Bookworm Speaks!- Warrior Brood Review
Bookworm Speaks!
Warhammer 40,000
Warrior Brood
by C.S. Goto
****
The Story: The world of Herodian IV is doomed when the nightmarish tyranid hive fleets descend from the depths of space, intent on devouring every living thing on the planet. In the vital hours before the planet is lost, Inquisitor Kalypsia and a team of Deathwatch Space Marines are sent on a mission to investigate a vital research outpost. The terrible secret they uncover could spell a fate worse than death for Kalypsia and her warriors - maybe even for the whole of humanity, but can they escape to safety before they are torn apart by the ravenous alien hordes?
This book has a lot going for it. It is a tale of Space Marines and not just any Space Marines…the Deathwatch! The elite of the Adeptus Astartes. There are also tyranids which so far, never seem to get boring. Finally, we have the deception and intrigue of the Inquisition. All the while they try to save a doomed world while pursuing a weapon which could turn the tide.
The Mantis Warriors have a very interesting backstory that adds to the motivation of the various characters. Basically, the Mantis Warriors were deceived into fighting on the wrong side of a brief civil conflict between loyal Imperium forces and heretic insurrectionists. While the Mantis Warriors eventually came around and were granted mercy, their punishment would be that they could no longer take new recruits to replenish their ranks for one hundred years. Thusly, they are outcast by the wider Imperium and desperately seek redemption.
Sounds great right?
Well…
What makes the Deathwatch so interesting is seeing how all the Battle Brothers from different chapters bounce off one another. We don’t get a lot of bouncing in this book, almost all of the Deathwatch members are the typical stoic Space Marines.
Being that the Deathwatch is present, there is of course the Inquisition but that is also handled poorly. While there is the standard intrigue, ultimately there is too much of it. Parts of it feel tacked on and several characters feel superfluous.
The saving grace of this novel is again, the Mantis Warriors. In a library that’s dominated by Ultramarines, Space Wolves, and Blood Angels, one of the more obscure chapters being updated and expanded is a real treat. Bookworm really likes that of any fandom. The edges of the map being filled in and the small entries in the encyclopedias being extrapolated. The Mantis Warriors a successor chapter of the White Scars and they are a remote Chapter, far away from the main thoroughfares of the Imperium and are shunned for their crimes. In spite of that they keep fighting the good fight and eagerly seize any chance for redemption in the eyes of their fellows. The reader cannot help but root for them and feel genuine sympathy for them. They have been excluded for so long and that speaks to a lot of people in all walks of life.
In the end, this book does do what Warhammer does best…that being a nonstop, gunpowder fueled, adrenaline rush. That is all well and good, but what makes Warhammer so good, was that it goes much deeper than what it appears to be on the surface. Its not just a male power fantasy, its a story about honor and courage. We get that in this book but its not really enough. The text gets bogged down in too much teeth gnashing, assassinations, and tough talk. It tried too much and ended up with not enough. The editor must have liked the author too much.
Final Verdict: If you are interested in exploring as much as the 41st millennium as you can (Like Bookworm) then this book is a welcome distraction. If you are looking for an excellent book, you might want to look elsewhere. Its good, but not great. It is the junk food of Warhammer 40k: tasty, comes in a fancy wrapping but little in the way of nutrition.
Three out of Five Stars
Comments
Post a Comment