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Necromunda
Uprising
Great collection of stories from the Underhives of Necromunda...
At the poison heart of Necromunda, a sickness festers: where the word of Helmawr is law, the many go hungry… but murder is cheap, and meat is everywhere, for those willing to take it. While the nobles of the spire sit and watch, bloody-handed gangers war in an endless battle for survival.
The venator Yar Umbra cuts a swathe through Hive Primus, chasing the promise of escape from Necromunda. A cawdor juve, desperate to prove himself, finds a statue of the Emperor that will change his life forever. A corpse guild drudge learns what his superiors are desperate to keep forbidden. And Caleb Cursebound, ninth most dangerous man in the underhive, thief of the Hand of Harrow, flees to the remote mining settlement of Hope’s End, pursued by those who would see his reputation forever tarnished…
This anthology contains the novella Low Lives by Denny Flowers, and nine short stories by some of Black Library’s finest authors.
At the poison heart of Necromunda, a sickness festers: where the word of Helmawr is law, the many go hungry… but murder is cheap, and meat is everywhere, for those willing to take it. While the nobles of the spire sit and watch, bloody-handed gangers war in an endless battle for survival.
The venator Yar Umbra cuts a swathe through Hive Primus, chasing the promise of escape from Necromunda. A cawdor juve, desperate to prove himself, finds a statue of the Emperor that will change his life forever. A corpse guild drudge learns what his superiors are desperate to keep forbidden. And Caleb Cursebound, ninth most dangerous man in the underhive, thief of the Hand of Harrow, flees to the remote mining settlement of Hope’s End, pursued by those who would see his reputation forever tarnished…
This anthology contains the novella Low Lives by Denny Flowers, and nine short stories by some of Black Library’s finest authors.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 21, 2021
My old wargaming group is getting back into Necromunda and I figured picking up this anthology would be a good way to get back into the world building of the underhive. Overall, this book was fantastic, and each story added something interesting to the Necromunda lore. While a couple of the stories had their issues, overall I still give this anthology 5 stars.
The Birth of Hunger by David Annadale
What a perfect story to start off everything in this anthology. It sets the right kind of mood and really sets the stage for the newest gang for Necromunda, the Corpse Grinders. I have to admit, this story alone almost made me pick up the gang in the game. Well written, perfectly eerie, and overall captures many of the brutalities of Necromunda and 40k life in general. Wonderful story.
His Terrible Visage by Gary Kioster
Cawdor story. This one was interesting and overall had some good moments to it. It helped to show the Cawdor of the new Necromunda vs the Cawdor of the old game. Trash pickers with only the glory of the Emperor to sustain them, and this story shows that well. It also helps to show what the leaders of this gang are like, and just how their own viewpoints differ from the lower ranks. Honestly, I forgot about this story until I went to write this review. Not to say it is bad, but it is kind of forgettable when compared to some of the other stories in this anthology.
Sludge Harbour Payback by Justin D Hill
A Yar Umbra story. Thing is, I had seen Yar's picture in the rulebook, but reading this story, I didn't realize this was him until I saw the picture of him again. There is a lot of traversing in this book as Yar tries to leave Necromunda and we get to see how he ended up on the planet. There is a lot of atmosphere to this story, and it does a good job pushing the mystery of what is under Yar's hood. I wasn't a huge fan of this story, but it does build on the lore for a character which gives it some points in my world.
Low Lives by Fenny Flowers
Caleb Cursebound story. This is a long one. Takes up a fair chunk of the anthology it feels like, and in some ways that is good, in others it's not so much. First off, I am not a huge fan of Caleb. He feels like a lesser Cal Jericho and I'm not a huge fan of that character either. His ratskin companion is a true badass, and felt overpowered. But given that I think the ratskins are going to get a huge re-treatment if they are ever re-released (as being less than positive spins on Native Americans), this story does a good job 1) staying away from the whole Native American thing 2) Making the character far more interesting than Caleb himself.
There are some nice set pieces in this story, some good Necromunda elements like the Ambot and Lashworms, and a nice feud with an Uphiver which felt very much like a callback to the Spyer Gangs of old. I just wish Caleb was more interesting...
Paradise by Jonathan Green
Orlock story. This one is interesting as it brings in a completely different setting than one is used to in the Neecromunda setting and had me thinking about set pieces for the game for a bit. Another Ambot, which after the last story, felt repetitive and uninteresting, but overall the setting itself took the star of this story and is worth it just for that.
Dead Drop by Mike Brooks
Orlock story. By this point, you've seen Orlocks in three of the stories (including this one) and it's kind of gotten boring. This one is set outside of Necromunda in the Ash Wastes which is an interesting setting to do. It includes car chases and lots of action, and while thinking back, car chases should have felt more Gorka Morka, Brooks did a fantastic job keeping it feeling Necromunda. So much so it never actually took me out of the story. The ending felt like he wrote himself into a corner though and just decided to let things end like an 80s sitcom with a flash frame.
Banner-Jarl by Will McDermott
A Grendl Grendlsen story. Oh Squats, will you never die? I kid of course. Another story about a bounty hunter who is listed in the Necromunda rule book, this tale is full of a ton of action and quite a lot of interesting things. A mysterious person, cyber mastiffs gone feral, and a protagonist who keeps going despite getting constantly knocked down, this story has seemingly everything. It was interesting to get a glimpse into Grendl's history and in doing so, the Squats as well. As mentioned above, I like stories that give some history to characters, so this was a good one.
Long Way Home by Filip Wiltgren
Van Saar story, and a hell of a good one. This story impressed me a lot. Not only did it have some amazing setting pieces, but there was a lot of action and a protagonist who had something to prove. (as it was centered around a juve) Wiltgren did a good job with the Van Saars and fleshed them out a lot in this story, something I was glad to see after all the Orlocks in this anthology. The house pride was a nice touch, and their view of any weapon not their own was fantastic. A great story.
The Last Voyage of Elissa Harrow by Denny Flowers
Out of all the stories in this anthology, this one I felt really didn't need to be included. Overall, despite the fight with the sumpcroc, there isn't much to this story and it just felt weak. Elissa was a character driven by vengeance in Low Lives, and didn't get a lot of character development in that story. It felt like Flowers kind of got given this story and didn't know what to do with it. Also, for the Cawdors to have the mask that they do, as well as Elissa's stuff, is impossible. I don't freakin' care what kind of network they have and how prepped the Cawdors were. For them to get her stuff, from the Spire which breaches the cloud layer and is approx 10 miles high (GW is terrible with numbers), to where they are, in a matter of days, the the EXACT spot she would turn up, it's impossible. Emperor blessing or not, it's impossible, and left me feeling like this was the weakest story of the whole anthology.
Cut and Gut by Robert Rath
Enforcer Story. Where Dead Drop managed to make car chases feel like they were parts of Necromunda, Cut and Gut floundered a bit at it. A port town on a toxic lake, sure, I can believe that. The fishing trade that goes on there, yep, that was really well done and Rath should be complimented on a unique idea. But the cannery and yacht? The cannery I can almost believe, but the yacht was just... stupid. Especially when it's described as being akin to something found in our world rather than 40k. I mean come on, it had a wine cellar. REALLY? That all aside, Rath had one of the best endings to a story in this whole anthology, and thinking back the clues to it were everywhere, but subtle enough that you didn't figure it out until the very end. I quite enjoyed this story and the toxic lake-side town. I just wish that yacht had been treated differently...
In the end, it may seem like I ripped on this anthology enough that it doesn't deserve a five star rating. But it does what it is supposed to, world build for Necromunda. It's there to make players think, to imagine, to create. (and to purchase) The stories are interesting, they take place in different areas of the hive, and I have to say, I quite enjoyed it all. One of the best anthologies for Necromunda if I had to choose, and I hope there are more in the future.
The Birth of Hunger by David Annadale
What a perfect story to start off everything in this anthology. It sets the right kind of mood and really sets the stage for the newest gang for Necromunda, the Corpse Grinders. I have to admit, this story alone almost made me pick up the gang in the game. Well written, perfectly eerie, and overall captures many of the brutalities of Necromunda and 40k life in general. Wonderful story.
