Black Library corporate logo
The Black Library is a section of BL Publishing, itself a division of Games Workshop, devoted to publishing novels, art books, background books, and graphic novels set in the Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes.
The Games Workshop fiction publishing company took its name from a famous location in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, where the Craftworld known as the Black Library that was hidden in the Webway contains all the knowledge of the Aeldari species concerning Chaos and the foul Necrons.
Some of the Black Library's best known Warhammer 40,000 titles include the Gaunt's Ghosts and the Eisenhorn series of novels by Dan Abnett, The Horus Heresy series and the Gotrek and Felix series of novels set in the Warhammer Fantasy universe by William King and Nathan Long.
History[]
The Black Library was founded in April 1997 to publish INFERNO! magazine, a bi-monthly digest-sized anthology of short stories, comic strips and features from the Warhammer worlds. INFERNO!'s success spawned Warhammer Monthly comic books, and then from September 1999 a lengthy series of fantasy and science fiction novels. Their first art book, Inquis Exterminatus was published in May 1999. Black Library's catalogue now runs to well over two hundred titles, with a Warhammer or Warhammer Age of Sigmar and Warhammer 40,000 novel appearing every month.
In October 2003 BL Publishing started a sister imprint, Black Flame, which applied the same pulp styling to novels featuring New Line Cinema characters such as Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, and 2000 AD comics' Judge Dredd and others. In 2006, Black Flame produced the novel for the New Line Cinema's hit feature film Snakes on a Plane. In the summer of 2005 BL Publishing announced another fiction imprint, Solaris Books, that will publish original science fiction and fantasy.
Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy Novels[]
| Genre | Title | Series | Year | Author |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HH | Horus Rising | Horus Heresy | 2006 | Dan Abnett |
| HH | False Gods | Horus Heresy | 2006 | Graham McNeill |
| HH | Galaxy in Flames | Horus Heresy | 2006 | Ben Counter |
| HH | The Flight of the Eisenstein | Horus Heresy | 2007 | James Swallow |
| HH | Fulgrim | Horus Heresy | 2007 | Graham McNeill |
| HH | Descent of Angels | Horus Heresy | 2007 | Mitchell Scanlon |
| HH | Legion | Horus Heresy | 2008 | Dan Abnett |
| HH | Battle for the Abyss | Horus Heresy | 2008 | Ben Counter |
| HH | Mechanicum | Horus Heresy | 2008 | Graham McNeill |
| BB | Blood Bowl | Blood Bowl | 2005 | Matt Forbeck |
| BB | Dead Ball | Blood Bowl | 2005 | Matt Forbeck |
| BB | Death Match | Blood Bowl | 2006 | Matt Forbeck |
| BB | Rumble in the Jungle | Blood Bowl | 2007 | Matt Forbeck |
| Nec | Survival Instinct | Necromunda | 2005 | Andy Chambers |
| Nec | Salvation | Necromunda | 2005 | C.S. Goto |
| Nec | Blood Royal | Necromunda | 2005 | Gordon Rennie, Will McDermott |
| Nec | Fleshworks | Necromunda | 2006 | Lucien Soulban |
| Nec | Junktion | Necromunda | 2005 | Matthew Farrer |
| Nec | Cardinal Crimson | Necromunda | 2006 | Will McDermott |
| Nec | Back from the Dead | Necromunda | 2006 | Nick Kyme |
| Nec | Outlander | Necromunda | 2006 | Matt Keefe |
| Nec | Lasgun Wedding | Necromunda | 2007 | Will McDermott |
| Nec | Status: Deadzone | Necromunda | 2000 | many |
| 40K | Rogue Star | - | 2006 | Andy Hoare |
| 40K | Star of Damocles | - | 2007 | Andy Hoare |
| 40K | Dark Apostle | - | 2007 | Anthony Reynolds |
| 40K | Eye Of Terror | - | 2000 | Barrington J. Bayley |
| 40K | Soul Drinker | Soul Drinker Saga | 2002 | Ben Counter |
| 40K | The Bleeding Chalice | Soul Drinker Saga | 2003 | Ben Counter |
| 40K | Crimson Tears | Soul Drinker Saga | 2005 | Ben Counter |
| 40K | Chapter War | Soul Drinker Saga | 2007 | Ben Counter |
| 40K | Daemon World | - | 2003 | Ben Counter |
