‘Broken Crusade’ – Steven B. Fischer (Black Library)

 

Page Count: 294 Pages

You may have noticed (you may not, I don’t mind) but I’m trying to be a little better at actually reading the books I’ve picked up this year. I know, there’s also a whole load of books from last year (and before that…) but you know, baby steps ;o)

I’m working half days at the moment (it’s a phased return to work) and it’s been really nice to just turn my work laptop off and spend the afternoon in the comfy chair with a book. ‘Broken Crusade’ caught my eye yesterday and once I’d got some ‘Christmas stuff’ sorted out, off I went…

On the fringes of the Cicatrix Maledictum, the Black Templars of the Second Dorean Crusade tear through the void to join the crusade fleet on the sands of Tempest – an ancient, storied shrine world. Assailed by the murderous warbands of the Blood God, the crusade has come to burn the planet clean of the Ruinous Powers once and for all.

But when a violent warp storm scatters the fleet, the Dauntless Honour is left battered and alone in the void. Besieged by doubt, Castellan Emeric and his brothers must cling to their faith and carve a way to Tempest. For it is there that their battles will truly begin, and the cost of victory may be more than even they are prepared to pay.

While I enjoyed the opening stages of Fischer’s ‘Witchbringer’, it didn’t quite work for me, in the end and became a ‘Did Not Finish’. It did enough though to pique my interest in ‘Broken Crusade’ and I wanted to see where Fischer went next in the 40K setting. Having finished it… Well, that should tell you something. It’s not a perfect read but I’m seriously considering going back and giving ‘Witchbringer’ another go now. ‘Broken Crusade’ does all the stuff that any good ‘Space Marine’ book should do but is also a very thoughtful piece about the nature of duty in the face of potentially crippling doubt.

The warriors of the Adeptus Astartes may ‘know no fear’ but they sure do seem to spend a lot of time worrying about whether they are doing a good job or not. The ‘job security’ of being a practically immortal superhuman warrior only goes so far… ;o)

Seriously though, when you’re writing about the perfect warrior, their martial prowess will only take a plot so far. Luckily for us, Fischer gets this and asks questions of Castellan Emeric’s faith in his ability to lead; the outcome may be obvious but the insights that we are given really drive the plot along in the best way, especially as Emeric becomes more willing to learn from those he would normally consider beneath him. Add a Traitor Astartes fighting dissent, within his own ranks, and all of a sudden you have a plot with a real capacity to surprise and at just the right moments. And it is all appropriately cinematic with the stark imagery of a ruined shrine world providing the best backdrop for full on Astartes combat.

My favourite bits though were when base-line humanity steps up and not only fights but also shows the likes of Emeric and Hadrick (especially Hadrick) that ‘weaker’ does not necessarily mean ‘less wise’. I don’t think Liesl could carry a whole book on her own but I’d love to see where her time with the Templars went next.

The only thing I couldn’t quite get my head round were the bits in ‘Broken Crusade’ where Fischer takes a little time out to show his reader the workings of the ‘Dauntless Honour’; how data is ingested and sent on etc. I’m not saying that wasn’t a point to it, just that I couldn’t see it. It broke the flow of the plot when it really didn’t need to. That may well be just me though.

That’s a small quibble though. ‘Broken Crusade’ has a lot to say and a cast of detailed, and engaging, characters to say it. I’m glad I gave it a go and like I said, I may have to pick up ‘Witchbringer’ again.