Black Library Weekly: Release the Kraken

What a time to be a Space Wolves fan, eh? Not only did they get a range refresh for tabletop, with a nice Army Set and fancy new Codex, but they also had two Black Library Limited Edition Box Sets arrive earlier this year. Comprising six novels from William King and ‘Lee Lightner,’ I think at that point any Son of Russ would have been quite happy with the ‘W.’

But by the Allfather, check out that beautiful Special Edition coming out this week for preorder for Krakenblood, by Marc Collins.

Collins, who had previously written Eidolon: The Auric Hammer and The Martyr’s Tomb from the Dawn of Fire series, gave us a taste of Ivar Krakenblood in the short story The Price of Morkai. The story was part of the digital Black Library Advent Calendar in 2023, showing up in physical print last March in the Blood of the Imperium anthology (review here).

It will also be included in the Special Edition.

Also Up for Preorder

Ivar Krakenblood’s rolling with a literary posse this week, including a new omnibus for fans of Peter Fehervari’s unique take on the Warhammer universe. The Dark Coil: Ascension will include novels Requiem Infernal (2019) and Reverie (2020), as well as eight more short stories. This collection follows the Dark Coil: Damnation omni released earlier this year (and reviewed here).

Other releases up for preorder include the standard hardcover for Chris Thursten’s Abraxia, Spear of the Everchosen. We reviewed it here when it was released as a Limited Edition, and it’s nice to see only a short gap between editions.

Getting paperback editions are a pair of Age of Sigmar titles, Anvils of the Heldenhammer: The Ancients by Dale Lucas and the anthology On the Shoulders of Giants and Other Stories (reviewed here). The latter is worth picking up on the strength of the titular novella from Adrian Tchaikovsky alone.

Sharing a Six-Pack With… Noah Van Nguyen

Nope, it’s not stouts, it’s- what else- books! In our new occasional for the Black Library Weekly, we bend the ear of Black Library authors to get a half-dozen book recommendations.

For this week we’ve been joined by Noah Van Nguyen, author of Godeater’s Son and the T’au-centered Elemental Council. The latter book was recently released in paperback, and we gave it a full review here.

As a former combat veteran serving in Afghanistan, Nguyen wields his life experience as deftly as his pen, bringing a grittiness and realism to his Warhammer fiction that has the action jump off the page. He took some time out of his busy schedule to share with us some cracking reads he’s enjoyed.

Three Black Library Books He’d Recommend…

1. Storm of Iron, by Graham McNeill. “This book was the first I read from Black Library and the 40k universe, so maybe I’m a bit biased — but I love it! It still holds a special place in my heart. I think this novel helped establish many beloved 40k tropes, so the twists won’t be shocking for any fan already familiar with the setting. This is a wonderful 40k war story with a great balance of intrigue and rich worldbuilding. (I actually love this novel so much I included a call-out to the Imperial Guard featured in it, the Jouran Dragoons, in The Last Crucible, my first published Black Library story about an Ordo Militarum inquisitor who is investigating potential treachery on a war front.)

2. Spear of the Emperor, by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. “This is peak Dembski-Bowden, and to me, hands down the best 40k book out there. (I like a very, very specific type of fiction, and this checks all those boxes.) Visceral story and conflict, beautiful prose, and a fantastic, true-blue depiction of the staple tropes of the 40k setting. I think what really made this stick the landing for me is the mortal lens through which the POV character sees and interacts with Space Marines. The depiction of Space Marines in this novel, viewed through the perspective of a more vulnerable but relatable human, plausibly presents the Astartes as both inhuman killing machines and pinnacles of human development. I love-love-love it.”

3. Bloodlines, by Chris Wraight. “I love Warhammer Crime, and Bloodlines was such a great flagship novel to release for the imprint. Obviously, Wraight’s writing is godly. But more importantly, the ground-level view of the Imperium in this story from the perspective of, basically, a middle-aged noir detective is *chef’s kiss.* This novel really tells you what it’d be like if someone plucked you out of your room and plopped you into mega-city on one of the million no-name worlds in the Imperium. (I’m exaggerating, it actually has a name, Alecto. READ WARHAMMER CRIME!!!)”

Two Non-Black Library Books He’d Recommend…

4. The Sympathizer, by Viet Thanh Nguyen. “When the Vietnam war ends, a communist spy poses as a Vietnamese refugee in America to fight two wars — one within, and one without. This novel is really witty and holds a special place in my heart as the son of a Vietnamese immigrant who struggled with understanding his place in America. The crescendo toward the end of this novel is explosive and really divinely introspective. (Bonus: This novel has little in common with my AoS novel Godeater’s Son, but I would say that it definitely influenced Heldanarr Son’s character arc.)

5. Generation “П” (a.k.a. Babylon), by Victor Pelevin. “This is a Russian novel and is quite surreal, mixing drug use, advertising, and Mesopotamian mythology. I absolutely loved it and think this is a satisfying read for any fans of magical realism out there. As usual, Pelevin breaks all the rules of storytelling and gets away with it, so this is a great introduction to Pelevin’s work and modern Russian fiction. (Any fans of Russian canon will also sense the novel’s genes in this story.)”

And Finally, One of His Own Books He’d Recommend…

6. “Oh sh*t, I don’t know. The writing can be diverse. I’ve also written a lot of as-yet-unpublished stuff I wish I could shill for here… But since none of those have seen the light of day, and I have to make a recommendation?

“Nadir. This is one novella in the Age of Sigmar: Underworlds Harrowdeep anthology, and I love recommending it because I don’t think many people have heard of it. This was my first long-form project with an editor, Hannah, who helped me develop as a write. For that I’m proud of it, and I think it showcases a lot of the hallmarks of my writing that I’ve continued to develop.

And to brag a bit: it’s got a great mix of gothic horror (thank you Hannah) and serves as a great introduction to what the Stormcast Eternals are all about, what they struggle with, and maybe most importantly, why they’re not Space Marines.”

Great stuff, thank you Noah!

A Word to the Wise

In the spirit of ‘see something, say something’ a short cautionary tale today. Last month I grabbed C. L. Werner’s Lady of Sorrows when it went up for sale as the Black Library audiobook of the month.

Try as I might, though, I couldn’t seem to find it in my BL Audio app. I tried everything I could think of, from ‘restore purchases’ to deleting and reloading. Finally, I reached out to Games Workshop’s customer service. To their credit, they responded very quickly:

Not exactly ideal, but there it is. If you want to listen through the BL Audio app, buy through the BL Audio app. If you buy off the Black Library website, it won’t connect to your BL Audio app.

The more you know!

Warhammer Character Encyclopedia: A Waste of Space?

Okay, that’s a pretty clickbaitey header, but while I was excited at the release of the otherwise excellent Character Encyclopedia, the Lieutenant Titus mini comes built into the book. That means once you’ve removed and built him, your copy of the Encyclopedia will essentially be more than fifty percent ‘dead air’ as it sits on your shelf. Every time you so much as open the cover, half the book flops into your left hand.

I’m not a fan of this design choice (I’ve seen it in other book + physical item publications), so I was delighted to learn that DK Books is also publishing a ‘Library Edition’ of the Character Encyclopedia. Same book, same price- no miniature.

If it seems crazy that they’d charge the same for less value, it probably seems crazier still that I’m considering returning mine and preordering the Library Edition. For some of us it’s all about the tabletop; for others, the library’s the thing. It’s a well-done book, not only cataloguing loads of Warhammer characters but in many cases listing some of the Black Library books they’ve featured in.

The figure-less Library Edition releases on 4 November.

ICYMI

We tried something new this past week, with the trial of an occasional feature Beyond the Black Library. While many Black Library readers prefer to remain within the property, others often enjoy following their favorite writers into other worlds. Josh Reynolds (Clonelord, Neferata) is one a number of Warhammer scribes who has been published under Aconyte Books, and we kicked things off with a review of one of his Legend of the Five Rings tales.

If you’re interested in seeing more of that kind of content, make sure to let us know by commenting or giving it a signal boost. Engagement isn’t just fun for us (the reviewers), but it also serves to inform us as to what kind of stuff you’d like to see here on Goonhammer.

The steady drumbeat of short fiction over at the Warhammer Community site continued apace this week. As they’ve been rolling out new named heroes, they’ve been getting a bit of ‘Heroes of the First Founding’ flash fiction for a proper introduction. The new Iron Hands hero, Caanok Var, shows himself to be a ruthless, dispassionate tactician in Cold Iron. Meanwhile Suboden Khan, master of the First Brotherhood of the White Scars, not only got a short story but also a proper lore backgrounding.

Finally, WARCOM also put up a terrific interview with Dropsite Massacre author John French, who is also the pen behind Ahriman and Cado Ezechiar. Although I enjoy the Warhammer+ series Scribes & Scriveners, it’s always nice to see this sort of thing out from behind a paywall too.

Quick Hits

• Marvel Comics new series Iron & Frost debuts this week. Written by our very own Cavan Scott (War of the Orks, Tomb of the Necron), it follows Iron Man, Emma Frost and others as they grapple with the legacy of the Hellfire Club.
• The tabletop skirmish game Guards of Traitor’s Toll has a new deluxe edition of its core rulebook coming out as part of its second wave release, and it includes five short stories to help bring its world to life. One of them is penned by none other than Graham McNeill (Lords of the Lance, Swords of Calth), and is set to arrive next month.
• Looking for a great short story to read? Maria Haskins (The Jagged Edge) highlighted fifty stories from the pages of Strange Horizons to help ring in its 25th anniversary. If you’re in the mood for something longer, she also has ten novels from 2025 to recommend in her latest from Ruadán Books.
• Paul Kane (Triggers) has a new novella out, Aura. “Owen Marsden leads a colourful life. Nobody sees things the way he does – sometimes that’s a good thing, and sometimes it’s very, very bad. Because as he goes about that life, he’s beginning to spot something is really wrong with certain people in his town.” Sounds like a great October read!
• Legends of the Five Rings isn’t the only IP tie-in Josh Reynolds has been working on. Last May we noted that there’s a Kings of War book on the horizon. Stand at Callenspire is now available for preorder. “[It’s] got dog people in it,” he notes. “And fish people. And elves. Some halflings. No space marines, though.”

