Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky, a review. A Genestealer cult infiltrates a world of the Adeptus Mechanicus, and we see how both cults have their hooks in the populace.

 

Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky, a review.

    

    This was my first time reading anything by Tchaikovsky. Well, Adrian Tchaikovsky. Thankfully, it proved to be a positive experience. This book is written differently than other 40k books I have read recently.  Tchaikovsky's style is entirely his own. It took a little getting used to, but shortly the story got its hooks into me, and I couldn't put it down. The story revolves around the attempted coup by a genestealer cult on the forge world of Morod. It is a failed coup that sets off an exciting series of events that takes the reader deeper into the workings of the Mechanicus and the cult that has lived in this world for generations. The story centers around Genetor Gammat Triskellian but other characters play into the overall narrative. 

    The story opens up with Triskellian awaiting the attention of Fabricator General Burzulem, the lord of Morod. As the day of Ascension is approaching, Triskellian has come to court to make a request from his overseer. A task he finds odorous, made worse by Burzulem's demeaning manner. There is an intense dislike of the other between these two characters. Burzulum views Triskellian's research as pointless, and the other thinks little of his one-time rival's abilities. Unfortunately, these events are immediately overshadowed as an assassination attempt is made against the Fabricator general. It is only foiled by Triskillian's poor placement and subsequent loss of his arm, as the initial round misses its intended target. The attempt is foiled swiftly, though there are some casualties, and we see that the attacker possesses a form twisted beyond the human norm. There are signs that this person is no longer entirely human. They are taken away to be used as entertainment amid the festivities on the incoming Ascension day. The Festivities that Triskellian is now responsible for. 

    We switch then to those that live among the workers of Morod, to the people that work short, brutal lives to provide the resources necessary for this planet to prosper. We are introduced to Davien, a runner that works to relay messages. A position that gives her access to restricted sites, something that her people use to their advantage. Davien is part of the sub-culture that has remained hidden from their overseers for many generations. She has heard the news that their allotted hero had failed, that their prophesied uprising had stumbled at the first step. Sakiri had been unable to kill Burzulem, leaving their plans in tatters. Davien's only remaining thought is to rush back to her brother, afraid Niem might be caught up in the coming conscription pool. Barely avoiding the Skitarii, we discover that Niem is mutating and that he is being helped along with a doctor that works for this cult. A cult that we learn has been here for more generations than most, a cult that believes that they are worshipping the true Emperor. Their belief is that angels will come and raise them up, remake them into something divine if they can throw off the shackles of their Mechanicus oppressors. As someone familiar with genestealer cults, this indoctrination hides the horror of what they are from those within the cult. It is one of the many tools the cults utilize to realize their objective. And that objective is to signal to the Tyranid Hive mind to summon one of their fleets that drift through the vastness of space looking for more bio-mass to consume. The story follows Davien as she attempts to get their initial plan of track, even as Triskellian seeks to utilize their unique physiology to his own ends. This plan forces them to work together but dooms both in the long run.

    What appealed to me about this book is that it looked at the inner workings of the Mechanicus as much as it did the cult. The politicking, and maneuvering, the magos' used to further their own ends highlighted that they were just as corrupted in their own fashion. This is not a story about heroes and villains, though there is some subjectivity to that view. What it does well is showing how corruption can go unnoticed, and threats can be dismissed by those that have become lazy and apathetic. What is worse is that some will risk the safety and security of others to see themselves reach their goals. This story centers on the inner workings of civilization, though it does have some action.  It has a great insight into the minds of the Magos' of this planet and how things work far from the warzones of the greater 40k universe.

    It took me longer than I wanted to get this review done. Mostly I found myself distracted by many things I have been trying to get off the ground. Thankfully, the story stayed fresh in my mind. Though I did not want to go into too much detail, it could ruin much of the unexpected ending. This book is a solid 7 out of 10. I would have given it more, but I struggled to get into it. It might have been the type of story that was not what I had expected or the writing style. However, I did get into it and found myself enjoying it. It is more for the reader looking to discover more about the Mechanicus or Genestealer cults.  Any fan of Warhammer 40k will enjoy it, alongside those of grimdark science fiction.

The Book of Martyrs, a Sisters of Battle trilogy of short stories. A look at the religious warriors of the Imperium, and the making of a Martyr in this grim universe.

 

The Book of Martyrs, a review.

    This book is a trio of stories by three authors of the Black library. Each one looks at the events surrounding the martyrdom of the respective Sisters of Battle. The Sisters of Battle are interesting figures in the Warhammer 40k universe. They are fierce warriors, utterly devoted to the divine figure of the God-Emperor. This is always ironic considering what the Emperor had strode towards in the years before Horus' betrayal. These stories look at the martyrdom of Sister Ishani, Sister Anarchia, and Sister Laurelyn. Each story is well told, and they show different examples of how a Sister can reach such martyrdom in the 40k universe. These stories are varied stylistically and in their messages of faith. Especially in regards to their particular belief in the Emperor. Of the three, The Martyrdom of Laurelyn is my personal favorite, though I enjoyed all of them.

    The Martyrdom of Sister Ishane is the first of the three. Sister Ishane is a Hospitaller, a healer as much as she is a warrior. She has taken on the responsibilities of the previous Hospitaller, on a moon amid a meteor field in a region of space known as Segmentum Obscurus. She has joined her Sisters of the Valorous Heart in the agri-bunker, Persepia Solitaris. Whilst there, not able to contact anyone amid the debris field, they discover that something has come to the moon, something foul and alien. It is a desperate fight to keep the creatures from attaining their goal. It is a fight that rapidly turns against them. Sister Ishane sets on a desperate course of action, a course of action that is destined to bring about her ending regardless of the outcome. The fighting is well written and the story reveals a unique look at a familiar enemy. The Tyranids are impeccable foes, relentless and unknowable. Sister Ishane is a torn figure, holding onto her belief in the Emperor but angry at the sudden turn of events. Sister Ishane finds herself at odds with how different things are from how she had come to believe her life would play out. That conflict does not shake her from what she knows must be done in the face of this attack.

    The Martyrdom of Sister Anarchia is a simpler tale. Captured by the Tau, the story unfolds with the sister held by the Xenos. Her captors seek to turn one of the famed Sisters of Battle to their side. No Sister of Battle has been turned before and they plan for her to be the first. Through the use of familiar tactics, they are seeking to discover the source of her faith. The Tau believe that they can discover how her faith works and discover at what point her faith can be turned against her. The Tau are hoping to turn that knowledge to their advantage in the conflict with the Imperium moving forward. As a people they have little use for religion, they find the idea strange but are willing to use it to further their message of the Greater Good. Sister Anarchia endures weeks of torture, unable to ever get a moment of sleep as they seek to keep her awake until exhaustion overwhelms her. It is a useful technique and one that gives the impression that they are treating her well by most standards. They even let her keep her power armour. That choice is predicated on the belief that the armour is not a weapon, and may provide her some comfort. As she endures her capture, the reader is shown moments of her time on the planet with her squad. The events that led to her capture by the Tau are shown in flashbacks. I enjoyed how the story showed her enduring such treatment yet remaining vigilant for the moment to seek a way to hurt her captors, to turn a momentary lax to her advantage.

    The Martyrdom of Sister Laurelyn is a siege tale. A single squad from the Order of the Bloody Rose stands on a world besieged by Chaos, led by the newly appointed Sister Superior. Of them all, this felt like the most familiar of the trio. A single squad of warriors is set against innumerable foes with a mission to complete. Her squad has come to a world that has worshipped the Emperor as the God-in-the mountain returning to guide them back to the religion of the greater Imperium. These faithful face an army of Chaos, people, and things that worship Grandfather Nurgle. The people of Bellepheron face the army of the Vanaar and find themselves pushed back. Pushed back to a bastion that has weathered such storms before. The Sister Superior has her squad in place, attempting to advise the leaders of the Keep as the siege approaches but finding her warnings shot down by their long-serving general. As a new arrival to the planet, an obvious outsider, they are reluctant to heed her advice, but she remains determined to carry out her duties. It is obvious from the beginning of the siege that no allies are coming, no sanctuary to retreat to, and all they have are those within the city walls. Against the legions of the Chaos forces, there is little chance of survival here.  That does not daunt Laurelyn or her Sisters. 

    Each story is set against the backdrop of the Indomitus Crusade, and the changes wrought to the galaxy by the fell ambitions of Chaos. It is interesting to see how the timeline influences these stories and how this new 'normal' has impacted those throughout the galaxy. The book does a good job of expanding the lore surrounding the Sisters of Battle, and those that they fight. 

    I would recommend this book to any fan of the Warhammer 40k universe. It is an easy read, with each story novella sized. They are easy to digest quickly in this format. The action is well written, but each one works best when focusing on the characters. The struggles of the Sisters are what really drive each story. Thankfully, each author has a distinctive authorial voice and utilizes that to give each story its own feel.

    I'd give this book a seven out of ten stars. It is a solid read that I enjoyed. It might not be for everyone, it depends on your view on the Sisters of Battle. It does a great job of expanding the lore on the Sisters of Battle. I would recommend it to fans of sci-fi and grim-dark. 

