Comic Review 195 // Slaine: Time Killer by Pat Mills

Feels good to be back into Slaine after a little run of Star Wars. Don't get me wrong reading some other sci-fi was fun but it is not 2000 AD. Here we go with book two in the Slaine series by Pat Mills.

Title: Slaine: Time Killer

Author: Pat Mills

Fluff: 2000 AD's ever-popular Celtic hero returns in a deluxe collectors' hardback edition Before the events of 'The Horned Go'', a group comprising of Slaine; Ukko, his faithful((if evil-smelling) dwarf; Nest, a trainee priestess who knows the secrets of the Land of the Young; and Slaine's vast, voracious dragon steed, the Knucker, wander Tir-Nan-Og in search of the fortress of the Ever-Living Ones, arch-druids who may hold the key to the final defeat of the evil forces oppressing Slaine's people. But a chance encounter with a demonic alien race who are besieging the fortress hurls Slaine and his allies through time... to ever-greater battles, threats, and challenges

Comics

Format: 128 pages, E-book.

Review

First up I was surprised to discover this book is only made up of two stories! In the first tale, we are headed north with Slain and Ukko. Whilst travelling they come across a young lady in need of help. We discover her name is Nest of the Speckled face. Nest lives and works on a Dragon Farm! Slaine soon finds out that the farm is being accused of having a rogue dragon who is attacking the local village. Soon the truth is revealed and a wild dragon is loose, leaving it up to Slaine to ride a dragon into battle and save the village. Overall a classic fantasy story arc, with abusive uncles in power, evil villagers and dragons. Such a great start.

In the second tale, we have the trio heading north as Nest leads them to the Fortress of the Ever-Living Ones. As they arrive they find the fortress under siege by the villainous Pythons. An evil alien race imprisoned in the past on Earth, who manipulate time in an attempt to enslave the humans of earth. This story turned out to be an all-out battle, full of very strange artwork and creatures and starts to introduce the wider world of the mysticism of the Slaine lore. It is definitely a strange ending to the book as they leave us on a cliffhanger! My interest is definitely riding high and the High King has now been bought.

Compared to the first book we definitely see the epic stories starting to build. I can now comprehend where Pat Mills is trying to take the character, I also loved the mention of Finn in the story as that was one of my favourite comics back in the day before they removed it :(

I hope you enjoyed the review and stop back tomorrow for some more fun!

Alien Isolation: Burning Xenomorphs!

Alien Isolation Walkthrough Part 15: Burning Xenomorphs! To catch up on the series, use this link: Youtube - Alien Isolation.

Oh wow, this section of the game stressed me out. Attempting to trap the xenomorph, then escaping, then trapping it again (whilst setting it to fire, hahaha), then escape pods, explosions and killer Working Joes. This left me sweating, hahaha. Damn, my heart is racing. I might throw up, hahaha.

Sorry for all the hahaha's. It is more nervous laughter than anything.

As always, thank you all for the love I've been getting. It means the world.

Book Review 188 // The Reaper's Gift by Ray Cluley

Continuing my short reads with what, in my opinion, is one of the strongest Age Sigmar tales out there. Unfortunately, this title is actually a part of the anthology titled the Accursed and as such doesn't have it's own cover or much info on it.

Title: The Reaper's Gift

Author: Ray Cluley

Disclaimer: This title actually appears in the anthology titled the Accursed; as I haven't read the whole book yet, I will not be sharing any amazon links at this time.

Review

Well, I said it in the opening line, for me is one of the best Age of Sigmar stories out there. Ray Cluley has created such a depressing and bleak world that could fit almost any fantasy setting. He has done such a great job; with minimal tweaking, this could be made into a real-world story.

In this tale, we join a soldier who has deserted the front lines, and as he flees the forces of death, he finds himself in a farming community that is a little too quiet. Seemingly suffering from a harsh famine, the soldier holds up with a family and discovers the tale of the Reaper's Gift and how far a people will go to survive. It is haunting and addictive to read and captivates me until the end. This is genuinely a standout. 