| 40K | Dark Adeptus | Grey Knights series | 2006 | Ben Counter |
| 40K | Grey Knights | Grey Knights series | 2004 | Ben Counter |
| 40K | Hammer of Daemons | Grey Knights series | (2008) | Ben Counter |
| 40K | Pawns Of Chaos | - | 2001 | Brian Stableford |
| 40K | Dawn of War | Dawn of War | 2004 | C.S. Goto |
| 40K | Dawn of War: Ascension | Dawn of War | 2005 | C.S. Goto |
| 40K | Dawn of War: Multilasers | Dawn of War | 2006 | C.S. Goto |
| 40K | Eldar Prophecy | - | 2007 | C.S. Goto |
| 40K | Warrior Brood | Deathwatch | 2005 | C.S. Goto |
| 40K | Warrior Coven | Deathwatch | 2006 | C.S. Goto |
| 40K | First and Only | Gaunt's Ghosts | 1999 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Ghostmaker | Gaunt's Ghosts | 1999 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Necropolis | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2000 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Honour Guard | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2001 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | The Guns of Tanith | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2003 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Straight Silver | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2004 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Sabbat Martyr | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2004 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Traitor General | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2004 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | His Last Command | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2005 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | The Armour of Contempt | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2006 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Only in Death | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2007 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | The Saint | Gaunt's Ghosts | 2007 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Malleus | Eisenhorn Saga | 2001 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Xenos | Eisenhorn Saga | 2001 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Hereticus | Eisenhorn Saga | 2002 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Ravenor | Ravenor Saga | 2004 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Ravenor Returned | Ravenor Saga | 2005 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Ravenor Rogue | Ravenor Saga | 2006 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Double Eagle | - | 2004 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | Brothers of the Snake | - | 2007 | Dan Abnett |
| 40K | 13th Legion | Last Chancer | 2000 | Gav Thorpe |
| 40K | Kill Team | Last Chancer | 2001 | Gav Thorpe |
| 40K | Annihilation Squad | Last Chancer | 2004 | Gav Thorpe |
| 40K | Angels of Darkness | - | 2003 | Gav Thorpe |
| 40K | Execution Hour | - | 2001 | Gordon Rennie |
| 40K | Shadowpoint | - | 2003 | Gordon Rennie |
| 40K | Nightbringer | Ultramarine Saga | 2002 | Graham McNeill |
| 40K | Warriors of Ultramar | Ultramarine Saga | 2003 | Graham McNeill |
| 40K | Dead Sky, Black Sun | Ultramarine Saga | 2004 | Graham McNeill |
| 40K | The Killing Ground | Ultramarine Saga | 2008 | Graham McNeill |
| 40K | Storm of Iron | Eye of Terror | 2002 | Graham McNeill |
| 40K | Inquisitor | Inquisition Wars | 1990 | Ian Watson |
| 40K | Space Marine | (Inquisition Wars) | 1993 | Ian Watson |
| 40K | Harlequin | Inquisition Wars | 1994 | Ian Watson |
| 40K | Chaos Child | Inquisition Wars | 1995 | Ian Watson |
| 40K | Deus Encarmine | Blood Angel Saga | 2004 | James Swallow |
| 40K | Deus Sanguinius | Blood Angel Saga | 2005 | James Swallow |
| 40K | Faith and Fire | - | 2006 | James Swallow |
| 40K | Conquest of Armageddon | - | 2005 | Jonathan Green |
| 40K | Crusade for Armageddon | - | 2003 | Jonathan Green |
| 40K | Iron Hands | - | 2004 | Jonathan Green |
| 40K | Sons of Fenris | Space Wolf Saga | 2007 | Lee Lightner |
