Black Library Readers’ Hall of Fame: The Winners of 2005 (Jan-May), and Books of 2005 (Jun-Dec)

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, Black Library readers, to the next installment of our regular series where we- with your help- determine the books that get to enter the Hall. We've got an action-packed episode for you today, with two more books gaining entry to the Hall from last time as well as a bumper crop of books to consider for the next round of induction!

The Envelope Please

One thing I frequently see when folks encounter the Hall of Fame for the first time is an assumption that it's a winner-takes-all competition, that only one book from each category is allowed in. I'll probably be clarifying that regularly for as long as the project runs, but this time it seems it was meant to be: indeed, only one book from each category found its way in.

Interestingly, we're starting to enter territory where we should consider expanding the categories. After all, right around the corner in 2006 is when a nifty little book called Horus Rises is published, opening up a whole new storyline quite distinct from Warhammer 40,000.

But for the moment, let's recognize our two winning books for the first half of 2005!

Michael, Track of Words: "If you were ever looking for a book to bridge the gap between the wild, early Ian Watson years and the more formalised 40k stories of today, Lord of the Night would fit the bill perfectly. It has much of the darkness and strangeness of those early books, just wedded to a more contemporary style overall, with the result being a story that’s bleak and dark as you like, full of weirdness but still accessible and very readable. Arguably this set the mold for Chaos Space Marine stories to come, and it certainly influenced all the Night Lord books that followed it. An absolute must-read, unquestionably."

Jay, Goonhammer: "When it comes to the Eighth, Si Spurrier walked so that Aaron Dembski-Bowden could run. Like many, the Night Lords trilogy holds a huge place in my heart- but Spurrier's work here goes well beyond just being a foundational work for an underrepresented Legion. Rather, this is an early (and successful) example of showcasing a Chaos/Traitor Legion protagonist as the narrative center for a novel, and on that basis it easily stands on its own. I wasn't the least bit surprised that this book was a Reader's Choice reprint in 2023."

Jay, Goonhammer: "Often overlooked in his impressive body of fiction for the Black Library is the fact that Dan Abnett was an early and foundational talent in the comics side as well, not just the prose. Series like Titan and Malus Darkblade were big hits, with the latter successfully leaping from the comics page and into a series of novels₁.

"Together with Mike Lee, they created a daemonically-possessed Dark Elf anti-hero which was one of Fantasy's most popular and enduring figures (fourteen years later he'd even be a playable legendary lord in Total War: Warhammer II). It's interesting that both Hall of Fame entries this time involved antihero characters, which gives you a sense of the terrain the Black Library was looking to explore in this period. With this, Darkblade's debut prose novel, he takes his place along Abnett's other legends like Eisenhorn and Gaunt's Ghosts."

Congratulations to Abnett, Lee, and Spurrier for their entry into the Hall! Next, we'll have a look at 2005's remaining books.

The Ballot: The Class of 2005 (June to December)

These are the books of the second half of 2005. We're going to go ahead and get out in front of next year's Horus Heresy by splitting out the distinct product lines this time, making a distinction between 40K and Necromunda, and Fantasy and Blood Bowl. This is just for visual layout and won't impact any voting. After all...

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!

Image credit: Games Workshop

Warhammer 40,000

Image credit: Games Workshop

Book: Fifteen Hours, by Mitchel Scanlon

Synopsis: "Arvin Larn is terrified. On the battlefields of the far future, only an insane man wouldn't be. Seventeen years old and still new to the Imperial Guard, he is thrust straight into his first war and must face horrors that his sheltered upbringing could never prepare him for. The trenches of the 41st millennium are filled with worse things than rats and trenchrot. For one, the world they fight for is being contested by the monstrous barbarian orks. The orks live for battle and know no fear, so it's no wonder that the average life-span of an Imperial Guardsman on this forsaken world is only fifteen hours."

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Book: His Last Command, by Dan Abnett

Synopsis: "The Tanith First are no more. Moved into another regiment under a charismatic new commander, the loyalties of the former Ghosts are put to the test when Colonel-Commissar Gaunt, long believed dead, returns. As the enemy overrun the Imperial forces, Clashing with Crusade command, and suspected of harbouring the taint of Chaos, Gaunt must fight not only to be reunited with his Ghosts, but to stop all their lives being thrown away in an unwinnable war."

Note: Book nine in the Gaunt's Ghosts series.

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Book: Ravenor Returned, by Dan Abnett

Synopsis: "Inquisitor Gideon Ravenor and his retinue are believed dead and, with shadowy forces moving against them, they'd like to keep it that way. Returning back to the planet Eustis Majoris, they go undercover, investigating a brutal ring of smugglers moving stolen arcane technology within the Imperium. As they descend deeper into the organisation, it becomes clear that a terrible plot is unravelling. The ancient machines contain the unthinkable, and Ravenor must summon all of his wits to thwart the conspirators before the ultimate secrets of Chaos itself are laid bare!"

Note: Book two in the Revenor series.

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Book: Warrior Brood, by C. S. Goto

Synopsis: "The world of Herodian IV is doomed when the nightmarish tyranid hive fleets descend from the depths of space, intent on devouring every living thing on the planet. In the vital hours before the planet is lost, Inquisitor Kalypsia and a team of Deathwatch Space Marines are sent on a mission to investigate a vital research outpost. The terrible secret they uncover could spell a fate worse than death for Kalypsia and her warriors - maybe even for the whole of humanity, but can they escape to safety before they are torn apart by the ravenous aliens?"