The only problem I have is that Cluley only has one more tale in the Black Library catalogue. I really hope this changes soon as I want more!

Audio Review 76 // All That Remains by James Swallow

We are now about halfway through the War Without End title, and it would seem we have ourselves an early Grey Knight story to enjoy, so let us jump in.

Title: All That Remains

Author: James Swallow

Link to buy off Amazon.

Fluff: As Horus's rebellion consumes the galaxy, the dead number in the billions – far greater, however, are the countless casualties evacuated from front line duties to tend their wounds and someday return to the fight. On one particular vessel cast adrift in the warp, a handful of ragged Imperial Army soldiers make a startling discovery, and the question of why so many more of their comrades have been lost is soon answered...

Get ready for a mystery like no other. A derelict ship harbouring sick and dying men gets caught up in a secret mission straight from the Emperor's right-hand man, Malcador, to create a new army to save the Imperium. Too bad the citizens on board don't know that. This story is a fascinating revelation about the birth of the Grey Knights and exactly how the seeds of their Chapter were sown.

Review

The story takes place on a damaged Battleship, basically drifting through space. This ship is described as a hospital ship full of injured, shell-shocked troopers. Some are even damaged by exposure to the Warp. So overall, a very damaged group of imperium soldiers. But as the story progresses, we discover some unusual traits among the survivors; it would seem, in one way or another, they are all "gifted" with warp gifts. 

As they drift through space, their ship is boarded by a lone Space Marine, bedecked in the grey armour and symbols of the Sigillite. He commandeers the ship and, with his psychic might, sets the ship's course to Titan and heavily hints at the idea of the Grey Knights organization.

This basically seems like an origins tale for the 40K Grey Knights. Overall a pretty good story. Nothing blew me away, but in no way was I disappointed. Where does it sit in the timeline, though? As it made mention to daemons being summoned by Thousand Sons, which I felt happened later in the war? Maybe I am wrong? These collected stories do seem to make a mockery of the timelines.

As always, I appreciate the read. Thank you!

Judge Dredd Table - Dan Abnett Block WIP

It's been a while since I've done a gaming table update. It has been slow going, to be honest. Though I want to start doing battle reports, it is hard to find time to finish terrain. If I have time, I prefer to use it on painting minis. But I will knuckle down and start pushing forward on this project. I want to show you what I have and list what I still need to do with that in mind.

As you can see, my 3'x3' table base is complete apart from some touch-ups, so honestly, it is just the buildings and some scattered terrain to get done. Here is what I feel I need to finalize.

A Road

Warehouse unit

Long Shop

Shed Shop

Scatter terrain - planters, signage etc.

Ruined block

Industrial zone - which includes the wastage pit (bottom corner).

Now that it is written down, it doesn't seem that bad, and I honestly think this is going to be a goal for the rest of the year one project a month (ideally more if I can) with the ultimate goal of a December battle report with fully painted terrain and miniatures. I need positive videos, and I think I will start with the warehouse unit, so check back soon and keep me honest!

As always, thanks for reading.

 

Comic Review 194 // Star Wars Adventures Volume 8 - Defend the Republic!

Back at the Star Wars Comics. I promise I will get back to Slaine, but as these are library loaners, the priority is to finish and bring them back for the next reader to enjoy. Today we dip into the Clone War Era, which I have always wanted more than the OG trilogy.

Title: Star Wars Adventures, Vol. 8: Defend the Republic!

Writing Team: Delilah S. Dawson, Cavan Scott, Nick Brokenshire

Art team: Derek Charm, Mauricet.

Fluff: Join Padmé, Yoda, Jar Jar Binks, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker in these young-reader-friendly tales set during Episodes 1-3!

Padmé Amidala joins Jar Jar Binks on a quest to recover a legendary Gungan artifact, but this one will be very messy! Then, legendary General Obi-Wan Kenobi undertakes a daring operation for the Republic Army during the Clone Wars, guest-starring Captain Rex! And Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Jedi Master Yoda embark on an urgent mission, where Anakin's rebellious nature could spell trouble for the Republic.

Collects issues #18-20 of the Star Wars Adventures series.

Buy from Amazon

Paperback, 80 pages

Review

This issue has five stories, all set in the Clone War Era. Like the other books in this set, it is aimed at a younger audience than myself, so I will keep this in mind as I review.

This is an excellent read for a comic aimed at a younger reader, but this is a bit of a miss for me. Stories are slightly too short, lack depth and, at worst pointless and straight-up goofy. We seem to have lost the "adventure" in this adventure series and are now stuck with meh.

Lucky for us, though, Cavan Scott came to the rescue with 'Roger, Roger.' Obi-Wan and Rex are befriending a damaged battle droid who now wishes to side with the Republic! Unlike the other stories, this droid is a very likeable character, and by the end, he is a standout piece of the book (though the bar is not high, sadly). The story is also assisted by the artwork, which was above the other artists' quality.

I am worried the series has turned for me, and maybe I need to give it a rest? Do you ever get burned out on a series? Is that what I face here, or has the series honestly gotten worse as it continues? Let me know if you have read these?

As always, cheers for reading.

Gale Force Nine: Another Glorious Day in the Corps - Assets & Hazards Unboxing.

A quick and dirty Youtube video today as we unbox the Aliens: Assets and Hazards by Gale Force Nine.

I was on the fence about getting this kit as it is basically a token replacement from the main game, but the completionist in me needed this. After opening and building I am glad I purchased as the the eggs and Facehuggers are just too cute!

For more videos head this way: Gale Force Nine Aliens on Youtube.

Thanks for watching.

Book Review 187 // A Light Beam for Faith: The Making of A Restorer

Something a little different this Friday. I discovered a new Ottawa-based Sci-fi writer releasing her first book, and after a quick chat, I decided to treat myself to the kindle version of the title. I hope you will take a moment to read and, if interested, treat yourself to a copy.

Title: A Light Beam for Faith: The Making of A Restorer

Author: E.K. Highland

Fluff: She’s not waiting for a hero to come to save her; instead, she becomes her heroine. Hazel’s world comes crashing in front of her in an instant during a family trip to Mont-Tremblant. What she doesn’t know is that she is from the stars, and so it’s no wonder she must return to find the answers she seeks.

She embarks on a trek aboard the Imperial Bona Fides, the mothership of the Alpha Cygnians people. With the help of her best friend Zita and the others she will meet along the way, she will journey to places she never knew existed. Hazel will learn to tame her fears and become the woman she wants to be.

This is the story of different worlds that must learn to co-exist. They must all put their differences aside, and with a bit of faith, they will all witness a new dawn. We are all compelled to be inspired when faith is with us.

Review

I was convinced to give this a try as a local author wrote it, and it is essential to support new voices and broaden my reading. All I can say is that I am glad I did. We join Hazel, your average girl living in the year 2334. She has a classic back story of a father disappearing and a strange twist of an alien ship kidnapping her twin sister during a holiday at a local resort. During this kidnapping, Hazel's mother is drugged via injection and forgets who she is and who her children are. Now alone, Hazel is forced to attempt to find her father, and through this adventure, we watch her grow into a strong, inspiring adult.

A lot is going on in the book, and the book's central theme is co-existence and the importance of life. Will there be more in the series? Who knows, but I'm interested to find out.

This book wasn't what I expected at all, and though not my regular sci-fi read, I enjoyed it.

Audio Review 75 // The Harrowing by Rob Sanders

Having a double feature this week! I am not going to lie. I am looking forward to another Alpha Legion story. Whenever they appear, they are cunning and ruthless. Let's see if it continues in this short tale from War Without End.

The Title: The Harrowing (The Horus Heresy #Short Story)

Author: Rob Sanders

Fluff: Death has come to Callistra Mundi. The Space Marines of the Traitor Legions are coming, but when it's the Alpha Legion, you never know how they might appear... or who might be working for them.

