Win Books!

I've pretty much made it impossible to miss on all my social media that, yes, I have a new release out in the form of the paperback edition of Exile, my second Marc Dane action thriller - and as part of the publicity push, there are going to be poster ads and digital video trailers appearing all around the UK from Tuesday January 2nd.

So, I want offer some swag to folks who are willing to boost the signal for me! 

If you catch sight of Exile on sale in a local store, or the print and digital ads, post a video or pictures on your social media accounts and send a link to me on my twitter feed (@jmswallow) with the hashtag #ExilePB.

Everybody who messages me with the hashtag gets put into a prize draw. 

The lucky winner will get a signed, personalized copy of Exile and an extra copy of the previous novel Nomad (which you can feel free to give to a pal). In addition, five runners-up will get Exile ebook editions!

The competition begins on Tuesday January 2nd 2018 - the day the video ads will be running in London train stations during rush hour periods - and ends at Midnight on Monday January 8th. 

What I Did In 2017

Another busy year....!

EXILE paperback is out!

Earlier this year, my second Marc Dane action thiller Exile was released in hardcover by Bonnier Zaffre, and today the book returns in a new paperback edition! You'll be able to find it from this week in all good bookstores, and places like WH Smith, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsburys...

Abandoned by MI6, Marc Dane finds himself in a dead-end job monitoring international sales of counterfeit nuclear weapons.

But suddenly Marc happens upon the real thing – a Russian general flees Moscow with a suitcase nuke, off-loading it to a Serbian gang known for dealing fakes. However, Marc’s own reputation is a rock-bottom: can he convince his cynical bosses to take the threat seriously?

And there’s little time for delay – the Serbs have already found a customer. Abur Ramaas is a ruthless Somali pirate nursing a desire to avenge the suffering of his homeland, and with this weapon he realises he’ll never have a better chance.

Forced to go rogue, Marc Dane’s only hope is to reach out to his old ally Lucy Keyes and the Rubicon group. Pursuing Ramaas across the globe, Marc and Lucy face a desperate race to prevent Armageddon.

But with Abur Ramaas, nothing is ever as it seems...

Racing from secret CIA black site prisons to the skyscrapers of Dubai, from storm-beaten oil rigs off the African coast to the ancient caverns beneath the city of Naples, Marc Dane returns in the explosive new thriller from the internationally bestselling author of NOMAD... 

This new edition of Exile also includes my author's letter and an excerpt from Ghost, the next book in the series (due for release next Summer). 

If you didn't read Exile in hardback, now's your chance! The book is also available in digital and audio versions (click the highlighted links for more details), and you can visit the official website of the Marc Dane series at WhoIsMarcDane.com.

Going To The Disco

I sometimes post details about whatever music I'm listening to while I work up on my Twitter feed, using the #writersoundtrack hashtag. 

Last year, on December 3rd, I put up a picture of this album cover as both a cryptic secret clue and a way-point marker for my future self. 

In the year that passed, I think that maybe one or two people wondered if it was an oblique reference to something - well yeah, it was, because that was the day I got a ticket to the Disco.

My fellow writer and all-around lovely person Kirsten Beyer reached out along with my editor Margaret Clark and offered me the chance to write the third original novel to tie-in with the new Star Trek: Discovery series. As you might imagine, it wasn't a hard call to say yes; and so next summer Fear Itself will be hitting the bookshelves.

Lieutenant Saru is a Kelpien, a member of a prey species born on a world overrun by monstrous predators…and a being who very intimately understands the nature of fear. Challenged on all sides, he is determined to surpass his origins and succeed as a Starfleet officer aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou. 
But when Saru breaks protocol in order to prove himself to his crewmates, what begins as a vital rescue mission to save a vessel in distress soon escalates out of control. Forced into a command role he may not be ready for, Saru is caught between his duty and the conflicting agendas of two antagonistic alien races. 
To survive, he will need to seek a path of peace against all odds, and risk compromising the very ideals he has sworn to uphold…. 

 
Fear Itself follows on from Desperate Hours and Drastic Measures by m'colleagues David Mack and Dayton Ward and continues the theme of the Discovery novels by unfolding some more of the backstory of the show's main characters - in my case, I've written a story that centres around the Kelpien science officer Saru. The story is set after the events of Dayton's book but before Dave's (and also the events of the show itself), while Saru is a lieutenant serving with Michael Burnham under Captain Phillippa Georgiou aboard the U.S.S. Shenzhou.

Over the past year, it's been fun (and truth be told, a little unusual) to be involved in the Discovery production, talking with the other writers and seeing the show evolve. One of the coolest things was getting to read all the scripts and receiving daily digests of set photos from the series, watching the episodes come together piece by piece. 

I got to spend a day at the Discovery writers office in Los Angeles a few months ago, seeing early cuts of the show before it aired and getting feedback from the team on the themes and concepts for my novel. I've never had this level of access or collaboration while working on a tie-in project before, and I hope it will show in the book. 

I've been keeping this under wraps for a year, but now I can finally talk about it, I want to say that it's great to able to help develop some backstory for one of Discovery's key characters and I'm excited to return to the Star Trek universe once again!

Star Trek: Discovery - Fear Itself will be released on June 5th 2018, and it'll be published in eBook and trade paperback formats. Check out StarTrek.com's news post on the book announcement Here.

One Month From Now...

Marc Dane is back (in paperback)...

Exile, the second book in my series of original action thrillers, will be on sale in a new paperback edition from the end of December, from Bonnier Zaffre books. To pre-order a copy, click here!



 

Late At The Library

After the success of last month's double-header event featuring myself and my sterling colleague Ben Aaronovitch (author of the Rivers of London urban fantasy series), we've been called on to do it again next month, this time in London - and tickets are now available!

Come along and listen to us talk about the craft of writing novels and genre fiction; we'll take questions and hopefully provide an insight into the life of a jobbing author...

The event is free, part of the #Late@TheLibrary programme, running from 6.30pm to 8.00pm on Tuesday 12th December at the Finsbury Library, 245 St John Street, London, EC1V 4NB - and you can sign up right Here.

As ever, copies of Ben's novels and my Marc Dane thrillers will be available for purchase on the day, and we'll both be happy to sign them and anything brought along by attendees. 

Black Library Weekender IV

It's the IVth Black Library Weekender this, uh, weekend, and I'll be along as usual talking about my fiction from the worlds of Warhammer 40,000 and the Horus Heresy, joined by a bunch of my fellow authors and artists...

For more details, check out the event website here. My schedule shakes out like this:

Saturday:
11.30am - 12.30am: Signing in the Administratum Room.
1.30pm - 2.30pm: I join Gav Thorpe and George Mann in the Strategium Room to talk about Black Library audio dramas.
4.00pm - 5.00pm: I'm in the Briefing Chamber with Gav and John French talking about scriptwriting for audio.
Sunday:
10.00am - 11.00am: Signing in the Administratum Room.
11.15am - 12.15am: I'll be in the Audience Chamber, discussing "The Emperor's Noble Sons" with Chris Wraight, David Annandale and David Guymer. 

There's also a metric f'ton of new stuff and early releases hitting at the event - and you can see the full list here - but among them is an all-new Warhammer 40,000 audio drama I've written called Corsair: The Face of the Void. 

This is the first in what may be a series of stories following the misadventures of Captain Athene Santiago and the crew of the Rogue Trader starship Corsair. 

We've got a great cast of characters and I've had a great time writing this tale - you can find out more about the audio here.

War Stories

New anthologies and reprints are hitting this month from Black Library, from the might clashes of the Horus Heresy and the grim dark future of Warhammer 40,000...and I got stories in both!

Already out now is Crusade + Other Stories, a collection of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that is designed to act as an introductory volume for new readers looking to get their first taste of the 41st millennium (hence the "Start Here" flash on the cover). 

From a battle between the valiant Ultramarines and their plague-ridden Death Guard foes, to tales of alien enemies and the Imperium's many brave defenders, this anthology brings together a collection of stories perfect for learning about the various factions of the Warhammer 40,000 universe – it's your ideal first step into the adrenaline-fulled fiction of the 41st Millennium.
 

My contribution is the prose adaptation of my Sisters of Battle audio story Red & Black, but you'll also find the titular novella by Andy Clark and other fiction from Dan Abnett, David Annandale, Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Peter Fehervari, John French, L J Goulding, Robbie MacNiven, Steve Parker, Josh Reynolds and Gav Thorpe. 

Crusade + Other Stories is available Here in paperback, eBook and audiobook editions. 

Also out this month is the paperback reprint of the Horus Heresy anthology The Silent War, which features three short stories by me - Ghosts Speak Not, Lost Sons and Patience.The collection also includes stories by C Z Dunn, John French, Nick Kyme, Graham McNeill, Anthony Reynolds, Rob Sanders and Chris Wraight.

The Silent War is available Here in the new paperback edition, along with several others.

CORSAIR: THE FACE OF THE VOID cover reveal

It's been a while since I did some new audio stuff for Black Library, so I'm pleased to announce a forthcoming Warhammer 40,000 project...

This full cast audio drama centers on the crew of the Rogue Trader starship Corsair, a rag-tag, eclectic assemblage commanded by Captain Athene Santiago, who travel the forgotten backwaters of the Imperium taking whatever shady commissions keep their vessel running. 

When a bounty mission to capture a pirate vessel turns into a deadly mystery, Santiago discovers something ancient and terrifying that threatens not only her ship but the entire sector...

We've got a great cast assembled, including Beth Chalmers, Barnaby Edwards, Cliff Chapman and more. And I love the cover we've got for this, from the amazing Johan Grenier; check out more of his work at his ArtStation page right Here.

