Mouse Guard: Autumn 1152 by David Petersen
(Titan, HB £12.99, out now)
This collects the first six chapters in the promising Mouse Guard comics saga. It’s simply wonderful; the art and production values are astonishing, and the story of the brave mice from the Guard will touch readers of any age. It may look cute but this is dark fantasy as good as it gets.
Per Fischer, Communications & New Media Officer, Edinburgh
Meanwhile by Jason Shiga
(Harry N. Abrams Inc. HB £9.99, out now)
Every now and again you come across a release that feels fresh and original; Meanwhile is one of those books, and is a truly innovative graphic novel. Essentially, it’s a choose-your-own adventure – except with a twist: the fate of the world hinges on a sequence of seemingly innocuous decisions you have to make; eg do you choose chocolate or vanilla ice cream? More difficult than it at first seems, this deluxe graphic novel will test and amuse in equal measure.
Devised with hard science, created with inspiration and vision, packed with fun yet detailed artwork – this is a work of rare genius.
Andy Jamieson, Editor
The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects by Mike Mignola
(Dark Horse Comics, HB £13.50 approx, out now)
Forget Hellboy right now! This, to my mind, is Mike Mignola at his very best. You will find man-servants named Mr Groin. Parallel universes contained within turnips. Zombie occultists flying around in airships. And all this before we’ve even set off to avert the impending Martian invasion.
A collection of truly bonkers short stories all wrapped up in Mignola’s gloriously detailed artwork – grab it while you can!
Matt Pattinson, freelance illustrator: culpritart.blogspot.com
Blood Pact by Dan Abnett
(Black Library, 2011, PB, £7.99)
This fine book is the thirteenth book in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, and it’s a reflection of Dan Abnett’s great talent that he’s managed to keep this one as exciting and enjoyable as the very first. The basic plot follows Gaunt as he’s chased round the city of Balhaut, trying to protect a former Chaos officer who could hold the key to finally winning the Sabbat Worlds campaign. The tone of Blood Pact differs from the previous books in the series, being more a thriller than military SF, though this doesn’t stop the book being any less of an absolute joy to read than the first twelve novels.
Jonathan Taylor, Senior Bookseller, Waterstone’s Edinburgh Fort Kinnaird
Nemesis by James Swallow
(Black Library, 2010, PB, £7.99)
This superb book (the thirteenth in the series) is to the Horus Heresy what John Le Carré is to spy fiction. While most of the previous books have been in your-face-war, the author’s second book in the series (after the gripping fourth book in the HH series, Flight Of The Eisenstein) takes a much more cloak-and-dagger approach. James Swallow’s story unites the various assassin groups of the Imperium for one purpose, the death of the traitor, Warmaster Horus. All is not as it seems though, as Horus has his own particular assassination in mind…
As with all the Horus Heresy novels it is the journey that counts and this twisting tale of covert operatives and demonic killers is utterly engaging and a work of intricate brilliance.
Dale Johnson, BTC Manager, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh
The First Heretic by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
(Black Library, 2010, PB £7.99)
The Black Library’s hottest new author delivers a sucker punch on behalf of the consistently amazing Horus Heresy series. For existing fans this is a key addition to the overall story arc (being book fourteen) but crucially, due to its pre-heresy setting, is also a great first for those who are wondering where to start. The corruption of the Word Bearers Legion is told in painstakingly epic detail and Dembski-Bowden pulls you in with his relentless plotting. The action is gritty, as you’d expect, and the story twists and turns to a dramatic conclusion that will change the face of the 31st millennium. For those fans paying attention, there are some superb revelations contained within the covers of The First Heretic…
Barry Cassels, Manager, Games Workshop Edinburgh