Holder of the Keys

Black Library Advent Calendar 2014 #19

by Gav Thorpe, Gareth Armstrong (Narrator), Steve Conlin (Narrator)

One of the Fallen, the Dark Angels who betrayed their oaths and turned on their brothers, relives his past under the psychic interrogation of Chief Librarian Ezekiel. But with treachery and falsehood in his nature, nothing the Fallen says can be trusted – does Ezekiel hold the key to unlocking the truth and discovering the warrior’s role in the fall of Caliban?

Half truths, rituals of mistrust and layers of deception – it could only be a new Dark Angels story from Gav Thorpe. Is this a glimpse into the fabled fall of ancient Caliban, or just a pack of lies from a deranged madman? You'll have to listen and decide for yourself.

Performed by Gareth Armstrong, Steve Conlin and Toby Longworth
Sound design and music by Steve Foxon
Running time 21 minutes
Produced by Black Library

Genres: Science Fiction, 40k, Short Stories, Audiobook

1 pages, Audiobook

First published December 19, 2014

About the author

Gav spent 14 years as a developer for Games Workshop, and started writing novels and short stories in the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 when the Black Library imprint was launched in 1997.

He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.

Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.

Reviews

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read prose version in Legacy of Caliban: The Omnibus.

A nice short tale about the fall of Caliban told by the point of view of a Fallen under psychic interrogation by the Holder of the Keys Dark Angel of title.
It made me want to re-read the Dark Angels Horus Heresy novels for good.

[Hawke Embers · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible account from a loyalist Dark Ang- errrm, a Fallen Angel as he recalls the events of the bombing of Caliban.

The sound production, the music, the conviction of the narrators, the story itself, masterfully executed! What can I say? You can feel the main characters conviction ooze from his lips as he spits at the memory of what he perceives to be the betrayal of the Dark Angels. To counter this; you can equally feel the righteous conviction of the other "loyalist" dark angel, as he believes he is right in making the other repent. The account of the bombing and the invasion is so vivid and intense that you feel as if you are actually there, it is an epic short tale that is one of the Black Library's finest Audio Dramas, a must listen!

a 5 out of 5.

[Vansh · Rating 3 out of 5]

huh perhaps there's more to the chapter than I thought.

It really dives into the guilt, the mistrust they have of the fallen and anything sorrounding them. Many fallen still swear allegiance to the emperor so I wonder how Ezekiel feels when he hears such stories.

[J.P. Harker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very fun Dark Angel short - reminds me why their chapter is interesting

[Ulzeta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite fun.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's hard to give these audio dramas one star when they're so well acted and produced, but this one was a confused and pointless mess, near as I could tell.

[Michael Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the nineteenth day of Christmas, Black Library gave to us…a Dark Angels audio drama by Gav Thorpe. Another twenty-minute audio, Holder of the Keys sees an unnamed member of the Fallen offering his recollection of events that took place on and around Caliban 10,000 years previously, as he suffers under psychic interrogation by the titular Holder of the Keys. His confession, drawn out of him under duress, paints a very different picture of events to those held to be true by the Dark Angels Inner Circle.

Read the rest of the review at http://trackofwords.wordpress.com/201...