Warhammer 40,000: Corsair - The Face of the Void is out in January 2018 and will be available to pre-order soon from Black Library, so keep an eye on this link.

SISTERS OF BATTLE: THE OMNIBUS is OUT NOW!

One of the most-asked questions I get from fans of Warhammer 40,000 is "When are you going to write more about the Sisters of Battle?" The answer is: "Right now!"

Back in '06 I wrote Black Library's first long-form fiction about one of the most striking factions in the grim dark future of the 41st Millennium, the Adepta Sororitas - otherwise known as the Sisters of Battle. That novel was Faith & Fire, and a few years later I followed it up with an audio drama called Red & Black, and a second novel, Hammer & Anvil. This Battle Sisters have been on the fringes of the worlds of Warhammer for a while, but now they're back in force - and so is a new paperback omnibus collecting all my Sororitas stories in one place...

The Adepta Soroitas, or Sisters of Battle, are the military arm of the Ecclesiarchy, and their remit is to prosecute the enemies of mankind with extreme prejudice. Uniquely among the fighting forces of the Imperium, all the warriors of this organisation are female. Clad in ceramite power armour and armed with and awesome array of wargear, they fight with fanatical fervour for the glory of the Emperor, scourging both xenos and heretic alike with bolter and flamer.
 
Sisters of Battle: The Omnibus features an introduction by me, a prose adaptation of the prequel audio story Red & Black, the novels Faith & Fire and Hammer & Anvil - and in print for the first time anywhere, the all-new short story Heart & Soul, set after the events of the last book, following Battle Sister Miriya and Sister-Hospitaller Verity in a deadly confrontation with a sinister foe known as the Iconoclast, who seems to know their every move before they make it...

This collected is available in paperback from all good bookstores, or directly from Black Library (where you can also get an eBook version).

And my Adepta Sororitas novel Faith & Fire is also a part of BL's 30 Years of Warhammer 40,000 book bundle, 30 eBooks from the past three decades of Games Workshop's available Here until the end of September.




 

Magic Cops & Secret Agents: LIVE!

On October 5th, I'll be taking to the stage with my friend and fellow author Ben Aaronovitch at the Central Library in Bromley for an evening of Q&A, book signing and general hijinks...

If you're not familiar with Ben's acerbic and dynamic brand of urban fantasy, then you should be - his Rivers of London series featuring Met Police mage-in-traning Peter Grant is top stuff and the latest installment The Furthest Station is out this month. 

It's been a decade since Ben and I first met working on the Blake's 7 reboot series, and we regularly spend time chiding, ranting and brainstorming with one another, so getting the pair of us to do the same in front of an audience is going to be fun!

 

The event is being held from 7:00pm to 8:30pm at the Bromley Central Library (map) on Thursday October 5th in the Large Hall on Floor 4; tickets are available for £3.00 via Eventbrite. Numbers are limited, so please book as soon as possible!

Copies of Ben's novels and my Marc Dane thrillers will be available for purchase on the day, and we will both be happy to sign them and anything brought along by attendees.

GARRO: WEAPON OF FATE out now in paperback!

It's hard to believe that it's been ten years since I first took up the pen to write about Nathaniel Garro and his odyssey through the catastrophic events of the Horus Heresy saga. Back when I wrote The Flight of the Eisenstein - which would go on to be one of my most popular books - I had no idea that the noble, "straight-arrow" Garro would become such a fan favorite and an enduring viewpoint character for the Heresy series. 

His newest entry in the saga comes in the pages of Weapon of Fate, out now in paperback from all good bookstores. This book is a prose collection featuring adaptations of all the Garro audio dramas to date (Oath of Moment, Legion of One, Shield of Lies, Sword of Truth, Burden of Duty, Ashes of Fealty) and the novella Vow of Faith. 

From out of the shadows of the Silent War, a hero emerges. Clad all in grey, an errant warrior of the Legiones Astartes kneels before the Regent of Terra, and accepts a solemn new duty – Battle-Captain Garro, once commander of the Eisenstein, now Agentia Primus of Malcador the Sigillite. 

From the desolation of Isstvan to the halls of the Imperial Palace itself, he stands as a paragon of loyalty and protector of the innocent, ever ready to strike back at the traitorous allies of the Warmaster. But Garro is walking a path of his own, one that may lead him to question his own place in the Imperium... and what if he, too, should falter?

This book contains James Swallow’s complete saga of Nathaniel Garro in the Horus Heresy – the audio drama series is embellished and expanded in prose, with additional scenes to represent the author’s original vision. This all serves as prelude to the events of the novella Vow of Faith, bringing Garro closer to his inescapable destiny as the first true martyr of the Lectitio Divinitatus.

You can download an excerpt of Weapon of Fate here in epub or mobi formats; or order a copy of the paperback edition right Here.

