6/5/2023 0 Comments Best black library booksWhat can be surprising is that, being namely a novel about the Astartes (the Space Marines), the majority of the novel revolves around ordinary humans and members of the Imperial Army, who are unknowingly drawn into machinations bigger then themselves and anything they've ever known. But not everything is so black-and-white, and building upon the existing lore, this novel tells the story of how the Alpha Legion became the tragic and unsung heroes of the 40K universe. It is also known, to the average WH40K fan, that they are labeled as a Traitor Legion, a legion which has sided with the betrayer Horus against the Emperor. While the other legion's MO is shoot first ask questions later, the Alpha Legion are masters of stealth and deception, using a network of undercover operatives and agents all over the Imperium do undo the enemy from within. They follow the Emperor's grand design, but they are different in the fact that they question it, and do not follow it blindly. The Alpha Legion have not brainlessly given in to the Imperial doctrine. The other Astartes legions are, in short, genetically-engineered brainwashed religious zealots whose only purpose is to serve the Emperor of Mankind. That is not so peculiar considering the facts (or better said, lack of facts) surrounding the Alpha Legion. Well, for the most part - Dan Abnett gives us also a good measure of what made WH40K popular - the *boom boom bang bang* - but the bulk of the book consists of unraveling an intricate web of deceptions and conspiracies. It is a full-blown sci-fi thriller set in the 40K universe. Although cleverer than it seems at first glance, when all said and done, the core of them is comprised of explosive battles and shootouts. In essence, 40K is pulp military science-fiction. Those familiar with the usual 40K fare will undoubtedly be surprised at how this novel is presented. The tagline for "Legion" is indeed an accurate one - 'secrets and lies'. Their arrival seems to turn the tide of battle, but the Imperials are unaware there are several other parties involved in this conflict, and just to what lengths are the Nurthene prepared to go to defend their homeworld. And yet, the campaign which was estimated to last but a few weeks had been prolonged to long months, reaching the point when outside aid had been summoned in the form of the Alpha Legion, the youngest and the most secretive of all the Legion Astartes. That is in opposition to all the facts - since the inhabitants are a lowly and technologically under-developed strain of humans, and the Imperial Army is superior in every aspect. Whatever the case, I expected from "Legion" to be nothing short of amazing.Ī 'compliance' undertaking ('compliance' being an euphemism for 'invasion') by the 670th Imperial Expedition on a backwater planet called Nurth is not going according to plan. It was penned by Black Library's best-selling author and arguably the most talented (I say 'arguably' because there are other amazing authors in the BL ranks who are overlooked). This Warhammer 40K novel, the seventh installment of the Horus Heresy series, deals with the Alpha Legion. Ultimately of course this is a story about how and why the Alpha Legion turned traitor but even that isn't as black-and-white as it sounds.Īs a standalone book, this is one of the best sci-fi stories ever written and as part of the Horus Heresy series, it sadly leaves many other attempts in the shade. The fact that Abnett makes every strand of the story as interesting as every other is a testament to his skill as a writer. If this wasn't enough (and it surely is), the background of war against a primitive but indomitable foe is fascinating to stand on its own two feet. Abnett takes the mysterious Alpha Legion and makes them more mysterious still the Imperium's last words in duplicity and deception. In actuality, this - practically alone in the Gothic Sci-Fi genre - is a book mostly about espionage. Abnett has clearly been wanting to write a James Bond-ish character into Warhammer 40K ever since his Eisenhorn novels, but here he pulls out all the stops with John Grammaticus, a somewhat reluctant spymaster. Just when it seemed as if the Horus Heresy series was about to go off the rails, Dan Abnett produces not only the best Heresy novel to date but possibly the best Black Library book, period.įor Abnett fans there are a few of his conventions present and correct: Action seen through the eyes of (relatively) ordinary humans, a focus on character at the expense of action and the odd jaw-dropping twist here and there.
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