased to see one come through the door as I know that means I’ve got at least one commute that I will actually enjoy, one where I won’t end up wanting to kill my fellow passengers. Why would I when I can live vicariously through characters unloading serious amounts of ordinance upon the aliens and heretic scum of a grim and dark universe...?

‘Thorn & Talon’ was a particularly welcome arrival as I’d just finished Dan Abnett’s ‘Salvation’s Reach’ (review on it’s way this week) and was looking for something to tide me over until I could get round to picking up one of those massive omnibus editions that Black Library are well known for. I’ve also never read any of Abnett’s ‘Inquisitor’ books so ‘Thorn & Talon’ looked like as good a place as any to start.
Sometimes I think that life is made up of an ever-growing list of books that I really must get round to reading at some point. Listening to ‘Thorn & Talon’ has added another couple of books to that list; I really want to find out more about Inquisitors Eisenhorn and Ravenor...

‘Thorn & Talon’ tells three tales from various points in the life of Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn although he is more of a peripheral figure in one of these tales and I’m guessing that this tale will prove to be a gateway into one of Abnett’s future projects. We see Eisenhorn as an Interrogator, a new Inquisitor starting out and an Inquisitor nearing the end of his life but still fighting against the darkness. One of these stories is a lot more straightforward than the other two (you can see where it’s going) but together, all three make for some great listening.

‘Master Imus’s Transgression’ kicks things off and while it fits in with the chronological approach taken to the audio book; it’s perhaps not the best tale to kick things off on. This tale of a clerk’s perceived dalliance with the Ruinous Powers has some neat surprises up its sleeve (insofar as the way in which we see Eisenhorn deal with Master Imus) but the overall course of the plot is a little too obvious, at least it was for me. Abnett does make up for this by ending things on a very bleak note but the damage for me was done in getting to that point. While the production here was as good as ever, it also didn’t help that Rupert Degas (as Master Imus) had a nasty habit of making Imus’ voice a little too ‘mumbly’ and hard to make out. More than once, I found myself having to rewind and see if I could make out what was being said. More than once, I found myself having to give up on this if I was ever going to get on with the rest of the story... Jonathan Keeble makes for a great narrator though, very much in keeping with the sombre tone of this piece.Not a bad tale all in all but could have been better. 8/10

‘Regia Occulta’ was more like it though with an enforced stay on a storm wracked planet leading Eisenhorn into a series of murders that must be solved. All the clues are right in front of you but Abnett very cleverly keeps things under wraps until just the right moment. There’s also a really grim atmosphere surrounding this piece, both in the storms that wrack the planet and when we get to find out just what Eisenhorn is capable of, even though he hasn’t been an Inquisitor for very long.
I could see where the killer was coming from but I didn’t realise what it was until those frantic last moments where it all kicks off in the best possible way and with a novel approach to a hostage situation. It was all over a little too quickly but was a hell of a rush in the meantime and everyone involved delivered their lines pretty much perfectly. If we ever do see more of Eisenhorn then I really hope it’s Gareth Armstrong doing the honours. 9.5/10

‘Thorn Wishes Talon’ rounds things off and is easily the best of the three stories. Inquisitor Ravenor, and his retinue, are summoned to a distant planet by a cryptic message but must fight for their lives if they are to decipher just what it means. The constant stream of gunfire hurries things along and I loved the way that Abnett sets you up to think ‘Thorn Wishes Talon’ is going one way, only for you to find that it opens up into something far wider in scope. Not only does Abnett do this but he also manages to tell two stories at once which totally caught me out until the end. Whereas Black Library have previously relied on one actor to deliver a number of different voices, this time there’s a whole cast involved and this means there’s more that is different to catch your ear. Rupert Degas does take on more than one character though and all credit to him that I didn’t realise this until I looked at the credits. 10/10

Like I said, ‘Thorn & Talon’ has got me keen to dig out those ‘Eisenhorn’ and ‘Ravenor’ books lurking at the bottom of the pile. ‘Thorn and Talon’ proved to be a great place to jump on board and I reckon that seasoned fans will get a lot out of it as well.

‘Red and Black’ – James Swallow (Black Library)

‘Black Library, making Graeme’s daily commute a hell of a lot more bearable since about 2008…’ Ok, I can’t really see this slogan being adopted but that doesn’t make it any the less true. Sometimes the quality varies but I’m always guaranteed something that will take my mind off the trip to and from work; sometimes I even find myself wanting to stay on the train… This is more often than not the case when I have one of their audio books playing on my iPod as I can blot everything out and really get into what is happening in the countless worlds of the Imperium in the forty first millennium. The arrival of the latest audio book from James Swallow was a pretty big deal then and I didn’t hang around in giving it a listen…


No man may carry arms under the banners of the Imperial Church… It’s a good job then that, due to a legal loophole, the other half of humanity is allowed to take the Imperial truth to heretics and Xenos everywhere with flamer and bolter. Sister Miriya is a zealous member of the Church but her faith is about to tested as never before. The planet Hollos has emerged from a millennia long warp storm and begs to be allowed back into the Imperial fold.
What has happened to Hollos, during its exile, merits the attention of the Church though and Sister Miriya has the final say on whether an entire planet lives or dies…

‘Red and Black’ is a bit of tough one to call; while it grabbed my attention from the off I couldn’t help but wonder if this tale was a victim of it’s format and could have been a lot better on the written page instead.

