Aaron Dembski-Bowden - Helsreach
Aaron Dembski-Bowden – Helsreach (Black Library)
Space Marines again, man Black Library really ride the gravy train on these guys. Understandable seeing as they are the staple of 40k but c’mon people lets have something a bit different please. Hang on, what’s this? This is your typical SM novel you say? Well I’ll believe that when I see it. In most ways this is a typical SM novel with lots of big epic battles and egotistical super humans doing what they do best in smiting the enemies of the emperor but what is different is the style that ADB has brought to the proverbial table.
Grimaldus is the newest chaplain of the Black Templars, who are amazingly righteous in there delivery of the emperors retribution, but feels betrayed by his battle brothers by being sent to protect Helsreach and is very introspective all the way through this novel. It really was quite refreshing. Another thing I particularly enjoyed was the way that ADB made the Black Templars absolute bastards who really don’t care about the humans they are supposed to be protecting as long as they get the glory due to them.
The ending leaves something to be desired but doesn’t really detract from the sheer sense of size achieved in the book.
Good solid read and if you are a fan of SM battle novels then you will definitely want to pick this up. Will.
