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Path of the Eldar #1
Path of the Warrior (Path of the Eldar) by Gav Thorpe
The ancient eldar are a mysterious race, each devoting their life to a chosen path which will guide their actions and decide their fate. When the artist Korlandril feels the call to war, he abandons peace for the Path of the Warrior. He becomes a Striking Scorpion, a deadly fighter skilled in the art of close-quarters combat. But battle is coming, as Craftworld Alaitoc comes to blows with the vengeful Imperium of Mankind, and the further Korlandril travels down the warrior's path, the closer he gets to losing his identity and becoming an avatar of war. Can he retain his sense of self and still be the weapon Alaitoc needs, or will he be consumed by one of the warrior-spirits of his race?Read it because When the eldar artist Korlandril feels the call to war, he walks the Path of the Warrior and joins the Striking Scorpions. As his craftworld is drawn into war with the Imperium, Korlandril finds that once he has begun walking that path, it may not be easy to leave it…
Paperback
First published May 8, 2010
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About the author
Gav Thorpe
375 books566 followersGav spent 14 years as a developer for Games Workshop, and started writing novels and short stories in the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 when the Black Library imprint was launched in 1997.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
November 14, 2012
What is it with writing eldar in Black Library books? Every single time they turn up it seems they can’t be written well and become worse and worse each time they are given a chance to show life from their perspective. Path of the Warrior should have been a chance to correct this, but here it’s as bad as ever. The last book focusing upon them was by C.S. Goto who apparently thought he was writing romulans when he threw that together, but there were no excuses here. Gav Thorpe has been with Games Workshop for years and written about the universe extensively. His dry manner of writing should have been perfect for the eldar who focus upon self-restraint and control but he dropped the ball here. Almost all of the characters seem to be toned down humans, and in all honesty most of the space marines he’s written had personalities more in line with the eldar than the protagonists.
Path of the Warrior the first of a trilogy looking into the path system. This follows three friends as they walk the paths of the warrior, the seer and the outcast. In this case the book follows a failed, frustrated artist known as Korlandril as he becomes one of the craftworld’s aspect warriors. He slowly loses more of himself until he is little more than a machine, becoming an amalgamation of the spirits of older warriors tying their essences into his own. At least that’s what it tries to do.
Subtlety has never been Warhammer’s forte but here it’s completely non-existent. There are Animorphs books with more natural character progression in than is seen in Path of the Warrior. Every single character seems to forecast their emotions like there’s no tomorrow, to the point where you expect to see “That makes me feel angry!” being yelled. The eldar are supposed to be subtle, have very controlled emotions to help resist things like wants or pleasures which might lead them to Slaanesh. Instead we get Korlandril throwing frustrated fits because apparently his art is flawed, which leads him to become a striking scorpion. No, it doesn’t make any more sense in the novel.
In all fairness, the scenes where Korlandril is losing himself are the only moments the book feels like it’s accomplishing what it is supposed to do. There is a clear progression of him becoming a warrior, but it is squashed beneath ham handed attempts to show this. For example, when Thorpe tries to show just how far down path of being a warrior Korlandril is it’s done in an incredibly amateurish way – Having him instinctively falling into combat stances and aggressive acts with no prompting. This initially sounds good until you see how it is implemented, by having the protagonist think back thirty seconds and realise what he has done. Multiple times. When trying to approach a civilian outside of the Scorpion Shrine he trained in, the person acts startled then complains about how aggressive he is acting before leaving. Thinking back he realises that he had instinctively clung out of sight under a tree and then moved into the light in a fighting stance ready to attack the civilian. Again, heavy handed.
This is not helped by the speed at which he apparently becomes a great warrior. It only takes him two battles to reach the end of his path and become an exarch. Even if this were coming from a species which didn’t live for millennia, this is an insanely rapid promotion – One so quick I’m reminded of the field advancements from the Tiberium Wars novel. Admittedly this did mean we got to the best part of the book faster, the bits where Korlandril is an exarch stand head and shoulders above the rest, but you still can’t help staring in disbelief as this happens.
However what really drags this book down though is the bits surrounding the humans themselves. They’re not regarded with the same contempt, distrust we’ve seen before with the eldar. They just act like space elves towards them and at worst Korlandril seems to view them as being “somewhat eldar-ish”. There’s none of the xenophobia you’d expect to see on what is effectively a worldship containing the last remnants of a dying race who are surrounded on all sides by enemies. This could be to make what happens later on seem more effective, when the craftworld is openly invaded, but even that’s understated. Yes, the craftworld is invaded. Let this be made clear – this would be the equivalent of attacking major imperial sector command base. It’s one of a few major eldar strongholds left, is needed to help keep their race alive and it is invaded by an imperial strike force. This would be as big an event as the Imperium successfully launching an attack upon the core worlds of the Eye of Terror but it’s written like a basic event. There’s no feeling of pressing danger in pages where they learn of the upcoming assault and even the presence of three phoenix lords doesn’t make the stakes feel any higher than the two skirmishes earlier in the book.
What might have helped convey and build up to this point relates to another criticism; we don’t see events from the perspective of any characters besides the Eldar. If the author wanted to make them feel different to humans, having a conventional human mind talking for a few paragraphs would help emphasise upon their alien nature. Perhaps he was avoiding it to try not to make the eldar seem too human, something he failed at, but not having two sides in any one of the conflicts robbed it of a massive amount of potential. Rather than having an eldar leader announcing that there was a Imperial force preparing to attack them, Thorpe could have instead switched to some Lord Commander. One following the battles Korlandril was involved in, noting that the Imperium won’t stand for the growing piracy by eldar in the area and seeing the armada of vessels from his perspective. Show, don’t tell.
If you’ve not gotten it by this point the novel is not good. It’s not outright bad or insulting like some we’ve seen but it really is a missed opportunity. The insights into eldar society might be interesting but the individuals themselves simply don’t feel like eldar. If you are an eldar player and are willing to accept a lot of flaws in the writing you might want to try looking at Path of the Warrior, but remain cautious about it.
Path of the Warrior the first of a trilogy looking into the path system. This follows three friends as they walk the paths of the warrior, the seer and the outcast. In this case the book follows a failed, frustrated artist known as Korlandril as he becomes one of the craftworld’s aspect warriors. He slowly loses more of himself until he is little more than a machine, becoming an amalgamation of the spirits of older warriors tying their essences into his own. At least that’s what it tries to do.
Subtlety has never been Warhammer’s forte but here it’s completely non-existent. There are Animorphs books with more natural character progression in than is seen in Path of the Warrior. Every single character seems to forecast their emotions like there’s no tomorrow, to the point where you expect to see “That makes me feel angry!” being yelled. The eldar are supposed to be subtle, have very controlled emotions to help resist things like wants or pleasures which might lead them to Slaanesh. Instead we get Korlandril throwing frustrated fits because apparently his art is flawed, which leads him to become a striking scorpion. No, it doesn’t make any more sense in the novel.
In all fairness, the scenes where Korlandril is losing himself are the only moments the book feels like it’s accomplishing what it is supposed to do. There is a clear progression of him becoming a warrior, but it is squashed beneath ham handed attempts to show this. For example, when Thorpe tries to show just how far down path of being a warrior Korlandril is it’s done in an incredibly amateurish way – Having him instinctively falling into combat stances and aggressive acts with no prompting. This initially sounds good until you see how it is implemented, by having the protagonist think back thirty seconds and realise what he has done. Multiple times. When trying to approach a civilian outside of the Scorpion Shrine he trained in, the person acts startled then complains about how aggressive he is acting before leaving. Thinking back he realises that he had instinctively clung out of sight under a tree and then moved into the light in a fighting stance ready to attack the civilian. Again, heavy handed.