The garrison world of Callistra Mundi is threatened by traitor forces – none other than the insidious Alpha Legion. Like so many before it, this attack will not come as a traditional legionary assault but as a Harrowing. Operatives and turncoats are revealed within the Mechanicum ark freighter Omnissiax and her attendant battlegroup, and confusion will reign amongst the loyalist defenders. And only when none can tell friend from foe will the true destruction begin...

The Alpha Legion assault a garrison world in their own inimitable style, turning friend against friend until no one knows who is responsible... Jump in and see if you can figure out the mystery behind the Harrowing.

Buy now: Amazon

Format: ebook

Review

Okay, okay, this was freaking awesome! A great little insight into the Alpha Legion's tactics. Overall, we discover that the Harrowing tactic involves misdirection, infiltrators, and good old-fashioned turncoats. We actually get to experience the damage that can be done from within and the confusion that can be sowed with very few agents.

This is like a SAS/Special Force mission, and it was so cool to watch the Mechanium undone by these tactics. Overall a fantastic tale that I highly recommend, and I can't wait to see what the Alpha Legion does next!

As always, I appreciate you stopping to read, and I hope you will check out my Youtube Channel, Adventures with Peps, for more content.

Audio Review 74 // By the Lion's Command by Gav Thorpe

I am continuing my run of short listens of Horus Heresy stories with this title from the War Without book. By the Lion's Command has my favourite BL author Gav Thorpe once again taking the helm with the Dark Angels. Let's get into the details.

Title: By the Lion's Command (The Horus Heresy #Short Story)

Author: Gav Thorpe

Fluff: Following the splitting of the Dark Angels fleet in the aftermath of Perditus, Seneschal Corswain continues to hunt down the Death Guard forces under the command of the infamous Typhon. Now, a tense standoff erupts in the heavens over the supposedly independent world of Terra Nullius, and Corswain must either bend the local population to his own cause or make an example of them to other worlds that might secede from the Imperium. In this war, there can be no innocent bystanders.

It's a tense stalemate from start to finish. An ultimatum is set for the Free Army of Terra Nullius by the Dark Angels. They can rejoin the forces of the Emperor or be destroyed along with the traitor Death Guard. This is one of the first instances where a system declares independence rather than joining either side in the Horus Heresy, forcing the Loyalists to make some hard decisions about them.

GET A COPY: Amazon/Audible

Published: March 31st, 2015, by Black Library

Review

I love Dark Angels in the Horus Heresy era. Who's side are they on? Are they good guys? Are they bad guys? Or are they playing both sides? I love it. In this title, we are treated to Seneschal Corswain as the lead. It follows his forces after splitting the legion forces, as Corswain attempts to locate the traitorous Typhon and his Death Guard.

Believing to have discovered the Death Guards' destination, the Dark Angel forces head to Terra Nullius to engage. Here they find a world protected by orbital stations; the only problem is the world has not chosen a side and hopes to ride out the war as a neutral force. Unfortunately, the war has arrived, and they must decide who to join. The devil they know (i.e. the Imperium) or the new Overlords (the Deathguard).

A very tense story which could have easily swung either way and Gav Thorpe does a great job at adding this pressure into the account. A really standout piece in these short stories so far. Well worth the purchase and listen to!

Enjoy.

Comic 193 // Star Wars Adventures (Vol 4): Smugglers Blues

How many more library finds can I discover before they fully dry up? This week it is the turn of volume 4, Smuggler's blues. With a young Solo and Chewy in trouble once again.

Title: Star Wars Adventures, Vol. 4: Smuggler's Blues

Creative: Cavan Scott, Derek Charm (Illustrator)

 Fluff: Set before the events of Episode IV: A New Hope, join everyone’s favourite stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder on a daring new caper!

Feared bounty hunters Zuckuss and 4-LOM are hot on the heels of the most notorious scoundrels in the galaxy, Han Solo and Chewbacca! Han and Chewie will risk landing on a mysterious planet that somehow shuts down all electronics to evade their pursuers. How will the boys escape with the Millennium Falcon unable to take off?

With a mix of characters from all across the Star Wars film series, Star Wars Adventures is perfect for Jedi and Padawans alike.

