Soul Hunter (Night Lords #1) By Aaron Dembski-Bowden
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The Night Lords were once among the most potent forces of the Imperium, Space Marines who used fear itself as their weapon. Now, cast adrift from the Emperor's light and hunted as heretics after their monstrous betrayal, the Night Lords clad themselves in symbols of death and fight the Long War, bringing pain and terror to all who worship the corpse-god of Terra.
A summons from Warmaster Abaddon sends these rebels on a dangerous journey that leads inexorably to a conflict with the Emperor's chosen warriors, the Blood Angels. Soul Hunter (Night Lords #1)
I just.... Wow, Im completly sucked into the story at this point and I seriously cant wait to read the rest of these books! this is how you write some seriously amazing bad guys!!
I'm a little late to the Night Lords Party but what an amazing party it is! Ave Dominus Nox! 416 Highly entertaining foray into the 40K universe! I enjoy these books because of the great tech, the military strategy, the great battles and the action that fills the story, and this book did not disappoint. In terms of the 40k books I’ve read before, this one is at the top in terms of storyline and feeling. Not a great in-depth character study going on here, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying several of the character’s perspectives and getting behind them. Definitely going to start on book 2 shortly! 416 Phenomenal!
Sometimes in certain movies, for me at least, things come together almost to perfection. The final confrontation between Deckard and Roy Batty at the end of Blade Runner, with the rain and the lighting and the sweeping camera angles; the first thirty minutes of Saving Private Ryan, when the camera closes in on Tom Hank's face with bombs going off and dudes picking pieces of themselves up off the beach; the scene from the original Starship Troopers when the drop ships have to release themselves early because of the surprise attack from the bugs and the music is blaring and everyone is freaking out and the captain keeps yelling, remember your training! These scenes stand out to me and are among my favorites.
This is a book made up of nothing but scenes like that. Quotable lines, amazingly vivid and intense action, and breathtaking intensity are on full display. Aaron Dembski-Bowden is an amazing writer. His ability to maintain tension along with writing some of the most frenetic but easy to follow action pieces is beyond admirable. It is enviable.
I'm on a massive Warhammer 40K kick right now and while I love the Eisenhorn trilogy because it was my introduction to this universe, this is the best Warhammer book I've read so far. I may even be able to say it is one of the best books I have ever read, period! Everything in here is in my wheelhouse. There is no fluff in these pages, no fodder, no filler. Just straight action, drama, intrigue, and mystery, interspersed with cheer out loud moments and some bad-ass dialogue that was never cheesy or forced.
If you have ever contemplated reading a book set in this universe, you can't find a better place to start. Five, no doubt about 'em, stars! 416 Details:
Soul Hunter by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Black Library Publishing
411 Pages
*This is an advance copy review.
Review:
I generally don’t care for Chaos Space Marine novels. I think it’s because I have a difficult time seeing how I’ll be able to relate to the characters. How can I root for the bad guys? Dark Creed proved me wrong on that, and since Soul Hunter came in my monthly care package from BL, I was willing to give it a shot. This is the first Aaron Dembski-Bowden book for me as well, so I was anxious to get a taste of what he brings to the table. I wasn’t let down.
Let me say that the author does an excellent job in sucking you in to the whole vibe of, well…darkness. The Night Lords are like the Batman Chapter of Traitor Marines. Darkness and fear. That’s their shtick. They really have it down pat. From the very prologue I was hooked.
The author has a real wit to his dialogue. He wraps the characters in interesting quips that are entirely defining. I could go on and on about each character, but seriously, each one definitely has a specific “voice” which is awesome; very akin to Dan Abnett in that respect. The author is also quite a tease. We don’t even know the protagonist’s name for 43 pages.
The story is good. The plot is a bit slow: I think I spent the whole novel half-holding my breath. It is very cool to see some real meat on the Night Lords and get an insight in to how the former great legions (well…all the traitor legions) have decayed. The portrayal of the relationship with the Black Legion and the Warmaster is revealing.
It appears that “Chaos Space Marine” is a very broad term. Even “Traitor Marine” is a huge generalization. These guys are all unique, which makes for an interesting story. I’m very impressed that the author does a good job at making the reader feel so…betrayed. It makes it possible for the reader to sympathize, and it really worked.
There is definitely the feeling that this book is just a prelude to something much bigger. I am assuming that this is the beginning of a series (at this point I have only this novel to go by) Still…the story plays out nicely.
