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Rouge77 wrote:

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...Black Library will be launching a range of eBooks and audio downloads this October and making the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 come alive on your handheld device, iPad and MP3 player. As part of this launch, we’ll be adding a new download-only short fiction magazine to our already heaving website. It’s called Hammer and Bolter...

Each monthly issue will be priced at £2.50 and feature brand-new short fiction and advance previews of forthcoming novels along with the occasional interview and other special features, but to celebrate the launch of our eBook range the first issue will be absolutely free!

http://www.blacklibrary.c...Bolter-Announcement.html

The first one is free and includes...and this blows my mind...a John Brunner story

I really hope that this gets off the ground and does well...for several reasons
  

Despite the kind offer of starting up my own thread, I'll pass as I don't want to detract from 1) the fact that this is a SW site, and 2) it's not my fansite

However, I did want to share that my first short story for Black Library in the Warhammer 40K universe has gotten pretty good reviews across the board except for one or two people who objected to the darker aspect of the kroot and tau, but you can't please everyone.

Just wanted to share this, these are some of the responses to my short story "Unity", out in FEAR THE ALIEN in bookstores everywhere right now:

http://threecolorminimum.blogspot.com/2010/09/review-fear-alien-part-ii.html

"James Gilmer's "Unity" was another weird story, but in a very good way. This reminded me of some of Stephen King's old short stories. This was very dark, and had a very, "horror" feel to it. It is the tale of a space marine and an IG sniper trying to regroup after a failed attack on world that had just recently been taken over by the Tau. Boy to the Kroot seem like bad-asses in this story. I can't go too much into it without spoiling anything, but Gilmer did an excellent job of building the suspense and finishing it the way the story really needed to end."

http://www.thefoundingfields.com/2010/08/fear-alien-reviewspoilers.html

"This story was interesting because of its portrayal of the Tau and their Kroot allies. The Tau are shown to be uncaring of humanity and will gladly sacrifice them to preserve their Tau forces while preaching that their deaths are for the Greater Good. And to keep the Kroot sweet they pay them off with live prisoners and dead bodies for feeding.
I give Unity a 3.5/5 for a good story and showing the true dark side of the Tau. It was only a matter of time."

http://civilian-reader.blogspot.com/2010/09/fear-alien-edited-by-christian-dunn.html

"There are two levels of alien in this story: first, and most obviously, Tam experiences the considerable ‘otherness' of the Tau forces (and he really does experience it at the end); secondly, there is also his Raven Guard companion, so different physically and in temperament, that it would be almost impossible not to consider him ‘alien'.

The story is well-crafted and builds to a fine ending. Gilmer's writing is great, reminiscent of thriller writers as much as sci-fi authors. Would be interesting to see what he could do with something novel-length."

http://emperyan.blogspot.com/2010/09/review-fear-alien-edited-by-christian.html

Unity by James Gilmer
This is a fantastic telling of a few guardsmen and a Raven Guard astartes on the run on a world lost to the Tau Empire. This is probably one of the best depictions of the Tau and the author does a fine job in making the reader guess how it all will end. 4 Stars

Kirr Mistwelder wrote:

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I put up a review of the audio drama Garro: Oath of the Moment in A Galaxy Not So Far Away this week, for anyone interested.

Glad you mostly liked GARRO, and I would recommend all of the HORUS HERESY books, but Jim manages to really pull all the stops out in FLIGHT OF THE EINSTEIN and GARRO.

Kirr Mistwelder wrote:

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A review of Garro: Legion of One I did for F&SF Lovin', for anyone interested.

If you get a chance I really recommend DEUS EX:ICARUS EFFECT with the cavet that Jim is a friend so I'm admittedly biased, but having been a large fan of the games I really dug it.

Rouge77 wrote:

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Ciaphas Cain, the rogue without a heart of gold, belongs among the better Warhammer 40k creations.

I usually stay away from audio productions, but this sounds good based on the review.

I really personally enjoy Sandy's work in 40K as a general rule. His Cain books are great, as are his Dark Heresy books; "Innocence Proves Nothing" and "Scourge The Heretic". Both are less grimdark than some of the other WH40K books, imo.