You Are Hearing Me Talk...to The Honest Authors Podcast

The hardworking and highly talented duo of authors Holly Seddon and Gillian McAllister run an excellent podcast for new and upcoming writers, based around discussions, interviews and, as the title suggests, straight answers to listener questions.

Recently, I was lucky enough have a chat with Gillian and Holly about my career as an writer on The Honest Authors Podcast, where we talked about my new thriller Exile, the origins of and my future plans for the Marc Dane series, the ins and outs of writing tie-in fiction, the challenges of being a debut author and more! It was great to be on the show, and we had a blast getting into the fine detail of the craft...

Click on the link Here to hear the show with me on Spreaker, or go Here to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.  

Check out more from Holly Seddon and Gillian McAllister and their fiction by clicking on their names to visit their individual websites!

5 Questions with D.J. Williams...

The author of the Guardian novel series D.J. Williams invited me over to his blog this month to answer a few questions about my holiday reading preferences, and you can check out my answers right Here!
 

He's also running a Summer Prize Giveaway including a whole bunch of cool stuff, and you can win signed copies of my Marc Dane thrillers Nomad and Exile - for full details, go Here.
 

Ghost Writing

At the start of the year, Titan Books announced that they would be publishing a novelization of the live-action Ghost in the Shell movie, written by me, for release on April 3rd. Unfortunately, issues with the licensor meant that we couldn't deliver a book that accurately reflected the finished movie in time to hit stores alongside the film's initial release.

Since April, I've been getting lots of questions about the fate of the book, and now I'm happy to say that rather than cancel it entirely, Titan decided to go forward with a later publication date to hit after the movie's Blu-Ray release. 

My work schedule meant that I couldn't come back to work on the revisions for the major (no pun intended) edits for the final cut, and I have the hardworking and super-talented Abbie Bernstein to thank for taking over at the eleventh hour to see this novelization to the finish line.

As such, Ghost in the Shell: The Official Movie Novelization will be on sale in a trade paperback edition from September 26th, and is available for order Here. A French language edition will also be published by Pika Roman on January 3rd 2018.

I wanted to be a part of this project because I have been a fan of Masamune Shirow's manga and anime work for a very long time, and I took on the job specifically because it's a world I've always wanted to tell a story in. It will be great to be able to rack this book next to my copies of Masaki Yamada's and Junichi Fujisaku's tie-in novels to the original Ghost in the Shell and Stand Alone Complex anime...

It's not uncommon for the wildly differing schedules and needs of book publishing and movie making to act at cross purposes to one another, and sometimes things don't work out - but we got a second bite at the cyber-cherry here.  

For everyone who pre-ordered a copy of Ghost in the Shell: The Official Movie Novelization, your orders should automatically be processed by your vendor, but if not, contact them directly. 

Thanks to everyone out there for your support and patience with this, and much appreciation to Abbie, Becky Peacock and the editorial team at Titan Books.

The EXILE soundtrack

Back when I was working on my novel Nomad, one of the things I did was put together a playlist of choons that were in one way or another, inspirational for story and characters.

The folks over at The Civilian Reader blog hosted a post I wrote about that mythic soundtrack album for Nomad, and a year later, with Exile - the second novel in the Rubicon series - out in bookstores, I thought I'd drop the beats that helped me write it. 

As I said when talking about Nomad; "writing a book isn’t just the writing of the book; there’s also the time spent wrangling ideas or thinking stuff up. I find pacing out the kilometers on the runner at the gym is a great place for this, usually with a loud and driving playlist in my earbuds to propel me along."

So crank the volume and listen up...

Track 1 -  "EXILE anthem" - Jungle - X Ambassadors

Track 2 - "Lucy's Theme (Book II Version)" - Voodoo Child -  Brick+Mortar

Track 3 - "Kurjak Stakeout" - Rise - Craig Armstrong  
 

Track 4 - "Black Site Escape" - Easy Action - Boom Boom Satellites
 

Track 5 - "Dubai Chase Part I" - Speed - Paul Oakenfold
 

Track 6 - "Dubai Chase Part II" - Ready Steady Go [Remix] - Paul Oakenfold
 

Track 7 - "Mogadishu Jump" - Missile - Dorothy
 

Track 8 - "Shell Game" - Run - AWOLNATION

Track 9 - "Into The Caverns"- Loaded Gun - Hednoize
 

Track 10 - "Outro (Book II Version)" - Absurd (Whitewash Edit) - Fluke
 

Track 11- "EXILE End Credits"- Collapse - Saosin

 

Exile is out now in supermarkets, all good bookstores and online retailers!

Books That Changed My Life at Reader's Digest

Earlier this month, I spoke with Reader's Digest to talk about three Books That Changed My Life...

In the article I link to Here, I discuss three novels whose themes, writing and authors all exerted a keen effect on me as a writer and a reader - and I also talk briefly about my new action thriller novel Exile...



 

EXILE Twitter Q&A Transcript

Last week I took over my publisher’s Twitter feed for a live Q&A session about my new thriller novel EXILE; you can follow them at @BonnierZaffre – and here’s a transcript of the conversation...