There is a lot going on here but only so much running time to fit it all into and, as a result, it felt like the whole story wasn’t being told. Of course you do get a whole story and Swallow does well to fit in what he does; I just couldn’t get away from the feeling that the intrigue (and counter intrigue) really wanted to spread itself out rather than be shoehorned into a small space…

This is a shame because the premise is definitely interesting (Swallow asking the question of what it really means to be human and applying this to the 40K universe) and Swallow adds enough twists and turns to make the inevitable outcome a little more surprising than you would at first think. It’s not a great final twist in the tale (this particular setting will always demand a certain end to any story based there) but it does move the plot in a new direction just when you are least expecting it and it does a good job of forcing Sister Miriya to confront the big issues of the plot.

The production is as great as ever with background effects really drawing you into the story itself and also proving that female narrators really don’t have to be stuck with reading female characters. Beth Chalmers and Lisa Bowerman bring the characters to life in such a way that 40K fans will definitely approve of and I hope we see more of them in this line.

Like I said, ‘Red and Black’ is a tough one to call but it does enough to come down on the side of all that is good about the Black Library audio book series. I’ve got the books to be going on with in the meantime but I’m looking forward to seeing which audio book comes my way next.

Eight and a Half out of Ten

‘The Madness Within’ – Steve Lyons (Black Library)

Whatever it was that has knocked me out these last couple of days hasn’t left me in much of a state for reading books; when your eyes hurt just looking at stuff then a good old dose of reading can only end in tears (literally!) Audio books though, that’s a different deal altogether.

The Black Library’s audio adaptation of the Horus Heresy novel ‘False Gods’ left me cold but Black Library’s more than decent record in audio books (overall) meant that I was still very much looking forward to listening to ‘The Madness Within’. I couldn’t help but hope though that this latest offering would be a return to form and, luckily for me, it was. I had a great time listening to ‘The Madness Within’...

The Crimson Fists Space Marines’ mission to rebuild their Chapter has hit the nastiest of obstacles in the form of a daemon that has manifested on one of their recruiting worlds and is picking off the Marines stationed there. Soon there are only two Marines left... and a Librarian Psyker mentally scarred by the attentions of the Warp and driven to acts of violence against his own comrades. The Librarian’s experience will be crucial if the daemon is to be stopped but can Marines Estabann and Cordoba trust him to be able to do his job?

When you’re coughing pretty much constantly and you’re waiting for your teething daughter to wake up (again) there’s no better way to spend this time than by listening to ‘The Madness Within’; at least that’s what I found. I couldn’t get enough of it and actually had to remind myself that I really should think about sleeping at some point...

John Banks takes up the narrative duties this time round and shows us all why he’s pretty much got this Black Library audio book gig sewn up (along with Toby Longworth). Banks’ delivery captures the bleakness of the setting and the steadfast determination of the Marines who inhabit it. He also very much captures the urgency of Lyon’s plot and proves to be more than adept at moving with the plot’s natural ebb and flow. If there was one small issue I found it was that one of the characters didn’t sound ‘Marine’ enough when compared to the other two (who really did) but Banks was so spot on with everything else that I almost feel a little churlish bringing this up...

Lyons’ story is very much a riff on the classic ‘hunt a monster somewhere dark and full of corridors’ storyline but he injects it with enough with enough energy and atmosphere that you won’t mind too much, you’ll be happy to just jump on and enjoy the ride. Perhaps it was a little too drawn out for my tastes though. After all, how many times can you keep bumping into a daemon and having it escape before you start wondering about things like the running time on the CD and ‘filler’...?

That to one side though, ‘The Madness Within’ is an urgently paced tale full of surprises and Space Marines doing what they do best (attacking stuff with dirty great chain swords and exhorting each other to further acts of courage). The atmosphere draws you in, the plot and interaction between characters makes sure that you stay. I particularly loved the downbeat ending that comes just when you think that a certain character has accepted developments and is prepared to work with them. This ending hints at more to come for a certain Space Marine and I’d be happy to see more along the same lines.

Nine and a Quarter out of Ten

‘Dead in the Water (Ciaphas Cain)’ – Sandy Mitchell (Black Library)

I don’t know if it’s because I don’t get the humour or if it’s simply because I haven’t got onto the good stuff yet; the bottom line is that I just don’t get why people love roguish Commissar Ciaphas Cain so much. A couple of the footnotes make me laugh here and there but, on the whole, I end up feeling like I’m the only guy in the room who doesn’t get the joke (and I’ve been to a few parties like that in real life). I really enjoy the setting itself though so always seem to find myself coming back for more; this time for Ciaphas Cain’s debut in audio book format. I really should look at reviewing more audio books for the blog as the Black Library audio books have been a great way to take the edge off a commute that’s never pleasant. ‘Dead in the Water’ proved to be more of the same but I still had the same old issues with the story, as well as a brand new one...

Commissar Ciaphas Cain is a renowned hero of the Imperium; an officer who has faced down the worst that the xenos races and creatures from the warp have thrown at him. What Cain isn’t so well known for though is the fact that he’s the biggest coward in the Commissariat and will do anything to stay out of the firing line. Overseeing the pacification of a feral river world seems like the ideal posting for Cain then but something deadly is stirring on one of the many islands and is about to make a relatively simple posting a lot more complicated for the erstwhile Commissar. The only way that Cain can avoid this new threat is to understand it and that means meeting it head on...

‘Dead in the Water’ proved to be a bit of a mixed bag for me in that I wasn’t sure what it was meant to be. Was it a humorous episode along the same lines as previous outings for Cain? Well, the main source of laughs for me were not there at all this time round. To be fair though, I’m not sure how you could incorporate footnotes into an audio book... Any suggestions? If my reading of the books is correct then it’s Inquisitor Amberley Vail’s footnotes that make for the humour instead of Cain’s narrative. What you’re left with instead are a series of events where Cain is trying to get out of trouble without looking like he is trying to get out of trouble. If there is a joke there (I didn’t see it but you might) then it gets repetitive very quickly. If you’re looking at it terms of tension being racked up though, ‘Dead in the Water’ is more successful in this respect. The plot is very simple but Mitchell leaves you in no doubt as to what the stakes are for our main Cain and that’s where the fun comes in. You can see the ending coming (it’s not an alien threat so it doesn’t take much to work out) but the sound effects beef things up nicely and gives it all the sense of the spectacular that it needs. Toby Longworth is on fine form as always and I particularly liked the way he gave different voices to the young Cain and the retired Cain telling the story.