Note: Book one in the Deathwatch series.

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Necromunda

No Necromunda this time, 2005's four entries here were considered in our previous installment. But there will be more coming!

Image credit: Games Workshop

Warhammer Fantasy

Image credit: Games Workshop

Book: The Broken Lance, by Nathan Long

Synopsis: "In the second book of the Black Hearts series, Reiner and his band of reprobates are given a new mission. All communications with a vital Imperial border fort has been lost, and they are sent to find out what's going on - has the commander gone rogue, or are more sinister forces at work?"

Note: Book two in the Blackhearts series.

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Book: Forged in Battle, by Justin Hunter

Synopsis: "Sigmund and his Ragged Company may not be the most refined soldiers in the armies of the Empire, but when the massed forces of Chaos are bearing down on you in all their horror, you don't worry too much about shiny uniforms and marching in time. Local farmsteads are falling prey to the feral beastmen. Something is going on and as the beastmen finally amass to take Sigmund's home town Helmstrumburg by force, the Ragged Company must get to the bottom of these sinister events and unravel the secrets of an ancient prophecy whilst fighting for their lives!"

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Book: Grudge Bearer, by Gav Thorpe

Synopsis: "When his father dies, Barundin, prince of Zhufbar, becomes king of that realm and lord of one of the mightiest outposts of the ancient and powerful dwarf empire. Over the centuries that follow, he sets out to right many of the wrongs done to his people, fulfilling ancient grudges and bringing death to his foes as he wages war against his father's killers, and strives to protect Zhufbar from the dark forces of Chaos."

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Book: Guardians of the Forest, by Graham McNeill

Synopsis: "A human knight is plunged into a strange, mystic realm when he joins forces with wood elves who are fighting to defend their forest homeland from marauding beastmen. As the forces of magic run wild, can wood elves and humans put aside their differences for long enough to defeat the evil forces of Chaos?"

Note: Book three in the High Elf series.

Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]

Book: Keepers of the Flame, by Neil McIntosh

Synopsis: "In the epic conclusion of the Stefan Kumansky trilogy, the hero confronts his ultimate challenge as he once again faces down the Storm of Chaos, which threatens all civilization, in the sequel to Star of Erengrad and Taint of Evil."

Note: Book three in the Stefan Kumansky series.

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Book: Liar's Peak, by Robin D. Laws

Synopsis: "Battlefield looter Angelika Fleischer and her companion Franziskus follow the path of war north, only to get recruited by a troop of Empire soldiers who are hunting Chaos forces in the Black Mountains. But a case of mistaken identity leads to a massive military blunder. Should they own up to their error, or just hope it is not discovered?"

Note: Book three in the Angelika Fleischer series.

Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]

Book: Necromancer, by Jonathan Green

Synopsis: "A simple physician descends into the depths of depravity and insanity in pursuit of the ultimate power as he journeys into the dark depths of necromancy."

Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]

Book: Savage City, by Robert Earl

Synopsis: "Fresh from her adventures in the Ogre Kingdoms, wild-girl Katerina is still trying to get used to life in normal society. Her 'saviours', Florin and Lorenzo, are enjoying their ill-gotten gains and seem unconcerned that local crimeboss Mordicio still has his eye on her. With the untimely and suspicious death of her husband Sergei, however, Katerina reverts to her savage ways and with Florin and Lorenzo in tow, sets out to tear the town of Bordelaux apart in her quest for vengeance."

Note: Book three of the Adventures of Florin & Lorenzo

Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]

Book: Witch Finder, by C. L. Werner

Synopsis: "In the grim medieval Old World, the dreaded Witch Hunters are feared above all others. These tyrannical individuals are tasked with hunting out evil throughout the towns and villages, using whatever means they find necessary in order to destroy those foolish enough to ally with the Dark Powers. Counted amongst the most zealous of the Witch Hunters is Mathias Thulmann, a ruthless individual whose exploits are recounted to scare citizens of the Empire. As Thulmann's journey continues, his enemies surround him, and when they strike, the witch hunter's doom may be sealed…"

Note: Book two in the Mathias Thulmann series.

Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]

Blood Bowl

Image credit: Games Workshop

Book: Blood Bowl, by Matt Forbeck

Synopsis: "In a fantasy kingdom where violence is a way of life the number one sport is Blood Bowl - Gridiron where anything goes. Dirk 'Dunk' Hoffnung, once a barbarian swordsman, is now a rookie quarterback in the toughest football league you've ever seen. Follow his career as he goes from Most Promising Newcomer to MVP!"

Note: Book one in the Blood Bowl Series.

Image credit: Games Workshop[/caption]

Book: Dead Ball, by Matt Forbeck

Synopsis: "Dirk 'Dunk' Hoffnung, a star Blood Bowl player, is forced to start all over again in the Goblin Leagues, in the sequel to Blood Bowl."

Note: Book two in the Blood Bowl Series.

[poll id="135"]

The Banner of Glory

Finally, here’s a look at all of the current members of this most prestigious Hall!

Footnotes

Mindful of the shared nature of the universe, Abnett gives Titan's princeps a cameo in Hereticus, which he calls out clearly in the Annotated and Illustrated Edition.

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Tags: black library | Black Library Readers' Hall of Fame