 

Hello there, this is James Swallow! With the help of Marc Dane, I've hacked into @BonnierZaffre's feed for the next hour...

I'm here to answer your questions about my new thriller novel #EXILE...

...As long as it isn't anything Top Secret...

Let's start off with an email Q from Summercyde_cat, who asks "Where do you get your ideas from?"

That's always a tough one to answer! I read a lot of news about current events and technology, especially stuff on the fringes of design...

The world at large tends to be the best source for thriller story ideas...!

Next question from Hazelhead, who asks “Do you have more Rubicon stories planned after #NOMAD and #EXILE?"

Yes indeed I do! Marc, Lucy and the Rubicon team will return next year for another adventure, so stay tuned!

Please post your questions to @BonnierZaffre using the #EXILE hashtag.... 

Next one! Ron Sinterklaas (Hello again!) emails: "Is there going to be a #NOMAD or #EXILE film or TV series in the future?"

Taking the Rubicon series to the big or small screen would be very cool!

I've had some discussions with film/tv folks but so far, nothing concrete. Right now I am concentrating on developing the novels...

WasherDryerWasher asks "Can I get your books in the USA?!?" #EXILE 

Yes! The plan is for the Rubicon novels to be published by @forgereads in the USA in 2018. #EXILE 

 Another question from Ron... "Who will play your heroes on screen if #EXILE is a film/tv?"

I like @Liam_J_McIntyre to play Marc Dane...

As for who would play Lucy Keyes, I think the amazing @DanaiGurira would be perfect!

And of course, the mighty @colinsalmon24 has always been my model for the character of Ekko Solomon!

(Please post your questions to James Swallow about his new novel to @BonnierZaffre using the #EXILE hashtag!)

Next question from Harley_Hare: "What was it like getting nominated for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Prize?"

I'm honoured! @thewilbursmith is a titan of the thriller genre & I'm in such great company with the other nominees.

I am actually reading fellow nominee @FrankRGardner's novel Crisis right now, it's great stuff!

Our next question comes from a fan of a certain other British secret agent...

Marko emailed to ask "I've been reading the new James Bond comics, they're great. Would you like to do something like that with #EXILE ?"

I'm enjoying the Dynamite Comics stuff too! To answer the question, Would I write a Rubicon comic? That would be a dream job.

And for the record, I would love to write a James Bond story one day.

Great question here from Tom Royle! "How would Marc Dane would get on with other characters you've written, Judge Dredd, Jack Bauer etc?"

Marc would respect Jack Bauer's skills, but probably think he was too intense. "Lighten up, mate."

As for Judge Dredd, Marc would want to try out his Lawmaster motorbike for sure.

Other characters? Marc would get on okay with #DeusEx Adam Jensen. But he would steer clear of the Warhammer guys.

15 mins left to go! Post your questions to @BonnierZaffre using the #EXILE hashtag & I'll try my best to answer them all!

Next question from XB70BX: "Will there be an #EXILE audio book?"

Yes! It should hopefully it'll be out later this year...

Last question... Colin asks "What inspired the plotline for #EXILE?'

#EXILE's story came from a lot of places - reading about Somalia and the piracy there; the traffic in toxic waste and stolen nukes...

...All of those real life events have drama and weight to them that lends well to a thriller story.

Okay, I think I hear a drone circling overhead, so I'll have to log out in a few moments before the BZ strike team home in on me...

Thank you one & all for your great questions & for taking part in the #EXILE Q&A! It was great to chat to you!

If you have any more questions about #EXILE, #NOMAD or any of my books you can follow me at @jmswallow or my blog at jamesswallow.blogspot.co.uk

If you want to check out the first chapter of #EXILE , you can a free download right here at Readers First: readersfirst.co.uk/books/exile

And #EXILE is on sale right now from all good bookstores and several supermarkets!

Thanks again and best wishes! - James 

EXILE is available Here in hardcover and eBook editions; trade paperback versions are also on sale at WH Smith Travel bookstores.



 

Action. Packed.

My new thriller Exile has been out for a week now, and I'm pleased to say it has already hit the bestseller charts! Thanks to everyone out there who has bought a copy!

Check out this neat poster for the release!

 

EXILE is out today!

I am very proud to announce the release of my new thriller novel EXILE!

The next book in my ongoing Rubicon series follows on from the events of last year’s Sunday Times bestseller NOMAD, a new action-adventure story featuring ex-MI6 officer and reluctant hero Marc Dane and the shadowy Rubicon group. The novel is out now in hardcover, trade paperback and eBook editions from Bonnier Zaffre! 

A VICIOUS SERBIAN GANG WHOSE PROFITS COME FROM FAKE NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

A DISGRACED RUSSIAN GENERAL, WITH ACCESS TO THE REAL THING.