I think the best thing to say here is that fans of Ciaphas Cain will enjoy ‘Dead in the Water’, probably for all the same reasons that you guys love the books. For me though, ‘Dead in the Water’ made for an entertaining hour’s listening but didn’t really do what I thought it set out to.

Seven out of Ten

‘Legion of One’ – James Swallow (Black Library)

Not being at work this week means that I’ve got to listen out for Hope doing all the things that she knows she shouldn’t but does anyway; she’s so pleased at her naughtiness that she gives herself away every time… She’s tenacious and I’ve got to have my wits about me; not the best time then to be listening to an audiobook on my iPod. We’re talking a Black Library audiobook though so a compromise had to be found. It involved staying up really late (and I mean really late) and listening to it really quietly but it was well worth it. Like I said in yesterday’s review, I reckon if you wait for a bit you will probably see these stories in print sooner or later.


Formerly of the Death Guard Legion, Captain Nathaniel Garro is now on the business of the Regent of Terra himself. Garro doesn’t fully know what this business is as yet but there is only one minor task yet to fulfil… This mission will take Garro and his comrades to the bombed out planet where Horus’ rebellion truly began and they cannot leave until they have found what they are looking for. What are they looking for though? And will they know when they find it? Falsehood abounds on these dark streets and nothing is truly as it seems…

In Nathaniel Garro’s continuing adventures, James Swallow has the makings of an audio series that could form a defining part of the Horus Heresy series as a whole. It looks like it could be that good. I got the feeling though that a trick was missed here in terms of fleshing the series out that little bit more as we’re only on the second CD and already there are now two people under Garro’s command. I would have liked to have found out more about how the World Eater Marine Varen came to join Garro on his quest…

This is only a small niggle though as the rest of the CD is full of little twists and turns that made the story one that I had to keep following. I could see the ending coming but Swallow does just enough to keep you guessing; I loved delving into the character of Cerberus and when I found out his true identity… Well, if you’re a fan then I think there’s a bit of a treat in store here. I certainly appreciated it. While events are playing out we also get to see a disparate collection of Marines (all reeling from their own betrayals) slowly start to bond into their own team and it looks like something worth following is slowly starting to grow.

I wasn’t so sure about the soundtrack that accompanied ‘Legion of One’ but the sound effects did a sterling job of portraying a dead world and Toby Longworth’s narration was of its usual high standards. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next.

Nine out of Ten

‘Helion Rain’ – George Mann (Black Library)

It is always a good day when a Black Library audio book finds itself on my door mat... It doesn’t take long for me to pop it on my iPod and then I’m guaranteed a days worth of commuting where I can shut out some of the worse excesses of London travel and lose myself in the grim, dark universe of the forty first millennium. At least, that’s the way it normally goes but the latest arrival didn’t have me leaping all over it like I normally would...
The last book I read of Mann’s was ‘The Affinity Bridge’, very well received by everyone who read it. Very well received by everyone accept me that is. I won’t bore you with the details all over again (just click Here to see my review if you want) but, for me, it was a case of only half of what was promised being delivered. When I saw his name on ‘Helion Rain’ then, well... I was left wondering if I was in for more of the same. As it turned out, I shouldn’t have worried so much.

The world of Idos is in the throes of a Tyranid infestation (a ravenous species that seeks to consume everything in its path) and the 4th company of the Raven Guard Space Marines have been tasked to its defence. The opposition is nothing short of overwhelming though and an audacious plan is conceived that will hopefully buy time for the last survivors on Idos to escape. It falls to veteran Sergeant Grayvus and his squad of Raven Guard scouts to execute this plan; a plan that will involve a race against time over a landscape bombarded by the inadvertent destruction of its own moon. If that wasn’t bad enough, many varied (and deadly) sub-species of Tyranid lurk round every corner; ready to rend and flay the unwary...

I’ve got to the point, with this audio book series, where I’ve run out of original things to say about Toby Longworth’s delivery. I’ll come straight out and admit it. The fact of the matter is that he does as sterling a job as ever, certainly up to the point where I can’t imagine another Warhammer 40K audio book that doesn’t feature him in some aspect. Some of the voices may sound suspiciously similar, to those heard from earlier audio books, but it’s that gruff, hard quality to his delivery that really captures the feel of the setting. I said it last time and I’ll say it again; I’m looking forward to hearing more from Toby Longworth in the future. Emphasis is on the characters this time round, instead of background affects, and this is the right approach in a tale that is all about the characters instead of scene setting (although the steady fall of a shattered moon was a particularly nice touch in terms of giving the piece some atmosphere).

The story itself is relatively straightforward, perhaps a little too straightforward for those who after something a little more involved to chew on. There’s a mission and, although Mann does a good job of building up the tension, the outcome is never in any real doubt (although there was one point where I did wonder...) This does rob the story of some of its urgency but the real fun lies in trying to predict who will make it through to the end of the story as Mann takes great pleasure in throwing the very worst elements of a Tyranid swarm at one small band of scouts. Frequent switches in perspective show all too well how hard such an encounter can be for a full Space Marine Company and you’re left with a very clear picture of how hard it is for the scouts to complete their mission. There’s a real element of uncertainty here and, with a revealing insight into the character of Sergeant Grayvus, this was what kept my interest. Space Marines may be well nigh invulnerable but Mann goes past this and gives us a character that is far more than just a ‘hack and slash’ automaton. Grayvus has had prior experience of the Tyranids and knows just what they are capable of...

