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Warhammer Crime #Anthology
Sanction and Sin
A Warhammer Crime Anthology
The city of Varangantua is a choking sprawl that festers on the surface of Alecto. Within it, some of the most treacherous criminals in the whole Imperium make their living. Standing up for the law are the Enforcers, though many of them are as immoral as the criminals they oppose.
READ IT BECAUSE
These stories investigate what it means to fall on either side of the law in the choking bureaucracy of the Imperium.
DESCRIPTION
The colossal city of Varangantua sprawls across the surface of Alecto like a dying beast, its innard crawling with some of the most insidious criminals the Imperium has to offer. From vast syndicates to small-time gangas and secretive cults, the city's labyrinthine districts are the perfect breeding ground for all manner of illicit enterprise. The Enforcers of Varangantua are all that stand in the way of total lawlessness, and many of these are as corrupt as the gangers they oppose, knowing no language but violence.
This anthology collects together tales of law, sin, and morality from much-loved authors, including Mike Brookes, Denny Flowers, Danie Ware, Darius Hinks, and more.
CONTENTS
Up in Arms by Mike Brooks
Bracelet of Bones by Danie Ware
Blood Ballot by J S Collyer
Bitter Harvest by Denny Flowers
Unnatural Causes by Jude Reidv
Loose Ends by Darius Hinks
Confessions of Fire by Gary Kloster
The Siege of Ismyr by Victoria Hayward
Service by Jonathan D Beer
The city of Varangantua is a choking sprawl that festers on the surface of Alecto. Within it, some of the most treacherous criminals in the whole Imperium make their living. Standing up for the law are the Enforcers, though many of them are as immoral as the criminals they oppose.
READ IT BECAUSE
These stories investigate what it means to fall on either side of the law in the choking bureaucracy of the Imperium.
DESCRIPTION
The colossal city of Varangantua sprawls across the surface of Alecto like a dying beast, its innard crawling with some of the most insidious criminals the Imperium has to offer. From vast syndicates to small-time gangas and secretive cults, the city's labyrinthine districts are the perfect breeding ground for all manner of illicit enterprise. The Enforcers of Varangantua are all that stand in the way of total lawlessness, and many of these are as corrupt as the gangers they oppose, knowing no language but violence.
This anthology collects together tales of law, sin, and morality from much-loved authors, including Mike Brookes, Denny Flowers, Danie Ware, Darius Hinks, and more.
CONTENTS
Up in Arms by Mike Brooks
Bracelet of Bones by Danie Ware
Blood Ballot by J S Collyer
Bitter Harvest by Denny Flowers
Unnatural Causes by Jude Reidv
Loose Ends by Darius Hinks
Confessions of Fire by Gary Kloster
The Siege of Ismyr by Victoria Hayward
Service by Jonathan D Beer
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2021
29 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Danie Ware
59 books205 followersAuthor of the Ecko trilogy (CyberPunk/Fantasy mashup) and Children of Artifice (queer science fantasy). Writer of Sisters of Battle (and other things) for WarHammer 40k, Judge Anderson for Rebellion, Twilight Imperium for Aconyte Books, and numerous short stories.
Reader, writer, crusader geek, re-enactor (retired) and role-player. After seventeen years conjuring PR, events and social media for Forbidden Planet (London) Ltd, you can now find me in the Manga/GNs at Waterstones Piccadilly.
Follow me on most Social Media channels as @Danacea
Reader, writer, crusader geek, re-enactor (retired) and role-player. After seventeen years conjuring PR, events and social media for Forbidden Planet (London) Ltd, you can now find me in the Manga/GNs at Waterstones Piccadilly.
Follow me on most Social Media channels as @Danacea
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 5, 2021
Family, both biological and chosen is a constant theme of this collection. Given that the anthology focuses on crime and criminality it perhaps isn’t that surprising that so many of the characters’ perception of this is transgressive of the norm- we see multiple characters striving to break free of the inevitable restrictions of such stratified life in the Imperium.
