Throne of Light (Dawn of Fire 4) review threads

[Petitioner's City]

Hi everyone, a review thread for Throne of Light now that it has released

 

 

I haven't yet read Faith and Fury, so I'm not sure how this meshes with that. But I'm on chapter eleven and so far, so good :)

 

I doubt this will be as controversial as the Wolftime*, although the events of that book have been referenced, and it carries on the plots also of Dawn of Fire and Gate of Bones well as well as laying the ground more for the Dark Imperium trilogy's plot points. The starchild and wider psychic awakening is a theme of the book, but I must admit I'm very doubtful of the Siege or Pandaemonium connections others talk about on the board. If there was to be anything, then surely a connection to perhaps more relevant activities in the contemporaneous Covenant books (whose horusian and thorian themes also are star childy). But there isn't. The parish nexus's importance is made clear, but it isn't yet the subject of the series.

 

As a book in its own right, the characters are fresh, and Haley gives room to a characterful roster - Lucerne, Fabian, to Rostov and his team, Messinius and Areios, and to the word bearers too. He continues to have Guilliman viewed by those around him, which makes a nice change from Dark Imperium.

 

Thinking of DI, I wonder at what point Felix will emerge, or if we have met him already? In the twelve years of the crusade a figure important enough to be appointed a new tetrarch emerges, but so far we haven't yet seen such a significant figure among any of the Sons of Guilliman. It may be Felix never is a character in this series - but that would be surprising, given his prominance in DI, at the start of which he is the primarch's equerry, a successor to Hurak. I hope this doesn't spell a dark fate for the latter?

Edited April 25, 2022 by Petitioner's City

[TrawlingCleaner]

=][= I've bumped this down to the Black Library forum as this is the place for Book reviews etc =][=

[theSpirea]

I started it yesterday but will wait for my SE to arrive before I continue. I'm glad to hear the first reaction is positive.

[Orange Knight]

I can't resist. Can you PM about the plot point that will be unpopular with some people?

Unless it's a massive spoiler that is integral to the whole book....

[Petitioner's City]

  On 4/25/2022 at 8:35 AM, TrawlingCleaner said:

 

=][= I've bumped this down to the Black Library forum as this is the place for Book reviews etc =][=

 

 

Oh shoot, I had thought I'd put it here - sorry! 

 

  On 4/25/2022 at 9:31 AM, Orange Knight said:

I can't resist. Can you PM about the plot point that will be unpopular with some people?

Unless it's a massive spoiler that is integral to the whole book....

 

It's nothing Penitent-style - but it is one of the key plots:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Essentially it is suggested that a BT crusade has gone a bit too rogue and killed their Custodian and Primaris reinforcements! I can imagine that this small snippet, taken utterly out of context (much like a certain other volume's title/lack of a certain event), might inflame some zealous fans.

 

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by Petitioner's City

[Karhedron]

  On 4/25/2022 at 8:21 AM, Petitioner's City said:

Thinking of DI, I wonder at what point Felix will emerge, or if we have met him already? In the twelve years of the crusade a figure important enough to be appointed a new tetrarch emerges, but so far we haven't yet seen such a significant figure among any of the Sons of Guilliman. It may be Felix never is a character in this series - but that would be surprising, given his prominance in DI, at the start of which he is the primarch's equerry, a successor to Hurak. I hope this doesn't spell a dark fate for the latter?

Part of the problem her is that the DI timeline has been retconned. Originally DI was supposed to occur 112 years after the launch of the Indomitus Crusade. Plenty of time for a character like Felix to go from trooper to respected officer. Now the timeline has been compressed and some things are harder to fit in than others. I guess this is one of those glitches we will have to hand wave awy as being down to temporal variations casued by warp travel.

[Petitioner's City]

  On 4/25/2022 at 9:54 AM, Karhedron said:

 

  On 4/25/2022 at 8:21 AM, Petitioner said:

Thinking of DI, I wonder at what point Felix will emerge, or if we have met him already? In the twelve years of the crusade a figure important enough to be appointed a new tetrarch emerges, but so far we haven't yet seen such a significant figure among any of the Sons of Guilliman. It may be Felix never is a character in this series - but that would be surprising, given his prominance in DI, at the start of which he is the primarch's equerry, a successor to Hurak. I hope this doesn't spell a dark fate for the latter?

Part of the problem her is that the DI timeline has been retconned. Originally DI was supposed to occur 112 years after the launch of the Indomitus Crusade. Plenty of time for a character like Felix to go from trooper to respected officer. Now the timeline has been compressed and some things are harder to fit in than others. I guess this is one of those glitches we will have to hand wave awy as being down to temporal variations casued by warp travel.

Although the book features the 104th primaris chapter foundation (a raven guard successor), so it seems to make sense that Cawl's agents managed and developed different capacities, including those who would be especially good commanders, strategists, rhetoricians and so on - and Felix's own relationship to Cawl (or Cawl to him) suggests Cawl had a coterie of key prospects who would indeed become the future special ones (presumably Hurak is another). So it doesn't feel too bad to me - I'm just wondering when Felix will emerge, if he does, and hope he doesn't become all encompassing when he does.

[Orange Knight]

That "contentious" lore mentioned above is simply disappointing, imo. I understand why it has been included, but it paints certain elements of a well established, loyal chapter as outright heretical.

 

I don't think it will cause any real anger, but it does the chapter a disservice in terms of lore.

 

Thankfully it doesn't look like something pivotal to the story of the novel. I can't wait to get my hands on it when it eventually reaches me.

Edited April 25, 2022 by Orange Knight

[Noserenda]

Any (I guess non spoilery if possible)  details on the cover Sister of Silence? 

[Petitioner's City]

  On 4/25/2022 at 1:18 PM, Noserenda said:

Any (I guess non spoilery if possible) details on the cover Sister of Silence?

  Reveal hidden contents

 

A member of the part of the order which never went away - apparently the sisters on the black ships are distinct from the other chambers and remained part of the black ships infrastructure:

 

  Quote

Then there were the Sisters themselves, members of the proudest order of the null maidens. When the Chambers of Oblivion and Judgement had faded into history, become scattered bands and whispered myth until so recently resurrected, the Chamber Astra had never gone away, but continued its grim role of leading the Great Tithe. It was they, the Sisters in Black, who led the hunts for rogue psykers, investigated lapses in the levy and protected the Black Ships from the precious prizes they carried and the monsters that would devour them. It was they who ruined lives and purged worlds in the name of protecting mankind.

 

 

 

  On 4/25/2022 at 12:55 PM, Orange Knight said:

  Reveal hidden contents

That "contentious" lore mentioned above is simply disappointing, imo. I understand why it has been included, but it paints certain elements of a well established, loyal chapter as outright heretical.

 

I don't think it will cause any real anger, but it does the chapter a disservice in terms of lore.

 

Thankfully it doesn't look like something pivotal to the story of the novel. I can't wait to get my hands on it when it eventually reaches me.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Mutants are mutants, even if they are space marine mutants! But I've not got to the part where we learn why, or indeed if that is the case, so pace brother

Edited April 25, 2022 by Petitioner's City

[Roomsky]

  On 4/25/2022 at 9:41 AM, Petitioner's City said:

 

 

  On 4/25/2022 at 9:31 AM, Orange Knight said:

I can't resist. Can you PM about the plot point that will be unpopular with some people?

Unless it's a massive spoiler that is integral to the whole book....

 

It's nothing Penitent-style - but it is one of the key plots:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Essentially it is suggested that a BT crusade has gone a bit too rogue and killed their Custodian and Primaris reinforcements! I can imagine that this small snippet, taken utterly out of context (much like a certain other volume's title/lack of a certain event), might inflame some zealous fans.

 

 

 

I actually adore that, seems very in character to me. Good sign as to the books content, for me.

 

As always, Black Library's authors are doing all the legwork for making the [8th ed and beyond] lore palatable. 

[sitnam]

  On 4/25/2022 at 12:55 PM, Orange Knight said:

That "contentious" lore mentioned above is simply disappointing, imo. I understand why it has been included, but it paints certain elements of a well established, loyal chapter as outright heretical.

 

I don't think it will cause any real anger, but it does the chapter a disservice in terms of lore.

 

Thankfully it doesn't look like something pivotal to the story of the novel. I can't wait to get my hands on it when it eventually reaches me.

As a non-fan of that certain chapter, I must say I actually like the development. I don't know how it actually reads yet, but I think that certain chapter could use a few faults

[Orange Knight]

  On 4/25/2022 at 5:26 PM, sitnam said:

 

  On 4/25/2022 at 12:55 PM, Orange Knight said:

That "contentious" lore mentioned above is simply disappointing, imo. I understand why it has been included, but it paints certain elements of a well established, loyal chapter as outright heretical.

 

I don't think it will cause any real anger, but it does the chapter a disservice in terms of lore.

 

Thankfully it doesn't look like something pivotal to the story of the novel. I can't wait to get my hands on it when it eventually reaches me.

As a non-fan of that certain chapter, I must say I actually like the development. I don't know how it actually reads yet, but I think that certain chapter could use a few faults

  Reveal hidden contents

I can't judge until I've read it. I have no issue with the refusal of Primaris, but the killing of an Adeptus Custodes is Heresy.

 

It's particularly egregious as it's the actions of a chapter that is supposed to revere and worship the Emperor. They turned on one or more of his Golden companions.

Edited April 26, 2022 by Brother Lunkhead
spoiler

[Moonreaper666]

  On 4/25/2022 at 5:44 PM, Orange Knight said:

 

  On 4/25/2022 at 5:26 PM, sitnam said:

 

  On 4/25/2022 at 12:55 PM, Orange Knight said:

That "contentious" lore mentioned above is simply disappointing, imo. I understand why it has been included, but it paints certain elements of a well established, loyal chapter as outright heretical.