Longworth’s delivery and Mann’s climactic passages combine to give us an ending that, although not unexpected, is more than worth the price of entry. One of those endings where everything vaguely flammable is thrown at it and the end result wouldn’t look out of place on the big screen. ‘Helion Rain’ may not be a stand out entry in the Warhammer 40K audio book line but it’s a more than solid affair that fans will enjoy. Not only that but it’s also left me feeling a little happier about giving Mann’s ‘The Osiris Ritual’ a go in the near future. Look out for this one in February 2011.

Eight and a Quarter out of Ten

‘Garro: Oath of Moment’ – James Swallow (Black Library)

It could well turn into a bit of a ‘Black Library Week’ on the blog this week what with the direction my reading is taking me in at the moment. Well, that’s how I roll... Don’t listen to those people who mock tie-in fiction. The target doesn’t get hit every time but, if you’re after a well crafted piece of military sci-fi with a gothic edge, then you can’t go too far wrong with the Black Library’s ‘Warhammer 40,000’ fiction. Seriously, check it out if you haven’t already.
I was in the mood for something along these lines when faced with the prospect of coming back to work after a glorious three day weekend; if that prospect wasn’t bad enough my journey means that I have to deal with the trials and tribulations of the London Underground (a commute that can sometimes leave you without space to even hold a book let alone read one...) I was cool with that though as my Black Library fix was nestled comfortably on my iPod...

If you’ve read the Horus Heresy book ‘Flight of the Eisenstein’ then you will know of the disenfranchised Space Marines who, at the end of the book, were left imprisoned to await the will of the Emperor. Nathaniel Garro, formerly of the Death Guard Legion, was one such marine and now his time of imprisonment has come to an end.
Nathaniel Garro has now sworn a new oath to none other to Malcador the Sigillite himself, Regent of Terra and one of the most powerful men in the Imperium. Garro’s new mission will take him back into the stars where he will fight those whom he used to call brother whilst putting the Sigillite’s plans into motion. First stop, the embattled Ultramarine world of Calth.

With only a couple of notable exceptions, I’ve had a great time with the Black Library’s audio book output. They’re a great way to while away an hour or so and are always entertaining. Once again, this was very much the case with ‘Oath of Moment’.

After a brief period of wondering whether the series could do with a little more variety regarding the narration duties I came to the conclusion, a while ago, that Toby Longworth is in fact the man best suited to delivering high octane tales of warfare in a nightmarish future millennia hence. ‘Oath of Moment’ did nothing to change my mind in this respect. There were moments where I found myself wondering if Longworth had exhausted the range of different voices that he had for characters; some of them sounded suspiciously familiar to those heard in prior audio books... That to one side though (and seriously, could any one actor really populate a fictional universe with characters that all sounded different...?), Longworth is most definitely the ‘voice of Warhammer 40K’. His rough tones really cast the Imperium in the light that it’s meant to be cast in and I’m looking forward to more from him in the future. Moving away from the narration, ‘Oath of Moment’ is very clearly a well produced piece with music and sound effects carefully placed to enhance the mood rather than drown it out.

I did wonder what would happen to the likes of Nathaniel Garro and James Swallow very kindly lets us know with the opening chapter in a side plot to the Heresy that looks like it could well run for a while. It doesn’t feel like there’s a lot of room to actually get to know the characters all that well (although you may already know Garro from ‘Flight of the Eisenstein’) but Swallow works well with the space that he has, giving us a keen look into the minds and motivations of Garro and the Ultramarine Rubio. Rubio’s character in particular is fascinating to follow as he fights to find some middle ground between the demands of duty and the consequences of the edict that arose from the Council of Nikea. The outcome is perhaps a little too obvious but what’s thrown at Garro and Rubio, in the meantime, more than makes up for it. The climactic scenes well and truly deserve that title.

‘Oath of Moment’ may be short but it’s very sweet at the same time, an intriguing opening chapter for the continuing adventures of Nathaniel Garro. The detail of the Sigillite’s orders makes this a series that I’ll be keeping an eye open for in the future.

Eight and Three Quarters out of Ten

‘Aenarion’ – Gav Thorpe (Black Library)

Ever since I started listening to audio-books from the Black Library I’ve been waiting to see not only what they came up for their fantasy setting but also how it translated to an audio format. There have been a few minor hiccups with the ‘Warhammer 40,000’ line but, on the whole, they know just what they’re doing with this setting and it shows in some very well produced titles. There hasn’t really been anything from the Warhammer fantasy line though, until now...

I’ve got to admit that part of my eagerness here was that I really fancied hearing a tale of knights in armour, complete with the pounding of hooves and clash of broadsword on shield. Maybe the guttural sounds of orcs and goblins as well, something to really get the blood pumping on the morning commute to work! I didn’t get everything I wanted as Gav Thorpe gives us a tale of the early history of the Elves instead. It did get my blood pumping though...

The Elves of Ulthuan have fought for centuries against demons of Chaos who seek to plunder that fair Isle for it’s magic. Chief among them is Aenarion who has made many sacrifices so that his people may survive each onslaught. Some sacrifices are too great to bear though and Aenarion forsakes his gods, seeking out the legendary Sword of Khaine so that he may take his fight to directly to the demons... and win.

The Sword of Khaine lies at the heart of the Blighted Isle and many dangers lie in front of Aenarion before he can achieve his goal. Even if Aenarion reaches the Black Anvil where the sword lies though, is the greatest danger still to come...?