This collection, more so than the previous Warhammer Crime titles, feels like a concerted effort at world building- distinct districts within Varangantua are described, models of vehicles and brands casually litter the text and local dialect features heavily in a consistent fashion; this may have been present in earlier volumes but feels much more pronounced here. It’s great.
Mike Brooks- Up in Arms
“In a city of amateur thugs, this guardswoman will fuck you up”; if this quote doesn’t make you want to read this story, I’m not sure what will. Brooks’ pre-BL work demonstrated his aptitude for writing in criminal underworlds, and this title doesn’t disappoint. I’m normally wholly uninterested in cars unless they transform into robots, but this story of a driver really engaged me, great narrative with some incredible details- notably the account of a meltagun in action.
Danie Ware- Bracelet of Bones
Opening in the middle of an ambush, this is instantly imbued with a rare sense of peril. Another story that renders Alecto as having a plausible society, but one firmly rooted in the insanity of 40K
J S Collyer- Blood Ballot
One of my favourite aspects of 40K fiction is how ridiculous the scale of it can be; ridiculousness and campiness are integral to the setting. The titular blood ballot is a good example of all of the above. This incredibly entertaining story shows us some of the extremes of life in the Imperium and is ridiculous and camp in the best possible fashion.
Denny Flowers- Bitter Harvest
Broadens the horizons of Varangantua more than any other single story I’ve read and continues what feels like Denny’s run of opening stories on boats- these are both good things. Really interesting and has potentially fascinating implications for the setting.
Jude Reid-Unnatural Causes
Is, more than anything else, satisfying. A really well-plotted and self-contained story, fully exposing the brilliance of the imprint. I can’t say much more without spoiling the plot, but it’s fantastic.
Darius Hinks- Loose Ends
Yet another well-plotted and satisfying story which looks at yet another branch of Varangantua’s criminal underworld. It’s protagonist is one of those great ambiguous anti-heroes that 40K throws up.
Gary Kloster- Confessions of Fire
After several stories suffused with love, however misguided, it’s refreshing to encounter unabashed hatred. So many characters in this book are crying out for a novel of their own, but if Lira and Venn don’t get more stories I’ll be rioting.
Victoria Hayward- The Siege of Ismyr
Magnificent. Populated with characters who are tangible, and in locations that are as alive. Highlight of the collection.
Jonathan D Beer- Service
An excellent piece of world-building; it opens by zooming in on details and slowly panning out to properly reveal the broken systems behind life in Varangantua. The dataveil has been a key plot element in other stories, this is perhaps the first to fully utilise it’s potential as a central one. Like much of the anthology it has a real humanity running through it, and shares the same profound sadness of Unnatural Causes.
This collection, more so than the previous Warhammer Crime titles, feels like a concerted effort at world building- distinct districts within Varangantua are described, models of vehicles and brands casually litter the text and local dialect features heavily in a consistent fashion; this may have been present in earlier volumes but feels much more pronounced here. It’s great.
Mike Brooks- Up in Arms
“In a city of amateur thugs, this guardswoman will fuck you up”; if this quote doesn’t make you want to read this story, I’m not sure what will. Brooks’ pre-BL work demonstrated his aptitude for writing in criminal underworlds, and this title doesn’t disappoint. I’m normally wholly uninterested in cars unless they transform into robots, but this story of a driver really engaged me, great narrative with some incredible details- notably the account of a meltagun in action.
Danie Ware- Bracelet of Bones
Opening in the middle of an ambush, this is instantly imbued with a rare sense of peril. Another story that renders Alecto as having a plausible society, but one firmly rooted in the insanity of 40K
J S Collyer- Blood Ballot
One of my favourite aspects of 40K fiction is how ridiculous the scale of it can be; ridiculousness and campiness are integral to the setting. The titular blood ballot is a good example of all of the above. This incredibly entertaining story shows us some of the extremes of life in the Imperium and is ridiculous and camp in the best possible fashion.
