The Black Library Readers’ Hall of Fame is Goonhammer’s long-term, reader-participation initiative to recognize those novels that have “cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance” to the Black Library.
Through the votes of readers as well as our community panel of community voices, we’ll examine the entire history of the Black Library, induct the latest winners, and vote for the next round’s candidates every other week.
Welcome back! We've just about put the finishing touches on 2003 as we prepare to anoint its entrants into the Hall, and we're ready to enter 2004. Recall that the Black Library came into being only in 1997, so we've entered a period of time where they've found their footing and are continuing to grow.
Before we get ahead of ourselves though, let's take a moment to recognize the winners from
last time!
The Envelope Please
As we've progressed further along in the timeline and started to get a better sense of what the data means, it's been interesting to see which books perform well in voting, but fall
just shy of making the threshold for induction. These are all
very good books, to be sure, but couldn't quite sell the community on their greatness.
This time around,
Dan Abnett had the dubious distinction of falling into this category twice. Both
Sabbat Martyr and
Riders of the Dead. Of course, Abnett shares pole position with
William King at four Hall of Fame inductions, so any disappointment is certain to be temporary,
With that, let's turn to the two books that
did make it in!
AJ, The Paladin Journal: "This is one of the few stories we’ve ever gotten where the Adeptus Arbites take center stage, as they are largely just hangers-on and side characters in other works. Shia Calpurnia is a fantastic character and
Matthew Farrer delivers one of the best stories about the more civilian side of the Imperium- which often gets the short end of the stick as most stories tend to be all about the Imperial Guard and the Space Marines. This is a perfect companion book to something like Dan Abnett’s Inquisition novels, and setting the story on Hydraphur which is a key fortress world makes it all the more fascinating and entertaining. Definitely worth it for the Hall of Fame."
Jay, Goonhammer: "As AJ notes, a lot of the Black Library canon- especially in these early days- put its focus on the usual high-octane action-story protagonists. One of Farrer's biggest contributions was to expand the boundaries of what 40K could be. Crossfire certainly has no shortage of action sequences, but they're more like a police procedural rather than a war story. The idea of pushing what 40K was capable of being has long since taken root, and there's a throughline between 2003 here and
Chris Wraight's 2020 novel
Bloodlines- the kickoff of the Warhammer Crime imprint."
Lenoon, Goonhammer: "A fantastic reminder that 40k really does work well as a slightly silly pastiche, returning thematically at least to rogue trader roots with a straight up Flashman story with a dash of Blackadder and Baldrick. It’s light, genuinely funny and kicks off a series that knows how to work its angle and does so pretty relentlessly. Flashman in the future has been tried many times inside and outside of tie in fiction and this is the only version of it worth reading."
Keri, WH40K Book Club: "
For the Emperor not only brings into the world of WH40k one of the most amazing commissars in the universe, Ciaphas Cain, it's also the first book that explicitly focuses on humor in the grimdark future. Other books had humorous elements to be sure, but everything about Ciaphas Cain, even his heroic moments, are humorous. Even when he's a complete badass, there's a touch of humor.
"If that's not enough for you, how about the fact that Sandy Mitchell shows what a brilliant writer he is by incorporating completely different voices and writing styles throughout? Whether it's from Inquisitor Amberley Vail's footnotes, the awfully boring excerpts of Jenit Sulla, or the whimsical selections from "Interesting Places and Tedious People,"
For the Emperor broke the mold for what WH40k lore novels were expected to be."
AJ, The Paladin Journal: "Ciaphas Cain is a hilariously entertaining character and everything about this novel just speaks to the wonderful contradictory whimsy or Warhammer 40k as a setting. Focusing on the Tau and Genestealer Cults as enemies also very welcome as these factions are often ignored in the larger tapestry of Black Library novels and stories."
Chris, Black Library Nutters: "A brilliant book. I remember first time reading it and seeing Cain in the awkward way he tried to avoid being killed and ends up being a hero literally had me laughing so much. Sandy writes them like nobody else could."
Now we'll turn to the next round of hopefuls. They're all notable, but only the most notable from a cultural, historical, or aesthetic sense can make it into the Hall- and they'll need your help to do it!
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!
The Ballot: The Class of 2004 (January to June)
Image credit: Games Workshop
Warhammer 40,000
Image credit: Games Workshop
Book:
Annihilation Squad, by Gav Thorpe
Synopsis: "Lieutenant Kage, convict of the 13th Penal Legion and probably its longest surviving recruit, has once more come to the attention of his ruthless old commanding officer, the Colonel. Joined with a brand new team of Last Chancers, Kage is sent on a suicide mission to the war-torn planet of Armageddon to hunt down and assassinate one of the most dangerous traitors to the Imperium - former planetary overlord Herman von Strab. However, the Third Armageddon War is still raging fiercely and the Last Chancers will have to fight through orks, rebels and even the planet itself if they are to succeed in their mission."