Gav Thorpe’s bloody tale of revenge and tragedy follows some familiar paths and you will know fairly early on where these paths will end. If you’re a fan of the setting then the odds are that you will know already! A tale that is in danger of becoming too predictable for it’s own good is balanced out though by Thorpe’s clever depiction of the main character Aenarion and particular issues that other characters raise. The trials that Aenarion faces have all been done before but his character is drawn such that you want to stick around and see his quest through to the end, even if you know what that end will be. (It is an open ended, leaving room for a sequel, but even so it’s clear where it’s going) Aenarion is such a bright and idealistic character that it really hurts to see him taken down a notch and you have to admire his steadfastness in seeing his quest through against all odds. Here is a character who is a real driving force for the plot.

I also enjoyed the questions raised over the Elves use of magic to hold the demons back; magic that serves to lure the demons to Ulthuan in the first place. Do you carry on using this magic (but risk perpetuating the war) or give it up entirely and leave your home defenceless against attack? The Elves face an impossible decision and you really get the sense that whichever way they go it will result in their doom.

All of this is played out against compelling battle scenes (during and after the main fight) where Thorpe’s prose works to very good affect with the audio-book production. Victory may have been a little too easy to come by for the Elves, at the beginning, but I still found myself getting right behind them and may or may not have cheered a little when the battle was done...

Beth Chalmers and John Banks take up the narrative duties once again (after ‘Throne of Lies’) but this time they swap round. Chalmers has the main bulk of the narration and her urgent delivery carries the plot forward at a crisp pace. Banks provides the voice of Aenarion (amongst others) and I couldn’t help thinking that he was taking his ‘Elf cue’ a little too heavily from the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films... He delivers his lines well though, especially the inspiring speeches, and gives each character their own voice (some of this is done technologically but he sounds good however it turns out).

‘Aenarion’ has a couple of niggling issues that are more to do with the format chosen for the plot rather than its execution. It does promise good things for future audio-books in the Warhammer setting and you can count on my being there to see how it all pans out.

Eight and a Half out of Ten

‘Throne of Lies’ – Aaron Dembski-Bowden (Black Library)

As a man who loves to lounge around in the morning, when he should be getting ready for work, I regard it as my unassailable right to forget stuff when I’m dashing out of the door. You name it, I’ve forgotten it; keys, cash, lunch... None of these though were as potentially catastrophic though as my forgetting to pick up a new book when I left the house the other day. You know how I feel about my daily commute... If I can’t get away from it in a book then the odds are that something violent is going to happen somewhere between A and B...
Luckily for everyone on my train, what I hadn’t forgotten was my iPod and it’s handy selection of Black Library audio books. Up on that occasion was Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s ‘Throne of Lies’ (to be released in August, I think)...

The traitorous Night Lords Space Marines chapter strikes from the shadows, feeding on the decaying remnants of the Imperium of Mankind. They are not sworn to any one of the Chaos powers but their quest remains the same, to bring down the regime of the false emperor.
Sometimes though, even this must take a back seat to concerns that are far more pressing. The Night Lords are sworn to another crusade, one that they will sacrifice everything to complete, and it looks like Talos the ‘Soul Hunter’ has just discovered the path to it’s conclusion...

Aaron Dembski-Bowden builds upon what he began in ‘Soulhunter’ and expands his vision of a traitorous Space Marine chapter on the brink of extinction but still aiming to spit in the eye of the Imperium one more time before the inevitable occurs. As was the case with ‘Soulhunter’, I like the way that the Night Lords (while allied with their chaotic brothers) are rebelling for reasons of their own; it gives the whole scenario a little more depth and colour. The story itself does stand on it’s own but if you’ve already read ‘Soulhunter’ then I think you’ll get a lot more out of ‘Throne of Lies’. Reading ‘Soulhunter’ isn’t exactly a chore either (if you haven’t already), it’s very good indeed.

‘Throne of Lies’ was certainly a gripping tale to listen to, from the opening flight through the perils of the warp to the strangely poignant message from M’shen right at the end (with a political assassination in the middle). It does suffer though from the format that it finds itself in. There’s only so much story that you can fit on a CD of this length and you’re never going to be able to get all the twisty turny bits that you would find in a book... As a result, ‘Throne of Lies’ was a little more linear (in it’s plot) than I would have liked. You get to spend a little more time getting to know the characters but the story very much starts at A and ends at a slightly predictable B. It did whet my appetite for more tales of the Night Lords though, hopefully the next instalment will be a book and not an audio book...

Black Library seem to be investing a little more in the production of their audio books and this shows in what is a very atmospheric tale in terms of its sound effects. The narrator tells you what is happening but it’s all those little background noises that show you. You can almost feel the warp pressing against the hull of the ‘Covenant of Blood...
‘Throne of Lies’ is also memorable in that it’s the first Black Library audio book (at least, that I’ve heard) to feature a female voice in the narration. Beth Chalmers doesn’t have a lot to say but when she does step up it’s all done professionally and adds to the overall affect. John Banks has the largest chunk of narrative duties and really makes the story his own. There is one part though where he loses the voice of a character and goes back to his ‘narrating voice’. I’m surprised that didn’t get picked up actually...

'Throne of Lies' isn't without it's flaws and was a step backwards from the standard set by Nick Kyme's 'Fireborn'. What 'Throne of Lies' definitely was though was a thoroughly entertaining listen that bodes well for future Night Lords tales (but only if they're books though...)

