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.

Darkness in the Blood, by Guy Haley. Dante and Mephiston address the threat of the Rage and the Thirst, as Dante deals with ruling far from the safety of Terra. The Blood Angels legacy lies in the hands of their chief Librarian, if he's strong enough to weather it.

 

Darkness in the Blood, by Guy Haley. A review.

    I have always been a fan of Space Marines and the characters that make up their ranks. While the Ultramarines are the current favorites in the lore, the return of Guilliman putting them front and center, there are other Chapters that I have enjoyed more. My favorites are the Space Wolves, the Salamanders, the Raven Guard, and the Blood Angels. Compared to the Ultramarines, they all seem to have more personality to their Chapters. That is not to say that the stories around the Ultramarines have been poor in any way, just that they seem a little boring in direct comparison to the others. As a youth, I collected armies of space marines, and my first models were of the Blood Angels Chapter. They were an impressive force even then. Even back then, Mephiston was a figure of awe, of terrible power. The Chief Librarian of the Blood Angels, the one who died and was resurrected with control over the Rage. Dante has been their commander from the Blood Angels' beginnings, a figure of authority that has led the Blood Angels for close to a thousand years. Having read books surrounding Mephiston before, I was eager to see where Guy Haley would take the expanding lore around this central character. This book does a great job of highlighting that lore.

    

    Commander Dante has been appointed as Regent and Warden of Imperium Nihilus, parted from the rest of the Imperium by the Great Rift. After surviving the attack on Baal, the remaining Blood Angel chapter and their Successor Chapters have been reinforced with the Primaris Marines gifted to them by the Primarch Roboute Guilliman. Guilliman wants him to take back this region of space, push back their enemies, and rise again as the dominant force in the galaxy. The only problem is that the Blood Angels' flaw is growing. We open on Dante's ship traveling through the Warp, the Commander in his sarcophagus, as it attempts to help his wounds heal. It appears that his body is failing with age. This matter is something that is not spoken of in the lore. When do the added organs and enhancements begin to fail? And does age affect a space marine?  It is made clear that Dante is over a thousand years old, which is ancient compared to many other space marines. Space Marine commanders exist that are closer to his age, and they display none of the detriments that affect Dante. Sleeping in his sarcophagus, Dante dreams of the events that led to him becoming the Blood Angels' commander. During Dante's slumber, the ships are directed through the warp by the efforts of the Chief Librarian. It used to be that the Navigators would travel through the warp with the light of the Astronomican to guide them, but that is no longer true. Mephiston leads them through a ritual performed by himself and his acolytes, his consciousness in the warp itself. As they conduct this ritual, Rhacelus is watching over them and guarding them against being lost to the hungry things that call the Warp home. What Mephiston is attempting requires an ability and a will beyond that of most of his fellow Librarians, any exposing their souls to the Warp should bring them instant death. This display is another example of the power that he possesses. 

    As they travel through the Warp, the ships are under constant strain, buffeted by the tides of the Warp. Their crew struggles under a similar strain. The pressure of traveling the Warp pushes some to breaking point. A rebellion breaks out on one ship, the captain of another battleship deals with the weight of failure, and Dante continues to sleep fitfully. Things go from bad to worse, enough that Dante is forced from his coma to deal with a demonic incursion. After being pushed back into realspace, Dante and Mephiston work to battle this incursion so that they may take back their ships and return to Baal. The Blood Angels return to Baal after clearing the battleships of the demonic threat and head for the space station, Skyfall.

    This story revolves around Mephiston's powers growing out of control, the effect he has on his fellow Blood Angels, and the idea of his death again to be reborn as a Primaris marine. He is one of the few firstborns to cross the Rubicon, taking the same risks that Marneus Calgar did. Throughout this book, we see how Dante is dealing with this leadership that has been thrust upon him and how the Primaris marines view this ancient warrior. It is interesting to see these untested warriors pass judgment on one of the greatest warriors of the Imperium. It would be amusing if they didn't make up such a large number of Dante's warriors. Making things worse for all of them is the impact Mephiston is having on the Blood Angels around him. 

    Several sub-plots run through the book that helps to flesh out the main characters. Dante's attempts to save Admiral Danakan, retelling how he became the leader of the Blood Angels to show the man that fear can be worked through. It may be a failed effort, but Dante tries nonetheless. Mephiston's rebirth is a unique event, lost beneath the blades of his surgeons as his mind and spirit are elsewhere. To say too much would spoil it for any would-be reader, so I'll not say any more. It is worth picking up the book just for what Mephiston experiences as he passes through the Rubicon. 

    I'd give this book an easy 8 out of 10 stars. It is a great read that expands on the lore surrounding the Blood Angels and gives definite clues as to where they are headed. It provides greater insight into Dante, though it focuses as much on the Chief Librarian. Seeing into the mind of such a veteran warrior struggling amid this time of change gives a unique outlook on the return of the Primarch and the Great Rift. This is one for the fans of the Blood Angels and any fan of sci-fi in general. I'd recommend it to any fan of Warhammer 40k and readers in general. 