Denny Flowers- Bitter Harvest
Broadens the horizons of Varangantua more than any other single story I’ve read and continues what feels like Denny’s run of opening stories on boats- these are both good things. Really interesting and has potentially fascinating implications for the setting.
Jude Reid-Unnatural Causes
Is, more than anything else, satisfying. A really well-plotted and self-contained story, fully exposing the brilliance of the imprint. I can’t say much more without spoiling the plot, but it’s fantastic.
Darius Hinks- Loose Ends
Yet another well-plotted and satisfying story which looks at yet another branch of Varangantua’s criminal underworld. It’s protagonist is one of those great ambiguous anti-heroes that 40K throws up.
Gary Kloster- Confessions of Fire
After several stories suffused with love, however misguided, it’s refreshing to encounter unabashed hatred. So many characters in this book are crying out for a novel of their own, but if Lira and Venn don’t get more stories I’ll be rioting.
Victoria Hayward- The Siege of Ismyr
Magnificent. Populated with characters who are tangible, and in locations that are as alive. Highlight of the collection.
Jonathan D Beer- Service
An excellent piece of world-building; it opens by zooming in on details and slowly panning out to properly reveal the broken systems behind life in Varangantua. The dataveil has been a key plot element in other stories, this is perhaps the first to fully utilise it’s potential as a central one. Like much of the anthology it has a real humanity running through it, and shares the same profound sadness of Unnatural Causes.
September 21, 2021
With four of its nine stories written by women, Sanction & Sin is something of a landmark for Black Library with the highest proportion of female authors in any BL anthology yet published. This is far from a token attempt at representation, however. Unlike No Good Men, which (while featuring individually great stories) hammered home its lack of diversity and variety with both a roster of all-male authors and a collection of remarkably similar, all-male characters, Sanction & Sin’s nine female protagonists represent a broad cross-section of character types, roles and demeanours. Across these stories you’ll find tough-as-nails sanctioners, information brokers, drivers, a priest, an assassin, and even a mortuary assistant. Some are loners, wedded to their jobs, while others have families to support or try to tear themselves away from. Some are young, some older, some still filled with hope and others worn down by life.
While the Warhammer Crime imprint feels like the most appropriate place for these stories, you could actually view this not so much as a collection of crime stories but simply ‘domestic 40k’ stories that explore familiar themes from main-range 40k fiction just from a different, more low-key and less militaristic perspective. Sure, they all feature death and violence and other ‘criminal’ activity, but for regular people living in Varangantua that’s just everyday life. If you’re looking for noirish 40k detective stories then this is probably not the place to start, however it’s an ideal collection for anyone interested in examining the mundane realities of life for relatable, real-feeling characters. It’s a nicely balanced anthology featuring a great range of authors, full of invention and interesting points of view, and many of these characters (those who survive – no spoilers) deserve to go on and feature in further stories. All told, if you’re interested in 40k stories that step away from the big battlefields while maintaining the trademark grit and darkness, this is well worth checking out.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2021/09/...
While the Warhammer Crime imprint feels like the most appropriate place for these stories, you could actually view this not so much as a collection of crime stories but simply ‘domestic 40k’ stories that explore familiar themes from main-range 40k fiction just from a different, more low-key and less militaristic perspective. Sure, they all feature death and violence and other ‘criminal’ activity, but for regular people living in Varangantua that’s just everyday life. If you’re looking for noirish 40k detective stories then this is probably not the place to start, however it’s an ideal collection for anyone interested in examining the mundane realities of life for relatable, real-feeling characters. It’s a nicely balanced anthology featuring a great range of authors, full of invention and interesting points of view, and many of these characters (those who survive – no spoilers) deserve to go on and feature in further stories. All told, if you’re interested in 40k stories that step away from the big battlefields while maintaining the trademark grit and darkness, this is well worth checking out.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2021/09/...
February 8, 2022
Another excellent insight into the crime of Varangantua.
This collection of short stories provides another series of short stories set in Varangantua. Just like “No good men” all the familiar crime story tropes are there all delivered with a distinct 40K flavour.
