Black Library Advent Calendar 2017

[DarkChaplain]

Figured we'd best have a dedicated thread for it this year as well, though I see it turning into an out-of-context discussion on some Horus Heresy one-liner before long.

 

This year's Advent Subscription comes with 14 Short Stories and 10 Audio Dramas total. No split between 40k and AoS like with Call of Chaos.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/advent-2017-subscription.html

 

 

Across the Chaos-tainted Mortal Realms, in the grim darkness of the far future and in the blood-soaked civil war known as the Horus Heresy, heroes rise, darkness falls and death is a constant companion. Only one thing is constant: war. And that's what you'll find in this year's collection of awesome stories. 14 Quick Reads and 10 audio dramas will take you from the walls of the Imperial Palace, where the Sigillite and Rogal Dorn await Horus' arrival, to Shadespire, where treasure hunters seek the secrets of life and death. You'll also find Space Marines battling mankind's foes, the forces of Chaos resurgent in the Mortal Realms, and a trio of Primarchs grappling with their inner daemons. Subscribe to get a new story every day – and to get nine of them free compared to buying each tale individually.

 

Released:
 

Day 1: Perturabo: Stone and Iron by Robbie MacNiven

 

The 33rd Grand Battalion of the Iron Warriors, newly raised and seeing battle for the first time, have the honour of the primarch himself, Perturabo, leading them. But the Hammer of Olympia is there for more than just battle – he is evaluating his new officers and deciding their fates. And with a force of Imperial Fists allied to their cause, Perturabo sees the perfect opportunity to teach his new warriors the difference between the stone of the VII Legion and the Iron of his own.

 

Running time: 21 minutes. Performed by Tim Bruce, Cliff Chapman, Steve Conlin, Matthew Hunt, Jonathan Keeble and Andrew Wincott.

 

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Images/Product/DefaultBL/large/Stone-and-Iron-Cover-800x800.jpg

 

 

Day 2: Endurance by Chris Wraight

 

Lystra is a hive world, with a population of billions… or at least it was. Now Lystra is a corpse, overrun by the walking dead, with just a small force of Astra Militarum and a handful of Space Marines defending against the numberless horde. Exhausted and an inch away from destruction, they hold against the tide… but things are about to get worse, for the Death Guard have noticed Lystra.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Images/Product/DefaultBL/large/BLPROCESSED-Endurance-DeathGuard-cover.jpg

 

Day 3: Doombound by David Annandale

 

In the cursed city of Shadespire, two Stormcast Eternals Liberators, Darras Sunblade and Erak Grimwatch, seek a way to rejoin their comrades in Severin Steelheart's company. However, the twisting and ever-changing maze of the dead city thwarts them at every turn – and Grimwatch has his own troubles as flashes of another life take him. Mortal danger stalks them, as a warrior of the Khorne Bloodbound, also suffering visions of an impossible past, seeks to take their skulls for his bloodthirsty god…

 

Running time: 23 minutes. Performed by John Banks, Ken Bradshaw, Tim Bruce, Jonathan Keeble and Luis Soto.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Images/Product/DefaultBL/large/Doombound-800x800.jpg

 

Day 4: Duty Waits by Guy Haley

 

On Terra, the Imperial Palace awaits war. Since the Alpha Legion infiltrated the mighty structure, the Imperial Fists have upped their patrols, defences have been tightened and the planet prepares for the coming of Horus. Four primarchs stand ready to defend the Throneworld. But the enemy do not come. As the situation worsens and morale drops, Captain Maximus Thane and his company are forced to deal with a civilian riot – with tragic consequences.

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Images/Product/DefaultBL/large/BLPROCESSED-Duty-Waits-cover.jpg

 

Day 5: Ahriman: Key of Infinity by John French

 

On the warship Messenger of Hermes, Ahzek Ahriman and his servant Ignis study a most unusual prisoner – a metal construct containing the consciousness of a member of a long extinct race – the necrontyr. As they interrogate the necron Setekh, he is also learning about them – over and over again as he uses ancient techonology to relive the moment and plot his escape. Will he succeed, or will Ahriman prevail?

Running time: 18 minutes. Performed by John Banks, Steve Conlin Jonathan Keeble and Saul Reichlin.

Day 6: Gods' Gift by David Guymer

 

Hamilcar Bear-Eater, famed Lord-Castellant of the Astral Templars, leads the hunt for a deadly creature in the untamed Gorwoods of the Realm of Beasts. But when strange dreams come to Hamilcar that he thinks are prophecy, his mission becomes muddied. Will he heed the call of the Oak, or continue the hunt? And if he chooses the former, will it doom the mortal woodsman his warriors aid to a grisly death? Or could the dreams be the key to completing his mission?

Day 7: Magisterium by Chris Wraight

 

The Webway War is over, the Custodian Guard devastated by the daemonic hordes that flooded the lower reaches of the Imperial Palace. Constantin Valdor, commander of the Emperor's Guard, stands at the head of his fellows, but in conflict with the Lord Commander of the Imperium, the primarch Rogal Dorn. And it is not the first time Valdor, the Emperor's magisterium, has found himself pitted against a primarch. His memories of Prospero are all too fresh…

Day 8: The Assassination of Gabriel Seth by Andy Smillie

 

For many long years, Gabriel Seth has led the Flesh Tearers to war. Master of a dwindling Chapter, he has made many enemies in his unceasing battle to keep his warriors alive – and now those enemies conspire against him, luring him to a remote world in order to end his leadership and life in the most violent and bloody way possible; Gabriel Seth is to be assassinated. But can even an Eversor Assassin kill one of the deadliest warriors in the entire Imperium?

Running time: 23 minutes. Performed by John Banks, Tim Bruce, Steve Conlin and Andrew Wincott.

Day 9: Now Peals Midnight by John French

 

Midnight is coming. For long years, the defenders of Terra have stood sentinel, awaiting the inevitable: the coming of the Warmaster, the traitor Horus and his horde. For Rogal Dorn, his brother primarchs and his loyal sons – among the billions of others awaiting the breaking of the storm – the wait is almost over. The sun is setting and night falling. And the enemy comes.

 

To Follow:

Day 10: A Warhammer Age of Sigmar Quick Read by C L Werner
Day 11: A Warhammer 40,000 audio drama by Ben Counter
Day 12: A Horus Heresy Quick Read by Nick Kyme
Day 13: A Warhammer Age of Sigmar Quick Read by Nick Horth
Day 14: A Primarchs audio drama by L J Goulding
Day 15: A Warhammer 40,000 Quick Read by Justin D Hill
Day 16: A Warhammer Age of Sigmar audio drama by David Guymer
Day 17: A Warhammer 40,000 Quick Read by Robbie MacNiven
Day 18: A Warhammer 40,000 audio drama by C Z Dunn
Day 19: A Warhammer Age of Sigmar Quick Read by Josh Reynolds
Day 20: A Warhammer 40,000 Quick Read by Gav Thorpe
Day 21: A Warhammer Age of Sigmar Quick Read by David Annandale
Day 22: A Primarchs audio drama by Ian St Martin
Day 23: A Horus Heresy Quick Read by Gav Thorpe
Day 24: A Warhammer Age of Sigmar audio drama by Guy Haley

Edited December 9, 2017 by DarkChaplain

[bluntblade]

Was sad to see Wraight only had the one entry, but it seems he's very busy at the moment. Endurance sounds good.

[Marshal Loss]

DEATH GUARD STORY BY CHRIS WRAIGHT

 

Just got home at 1:38am and more have schnapps than blood at this point but hey let's do this

 

edit: it is good, really good, buy it

Edited December 2, 2017 by Marshal Loss

[grailkeeper]

It would have been nice to have had something by ADB, Dan Abnett, Graham McNeill or Sandy Mitchell.

[Kelborn]

So two times Rob and Chris.

 

Count me intrigued. :)

[JH79]

Was sad to see Wraight only had the one entry, but it seems he's very busy at the moment. Endurance sounds good.

Fear not, Wraight also has Day 7, a Horus Heresy short... maybe he'll give us some Sigillite action or more White Scars goodness!

 

edit: Kelborn beat me to it re Chris! 

Edited December 2, 2017 by JH79

[Fire Golem]

Was sad to see Wraight only had the one entry, but it seems he's very busy at the moment. Endurance sounds good.

He has 2.

[Marshal Rohr]

How’s the Perturabo short?

[bluntblade]

 

Was sad to see Wraight only had the one entry, but it seems he's very busy at the moment. Endurance sounds good.

He has 2.

Whoops.

 

Hopefully AD-B's no show means he is chained to a desk, hammering away at Spear of the Emperor.

[DarkChaplain]

AD-B and Dan rarely show up for these, sad to see that continue.

 

Makes me wonder why they didn't keep Dan's Killbox short for the 1st, right the day before The Warmaster hits, rather than putting it out as a Monday Short.

 

Here's hoping there'll be plenty of neat thematic experiments again. Show me stuff that you usually can't stretch throughout an entire novel or is a bit more divisive.

[DarkChaplain]

Awesome! Today's short is A) Horus Heresy Guy Haley and C) Featuring a "Captain Maximus Thane". I haven't read the story yet, but I expect the name to end up being handed down like Archamus's, since the War of the Beast is a little way's off yet. Though I wouldn't be surprised if this also featured Oriax Dantalion, seeing how he goes on to found the Fists Exemplar after the Heresy.