| 40K | Desert Raiders | - | 2007 | Lucien Soulban |
| 40K | Crossfire | Shira Calpurnia Series | 2003 | Matthew Farrer |
| 40K | Legacy | Shira Calpurnia Series | 2004 | Matthew Farrer |
| 40K | Blind | Shira Calpurnia Series | 2006 | Matthew Farrer |
| 40K | Fifteen Hours | - | 2005 | Mitchel Scanlon |
| 40K | For the Emperor | Ciaphas Cain | 2003 | Sandy Mitchell |
| 40K | Caves of Ice | Ciaphas Cain | 2004 | Sandy Mitchell |
| 40K | The Traitors Hand | Ciaphas Cain | 2005 | Sandy Mitchell |
| 40K | Death or Glory | Ciaphas Cain | 2006 | Sandy Mitchell |
| 40K | Duty Calls | Ciaphas Cain | 2006 | Sandy Mitchell |
| 40K | Cain's Last Stand | Ciaphas Cain | 2008 | Sandy Mitchell |
| 40K | The Emperor's Finest | Ciaphas Cain | 2010 | Sandy Mitchell |
| 40K | The Last Ditch | Ciaphas Cain | 2012 | Sandy Mitchell |
| 40K | The Greater Good | Ciaphas Cain | 2013 | Sandy Mitchell |
| 40K | Fire Warrior | - | 2003 | Simon Spurrier |
| 40K | Lord of the Night | - | 2005 | Simon Spurrier |
| 40K | Death World | - | 2006 | Steve Lyons |
| 40K | Rebel Winter | - | 2007 | Steve Parker |
| 40K | Space Wolf | Space Wolf Saga | 1999 | William King |
| 40K | Ragnar's Claw | Space Wolf Saga | 2000 | William King |
| 40K | Grey Hunter | Space Wolf Saga | 2002 | William King |
| 40K | Wolfblade | Space Wolf Saga | 2003 | William King |
| 40K | Farseer | - | 2002 | William King |
| 40K | Bringers of Death | Anthology | 2005 | many |
| 40K | Crucible of War | Anthology | 2003 | many |
| 40K | Dark Imperium | Anthology | 2001 | many |
| 40K | Deathwing | Anthology | 1990 | many |
| 40K | Into The Maelstrom | Anthology | 1999 | many |
| 40K | Let The Galaxy Burn | Anthology | 2006 | many |
| 40K | Tales from the Dark Millennium | Anthology | 2006 | many |
| 40K | What Price Victory | Anthology | 2004 | many |
| 40K | Words of Blood | Anthology | 2002 | many |
| Fan | Day of the Daemon | Daemon Gates Saga | 2006 | Aaron Rosenberg |
| Fan | Night of the Daemon | Daemon Gates Saga | 2007 | Aaron Rosenberg |
| Fan | Hour of the Daemon | Daemon Gates Saga | 2007 | Aaron Rosenberg |
| Fan | Mark of Chaos | - | 2006 | Anthony Reynolds |
| Fan | Zaragoz | The Tales of Orfeo | 1989 | Brian Craig |
| Fan | Plague Daemon | The Tales of Orfeo | 1990 | Brian Craig |
| Fan | Storm Warriors | The Tales of Orfeo | 1991 | Brian Craig |
| Fan | The Wine Of Dreams | - | 2000 | Brian Stableford |
| Fan | Vermintide | - | 2006 | Bruno Lee |
| Fan | Blood and Steel | Bounty Hunter Brunner Saga | 2003 | C.L. Werner |
| Fan | Blood Money | Bounty Hunter Brunner Saga | 2003 | C.L. Werner |
| Fan | Blood of the Dragon | Bounty Hunter Brunner Saga | 2004 | C.L. Werner |
| Fan | Witch Finder | Witch Hunter Series | 2005 | C.L. Werner |
| Fan | Witch Hunter | Witch Hunter Series | 2004 | C.L. Werner |
| Fan | Witch Killer | Witch Hunter Series | 2006 | C.L. Werner |
| Fan | Palace of the Plague Lord | - | 2007 | C.L. Werner |
| Fan | Masters of Magic | - | 2008 | Chris Wraight |
| Fan | Fell Cargo | - | 2003 | Dan Abnett |
| Fan | Riders of the Dead | - | 2006 | Dan Abnett |
| Fan | Hammers Of Ulric | - | 2000 | Dan Abnett, James Wallis |
| Fan | The Daemon's Curse | Darkblade Saga | 2005 | Dan Abnett, Mike Lee |
| Fan | Bloodstorm | Darkblade Saga | 2005 | Dan Abnett, Mike Lee |
| Fan | Reaper of Souls | Darkblade Saga | 2006 | Dan Abnett, Mike Lee |
| Fan | Warpsword | Darkblade Saga | 2007 | Dan Abnett, Mike Lee |
| Fan | Lord of Ruin | Darkblade Saga | 2007 | Dan Abnett, Mike Lee |
| Fan | Gilead's Blood | - | 2001 | Dan Abnett, Nik Vincent |
| Fan | A Murder in Marienburg | Konrad Saga | 2007 | David Bishop |
| Fan | Konrad | Konrad Saga | 1990 | David Ferring |
| Fan | Shadowbreed | Konrad Saga | 1990 | David Ferring |
| Fan | Warblade | Konrad Saga | 1993 | David Ferring |
| Fan | Blades of Chaos | Slaves to Darkness | 2003 | Gav Thorpe |
| Fan | The Claws of Chaos | Slaves to Darkness | 2002 | Gav Thorpe |
| Fan | The Heart of Chaos | Slaves to Darkness | 2004 | Gav Thorpe |
| Fan | Grudge Bearer | - | 2005 | Gav Thorpe |
| Fan | Zavant | - | 2002 | Gordon Rennie |
| Fan | The Ambassador | The Ambassador Chronicles | 2003 | Graham McNeill |
| Fan | Ursun's Teeth | The Ambassador Chronicles | 2004 | Graham McNeill |
| Fan | Guardians of the Forest | - | 2005 | Graham McNeill |
| Fan | Defenders of Ulthuan | - | 2007 | Graham McNeill |
| Fan | Drachenfels | The Vampire Genvieve | 1998 | Jack Yeovil |
| Fan | Genevieve Undead | The Vampire Genvieve | 1993 | Jack Yeovil |
| Fan | Beasts in Velvet | The Vampire Genvieve | 1991 | Jack Yeovil |
| Fan | Silver Nails | The Vampire Genvieve | 2002 | Jack Yeovil |
| Fan | Mark of Damnation | - | 2003 | James Wallis |
| Fan | Mark of Heresy | - | 2003 | James Wallis |
| Fan | Magestorm | - | 2004 | Jonathan Green |
| Fan | Necromancer | - | 2005 | Jonathan Green |
| Fan | The Dead and the Damned | - | 2002 | Jonathan Green |
| Fan | Forged in Battle | - | 2004 | Justin Hunter |
| Fan | Orcslayer | Gotrek and Felix Saga | 2006 | Nathan Long |
| Fan | Manslayer | Gotrek and Felix Saga | 2007 | Nathan Long |
| Fan | Valnirs Bane | Blacksheart Saga | 2004 | Nathan Long |
| Fan | The Broken Lance | Blacksheart Saga | 2005 | Nathan Long |
| Fan | Tainted Blood | Blacksheart Saga | 2006 | Nathan Long |
| Fan | Invasion! | Anthology | 2007 | Nathan Long |
| Fan | Keepers of the Flame | - | 2005 | Neil McIntosh |
| Fan | Star of Erengrad | - | 2002 | Neil McIntosh |
| Fan | Taint of Evil | - | 2003 | Neil McIntosh |
| Fan | The Enemy Within | - | 2007 | Richard L. Byers |
| Fan | Ancient Blood | - | 2008 | Robert Earl |
| Fan | Savage City | - | 2005 | Robert Earl |
| Fan | The Burning Shore | - | 2004 | Robert Earl |
| Fan | The Corrupted | - | 2006 | Robert Earl |
| Fan | Wild Kingdoms | - | 2004 | Robert Earl |
| Fan | Honour of the Grave | Angelika Fleischer Tales | ? | Robin D. Laws |
| Fan | Liars Peak | Angelika Fleischer Tales | ? | Robin D. Laws |
| Fan | SacFlesh | Angelika Fleischer Tales | ? | Robin D. Laws |
| Fan | Deaths City | - | ? | Sandy Mitchell |
| Fan | Deaths Legacy | - | ? | Sandy Mitchell |
| Fan | Deaths Messenger | - | ? | Sandy Mitchell |
| Fan | Inheritance | The Von Carstein Trilogy | 2006 | Steven Savile |
| Fan | Dominion | The Von Carstein Trilogy | 2006 | Steven Savile |
| Fan | Retribution | The Von Carstein Trilogy | 2007 | Steven Savile |
| Fan | Trollslayer | Gotrek and Felix Saga | 1999 | William King |
| Fan | Skavenslayer | Gotrek and Felix Saga | 1999 | William King |
| Fan | Daemonslayer | Gotrek and Felix Saga | 1999 | William King |
| Fan | Dragonslayer | Gotrek and Felix Saga | 2000 | William King |
| Fan | Beastslayer | Gotrek and Felix Saga | 2001 | William King |
| Fan | Vampireslayer | Gotrek and Felix Saga | 2001 | William King |
| Fan | Giantslayer | Gotrek and Felix Saga | 2003 | William King |
| Fan | The Laughter of Gods | Anthology | 1989 | many |
| Fan | Lords Of Valour | Anthology | ? | many |
| Fan | Realm of Chaos | Anthology | ? | many |
| Fan | Swords of the Empire | Anthology | ? | many |
| Fan | The Cold Hand of Betrayal | Anthology | ? | many |
| Fan | Way of the Dead | Anthology | ? | many |
Periodicals[]
From 1997 to 2005, Black Library published INFERNO!, a magazine of short stories, artwork, and other features set in the various fictional universes of Games Workshop's fantasy and science fiction games. These initially included Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40,000, and Necromunda, and later added the Mordheim and Gorkamorka settings.
From 1998 to 2004, Black Library published the Warhammer Monthly comic book based on the Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000 fictional universes. The comics were republished as a series of trade paperback comics.
Black Library discontinued the two periodicals because their sales were meagre compared to their novels.
External links[]
Sources[]
- Black Library Catalog