Eight and a Quarter out of Ten

‘The Dark King’, ‘The Lightning Tower’ & ‘Fireborn’ (Black Library)

It’s been a long held opinion on this blog that the Black Library’s audio-book range is a great way to pass the time on the daily commute to and from work. I’ve found the quality to vary from disc to disc (‘Raven’s Flight’ was superb, ‘Waiting Death’ was less so...) but I can always count on a more or less decent tale to wake me up before I get into work in the morning.
These audio-books have become a little bit of a treat for me so it was even more of a treat when two of them arrived at the same time. One of them wasn’t bad at all but ended up being well and truly overshadowed by just how great the second one was...



‘The Dark King’ and ‘The Lightening Tower’ are two tales taken from the Black Library’s ‘Horus Heresy’ line and although they are by two different authors the main characters connect them. Unfortunately they take the form of two short stories on the same disc and, as such, this meant that I found myself not being able to get into the swing of things as much as I’d have liked. There’s enough time to introduce the characters and hurry them through the plot to an ending but not much else. This is a shame as Graham McNeill and Dan Abnett’s admirable efforts to cram plot into a finite amount of time leave you wondering what could have been if these stories had been given a disc each...

That’s not to say that either of these tales are of a poor quality. Both Abnett and McNeill do a fine job of delving into the psyche of two very different Primarchs, mankind’s champions against the alien threat. A fall from grace is always more interesting to follow so McNeill edges things in his exploration of the growing insanity of the Primarch Night Haunter and it’s inevitable conclusion. Abnett’s treatment of Rogal Dorn, in ‘The Lightening Tower’, is limited by Dorn’s single minded loyalty to the Emperor but room is still found to explore the secret fears that lie at the heart of all, no matter how powerful a person is. Both tales are solid character studies that could have benefitted from being allowed to spread out and grow a little. As it is, as good as these stories are they are perhaps more suited to long term Warhammer 40K fans that have a wider knowledge of the setting.
I’ve mentioned before that the Black Library audio-books were becoming the sole preserve of Toby Longworth and that it would perhaps make a refreshing change to see someone else take on the narrative duties. My wish was granted as Danny Webb took up the reins here and did very well for himself, delivering his narrative in a measured and compelling tone. I’d certainly like to hear more of him in future books. 8.5/10



After having wondered if Toby Longworth was perhaps getting a little too much airtime here, I was surprised to find myself really glad to have him back behind the wheel for ‘Fire Born’. As much as I wanted to see someone different take on these books it appears that Toby Longworth is the voice of the Black Library audio-book range, at least as far as I’m concerned. It’s almost as if Longworth has recharged his batteries and is eager to get going again as he lets the listener have the full range of his narrative abilities over the course of ‘Fire Born’. You would be hard pressed to believe that it’s just one man providing a whole cast of characters and the hard tone of his delivery captures the feel of the Warhammer universe perfectly. This time round, the background sounds work sublimely with Longworth to create an experience of warfare so fully immersive that that it had my heart pumping.

Nick Kyme builds on the background of the ‘Salamander’ space marines while at the same time pushing things forwards for a certain character that readers of ‘Salamander’ will have met before. We get another look at the constant self-loathing of Tsu’Gan and his character grows ever more complex which can only bode well for the future. Kyme’s tale is full of stirring action and a revelation that throws the Salamander’s mission on its head. Add a monstrous demonic creation that just won’t stop coming at you (no matter what’s thrown at it) and you’ve got a story that positively roars along to a very satisfying conclusion that hints at more goodness to come. ‘Fireborn’ is the complete package as far as quality goes; there was nothing lacking at all and I’d say that this is the best audio-book that the Black Library have put out so far. The only problem they’ve got is that they’ve given themselves a tough act to follow… 10/10

‘Waiting Death’ – Steve Lyons (Black Library)

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while then you’ll know only too well just how much I loathe and despise the London Underground on a daily basis. If there’s anything I truly hate it’s being forced onto a commuter train while everyone else on board is trying their level best not to move up for you. What’s worse is when it’s so packed that you can’t even get a book out of your bag to read…
I’ve beaten this little predicament by listening to audio books on my ipod, mostly from the Black Library Warhammer 40,000 range. The standard has generally been pretty good so far so when I received my copy of ‘Waiting Death’ I was looking forward to a nice distraction from the morning commute.It didn’t work out quite like that though…

Colonel ‘Ironhand’ Straken’s Catachans have a well-deserved reputation as the toughest jungle fighters in the Imperium. On their chosen terrain, no-one can stand against them so a little job like rooting a Chaos cult out of the jungles of Borealis Four shouldn’t even have them breaking a sweat. That’s what you’d have thought but Borealis Four has a surprise in store for Straken and his men… ‘Ironhand’ and his men are about to find out that when the Chaos powers take root in your head, the most dangerous enemy you will face is… yourself.

As with ‘Thunder from Fenris’, ‘Waiting Death’ suffers from a lack of background sound affects that an audio book needs in order to be able to convey the atmosphere of the story to the reader. The only reason I really knew that the story was set in a jungle was because the narrator made that clear right at the beginning. Apart from a few birds whistling I never really got a clear sense of where I was which made it more difficult to engage with the plot.
While any military sci-fi based audio book is only going to have a set number of sound affects to call on, I do draw the line when these effects are clearly lifted from an earlier tale. It might just be me but the sounds of Catachans fighting sounded very suspiciously like the Space Wolves fighting in ‘Thunder from Fenris’. Again, this was detrimental to my being able to engage with the plot at all.

Once I’d got past this, the story itself was ably delivered by Toby Longworth but seemed to signpost its intentions a little too obviously and too early. If you’re a newcomer to the Warhammer 40,000 universe then the narrative may catch you out. If you’re a long term fan (or, like me, have been reading for a short while) then you’ll see what’s coming a mile off. The big problem here is that there isn’t enough time here to flesh a generic plot out with any interesting tangents. What you get is a plot that moves you from A to C via B; not bad if that’s what you’re after but for me it was all bone and no meat...