Writers are Fans, Too

While I’ll never scorn an author making an honest living selling the fruits of their imagination, I take an extra degree of satisfaction knowing how many of the writers whose stories and words populate the shelves of the Black Library are genuine Warhammer fans first, and Black Library writers second. Here’s a few who shared that love recently. 

Here’s Justin D. Hill (Hell’s Last, The Bookkeeper’s Skull) enjoying a moment in front of the lifesize replica Rhino outside Warhammer World in Nottingham.

“We played a fully painted, fully themed Catacombs of Terror dungeon for Warhammer Quest ’95,” shared Mark Latham (Kovos Falls, Judgement). “Despite buying the expansion in 1996, I’ve never played a full game before. Even had to punch some of the card for the first time.” Great time to play the classics, with the next edition of Warhammer Quest announced just this week!

In a chat about different color schemes, Adrian Tchaikovsky (On the Shoulders of Giants, Day of Ascension) highlighted some work he’s done in green. (Fittingly enough the color of envy, because I can’t paint anywhere near this standard!)

Imagine popping ’round to your FLGS for a game of Crusade only to find your opponent isn’t just playing Alpha Legion, but also happens to be Mike Brooks (Alpharius: Head of the Hydra, Renegades: Harrowmaster). “Evidence that whatever army I’m playing I’m still *actually* an Ork player is that I cheer when my own land raider gets taken out,” he shared. “Because my opponent’s done something cool, and that’s worth celebrating!”

Coming Attractions

Here’s a list of the date-set upcoming releases from the Black Library based on the available preorder information we have. As always, take all of this with a grain of salt unless it’s Games Workshop-confirmed.

Going forward, this section will be updated weekly in this column. Any titles that are announced but without a date will be added once a date is assigned it, and anything highlighted in green is something just added (or updated) this week.

Upcoming but Undated

• Master of Rites, by Rob Young
• The Relentless Dead, by Steve Lyons (hardcover and Special)
• Steel Tread, by Andy Clark (hardcover and Special)
• Demolisher, by Andy Clark (hardcover and Special)
• Vagabond Squadron, by Robbie MacNiven (hardcover and Special)

Upcoming in 2025

• Dropsite Massacre, by John French (hardcover, 10/25)
• Krakenblood, by Marc Collins (hardcover and Special Edition, 11/1)
• Abraxia, Spear of the Everchosen, by Chris Thursten (hardcover, 11/1)
• The Dark Coil: Ascension, by Peter Fehervari (paperback, 11/1)
• Anvils of the Heldenhammer: The Ancients, by Dale Lucas (paperback, 11/1)
• On the Shoulders of Giants and Other Stories, by various (paperback, 11/1)
• Warhammer Character Encyclopedia (Library Edition), by Wade Pryce (hardcover, 11/4)
• Ashes of the Imperium: The Scouring, by Chris Wraight (hardcover, 11/4)
• Double Eagle, by Dan Abnett (paperback, 11/18)
• Death and Duty: An Anthology, by various (paperback, 11/18)
• Interceptor City, by Dan Abnett (paperback, 11/18) (review)
• Da Red Gobbo Collection, by various (paperback, 11/18)
• The Art of Warhammer Video Games, by Andy Hall (hardcover, 11/25)
• The Twice-Dead King: The Omnibus, by Nate Crowley (paperback, 12/2)
• Hell’s Last, by Justin D. Hill (paperback, 12/16)
• The Rise of Nagash, by Mike Lee (paperback, 12/16)

Upcoming in 2026

• Farsight: Blade of Truth, by Phil Kelly (paperback, 1/27)
• Fulgrim: The Perfect Son, by Jude Reid (paperback, 1/27) (review)
• Siege of Terra: The Shattered and the Soulless, by Graham McNeill (paperback, 1/27)
• Vaults of Terra: The Omnibus, by Chris Wraight (paperback, 1/27)
• Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom, by Mike Brooks (paperback, 3/10)
• Carcharodons: Void Exile, by Robbie MacNiven (paperback, 3/10)
• The Green Tide, by Mike Brooks, Nate Crowley, and Justin Woolley (paperback 3/24)
• Carnage Unending, by Dan Abnett (paperback, 4/21)

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