This is not helped by the speed at which he apparently becomes a great warrior. It only takes him two battles to reach the end of his path and become an exarch. Even if this were coming from a species which didn’t live for millennia, this is an insanely rapid promotion – One so quick I’m reminded of the field advancements from the Tiberium Wars novel. Admittedly this did mean we got to the best part of the book faster, the bits where Korlandril is an exarch stand head and shoulders above the rest, but you still can’t help staring in disbelief as this happens.
However what really drags this book down though is the bits surrounding the humans themselves. They’re not regarded with the same contempt, distrust we’ve seen before with the eldar. They just act like space elves towards them and at worst Korlandril seems to view them as being “somewhat eldar-ish”. There’s none of the xenophobia you’d expect to see on what is effectively a worldship containing the last remnants of a dying race who are surrounded on all sides by enemies. This could be to make what happens later on seem more effective, when the craftworld is openly invaded, but even that’s understated. Yes, the craftworld is invaded. Let this be made clear – this would be the equivalent of attacking major imperial sector command base. It’s one of a few major eldar strongholds left, is needed to help keep their race alive and it is invaded by an imperial strike force. This would be as big an event as the Imperium successfully launching an attack upon the core worlds of the Eye of Terror but it’s written like a basic event. There’s no feeling of pressing danger in pages where they learn of the upcoming assault and even the presence of three phoenix lords doesn’t make the stakes feel any higher than the two skirmishes earlier in the book.
What might have helped convey and build up to this point relates to another criticism; we don’t see events from the perspective of any characters besides the Eldar. If the author wanted to make them feel different to humans, having a conventional human mind talking for a few paragraphs would help emphasise upon their alien nature. Perhaps he was avoiding it to try not to make the eldar seem too human, something he failed at, but not having two sides in any one of the conflicts robbed it of a massive amount of potential. Rather than having an eldar leader announcing that there was a Imperial force preparing to attack them, Thorpe could have instead switched to some Lord Commander. One following the battles Korlandril was involved in, noting that the Imperium won’t stand for the growing piracy by eldar in the area and seeing the armada of vessels from his perspective. Show, don’t tell.
If you’ve not gotten it by this point the novel is not good. It’s not outright bad or insulting like some we’ve seen but it really is a missed opportunity. The insights into eldar society might be interesting but the individuals themselves simply don’t feel like eldar. If you are an eldar player and are willing to accept a lot of flaws in the writing you might want to try looking at Path of the Warrior, but remain cautious about it.
January 20, 2011
Path of the Warrior is the first in a new trilogy featuring the Eldar Warriors by Gav Thorpe. It features Korlandril, a rather self-centred Eldar following the Path of the Artist at the start of the novel, and follows his journey as he discovers death and rage and learns to put on his war mask.
I have very, very mixed opinions about this novel.
On the one hand, I absolutely loved seeing more of the mysterious Eldar culture. The different Paths, the exodites versus the true Eldar, the methods of waging war, the way in which the Eldar constantly fight against the temptation of She Who Thirsts - all of this is magnificent. And damn well should be considering Thorpe's heavy involvement with the Eldar.
The first part of the novel was very entertaining - introducing the triangle of characters who will affect the future of the Eldar: Korlandril, Thirianna and Aradryan. It is interesting to see the different Paths these three will take, and how it changes their relationships. I like seeing aspects of everyday life from the Eldar point of view.
When Korlandril takes his first steps onto the Path of the Warrior, the tale remains entertaining enough (although much of the training segments feel as though they should have the 'Montage' song from Team America: World Police running behind them - very cliched). It is when Korlandril becomes lost in the lust of battle that the story loses impact and becomes merely a series of battle scenes. These should be the most exciting part of the book, but they are dull and pedestrian. I found myself flicking through pages with no real inclination to read them in depth (which is a marked difference from Dan Abnett and Graham McNeill, who both write gripping and vivid battle scenes).
I also disliked many of the characters. Korlandril himself is at first shallow and self-centred, and thinks only of his own pleasures - and then his character shifts to something so different that it feels as though you don't even know him anymore. I accept that this fits the theme of the story that Thorpe has gone for, but it makes it very, very hard to root for Korlandril.
The secondary characters are, mostly, just a fancy name and no real substance. (Speaking of the names, I know that Eldar Warriors cannot be called Bill, or Colin, or anything simple - but it became tiresome trying to work out the floral pronunciations of these characters).
The best impression I have of Path of the Warrior is that gamers can use it to flesh out the character of the Eldar army they are using. Regular readers of science fiction are unlikely to find much to impress here, especially when considering the impressive heights that Black Library novels can reach. I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation of the Eldar race - it's just a shame that the story and characters did not live up to the world building. Flat and dull writing defeated me. Unless you have an express interest in the Eldar race, I would pass.
I have very, very mixed opinions about this novel.
On the one hand, I absolutely loved seeing more of the mysterious Eldar culture. The different Paths, the exodites versus the true Eldar, the methods of waging war, the way in which the Eldar constantly fight against the temptation of She Who Thirsts - all of this is magnificent. And damn well should be considering Thorpe's heavy involvement with the Eldar.
The first part of the novel was very entertaining - introducing the triangle of characters who will affect the future of the Eldar: Korlandril, Thirianna and Aradryan. It is interesting to see the different Paths these three will take, and how it changes their relationships. I like seeing aspects of everyday life from the Eldar point of view.
When Korlandril takes his first steps onto the Path of the Warrior, the tale remains entertaining enough (although much of the training segments feel as though they should have the 'Montage' song from Team America: World Police running behind them - very cliched). It is when Korlandril becomes lost in the lust of battle that the story loses impact and becomes merely a series of battle scenes. These should be the most exciting part of the book, but they are dull and pedestrian. I found myself flicking through pages with no real inclination to read them in depth (which is a marked difference from Dan Abnett and Graham McNeill, who both write gripping and vivid battle scenes).
I also disliked many of the characters. Korlandril himself is at first shallow and self-centred, and thinks only of his own pleasures - and then his character shifts to something so different that it feels as though you don't even know him anymore. I accept that this fits the theme of the story that Thorpe has gone for, but it makes it very, very hard to root for Korlandril.
The secondary characters are, mostly, just a fancy name and no real substance. (Speaking of the names, I know that Eldar Warriors cannot be called Bill, or Colin, or anything simple - but it became tiresome trying to work out the floral pronunciations of these characters).
The best impression I have of Path of the Warrior is that gamers can use it to flesh out the character of the Eldar army they are using. Regular readers of science fiction are unlikely to find much to impress here, especially when considering the impressive heights that Black Library novels can reach. I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation of the Eldar race - it's just a shame that the story and characters did not live up to the world building. Flat and dull writing defeated me. Unless you have an express interest in the Eldar race, I would pass.
December 6, 2010
Path of the Warrior is the first of a new trilogy focusing on the race of Eldar. This is interesting in one respect as the Black Library for ages chose to avoid such novels, wanting to keep the alien races…alien. We’re all human, and the xenos races of the 40k universe should remain so. This presents a challenge for any Black Library writer as they need to delve in to what it is like to be one of these strange characters. Over the past few years there have been other novels presenting various xenos races as protagonist: Fire Warrior (40k), Defenders of Ulthuan (fantasy), Gilead’s Blood (fantasy), Malekith (fantasy), Shadow King (fantasy) etc. Also several novels have had alien races as sympathetic characters if not the protagonist: Guardians of the Forest (fantasy) as well as several others where humans are the main focus, but xenos races get some spotlight time and we get a glimpse in to their psyche.
Path of the Warrior is the first time I’ve seen a full-fledged delve in to a xenos race. A real glimpse of life as an alien. The question becomes can the author make us believe it. Can we delve in to the psyche of a race that is completely alien, make us feel for it, yet keep a sort of awe at the race and characters as being completely foreign to us…maintain that feeling of alienness?
Gav Thorpe steps up to the plate and smashes the ball over the fence and out of the park!
