Sigillite eBook

[Mellow]

Having not heard this audiobook I picked up this short story. My verdict ... quite good, gave a little detail on what was going on and in the Imperial dungeons which was good. It also gave an impression that it was only The Emperor that was fighting in the Human Webway and that it was too dangerous for anyone to even enter. Previously I'd always thought that other people were helping. But that does hint that The Emperor must have amazingly vast reserves of psychic energy.

 

Also a little nod to the creation of the Primarchs was the old archway with the symbols of each engraved on it. Ones of wolves and Angels specifically ... but as this was at the point of creation it hints that it was The Emperors design to make a Primarch that appeared angelic (so maybe the wings were intentional?!)

[veterannoob]

If you can get your hands on the audio it's quite cool, especially the final scene with the sound effects behind these big gate doors. Was the point in which I was sold! Glad to hear it is just as good in print. I agree that was a clever aspect of the prepping for Horus coming and the great crusade, something I had not yet considered. That's more reasons why the HH is such an amazing and universal series which his beyond just its fan base of war gamers.

[Carach]

i bought the audio when it originally came out and it reinforces everything that i love about audiobooks. The atmosphere is fantastic, sound effects are good etc etc.

 

I may bash BL's pricing over and over again but their audio's are well worth the money.

 

as to the questions around the story: there are custodes and silent sisters present that are described as heavily fatigued and battle scarred. So some fighting has occurred at some point (i imagine it was the initial rip in reality they battled through the dungeons to regain control and then the Emperor went in alone to the main gate). As for primarch signs - gotta contradict the yarns spun by the chaos gods don't they :P But angelic can be within the soul rather than external heavenly displays, so doesn't necessarily prove that the Emperor made them that way specifically. One of the many things we will probably never get a fully water-tight answer on heh

[Mellow]

It also appeared that Malcador is aware of other perpetuals as he makes a statement about others that "linger" through time (or words to that effect).

 

Hopefully they will do something creative with the whole perpetual story arch. Obviously it's different having a bunch of ageless Humans around, but it would be great to see if they spent any time together throughout the ages or even if they had some kind of plan or scheme for Humanity. Especially as they all seem very aware of Chaos (as shown when Ol Pious does the "immaterium side step" in a previous book and has to try and remember the correct actions for it to work, which to me at least makes me believe they've all studied or been taught things in the past)

[Carach]

a few of them are definitely aware of each other and have spent time in each others company.

 

One mentions the Sigilite with an air of disdain as if they've experienced him before. The Emperor had met John Grammaticus if i remember correctly, though i dunno if it's in that context because it's also mentioned that John was made into a perpetual and that he was not a natural one. So he may of just been an ordinary psyker at the time he met the Emperor (that's up in the air though because he knows Oll somehow and there is a more limited window of opportunity for meeting and knowing each others business so intimately if it's post-Emperor's coming)

 

I wouldn't mind seeing a bunch of them ultimately come together to effectively take up the Sigilite's mantle in finding and protecting Humanity's cultural heritage - They did used to be an organisation afterall. 

[MasterofMankind]

Yeah, John and Damon mentioned Oll, and Alivia said she learnt the then archaic word OK from him

[Rob P]

Oll also mentioned knowing the Emperor. IIRC it was in Mark of Calth. It also implies (on my reading) that at some point The Emperor was a bog standard yet ambitious perpetual.

 

On a separate note, I'm not convinced that Malcador is a perpetual.

[Calas Typhon]

It is often referred that Malcador is so powerful that he is able to keep himself alive through the years through shear Psychic might. I don't want to go into too much detail because this has been discussed countless times but..

 

This after all is a (man) whom has taken shows of strength from Primarchs such as Mortarion and others, a bitch slap from Lorgar and was powerful enough to use the Golden Throne long enough for the Emperor to destroy Horus and transfer back which really shouts how powerful the fellow was.

 

I would be interested to see how they take the Perpetual arc, but I really hope they decide to take it down a path were they all know the Emperor, and are all buddy buddy's such as with oll and John&co in Know no Fear and Unremembered Empire.

[Prot]

I finished listening to the audio book and really enjoyed it. As others said, the additional ambiance added by the audio sets the mood very well.

 

You get to see a slight peep behind the Wizard of Oz's curtain for a few minutes here and it is.... downright depressing and perhaps the whole journey sums up just how bleak the future is for mankind. No matter how you feel about the Emperor's original position, or role in all things Chaos and earthly, it is clear in this story that he is the only thing on the door step saving the human race from annihilation.

 

Yet you don't have to back the story up too long ago to remember when Little Horus and Loken joked about killing the Emperor. They were on the precipice of having it all, and this book certainly shows you the bleakness of it all, right down to Malcador's 'museum'.

 

For a short story it's a great character piece for the entire series. I always wanted to know more about Malcador and I'm hoping we get a further peak down the road.