 

I don't think it will cause any real anger, but it does the chapter a disservice in terms of lore.

 

Thankfully it doesn't look like something pivotal to the story of the novel. I can't wait to get my hands on it when it eventually reaches me.

As a non-fan of that certain chapter, I must say I actually like the development. I don't know how it actually reads yet, but I think that certain chapter could use a few faults

  On 4/25/2022 at 5:44 PM, Orange Knight said:

  Reveal hidden contents

I can't judge until I've read it. I have no issue with the refusal of Primaris, but the killing of an Adeptus Custodes is Heresy.

 

It's particularly egregious as it's the actions of a chapter that is supposed to revere and worship the Emperor. They turned on one or more of his Golden companions.

Not if it's the first step into Heresy. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

 

The Word Bearers are the Traitor Legion that specializes in corrupting Imperials. One of the reasons they have plenty of Chaos Astartes, Traitor Guards, and Chaos Cultists even though they are one of the most active/fighting Traitor Legions that use a lot of attritional warfare.

Edited April 26, 2022 by Brother Lunkhead
spoiler

[Brother Lunkhead]

=][=

 

Please keep in mind that any specific story reveals require spoiler tags. There are no exceptions.

 

=][=

[Preliminary Bombardment]

Yeah I'm looking forward to reading this. I hope we hear more about a certain newly promoted demon prince. 

[Jareddm]

  On 4/25/2022 at 5:44 PM, Orange Knight said:

 

  On 4/25/2022 at 5:26 PM, sitnam said:

 

  On 4/25/2022 at 12:55 PM, Orange Knight said:

That "contentious" lore mentioned above is simply disappointing, imo. I understand why it has been included, but it paints certain elements of a well established, loyal chapter as outright heretical.

 

I don't think it will cause any real anger, but it does the chapter a disservice in terms of lore.

 

Thankfully it doesn't look like something pivotal to the story of the novel. I can't wait to get my hands on it when it eventually reaches me.

As a non-fan of that certain chapter, I must say I actually like the development. I don't know how it actually reads yet, but I think that certain chapter could use a few faults

  Reveal hidden contents

I can't judge until I've read it. I have no issue with the refusal of Primaris, but the killing of an Adeptus Custodes is Heresy.

 

It's particularly egregious as it's the actions of a chapter that is supposed to revere and worship the Emperor. They turned on one or more of his Golden companions.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I'm sure the Custodes were their normal, down to earth, empathetic selves when presenting the Primaris. Astartes chapters never respond poorly to being bossed around, Black Templars especially. 

More likely they approached this BT crusade demanding, "Take these or else." and the BT responded with, "we'll go with or else."

Edited April 26, 2022 by Jareddm

[Scribe]

  On 4/25/2022 at 5:44 PM, Orange Knight said:

  Reveal hidden contents

It's particularly egregious as it's the actions of a chapter that is supposed to revere and worship the Emperor.

Yeah, they can revert that change any time now as well. :)

[DarkChaplain]

...why does everything have to end with traitor character drivel, especially when they have nothing to do with the novel in question?

 

Excited to get started on the book come Saturday. Though I still have some things to wrap up before it...

[Orange Knight]

  On 4/27/2022 at 10:20 PM, DarkChaplain said:

...why does everything have to end with traitor character drivel, especially when they have nothing to do with the novel in question?

 

Excited to get started on the book come Saturday. Though I still have some things to wrap up before it...

Same. I've decided to go for the audio version as I missed out on the limited edition hardback...

[Kelborn]

As a member of this community:

 

Not here, not now, not while you obviously haven't read the book

 

Don't start with assumptions filled with personal expectations and whisk thinking.

[Scribe]

How far we going to let this go? Maybe I need to look over the forum rules.

[DukeLeto69]

  On 4/28/2022 at 4:13 AM, Kelborn said:

As a member of this community:

 

Not here, not now, not while you obviously haven't read the book

 

Don't start with assumptions filled with personal expectations and whisk thinking.

Whisks at the ready lads, there’s custard to be made!

 

 

[Petitioner's City]

  On 4/28/2022 at 12:27 PM, DukeLeto69 said:

 

  On 4/28/2022 at 4:13 AM, Kelborn said:

As a member of this community:

 

Not here, not now, not while you obviously haven't read the book

 

Don't start with assumptions filled with personal expectations and whisk thinking.

Whisks at the ready lads, there’s custard to be made!

 

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by Petitioner's City

[Kelborn]

  On 4/28/2022 at 4:56 AM, Scribe said:

How far we going to let this go? Maybe I need to look over the forum rules.

I know that might sound weird and maybe you should take a seat before reading this and probably seems to come from out of nowhere but pssst, that's our job. ;)

 

@DukeLeto: even with a typo, I make myself clear. :P