Gordon Rennie

I've read this a bunch of times over the years, but it never ceases to amaze!

The Thrice Born Heretical Saint and one of the greatest to bear the bob and Bolter of the Adepta Sororitas, Ephrael Stern, continues her one-woman crusade to hold the galaxy record for most jumps between an eternal succession of frying pans and fires, as she reckons with what she is becoming after the bizarre torrent of memories of centuries of Sisters of Battle and searches for a way to hurt Slaanesh in a way that doesn't just make them more horny.

In the first volume eleven was already in the distance, so Emperor knows what this is cranked up to now with apostate priests of the Dark Prinze and Black Templars under his thrall, a non-psyker Inquisitor who cosplays as an Astartes, goes Gamora in Commorragh, makes a Pariah pal who gives her a phenomenal view of the Webway--seriously, Kev Walker went absolutely wild with a spread of all manner of Eldar, portals, and at least one of pretty much every vehicle you could find parked on a Craftworld at time of publication--it's wild!

It truly fills my cold, heretical heart with joy to see the Imperium
and the wider galaxy presented in its ridiculously grim, ludicrously epic, and perfectly awful. I feel like as time's gone on the chances of a member of the Inquisition being a pure vessel for evil, tainted by Chaos or just a sadistic bastard, but in Daemonifuge a couple of good ones exist, a one is already lost in the Abyss and reduced to making vague, ominous ghost calls, while the rest are doing the witch walk from Hocus Pocus dressing in ways that would make George Miller say that look to ridiculous and evil. It's horribly glorious.

Walker's art truly is something else and absolutely bursts off the page, making you see the colours of the Warp, despite being in black and white (I really do need to finally track down and get my hands on the 20th Anniversary Colour edition), and the script is silly in its seriousness, which is totally the vibe.

I think the only thing I take any issue with, braids the blasphemy of putting a Battle Sister in Wych's ludicrously tiny knickers, is the not as bad arse a line as it thinks it is when Ephrael says something to the effect of 'I'm no frail, scared woman! You see the bob!? That means I'm Mrs Hereticus'. Well she says at t lesdt the first bit, which, when you're already the gnarliest SoB in the Imperium, a heretical saint with centuries of other Battle Sisters in your mind, force lightning, and a friend who used to be a Harlequin, you really don't have to do misogyny to prove how epic and not like other girls you are.

This really series was one of those first big bits of Warhammer media of a quality, along with things like Gaunt's Ghosts, and the Horus Heresy series that lead to the popularity of the galaxy far beyond the tabletop that made it possible for us to end up with the various media goodies we get to enjoy today, like the stack of genuinely great video games in the vast sea of Warhammer IP, the Horus Heresy series itself, and, I'm not sure if I'm in the minority with this or not, but in my personal opinion, phenemonal animations like Hammer and Bolter, Pariah Nexus, Angels of Death, and Astartes.

Epic comic is epic, even without a Titan in sight...damn, I really do need to reacquainted with Imperius Dictatio after rhe next volume of this!… (mere)

------------Updated review, *****, Feb 16th 2023

First time I read this book I was little bit puzzled. Reason was simple, I did not have much contact with the W40K universe and [thankfully] I made my first steps through period of relative normalcy in this universe, so called Horus Heresy.

As time went by I started reading additional books (and some comics) and very soon found myself face to face with nightmarish 40th millennium. And while comics weren't always that good, novels and short stories were truly excellent.

And so after reading this collection in 2012 I decided to go through it again, this time with better knowledge of the universe. And I have to say it had a much better effect on me than before so I give it 5 stars (from original 4).

Entire collection is made of comics published in 2000AD-like magazine and it does feel. Story flow is little bit short, you know trying to put as much in in 20-ish pages, but man does it pack the punch.

First thing, art. It is epic and it is something I have not seen up until the Robertson's fantastic covers for Horus Heresy and other series that followed it. FYI, art forW40K was usually like nightmarish Judge Dredd style, slightly cartoonish with exaggerated body language, ornaments, garments, weapons and limbs (and this is reason why W40K comics are general miss and hit for me, unlike books where I create images with my inner eye :)). All our heroes here, and gotta admit even the bad guys, are epic, greater than life. In heavy armor, piercing sight and lightnings coming out from everywhere every page is so full of dark atmosphere, almost suffocating darkness against which our champions stand against. Framing, composition ...... utter brilliance. Even when we move from the beautiful black and white painting style to more pencil style in later issues, entire book remains pure joy for the eyes.

