Skull Throne

Black Library Advent Calendar 2019 #21

by Jake Ozga

A Warhammer Horror story

A resident of the Realm of Death faces horror when Chaos raiders come to their home – can they survive and turn the tables on their foes?

READ IT BECAUSE
Discover a twisted and twisting tale of existential crisis in Shyish, where nothing is as it seems.

THE STORY
Life in the wild places of Shyish is not as life elsewhere in the Mortal Realms. How could it be, when Shyish is the Realm of Death itself? For one inhabitant of that benighted land, the dream of life within death becomes a nightmare when dark invaders come to Shyish and takes their skull for the pleasure of a dark god. Yet even death isn't always permanent in Nagash's domain, and the sole warrior has the chance to fight again and avenge themselves on their foes…

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, 40k, Short Stories

18 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 21, 2019

Reviews

[AA_Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read very little AoS fiction, but on the basis of this I really should.

I’m not sure if it’s just down to my own uncertainty about the setting, but Jake Ozga has created a disorienting and visceral story that has challenged my preconceptions about AoS- the first person narrative and instant immersion in the story are really effective, and the title gives an indication of where the story *might* go, but absolutely no clue as to how it gets there.

A really refreshing story, and one that I regret sleeping on for so long.

[Ian Goodrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say I read much from the Black Library. I find lore hard work, and get the feeling that a lot of the authors are just churning out words by the kilo for the great god of marketing in some fetid dungeon under Nottingham.

That said, I do however spend far too much time with little plastic models, and had a punt at this one on a friend's recommendation. I was actually really pleasantly surprised. I was expecting a boring grimdark gore-fest featuring some angry lank-haired barbarian with a literal axe to grind, but found something a bit more sophisticated and unsettling.

The work is both gritty and ethereal, set in a tense, ugly dreamscape that shifts and slides and kept me on edge. Whilst there were a few missed opportunities for deeper, darker twists, it was a satisfying and mature piece with the confidence to approach Khorne from an unexpected angle.

A shame there were no orks, though.

[Michael Dodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a silent, desolate part of Shyish, a young woman drifts through what’s left of her life in a distant haze, detached from the world around her. When her routine is broken by a new presence that forces her to act, she feels something stir within that reawakens her mind and opens up a new path before her. This is about as far removed from the usual sort of Black Library stories as you could imagine, an unconventional tale that some might find a little opaque but which rewards the reader’s patience with a rich, mournful depiction of what it takes to survive in the Mortal Realms. It won’t be for everyone, but in its own way it’s as dark and compelling as any Warhammer story.

Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/12/...

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this one will come off divisively - and truth be told, the first half of the story failed to grab me. However, once it's direction became, well, "less cloudy" you could say, it ended up unlike any other Sigmar story and for that I liked it.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesmerizing short story. I was hooked from the first words.

[thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read, and not what I expected. It was good save for being so short.

[Andrew Alvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grim and sad in equal measure.