Rate what you Read, or the fight against Necromancy

[byrd9999]

For me Wolfsbane was one of those “enjoyable as a standalone novel but we really didn’t need it as part of the HH overarching storyline”.

 

The story (not the writing) really did smack of “oh damn we need something for Russ to do”

 

Basically the HH series has shown Russ to be quite the failure doing the okey cokey!

 

Yeah, "The Emperor's Executioners" basically get tricked into executing Magnus, then failing to execute Magnus, then failing to execute Horus. Fulgrim was a better executioner than Russ! lol.

 

Forget "Magnus did nothing wrong", we need a "Leman did nothing right" meme :) 

Edited January 20, 2021 by byrd9999

[Jareddm]

Almost as if the "Emperor's Executioner" moniker has nothing to do with the killing of astartes or primarchs...

[byrd9999]

Almost as if the "Emperor's Executioner" moniker has nothing to do with the killing of astartes or primarchs...

 

 

Why the eye-roll?

 

Isn't the "Emperor's Executioners" falling to execute their two main targets in the Heresy ironic?

or am I missing something?

Edited January 21, 2021 by byrd9999

[DarkChaplain]

To be fair, Russ was not even supposed to execute Magnus in the first place. He also broke his spine and crippled him to the point where Magnus literally cast it aside when transporting his Legion off-planet with psychic teleportation stuff.

 

On the other hand, we have Horus, who Russ didn't even expect to be able to kill, but had to try anyway - and he could have killed him, had he not believed he could bring Horus back in his moment of clear-headedness. Russ went there basically thinking he had to try, even against impossible odds, despite advice against it.

 

The other target he went up against before would be Angron, and he did not go to execute that bloke either, just smacking some sense into him one way or another, either directly or by teaching him a lesson about being a bloody Primarch in charge of a Legion of hotheads.

[DukeLeto69]

I have now finished Malleus

 

Wow. Actually enjoyed it more than Xenos which surprises me. Apart from the section on the mining world that I felt dragged on a bit, the rest was perfect.

 

There us one glaring lore thing that I think they should tackle on any reprint...

 

“The Primarch of the White Consuls”

 

As I said I am crap at writing reviews but this was very much a 10/10 for me. An essential read.

Edited February 5, 2021 by DukeLeto69

[byrd9999]

Slaves to Darkness - John French (Horus Heresy Book 51).

 

I read this one as a sort-of late Heresy trilogy, along with Praetorian of Dorn and Wolfsbane, and I was very impressed. This was the best of the lot, and certainly the best John French novel I have read.

 

This book does a lot of legwork in getting Horus' forces to where they need to be to begin the Siege, but it never felt like it was going through the motions. The masterstroke I think is in breaking each chapter up into 3 shorter sections, each from a rotating p-o-v, from Maloghurst (Sons of Horus), Zardu Layak (Word Bearers) and Volk (Iron Warriors) (and then later, Argonis).

 

Each protagonist is tasked with corralling a Primarch to Ullanor, where Horus will mirror his ascendancy to Warmaster and begin the march on Terra. John French does a great job of giving each of them suitable conflict in trying to accomplish this, and allowing parallels to be drawn with each other's journey.

 

John French also does a great job in showing how the term "Slaves to Darkness" isn't just a cool title for the baddies, but also in how far certain characters have gone in becoming slaves, and to what extent other characters still have choices available to them. It felt like a satisfying book to read, because it was aware of the greater narrative arc of the Heresy and went a long way to bringing it to a conclusion.

 

Bolterporn was kept to a minimum (the only dull sections), and instead the characters, plots and themes were allowed time to develop and mature.

 

Essential Heresy reading.

 

9/10

[DukeLeto69]

I finished Hereticus last night.

 

It was weird, I felt like Gandalf in Moria “I have no memory of this place!”

 

I have DEFINITELY read Hereticus twice before but there were large sections I just didn’t remember (unlike with Xenos & Malleus).

 

I remembered the Titan, the Train and the gist of Ghul but the rest!!!!???

 

Great read with some very sad moments (enhanced by reading the novels and shorts back-to-back meaning I was really invested in all the characters)

 

IMO not quite as good as the first two Eisenhorn novels and the climax (looking at it as the climax to the trilogy not just the novel) felt slightly rushed and maybe needed one more chapter.