Second thing, atmosphere. If you want to feel the W40K atmosphere - constant witch hunts, suspicions, trials and tribulations, daemons, betrayal, techno barbarians that would make Conan think twice, trust me this is book for you. One of the reviewers said that dialog and behavior in the book are very childish. It is age of puritans seeking evil in everyone, walking on steroids and enhancements and carrying tank-like armor and tank killing weaponry. It is time of zealots that can only utter various prayers to the Emperor, quote whatever passes for the holy book at that time and where even slightest hesitation in utter devotion would qualify entire planet to extermination. Free thinking is dangerous business, everybody is so full of religious zeal and lack of understanding toward the fellow man it is impossible to fathom it. And where you have zealotry and inability to communicate normally you have childish behavior (just look at zealotry in the last few years) - because that is how kids with tantrums behave, it is their way or the highway. Only difference is that tantrum people here are around 5 meters tall, sized like tanks wielding huge handguns and powered cutlery size of ordinary man.

Do note apparently there is a colored version of the book. I did not read that one, I read the black and white one. For me black and white works are higher form of art so I am not sure how would I like one done in color, so depending on your preferences you might want to browse a bit to see original art (b&W) and then compare it to the colored panels and then make a decision.

Story - hey, it is W40K. While one might expect bolter-porn all the way (especially in time when it was originally published) story is very very interesting. Ephrael Stern, one of the high ranking warriors in order of Sisters of Battle finds herself without memory, locked down in the order's monastery, writing down weird texts and talking in tongues. While just lack of memory would put her in front of the Inquisition and flame-throwers (because in this universe you just never know :)) she manages to clear her name (which is epic in and on itself in this universe) and become living weapon against the Chaos. During all of this she will befriend pretty stubborn Inquisitor, evade Ordo Malleus, destroy daemons, smuggle through cordons of hive gangs and police and set herself on the path to mysterious Black Library with another, very very unlikely hero/companion/sidekick. Through this all we see (or do we?) how story ends but by following Miss Stern you will be so much entranced that you will want to scream when you come to .....

The end..... I love cliffhangers, I truly do......but when they lead to something :) Here we are left dry after so much things happening, allies dying left and right and spectacular combat (combat with Culexus was miiii-iighty)...... But again, even with ending such as this it is still 5 stars for me!

With hope that this story gets a proper conclusion at some future date I can only wholeheartedly recommend the book to W40K and in general fans of SF-with-fantasy-elements epic stories.

------------Original review, **** (Dec 16th 2012):

Read this one as part of Daemonifuge (print on demand) from Black Library.
Great art and very interesting story.

Highly recommended for any fan of SF.… (mere)

My second entry into Rogue Trooper universe. This time from the perspective of the baddies, the Norters.

We follow Atalia Jaegir, captain in Norters' security services (all with the very silly names that are sounding so prescient today, brrrr) as she slowly works through the war criminals within Norters' ranks. She works together with her squad and I have to say I truly enjoyed the stories where she takes care of the untouchable elite and uncovers more and more about the genetic experiment that basicaly doomed the entire Norters military elite.

What helped me a lot to get into the story is the way Norters are depicted - for all means and purposes this is W40K Imperial Guard - but more humane. People in constant warfare with the Southers and ready to do whatever it takes to win. Similar to IG they are mix of Tsarist and Revolutionary Russian troops mixed with fatalism of the Prussian armies. With that being said Atalia and her team act like some pseudo Inquisiton team and it is truly great to watch them as they march stoically to any danger that stands in their way.

Art is beautiful, reminds me greatly of Lazarus comic. Level of details and constant gloom of heavy technological worlds dedicated only to war is amazing. Pages truly come to life - always under ever present fog of war and ever present scream of jet engines as they transport troops onto the battlefields.

Only downside is that story ends on the high note (same as 86ers) and I hope, truly I hope, that they will publish new stories soon.

Recommended to fans of gritty SF warfare.… (mere)

This was my first entry into Rogue Trooper universe.

On a remote outpost the Souherns (relative good guys) are defending a rather small mining outpost against the Norters (absolute baddies). Unit tasked with this is the 86th Squadron that receives - as an reinforcements - two new members, Rafe, genetic infantry woman (aka GI Doll) and Hunter - experienced but rather psychotic fighter pilot. Hunter would be treated as damaged goods fighter anyplace except in case of drastic personnel shortages - and this enables her to remain in the 86ers.

Story is pretty straight forward military action drama. In all the background of spy hunting, protecting the base and fighting off the invasion by Norts more spectacular secret is hidden in the wasteland of the world immediately near to the colony - one that can even spell doom for entire Humanity.

Art is not bad, it is rather .... angular if you get my grip and not that fluent when it comes to action. But overall it is OK and story is truly engaging. It is classic space opera approach, wasteland from where heroes will rise and play the role on the battlefields of the future.

And this brings me to the other thing - this looks like volume 1 and I hope they publish rest of the story because as it is, it ends on the end note and I am left wandering what did happen later :) And I dont like that feeling :) I want to know!

Joking aside, good book, highly recommended to all fans of SF action adventure.… (mere)