The Black Library have produced a couple of audio books that give listeners an entertaining tale as well as a window into the turbulent Warhammer universe; ‘Waiting Death’ (to be released in April) isn’t one of them I’m afraid. Check out ‘Heart of Rage’ or ‘Raven’s Flight’ to see how it should be done.

Six and a Half out of Ten

‘Raven’s Flight’ – Gav Thorpe (Black Library)

Despite the snow promising to keep everyone inside their houses the tube seemed to be more packed than ever. There wasn’t any room for me to hold a book but what I did have was room to stick my iPod on and listen to an audio book instead. While I’ve been enjoying the Black Library’s output it’s the ‘Horus Heresy’ series that I always want to see more of; I’ve got a few more books to read but ‘Raven’s Flight’ was what I ended up choosing to listen to for the journey into work. I’m glad I did, ‘Raven’s Flight’ answered a few questions in a most entertaining way...

The ‘Dropsite Massacre’ on Istvaan V has been one of the most shocking events of the civil war thus far with entire legions of Space Marines wiped out by their treacherous counterparts. Primarch Corax and his surviving Raven Guard are all that’s left and their flight across mountains and valleys can only end in ultimate defeat at the hands of the World Eater’s legion and their Primarch Angron. Far across the galaxy, Guard Captain Valerius’ dreams lead him to believe that the Raven Guard are in trouble on Istvaan V. Can he convince his superiors to effect a rescue? Will any such attempt come in time...?

Toby Longworth once again resumes his narrative duties and puts the slight ‘off key’ note of his Schwarzenegger impression behind him (see my review for ‘Thunder from Fenris’) to give another great performance. I’m running out of great things to say about Longworth’s work with the Black Library. Quite simply, here’s a guy who can make you believe that you’re listening to a whole group of people performing rather than just one. Having said that though, while he makes every character sound different they all have that ‘gruff maleness’ about them; I want some women to appear in the next audio book and see how he tackles that!
The sound effects are a lot more in your face than they were last time as well. The music complements the mood perfectly and the sound of all out warfare pounds in your ears. When things get a little tense, Longworth adjusts his tone accordingly and this drives things along at just the right speed.

‘Raven’s Flight’ is really a story for those who have already embarked on the ‘Horus Heresy’ series as it follows on from events played out in Graham McNeill’s ‘Fulgrim’. While there is enough to the tale to make it stand alone, you’re going to appreciate it a whole lot more as a part of the tapestry of the series as a whole. Gav Thorpe really goes for the jugular in terms of stirring up the tension, a legion’s survival depends on whether one Marine is able to put stock in another man’s prophetic dreams. As their argument is played out we are constantly reminded of what’s at stake; a battered legion on it’s last legs that is nearing it’s end. Thorpe hits the mark here, leaving his resolution hanging right up until the final minutes. Anything could happen in the meantime and that’s what kept me going.

Through the Primarch Corax, Thorpe also seeks to show his listeners the exact cost of the traitor’s betrayal of their former battle brothers. Again, you might need to be a long term fan of the series to really get what it means but Thorpe does a bloody good job in any case. Accompanied by Longworth’s sombre tones, Thorpe gives us really sharp insight into a psyche that’s battered but not yet bowed; giving me yet another reason to see this one through to the end. Having said all of that though, the frantic pace sometimes seems a little rushed when perhaps it didn’t need to be. I guess there’s a fine line to be drawn here in keeping the pace natural rather than forced; Thorpe crosses that line on a couple of occasions.

This is a relatively minor niggle though, I’ve been looking forward to ‘Raven’s Flight’ ever since its release was announced and my anticipation was justified. Brilliant stuff and the best Black Library audio book yet!

Nine and a Quarter out of Ten.

‘The Gathering Storm’ Audiobook – The First Two Discs…

As you all know, I’m really having difficulties getting into books at the moment. It’s just an ‘End of the Year and Tired’ thing, hopefully things will pick up soon. I hope so as I have some great looking stuff on the pile waiting to be read! :o)

One of the things I’m doing to get round this is to try listening to audiobooks instead. I’ve had mixed results so far but at least I’m keeping the momentum going and that’s a good thing!
‘The Gathering Storm’ weighs in at a bulky twenty six CDs in audiobook format, a quite incredible thirty four and a half hours worth of listening all in all. Just so you don’t all end up waiting forever for a full review I’m going to be giving you lucky people occasional updates of where I am with this monstrous undertaking…

The first two discs are mainly about telling us where all the main players are and what they’re doing. I’m not as big a fan of the ‘Wheel of Time’ as certain others but even I can see that there are two people writing this book now. The good news is that Brandon Sanderson is very much after letting telling Jordan’s story and keeping himself out of the picture as much as possible. There are two names on the book but it’s all about the name that counts. I’m looking forward to getting into this some more, we find out what the storm means and I want to know what happens next!

I’m having trouble with one of the narrators though and that’s not such a good thing seeing as I still have a long way to go. Kate Reading is ok but Michael Kramer’s voice and tone follows a set pattern that you can almost set your watch by. This has meant that I’ve found myself listening to his voice more than what he is actually saying resulting in multiple rewinding of the CD…

It’s not looking good so far but I’ll definitely stick it out for a bit longer and see where it takes me. If I get my reading mojo back then I’ll probably put the CDs down and pick up the book. Wish me luck!

‘Thunder from Fenris’ – Nick Kyme (Black Library)

I had a couple of issues with ‘Heart of Rage’ (the last audiobook that I listened to from the Black Library) but overall it was a lot of fun to get stuck into and a great way to spend those early hours when you just know you’re not going to go back to sleep any time soon. With this in mind, when ‘Thunder from Fenris’ came through the door I was definitely looking forward to more of the same. I got what I was hoping for but at the same time, it wasn’t quite the same this time round…

Of all the Space Marine chapters, the Space Wolves are the most feral of all. Hailing from the planet Fenris, these proud warriors carry the wulfen curse into battle with them; the lupine spirit that can burst forth at any time…
The ice planet Skorbad has come under attack from the forces of Chaos and a squad of Space Wolves is assigned to the war effort there. In the aftermath of battle, one of their number suddenly goes wulfen and leaves a trail of destruction in his wake. His remaining brothers must rescue him before he can do any more damage but is he really the warrior behind the death of his Space Marine brother? The wulfen warrior’s rampage must be stopped but the Space Wolves will find that the war for Skorbad is not yet over…

Since I listened to ‘Heart of Rage’ I’ve had a go at a few more audiobooks so found this one easier to follow. That’s not to say that I didn’t hit the rewind button a few times but this was more to do with being stuck on the tube (and not being able to hear what I was listening to) than anything else!

Toby Longworth takes on the narrative duties once more and does a sterling job much like the last time. You wouldn’t believe that he’s providing a different voice for each and every character but he is. Every character is distinctive from the rest (although one of them sounded very much like Arnold Schwarznegger…) and I never got confused about who was talking at any one time.
I wasn’t too convinced by the accompanying sound effects though… You never really got much of a sense of where it was all taking place. I know the characters needed to be heard above the background but… this was an ice planet! Where were the howling winds? Where was the crunching of footsteps in the snow? I wasn’t too impressed by the fight sequences either, it sounded like they were playing the same ‘grunting track’ on a constant loop. In ‘Heart of Rage’ you actually felt like it were the characters who were fighting, not this time…

On the plus side, Nick Kyme does give Longworth a tale worth telling. I could tell what was coming but the journey to get there was what it was all about. Kyme gives the listener plenty of moments where you think it’s all going to happen. You get worked up for the finale… and then it keeps going. The tension is skilfully racked up to a suitably impressive finale that I was glad to be around for. It didn’t end there though; the Space Wolve’s original mission was still to be completed and although you never see it through to the end you are left in no doubt as to what must happen. Here’s an ending that smacks you in the chest like a bolt round and leaves you quiet for a long time afterwards…

I felt that ‘Thunder from Fenris’ suffered from a lack of the care and attention that made ‘Heart of Rage’ such an atmospheric experience. The story itself saved things though, here’s a tale that will be on my iPod for a while to come…

Eight and a Quarter out of Ten

‘Judge Dredd Crime Chronicles: Stranger than Truth’ – David Bishop (Big Finish)

I like to try and mix things up a little, on the blog, and try something new every now again; very much in a ‘how do you know that you won’t like something if you don’t try it first?’ kind of way... It worked for me when I gave anime a go last year (and the year before) and I figured that now was the time to give audio books another try after having listened to James Swallow’s ‘Heart of Rage’ back in June. While I’ve got Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson’s ‘The Gathering Storm’ on the go I’m finding that it’s a little too long (something like thirty six hours!) for me to really find the time to get into. I realised that I was after something a lot shorter and that’s where Big Finish came in. Their audio books are a lot shorter and snappier and that’s what I’m after. Add Judge Dredd to the mix and you can’t go wrong... can you? No, you can’t go wrong at all...

Mega City One’s top assassin is on the loose and killing to his own inexplicable agenda. The only thing is though... does he really exist? Truman Kaput’s ‘Slick Dickens’ detective series saw him inside an Iso-Cube for ridiculing the Mega City Judges, Dredd in particular. While Kaput languishes inside however, his most famous creation roams free and has murder on his mind. Or does he? All Dredd knows is that no matter what’s at the bottom of this mystery, he must solve the case before his name comes up on Slick Dicken’s list...

Judge Dredd’s adventures in 2000AD can be a little dark sometimes but I wasn’t expecting something this dark! David Bishop’s tale of the blurring boundary between truth and fiction doesn’t pull any punches and isn’t afraid to follow a dark path right down to its disturbing conclusion. Was there one twist too many right at the very end though? I was left wondering if this was the case but, at the same time, it did work very well; leaving the listener wrong footed just as they thought they had their balance back. I didn’t see that ending coming at all...
Bishop’s tale is certainly worth the price of admission with a narrative that has the reader constantly on their toes and asking where things are going to go next. There’s a real sense of menace underpinning it all as well; both from the unstoppable march of Slick Dickens and the heavy handed approach of the Justice Department itself. You know something big is coming and you want to be there when it finally kicks off...

From what I’ve listened to (so far) I’ve found that I much prefer audio books where there’s a few sound affects to give the narrative a little more punch. ‘Stranger than Truth’ certainly delivers on this score; the theme tune didn’t do a lot for me but the background sound really worked in terms of delivering that edgy menacing atmosphere. Helen Kay’s academic ‘Fan Girl’ ‘Eliza Blunt’ really drew me into the story in terms of her conflict between being a fan of Truman Kaput and her becoming embroiled in the ongoing case. Toby Longworth as Judge Dredd though... It wasn’t so much that he did anything wrong as it is the case that Judge Dredd is such an iconic character on the page that any attempt to give him a real voice is never going to hit the mark dead on. Like I said though, that probably says more about me than it does Longworth. To be fair, he certainly gives Dredd the right amount of ‘I am the Law’ attitude; you have no doubt about whom he’s playing!

‘Stranger than Truth’ might just miss the mark in a couple of areas but there’s question of you not getting anything less than one hell of a ride if you give it a go. If you’re a fan of Dredd and you haven’t checked this stuff out, you really need to...

Nine out of Ten

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