Edited December 4, 2017 by DarkChaplain

[JH79]

Oh my days, that looks so tempting! Pretty cool that this could have links to The Beast Arises. The blurb mentions 4 Primarchs, would they be counting Leman Russ in that number too or have i missed someone? Assuming it is Russ time wise this must be pre Wolf Cull?

 

Taking a bit of time off from GG: Warmaster i treated myself to Stone and Iron. What a great little story that was! Great to see Perturabo interacting with his Legion, and quite the interesting method of training his commanders... more please! 

[Taliesin]

I was thinking of that as well, so presumably Leman Russ is still on Terra at this point.

[DarkChaplain]

May also be Vulkan, with Dorn, Jaghatai and Sanguinius being present already.

[Guest Triszin]

Day 22 has me intrigued, wonder if the primarch audio drama will lead into the next primarch being released

[JH79]

May also be Vulkan, with Dorn, Jaghatai and Sanguinius being present already.

Vulkan Lives!!!

 

Good spot DC, that completly slipped my mind! Hopefully I'll pick up Old Earth in the next month or so to get caught up.

 

Anyone picked up Duty Waits... spoilers?

[mr.crusader]

 

Anyone picked up Duty Waits... spoilers?

 

 

Odd and kinda boring. Nothing to spoil, actually.

[Jareddm]

Boring being the key word, as it is literally a story about the Imperial Fists stationed at the Imperial Palace dealing with the boredom of being on constant alert for months on end, especially as tensions rise among the human populace.  

 

Of note in the story, Maximus Thane's company is one of those patrolling the outer walls.  There also also quick little shout outs to futureevents when certain Fists speak, "In 7 months time he'd be dead." or "He will one day hold the Wall Name of Bulwark and be considered a hero, but that day is far ahead of him."

[DarkChaplain]

It also right at the start talks about how the Emperor's attempts to revitalize Terra have been put on indefinite hold due to the Heresy and how the acid rain and pollution are killing all progress he's made in turning Terra hospitable again. Really setting the mood there, showing one often overlooked aspect of the Heresy-tragedy.

[b1soul]

Duty Waits is a full novel? Seems a bit filler-ish but hopefully it's good filler

 

EDIT: Never mind... Seems to be a short story

Edited December 5, 2017 by b1soul

[Roomsky]

Just piping in that I quite enjoyed RobMac's Stone and Iron. It showed a side of Perturabo I never expected to see, and it knew just how long to be as to keep the opening action from getting stale. As other's have said, the voice actor for Perty seemed an odd choice at first, but I thought he was a great pick once the conclusion came round. 

Edited December 5, 2017 by Roomsky

[RobMac]

Just piping in that I quite enjoyed RobMac's Stone and Iron. It showed a side of Perturabo I never expected to see, and it knew just how long to be as to keep the opening action from getting stale. As other's have said, the voice actor for Perty seemed an odd choice at first, but I thought he was a great pick once the conclusion came round. 

 

 

 

Taking a bit of time off from GG: Warmaster i treated myself to Stone and Iron. What a great little story that was! Great to see Perturabo interacting with his Legion, and quite the interesting method of training his commanders... more please! 

 

The audio team really nailed the ending, definitely. I've had a few people asking who voiced Pert, I've passed the question on so will hopefully be able to fully credit him soon.

[JH79]

 

The audio team really nailed the ending, definitely. I've had a few people asking who voiced Pert, I've passed the question on so will hopefully be able to fully credit him soon.

 

Just piping in that I quite enjoyed RobMac's Stone and Iron. It showed a side of Perturabo I never expected to see, and it knew just how long to be as to keep the opening action from getting stale. As other's have said, the voice actor for Perty seemed an odd choice at first, but I thought he was a great pick once the conclusion came round. 

 

I'm pretty sure (99%) it's Steve Conlin, he's got a very distinct accent and has been a regular on Black Library's Audiodrama rosta for a few years now 

[RobMac]

 

 

The audio team really nailed the ending, definitely. I've had a few people asking who voiced Pert, I've passed the question on so will hopefully be able to fully credit him soon.

 

Just piping in that I quite enjoyed RobMac's Stone and Iron. It showed a side of Perturabo I never expected to see, and it knew just how long to be as to keep the opening action from getting stale. As other's have said, the voice actor for Perty seemed an odd choice at first, but I thought he was a great pick once the conclusion came round. 

 

I'm pretty sure (99%) it's Steve Conlin, he's got a very distinct accent and has been a regular on Black Library's Audiodrama rosta for a few years now 

 

I should really know this sort of stuff by now, Steve also voice Gydrael in my only other audio drama to date. 

[JH79]

Ahh yes, Vox Tenebris. Hopefully we see more shorts and drama's from you in the future, maybe some tie in's to your next Carcharodons novel!!