The House of Night and Chain

Warhammer Horror

By: David Annandale

Narrated by: Dugald Bruce-Lockhart

Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

A Warhammer Horror novel.

An Astra Militarum colonel, broken by war and loss, returns to his childhood home to take up the mantle of Planetary Governor - but horrors await in the House of Malveil that will make his experiences of war seem like child's play....

Listen to it because: Haunted house stories are a staple of the horror genre. In a grim, dark future where much worse things than ghosts can anchor themselves to reality, a haunted house can do more than just scare you…

The story: In a bleak corner of the city of Valgaast, the House of Malveil awaits. A place of darkness, its halls throb with a sinister history. Its rooms are filled with malice. Its walls echo with pain. Now it stirs eagerly with the approach of an old heir - Colonel Maeson Strock of the Astra Militarum has returned home to his ancestral mansion. He is a man broken, both by the horrors of war and by personal loss, and he has come home to take up the mantle of Planetary Governor. He hopes he can purge his home world of political corruption and reforge connections with his estranged children. He hopes he can rebuild his life.

Malveil will feast on these dreams. Strock believes he has seen the worst of the galaxy’s horrors. Malveil will show him how wrong he is.

Written by David Annandale.

Running Time 7 hours 51 minutes.

Narrated by Dugald Bruce-Lockhart.

©2019 Games Workshop Limited (P)2019 Games Workshop Limited

Great story; bad performance

This is a great story, but I’m just not a fan of the narrator. He does a decent job for the main character, but every other character was awfully done.

A good book only if your familiar with 40k and even then perhaps not

So while I like the book it’s not for everyone. The story was fine but I feel it had a more interesting premise with the political feud that seemed to be a starting point for the book. And I hate to say it if your familiarity with the setting is good enough you can easily tell what the plot is going to be based solely on the cover.

While I do fine the characters interesting and sympathetic it loses a lot once the focus tends towards the horror. Overall though I think it was an alright book but had the makings for an even better one. This isn’t a book for newcomers to the setting and for lot time or dedicated fans of the setting you won’t get as much enjoyment as you should

A very Victorian style horror story nestled in 40k

I'm a bit fan of horror--the genre is probably the most near and dear to my heart compared to any other. I'm also a big Warhammer fan and the horror within the setting is what drew me in to begin with--House of Night and Chain further backs that feeling up. The story itself is dark, oppressive and incredibly heavy--if you're not familiar with Gothic horror this might be a bit much in that regard for these are not stories with hope, only the most fragile of flickering candle light that is all but certain to be blown out. It fits into the universe nicely and while some might argue it's rather predictable I would like to remind folks that tropes aren't by themselves, a bad thing. What tropes it does handle are pleasurably done so--like a familiar dish with new seasonings. If you've a love of old school, Victorian horror and the setting of 40k, you're going to enjoy this.

Fells like if M.R James had written a 40k story.

Excellent, harrowing and utterly human take on the 40K universe. Can not recommend enough.

To predictable

I dont usually read horror, as I generally dont gele well with horror media in general, so im no expert, but the story in this book is to predictable for my tastes. Except for 1 or 2 small twists i could almost see where the story was going the whole time. I guess there is a sense of cosmic horror in that "no matter what you do, the end will be the same" kinda thing, and the base story is entertaining, but ultimately forgettable

Sloooowww burn

this book starts out very slow, and not much horror in the beginning. sets up plot and setting, then kinda rambles on for a bit. but when it heats up, it's on fire. I won't lie, I struggled to get through this book, but it was absolutely worth it in the end. the conclusion is stunning and will absolutely leave you shocked.

Great story, ok narration

The story is a good one. Definitely a twist at the ending I didn’t see coming. The narrator is good, but I don’t think he was the right choice for this book. He’s kinda stuck between emotionless and mildly horrified for most of it and it definitely takes away from the immersion into the story but overall I still recommend it.

Got so into it!

Really loved this book. The writing is super cool and the narration is great. Perfect creepiness for the Halloween holiday.

A surprisingly strong horror story

The tone of this book, like several people have mentioned does come off like The Haunting of Hill House, but it really nails a creepy atmosphere and a strong story. The protagonists loss of reality twists how the story comes off, and it leaves the listener questioning what really happens until the end! A great listen.

Best Horror Book Ive Read

Ive never left a review before but this is one of the best horror books ive read and it beeing set in the warhammer universe is just a bonus