A VENGEFUL SOMALI WARLORD, WITH A CAUSE FOR WHICH HE'D LET THE WORLD BURN.

A JADED GOVERNMENT AGENCY, WITHOUT THE INFORMATION TO STOP HIM.

Only one man sees what's coming. And even he might not be able to prevent it . . .
 

THE WORLD’S MOST RUTHLESS KILLER HAS THE WORLD’S MOST DEADLY WEAPON.

Abandoned by MI6, Marc Dane finds himself in a dead-end job monitoring international sales of counterfeit nuclear weapons.

But suddenly Marc happens upon the real thing – a Russian general flees Moscow with a suitcase nuke, off-loading it to a Serbian gang known for dealing fakes. However, Marc’s own reputation is a rock-bottom: can he convince his cynical bosses to take the threat seriously?

And there’s little time for delay – the Serbs have already found a customer. Abur Ramaas is a ruthless Somali pirate nursing a desire to avenge the suffering of his homeland, and with this weapon he realises he’ll never have a better chance.

Forced to go rogue, Marc Dane’s only hope is to reach out to his old ally Lucy Keyes and the Rubicon group. Pursuing Ramaas across the globe, Marc and Lucy face a desperate race to prevent Armageddon.

But with Abur Ramaas, nothing is ever as it seems...

Racing breathlessly from secret CIA black site prisons to the skyscrapers of Dubai, from storm-beaten oil rigs off the African coast to the ancient caverns beneath the city of Naples, Marc Dane returns in the explosive new thriller from the internationally bestselling author of NOMAD...
 
 
Visit ReadersFirst to download a pdf of the first chapter of EXILE.

To order a copy of EXILE, click Here or check out the official website of the Rubicon series at WhoIsMarcDane.com.

EXILE is already hitting the #1 slot on the iBooks chart,and if you enjoy the book, please do post a review on Amazon, Goodreads or your social media feeds!

Ghost Recon Wildlands: Fallen Ghosts - Out now!

Fallen Ghosts, the new DLC pack for the tactical action shooter videogame Ghost Recon Wildlands is available from today...

I wrote the script for this new storyline, in which the elite special forces unit known as the Ghosts return to the jungles of Bolivia to confront a ruthless band of mercenaries intent on taking over the country...

Check out the trailer above or watch some of the livestream video that accompanied the launch today (and my thanks to producer Benjamin Dumaz for the namecheck and the plug for my novel Nomad!) 

 

This Week: EXILE arrives!

NOMAD nominated!

You can't be a reader of thriller fiction and not be familiar with the name Wilbur Smith; I first came across his work as a teenager with the movie Gold, an adaptation of his novel Gold Mine. A titan of the genre, he's been writing since the mid-sixties and is best known for books like Shout at the Devil and his 'Courtney' series. When he generously reached out to tell me that he'd enjoyed my novel Nomad, I was taken aback - praise from Caesar indeed...
 

And so I'm very proud to announce that Nomad had been nominated for The 2017 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize! I'm in some top-notch company here, alongside Frank Gardner (Crisis), David Gilman (The Last Horseman), Graham Hurley (Finisterre), Stef Penney (Under a Pole Star) and Sara Sheridan (On Starlit Seas). The prize is presented by The Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation, a group devoted to empowering writers, promoting literacy and advancing adventure writing.

Niso Smith, Founder of The Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation, says: “The Prize is the Foundation’s flagship programme. We are delighted to have received such a high standard of submissions, from both established novelists and writers submitting their debut work of fiction. There are many talented adventure authors writing today and they need to be recognised for their outstanding work.” She continues, “The shortlist really encapsulates the spirit of adventure writing. Each novel allows us a glimpse into different worlds and times, from modern-day to historical settings, and each with clear threats to overcome – whether that’s a fearsome human enemy, societal conventions, or the formidable power of nature.”

You can read more about the prize here, or visit the Foundation website here.

One month from now...

...Marc Dane returns.

NOMAD re-released!

I'm very pleased to announce that the sales of my thriller novel Nomad have been exceptional - Thank you, everyone who bought a copy! - and off the back of that success my publisher Bonnier Zaffre books have decided to re-release the paperback in the run-up to the launch of Exile, the next book in the Rubicon series which will be out in June.

The paperback returns from today, first in WHSmith Travel stores as part of their Deal of the Week promotion (ideal for your holiday reading!) and Book of the Week in WHSmith High Street stores. It'll also be back in Tesco, Sainsbury's and elsewhere in the weeks ahead. This edition also includes an author's letter from me and an excerpt from Exile.

Marc Dane is a MI6 field agent at home behind a computer screen, one step away from the action. But when a brutal attack on his team leaves Marc as the only survivor - and with the shocking knowledge that there are traitors inside MI6 - he's forced into the front line.

But when the evidence seems to point towards Marc as the perpetrator of the attack, he is accused of betraying his country and must race against time to clear his name.

