Mark of Faith by Rachel Harrison. A look at the Adeptus Sororitas as the Great Rift tears across the galaxy. We see the sisters of Battle looking to retrieve the Shield of Saint Katherine and take back some of what has been lost in the wake of Chaos resurgence.

 

Mark of Faith by Rachel Harrison, a Review.

    I enjoyed Honourbound immensely and looked forward to reading this outing by Harrison. I have read various stories concerning the Sisters of Battle over the years, they are the militant arm of the Ecclesiarchy and a formidable force. I had never really gotten a grip on them beyond their faith in the Emperor and their battle prowess from what I had read. These women are utterly devout, they believe in the Emperor above all else, and they seek death in battle in his name. In most stories, they have featured as secondary characters, but in this book, they are out front and center. The story revolves around Sister Evangeline and her squad, following them after their survival in the world of Ophelia VII as the Great Rift opened and the forces of Chaos surged across the galaxy. In that apocalyptic battle, Evangeline and her sisters fought a greater daemon of Tzeentch, and nearly all of her sisters were slain. Evangeline miraculously survives the encounter, changed and marked by her battle. It is believed, by those around her, that she has been blessed by the Emperor, marked by him for some great deed yet to be done. A deed that will take her to the other side of the Galaxy, through the Great Rift itself.

 

    This is a story of Faith in the universe of 40k. And that is no simple thing when there are literal Gods that attempt to conquer the material realm, when not trying to kill one another. It has long been held that the Emperor of Mankind is a living god, bound to the Golden Throne where he shapes the destiny of mankind. This is what the Sisters of Battle believe. He is their guiding light, the rock that holds them against all darkness, and they will give all in his name. It was interesting to see just how that faith manifests, how deeply it is ingrained into them, and how far that faith will push them to go. It impressed me how Harrison fleshed out these characters, how she made them more than stereotypes when it came to their faith, and their sisterhood. Harrison has a knack for making them feel real and fully realized in just a matter of pages. Like the Adeptus Astartes, these are characters that seem like they should be one-note, but they are more than just their religion and the militant role that they fulfill. 

    Coming into this story is the Inquisitor Ahri Ravara and her retinue. The Inquisitor is on a mission of her own, one that she believes is tied to Evangeline and the Sisters of Battle. It is a mission that has become all-consuming for the Inquisitor, a mission that is tied closely to a loved one. Ravara is driven, stubborn, and ruthless when she needs to be. She has a goal in mind and she will see it done regardless of the cost, even if it those around her that pay that cost. As an Inquisitor she has access to a great deal of knowledge hidden from the everyday citizens of the Imperium and an immense of amount of authority behind her. Ravara is driven by her most recent failures and it is those failures that haunt her throughout the story. I will say, that as a reader I saw one aspect of her story coming, the supposed twist about her visions seemed expected but it was managed well enough that it never detracted from the book overall. 

    Evangeline is pushed to the fore as the number Mother Superior of her squad, given new squad mates and hailed as blessed by the Emperor. In a vision she has seen the Shield of Saint Katherine, whom her order is named after, and believes that she must seek it out. This belief is shared by many, and so a crusade of sorts is called together in search of the shield. An item that has not been seen in millennia. Throughout this story Evangeline calls into question her own abilities, her worth, and if she has been marked by the Emperor himself. All of these aspects are tested as she leads her sisters into battle, both in the crossing of the great rift and upon the planet the other side of it. Harrison did a great job in describing that reckless journey, of the turbulent and dangerous tides of the warp that have been stirred up by the creation of the rift.  That journey nearly proves the death of them all, the great ship that takes them across it battered by the entities that call that realm home. Harrison does a goob job of dealing with memory and how it impacts future events, how the past shapes people and how it can help guide them at their lowest moments. 

 

    The story, overall, is interesting enough to keep the attention of the reader, though the twist at the climactic moment was a little predictable. The action is well written, which is common place for the authors for the Warhammer universe, but Harrison's true strength lies in her character work. She gets inside the minds of her creations, brings out their doubts and fears and shows how they find the strength to overcome them. Of all the writers working for Games Workshop, there aren't many that are on par with Harrison when it comes to this aspect of her work. Having read this book, and her previous one, I am looking forward to what she does next for them. 

