Assassinorum: Kingmaker (Robert Rath)

[Preliminary Bombardment]

Yeah I just finished this, it was great! I preferred the spy shenanigans to the more actiony bits but very well written book

[Felix Antipodes]

This book finally made it to the top of my reading pile, helped by the lack of anything new of note from BL in recent times, allowing much needed catch up time.

As others have pointed out this is a great read and a certainly for the ‘best of’ lists.  If you haven’t read it yet please do so (sales matter for sequel approvals).

To me this was as much a Imperial Knights story as an Assassinorum one.  That Rath managed to maintain the balance between the two was impressive.  I felt that he ran into word count issues near the end but managed to get the story to a satisfactory resolution.

I really, really hope he gets the green light for the sequel he set up at the end.  The last thing I need is yet another series killed before its time by BL and/or their masters.

[Aramis K]

This was great.

Well written, fun characters, interesting setting. Reminded me of a Culture novel.

[Bobss]

How does this stack up to Nemesis? Wasn't the biggest fan of that book

 

Also, is this + The Infinite and the Divine, Rath's only feature-length 40k books to date?

 

Tah

[cheywood]

1 minute ago, Bobss said:

How does this stack up to Nemesis? Wasn't the biggest fan of that book

 

Also, is this + The Infinite and the Divine, Rath's only feature-length 40k books to date?

 

Tah

Kingmaker is the novel Nemesis wishes it were. I’d been waiting for a proper Assassinorum story for years and Rath’s done excellent work with it. 

 

Those are his only two released novels. His Fall of Cadia novel is coming out as a mega-LE sometime soon, so the regular version will be out next year.

[Sothalor]

Yup. This is way better than Nemesis.

 

Disregarding the inherently fixed outcome of "team of Officio Assassins goes after Horus fairly early in the Heresy," Kingmaker is better written. The characters are better realized as highly skilled, trained, and indoctrinated operators who are nonetheless still people, as opposed to the high school melodrama caricatures of Nemesis. The machinations and plotting are more engaging with the team trying to navigate the nuances and pitfalls of just a single planet's political sphere, and Kingmaker manages to also be an excellent exploration of a Knight household's culture and dynamics.

 

Definitely recommended.

[grailkeeper]

Weird timing. Yester a ay I downloaded the shorts that came before Kingmaker. They're also excellent. 

 

For me Robert Raths two novels are 10 out of 10s.  It's a very small sample size but based on that he might be GWs best author..

[Felix Antipodes]

There was also talk of a sequel (the book certainly sets up for one) so hopefully that will be next now that the Fall of Cadia book is in the can awaiting release.

[Nagashsnee]

3 hours ago, Felix Antipodes said:

There was also talk of a sequel (the book certainly sets up for one) so hopefully that will be next now that the Fall of Cadia book is in the can awaiting release.

I would like both a sequel, and a book exploring the conflict against the Conquror worm code/virus this book alludes too.