It has what I consider the appropriate amount of “Grim Dark Future” of the 41st millennium. I can’t say that of a lot of Warhammer 40k fiction. Even the top dogs of the Black Library bullpen often can’t really get that perfect balance. I mean, I believe the purpose of the grim, dark future-type stories is that in the midst of a really shitty universe, where mankind is either on the edge of extinction, or under the lash of one tyrannical regime or another, it is possible to see glimmers of hope, or in this case…at least revenge. Man is powerless, small, one among untold billions…meaningless. Even demigods die an ignoble death. Yet there is something cool about one person, astartes, slave, and navigator doing something unique.
That’s what it’s all about.
Aaron Dembski-Bowden captures this.
Actually, the author would be in my mind a kind of hybrid of writing styles: Like the dark love-child of Graham McNeill and Dan Abnett. Abnett I think writes great action and characterizations, dialog. McNeill can pull off more “thinker” novels and also is strong in characterization etc. Kind of a perfect storm in writing styles really.
My only complaints are as follows:
1. A bit of slowness. Not bad. I just think some folks may notice it. I dig it, but I’m not your typical reader. It’s got a lot of action, don’t get me wrong…it just has some very contemplative bits that not everyone will fully appreciate.
2. It feels like a prelude. Not really a complaint. When I got the book I started reading it with no foreknowledge. Is it a prequel? It may be. I don’t judge books by the series; I judge the book by the book. By the end you feel like “it’s about to go off.” Maybe it’s the finally finding out that it’s a series at the end instead of at the beginning. Anyhow, totally minor quibble that really means nothing.
3. The writer is clever; maybe too clever for me. I think there were parts where something happened that I simply missed it. Like an inside joke where you’re not in the know. Still, it didn’t really detract from the story. I’m just not as versed on the Night Lords. I think that someone who is not versed in 40k lore may miss out on some of the fun.
Rating:
That’s it. Seriously, those are some minor quibbles. For my first Aaron Dembski-Bowden novel, I was pleased with the story, the vibe, and the overall entertainment value. Totally good read.
4 of 5 Stars. 416 A fun dark read. I absolutely loved it! =) 416
Of all the Marine books out there, there is very little literature wise in the way of the Night Lords except for short stories and the like. We had Lord of the Night and then along came Soul Hunter.
For any fans of the Night Lords these are a must read, not only does it immerse you into the action early on but you get an affinity with First Claw and their own private thoughts and battles. You get the impression that they might not like each other all that much but when it comes to working together they work pretty well as a team even if one of them is slipping into the madness that is the Blood God.
You also get an insight into life for the humans who live in the vessels underworld and how they live day to day as slaves for their Night Lord masters. I was surprised to see that for humans they are treated quite well by their masters and not, perhaps as one would expect for a traitor Legion to be using them as sacrifice or cannon fodder.
Aaron Dembski-Bowden has taken the Night Lords and brought them into line with the books on the Ultramarines, Blood Angels and others, they may be damned but they have burst into the 40K world and announced their intention....they have come for you! if the rest of the trilogy is as good as this then the Night Lords are here to stay....Dominous Nox 416 Well, after taking way too long to get to these, I’ve finally finished Soul Hunter! The first novel in the Night Lords trilogy, also one of the most highly praised novels to come from Black Library ever, and man was it good!
The whole novel was absolutely fantastic, ADB’s phenomenal world building and characters really shine through in this one with First Claw at the front and center, with loads of wonderfully done side characters and cameos (from Septimus, Talos’ artificer to the big man Warmaster Abaddon himself!), they were all done with an insane amount of skill to make their characters really bleed from each page! The action was extremely well written, and the terror really oozed off of every page when our boys in blue went hunting.
I think one of my favourite parts of the novel was how much it showed away from the glorious front line and the (False) Emperor’s Angels of Death. We really get to have a pretty detailed and lengthy glimpse into the life of a Chaos Warband, and there’s not a lot of glamour! From killing and raiding for survival, to making a tactical withdraw out of the system to ensure you live to fight another day. From the bridge full of enslaved officers to the black market down in the near pitch-black of the depths of the Covenant of Blood, the novel was immensely enlightening, and thoroughly enjoyable.
416 Soul Hunter is one of the better Warhammer 40k books and Aaron Dembski-Bowden is quickly becoming my favourite Warhammer writer.
This book takes a look at the Warhammer world from the eyes of the opposing faction. Night Lords, headed by Talos are a strange bunch that hate each other, while respecting each other as warriors and brothers. The story sets the board for the next two books and it is a breakneck ride through space, time, and what is means to be the bad guy but still hold fast to your principles and beliefs.
Really solid book. Poetic in places and violent, too.
If space battles, intra-group rivalries, and large setpieces, flawed heroes are your thing, pick this one up. Good entry point into the Warhammer world too. If this is going to be your first Warhammer book, you are going to be a fan. 416 Some of the best writing in 40k. The dreadnought battle was amazing. 416 What a book. 416