If you have any interest in the Eldar at all, you HAVE to read this book. Mandatory reading. If you play Warhammer 40k and field Eldar, this book should be read before you assemble and paint one figure. If you want to know what the Eldar are really like…you can’t pass this book up.
Even if you aren’t so in to Eldar, it’s a smashing good read.
The story is about a young Eldar named Korlandril who is a bit of a fop, a nancy boy. The story follows him as he deals with some issues that are pretty common to anyone: something we can all appreciate and his eventual trail toward the Path of the Warrior.
Once on this path we see some pretty brilliant illustration of how the paths work, what brings the various personality types to the various Aspect Warrior shrines. Mr. Thorpe does an amazing job of illuminating how the Eldar really work: the nuts and bolts of what makes this race tick. They really ARE different. They think, observe, communicate and feel on so many diverse levels, and the author really brings this out in a manner we can understand. The Eldar are incredibly deep.
The novel is not packed to the gills with battles. Honestly, this is much more of a “thinker” novel than anything Gav Thorpe has written. This kind of “thinker” style is something I’ve come to expect from Graham McNeill and others, but Gav Thorpe I think really flexes his writing muscles and expands in to new territory. It’s pretty brilliant.
I will admit that some of the shifts in perspective, and shifts in time between the present and flashbacks of the past are jarring. I don’t think this is necessarily on the author as much as the editor: these could have been broken up better by an extra break or different formatting. There are a lot of flashbacks, which some folks may find jarring, especially since they are often in-line, one para to the next you jump from one POV to another. There were a few instances where we see the same scene from two different views. Again I think if these were broken up via formatting differently it would be easier to follow. As it stood I had to stop and go back a few times, re-read the section to realize what the hell was going on. I will admit that with the Eldar being such a contemplative race it works easier than I think it would otherwise.
The cover art is by Neil Roberts and it is fantastic. Very crisp and stark. A perfect fit. I want a poster of this!
Overall it is a damn fine novel and absolutely essential reading if you are even remotely interested in the Eldar. The author takes us in to a few big battles, including one that is Craftworld-scale, including a lot of big names. It’s amazing to see how a Craftworld goes to war.
Rating:
Fantastic novel, rich in every way. No other novel to date has captured the overall vibe of the Eldar race so completely. If it weren’t for some formatting oddities in the shifting of POV and flashbacks, this would have been a perfect 5 of 5. Even with the bit of weirdness, it’s a damn brilliant read. Gav Thorpe is getting better and better! Buy this book! You will not be sorry! I'm such a nerd I'm going to name all my Exarch minis and create shrine names for the Aspect Warriors. I need some more Striking Scorpions!
Path of the Warrior is the first time I’ve seen a full-fledged delve in to a xenos race. A real glimpse of life as an alien. The question becomes can the author make us believe it. Can we delve in to the psyche of a race that is completely alien, make us feel for it, yet keep a sort of awe at the race and characters as being completely foreign to us…maintain that feeling of alienness?
Gav Thorpe steps up to the plate and smashes the ball over the fence and out of the park!
If you have any interest in the Eldar at all, you HAVE to read this book. Mandatory reading. If you play Warhammer 40k and field Eldar, this book should be read before you assemble and paint one figure. If you want to know what the Eldar are really like…you can’t pass this book up.
Even if you aren’t so in to Eldar, it’s a smashing good read.
The story is about a young Eldar named Korlandril who is a bit of a fop, a nancy boy. The story follows him as he deals with some issues that are pretty common to anyone: something we can all appreciate and his eventual trail toward the Path of the Warrior.
Once on this path we see some pretty brilliant illustration of how the paths work, what brings the various personality types to the various Aspect Warrior shrines. Mr. Thorpe does an amazing job of illuminating how the Eldar really work: the nuts and bolts of what makes this race tick. They really ARE different. They think, observe, communicate and feel on so many diverse levels, and the author really brings this out in a manner we can understand. The Eldar are incredibly deep.
The novel is not packed to the gills with battles. Honestly, this is much more of a “thinker” novel than anything Gav Thorpe has written. This kind of “thinker” style is something I’ve come to expect from Graham McNeill and others, but Gav Thorpe I think really flexes his writing muscles and expands in to new territory. It’s pretty brilliant.
I will admit that some of the shifts in perspective, and shifts in time between the present and flashbacks of the past are jarring. I don’t think this is necessarily on the author as much as the editor: these could have been broken up better by an extra break or different formatting. There are a lot of flashbacks, which some folks may find jarring, especially since they are often in-line, one para to the next you jump from one POV to another. There were a few instances where we see the same scene from two different views. Again I think if these were broken up via formatting differently it would be easier to follow. As it stood I had to stop and go back a few times, re-read the section to realize what the hell was going on. I will admit that with the Eldar being such a contemplative race it works easier than I think it would otherwise.
The cover art is by Neil Roberts and it is fantastic. Very crisp and stark. A perfect fit. I want a poster of this!
Overall it is a damn fine novel and absolutely essential reading if you are even remotely interested in the Eldar. The author takes us in to a few big battles, including one that is Craftworld-scale, including a lot of big names. It’s amazing to see how a Craftworld goes to war.
Rating:
Fantastic novel, rich in every way. No other novel to date has captured the overall vibe of the Eldar race so completely. If it weren’t for some formatting oddities in the shifting of POV and flashbacks, this would have been a perfect 5 of 5. Even with the bit of weirdness, it’s a damn brilliant read. Gav Thorpe is getting better and better! Buy this book! You will not be sorry! I'm such a nerd I'm going to name all my Exarch minis and create shrine names for the Aspect Warriors. I need some more Striking Scorpions!
February 8, 2022
This book has its weaknesses but it makes a lot of sense considering the aims Gav Thorpe must have had when he was writing it. The book is a great look into the life and workings of the Eldar Craftworlds, written by the space elf godfather himself.
The Eldar are alien, with high intelligence and heightened emotions who must follow a regimented and structured life so as not to succum to darkness (we'll leave that vague for a short review!) And it makes the perfect example to have an arrogant sculptor get all angry about criticism of his work that he needs to go and find a different path as a suitable outlet. That's an excellent descriptor of the Eldar but leaves a hell of a job for the author.
As a result the main character isn't very likable, and a likeable character is usually what we want or even need for a story, but making an arrogant, quick to anger sculptor likable may not be the easiest task.
This all makes much more sense after reading book 2 as Thirriana is less of a nonce, and it feels a shame the two books weren't more closely aligned. The characters all act a bit weird, and some of the big fight scenes don't flow as they might, but this all feels like the result of things being done to deadline rather than just clumsyness.
The original vision, the example of the alien race, still works really nicely and Gav Thorpe clearly has a lot of love and a clear vision of the Eldar in Warhammer.
The Eldar are alien, with high intelligence and heightened emotions who must follow a regimented and structured life so as not to succum to darkness (we'll leave that vague for a short review!) And it makes the perfect example to have an arrogant sculptor get all angry about criticism of his work that he needs to go and find a different path as a suitable outlet. That's an excellent descriptor of the Eldar but leaves a hell of a job for the author.
As a result the main character isn't very likable, and a likeable character is usually what we want or even need for a story, but making an arrogant, quick to anger sculptor likable may not be the easiest task.
This all makes much more sense after reading book 2 as Thirriana is less of a nonce, and it feels a shame the two books weren't more closely aligned. The characters all act a bit weird, and some of the big fight scenes don't flow as they might, but this all feels like the result of things being done to deadline rather than just clumsyness.
The original vision, the example of the alien race, still works really nicely and Gav Thorpe clearly has a lot of love and a clear vision of the Eldar in Warhammer.
June 19, 2017
You can read the full review over at my blog:
https://shadowhawksshade.wordpress.co...