I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in either the crime imprint or 40K.
This collection of short stories provides another series of short stories set in Varangantua. Just like “No good men” all the familiar crime story tropes are there all delivered with a distinct 40K flavour.
I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in either the crime imprint or 40K.
October 23, 2021
This was a great collection, possibly my so favorite so far out of Warhammer Crime. Each story takes you to a different part of the city for a different type of story with a different type of character, so in all that diversity there's guaranteed to be something for you!
It's hard for me to think of a favorite – a few days after completing the collection, many of the stories still stick with me. Jude Reid's 'Unnatural Causes', Gary Kloster's 'Confessions of Fire', and Victoria Hayward's 'The Siege of Ismyr' were serious page-turners, all for different reasons. 'Loose Ends' legitimately had me scratching my head as I tried to figure out who the malefactor was, before I remembered [EXPUNGED], which felt *very* rewarding. 'Up in Arms' was a great opening for the anthology; 'Service' was a great story to end it.
I suppose the best thing about Sanction and Sin is that each story scratches a different itch. Warhammer Crime shows us relatable people with relatable problems compared to the rest of the 40k universe, so the stories feel easier to map onto our own values and the challenges in our lives. In short – I can't say it enough – the anthology has something for everyone.
Or, if you're like me, everything for someone!
It's hard for me to think of a favorite – a few days after completing the collection, many of the stories still stick with me. Jude Reid's 'Unnatural Causes', Gary Kloster's 'Confessions of Fire', and Victoria Hayward's 'The Siege of Ismyr' were serious page-turners, all for different reasons. 'Loose Ends' legitimately had me scratching my head as I tried to figure out who the malefactor was, before I remembered [EXPUNGED], which felt *very* rewarding. 'Up in Arms' was a great opening for the anthology; 'Service' was a great story to end it.
I suppose the best thing about Sanction and Sin is that each story scratches a different itch. Warhammer Crime shows us relatable people with relatable problems compared to the rest of the 40k universe, so the stories feel easier to map onto our own values and the challenges in our lives. In short – I can't say it enough – the anthology has something for everyone.
Or, if you're like me, everything for someone!
September 15, 2021
Warhammer grime!
As if living in the grim dark world of 40k was not bad enough now comes tales of the criminality that exists beneath the sight of the God emperor! In off to join the orcs as they are more trustworthy than the citizens of the imperium
As if living in the grim dark world of 40k was not bad enough now comes tales of the criminality that exists beneath the sight of the God emperor! In off to join the orcs as they are more trustworthy than the citizens of the imperium
December 23, 2021
Of the crime anthologies that I've read from the Warhammer series, this is certainly the best.
November 2, 2021
This felt as a groundbreaking story collection from Black Library primarily because so many of the authors were female. Each of these stories focused on crime, criminals, those that pursue them and those that interact in the criminal world. There wasn't a weak story in the bunch and this is a good place to jump into the world of Warhammer 40K that isn't all about power armor and huge battles.
January 7, 2024
Warhammer 40k (and also all 30k novels in the Heresy series) has its roots in a highly popular battle simulation game, a fact certainly well-known to those interested in this book. I won't delve into the game's details, assuming readers are already familiar. Due to those origins, traditionally, published material has primarily focused on the military aspects of the lore, featuring the grand machinations of heretics, aliens, Inquisitors, and Astartes, leaving the lives of billions of civilians on non-invaded worlds often overlooked. While RPGs like Dark Heresy and skirmish games like Necromunda provided glimpses into the lives under Imperial rule, the focus was limited.
Enter the Warhammer Crime titles, offering a deeper exploration of the social, political, and technological intricacies of a single planet - Varangantua. This anthology, "Sanction & Sin," stands out from regular Black Library titles in several ways. Notably, all main characters are female, and many contributing authors are also female. This unique perspective adds depth to the stories, which are highly focused on relationships and practicality.
Here's a brief introduction to each story in the compilation:
"Up in Arms," by Mike Brooks: Follow Sorena, a tough, seasoned veteran, and Mirea, a newbie, as they transport valuable cargo while facing assaults from both old and new foes.
