‘Valdor: Birth of the Imperium’ – Chris Wraight (Black Library)


Page Count: 200 pages

Pre-ordering stuff, on Amazon, always ends up being a bit of a shock for my wallet but this is generally balanced out by a nice surprise in the post after a shitty day at work. Last week was full of those so when ‘Valdor’ suddenly appeared in the post, it came at absolutely the right time.

I love pretty much everything that Chris Wraight writes (I’ll try and be objective but I’m fan, that’s how it is) but the limited edition was more than a little beyond my finances so I’ve had to wait on this one. We got there in the end though and it was worth the wait.

Constantin Valdor. It is a name that brings forth images of heroism, honour and peerless duty. For it is he who commands the will of the Legio Custodes that most esteemed and dedicated cadre of elite warriors. He is the Emperor’s sword, His shield, His banner and he knows no equal. Clad in shining auramite, his fist clenched around the haft of his Guardian Spear, he is the bulwark against all enemies of the throne, within or without. Nearing the end of the wars of Unity, Valdor’s courage and purpose is put to the test as never before. The petty warlords and tyrants of Old Earth have been all but vanquished, and the Emperor’s armies are triumphant. What now for the nascent Imperium and what fate for its forgotten soldiers, its Thunder Warriors and armies of Unity? A new force is rising, one which shall eclipse all others and open the way to the stars. But change on Terra is seldom bloodless, and for progress to be ensured darker deeds are necessary. 

At only two hundred pages long, ‘Valdor’ is a very short read but you know what? Get a few pages in and it won’t feel like that at all as you get busy unwrapping all the goodness that Chris Wraight has left for you to enjoy. There is so much to puzzle over and tease out. I won’t spoil it but what I will say is that this isn’t the book that you might be expecting to read but at the same time, Wraight delivers what exactly what the book book says it will. He just comes at it from a slightly different angle and I think the book is all the better for casting a fresh view on established lore.

You don’t actually get to see an awful lot of Valdor but when you do, he makes his presence felt in the way that only the top Custodian can and even when he’s not there, Wraight still manages to leave us in no doubt that Valdor is making history, and putting his mark on the future at the same time, while our attention is elsewhere. We already know the important stuff about Valdor and it’s somehow reassuring to have it confirmed here. All those stories you heard about Valdor? All true, every one of them.

Add some discussion around the birth of the Imperium (along with what can be justified in order to secure humanity’s future) and you’ve got yourself a book that gave me plenty to ponder whilst also giving me the kind of detective story that only a Warhammer 40K story can. And if all that wasn’t enough, you also get a hefty dose of the nascent Imperium’s finest warriors doing what they had literally been created to do. Knock lumps out of each other, for the Emperor of course ;o)

Like I said at the top, ‘Valdor’ was well worth the wait. Warhammer 40K fans are more than likely ahead of the game already but for those of you that aren’t, get on this one as soon as you can.

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