The story of Warhammer 40,000 isn’t just about the superhuman Adeptus Astartes or the mortal men and women who live and breathe to defend the Imperium of Man. It is also the story of the various xenos species who inhabit the galaxy, whether that be the brutal Orks, the ravenous Tyranids, the broken Eldar, the aspiring Tau or any of the others. And as such it is always great to see the differing perspectives, although as far as the Tyranids are concerned, there’s not much of a perspective there. Even the Orks are better narrators in that respect!
Path of the Warrior is the first novel in Gav’s Path of the Eldar series. It explores the Eldar society of Alaitoc Craftworld through the eyes of an artist-turned-Aspect Warrior, Korlandril, who must confront his past and his prejudices and his relationships with those around him if he is to succeed on the Eldar Path. There is little direct action in the novel and it is instead very much a philosophical story, as befits the Eldar that is about. And I certainly enjoyed it to a degree, enough at least that I am looking forward to continuing with the rest of the series.
Path of the Warrior is almost seven years old now and I confess that in all this time, I wasn’t much interested in reading a Warhammer 40,000 tale from the perspective of the Eldar. I enjoyed reading about the Eldar at the time, rather than through their perspective. Even when I received an advance review copy for the final novel in the trilogy, Path of the Outcast, I wasn’t at all motivated. However, times change and here we are. Looking for a very different sort of Warhammer 40,000 tale to read from amongst my collection, I turned to Gav’s rather defining Eldar novel, and the experiment proved to be a success.
As a species, the Eldar are in decline across the galaxy. More than ten thousands years ago, their interstellar empire essentially imploded in a catastrophic event that saw their numbers and their strength decimated. Their decline paved the way for Mankind and the other races to take their place in the stars, and Eldar society hasn’t been the same since. To combat their reversal of fortunes and bring their lives back on track so they could survive in a much more hostile galaxy, the species divided its communal life along the guidelines of the Path. Their society is divided into various aspects of daily and communal life, and each aspect is considered to be a Path, a specialization of sorts. And when we meet him, our hero Korlandril is on the Path of the Artist, having ventured along the Path of Dreaming before. Over the course of the novel, he transitions to start on the Path of the Warrior and that’s the tale that is at the heart of the novel.
As a protagonist, Korlandril has flaws aplenty. He is uncertain and angry at the world around him, always attempting to force it to conform to his wishes rather than going with the flow and accepting what is placed before him. Gav’s approach is to frame these flaws in the context of the Eldar Path, which is ever-changing and ever-demanding at the best of times, doubly so for someone like Korlandril who is seemingly beset on all sides, whether by fate or what have you. This created some rather tortuous moments throughout the novel, where Korlandril became a significant unsympathetic character and I almost put the book down in frustration as a result. He is too conceited, too focused on himself to ever truly consider an outsider perspective. Living all his life on Alaitoc and always indulging himself, he has no cause and no interest in gaining a bigger perspective on Eldar life.
https://shadowhawksshade.wordpress.co...
The story of Warhammer 40,000 isn’t just about the superhuman Adeptus Astartes or the mortal men and women who live and breathe to defend the Imperium of Man. It is also the story of the various xenos species who inhabit the galaxy, whether that be the brutal Orks, the ravenous Tyranids, the broken Eldar, the aspiring Tau or any of the others. And as such it is always great to see the differing perspectives, although as far as the Tyranids are concerned, there’s not much of a perspective there. Even the Orks are better narrators in that respect!
Path of the Warrior is the first novel in Gav’s Path of the Eldar series. It explores the Eldar society of Alaitoc Craftworld through the eyes of an artist-turned-Aspect Warrior, Korlandril, who must confront his past and his prejudices and his relationships with those around him if he is to succeed on the Eldar Path. There is little direct action in the novel and it is instead very much a philosophical story, as befits the Eldar that is about. And I certainly enjoyed it to a degree, enough at least that I am looking forward to continuing with the rest of the series.
Path of the Warrior is almost seven years old now and I confess that in all this time, I wasn’t much interested in reading a Warhammer 40,000 tale from the perspective of the Eldar. I enjoyed reading about the Eldar at the time, rather than through their perspective. Even when I received an advance review copy for the final novel in the trilogy, Path of the Outcast, I wasn’t at all motivated. However, times change and here we are. Looking for a very different sort of Warhammer 40,000 tale to read from amongst my collection, I turned to Gav’s rather defining Eldar novel, and the experiment proved to be a success.
As a species, the Eldar are in decline across the galaxy. More than ten thousands years ago, their interstellar empire essentially imploded in a catastrophic event that saw their numbers and their strength decimated. Their decline paved the way for Mankind and the other races to take their place in the stars, and Eldar society hasn’t been the same since. To combat their reversal of fortunes and bring their lives back on track so they could survive in a much more hostile galaxy, the species divided its communal life along the guidelines of the Path. Their society is divided into various aspects of daily and communal life, and each aspect is considered to be a Path, a specialization of sorts. And when we meet him, our hero Korlandril is on the Path of the Artist, having ventured along the Path of Dreaming before. Over the course of the novel, he transitions to start on the Path of the Warrior and that’s the tale that is at the heart of the novel.
As a protagonist, Korlandril has flaws aplenty. He is uncertain and angry at the world around him, always attempting to force it to conform to his wishes rather than going with the flow and accepting what is placed before him. Gav’s approach is to frame these flaws in the context of the Eldar Path, which is ever-changing and ever-demanding at the best of times, doubly so for someone like Korlandril who is seemingly beset on all sides, whether by fate or what have you. This created some rather tortuous moments throughout the novel, where Korlandril became a significant unsympathetic character and I almost put the book down in frustration as a result. He is too conceited, too focused on himself to ever truly consider an outsider perspective. Living all his life on Alaitoc and always indulging himself, he has no cause and no interest in gaining a bigger perspective on Eldar life.
September 23, 2014
What a travesty this book is. I am a huge fan of the Eldar, and this book makes me feel that all the time and effort I spent making lists, playing games, doing researches and writing light fictions has been for naught. Terrible, so terrible.
The story is about Korlandril who at the start of the novel is an artist. However, a twist of event following the criticism he received from his old friend almost drives him insane and so he embraces the Path of the Warrior. The way the Path is explained feels good at some point, like some of the fist fight or hunting in different environments. But it also feels trite with less details then I would have thought. When the battle scenes finally arrives, I was excited because Gav Thorpe gave us very good action in The Purge of Kadilus. But no, the main character kills 1 Ork and gets passed out. The longer the story goes on, the more boring it gets and at some point I feel like I just can't bear myself to complete it. The worst insult, however, is adding Imperial Guards and Space Marines into the novel. So, are you telling me Thorpe writes a novel on the Eldar, jsut so that he could somehow put Space Marines in there because people love Space Marines and the book would sell better? If this is what's going on, then I am extremely disappointed. And the ending, it's terrible. No spoiler here, but I cried over how bad it is.
Chacters are bad. I don't care about any of them. The main character is downright frustrating to read. His comrades, his master, his love, I can't see anything interesting in them. Seriously, the book bogs down itself thanks to the single-mindedness nature of every single Aspect of the Eldar warrior. I don't want to see Striking Scorpion running around all the time and everything else is in the background. I want to see co-operation between several Aspects at the same time.
The Eldar's culture is described in this novel quite well, though I would prefer some more reference to the Japanese culture. This is the only thing worth reading in this novel.
In the end, the verdict is a 4/10. Terrible. My Eldar fanboyism has been ruined by this. Come on, we have 3 good High Elves novels and not a single good Eldar?
The story is about Korlandril who at the start of the novel is an artist. However, a twist of event following the criticism he received from his old friend almost drives him insane and so he embraces the Path of the Warrior. The way the Path is explained feels good at some point, like some of the fist fight or hunting in different environments. But it also feels trite with less details then I would have thought. When the battle scenes finally arrives, I was excited because Gav Thorpe gave us very good action in The Purge of Kadilus. But no, the main character kills 1 Ork and gets passed out. The longer the story goes on, the more boring it gets and at some point I feel like I just can't bear myself to complete it. The worst insult, however, is adding Imperial Guards and Space Marines into the novel. So, are you telling me Thorpe writes a novel on the Eldar, jsut so that he could somehow put Space Marines in there because people love Space Marines and the book would sell better? If this is what's going on, then I am extremely disappointed. And the ending, it's terrible. No spoiler here, but I cried over how bad it is.
Chacters are bad. I don't care about any of them. The main character is downright frustrating to read. His comrades, his master, his love, I can't see anything interesting in them. Seriously, the book bogs down itself thanks to the single-mindedness nature of every single Aspect of the Eldar warrior. I don't want to see Striking Scorpion running around all the time and everything else is in the background. I want to see co-operation between several Aspects at the same time.
The Eldar's culture is described in this novel quite well, though I would prefer some more reference to the Japanese culture. This is the only thing worth reading in this novel.
In the end, the verdict is a 4/10. Terrible. My Eldar fanboyism has been ruined by this. Come on, we have 3 good High Elves novels and not a single good Eldar?
April 4, 2018
It was really interesting to delve into the world of the Eldar and to be on the Xenos side of the battle. The different paths Eldar must take in life and how they are treated on that path is very interesting. The lore and philosophy of the race were very interesting. As well as the way they fight. After reading a handful of 40k books focused on Imperial Guard and Space Marines, it was interesting to see how the fighting style was different.
However, Korlandril isn't really likable, he's self-centered and very childish. This was his book, so I spent most of my time outside of the fluff rolling my eyes at this immature brat who never really got his comeuppance. Where his path led was pretty obvious from the beginning and the book seemed to be a steady march to that end. He seemed to be rewarded for all of his nonsense and left me wondering if Eldar are suppose to be pretentious little whiners.
The book series continues on with two other characters that were vaguely introduced in this book. The highly unlikable Thiriana and the generic Aradryan. Thiriana is the pseudo-love interest for both Korlandril and Aradryan. She's a manipulative, immature brat who acts like she is a wise woman. Since the next book is all about her, my interest for the series dies a sudden death. Maybe Aradryan will be cool but I don't think I can get through a whole book dealing with her ratchedness to get there.
TLDR
Good world building, characters were meh, not enough to kill the book. Will not read the next one cause Thiriana seems awful.
However, Korlandril isn't really likable, he's self-centered and very childish. This was his book, so I spent most of my time outside of the fluff rolling my eyes at this immature brat who never really got his comeuppance. Where his path led was pretty obvious from the beginning and the book seemed to be a steady march to that end. He seemed to be rewarded for all of his nonsense and left me wondering if Eldar are suppose to be pretentious little whiners.
The book series continues on with two other characters that were vaguely introduced in this book. The highly unlikable Thiriana and the generic Aradryan. Thiriana is the pseudo-love interest for both Korlandril and Aradryan. She's a manipulative, immature brat who acts like she is a wise woman. Since the next book is all about her, my interest for the series dies a sudden death. Maybe Aradryan will be cool but I don't think I can get through a whole book dealing with her ratchedness to get there.
TLDR
Good world building, characters were meh, not enough to kill the book. Will not read the next one cause Thiriana seems awful.
August 16, 2018
I wanted to read this book to learn more about the Eldar in Warhammer 40k and as a change from the usual Space Marine setting. Unfortunately this book was a slog to read through along with having a boring and cliffhanger ending.
The characters are very stale and the protagonist is the most unlikable, whiney and annoying of them all. There's quite poor writing at times too especially around expressing the characters feelings and the battle scenes which are all basically the same.
I would not recommend this book unless you are the most diehard of Eldar fans.
The characters are very stale and the protagonist is the most unlikable, whiney and annoying of them all. There's quite poor writing at times too especially around expressing the characters feelings and the battle scenes which are all basically the same.
I would not recommend this book unless you are the most diehard of Eldar fans.
July 9, 2025
When the rejection hits you so hard you have no other choice than to reject all else and become a warlord.
As silly as that statement seems, that is a very unnuanced overview of Path of the Warrior. This was my first Warhammer read, and generally I really enjoyed it! In fact, I enjoyed it so much that it took the Eldar, an army and race I had no interest in 40k (both game and lore) and made me super invested in their culture and history.
I was fully committed pretty quickly, as the Eldar speak in a really philosophical and blunt way. Their conversations feel inhuman enough that I buy that they’re aliens, yet philosophical enough that I buy that they’re intelligent and humanlike. I think the idea of Korlandril and his friend’s relationship, especially at the beginning, is incredibly strong and was what had me so hooked. I loved their conversations and they felt both real and beyond humanity. I read some reviews that people disliked how quickly Korlandril was to throw away the Path of the Artist as soon as Thirianna rejects him, but I think that added to both his characterization and the Eldar as a race. In fact, overall what I really enjoyed the most in this read were the emotions, reactions, and conversations between the Eldar.
What I liked less were the action and pacing, which really fell apart for me in the last two chapters. Look, I get it. Basically from the beginning we see Korlandril’s buildup to go from Korlandril to Morlaniath. I don’t really mind seeing moments like the ritual to summon the Avatar of Khaine or even reading more of the action. I think the problem was that the pacing felt very consistent (even if not always great) throughout the book, but then fell apart into a bunch of quick character resolutions and changes, crazy action, and lore dumps.
I really enjoyed how this book was very forgiving on 40k lore. It’s super dense, and I basically knew nothing but the basics about Eldar when I first started it. It really felt like it was easing readers in to this huge universe and gave enough context clues for people to understand what some elements were if it wasn’t outright said. But, like the pacing and action going crazy at the end, they also start introducing a bunch of separate, new lore bits. If you’re a big 40k fan, you probably didn’t have a problem parsing them, but I think my bigger issue with them is that we’re quickly introduced to Karandras, a well-established character from 40k lore but a character that hasn’t even been mentioned (from my memory) throughout the entire book. So, while our protagonist sacrificing himself for this new character may make sense for his character arc, is stripped from some excitement and satisfaction because it’s for the life of a character we hardly know anything about.
I don’t know man, fan service is almost always bad. I enjoyed this overall and I’m happy I read it, but man, the ending did leave a bad taste in my mouth. Closer to like a 3 or 3.5 stars, but giving it 4 because I did genuinely enjoy the writing and story for most of the book.
As silly as that statement seems, that is a very unnuanced overview of Path of the Warrior. This was my first Warhammer read, and generally I really enjoyed it! In fact, I enjoyed it so much that it took the Eldar, an army and race I had no interest in 40k (both game and lore) and made me super invested in their culture and history.
I was fully committed pretty quickly, as the Eldar speak in a really philosophical and blunt way. Their conversations feel inhuman enough that I buy that they’re aliens, yet philosophical enough that I buy that they’re intelligent and humanlike. I think the idea of Korlandril and his friend’s relationship, especially at the beginning, is incredibly strong and was what had me so hooked. I loved their conversations and they felt both real and beyond humanity. I read some reviews that people disliked how quickly Korlandril was to throw away the Path of the Artist as soon as Thirianna rejects him, but I think that added to both his characterization and the Eldar as a race. In fact, overall what I really enjoyed the most in this read were the emotions, reactions, and conversations between the Eldar.
What I liked less were the action and pacing, which really fell apart for me in the last two chapters. Look, I get it. Basically from the beginning we see Korlandril’s buildup to go from Korlandril to Morlaniath. I don’t really mind seeing moments like the ritual to summon the Avatar of Khaine or even reading more of the action. I think the problem was that the pacing felt very consistent (even if not always great) throughout the book, but then fell apart into a bunch of quick character resolutions and changes, crazy action, and lore dumps.