"Bracelet of Bones," by Danie Ware: Sanctioner Luiza Rakhil takes center stage in a non-stop action story involving an ambushed Bulwark and vicious gangs.
"Blood Ballot," by J. S. Collier: Dive into the world of crime, intrigue, and extreme violence within gilded noble houses, where every vote counts and some attempt to escape a seemingly meaningless lifestyle.
"Bitter Harvest," by Denny Flowers: Explore a daring sea raid, clan membership, bio-enhancer tech, and betrayal as the seafaring Khaadi smuggle something dangerous.
"Unnatural Causes," by Jude Reid: In a hospital, the Sisters Hospitaller and Medicae uncover unexpected truths in the cadavers in the morgue, leading to a story with a fantastic ending, emotional depth, and high personal stakes.
"Loose Ends," by Darius Hinks: Tzarva, an accomplished assassin, is hired to eliminate Arch-Confessor Khorze and is determined to avoid competition or leaving any loose ends.
"Confessions of Fire," by Gary Kloster: Immerse yourself in a magnificent Ecclesiarchal investigation involving symbolic murders, heresy, and old sins. I believe this is one of the best stories in the anthology, it features excellent characters and lore.
"The Siege of Ismyr," by Victoria Hayward: Follow the prisoner Lubek Daforn as he must be protected, and Captain Kovak is willing to sacrifice everything to fulfill her mission in this fantastic story set during the besieging of the precinct. It stands out as a personal favorite.
"Service," by Jonathan Beer: A Manufactorum explosion, murders, and a powerful cartel seeking revenge set the stage for an action-noir investigation. Info-broker Melita must find out what's happening in Varangantua, or else her life is forfeit. The story delves excellently into the dynamics of life and death in Varangantua.
While the quality of the stories varies, each is enjoyable, with some reaching the level of excellence. I find myself wanting to see certain characters in other stories or novels.
Enter the Warhammer Crime titles, offering a deeper exploration of the social, political, and technological intricacies of a single planet - Varangantua. This anthology, "Sanction & Sin," stands out from regular Black Library titles in several ways. Notably, all main characters are female, and many contributing authors are also female. This unique perspective adds depth to the stories, which are highly focused on relationships and practicality.
Here's a brief introduction to each story in the compilation:
"Up in Arms," by Mike Brooks: Follow Sorena, a tough, seasoned veteran, and Mirea, a newbie, as they transport valuable cargo while facing assaults from both old and new foes.
"Bracelet of Bones," by Danie Ware: Sanctioner Luiza Rakhil takes center stage in a non-stop action story involving an ambushed Bulwark and vicious gangs.
"Blood Ballot," by J. S. Collier: Dive into the world of crime, intrigue, and extreme violence within gilded noble houses, where every vote counts and some attempt to escape a seemingly meaningless lifestyle.
"Bitter Harvest," by Denny Flowers: Explore a daring sea raid, clan membership, bio-enhancer tech, and betrayal as the seafaring Khaadi smuggle something dangerous.
"Unnatural Causes," by Jude Reid: In a hospital, the Sisters Hospitaller and Medicae uncover unexpected truths in the cadavers in the morgue, leading to a story with a fantastic ending, emotional depth, and high personal stakes.
"Loose Ends," by Darius Hinks: Tzarva, an accomplished assassin, is hired to eliminate Arch-Confessor Khorze and is determined to avoid competition or leaving any loose ends.
"Confessions of Fire," by Gary Kloster: Immerse yourself in a magnificent Ecclesiarchal investigation involving symbolic murders, heresy, and old sins. I believe this is one of the best stories in the anthology, it features excellent characters and lore.
"The Siege of Ismyr," by Victoria Hayward: Follow the prisoner Lubek Daforn as he must be protected, and Captain Kovak is willing to sacrifice everything to fulfill her mission in this fantastic story set during the besieging of the precinct. It stands out as a personal favorite.