Note: Book three in the Last Chancers series.
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Book:
Caves of Ice, by Sandy Mitchell
Synopsis: "On the ice world of Simia Orichalcae a spate of mysterious disappearances is causing unrest amongst the mine-workers, and, as senior officer of the Astra Militarum, Commissar Ciaphas Cain is nominated to investigate. Unbeknownst to him, the planet is right in the path of a major ork incursion and, as the savage greenskins attack, a malevolent evil begins to stir deep in the ice caves."
Note: Book two of the Ciaphas Cain series.
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Book:
Grey Knights, by Ben Counter
Synopsis: "There are times when the scale of a daemonic infestation is such that even the most formidable and righteous Inquisitors need to call upon aid to triumph.
High speed action and adventure with the elite Grey Knights as they struggle to banish the powerful daemon Ghargatuloth before time runs out and the creature is free to rampage around the universe!"
Note: Book one of the Grey Knights series.
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Book:
Legacy, by Matthew Farrer
Synopsis: "The legendary rogue trader charters: Imperial warrants of unimaginable antiquity, which can bring their bearers wealth and power barely imaginable. Now that Rogue Trader Hoyyon Phrax is dead, his charter is being brought to the great fortress-system of Hydraphur to be ceremonially bequeathed to his son, and already the vultures are circling."
Note: Book two in the Shira Calpurnia series.
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Book:
Traitor General, by Dan Abnett
Synopsis: "An Imperial general has defected to the enemy, and the secrets he carries could spell the end of the Sabbat Worlds Crusade. Colonel-Commissar Gaunt and a small team from the Tanith First must infiltrate an enemy-held world and gain the trust of the local underground, all the while trying desperately to avoid the ever-present taint of Chaos. Their mission: to stop the traitor general from revealing his secrets – by any means necessary."
Note: Book eight in the Gaunt's Ghosts series.
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Warhammer Fantasy
Image credit: Games Workshop
Book:
Blood of the Dragon, by C. L. Werner
Synopsis: "In the lawless wilds of the Old World, the ruthless bounty hunter Brunner hunts his quarry in return for a purse of gold. When his hunt for the notorious highwayman Gobineau leads him to the blighted city of Mousillon, Brunner is caught between two warring factions and an ancient powerful dragon."
Note: Book three in the Brunner the Bounty Hunter series.
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Book:
The Burning Shore, by Robert Earl
Synopsis: "Forced to escape his life of debt and debauchery, Bretonnian nobleman Florin d'Artaud tricks his way onto a flotilla headed to the fabled lands of Lustria. Once they arrive in Lustria's jungles, the mercenaries find far more than they bargained for and a simple treasure hunt turns into a sinister expedition for forgotten lore."
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Book:
Magestorm, by Jonathan Green
Synopsis: "Lord Archaon's dark hordes of Chaos are rampaging across the Old World and all good men of the Empire must heed the call to fight against the encroaching evil. Standing to the fore is fire wizard, Gerhart Brennend - a loner whose mysterious past is drenched in tragedy. As the Storm of Chaos approaches the Imperial city of Wolfenburg, a desperate battle looms and blood will be spilled like never before! Wolfenburg must not fall!"
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Book:
Sacred Flesh, by Robin D. Laws
Synopsis: "Awave of terror has swept through the Empire and Chaos is on the move. Mutations are increasing and strange creatures roam the streets at night. Some say it is the end of the world whilst others say it is the beginning of a new order! Against this backdrop of terror, battlefield looter Angelika Fleischer meets up with a group of Pilgrims heading for a remote monastery in the dangerous Blackfire Pass. Dogged by goblin attacks and an unknown killer in their midst, they journey together to see the most holy Mother Elisabeth, the great Priestess of Shallya, Goddess of Mercy. But with Empire forces and the hordes of Chaos converging on their destination, Angelika uncovers a dark secret that could cost her life."
Note: Book two in the Angelika Fleischer series.
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Book:
Ursun's Teeth, by Graham McNeill
Synopsis: "Retired General Kaspar von Velten returns to the frozen city of Kislev to continue his duties as the Emperor's ambassador to the court of Tsarina Katarin. With the massed hordes of Chaos marching towards the strategic rock formation known as Ursun's Teeth, the combined armies of the Empire and Kislev must ride out to meet them in battle. Will Kaspar's time as a general of the Empire allow him to lead this ragtag force to victory, or will they be crushed by the might of the Dark Gods?"
Note: Book two in the Ambassador Chronicles series.
Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]
Book:
Valnir's Bane, by Nathan Long
Synopsis: "Given a choice between execution or volunteering for a suicide mission, a disreputable band of convicts is assigned to journey deep into enemy-held territory to retrieve an ancient relic that could change the course of the war."
Note: Book one in the Blackhearts series.
[poll id="94"]
Good luck to all the books this week!
The Banner of Glory
Finally, here’s a look at all of the current members of this most prestigious Hall!
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