I am Slaughter - The Beast Arises, by Dan Abnett.
This is the first in the titular series by GW of what is panning out to be quite a long run of novels by some of the better names in GW writing. Understandably perhaps GW has chosen what many consider to be its best writer to start the series off and get people hooked in and to a degree it works.
Overview
This is somewhat spoilerish so do read with caution although its been out a while so most of it shouldn't be too surprising.
Set in the more settled years following the turmoil of the Heresy we join the action with the Imperial Fists almost fully engaged with a war of extermination against a previously unheard of xenos species, the Chromes on a world just a short hope away from Terra.
Much of the novel revolves around the actions of the Fists during this campaign and the political intrigue going on amongst the High Lords of Terra. It successfully sets the scene with corruption in the upper echelons of the Imperium and various degrees of duplicity amongst the High Lords themselves, the Inquisition and the Offico Assassinorum. There are a few twists and turns as to who is on who's side as the novel goes on but nothing to drastic.
During the campaign some unforeseen (by some of those involved) catastrophe befalls the invasion fleet and the Fists already on the ground leading to the last remaining Fists being called down from the Walls of the Imperial Palace to fight. This all comes about because of some political power play within the High Lords to further individual ends.
As the novel draws to a close we see the Fists effectively wiped out by an invasion force revealed to be Orks using technology and means of transportation unseen before or since and on a scale unheard of since the time of the Emperor on Ullanor.
The Good
It has a decent pace and it is engaging and also doesn't limit itself to Marine, Marines, Marines which is good with so much HH fiction around at the moment. Its still very much a Marines novel but with a good spread of political intrigue in the Palace on Terra and some fleet actions and Guard units.
It makes it clear where we are after the Heresy and how the Imperium stands without dragging us through a retelling which I found refreshing.
Has the usual detail of everyday life and existance that stands out in much of Abnett's work of which I am a big fan. Its seeing those connections from everyday life that really draw you into the writing
The Bad
Its short. That's probably my biggest issue with it, its got some good ideas and it sets the scene well but for me it only really feels like its the opening few chapters to a proper novel rather than a novel itself. Whether that's because Abnett could only commit to something short or for other reasons is open to debate but for me and for the price its disappointingly short.
Other issues would be that its on the low average side for what I would normally expect from Abnett with some weak ideas in places but again whether this is from Abnett or from what he is being given as the premise to start with is another matter.
I am not a fan of the style of writing where you smash an established power house in order to demonstrate the ability of a new protagonist and that's very much what we have here in the decimating of the Imperial Fists to demonstrate how dire the situation is with the arrival of the Orks. Plus the completely out of no where with which this Ork super power appears is somewhat jarring.
Conclusion
A good romp and refreshing break from some of the norms of the HH fiction that has been flooding out of late.
Could have done with covering more ground and adding in a few more chapters to justify the price tag.
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