    This is an easy 8 out of 10. It would be higher if the story had been a little stronger, that twist so obvious that any reader would see it coming. I would recommed this to any Warhammer fan and any sci-fi fan in general. So give it a look and let me know what you think, or if you've read it already, let me know what you thought of it. 

Honourbound by Rachel Harrison, a review. A great novel with well written characters and great attention to detail. 40k at its best.

 

Honourbound by Rachel Harrison, a review.

    I got this book in a bundle collection, and up until I began to read through the first pages, I had never read anything by Rachel Harrison before. I am glad that is no longer the case. The story follows the journey of the Commissar Severina Raine, assigned to the Eleventh Antari Rifles. Under the High Command of the Bale Stars Crusade, they seek to deal with the Sighted and rid the Bale Star cluster of their influence. The Eleventh is a mix of characters that stand out well, even amid the chaos of this crusade. Harrison has given them all a strong sense of identity and agency that makes them feel unique and important to the story. Raine stands out amongst them all as the main protagonist but only just. Through the events that surround Raine and her companions, we get a story that spans the world they seek to free from the clutches of the Sighted. More than that, we get a deep look into Raine's backstory and the events that have shaped the Commissar and forged her into the warrior she is. In many ways, we get a woman that is haunted by the actions of others, determined to ensure that she stands strong where others could not.

    The story begins simply enough. They seek to rid the planet of the sighted, to remove this stain on the Bale systems, and return the order to every world that continues to fight against the chaos incursion. That simplicity will fade as we delve into a story steeped into corruption, of a force that works within the crusade to subvert their efforts and may even be in league with the Sighted. Raine begins her investigation into this potential and discovers that the threat runs deeper than she could imagine. It threatens not just herself but all those under her command. The story holds up well, with a deep connection to Raine's past. We see how the fear of death and of defeat can drive some to dire or desperate actions. Among the collection of characters that make up Grey Company, Wyck, Lydia Zane, and Andren Fel are easily my favorites. Wyck is a mess of violence and fear, Zane the outcast among her people, and Fel is the most dangerous of them all, the silent dagger in the dark. Harrison weaves a great history around the Antari that bleeds into everything, their beliefs are always on display and inform their interactions. It gives the Antari a unique feel and makes them feel more real amid the mass of armies that fill the lore of the 40k universe. I have to give praise to Harrison for that, outside of the Tanith First and only, rarely do the Imperial Guard feel so individual. She utilizes that individuality to help drive them and show just how effective a force they are.

    The action in this book is written well. It has a frenetic feel as we follow Wyck and his 'Wyldfolk', the sergeant moving faster and further ahead than any of those that follow him. He is constantly in motion, and it feels that no matter what he achieves, it is never enough for him. The action around Zane, the primaris psyker, highlights the danger of one of her potential and shows just how much these individuals should be feared in the Warhammer 40k universe. From her interactions in a space within the mind and the destruction she levels on the field of battle, Zane is written as someone with a great deal of focus and purpose. Andren Fel leads the scout squad that is used for a number of purposes, and he is written like a thoughtful but dangerous man, the father figure to those beside him and someone born to the shadows. There is more to each of them and we discover that as the story unfolds, we see aspects to each of them that their companions do not, see what lies beneath the surface. Interestingly we get the hint of a possible romance between Raine and Fel, something that is not common in the 40k books I've read but it works in the background and never feels forced. 

    This is a mystery story amid the background of armies at play, it works best when it centers on the characters and their POV, Harrison is a great character writer and I look forward to more entries in the future. I certainly hope Games Workshop utilizes her more as they expand the new storyline amid the return of Guilliman. 

    I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. It is a great read for any 40k fan. It works well on a number of levels, and I look forward to where Raine's story might lead next. If you are a fan of sci-fi and/or grimdark then this book is definitely worth a look. Let me know if you've read this book or have any more recommendations for 40k or sci-fi in general.