Review

As the name suggests, we are getting the stories of smugglers in this volume, with a Han Solo/Chewy adventure, a Lando Calrissian tale and finally, a Jaxxon the green rabbit tale (I am a big fan of Bucky O'Hare, so I better like this one!).

Opening tale is the cover also with Solo and Chewy attempting to flee from the bounty hunting duo of Zuckuss and 4-LOM. After a failed attempt to escape, the duo crash land on a planet that kills all electronic devices. As they are forced to team up, we are faced with double-crosses, killer spiders and blaster action. A great way to start the book off; I really enjoyed it.

The follow-up tale is all about the smooth as butter Lando Calrissian. During his days in Cloud City, he attempts to be an honest man and is contacted by an old friend to help steer a kid from entering a life of crime. Not a sinister tale, also not that thrilling, to be honest. A safe story.

Now I was looking forward to Jaxxon, the green rabbit, in Disney canon! An exciting story that will seem very similar to a Mandalorian tale (which I assume was inspired by this). Jaxxon has been hired to transport a batch of endangered eggs, the last in a long line of a Royal family. Of course, nothing goes to plan, and it is soon discovered to all be a ruse to allow the real eggs to be smuggled away by Hans. A short, sweet tale. I do hope we get more.

Overall a solid outing, not perfect, but when is it? It's nice to see Jaxxon and have an excellent Solo story, so it wins there. It was also interesting to see a bit of Bespin. Overall I would recommend reading if you have a spare evening.

Alien Isolation Part 14 - That made me jump

Unlucky for some, we have reached part 13 of my Alien: Isolation gameplay series. This episode was a joy to play. I died and jumped so much, my heart was racing by the end, and I actually struggled to fall asleep that night. Hahaha.

Hope you enjoy it!

Book Review 186 // No Use for Good Men (Short Story) by Guy Haley

Enjoying these Black Library short reads, I fear this story is tempting me into the crime series they have been creating of late. Here is the fluff for No Use for Good Men.

Fluff: 

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is a vast city… The urban sprawl of murder and corruption. A den of vice and illicit deeds where the law fails, and justice is fleeting.

Glutted merchant-kings turn the wheels of industry, feeding the engine of war on distant worlds while the lowly dream only of survival. As the gilded prosper, hidden behind their fortress walls, the masses must find a place within the underbelly. But regardless of station, whether criminal or law-keeper, one fact remains true – this city is dirty, and no one escapes it without a little sin. For in Varangantua, there are no good men.

Review

Damn, this was good if quick read. Guy Hayley does excellent work in bringing the City of Varangantua alive. It is a depressing place where good people are crushed under the iron fists of gangs and corruption. How the people survive is beyond me, and the complete feeling of powerlessness the law enforcement faces is just numbing. Order is a fleeting dream that seems to slip further away every day.

As I mentioned, though, it was a quick read, but it was enough to add the series to my to-be-purchased list, and that alone speaks volumes to how good a read this was. I will review as soon as I have that title and have consumed it.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Audio Review 73 // Sermon of Exodus by David Annandale

 

Sermon of Exodus is a short story published in the War Without End. The cover image used is that of War Without End, as the Sermon of Exodus has yet to be released separately. A minor spoiler is that the Sermon of Exodus is a prequel to the events of Book 30, The Damnation of Pythos. It is annoying that it came out afterwards. They seem to do that a lot.

Fluff:

In the wake of Horus' miraculous recovery on Davin, the Davinites begin an exodus to the stars, joining with the Traitor Legions, to whom they will offer the power of the Dark Gods.

Review

That is a short fluff without much description, which sadly sums up the story. So far, in this short audio story run, this was the hardest to listen to. I struggled to get into it, which was a real shame.

It is a prequel to The Damnation of Pythos and provides some extra background for the events and characters, which would have been great to have before reading that novel (thanks, Black Library). It helps explain the Lodges and their ongoing role within the traitor legions a bit better. But that kind of is it for the highlights for me. The main character Tsi Rekh is the prophesied one who would lead the Davinites to more greatness in the eyes of the Gods (so much ego in the 30k, haha). Which is overused so much during these Horus books that it bores me.

Ultimately for a lore point, this is worth a listen. As for enjoyment, I would move along on to a different story.

I appreciate you stopping by to read this, and I hope you will be back soon!

Comic Review 192 // Star Wars Adventures Pomp & Circumstance Vol.7

Punch it, Chewy! We are diving straight into another excellent Library find, as I discovered Vol.7 of the Star Wars adventure series. We have Poe and BB8 flying into danger in their sweet-looking X-Wing so let's not waste time and dive into the details.

Title: Star Wars Adventures, Vol. 7: Pomp and Circumstance (Star Wars Adventures (2017) #7)

Comic Team: John Jackson Miller, John Barber, James Gilarte, Jon Sommariva & Valentina Pinto.

Publisher: Disney

Fluff: Join Chewie, Poe Dameron, BB-8, and Luke Skywalker in these adventures that span the Star Wars universe and the saga's entire history. These young-reader-friendly stories will appeal to Jedi everywhere, Master and Padawan alike!

Chewie is all alone with a perplexing new problem that is a major pain in his hide, and the iconic Wookiee will have to use all of his strength, wits, and patience to overcome this latest danger! Then, when an emergency landing separates BB-8 from Poe Dameron, the astromech droid must make friends with the natives to repair their ship and return to the Resistance.

Plus, welcome to the Resistance! In this all-new adventure before The Force Awakens, follow the fledgling Resistance as it begins to realize the growing threat of the First Order! Based on Star Wars Resistance, an exciting new animated series on Disney Channel! And in the last story, with Leia injured, it's up to Luke to undertake a sensitive diplomatic mission with the easily-irritated Sarkans! What should be a routine meeting soon turns into an action-packed adventure with the galaxy's fate on the line!

Buy now and support me: Amazon.

Review

Plenty of stories in this one. In my opinion, the first and title piece is Mind Your Manners. In this piece, we witness Leia and Luke as diplomats as they attempt to secure a deal for crystals used in laser production. Of course, things go wrong, and treachery threatens to overthrow all their hard work. This is a solid opener; it could have been a better start.

This is followed by a weird day tale in Chewie’s Day Off. Chewie is given some time away to unwind; unfortunately, a bounty hunter has other plans and ruins his relaxing day. Overall a poorly thought out tale as Chewie is never translated, so most of the story is left to the artwork. A bit of a miss for me.

Then we get the Poe and BB8 story Unlikely Friendship. Having landed on a swamp planet, our duo is rescued by a young boy. The trio then facedown the natives and restored the X-Wing for take-off. A relatively short affair, which is good. Easy to forget, but nothing wrong with it, just filler.

I was excited for this All Aces Battle Royale. I am currently working through the Resistance cartoon, so having a comic strip is perfectly timed. Set on the Colossus, we have the Aces attempting to intercept communication that, if allowed to leave, give away their location to the First Order. Really enjoyed this tale. I think this could be a highlight piece for me.

We then end with Sector 7-E. Also, a Resistance story, double fun! In classic Kaz style, he discovers pirates stealing weapons, and with a bit of help, he sets about bringing them down. A very straightforward rescue-style story but rather enjoyable for what it was.

Overall this comic was a middle ground for me. A few hits and a few misses. The Chewie one, for me, was a low point. The Resistance tales were an excellent addition, and I hope we get more, but I can see this being a hit for a younger audience.

As always, thanks for stopping by.

Road to Badab Executioners

Like all best-laid plans my Road to Badab project floundered. If you missed the first video follow this Astral Claws links, otherwise let's move onto the next video Executioners.

Executioners

"You may cleave to your courage but that will fail you, look to your weapons but you will find them not enough. Run, fight, hide, pray, cry out or cower -- it does not matter, for we are come."

— Fafnir Rann, Patriarch and first High Executioner of the Executioners Chapter

Warcry: Unknown

Founding: 3rd Founding

Successor: Imperial Fists

Successor Chapters: Iron Champions, Crimson Axes, Skull Bearers.

Primarch: Rogal Dorn

Chapter Master: Arkash Hakkon

Homeworld: Stygia-Aquilon (Binary World) former homeworld, Fleet-Based Chapter (Currently).

Fortress-Monastery: Darkenvault (Asteroid Base) former base.

Colours: Metallic, blue-tinted gunmetal, occasional use of brass to denote veteran status.

The Executioners is a 3rd Founding Successor Chapter of the Imperial Fists created according to Imperial records in the first year of the 32nd Millennium. The Executioners were one of four formerly Loyalist Chapters that rebelled against the Imperium of Man’s authority during the Badab War and joined the Secessionist cause led by the Renegade Astral Claws.

The Chapter, through a debt of honour found themselves on the wrong side of the conflict (I disagree Huron was right at first), but as the war drew on the Executioners realised the Astral Claws were falling from grace and had crossed a line. They changed sides and ultimately repented. They forfitted their terrority to the salamanders and went on a penance crusade set by the High Lords of Terra.

What a fantastic Chapter. I was so impressed with the lore and the paint scheme I picked, that I decided to paint all my Imperium Magazine figures in it. I hope you enjoyed this and will head over to my YouTube channel and follow me there.

Read More

Primaris Lieutenant Cullen.

Book Review 185 // The Shapers of Scars by Marc Collins

Some more Black Library goodness this Friday. Today we look over a Space Wolf adventure. And enjoy a new viewpoint on the ongoing wars of the 40k verse.

Title: The Shapers of Scars (Black Library Advent Calendar 2020 #5)

Author: Marc Collins

Page Count: 26

Buy the Book: The Shapers of Scars by Marc Collins

Fluff:

Beneath the slate-grey skies of Fenris, a mighty jarl lies dying. She is a huntress queen, who has guided her people for many years, and the time for her thread to be cut is near as those closest to her prepare for her passing, Katla Helvintr dreams. In her mind, she faces the great wyrm that laid her low once more, and if she loses this battle, her time is done. But Katla Helvintr is powerful and has a wyrd upon her, and her end may not yet have come…

Review

I enjoy a Rogue Trader adventure, and Collins has managed to create a fantastic character in Katla Helvintr. She is a Rogue Trader, but she also comes from Fenris, the Homeworld of the Space Wolves. Collins manager to create a character that was more than just a space Viking. She is a solid force to be acknowledged, and I seriously hope we get more like this in the future.

The ship itself should also be viewed as a character. The Wyrmslayer Queen is a dangerous ship; its machine spirit seems bold, solid and scary (like its captain). It is portrayed as an alpha predator in space, covered in guns and armed with deadly void harpoons to help grab its prey. The use of the harpoons in the story is so low-tech but amazingly fitting to hold a ship in place for boarding actions. The action is intense, and with it being Tyranids, you know it would give me the sweats. The scene where Katla faced off against a Carnifex left me gagging for air as I held my breath. I am ultimately glad she survived because that gives me hope for more adventures. So come to Collins and give me a whole book!

As always, thank you for stopping by. If you enjoy my blogging adventures, please check out my links as it supports me and the blog.

Kofi: https://ko-fi.com/adventureswithpeps

Audio Review 72 // The Phoenician by Nick Kyme

Continuing my adventures into the Horus Heresy title War without End. This time seems to be an Emperor's Children and Iron Hand title. Let's see if it is any good?

Title: The Phoenician (The Horus Heresy Short Story)

Author: Nick Kyme

Fluff: On the black sands of Isstvan V, Gabriel Santar is dying. Struck down by his former battle-brother, Julius Kaesoron of the Emperor’s Children, he watches helplessly as his father, Ferrus Manus, is murdered by the thrice-damned traitor Fulgrim. But Santar’s fading sight reveals far more about the supposedly perfect Phoenician primarch than anyone could have guessed – is it too late for this revelation to have any value to the Iron Hands Legion?

Review

Hm. I feel this is a filler piece, unfortunately. It covers the infamous duel on Istvaan, which saw Ferrus dead. It really reads a bit too matter of fact and doesn't add to the information or details told in the Fulgrim novel. Instead, we get a straight forward here's how it happened and what I saw before I died tale. Gabriel Santer, First Captain of Iron Hands, is a dull character. I didn't care for him or even connect to the story. Overall a bit of a miss for me. I find I struggle with the Iron Hands stories which is a real shame.

As always, I appreciate your opinions. What am I missing?

Comic Review 191 // Star Wars Adventures Heroes of the Galaxy

Those who check in regularly would have noticed that I am on a roll with the library finds. I am trying to find and read all the Star Wars Adventures series. On my most recent trip to my local library, I discovered Volume 1. The original title that kicked off the series. SO I had to grab it. 

Title: Star Wars Adventures, Vol. 1: Heroes of the Galaxy

Author/Art: Landry Q. Walker, Cavan Scott, Elsa Charretier, Pierrick Colinet, Derek Charm, Jon Sommariva, Sean Parsons.

Fluff:

Travel to a galaxy far, far away in this collection of Star Wars comic book tales! When the junk boss Unkar Plutt is kidnapped, Rey realizes her future may be better with the devil she knows. Plus more stories with Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2 and the rebels vs. the Empire expand the world of Star Wars into new territory for a new generation of fans.

Get a copy and support me: Amazon.ca

Format: Paperback, 80 pages

Review

Let's get the obvious stuff out the way. Yes, this is made for a younger reader, but I don't care. I have really enjoyed the stories so far, and I get to read them to my kids and absorb them into my hobbies (insert evil mastermind laughter). The part I feel that has impressed me the most with this series is the quick short format. There are no saga adventures, no getting to know the characters as we know them already. Just straight into the story and get out before you get bored.

This is officially volume one in this series. But with the stories not really linked, you can read in any order, which is nice. We kick things off with the main piece, all about Rey. We join her before any involvement in the films on the planet of Jakku. Getting to experience what her life is like. And though having connections is hard for her, it is better to know the devil than see it replaced by a new one. A great kidnapping story and a great way to add more Unkar Plutt into my life. For me, this was the stand-out tale. The rest are very lore-filling pieces. Tied to the mythology already created for SW. For example, we have an Obi-Wan and Dex story showcasing their friendship, which we already knew about, and the Flat Mountain of Yavin was a great way to tie in their other comic series Wild Space, but for me, these were filler and not the main reason to read this.

The art was great and stylish. It made for a joyful read, and most importantly, the kids loved it. Highly recommend it, especially if you have little ones learning to love the setting.

As always cheers for reading and use that link to support the blog.

Imperium Magazine Issues 1 to 3

Hey! Old news I know for most of you in England, in over here in North America, we finally got our hands on the Imperium Magazine. For those who don't know, this is a monthly delivery of magazines to introduce people to the hobby while building up two armies to fight with. Armies include the Space Marines (no surprise there) and the Necrons.

Personally, I haven't played since the 7th so being able to relearn the 9th edition rules like this intrigued me and gave me an excuse to start two new armies. Knowing what the forces would be, I started the task of working out who to collect. As a big fan of the Badab War (Huron did no wrong), I knew it had to be a force from there, and after a lot of back and forth, I settled on the Executioners. I like the idea of them being a close combat-themed Imperial Fist chapter that, thanks to Black Library and Forgeworld, have a surprising amount of fluff about them.

But who would they face off against? I find Necrons interesting as a force but always found the paint schemes dull. I know I needed a pop of colour, so I chose the Novokh Dynasty to supply that. With a gentle pop of red, these will stand out great against the Executioners while still easy to paint.

But back to today's post. In the video above, if you haven't watched it already, I quickly go over the first drop of magazines, look inside and discuss my plans for what to build. I hope you will enjoy and join me on Youtube as I work my way through building, painting and playing Warhammer 9th edition.

Cheers for reading.

Kofi Link: https://ko-fi.com/adventureswithpeps

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AdventureswithPeps/featured