I really enjoyed how this book was very forgiving on 40k lore. It’s super dense, and I basically knew nothing but the basics about Eldar when I first started it. It really felt like it was easing readers in to this huge universe and gave enough context clues for people to understand what some elements were if it wasn’t outright said. But, like the pacing and action going crazy at the end, they also start introducing a bunch of separate, new lore bits. If you’re a big 40k fan, you probably didn’t have a problem parsing them, but I think my bigger issue with them is that we’re quickly introduced to Karandras, a well-established character from 40k lore but a character that hasn’t even been mentioned (from my memory) throughout the entire book. So, while our protagonist sacrificing himself for this new character may make sense for his character arc, is stripped from some excitement and satisfaction because it’s for the life of a character we hardly know anything about.
I don’t know man, fan service is almost always bad. I enjoyed this overall and I’m happy I read it, but man, the ending did leave a bad taste in my mouth. Closer to like a 3 or 3.5 stars, but giving it 4 because I did genuinely enjoy the writing and story for most of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2023
Really great Eldar novel, with Gav Thorpe capturing the essence of the ancient, enigmatic race and their culture.
Korlandril's journey from artist to warrior and beyond is masterfully crafted, and there is both wonder and tragedy in how his story unfolds.
Definitely recommended to Warhammer 40,000 fans, but also to fans of sci-fi and fantasy who like to be immersed in a stories and settings and characters.
Korlandril's journey from artist to warrior and beyond is masterfully crafted, and there is both wonder and tragedy in how his story unfolds.
Definitely recommended to Warhammer 40,000 fans, but also to fans of sci-fi and fantasy who like to be immersed in a stories and settings and characters.
March 14, 2025
A good book, great introduction to the lore and how the lives of the elder/aeldari live, the only real issue is that when it flicks to a memory of the past it’s hers to know when this has happened
But some good storylines even if at times it is predictable, but I feel that is affected by how short the book is
But some good storylines even if at times it is predictable, but I feel that is affected by how short the book is
December 22, 2017
This is my second time reading this book. As with the first time, I really enjoyed it.
Thorpe is a talented storyteller, and his knowledge of the eldar race helps to make this novel a wonderful story. It provides a great view of the Aeldari and how they live their lives, how each path teaches something new and helps with an eldar's development as a person. It is also a great view of Aeldari society and how it differs from the Imperium of Man.
The story itself is interesting, with Thorpe having a wonderful trio of characters to help drive the story. The protagonist for this tale is perfectly flawed, and it helps to drive the reader to keep reading each new page as you want to find out what happens to him and his anger issues. I highly enjoyed watching how each of the characters interacted and learning each of their paths. As this only tells one side of a three sided story, it helps set up the rest of the trilogy which I am sure will help to enhance the later stories.
My only issue is how fast things progress for the protagonist. From initiate to his final moments, it is a very quick amount of time when it comes to page count. (not in story time as events happen in a very montage type of story telling, months often passing with just a mention) Not only that, but the ending is abrupt with no true resolution. Though, I will admit, it fits with the story itself and makes sense. I just hope that the other books will continue the tale so the reader can find out what happens to the craftworld.
In the end, this is a great book for all it presents of the Aeldari. In a collection of books that tend to be centered around the space marines, this is refreshing and really well written. Many Black Library books aren't worth reading twice, but this one was, and I will probably read it again in the future. To any Aeldari players, I highly recommend you read this book. It will help to frame the army in your mind, and will give you an understanding that perhaps you never had with your army. And to anyone interested in the fluff of the 40k universe, this is for you as well.
Thorpe is a talented storyteller, and his knowledge of the eldar race helps to make this novel a wonderful story. It provides a great view of the Aeldari and how they live their lives, how each path teaches something new and helps with an eldar's development as a person. It is also a great view of Aeldari society and how it differs from the Imperium of Man.
The story itself is interesting, with Thorpe having a wonderful trio of characters to help drive the story. The protagonist for this tale is perfectly flawed, and it helps to drive the reader to keep reading each new page as you want to find out what happens to him and his anger issues. I highly enjoyed watching how each of the characters interacted and learning each of their paths. As this only tells one side of a three sided story, it helps set up the rest of the trilogy which I am sure will help to enhance the later stories.
My only issue is how fast things progress for the protagonist. From initiate to his final moments, it is a very quick amount of time when it comes to page count. (not in story time as events happen in a very montage type of story telling, months often passing with just a mention) Not only that, but the ending is abrupt with no true resolution. Though, I will admit, it fits with the story itself and makes sense. I just hope that the other books will continue the tale so the reader can find out what happens to the craftworld.
In the end, this is a great book for all it presents of the Aeldari. In a collection of books that tend to be centered around the space marines, this is refreshing and really well written. Many Black Library books aren't worth reading twice, but this one was, and I will probably read it again in the future. To any Aeldari players, I highly recommend you read this book. It will help to frame the army in your mind, and will give you an understanding that perhaps you never had with your army. And to anyone interested in the fluff of the 40k universe, this is for you as well.
March 20, 2016
To be honest, I had high expectations going into this book(and this book series in general), and Gav Thorpe did not disappoint! His Eldar are amazing, be it a time of peace or a time of war. All of his characters were easily likable and/or understandable. While his characters were somewhat human, at the same time, they felt extremely alien to me. There are a few things I wish had gone differently for the characters, though that in no way diminishes how much I enjoyed this book.
Bechareth was an amazing character, and I wish we got to see more of him! Oh man his premise was awesome!
I also wish we got to learn a little more about Kenainath's past.
And lastly, I wish Korlandril was a little less of a drama queen when it came to Thirianna(who I thought was a really strong character throughout this novel).
I found the world building(particularly the layout of Alaitoc) to be a tad bit weird. I wish this book came with a map of the parts of Alaitoc that we saw simply because I had trouble knowing where some things were in relation to others. That said, the mental image the author painted was of a complex(I would be lost in no time) and beautiful world, where you can never really get to all of it in one human lifetime.
Now, Korlandril was an awesome main character, and getting to see his evolution from Sculptor to Warrior and beyond was remarkable. I particularly liked the outcome of the end of the novel for him. Truly amazing that was.
**************Spoilers ahead!*************
The only thing I didn't like about this book was how rushed it felt. I think it would have done better as multiple books(though that would kind of ruin the whole Path of the Warrior/Seer/Outcast thing they had going).
The book takes forever for him to become a warrior, building the world and characters and all that. However, once Korlandril actually goes to war, it is over rather quickly. And the second time he goes to war, he loses the battle with his warmask and becomes an Exarch. I have no problem with him becoming an Exarch, my problem is with how rushed it is. He fights two(count that. 2.)battles, and is thrown to that lofty position. I understand why the author did it, as we got to see much more of the path of the warrior than most Eldar on that path see. However, I think it could have been done better if this book was expanded to being a duology or something.
Also, the additon of the Phoenix Lords in this book was amazing!
************Spoilers end!***********************
Overall the book was amazing, and I cannot wait to read the next one!
On to Path of the Seer!
Bechareth was an amazing character, and I wish we got to see more of him! Oh man his premise was awesome!
I also wish we got to learn a little more about Kenainath's past.
And lastly, I wish Korlandril was a little less of a drama queen when it came to Thirianna(who I thought was a really strong character throughout this novel).
I found the world building(particularly the layout of Alaitoc) to be a tad bit weird. I wish this book came with a map of the parts of Alaitoc that we saw simply because I had trouble knowing where some things were in relation to others. That said, the mental image the author painted was of a complex(I would be lost in no time) and beautiful world, where you can never really get to all of it in one human lifetime.
Now, Korlandril was an awesome main character, and getting to see his evolution from Sculptor to Warrior and beyond was remarkable. I particularly liked the outcome of the end of the novel for him. Truly amazing that was.
**************Spoilers ahead!*************
The only thing I didn't like about this book was how rushed it felt. I think it would have done better as multiple books(though that would kind of ruin the whole Path of the Warrior/Seer/Outcast thing they had going).
