Review: The Night Lords Omnibus by Aaron Demski-Bowden
Blurb:
The omnibus edition of this gripping science fiction series.
The omnibus edition of this gripping science fiction series. Driven by their hatred of the False Emperor, the Night Lords stalk the shadows of the galaxy, eternally seeking revenge for the death of their primarch. Guided by the visions of the prophet Talos, a warband from this sinister Legion struggles to survive in a constant war against the forces of the Imperium. But when they come into conflict with fellow renegades and are hunted by the Eldar of Craftworld Ulthwe, the Night Lords find themselves returning to the scene of their greatest defeat and drawn into a battle they cannot possibly win.
Review:
I am a massive Warhammer 40k fan. I am a terrible painter but a great devourer of the lore, having spent hours watching videos, listening to audio dramas on walks, and reading a library worth of books over the years. In my opinion, the Black Library boasts some of the finest writers in the science fiction genre, with Aaron Dembski-Bowden among the most prolific. ADB has contributed some of the best books to the Horus Heresy in the form of The First Heretic and The Master of Mankind. His work is so good that he was given the titan task of writing the penultimate book in the Siege of Terra, Echoes of Eternity. He is also the author of Helsreach, one of the most celebrated books in the fandom, that serves as a great entry point for people wanting to take their first drop pod into the universe.
Over the years, I have heard nothing but great things about the Night Lords trilogy. My preferential reading has always leaned more towards the lmperium of Man’s endless struggle against the Archenemy as opposed to reading the heretics’ side of the story. However, a great chat with a fellow Warhammer nerd at Worldcon in Glasgow convinced me to finally pick up the first book, Soul Hunter. Initially, I had planned to review the book on its own but soon found myself halfway through the second book, Blood Reaver, before ultimately deciding to finish the third book, Void Stalker, and review the trilogy as a whole. So, was it worth reading? Was it worth risking the wrath of the Inquisition? The answer is an unequivocal yes.
The Night Lords trilogy is grimdark in every way imaginable. It follows the ragged remnants of the Night Lords’ tenth company trying to survive in the 41st Millennia, ten thousand years after the Horus Heresy. The interesting thing here is that many of its members were around during the heresy and there is an in-universe explanation that makes sense as to how this is possible. The Night Lords are better suited to covert operations rather than frontline conflict. They are weapons of fear and there are many moments throughout the trilogy where readers are reminded just how violent, terrifying and cruel they are. Make no mistake. They are not the good guys. But they are just so damn interesting to read about.
What makes this trilogy so special is the characters, from the warped raptor commander, Lucoryphus of the Bleeding Eyes, to the Exalted, a demon possessing the body of tenth company’s former commander that revels in the joy of space combat. Then there is First Claw, the tenth company’s first squad and the central focus of the trilogy. First Claw are led by Talos Valcoran, known also as “prophet” and Soul Hunter, an apothecary (medic) of the legion who is cursed by the same gift of prophecy that drove the Night Lords’ primarch, Konrad Curze, mad. Tenth company relies on Talos’ visions to survive despite the terrible toll they inflict on him. On top of that, Talos is a deeply flawed character, driven not only by his aforementioned visions but also by a deeply-rooted anger and a need to try and keep his brothers alive. Speaking of his brothers, First Claw are a memorable bunch, each with their own messed up issues. I was completely invested in Talos and First Claw’s story and became more and more conflicted in my feelings towards them over the course of the trilogy. Even now, I cannot decide how I ultimately feel about them. It is a testament to ADB’s writing.
The two characters that I really grew to love were that of the humans, Septimus and Octavia, who serve First Claw. Septimus is Talos’ personal serf. He has many duties and First Claw rely heavily on his skills to be combat ready which I found very interesting, especially when considering how the Night Lords view humanity. He also has a unique relationship with Talos. I would not necessarily call it a friendship but they share some great emotional moments that hit hard. Octavia on the other hand is a navigator, one of the few people able to traverse the warp and a devoted servant of the Emperor of Mankind. Captured by the Night Lords near the beginning of the first book she must navigate the life of a heretic while battling to keep her faith. All in all, ADB has created an excellent cast of characters here.
The Night Lords trilogy is in many ways a horror story. There is some gruesome body horror and one particular flashback haunted me for days afterwards. In fact, even as I write this, I shudder at the thought. There is also psychological horror. The Night Lords utilise fear to achieve their goals and ADB’s decision to sometimes switch POV to that of the victims made for some incredibly tense moments. The trilogy also has its fair share of action-packed, edge-of-your-seat moments, including one of the most badass duels I have ever read, and culminates in one hell of an epic showdown. But what really makes it a standout series for me are the themes it delves into and the questions it poses. How deep do the bonds of brotherhood run? How far is someone willing to go for their beliefs? Can monsters be redeemed, even slightly? It is a truly tragic tale but one I am glad to have experienced.
Having read a lot of his work, I do believe the Night Lords trilogy is Demski-Bowden’s magnum opus and a must read for all Warhammer fans. It is the epitome of grimdark fiction and boasts some of the best characters, epic moments and thought-provoking themes in the entire Black Library range of books. This is a must read for every Warhammer fan. I highly recommend doing so.