With nowhere to turn to for help and no one left to trust, Marc is forced to rely on the enigmatic Rubicon group and their operative Lucy Keyes. Ex-US Army, Lucy also knows what it's like to be an outsider, and she's got the resources that Marc is sorely lacking.

A terrorist attack is coming, one bigger and more deadly than has ever been seen before. With the eyes of the security establishment elsewhere, only Lucy and Marc can stop the attack before it is too late...

A DEVASTATING TERRORIST ATTACK IN CENTRAL BARCELONA.
AN ELITE UNIT FATALLY AMBUSHED IN NORTHERN FRANCE.
A SINISTER ORPHANAGE IN THE HEART OF THE DESERT.
A TRAITOR BURIED IN THE BRITISH SECURITY SERVICES.

Only one man can unmask the conspiracy - but only if he survives long enough...

For more information about Nomad, check out the official website at whoismarcdane.com

FAITH & FIRE becomes LEGEND

Last year, Hachette Partworks launched the Warhammer 40,000 Legends Collection (which I blogged about Here), a bi-weekly part-work publication that is re-releasing selected Warhammer 40,000 and Horus Heresy titles in a collectible hardback format with new material and bonus content. This week's issue #16 (on sale on the 5th of April) sees the release of the first title by me in series...

In the grim nightmare future of the 41st millennium, the witch-hunting zealots of the the Sisters of Battle stand between humanity and damnation. From the elite Seraphim warriors to the berserk Sisters Repentia, they are the strong arm of the Ecclesiarchy and the brutal hammer of witches. When dangerous psychic heretic Torris Vaun escapes from her custody, Seraphim Miriya is disgraced in the eyes of her fellow sisters and superiors. Following Vaun's trail to the planet Neva, Miriya takes her sisters in pursuit and, along with Hospitalier Sister Verity, starts her investigations. When they uncover a terrifying plot that could threaten the future of the Imperium, is Miriya's and Verity's faith strong enough for them to triumph?

Faith & Fire has been out of print for some time, and this handsome hardcover edition looks very cool. Check out the Legends Collection site Here, or the Hachette on-line store Here where you can order individual titles.

Humble Heresy & Black Library Reloaded

You may have heard of Humble Bundle; it's a digital storefront for games, ebooks and other stuff that not only allows people to get some excellent discounts on stuff (for a limited time) but also helps support worthy charities - and you get to pay as much or as little as you want.

And for around the next 13 days, the folks at Black Library are working with the Humble Bundle team to make a very cool Horus Heresy package available, which will benefit the UNHCR refugee agency (along with any other charity organization you mught like to help out). There are price points at $1, $8 and $15 which unlock multiple novels, audio dramas, comics and other stuff.

 

The $1 pack features the first five Horus Heresy novels, including my book The Flight of the Eisenstein and my audio story Oath of Moment. $8 gets you the next five books in the series, including Tales of Heresy which features a short story by me and the Garro audio drama Sword of Truth. Shell out $15 or more and get five more novels, including my 2nd Heresy book Nemesis and the audio Legion of One. It's all DRM-free, nearly $380's worth of fiction on sale as cheap as bio-chips, and for a good cause too. Click Here to visit the site and see the whole set of stuff you can get.

And meanwhile, Black Library's web presence has respawned itself into an independant website this week, which you can visit Here, sign up for the newsletter, get some free fiction and downloadable digital wallpapers.

 

They've also launched Tales From The Archive, dropping the prices of classic BL fiction for a short time, and among the discounted releases is the ebook edition of my Warhammer 40,000 novel Deus Encarmine, the first in my Blood Angels series from back in 2004. Check it out Here.

 

Trek-On! convention announcement!

I'm appearing at a new Star Trek convention later this year - Trek-On!, the pilot event for the TrekMate team. Check out the full details on the poster below or the announcement video on YouTube.

GHOST RECON WILDLANDS: FALLEN GHOSTS announced!

This week, Ubisoft's newest videogame under the Tom Clancy banner is released - Ghost Recon Wildlands is an open-world military shooter title for one to four players, casting gamers as members of the Ghosts, a covert special forces unit of the US Army who have been sent into Bolivia in order to neutralize the Santa Blanca drug cartel by any and all means.

The core game will be followed up with a bunch of additional downloadable content, including two new story DLCs, Narco Road and Fallen Ghosts. I spent most of last year working with the team at Ubisoft Montpellier in France writing the mission narrative and scripts for Fallen Ghosts, and I'm pleased to be able to talk about it now it has been officially announced.

 

 

Fallen Ghosts takes place after the events of the main Wildlands storyline and Narco Road; during an evacuation mission, the Ghosts' chopper is shot down and the squad will need to adapt as they’re tracked down by an elite group of ruthless mercenaries. Players will fight a new powerful enemy, learn new skills and unlock new weapons to complete their mission.

I've always been a big fan of the Tom Clancy games, and the Ghost Recon series is one I've been playing since the very first title released way back in 2001, so it it was very cool for me to participate in the project! Check out the trailer for the DLC and all the other additional content below...

 

 

For more information on Ghost Recon Wildlands, visit the official site Here.

Happy 40th Anniversary 2000AD!

Today marks 40 years since the launch of the Galaxy's Greatest Comic, 2000AD - and it's undeniable that it has been a massive influence on me as both a fan and a writer. I'm proud to say I've been lucky enough to contribute to the fiction of two of the comic's most popular heroes - Judge Dredd and Rogue Trooper. Here's to four more decades!

 

GARRO: WEAPON OF FATE out now!

My newest entry in the Horus Heresy series is officially relased this week: Garro: Weapon of Fate is the definitive compilation of all the Nathaniel Garro stories to date in prose form.

As my esteemed editor Laurie Goulding described the book: "It's James Swallow's full novelisation of Nathaniel Garro's story arc, something we've previously only seen (in part) in the audio dramas and novella. There are new and extended scenes, whole new chapters in fact, making this just about the most definitive exploration of the founding of the Knights Errant, and everything that comes after..."

Check out this ace piece of cover artwork from Neil Roberts...

 

The book includes a new introduction, content from the audio dramas Oath of Moment, Legion of One, Sword of Truth, Shield of Lies, Burden of Duty and Ashes of Fealty, plus the Vow of Faith novella and bridging material that collates the whole story into one single epic bind-up.

From out of the shadows of the Silent War, a hero emerges. Clad all in grey, an errant warrior of the Legiones Astartes kneels before the Regent of Terra, and accepts a solemn new duty – Battle-Captain Garro, once commander of the Eisenstein, now Agentia Primus of Malcador the Sigillite. From the desolation of Isstvan to the halls of the Imperial Palace itself, he stands as a paragon of loyalty and protector of the innocent, ever ready to strike back at the traitorous allies of the Warmaster. But Garro is walking a path of his own, one that may lead him to question his own place in the Imperium... and what if he, too, should falter?

As well as the hardcover book, there's an eBook edition and a 12 hour+ audiobook version narrated by the voice of Garro himself, the mighty Toby Longworth. Click Here to order a copy!

Horus Heresy Weekender 2017 Schedule

I'm appearing at the official Horus Heresy event this weekend, along with a bunch of my colleagues from the Black Library...

 

Me, Gav Thorpe, Chris Wraight, John French, Neil Roberts and Guy Haley will be talking about our books and signing them too, over Saturday and Sunday at the Nottingham Belfry hotel. There will be some exclusive stuff available in advance of release and it's likely we'll spill some secret truths about upcoming works. I can't confirm or deny if anyone will be wearing war-pelts, though.

I'll be joining John and Guy on Saturday for the "Road To Terra" and "Black Library Preview" panels at 11:45am and 3:00pm, and on Sunday I'll be talking about "The Primarchs" with Guy, Gav and Chris from 12:30. I'll be doing book signings on both days, which will be posted outside the Scribe Station. Hardcover copies of Garro: Weapon of Fate should be available on the day.

 

Something Borrowed (2017 Edition)

Ah, the Public Lending Right; the gift that keeps on giving (to writers, editors, illustrators and other booky folks) and generally helps to remind us all why libraries are important places – not just for readers but for those of us who make books happen.

Not familiar with the PLR? Read on for my annual public service announcement on the subject:
If you are a writer/editor/illustrator/etc, a resident of the UK or Ireland and you ever need a reason for donating your books to the library - on top of all the obvious ones like promoting reading and supporting this valuable and increasingly undermined public service - this is it.
The PLR is a system where authors who've written books that are in public libraries get a little revenue each time somebody borrows their works. It's a way to repay writers who won't be earning a royalty from a sale in a bookstore. The hardworking folks at the PLR office pay a nominal fee based on how borrowed you were - and in the interests of fairness, you can't earn more than around £6000, so the big names don't get to hog all the money.

Once more, the PLR and the libraries it springs from are under threat from the current powers that be, so if you are a writer or a reader, please do your bit to help support both as best you can.

Here's my Top Ten Library Loans of my novels for 2016 (with 2015's position in brackets)

1 (1) Deadline
2 (5) Fear to Tread
3 (2) Peacemaker
4 (3) The Poisoned Chalice
5 (-) Nomad (paperback & hardcover editions)
6 (10) Cast No Shadow
7 (6) Hammer & Anvil
8 (4) Nemesis
9 (9) The Flight of the Eisenstein
10 (13) Blood Angels: The Second Omnibus

For the second year running, by 24 novel Deadline holds the top slot, with the Horus Heresy story Fear to Tread and Doctor Who tale Peacemaker very close in 2nd and 3rd places. It was nice to see one of my Blood Angels omnibus editions re-enter the top ten, but I was most pleased to see my new thriller novel Nomad make a great showing!

As always, my thanks to everybody who supported their local libraries and borrowed my books!