 

A few more lore things that while minor stood out. Also interesting, to me, is that Abnett had not yet devised the psychic talking indicator that was introduced in Ravenor (I think) ie...

 

+My name is Ravenor+

 

He was still using italics (which also indicates thought).

 

I know this will likely never happen (and some purists would probably be aghast at the suggestion) but I would like an updated version of these books (in hardback matching the new Pariah/Penitent releases) that have had an edit for consistency on things like the psychic speaking.

 

My chronological re-read in prep for Penitent continues with The Curiosity and Playing Patience before moving on to Ravenor.

 

A very solid 9/10 (though the trilogy gets 10/10)

 

Loving this re-read!

Edited February 5, 2021 by DukeLeto69

[byrd9999]

The House of Night and Chain - David Annandale.

 

 

Not a lengthy review, but I'll just say that this is the best Horror book I have read, in a wonderful series. I am so pleased BL have decided to branch out into these sub-genres (Horror, Crime). Annandale really shines in a book like this.

 

A creepy, paranoid, haunted house tale, confidently written. It reminded me of Edgar Allan Poe. I could feel the walls closing in :)

 

10/10

 

 

 

[byrd9999]

Spear of Ultramar, David Annandale.

 

 

One the Series 1 novellas, and a "pre-Siege of Terra" story detailing part of Guilliman's attempts to get to Terra in time to fight Horus.

 

It's good to show that Guilliman is willing to bend the rules a little more, and sanction the use of Librarian Titus Prayto's powers, as well as the Destoyers - a more vicious fighting unit - against the Iron Warriors. Guilliman is also presented with the 30k ethical quandary equivalent of The Trolley Problem, in deciding whether to bomb a sparsely populated planet of innocent civilians to get to Terra on time in order to save a greater number of people.

 

The Iron Warriors were also given a bit of time to ponder their place in Horus' army, and how it's not really all that different to the Emperor's lies, but now at least they know they are lies.

 

It sounds much better in precis, but 125 pages was a bit much for this. The action scenes were dull (mostly the Ultramarines being smart enough to spot that they were walking into the Iron Warriors' traps, but having to walk into them anyway), and the ideas here could have been condensed and combined with Ruinstorm to create a better single novel.

 

This was decently told, but ultimately a little bland.

 

5/10

[DarkChaplain]

I feel like Spear of Ultramar is best viewed as the conclusion of Annandale's Destroyers-arc, which began in Lord of Ultramar.

 

There, he was extremely reluctant to even employ the Destroyers at all, warring with his idealism. In Ruinstorm, he is coming around, and in Spear of Ultramar, he is again grappling with civilian losses vs the expediency of the Destroyers. That he's putting them on the board the way he does and that he considers even harsher approaches comes to show how desperate he is getting in his race against time - something he still had in abundance during the Great Crusade. Back then, he had the luxury of more "ethical" warfare to prove a point. He no longer does.

[byrd9999]

I feel like Spear of Ultramar is best viewed as the conclusion of Annandale's Destroyers-arc, which began in Lord of Ultramar.

 

There, he was extremely reluctant to even employ the Destroyers at all, warring with his idealism. In Ruinstorm, he is coming around, and in Spear of Ultramar, he is again grappling with civilian losses vs the expediency of the Destroyers. That he's putting them on the board the way he does and that he considers even harsher approaches comes to show how desperate he is getting in his race against time - something he still had in abundance during the Great Crusade. Back then, he had the luxury of more "ethical" warfare to prove a point. He no longer does.

 

Thanks for the input, Chaplain. I haven't read Lord of Ultramar, but I have the audiobook from a Humble Bundle, so I'll give it a listen and it might add some more depth to Spear of Ultramar :) 

[DukeLeto69]

I just finished Ravenor

 

This was the third time I have read it.

 

Oh my that was gooooood. Like so really good. So good I had forgotten just how good. Awesome book. Perfect. Nothing bad about it at all.