His Terrible Visage by Gary Kioster
Cawdor story. This one was interesting and overall had some good moments to it. It helped to show the Cawdor of the new Necromunda vs the Cawdor of the old game. Trash pickers with only the glory of the Emperor to sustain them, and this story shows that well. It also helps to show what the leaders of this gang are like, and just how their own viewpoints differ from the lower ranks. Honestly, I forgot about this story until I went to write this review. Not to say it is bad, but it is kind of forgettable when compared to some of the other stories in this anthology.
Sludge Harbour Payback by Justin D Hill
A Yar Umbra story. Thing is, I had seen Yar's picture in the rulebook, but reading this story, I didn't realize this was him until I saw the picture of him again. There is a lot of traversing in this book as Yar tries to leave Necromunda and we get to see how he ended up on the planet. There is a lot of atmosphere to this story, and it does a good job pushing the mystery of what is under Yar's hood. I wasn't a huge fan of this story, but it does build on the lore for a character which gives it some points in my world.
Low Lives by Fenny Flowers
Caleb Cursebound story. This is a long one. Takes up a fair chunk of the anthology it feels like, and in some ways that is good, in others it's not so much. First off, I am not a huge fan of Caleb. He feels like a lesser Cal Jericho and I'm not a huge fan of that character either. His ratskin companion is a true badass, and felt overpowered. But given that I think the ratskins are going to get a huge re-treatment if they are ever re-released (as being less than positive spins on Native Americans), this story does a good job 1) staying away from the whole Native American thing 2) Making the character far more interesting than Caleb himself.
There are some nice set pieces in this story, some good Necromunda elements like the Ambot and Lashworms, and a nice feud with an Uphiver which felt very much like a callback to the Spyer Gangs of old. I just wish Caleb was more interesting...
Paradise by Jonathan Green
Orlock story. This one is interesting as it brings in a completely different setting than one is used to in the Neecromunda setting and had me thinking about set pieces for the game for a bit. Another Ambot, which after the last story, felt repetitive and uninteresting, but overall the setting itself took the star of this story and is worth it just for that.
Dead Drop by Mike Brooks
Orlock story. By this point, you've seen Orlocks in three of the stories (including this one) and it's kind of gotten boring. This one is set outside of Necromunda in the Ash Wastes which is an interesting setting to do. It includes car chases and lots of action, and while thinking back, car chases should have felt more Gorka Morka, Brooks did a fantastic job keeping it feeling Necromunda. So much so it never actually took me out of the story. The ending felt like he wrote himself into a corner though and just decided to let things end like an 80s sitcom with a flash frame.
Banner-Jarl by Will McDermott
A Grendl Grendlsen story. Oh Squats, will you never die? I kid of course. Another story about a bounty hunter who is listed in the Necromunda rule book, this tale is full of a ton of action and quite a lot of interesting things. A mysterious person, cyber mastiffs gone feral, and a protagonist who keeps going despite getting constantly knocked down, this story has seemingly everything. It was interesting to get a glimpse into Grendl's history and in doing so, the Squats as well. As mentioned above, I like stories that give some history to characters, so this was a good one.
Long Way Home by Filip Wiltgren
Van Saar story, and a hell of a good one. This story impressed me a lot. Not only did it have some amazing setting pieces, but there was a lot of action and a protagonist who had something to prove. (as it was centered around a juve) Wiltgren did a good job with the Van Saars and fleshed them out a lot in this story, something I was glad to see after all the Orlocks in this anthology. The house pride was a nice touch, and their view of any weapon not their own was fantastic. A great story.
The Last Voyage of Elissa Harrow by Denny Flowers
Out of all the stories in this anthology, this one I felt really didn't need to be included. Overall, despite the fight with the sumpcroc, there isn't much to this story and it just felt weak. Elissa was a character driven by vengeance in Low Lives, and didn't get a lot of character development in that story. It felt like Flowers kind of got given this story and didn't know what to do with it. Also, for the Cawdors to have the mask that they do, as well as Elissa's stuff, is impossible. I don't freakin' care what kind of network they have and how prepped the Cawdors were. For them to get her stuff, from the Spire which breaches the cloud layer and is approx 10 miles high (GW is terrible with numbers), to where they are, in a matter of days, the the EXACT spot she would turn up, it's impossible. Emperor blessing or not, it's impossible, and left me feeling like this was the weakest story of the whole anthology.