The book takes forever for him to become a warrior, building the world and characters and all that. However, once Korlandril actually goes to war, it is over rather quickly. And the second time he goes to war, he loses the battle with his warmask and becomes an Exarch. I have no problem with him becoming an Exarch, my problem is with how rushed it is. He fights two(count that. 2.)battles, and is thrown to that lofty position. I understand why the author did it, as we got to see much more of the path of the warrior than most Eldar on that path see. However, I think it could have been done better if this book was expanded to being a duology or something.
Also, the additon of the Phoenix Lords in this book was amazing!
************Spoilers end!***********************
Overall the book was amazing, and I cannot wait to read the next one!
On to Path of the Seer!
December 15, 2015
If you're looking for a novel to give some depth to the Eldar race of warhammer 40K, then this is the book you're looking for. If you're looking for a good read, with interesting characters, action, epic battles and unforeseen plot twists... then keep looking, you won't find it here.
As an eldar player I've always been intrigued by the mysterious eldar, and of course I jumped at the chance to read a novel, not only about them, but told from their perspective. We get some lovely bits of how the eldar live on their gigantic worldships, the Craftworlds. but the characters feel like children. Throwing tantrums when something isn't going their way or moping about when some one doesn't appreciate their art. Now I know the Eldar have a lot more extreme emotions than humans, but the way the author tells the story it never feels realistic.
Also, how much time does the main character spend on the warrior path? a bit of training, two battles and BAM!
No. It's hard to care for the characters, the action is never really interesting, the story feels unrealistic and the end, is just silly.
If you want to read a good Eldar story, from the Eldars perspective then grab Valedor by Guy Halley instead.
As an eldar player I've always been intrigued by the mysterious eldar, and of course I jumped at the chance to read a novel, not only about them, but told from their perspective. We get some lovely bits of how the eldar live on their gigantic worldships, the Craftworlds. but the characters feel like children. Throwing tantrums when something isn't going their way or moping about when some one doesn't appreciate their art. Now I know the Eldar have a lot more extreme emotions than humans, but the way the author tells the story it never feels realistic.
Also, how much time does the main character spend on the warrior path? a bit of training, two battles and BAM!
No. It's hard to care for the characters, the action is never really interesting, the story feels unrealistic and the end, is just silly.
If you want to read a good Eldar story, from the Eldars perspective then grab Valedor by Guy Halley instead.
March 16, 2012
The Games Workshop universe is rich, detailed and exotic...for a tabletop war game. But as the universe has been invented with the sole intention to explain why armies have to fight each other, it doesn't offer much in the way of storytelling. Unless, of course, the story is a battle.
So that's exactly what Gav Thorpe has written. Lots of battles, tied together with a thin plot and two-dimensional characters.
Great, you might think. You might be after an action summer blockbuster kind of book. Except that the action isn't that great, the main character whines a lot, and the outcome (which I won't spoil here) takes so little time to come about it only serves to remind you that Thorpe is just struggling to find enough ideas to make his page count.
In short, don't bother.
So that's exactly what Gav Thorpe has written. Lots of battles, tied together with a thin plot and two-dimensional characters.
Great, you might think. You might be after an action summer blockbuster kind of book. Except that the action isn't that great, the main character whines a lot, and the outcome (which I won't spoil here) takes so little time to come about it only serves to remind you that Thorpe is just struggling to find enough ideas to make his page count.
In short, don't bother.
May 15, 2013
When I purchased this book with the purpose of reconnecting with my father through his old passions, one of them being Warhammer 40k, I was not expecting to read great fiction, which is often the sort of writing I expose myself to. However, even though this book did have some potential and presented me with an interesting alien race, I was disappointed to find the potential underdeveloped, even for quick-consumption reading. Because I do not have an extensive past in Warhammer 40k, I cannot comment much upon the book, but in terms of plot, I found myself somewhat disappointed at the conclusion of the book. I will be reading more books in the Black Library, but I will be sure to research and read many more reviews next time.
July 10, 2012
This was the slowest moving Warhammer book I've ever read. No one even hit anything until page 136. Gav Thorpe seemed more interested in describing fashion than fights. The main character, Korlandril, always seemed to get injured and put out of action early on in the few battles he actually fought in.
The book didn't have a plot, rather it was a collection of incidents that didn't have much to do with one another. Plot threads were introduced only to be discarded without follow-up or explanation. Then Korlandril randomly changed into someone else 3/4 of the way through, and then again a couple of pages from the end.
A slow, painful read. I was glad when it was over.
The book didn't have a plot, rather it was a collection of incidents that didn't have much to do with one another. Plot threads were introduced only to be discarded without follow-up or explanation. Then Korlandril randomly changed into someone else 3/4 of the way through, and then again a couple of pages from the end.
A slow, painful read. I was glad when it was over.
January 2, 2024
Don't go into this book expecting a complete narrative. For someone who has always been interested in the Eldar, this was a nice insight into what the day to day life is in a craftworld, so that is the lense through which I viewed this series. The main character is brash and prone to strong emotion, but that is a core part of why eldar are the way they are.
I definitely enjoy the insights this book gave more than where things ended up. More on that later.
I definitely enjoy the insights this book gave more than where things ended up. More on that later.
July 23, 2011
c2010. When will I learn! Ol' Gav is not for me!!!!
May 25, 2015
Was a good read and worth the time...it had a rough start but then build up some Speed...
March 5, 2024
The introduction put me in the correct state of mind for this book. That, and I’d consider myself a fan of Gav Thorpe. To this day I still consider Angels of Darkness to be my favorite 40k novel. When you pump out a work like that you’ve gained my trust as a reader and I will fall into novels like people during trust tests.
About Path of the Warrior, the book’s not perfect, HOWEVER it is a dive into the eldar’s culture as best as it could probably be described. That and once I read the other three books I’ll be able to comment on the three perspectives tackling the same strands of time. I like the ideas in the book more than I like how the ideas are playing out (so far). Not that it’s being voiced poorly, or that I could fare better, I just feel that these novels were more like an experiment that will likely lead to more experiments or a more refined experiment. Like a musician who is skilled with their instrument (writing) and is experimenting with different sounds in different music.
Speaking of more experiments, while I love me some 40k I do find that the volume of works the Black Library produces has exceeded my capabilities of ever keeping pace. Hell, I’ve practically given up reading the Horus Heresy. I’m sure I’ll be in the minority reading books like this. Point I’m trying to make here? I don’t know. I just feel like there’s a lot written and maybe not all of it need have been published. *cough*
Anyway, as stated earlier the book lacks SOMEWHERE, it’s the introduction from Gav that explains this lack best. Which is to say he’s self-aware of the constraints he faced and still had to bull his way forward, especially to write a novel about eldar. I’ll say it’s pretty cool to catch exactly what he’s talking about while reading the book. The time-cycles never caught on for me, though I understand why they’re included.
The emphasis on emotions mixed of internal dialogue makes the prose stretch. I enjoyed the descriptions, and perhaps there were one too many, but it made for some incredibly poignant interactions. Each excerpt that kicked off every chapter was also a lovely delight. A reminder that we’re not on a single character journey, but a more inclusive eldar one.
That being said about halfway through the book, the interaction between Korlandril and Ardryan is so relatable! It captures the very essence of an aged relationship. What come to mind are my brothers and a few friends I’d often quarrel with and now…We understand. The distance helps. It was crazy to see that. There’s even more such interactions with Thirianna which I’ll talk about after reading the Path of the Seer.
At this point in writing this review I’ve actually finished the novel, as always, I’m left reeling. These 40k novels and authors really know how to bring it home. While it may have been easy to tell by my tone at the beginning of this review how I felt about the novel, I’m left a changed man come the end. Props!
Heads up, there are a lot of things mentioned that require some eldar background to catch. I’m not nearly as versed as I need to be and I got by, but the 40k units went over my head. As a piece of literature the book’s great with what Gav has given, it’s only the violent portions and maybe some of the ‘universals’ about eldar where you might feel a little lost.