 

I am crap at reviews but will just say the pacing was spot on. Loved the ensemble cast. All the characters were interesting and unique. Plot was so interesting. Abnett really is a creative genius I mean (in spoilers just in case there is anyone left who hasn’t read this)

 

Who else would have come up with the idea of Flects? Pieces if broken glass that reFLECT what they witnessed during 300 years inside a warp storm. I mean just wow

 

Would give this book 11 but assume I cannot so...

 

A stupendously good 10/10 MUST READ

[Sothalor]

Lion El’Jonson, Lord of the First – David Guymer

 

This is a mixed bag of tie-in fiction with a frustrating ambiguity that might save it or damn it, depending on how one interprets certain choices and execution. Reception to Guymer’s Lord of the First, from what I’ve seen, is fairly divided. There are many accusations that this entry of the Primarchs series is poor bolter porn, and I think that’s a totally valid conclusion – maybe. It’s that maybe that frustrates me about Lord of the First, because I’d argue there’s another lens through which to view this as, but I don’t know if it’s just me being overly generous with interpretations.

 

The synopsis: a task force of Dark Angels, led by their Primarch Lion El’Jonson, arrives at a system and planet to fight an invasion by the Khrave, a race of psychic aliens that enslave and prey on humans. And right here is the start of the problems: that’s essentially all there is to the plot. Space Marines fight aliens. There’s not much else going on, at least on the surface. Big dudes in black armor fight mind control aliens. One wins (spoiler – it’s not the Khrave).

I’ve seen comparisons to this being a drawn-out codex entry, which seems fair to me. The whole event could come straight out of the narrative background section of a campaign book or army codex, and two-hundred pages of generic combat without stakes or involvement gets dull.

 

One of my biggest problems with this book is the lack of tension arising from the characterization – or lack thereof. There are several viewpoint characters throughout: the Lion, Duriel – commander of ground forces and ranking member of the Ironwing, and Aravain – Librarian and member of the Order of Santales. These characters comprise the protagonist viewpoints, and are juxtaposed with some pseudo-perspectives of Khrave psychic-dominated humans. Unfortunately, I just didn't care enough about them as people to really get invested in the events of the book.

One issue here is the protagonists don’t have much in the way of arcs or development. Unlike some of the other Primarch entries, Lord of the First is not an introspective exploration of Lion El’Jonson’s character, worldview, or perspective – arguably. We’ll get back to this point. El’Jonson’s POV sections are relatively sparse, similar to Guymer’s approach to Ferrus Manus in Gorgon of Medusa – and I’m sure people will have similar issues with how the Primarch seems to have a lack of focus within his own titular novel.

Meanwhile, Duriel and Aravain aren’t strong or memorable characters in their own right; they come off less as people than as functional examples of the Dark Angels Legion and its esoteric, secret-society hierarchical internal organization as developed by Forge World in its Horus Heresy Crusade campaign book. In some ways, I think that’s the biggest shadow over this book; it feels like a tie-in expansion rather than its own thing.

 

I think it’s worth nothing here that Forge World’s interpretation of Great Crusade-era Dark Angels also had a divided reception. I remember seeing many threads and discussions about how over-the-top the Dark Angels came across in Crusade: the Emperor’s true exterminators with the cool toys forbidden to everyone else; the biggest, most powerful fleet with more battleships than everyone else; the actual most conquests that were all classified; the secret orders that made them the best at all things; the rapid recruitment that meant they were one of the most numerous Legions despite the grievous losses in the Rangdan Xenocides… Yeah.

Without going too far down that particular rabbit hole right now, I’ll say that I think Lord of the First is best read alongside the material in Crusade, which is maddening because that simultaneously forms a major criticism yet also the crux of my defense of it.

Let’s address the criticism first: a novel should be able to stand on its own. It should have well-written characters, conflicts, and plot. It should have solid arcs, pacing, and prose. The reader should not have to resort to an intertextual analysis to get something out of it. On this account, Lord of the First stumbles badly, if not outright fails, at multiple levels. And if that’s where a prospective reader wants to leave it, that’s a totally valid conclusion.

On the other hand – I think Lord of the First’s connection to the Forge World material and this particular direction the First Legion have gone is also its greatest strength.

