Some Black Library Audiobooks that I've been listening to...

December was a quiet month for reading but, at the same time, it was also a great month for lying in bed (dosed up on codeine) and listening to some old Black Library audiobooks. And yep, I know that audiobooks count as reading but if I don't have an actual book in my hands (or a Kindle) then it doesn't feel like it, you know? That's just me though :o) 

Anyway, in the interests of me remembering what I've read, I thought I'd post some quick thoughts here. These were all re-reads (re-listens?) so I'm swiping those thoughts from older posts posted way back when. Cut me a little slack, I'm going to be away over the weekend so wanted to get a couple of things posted before I go ;o) And with all that said, check out some of what I've been listening to...

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 story 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. 

Full Review

‘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.

Full Review

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 gives 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 enjoyed 'Raven's Flight' as much as I did last time round. Worth a listen if you haven't already.

Full Review

The Imperial Navy Frigate ‘Emathia’ has discovered a half dead Tyranid hive ship floating through space; such a discovery could prove invaluable to the Imperial war effort against this particular xenos threat... One boarding party has already gone missing but the prize at stake means that the Tyranid ship must be taken. Enter the Blood Angels Space Marines.
Brother Librarian Nord and Brother Sergeant Kale head up a squad of Space Marines tasked with locating the lost party and securing the Tyranid ship. However, there is more to this mission than there seems, what lies on board the alien vessel will threaten both their bodies and their very souls...

Toby Longworth takes on the voices for all of the characters, as well as being the narrator, and I thought he did a good job all round. Longworth gives each character a voice and mannerisms of their own; they’re all very much individuals and you’re never in any doubt which character you are listening to.
I also loved the sound effects that went with each scene; while the prose is a little light on descriptive pieces this is more than made up for by the rattling of gunfire, the arcane noises of an Imperial Frigate and the underfoot squelching of alien organic matter. The makers of the audio book really went all out for atmosphere and got it bang on as far as I was concerned.

The story itself is a fairly simple ‘mission on a haunted star ship’ that has new light thrown on it by the Blood Angels’ genetic ‘taint’ and how this affects the confrontation right at the climax. I haven’t read a lot of stuff by James Swallow but it seems that whenever I pick his books up there’s always a deserted/haunted star ship involved. Can anyone tell me if he’s written anything that isn’t set in a deserted/haunted star ship? ‘Heart of Rage’ is no exception and I’m starting to get a little tired of this setting. As I mentioned, the descriptive passages are played down (in favour of the sound effects) and this gives the story a light weight feeling. I was also left wondering if the story was limited by the space available on the CD (seventy five minutes) of which there was only one in the case.
Having said all that though, none of this was enough to put me off the story itself. It ran at a good pace with plenty of tense moments followed by moments of all out action and combat, just the way I like it!

Full Review

The galaxy is divided, but while his armies prepare for battle the Emperor himself remains curiously absent. In his place stands Malcador – legendary Sigillite, First Lord of Terra and regent to the throne – now arguably the single most powerful man in the Imperium. Army officer Khalid Hassan reports back to the Palace after a disastrous secret mission into the wastelands of Gyptus, but soon learns an awful truth about the destiny of mankind. Where do Malcador’s true loyalties lie?

On the surface, ‘The Sigillite’ is perhaps a little too straight forward for my tastes although, with a running time of 75 minutes, that’s understandable. Dig a little deeper though and you realise that ‘The Sigillite’ is more of a character study than an exercise in ‘twists in the tale’. It’s here that Wraight excels, giving us more of a glimpse into Malcador than I’ve come across anywhere else. This being the case, ‘The Sigillite’ is a tale for fans rather than the casual listener. I fall into the former set and I had a great time.

Without giving too much away… Not only do you get to discover just what Malcador is all about, Wraight ties this into our own past as well lending as sense of real poignancy to the proceedings with the hope that Malcador is trying to give humanity for the future (as well as what the Emperor is up to while he is ‘away’). If you’re a fan then you will know just what kind of world Terra is ten thousand years after Malcador’s demise and it makes things all the more sad that we know it’s coming while he doesn’t. Or is Wraight planting seeds that will come to fruition and make the universe of the 40th millennium a better place after all? I don't think so either but maybe there’s some hope yet…

If you’re a fan then you should have either listened to ‘The Sigillite’ by now or be waiting for it to turn up in a future anthology. Either way, make sure you listen to/read ‘The Sigillite’. It’s a tale that you need to get into.