Indomitus by Gav Thorpe. A look at the Indomitus Crusade, the Primaris marines, and the machinations of the Necron Empire as they seek to calm the warp and spread their empire back among the stars.

 

Indomitus, by Gav Thorpe, a review.

    The Indomtius crusade had been launched by Roboute Guilliman, the returned Primarch, and Emperor's regent. This book follows the Ultramarines of the Ithraca's Vengeance, a ship attached to the Crusade Fleet Quintus. The Ithraca's Vengeance is helmed by Primaris marines, some have fought during the initial stages of the crusade, but others have come directly from command training. This has caused a disparity between the two groups as some have field experience that others lack. This is most evident in the two lieutenants on board the Vengeance. Praxamedes and Nemetus serve under Captain Aeschelus, Praxamedes having served on the battlefield longer than either. There is tension between the two lieutenants from the outset. Their different approach to leadership and battle often sees them clash. The story begins with the ship in pursuit of an enemy vessel. Nemetus is eager to lead a boarding team onto the damaged ship, but Praxamedes is unsure if that is the wisest course of action. I liked how Thorpe showed the difference in how Praxamedes views those he served with. He has a better relationship and view of the humans than his commanding officer and opposite. When they close in on the enemy vessel, one of the bridge crew mentions rumours of an enemy vessel, a vessel that stalks ships and takes them out. This idea is immediately dismissed by Aeschelus, stating that the human crew is superstitious. Praxamedes is not so sure. Unfortunately, the attack goes ahead without his warnings heeded, an attack that walks the boarding party right into a trap. Through skill and tactics, they manage to salvage the situation enough that they get their people off the enemy ship but are forced to flee from the incoming ships, something that leaves a sour taste in Aeschelus' mouth.

    The story then jumps to the Necrons. Overlord Simut has been sent on a mission by the Silent King. This task is not proceeding at the speed that the Silent King had expected. This detail is made clear to him as we watch the scene unfold. We are introduced to the Overlord's court and those that serve within. A court that is filled with more intrigue than appears on the surface. Thorpe did a great job of showing a side to the Necrons that I had not experienced before. It humanized them in a fashion that worked on some levels but lessened the intrinsic threat that the Necrons had once possessed. I know that this choice lies with Games Workshop. The lore has portrayed them as possessing more personalities than they did in earlier works. The change in the lore does work on some levels, and I can see why this had been done. It allows for a better look at the inner workings of the Necron Empire and the central characters that are being brought to the fore. It is always interesting to learn more about any Xenos race in the Warhammer 40k universe and to see something beyond the spectrum of the Imperium. From the outset, one underlying is working directly to undermine the Overlord. Unfortunately, he makes their work easy for them. That is not to say that things always go their way. Simut often pulls them from their plans at the most inopportune time. The Necrons are working on a method to alter the Warp, calming it so that the Imperium cannot use it to travel across the galaxy. The calming also affects the humans in the region, draining the will from them and leaving them unable to fight back or do much else. Such a new development could change how the Indomitus Crusade would proceed.

    After receiving an emergency broadcast sent out by the beleaguered planet, the Ithraca's Vengeance moves to investigate. This is not as simple as it sounds, as travelling the Warp is dangerous due to the storms that still ravage it. They are forced to make small jumps through the Warp, which carries significant risk to all aboard. Things become progressively worse for the Vengeance when they become caught in the Warp, unable to leave. This is a phenomenon that none have experienced before, the Warp acts akin to an ocean with eddies and tides, and they are now gone. Through some clever use of the Geller field and the skills of the Navigators, they break through into real space, close to their destination and the awaiting Necron force. 

    This book does a great job of looking at the inner workings of the Necrons and the Ultramarines. It gives greater insight into the Primaris Marines and the history of the race that became the Necrons. Apart from a few exceptions, I have always found the Ultramarines a touch dry to read, they're not bad, but sometimes they lack personality. I had worries that the Primaris would be more of the same. Here there are differences in approach and outlook to the firstborn, which makes them almost naive in some ways. The Necrons display many of the flaws that they had in life. Vanity, lack of insight, and a caste system that relies on position rather than ability are three examples of these flaws. They are strange and broken creations. The ensuing conflict between these two forces shows that the Primaris marines still have much to learn about fighting for this Crusade and what constitutes a victory. 

    This is a solid entry. I give this book a 7 out of 10. It provides a look at a new danger to the Imperium and a glimpse into what else is occurring in the galaxy. The characters all work well here. There is a good interplay and a level of machination that I did not expect. I am excited for more from Gav Thorpe in the future. I recommend this to any Warhammer 40k fan and anyone looking for a starting point in the new storyline.

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.