The reason for that? This is actually a subversive piece about the Dark Angels Legion when you really dive into it. Lord of the First takes several of the presented characteristics and developments that Forge World gave them and actually deconstructs and subverts them.

Perhaps the most significant of these is how it handles the various orders and internal sub-organization of the Dark Angels. This isn’t a book about the First Legion’s secret societies kicking ass because they’re special and secret and better just because. Rather, Lord of the First subtly skewers all that. The secretive, rigidly hierarchical and insular nature of the Dark Angels arguably hinders them here, as they’re so bent on keeping secrets and playing hooded gatekeepers their response and planning is handicapped by their internal culture. Various elements of the Dark Angels task force have no idea what they’re doing or why, who they’re fighting, or what their roles are.

None of the secrecy is ultimately warranted; the Order of Santales, the Dark Angels’ secret club devoted to fighting the Khrave, are obfuscationists at every turn, render no valuable insights to their brethren on how to respond to the threat, and ultimately are not the key to victory in the ground battle at the novel’s climax. That credit goes to Duriel, the Ironwing chap who has been getting told to just shut up and do what he’s told because he’s not part of the special group for the length of the novel.

For all the secrecy and rituals and specially restricted esoteric super weaponry, what gets the job done is fellowship and devotion to brothers and duty.

Furthermore, Aravain, the Santales member has his memory wiped – seemingly by the Lion’s command – at the end of the book, ensuring that the specialist knowledge and experience gained through the course of the novel doesn’t persist in the ranks. If that’s not a self-defeating endeavor right there…

In a sense, the Dark Angels come across as their own worst foes here, which actually works for me in light of what we know happens with Caliban and the Fallen. If it is deliberate, I think this is a great way to tie the 40k Dark Angels and their baggage with the Fallen, the Hunt, and all their paranoia to the Heresy-era Legion. It’s the most organic extrapolation of foreshadowing how we get from 30k culture to 40k culture – and with all the cracks and faults echoed and magnified.

 

Additionally, the more I think about it, the more Lord of the First works as an exploration of the Primarch for me – in a very specific way. As I said earlier, this isn’t a book that really gets indie Lion El’Jonson’s head to showcase his self-conceptions and self-interpreted image. What it does do is paint an image of the Lion through his actions, relationships with his Legion, and his treatment of them.

 

And the conclusion is fascinating to me: Lion El’Jonson is an abusive cult leader.

 

I don’t mean ‘cults’ in the Warhammer ‘summon the dark gods!’ sense, but in the sociological sense. The Lion keeps his Legion isolated not just from other Legions but even from each other, divided into secretive orders and hierarchies where they don’t even know the identities of the others in their group and are beholden to the Lion, master of each individual order. He withholds information from his legionaries, even his command elements, demanding that they blindly obey his commands with little knowledge of the larger plan or strategic situation. He gaslights his sons, mindwiping them to erase their experiences and knowledge. I would further argue that this is consistent with his portrayal in Guymer’s Dreadwing , where he really comes across like a cult leader dealing with followers who’ve begun to question him.

And I enjoyed this take. I get that this particular treatment won’t go down well with everyone, but it works great for me. The Primarchs are superhuman demigods with fanatically devoted adolescent-turned-super-soldier ‘sons’. They’re figureheads in an expansionist empire which, despite its nominally atheist creed, is all cult of personality all the time. Their very presence drives baseline humans to paroxysms of awe and near-worship. It makes sense they would start acting like cult leaders, even if they don’t see themselves that way. I also think this angle makes the most cohesive narrative through-line for the various depictions of the Lion throughout the Heresy.

 

BUT, and this is a big but, I’m honestly unsure if any of this is what David Guymer and BL set out to do, or if I’m just crazy and overreaching and giving this too much credit. If it’s the former, then Lord of the First is a sneakily subversive deconstruction of the Dark Angels as the super-special Emperor’s exterminators who are the best-equipped masters of everything, as well as a poignant daguerreotype of a man with quite the asymmetrically toxic relationship with his children. If it’s the latter, then Lord of the First is a shallow tie-in that does little more than showcase bland, character-less Space Marines fighting nameless faceless aliens, reliant on but not developing that worldbuilding done by Forge World.