Fist of the Imperium by Andy Clark, a review. A look at the Imperial Fists as they seek out a cult, a new Primaris Librarian, and the impact of experience over natural ability.

 

Fist of The Imperium, by Andy Clark. A Review

    I have to admit, I have never been a big fan of the Imperial Fists. They have always struck me as a little boring, or maybe the novels I have read just haven't landed for me in the past. Thankfully, this novel has gone some way to turn me around on the matter. It hasn't changed my mind completely, but it has made them more interesting. The use of genestealer cults, and the insidious nature of their conversion, is a fresh insight and made them somewhat tragic. The story brings, yet another, Primaris marine to the fore, highlighting how new he is to his position and the brotherhood that his peers have enjoyed for decades or more. As a Primaris psyker, I was interested to see how his enhanced nature would impact his powers and how he would utilize them on the battlefield. I had wondered if the story would consist of the usual head-first approach of the more orthodox member of the Astartes. The acts first, think later, mentality, but the Fists are shown to have a greater range than I had feared. Going in I had not expected the initial casualty. Taking out the veteran commander proved to be something of a surprise, but it did have the immediate effect of putting Aster Lydorran center stage. It works well from a narrative standpoint, ensuring that the cultists are seen as a serious threat and not to be underestimated. 

    We, as the reader, know that this cult is brought about by the Tyranids through the use of Genstealers. The Imperial Fists, and their allies, believe that this may be the result of Chaos' influence. This is due, largely in part, to the recent events in the galaxy. With the death of Captain Tor, we see Lydorran leading the Astartes forces as they seek to root out this cult from the world of Ghyre. This is unusual as others should be taking charge, foremost amongst them Chaplain Storn or Chapter Champion Hastur. This turn of events does lead to some inner conflict, as Lydorran's inexperience makes him unsure of his path and how to lead his brothers in battle. What makes it more difficult for the Sons of Dorn is that the insurrectionists are using tactics they are unused to dealing with, and they believe that there are spies amongst those that should be their allies. Things do not go well for them, they take many losses and casualties as they fail to anticipate their enemy's moves, and Lydorran is gifted many harsh lessons about leadership. Like the Ultramarines, the Imperial Fists are conventional fighters, they are fantastic siege warriors, but this story highlights how slow they are to adapt to unconventional tactics.

    Things continue down a dire path until they receive reinforcements in the form of the Deathwatch. Immediately there is a conflict in their approaches, the Xenos hunters specialize in this type of warfare, and they have little time to educate their cousins on the intricacies that will prove vital in their hunt of this cult. We have a great conflict as Lydorran comes into direct opposition with the DeathWatch Captain, Lothar Redfang. Their different views and approaches mean that they don't see eye to eye, the Space Wolf Watch Captain is far more aggressive than his Fist counterpart. There is a great scene between them, where things become violent, and it is great to see Lydorran simply weather Redfang's assault when he possesses the power to stop him at any moment. From that moment, there grows a wealth of respect, something that, in time, develops into a kind of brotherhood between the two leaders.

    It is worth highlighting the pov of view from the cult members. It is well written, showing that they truly believe that their masters, this Father, will bring them to true enlightenment. They will be freed from the Imperium and then reach some kind of Ascension as their Star Children come to liberate them. Through their own brand of indoctrination, these cultists are twisted to the ends of the figure known as 'Father'. We see just how dangerous this kind of belief can be as they throw themselves at the Imperial Fists and commit horrendous acts against their 'oppressors'. They are kind of tragic, as the reader knows just how dangerous this uprising is and what it could ultimately lead to. 

    The final conflict is a great action sequence that leads to their forces combining to take on the heart of the infection. Lydorran and his brothers lead the charge, with Redfang and his brothers at their side. Even the Lord-Governor and the planetary forces play their part in the desperate attempt to bring 'Father' down. The fight between the Genestealer Patriarch, Lydorran, his brothers, and Redfang is brutal and bloody. The Astartes take many injuries and casualties but in the end, the Patriarch is brought low, ending the Tyranid threat to the Segmentum Solar. We see in its demise the mind-control over its followers dissipates, freeing them. It is far too late for many as they have been altered by Genestealers. The Astartes forces are not known for their mercy, and this is on display as they purge the cult utterly from Ghyre. 

    There is a lot I have not mentioned, for fear of it being too much of a spoiler. This is a solid book that gives a great deal of insight into the Imperial Fists, how Genestealer cults work and how the Deathwatch forces operate. This book has some great set pieces, the action is well done, and it gives deeper insight into how the Imperial Fists fight.  

    I give this book 7 out of 10 stars and recommend it for any fan of the Imperial Fists. It is another solid entry into the Warhammer 40k universe and a great read for anyone looking to discover more about how genestealer cults work.