"Service," by Jonathan Beer: A Manufactorum explosion, murders, and a powerful cartel seeking revenge set the stage for an action-noir investigation. Info-broker Melita must find out what's happening in Varangantua, or else her life is forfeit. The story delves excellently into the dynamics of life and death in Varangantua.
While the quality of the stories varies, each is enjoyable, with some reaching the level of excellence. I find myself wanting to see certain characters in other stories or novels.
May 4, 2022
Final verdict on this book is definitely a 5/5 and would highly recommend picking it up for anyone who enjoys the Warhammer Crime stories. It’s very hard to find even an unlikable story among the whole bunch but I think my four favorites were Blood Ballot, Bitter Harvest, Loose Ends, and Service. But honestly… every story in the anthology has at least something to enjoy about it and I think Varangantua works really well in short story forms, certainly if they lined up a bunch of authors like the ones above to write another anthology I would be all over that.
June 11, 2022
A vast improvement on Broken City. Much more variety in the stories and plenty of interesting characters.
Blood Ballot, Unnatural Causes and Confessions of Fire all stand out.
I was less impressed with the Siege of Ismyr. Not sure why they didn’t just call it Assault on Blockhouse-13. I also abandoned Bracelet of Bones after a few pages. Not sure how you can open a story with an unfolding ambush and it be so dull.
But overall, very solid.
Blood Ballot, Unnatural Causes and Confessions of Fire all stand out.
I was less impressed with the Siege of Ismyr. Not sure why they didn’t just call it Assault on Blockhouse-13. I also abandoned Bracelet of Bones after a few pages. Not sure how you can open a story with an unfolding ambush and it be so dull.
But overall, very solid.
July 4, 2025
An interesting collection of short stories set in the Varangantua swarm in the Warhammer 40K universe. Nine different authors and different approaches to the theme of crime, delinquency and also punishment. As usual in short story collections a few stand out significantly on the plus side and the rest are fillers, in my opinion the good stories pull the whole thing together, which is why I give a final 4 stars.
February 22, 2023
My first foray into the Warhammer 40k lore and I really enjoyed it! Very easy to read even if you don't know much (or anything!) about the Warhammer universe. I loved that the writers were mostly female, and that the hero (or villain if you like) of the stories was overwhelmingly female. We love a bad-ass female hero/villain.
January 20, 2024
Even with one or two weaker stories the overall collection is held up by some amazing glimpses into the everyday life of this universe. The last two especially are a highlight and it's really nice to see such smaller scale content for 40k.
That said man a few of these could have been entire novels
That said man a few of these could have been entire novels
February 20, 2025
Another enjoyable entry into the most engaging ‘current’ Warhammer series. The strongest entries were from Haywood, Reid and Kloster although none of the others are poor. If you only want to read one of the anthologies read Broken City but this is an excellent follow up.
March 30, 2025
Mixed
A mix of quality, largely focused on protagonists on the other side of the law. A few new characters, mostly one-offs. Not necessary backstory on any of the main novels, but still worthwhile if you enjoy the series.
A mix of quality, largely focused on protagonists on the other side of the law. A few new characters, mostly one-offs. Not necessary backstory on any of the main novels, but still worthwhile if you enjoy the series.
February 21, 2023
Up In Arms 2*
Bracelet of Bones 2*
Blood Ballot 4.5*
Bitter Harvest 3*
Unnatural Causes 4*
Loose Ends 3.5*
Confessions of Fire 4*
Siege of Ismyr, The 3*
Service 4*
Bracelet of Bones 2*
Blood Ballot 4.5*
Bitter Harvest 3*
Unnatural Causes 4*
Loose Ends 3.5*
Confessions of Fire 4*
Siege of Ismyr, The 3*
Service 4*
December 28, 2023
It's a mixed bag.
June 24, 2024
3.5*, I guess. Didn’t enjoy this collection as much as the previous one, but that’s probably due to my mood at the time. Some very good crime/40k stories in here, though.
September 2, 2025
Some good ones and not.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews