Mark of Heresy

This novel is the sequel to Mark of Damnation. This novel stands alone, although reading Mark of Damnation first provides some background. The story continues to follow Karl Roche, a former Imperial army officer in his fight against the forces of chaos. In this book, Karl is drawn into a dangerous and far-reaching conspiracy. Struggling against his own corruption and hunted by the Imperial authorities, he has limited resources and few possible allies. This is a dark novel, the main character is doomed and knows it. As established in Mark of Damnation, salvation is not a possibility, merely the chance for some victories before he inevitable destruction. The action is gritty and realistic, with the hero forced to use all resources at his disposal to have a chance of victory. Unlike many tragic heroes, Karl doesn't spend all his time whining about the unfairness of his fate. He made all the more human by his moments of despair, but always finds the strength to continue. Much of the novel focuses on background events of Games Workshop's Storm of Chaos campaign - specifically Luther Huss' (warrior-priest & prophet of Sigmar, a character familiar to most players of the Warhammer battles game) crusade to find the reborn Sigmar (Valten). Although Valten gets only gets a few scenes and little character development, Luther Huss becomes a developed character with some very human moments. The background development and tie-in to the canon setting could be useful for fans of the Warhammer RPG. This book very much captures the complexity of the Warhammer world. The lack of the easily defined lines between the heroes and the villians and the compromises and sacrifices which prove necessary in the sruggle against the Empire's (and humanity's) true enemies. Highly recommended for any Warhammer fan

Karl Hoche has managed to survive his misadventures begun in Mark of Damnation only to find himself right back in the middle of another more dangerous plot. All he really wants is to defeat as many agents of Chaos as he can before he is overtaken by the evil within but that is not to be his fate. Somewhere within the ailing Empire the god Sigmar is rumored to be reborn and Karl must help find him before the worshippers of the Dark Lords do. Karl soon suspects that there is something worse than the different factions of Dark Gods working to destroy Sigmar and that is the Dark Gods working together to annihilate the world as he knows it. Even an unlikely hero is still a hero and despite the darkness overtaking him Karl manages to hold true to the light. Mark of Heresy the second novel in the Mark of Chaos series by James Wallis proves to be just as entertaining as the first and in both novels are the makings of an excellent series!