Very good. Gav at his best!

This story gives fresh perspective on this part of the heresy and the Dark Angels. Well worth your time.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Serendipitous Character

I have never thought that a sassy horse would be my most favourite character! Also what an insane insight into this guy!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

the perspective telling

beautiful story telling and interesting tales told though a incredible narrator. great contrast to cypher for fallen reading

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

The best Warhammer book I have ever listened to

Although the lore for the Games Workshop settings is wonderfully elaborate for a miniatures game, and the fiction created for 40K, the Horus Heresy, and the fantasy world of Warhammer is pretty good for what it is, listening to a Black Library story is usually a bit of a guilty pleasure, an enjoyable hobby which feels a bit immature and silly

That wasn't so for "Luther". The story is well done, and the performance is excellent. I can't praise this book enough. You wouldn't have to be a fan of the setting to enjoy this, and yet, as a fan, you'll love the way it illuminates the darkness and poses additional questions.

This book is a bit of a "rescue" for the Dark Angels Horus Heresy series, after some of the earlier books were quite underwhelming. Without obvious deviation, "Luther" complements and enriches the plot and setting already developed in those earlier stories, so that the whole package seems like a more rewarding and enjoyable whole.

The contents of this book are really three-fold. We have Luther, the captive, reflecting in the present on the nature of life and the universe and verbally sparring with his Dark Angel interrogators. Then we have Luther, as the narrator, telling us about his personal story, which shows us two worlds - the story of Caliban-before-the-Imperium, and the story of betrayal-within-the-Dark-Angels. The adventures on Caliban - the strongest part of the book - read as an Arthurian legend, with a slight sense of gritty reality. The knights ride out to hunt down the monsters, the "beasts" - while the greatest pleasure of the beasts is to hunt down the knights. The story of the later betrayal is something of a political thriller, with a "will-they. won't they" tension that is a complete change of pace from the stories of knights and monsters.

The unifying, if subtle, theme of the whole book is the exploration of Luther's character: we have Luther telling us about his skills, behaviours and motivations, we have Luther demonstrating this by his actions in the stories he tells, and we have Luther demonstrating this by his choices in which stories to tell and how to tell them. It's so well done, that the reader could easily write an essay on the methods used to portray Luther's personality.

As befits an charismatic leader, Luther as the narrator is an articulate and interesting story teller, likely to coin a proverb or make an observation at the drop of a hat. As befits a thoughtful man, his stories are thoughtful and reflective - in the stories about Caliban, we see the young Luther learning about the nature of his world, and the present Luther reflecting on that world (how it worked and why), while in the stories about betraying the Imperium, we see Luther reflecting on his own character and making observations about human nature.

As befits a story told by a traitor, everything we are told has an edge of unreliability. Luther himself says that he is careful to keep his lies as close to the truth as possible, and remarks that he is an "unreliable narrator". It makes perfect sense that at one point he turns to a creature of Tzeentch for advice. As is traditional for a daemon, it was, of course, completely unreliable, as it told truths in manipulatively misleading delphic utterances. And - this is the clever bit - the same is true of Luther himself. Like the daemon, he is not necessarily lying, but how are his utterances useful for his audience (in story, the audience is the Dark Angel interrogators, in the real world, it is us)? Luther never seems to utter any useful advice, while one Chapter Master who interprets a meaning in Luther's tale comes to a sticky end as a result. Luther denies responsibility for the mishap - is this itself a lie, or is he cursed, like Cassandra, to be heard but never really listened to? Meanwhile, Luther is always stating that there are meanings or lessons to be learned from his stories, but (as with the utterances of the daemon) it is never clear what these meanings could be (or perhaps I'm too thick to get it).

Altogether, this is the best Warhammer book I've ever read.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Great story,....but

(possible spoilers)enjoy the book, but I think it could have had a better conclusion. Very open ending, could go anywhere and no where. Another spin on justifying being a traitor, different journey but same conclusions

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

great to listen to

Great getting an insight into the mind of Luther, and how the Dark Angels go from reasonable to pure zealots

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Good listen

Really enjoyed this expansion of the lore behind Luther. Now the lion has returned this actually has some great little story beats that would be great to see expanded upon in future.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Pre-Imperium Caliban is an exceptional setting

Performance was fantastic, Caliban prior to the arrival of the Emperor provides a great setting that could easily tell a hundred tales in alone, I do hope it's explored more in the future.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Very good

Terrific story and wonderful narration. Each chapter a gripping tale. I much prefer these types of Warhammer books, I can't abide all the boring space marine battles that feel so insignificant. This book tells you of Luther and his adventures. Worth it!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Dark Angels doing what they do best!

Such a good story. Listened to it in one. Great to hear how they have changed over the Millenia.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful