Godblight (Dark Imperium: Warhammer 40,000 Book 3)

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Primarchs clash on the ravaged landscapes of Iax. The gods go to war and the wider galaxy balances on a knife-edge of destruction. As something powerful stirs in the sea of souls, only one thing is certain – no matter who wins the last great clash of the Plague War, the repercussions of victory will echo through eternity… The sequel to The Emperor’s Legion , this takes a similar approach and features two of the three main characters from its predecessor. The Regent in the title refers to Guilliman, and the Primarch’s absence – and the void left behind – is very much at the core of this excellent, politics-heavy story.

Read my review of Ghost Warrior or my Rapid Fire interviews with Gav about Ghost Warrior and Wild Rider. What else? But all hope is not lost… A hero, long absent, has returned, and with him comes the wrath of the Ultramarines reborn. Roboute Guilliman has arisen to lead the Imperium out of darkness on a crusade the likes of which has not been seen since the fabled days of the Emperor.The only reason that this isn't getting a one star review is because of Banks' performance and a few scenes that were the novel's saving grace. An example would be a conversation about Godhood that Guilliman has with a few choice characters very early in the novel. Another would be the daemons. Although I'm not really a fan of Haley's humorous approach to the Nurglite characters, you could tell he still had passion while writing their scenes and plot lines. It's the throwdown you've been waiting for, as Guilliman and Mortarion work out 10,000 years of pent-up resentment in a clash for the ages. The anthology's introductions are presented as being in-universe and take place in the Age of the Dark Imperium [16a]. However it is not clear, that this is the case for each of the anthology's short stories. While some give clear evidience that they take place in the Age of the Dark Imperium, others do not. One such example, is the Lepidopterophobia (Short Story) by Dan Abnett, which stars Medea Betancore. During the course of the story, Medea states, "She presented as a woman in her late thirties. Discreet juvenat work down the years had maintained this illusion of youth, for in fact she had seen nigh on two centuries of life." [16b] This offers a ‘boots on the ground/grunt’s eye view’ perspective on the fall of Cadia, told from multiple Imperial Guard viewpoints and reflecting the chaos and confusion as the Cadians reel from Abaddon’s invasion. Only the last chapter of Luther: First of the Fallen (Novel) takes place in the Age of the Dark Imperium [19] Sources

And that's a by-product of Haley's general fatigue, I'd imagine. He had to rewrite two books on top of Godblight (Plague War and Dark Imperium) to better fit them in the timeline and it shows. As the Horus Heresy raged, Ku'Gath was among the Greater Daemons summoned into Realspace by the Thousand Sons, during the Battle for Terra [8a]. After the Lion's Gate Spaceport fell to the Traitors, the Daemons were unleashed to destroy the Imperial Palace's Colossi Gate [8b]. While they succeeded in tearing down the Gate's outer defenses, the Daemons were destroyed by the White Scars' Stormseers and the Adeptus Custodes, before they could complete their task. [8c]Daemon Prince • Furies • Soul Grinder • Daemon Engine • Daemonic Herald • Chaos Spawn • Chaos Beast • Mutalith Vortex Beast • Brute • Shrike • Behemoth • Imp Stagnation is unfortunately ... boring. Starting with 8th edition and the Gathering Storm series, GW made the choice to retain grimdark elements while allowing heroes and villains, and an actual dynamic story where progress is possible.

Great Unclean One • Poxbringer • Spoilpox Scrivener • Sloppity Bilepiper • Battle Fly • Beast of Nurgle • Nurgling • Plaguebearer • Rot Fly • Bloat-Fly • Clawbril • Hooktor • Molluscoid • Blight Drone • Plague Hulk • Plague Drone • Plague Toad • Pox Rider • Foetid Bloat-Drone • Feculent Gnarlmaw • Glitchling • Plague FlyBecause all gods are blights on existence, Roboute Guilliman, whether they call themselves gods or not,' the Cawl Inferior said. But never before have the forces of Ruin amassed in such numbers, and nowhere is safe from despoliation. From the dreaded Scourge Stars come the hordes of the Plaguefather, Lord Nurgle, and their pustulent eye is fixed on Macragge. As the Indomitus Crusade rages on, Guilliman races to Ultramar and a confrontation with the Death Guard. However, I do recommend the new editions. The result is that you’ll be able to read Dawn of Fire, then this trilogy, and get one humdinger of a story that neatly segues into… Well, that would be telling, wouldn’t it? To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruelest and most bloody regime imaginable. These are the tales of those times. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be relearned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war. There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods.

Teleportation was an instantaneous means of travel, but there was an infinite gap between moments where one could feel the warp. Sometimes it lasted an eternity, but it was always forgotten. but the problem, and this is what I really appreciate about the portrayal in Godblight, is that the Imperium of Man is not only irredeemably corrupt, vicious, and benighted at its core, but it is headed by the worst of them all: THE EMPEROR OF MANKIND, who re-enters the scene after 10,000 years as a corpse god.Read my interview with Guy Haley talking about both Darkness in the Blood and Astorath: Angel of Mercy . I haven’t actually read either of these, but as Darius points out in this interview Revenant Crusade is set post-Great Rift, after the events of The Devastation of Baal. Meanwhile the synopsis for City of Light specifies that it’s set “deep in Imperium Nihilus”. If you want to continue exploring the Blood Angels, these seem worth having on your list (see the Blood Angels list earlier for where they fit in the timeline). Lord of Change • Changecaster • Fateskimmer • Fluxmaster • Disc of Tzeentch • Flamer • Horror • Screamer • Burning Chariot Led by Mortarion and the Greater Daemon Ku’Gath, the full force of the Death Guard and the Daemons of Nurgle descended upon Iax. They brought a diabolical pathogen known as the Godblight** with them, hoping to use this weapon to strike down Guilliman. But then again, this is after all what makes 40k so great in my opinion. These are all just men, with all their flaws and misgivings. It's bitter to see their endless struggles continued, but then again without them there would be no space for heroics and feats of intellect.