Like I said, I don’t know which it is. And that very ambiguity makes it hard to recommend. I personally enjoyed it, but only after thinking about it for a while. The fact that my interpretation and enjoyment is derived primarily from an intertextual deconstruction should definitely be something to consider here. This one requires a lot of preexisting knowledge of other lore and materials, and doesn’t stand on its own very well.

 

Diehards Only

Edited February 14, 2021 by A Melancholic Sanguinity

[byrd9999]

Dreadwing - David Guymer

 

The second pre-Siege novella that was released in Novella series 1. I was looking forward to Annandale's Spear of Ultramar more than this one, but I ended up preferring this one.

 

As much as the Dark Angels appearances in the Heresy have been out of place (90% of Descent of Angels took place before the Lion joined the Great Crusade), and had major plot points covered by many different authors, their narrative has been surprisingly consistent and enjoyable for me.

 

This excellent novella added more to enjoy, with a decent amount of page time for the Lion, who felt more real here than he did in the whole of the Imperium Secundus arc, and more of the Watchers in the Dark. One of the things I really liked about the early Heresy novels was the appearance of beings like Eldrad Ulthwé (in multiple novels) and the Watchers on Caliban, so it's good to see their appearances continue here. I'm kinda hoping Dan Abnett throws in a scene or two in the final Siege book to tie up some narrative threads.

 

There were plenty of secrety secrets, and the Lion being inscrutable, because it's the Dark Angels, but I thought the justification for the lack of trust between Redloss and Holguin, and their partial reconciliation was well justified.

 

Not essential, because it's kind of more of the same, but it does it well, and in a better way than Spear of Ultramar. This is certainly the best work by David Guymer that I have read, and if he can bring this kind of game to his upcoming Thousand Sons Heresy short, then I'll be well pleased.

 

8/10

[DukeLeto69]

Just finished Ravenor Returned

 

OMG that was good. So above I raved about the first Ravenor book but this is even better. I have now re-read 5 Abnett Inquisitor novels (and chronological shorts) back-to-back and I gotta say Ravenor Returned was the best so far.

 

Sublime. Exciting mysterious plot. So imaginative. Wonderful view into Domestic40k and clearly a huge inspiration for the WH Crime series. It doesn’t actually feel like the middle book of a trilogy despite some plot points left hanging - probably because it had such a strong climax. Probably one of the best climaxes in any Abnett book if I recall correctly.

 

Can’t give 12/10 so...

 

An amazingly wonderful sublime 10/10

[Roomsky]

Dreadwing’s a bit controversial like most of Guymer’s books if I recall. And while Wraight and ADB have, in my opinion, found a better voice for the Heresy’s First Legion, Guymer’s the first (lol) to write a long-form story about them directly to really capture a worthwhile personality (and is another layer on why I dislike Lord of the First so much.) Guymer excels at telling stories about deeply flawed characters. Both his excellent Iron Hands work and Dreadwing are steeped in the oppressive atmosphere of systemic, ingrained failure. Not everyone is going to appreciate the tone he manages to create, especially if they want to read a puff piece about their dudes, but he’s extremely adept at deconstruction. I hope it’s a style he gets to continue in the future, because his books about ass-kicking success are awful.

 

Also DukeLeto I think Ravenor Returned is my favourite of the initial 2 Inquisitor series. Plot, character, world building, Abnett was firing on all cylinders.

[Roomsky]

Pariah – Dan Abnett

 

Yeah, starting Penitent now, not touching the relevant thread with a 20-foot pole. Also not going to bother with the usual Abnett gushing. Book’s good, characters and plot are good, go read it etc etc.

 

I would like to talk a bit about my confusion over who this book is for, exactly. It’s a slow burn, which is fine (I love Prospero Burns after all,) but in doing so it’s trying to be an introduction and a continuation at the same time, and that’s a detriment to the work IMO. As a new reader’s introduction it’s pretty good: it draws Beta Bequin and the city of Queen Mab very well, and most of the recurring characters enter the story quite organically. It seems like it’s balancing being an introduction and a continuation well by playing with series veteran’s expectations at the same time. The issue is that while Ravenor and Eisenhorn’s (human) retinues are well handled,

a Glaw and Charubael

show up with no explanation for newcomers at all, and are played as reveals for series veterans. The issue is that one is revealed at the end of a chapter, implying it’s meant to be a reveal for everyone, and the other is revealed at the very end of the book. That character would have no meaning at all to a new reader, no explanation is given, and its what caps the book. It’s a great moment for series fans, but is meaningless to newcomers, there’s not even a concrete explanation as to what he is. He’s only significant to Ravenor’s comments if you already know the character.

 

If its main audience isn’t new readers, then we have a book advertised as Eisenhorn vs Ravenor with barely an appearance from either. Eisenhorn comes across a smidge better, but Ravenor feels shoehorned in at the end just so we get to see him too. With how much page time is expended for setup, a more significant appearance of Ravenor towards the book’s middle may have been in order, instead of a token appearance at the end. Instead we have Bequin running about uncovering mysteries, which is fine, but for the reasons stated above is something of an odd choice that should have been either fully committed to, or made less drawn out. As it is, I can’t help but see a little frustration in the cards for series newcomers and series veterans alike.

 

But to be perfectly honest these are minor issues because the book is, in fact, pretty great.

 

9/10 Must Read etc etc…

[cheywood]

Pariah, for me, sung on a second read through. I can’t say I disliked it the first time, but it wasn’t what I expected and I wanted more time with known characters. Rereading it last year I found it to be perhaps my favorite Abnett work. The prose and the atmosphere of Queen Mab felt like a different setting entirely compared to the countless cookie cutter battlefields and generic dystopias so often presented to us.

[aa.logan]

I could have read this in a single sitting, but was desperate to spread it out an prolong my enjoyment.

 

It would be easy to assume, as many have, that this is just a retread of the much earlier Xenology, but that comparison, whilst forgivable, isn’t really fair.

 

This sort of in-universe source book is far rarer in the BL catalogue than it really should be; they’re inevitably wonderful and the most recent iterations have been absolutely gorgeous. Some of the original artwork in here, page 89 in particular, is mind-blowing. There were complaints from some folk based on the previews suggesting the book lacked content, I’d say that it manages to be pretty *and* lore heavy; I have Xenology and Liber Chaotica and find them too difficult to actually read in places; this is well-presented but crucially in my eyes largely legible- it does in places lapse into ‘handwriting’, but this if fine; I’d happily trade some scrawled text for some of the lovely borders and new artworks we have here. Most of it is, as far as I can tell, original, the oldest pieces seemingly some Dave Gallagher cherubim used as incidental art.

 

It’s as much a Blackstone Fortress book as a general 40k one, presented as a book written by the setting’s protagonist Janus Draik, who is both knowledgeable and hubristicly ignorant- there’s humour aplenty, much of it derived from pathetic fallacy. Peppered with footnotes that recall the Cain novels, the tone is light and readable. Unlike Xenology, which focused on the biology of Xenos species this takes a much more generalist approach. There is no analysis of bone structure, but plenty of societies and their mythologies. I found the original Blackstone Fortress novel to be decent, but unremarkable. Surprisingly given that it’s the same author, the characterisation isn’t quite consistent- even if we are to expect some self-serving revisionism, Draik’s attitudes to Xenos species occasionally jar with what they have previously been presented as.

 

There is so much to absorb- we get the Xenos big hitters; the Imperium’s takes on Orks, Eldar and Tau; nods to deep lore cuts such as Longshanks and more depth on the flora and fauna of notable worlds such as Catachan than I can recall reading before. Before the first page ends, there are Easter egg nods to Farrer’s Enforcer series and I’m certain there are others I’ve missed.

 

It feels a bit petty and mean-spirited to be “well, actually...” about a book as fun and good as this is, but the book is such an obvious labour of love and tribute to 40k any flaws do stand out. At times, Draik may come across as a little *too* well-informed; his knowledge of contemporary Terran biology exceeds that established by savants such as Arkhan Land, but that’s a minor quibble and makes the text more relatable; likewise his admiration for Xenos species exceeds what would be tolerated even by a Rogue Trader. The book serves such deep cuts these complaints are perhaps inevitable, however trivial- they don’t really diminish the quality of the work.

 

In short, this is fantastic. I’ll be poring over it many times in the years to come, and expect to get something new from every reading. Do I think it as essential as the old Codex: Imperialis? Maybe. I liked it *that* much.

 

10/10

[DukeLeto69]

Ravenor Rogue

 

Finished this last week but have been avoiding B&C due to my copy of Penitent being delayed and me not normally being good at not reading spoilers.

 

Anyway Ravenor Rogue was again excellent. A very fitting climax to the trilogy and easily a 9.5/10 but it doesn’t quite live up to the first two for me. I am being churlish because it is a great book but coming off a back-to-back read it isn’t quite as good. Cannot really put my finger on why. Perhaps it would have been stronger if the Slyte reveal had not been obvious in book two and had instead been more a big twist?

 

Have just finished The Magos a few mins ago. Really enjoyed this but for me there is no doubt that:

 

1. It is the weakest of all the Abnett Inquisitor novels.

2. That it would have worked better as a novella.

 

It felt like the idea was stretched thin to cover a longer page count. Abnett clearly had fun writing it but it meanders and heads off in some tangents that, while interesting could have been tightened up for a more focused story.

 

As always Abnett’s imagination is amazing. The Loom is just barmy and great. The idea of exitent space between reality and the warp is...cool. Abnett also weaves together the stories and themes from several non-inquisitor stories in such a clever way you could almost believe he always planned it that way.

 

This was my second read and first time chronological. It really sets things up for Pariah nicely (possibly too nicely?)

 

Ravenor Rogue = 9.5/10

 

The Magos = 8/10

 

Starting my re-read of Pariah next in the shiny new volume to match Penitent (just had to buy in matching covers). Penitent is there staring at me but I have come this far in the re-read so sticking with it!

Edited March 6, 2021 by DukeLeto69

[DarkChaplain]

I concur, The Magos was weirdly paced in general. It dragged on in the middle and the end went peng boom poof it's over.

Hope we get to see Drusher in some shorts again, though.

[Fire Golem]

I love The Magos, purely for Drusher. He’s one of my favourite characters in the series. Very relatable. 
 

[Roomsky]

Faith and Fire – James Swallow (audiobook)

 

A mixed bag, but I’m leaning positive.

 

I know I’ve stated I believe the Imperium should be stupid in the past – I’d like to clarify this statement. I don’t mean individual people should be of below-average intelligence, I mean the Imperium’s culture should motivate people to do stupid things, just as every culture in our world has some measure ingrained stupidity motivated by outmoded tradition. Swallow seems to be trying for the latter in this book – which I appreciate – but he lapses into the former more than I’d like.

 

For example: There’s a scene where the protagonists are interrogating a captive of the Arbites for breaking an illegal psyker out of Sororitas custody. This captive seems confused, insistent that he freed not a psyker, but his daughter (which he does not have,) and then, when pressed further, dies of brain hemorrhage. The guards dismiss our protagonists’ suggestion that some psychic tampering may be going on.

 

If this dismissal was motivated by societal stupidity – something to the effect of “clearly the God Emperor struck him down for his sin” or maybe “all heretics are known to have a weak constitution,” I’d buy it. When the response is instead “hur hur what do you Battle Sisters know about criminal investigations? These people are just hired thugs,” I don’t buy it for one second. It’s just characters being dense so the protags can have more hurdles to clear in their investigation.

 

Scenes like this are peppered throughout, and I think it’s a shame because Swallow is pushing hard into the Imperium’s ingrained tradition-before-reason habits, something which is frankly lacking from too many Black Library publications. The Battle Sisters are frequently, unnecessarily brutal, which I’m fine with considering they’re a bunch of brainwashed killing machines. But they also seem kind of bad at investigating, considering pursuit of witches is their job. Again, a few lines about waiting for The Emperor to “show them the way” or some such cognitive dissonance would have covered this – but instead they just… don’t really seem to have any useful training, or societal substitute for said training.

It's odd seeing Swallow trying so hard to engage with the setting culturally when he doesn’t really grasp how to insert characters into said culture. As with so many of his books the cast comes across as basic tropes with a bit of set dressing rather than people who were believably molded by the dark grimness of futures far. These tropes mean that more individual entities like Vaun and LaHayn I could tell you about, because they’re uniquely powerful compared to their retinues and also like to talk a lot, but every Sister besides Hospitaller Verity is interchangeable (yes, that includes the protagonist.) And again, this would be fine if the book leaned into how the Imperium burns the personality out of its zealots, but its barely acknowledged.

 

But I did say I lean positive, and that’s because most other elements are good to great. The backdrop of a religious festival here is gloriously realized – a sort of different flavour to the excellent stuff in Farrer’s Enforcer. The idea of people being drafted into a re-enactment of holy events using real, lethal firearms is pure 40k, as are the warped priorities of the presiding officials. The Imperium’s greatest resource is people, and the book’s dismissal of human life having inherent value is also very in keeping with the setting. This thematic competence is probably the book’s strongest feature, as by the end we get an excellent picture of not only a shrine world and its history, but also the Imperium at large. That the battle sisters so quickly dismiss something that was A: supposedly built by the Emperor B: a supposed means of getting Him off his chair and C: supposedly exists to facilitate the goals of the Emperor himself is not dismissed and destroyed because of logical inconsistency – but because something that creates psykers couldn’t possibly be anything but foul heresy. The book doesn’t always succeed in it, but damn, this is the dressing down of the Imperium we need to see more of.

 

The action is also well done as it generally feels motivated by actual story events and intrigue rather than existing out of obligation. It’s a series of varied skirmishes, which usually also involves the pursuit of a goal rather than mere survival (the excellent festival scene not withstanding.) Swallow’s writing and descriptions are decent to good, depending on the scene.

 

Is this essential Sisters reading? Not while Mark of Faith exists. But it comes from a time devoid of coverage for the faction, so I can forgive a few of its sins. It’s a decent book with good atmosphere and questionable decision-making skills on the part of its characters.

 

I’d like to say To Taste, but if we’re being honest it’s more of a Sisters Diehards Only, mostly because better Sororitas books have come out since.

 

6/10

[mc warhammer]

i haven't read that novel, and probably never will, but just wanted to say that this:

 

 

I know I’ve stated I believe the Imperium should be stupid in the past – I’d like to clarify this statement. I don’t mean individual people should be of below-average intelligence, I mean the Imperium’s culture should motivate people to do stupid things, just as every culture in our world has some measure ingrained stupidity motivated by outmoded tradition.

 

is one of my favourite themes in 40k.

[DukeLeto69]

Pariah

 

My re-read of all the Abnett Inquisitor books is complete and I am finally ready to start Penitent. I have completed Pariah (in the new shiny hardback version no less - just had to buy again).

 

Is it possible for a book to be your favourite while not giving it the highest score? I love Penitent. Like really love it. This is my third (might be fourth) read and it just gets better and better.

 

The tone, the mystery is so intriguing. I like the way it subverts the 40k setting in the first half (you could almost be reading a fantasy novel). First time I read it that was jarring but now I know what to expect, it works very well.

 

@Roomsky said above is interesting though. I think my love for this book comes from it being part of the series and me knowing things Beta doesn’t. There are lots of “cool moments” that we series readers just know! It might not work so well (actually it WON’T work so well if this was your first Abnett Inquisitor book).

 

Saying all that it isn’t perfect for me (almost - so close but not quite). I deduct a point for one very glaring issue (to me) that did not ring true and left me going “huh wait a minute)...

 

On page 274 Beta discover she is a clone of Alizabeth Bequin! A clone! She doesn’t react. She isn’t shocked. She takes it in her stride and continues with a few pages of setting exposition from Eisenhorn!

 

Where’s the “wait a minute I’m a clone! You mean I am not a real person? I wasn’t born to a mother? I am not who or what I always thought I was? WTAF is going on!!!!”

 

Up to that point in the book so much of her world and all she knew has been turned on its head. She has had a week from hell. But surely THIS revelation would be the icing on the cake that breaks the camels back!

 

I strongly believe we needed another chapter of Beta coming to grips with what this means for her. “I’m a clone!!!”

 

That is a major flaw from Abnett in this book.

 

So for me (weirdly) I give Pariah a 9/10 despite being my favourite Inquisitor series book and possibly my favourite BL book