Cut and Gut by Robert Rath
Enforcer Story. Where Dead Drop managed to make car chases feel like they were parts of Necromunda, Cut and Gut floundered a bit at it. A port town on a toxic lake, sure, I can believe that. The fishing trade that goes on there, yep, that was really well done and Rath should be complimented on a unique idea. But the cannery and yacht? The cannery I can almost believe, but the yacht was just... stupid. Especially when it's described as being akin to something found in our world rather than 40k. I mean come on, it had a wine cellar. REALLY? That all aside, Rath had one of the best endings to a story in this whole anthology, and thinking back the clues to it were everywhere, but subtle enough that you didn't figure it out until the very end. I quite enjoyed this story and the toxic lake-side town. I just wish that yacht had been treated differently...
In the end, it may seem like I ripped on this anthology enough that it doesn't deserve a five star rating. But it does what it is supposed to, world build for Necromunda. It's there to make players think, to imagine, to create. (and to purchase) The stories are interesting, they take place in different areas of the hive, and I have to say, I quite enjoyed it all. One of the best anthologies for Necromunda if I had to choose, and I hope there are more in the future.
October 19, 2020
If you’re going to read just one Necromunda anthology, read Underhive. If you’re going to read two, read this one as well.
That’s not to say it’s not good, it just doesn’t quite reach the heights of the last one, wether that’s the law of diminishing returns or not, I’m not sure.
Certainly, the two best stories- Annandale’s and Rath’s opener and closer- stray further from the gangs and guilders path of the rest of the collection.
As I say, it opens really well, The Birth is Hunger is incredibly atmospheric and unsettling and His Terrible Visage is a really good exploration of the Cawdor character.
The majority of the rest of the book are a series of well-written stories of heists, double-crossing and shoot-outs. Really good fun, each with it’s own strengths, but maybe best read with a gap between them rather than read in sequence in order to fully appreciate each one on it’s own merits.
The anthology really picks up at the end, Cut and Gut really stands out, both in the subject matter and tone, as well as the detail of underhive life that it includes.
Overall, another great Necromunda book from BL.
That’s not to say it’s not good, it just doesn’t quite reach the heights of the last one, wether that’s the law of diminishing returns or not, I’m not sure.
Certainly, the two best stories- Annandale’s and Rath’s opener and closer- stray further from the gangs and guilders path of the rest of the collection.
As I say, it opens really well, The Birth is Hunger is incredibly atmospheric and unsettling and His Terrible Visage is a really good exploration of the Cawdor character.
The majority of the rest of the book are a series of well-written stories of heists, double-crossing and shoot-outs. Really good fun, each with it’s own strengths, but maybe best read with a gap between them rather than read in sequence in order to fully appreciate each one on it’s own merits.
The anthology really picks up at the end, Cut and Gut really stands out, both in the subject matter and tone, as well as the detail of underhive life that it includes.
Overall, another great Necromunda book from BL.
October 6, 2020
Some good adventures in Hive Primus, also some mediocre ones; but the fact one of the authors, I forget who, managed to say magazine over clip like 99% of BL authors really made my day. If you enjoy some dark and dirty ganger on ganger (lets be real, Enforcers are just the biggest gang) violence you won't be disappointed.
June 12, 2022
I really love the setting of Necromunda. It lends itself well to short pulpy fiction. This is a decent anthology with a couple strong entries but I highly recommend reading the Underhive anthology first. It’s a bit stronger overall than this one, but if you enjoy that volume check this one out too.
June 1, 2024
It was good. Full of passable stories, some of which were rather enjoyable. The story about Caleb Curseborn and Iktomi was also fun, and thankfully their story continues in Fire Made Flesh.
The first story, to my knowledge, is also the only one about a Corpse Grinder Cult, but unfortunately I thought it was kinda lame a bit subpar.
The first story, to my knowledge, is also the only one about a Corpse Grinder Cult, but unfortunately I thought it was kinda lame a bit subpar.
October 3, 2021
Easy reading and easy to get into each story. Some stories leading to wanting more of the characters.
December 28, 2023
Classic Necromunda based tales.
August 24, 2025
A solid anthology with only a couple of duds. Rath and Flowers have the strongest stories and are quickly becoming my pick for strongest of the newest batch of writers.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews