Dawn of War II

"Dawn of War II" is a tied-in novel to the new computer game from Relic of the same name. But this should not deter you from reading the novel, if you are not a fan of the computer game, because the novel stands firmly on its own legs. I happen to be a fan of both the game and the Black Library 40K novels, but you do not need to know anything about either to enjoy Roberson's book. It seems clear to me that he consciously made an attempt to educate any newcomers to the 40K universe in a series of what I will call for lack of a better word--"information clusters." I made the term up for those moments in the novel in which Roberson explains space marine esoterica--like the importance of the "gene-seed," the special function of the "apothecary," the command structure of a space marine company, the cultural differences between Blood Raven space marines and other chapters, the way in which orks spawn, and, most importantly for this novel, the way in which the space marines recruit "initiates" to their elite society. The "information clusters" might annoy some 40K aficionados but I found them to be informative. Obviously, Roberson has studied the novels of Cassem Goto extensively for Blood Raven "facts," and I detected a nod and a wink to the brilliant Ultramarine novels of Graham McNeil. The novel concerns the fifth company of the Blood Ravens, a space marine chapter of the Adeptus Astartes, who carry the sobriquet of "the fated." In this novel, the marines are fated to struggle against two foes--the orks and the tyranids. The book begins with a squad searching for a relic on the planet Prosperon. Prosperon is dying under the attack of tyranids, the insect-like scourge called the great-devourer. Roberson structures the book like a game--he starts small with a squad and then escalates in action until the last battle includes the whole company. Roberson has a fluid and pellucid prose style, which I found quite readable. The 40K world is Gothic in tone; however, Roberson's style belies that. He creates the Gothic world and fully inhabits it but he does not get bogged down in turgid Gothic prose. "Dawn of War II" is Chris Roberson's first novel for Black Library. He is the author of "Set the Seas on Fire" and "The Dragon's Nine Sons" for Solaris. I recommend these books highly for people who enjoyed this book. Finally, I love tyranids. If you enjoyed them in this work I also recommend McNeil's "Heroes of the Ultramarines," and Lucien Soulban's "Desert Raiders."

One Blood Raven and one Apothecary are the only survivors of a mission on Prosperon (now a dead world) to retrieve a relic. Ten Blood Ravens fell. Nine gene-seeds were recovered. Needing to recruit additional warriors to the Chapter, the Blood Ravens go to Calderis, a desert world. Humans and feral orks populate the planet. The Blood Ravens are surprised when the orks attack Argus Township. The feral orks from beyond the mountains have never before attacked the human settlements on this hemisphere. The Blood Ravens launch into action. Feral orks are not the only problem though. Behind them are developed orks, spacefaring greenskins armed for war, and they have a legendary warlord leading them. Worse, the Blood Ravens within Argus Township are exposed to an unexpected enemy, xenos! ***** Trust me when I say that my synopsis of this book barely touches the surprises I found within its pages. I gave enough to show the problems that will later spring more than one unexpected twist to the plot line. Author Chris Roberson has a great imagination that is able to take a bad problem, turn it into two problems, make them worse, and when it is not possible for events to get any worse, Roberson succeeds in accomplishing the impossible before adding a twist. This story is a shining tribute to the W40K saga. ***** Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.