A while back I managed to get some spare money, and decided to do what I had been promising myself and buy some of the Black Library books. The Black Library, for those who don’t know, is the publishing system of the Warhammer 40K universe. But in order to do so, I had to find what I would want to get. I did this by asking my friends, and researching the tidbits on Amazon.com. This turned up the works of Dan Abnett, and by perusing what he had published I again came up with the Eisenhorn trilogy as being, arguably, his best work except for the Ravenor trilogy.

 

I spent my saved money (which likely should have gone to models) on the omnibus edition of the Eisenhorn trilogy and the first two books of the Ravenor set, the third having not been released yet. I picked Eisenhorn for the fact that it was fully published. I was very happy when, first out of the gate, it showed Inquisitor Eisenhorn in action.

However, what took me back was also the very fact that this wasn’t about Space Marines, or super-human figures. It’s about a band of Imperial Citizens, who seem to have little more than their own wits, faith, and of course the absolute might of the Inquisition!
There were no grand charges into hails of fire… Just a simple police-like investigation that, within a scant twenty or thirty pages of the seven hundred plus Omnibus edition, escalated into a world-hopping, Segmentum-spanning galactic man hunt!

Throughout this hunt, the reader is treated to an insider’s look of the grimy underbelly of the Imperium of Mankind. From the near abhuman-type twist-bars blaring "pound" music, to the upper levels of Gudrunites Noble houses, it shows that the Imperium is not only not well, but not nearly as noble or virtuous in His service as one might think. Even its most holy enforcers, the Imperial Inquisition, can fall to the corruption and wiles of their foes.

I won’t give away the plot, as the twists and turns in the book are what make it great, but I will say this: daemonhosts, traitors, a dead heretic in a box, an exploding titan, ‘Iron Hoof’, and a daemon king! These are a few of the interesting things you’ll find in this book, as well as others I will keep from you. The strength of Abnett's book is really, as most say, in his plot. However, something most overlook it the fact that that plot would be a bland and un-inspiring 40K universe without the dynamic personalities inhabiting this book.

Figures like Godwyn Fischig for instance. Fischig would appear to be perhaps a minor to mid level character in the series, but when you think about it, he is one of the most prominent in his own way. Without him, and his puritanical nature and coaching of Eisenhorn, the events of the book would loose that keening sense of guilt and regret. The other side of this compass is perhaps Medea (and for that matter, Midas) Betancore. She’s pragmatic, and in the deepest moments of the crisis of faith for Eisenhorn, salves his fears with blunt and obvious statements that transcend the drama of the situation. And even Uber Aemos, who seems to be a prattling scholar, provides insight through his disjointed ranting, in a way never quite apparent until the point smacks Eisenhorn in the face.

And then there is the character of Gregor Eisenhorn himself. His is really the only character that undergoes a deep, personal transformation throughout the series. And indeed his transformation is perhaps what motivates or moves much of the story. Without the foul daemon Cherubael, would he have won against Khanjar the Sharp? Not likely. He also is very humanistic, as he deals with problems and choices, and through this all we see his emotions and anguish at them. We also see his methods and beliefs change from the puritan Amalthian faction and slide further and further away, a fact brought to bear through people like Commodus Voke.

Overall, the story is a great series. This review is intended to try and not give plot away, as I would hate to spoil any of the fun! But many of you who have read 40K fiction have read or heard of Dan Abnett, and I recommend you pick up the Eisenhorn series post-haste. The Omnibus edition is nice as it comes with two previously unpublished short stories that help to link the books in the series together as well!. In the end, a 4.5 out of five stars, and only a 4.5 is given because I find the fate of my favorite Savant ‘most perturbatory’.