While we continue to have issues with the polling feature on Tabletop Battles, we’re forging ahead with the Black Library Readers’ Hall of Fame initiative by having the polling here in the meantime!
Here are all of the Black Library novels published in 2009 for your voting consideration. Which books do you feel have “cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance” worthy of induction?
Reminder: this is not a knockout competition. You can vote in as many books as you feel are worthy of inclusion- every book that ultimately gets enough votes will be inducted! Polls will close at the end of day on Saturday, 23 MAY.
The Ballot: The Class of 2009
Warhammer 40,000
Book: Blood Pact, by Dan Abnett
Summary: “The Tanith First have been pulled back from the front line and are enjoying some well-deserved rest. But that is about to end. An enemy prisoner - one of the deadly Blood Pact - wants to betray his masters, but he will only talk to Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt. Can he be trusted, and what exactly does he know? Gaunt must discover the truth and avert a deadly threat to both his own life and to the Sabbat Worlds Crusade itself.”
Note: Book 12 in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series.
Book: Cadian Blood, by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Summary: “When the Imperial shrine world of Kathur is blighted by Chaos, the brave Guardsmen of Cadia are sent to reclaim it. The plague of Nurgle has set in deeply on the planet, forcing the Cadians into battle with an innumerable legion of the infected. In the midst of battle, Captain Parmenion Thade is thrust into an unlikely commanding role. Yet, he cannot imagine what lies ahead on Kathur, and just how important it will be to ensure victory there.”
Book: Courage and Honour, by Graham McNeill
Summary: “The Ultramarines are the epitome of a Space Marine Chapter. Warriors without peer, their name is a byword for discipline and honour, and their heroic deeds are legendary. Newly reinstated as Captain of the Ultramarines Fourth Company, Uriel Ventris leads his warriors in battle once again on the world of Pavonis, now a target of invasion by the upstart T’au Empire. With the eyes of the Chapter upon him, Uriel must win this war by following completely the wisdom of the Codex Astartes, lest he be exiled once more. But no plan survives contact with the enemy, and the tau are a dangerous and unpredictable foe…”
Note: Book five in the Chronicles of Uriel Ventris.
Book: Dawn of War II, by Chris Roberson
Summary: “Led by a newly promoted sergeant who is determined to prove himself, Blood Ravens Space Marines arrive on a desert world to recruit additional warriors to their Chapter only to find it overrun with alien orks. After blunting the main ork assault, the Blood Ravens launch a series of raids into the enemy's territory only to discover that at the root of the attacks there waits a much deadlier horror...”
Book: Emperor’s Mercy, by Henry Zou
Summary: “Inquisitor Roth and his henchman Silverstein are sent to the worlds of the Medina Corridor to uncover the location of a set of ancient artefacts. Meanwhile, the Ironclads, a force of Chaos traitors, invades the subsector in search of their artefacts for their own nefarious ends. With the Ironclads' indomitable army crushing all before it, will Roth be able to find the artefacts in time and prevent a terrible cataclysm engulfing the Medina worlds?”
Note: Book five of the Bastion Wars
Book: Gunheads, by Steve Parker
Summary: “Sergeant Wulfe leads his armoured tank company, the Gunheads, to the hostile alien world of Golgoltha as part of an Imperial battlegroup. Their mission is to locate and retrieve the Fortress of Arrogance, a battle tank that belonged to the legendary Commissar Yarrick, hero of Hades Hive. If Wulfe can keep his mind and men together, and the Imperial forces can retrieve the tank, this will have a huge boost on morale in the Armageddon campaign‚ but are they risking their lives needlessly?”
Book: Hellforged, by Ben Counter
Summary: “The Space Marines are humanity's champions, their loyalty to the Emperor beyond question. When a Chapter falls from grace, the Imperium will stop at nothing to hunt them down and exterminate them. The disgraced Soul Drinkers Chapter attempts to elude their pursuers in a desolate area of space, but Sarpedon and his battle-brothers soon find themselves fighting for their lives against a deadly new enemy: the necrons!”
Note: Book 5 of the Soul Drinkers series
Book: Innocence Proves Nothing, by Sandy Mitchell
Summary: “With Kyrlock and Elyra inflitrating the network of rogue psykers, the rest of the team start investigating the xenos artefact smuggling ring. As the operatives work their way deeper into the two criminal organisations, they unravel clues that suggest they might both be part of one greater evil. With danger at every turn, and paranoia running rife, can the Inquisition figure out what is going on before the Scintilla system is overrun by heretics?”
Note: Book two of the Dark Heresy series
Book: Salamander, by Nick Kyme
Summary: “Hailing from the volcanic world of Nocturne, Space Marines from the Salamanders Chapter are in search of an ancient artefact that leads to a world overrun by Chaos. They are the fire-born: implacable warriors with iron hard determination. But all is not what it seems as far more dangerous foe is revealed. As bitter rivalries break out amongst the Salamanders their endurance will be tested to the limit. Will the Salamanders survive long enough to discover the truth about this world and the revelations that will shake the very foundations of this Chapter forever?”
Note: Book one of the Tome of Fire series.
The Horus Heresy
Book: Fallen Angels, by Mike Lee
Summary: “With news of Horus's treachery spreading across the galaxy, the Great Crusade grinds to a halt as the primarchs and their Legions decide where their loyalty lies ‚Äì with the Emperor, or with the rebel Warmaster. The Dark Angels, too, face a time of testing, both among the stars and on their home world Caliban. Luther, once Lion El Jonson trusted second-in-command, now languishes as an exile in all but name while his master struggles to thwart the traitors advance upon the forge world Diamat. But an ancient evil gathers its strength beneath the surface of Caliban, and the First Legion will soon be thrust into a deadly conflict where all that they know will be cast into doubt.”
Note: Book eleven of the Horus Heresy
Warhammer Fantasy
Book: Empire, by Graham McNeill
Summary: “Having driven back the orc invaders, Sigmar unites the tribes of men and founds the Empire. The fledgling empire grows, but its prosperity is not assured. The lands are still wild and untamed, and many enemies lurk in the forests and the mountains. When a Chaos invasion sweeps down from Norsca, the ensuing conflict tests the abilities of Sigmar and his chieftains to the utmost.”
Note: Book two of the Legend of Sigmar series. Book four in the Time of Legends.
Book: Forged by Chaos, by C. L. Werner
Summary: “The Forces of Destruction wage war upon the civilised lands and the Raven Host is poised to march upon the Empire in an unstoppable tide. To ensure victory against the Order of the Griffon, the power of the Winds of Chaos must be fully unleashed. But to work such awesome magic, the marauder Kormak must dare the Bastion Stair, portal to the Realm of Khorne, and defy the Blood God's wrath. The warriors of the Raven Host are not the only ones with an interest in harnessing Chaos. Treacherous dark elves and brutish orcs would each seize the power for themselves, while a desperate Imperial army races to deny all of their foes the dread might of Chaos.”
Book: Grey Seer, by C. L. Werner
Summary: “Nefarious Grey Seer Thanquol, skaven sorcerer and arch-enemy of Gotrek & Felix, embarks on his own adventure to recover the deadly artefact known only as Wormstone. With this dread substance, he plots to poison the city of Altdorf and rise to power in the eyes of his masters amongst the Council of Thirteen.”
Note: Book one of the Thanquol & Boneripper series.
Book: Honourkeeper, by Nick Kyme
Summary: “In the ancient days of the Old World, long before the time of men, the dwarfs and elves are at the height of their prosperity. As King Bagrik of the dwarfs and Prince Ithalred of the elves forge a trade pact, a vast horde of northmen attacks the elf settlement. When King Bagrik's son is slain, the dwarfs join forces with the elves, eager for vengeance. Can the dwarfs and the elves put aside their differences long enough to prevail over foe?”
Book: Iron Company, by Chris Wraight
Summary: “When retired engineer Magnus Ironblood is tempted into one more campaign, he finds himself working alongside some unlikely allies. Sent as part of an Imperial force to bring to heel the secessionist forces of Countess von Kleister, this rag-tag army finds themselves outgunned. Digging deep into their
reserves of courage and ingenuity they must fight the enemy forces with everything they have. But will it be enough to succeed where other have failed?”
Book: Knight of the Realm, by Anthony Reynolds
Summary: “Bretonnia is a land shrouded in myth and legend. Protected by its gallant knights, this magical land is ever under threat from the forces of darkness… In the aftermath of the beastmen invasion of Bordeleaux and the death of his father, Calard must face up to his responsibilities as a knight of the realm. But there is little time for respite as a new terror comes to plague the land of Bretonnia.”
Book: Malekith, by Gav Thorpe
Summary: “Passed over to succeed as king, elf general Malekith is wracked by jealousy and bitterness. Under the pretence of rooting out the pernicious cult of pleasure that is corrupting elf society from within, Malekith plots his revenge. When he betrays Phoenix King Bel-Shanaar and attempts to seize power for himself, Malekith triggers a tragic sequence of events that plunges the realm of the elves into a civil war from which they will never recover.”
Note: Book three in the Time of Legends.
Book: Reiksguard, by Richard Williams
Summary: “The Reiksguard knights are entrusted with the sacred duty of the Emperor's protection from foes within and without. Under the command of Marshal Kurt Helborg, the Reiksguard live and breathe their code of loyalty, courage, strength and honour. But in the midst of a ruinous war, the young knight Delmar von Reinhardt discovers that this most venerated order hides deadly secrets. Battling an unholy alliance of a goblin warlord and an ogre tyrant, Delmar must unearth the truth no matter which noble knight he should find at its heart.”
Book: Shadow King, by Gav Thorpe
Summary: “When his family is betrayed and slain, Alith Anar, ill-fated prince of the Nagarythe, is forced to walk a dark path. With the island of Ulthuan in the grip of a civil war with their evil counterparts, the druchii, Alith Anar follows his destiny to become the Shadow King. Hunting his enemies from the darkness, he is now on a quest for vengeance that will never end.”
Note: Book five in the Time of Legends.
Book: Shamanslayer, by Nathan Long
Summary: “When Gotrek and Felix travel north to seek the remaining members of the Order of the Fiery Heart, they find themselves with new companions and allegiances. Of course they have heard the rumours of beastmen lurking in the Drakwald, but there is far more to the story than they could have imagined. The malignant forces of Chaos are at work, and Gotrek and Felix find themselves battling not only for their honour, but for the very future of the Empire itself.”
Note: Book 11 in the Gotrek & Felix series.
Thanks for voting, and we’ll have the results announced in two weeks’ time!