If you’re a 40k fan I’d give it a shot. If you’re a 40k fan and like elder I’d say you definitely need to try this book. And if you’re not familiar with 40k or the elder, I’d just find a wiki page about both, get the basics and dive in. I enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would.
About Path of the Warrior, the book’s not perfect, HOWEVER it is a dive into the eldar’s culture as best as it could probably be described. That and once I read the other three books I’ll be able to comment on the three perspectives tackling the same strands of time. I like the ideas in the book more than I like how the ideas are playing out (so far). Not that it’s being voiced poorly, or that I could fare better, I just feel that these novels were more like an experiment that will likely lead to more experiments or a more refined experiment. Like a musician who is skilled with their instrument (writing) and is experimenting with different sounds in different music.
Speaking of more experiments, while I love me some 40k I do find that the volume of works the Black Library produces has exceeded my capabilities of ever keeping pace. Hell, I’ve practically given up reading the Horus Heresy. I’m sure I’ll be in the minority reading books like this. Point I’m trying to make here? I don’t know. I just feel like there’s a lot written and maybe not all of it need have been published. *cough*
Anyway, as stated earlier the book lacks SOMEWHERE, it’s the introduction from Gav that explains this lack best. Which is to say he’s self-aware of the constraints he faced and still had to bull his way forward, especially to write a novel about eldar. I’ll say it’s pretty cool to catch exactly what he’s talking about while reading the book. The time-cycles never caught on for me, though I understand why they’re included.
The emphasis on emotions mixed of internal dialogue makes the prose stretch. I enjoyed the descriptions, and perhaps there were one too many, but it made for some incredibly poignant interactions. Each excerpt that kicked off every chapter was also a lovely delight. A reminder that we’re not on a single character journey, but a more inclusive eldar one.
That being said about halfway through the book, the interaction between Korlandril and Ardryan is so relatable! It captures the very essence of an aged relationship. What come to mind are my brothers and a few friends I’d often quarrel with and now…We understand. The distance helps. It was crazy to see that. There’s even more such interactions with Thirianna which I’ll talk about after reading the Path of the Seer.
At this point in writing this review I’ve actually finished the novel, as always, I’m left reeling. These 40k novels and authors really know how to bring it home. While it may have been easy to tell by my tone at the beginning of this review how I felt about the novel, I’m left a changed man come the end. Props!
Heads up, there are a lot of things mentioned that require some eldar background to catch. I’m not nearly as versed as I need to be and I got by, but the 40k units went over my head. As a piece of literature the book’s great with what Gav has given, it’s only the violent portions and maybe some of the ‘universals’ about eldar where you might feel a little lost.
If you’re a 40k fan I’d give it a shot. If you’re a 40k fan and like elder I’d say you definitely need to try this book. And if you’re not familiar with 40k or the elder, I’d just find a wiki page about both, get the basics and dive in. I enjoyed this novel more than I thought I would.
November 28, 2024
Set in the multiverse of Warhammer 40,000, Path of the Warrior examines the “life” of one of three of the mysterious eldar (or aeldari) in that techno-magical milieu. In a somewhat misleading shorthand, the aeldari are dark science-fiction elves. More authentic to the 40K multiverse, they are a tall, graceful, artistic, and mysterious race of space aliens. This is one of two books by Gav Thorpe which tries to illustrate the culture and norms behind this mysterious civilization and Thorpe makes a gallant try to work elements beyond the inveterate warfare of Warhammer 40K into his story. Yet, I thought William King did a far better job of describing the culture and lifestyle of the aeldari in his Farseer (even though his main protagonist was a free trader who was human).
The aeldari have a culture where one must pursue multiple paths in order to find one’s fulfillment as a person. The protagonist of Path of the Warrior, though it seemed like it was going to be a trio at the beginning, begins as an artist. Korlandril may be one of the least sympathetic protagonists I’ve encountered in my reading. He is self-indulgent and makes decisions as though it is a Korlandril-centric multiverse. His only caring actions seem to be forced on him by external powers (his exarch (trainer) and an avatar of a godlike ancestral hero).
For a book about a warrior, it is extremely odd that, except for a brief prologue, one must wade through more than 150 pages before his first battle. And that battle is relatively abrupt, leading to more than 100 more pages before another. There are duels and skirmishes in those pages dedicated to Korlandril’s frustration with his friends, his detailed training sessions, his recuperation from a battle wound, his character (what there is of it) transformation, his training of others, and his rejection of the one who might have (at one point) been his potential love.
I am curious about Warhammer 40K because we are playing a role-playing game in that world in my RPG group. So, I struggled through this novel and will probably read the next.
However, it was not one of my preferred experiences. Ironically, though, there was one quotation I enjoyed on the same page where Thorpe began describing an intriguing weapon. The quotation read: “’Numbers are no tactic, to be hurled like bullets, a limitless supply,’ the exarch continued. ‘They render death pointless, each life a statistic, that no one is counting. They use the hammer, to smash at formless fog, to destroy only air.’” (p. 362)
The concept was weapons which threw psychic impressions into the midst of the enemy as distractions and instigators of chaos. More than sounds and holograms, these fire-breathing monstrosities impressed themselves enough for the enemies to open fire on them within their own ranks. Between that and the description of the Cobra tank opening a rift in the warp to suck enemies through, I gained a better conceptualization of the aeldari weapons within the intellectual property.
I realize I’m in the minority on this, but I had to work diligently to get through this.
The aeldari have a culture where one must pursue multiple paths in order to find one’s fulfillment as a person. The protagonist of Path of the Warrior, though it seemed like it was going to be a trio at the beginning, begins as an artist. Korlandril may be one of the least sympathetic protagonists I’ve encountered in my reading. He is self-indulgent and makes decisions as though it is a Korlandril-centric multiverse. His only caring actions seem to be forced on him by external powers (his exarch (trainer) and an avatar of a godlike ancestral hero).
For a book about a warrior, it is extremely odd that, except for a brief prologue, one must wade through more than 150 pages before his first battle. And that battle is relatively abrupt, leading to more than 100 more pages before another. There are duels and skirmishes in those pages dedicated to Korlandril’s frustration with his friends, his detailed training sessions, his recuperation from a battle wound, his character (what there is of it) transformation, his training of others, and his rejection of the one who might have (at one point) been his potential love.
I am curious about Warhammer 40K because we are playing a role-playing game in that world in my RPG group. So, I struggled through this novel and will probably read the next.
However, it was not one of my preferred experiences. Ironically, though, there was one quotation I enjoyed on the same page where Thorpe began describing an intriguing weapon. The quotation read: “’Numbers are no tactic, to be hurled like bullets, a limitless supply,’ the exarch continued. ‘They render death pointless, each life a statistic, that no one is counting. They use the hammer, to smash at formless fog, to destroy only air.’” (p. 362)
The concept was weapons which threw psychic impressions into the midst of the enemy as distractions and instigators of chaos. More than sounds and holograms, these fire-breathing monstrosities impressed themselves enough for the enemies to open fire on them within their own ranks. Between that and the description of the Cobra tank opening a rift in the warp to suck enemies through, I gained a better conceptualization of the aeldari weapons within the intellectual property.
I realize I’m in the minority on this, but I had to work diligently to get through this.
November 27, 2017
Path of the Warrior is not a bad novel, but I was torn about whether or not to give it 2 or 3 stars. In the end, I went for 3 stars because I did enjoy reading it, but I would caution that this is due to my overriding love for and interest in the Eldar race rather than anything in the quality of writing in this book.
The writing is mostly ok, though it is positively woeful in parts. Thorpe tries to give an insight into the Eldar psyche and this is semi-successful. When describing the protagonist, Kolandril’s, progression on the “Path” this seems to make sense and is shown well overall, but individual episodes of emotion or motivation and psychology are poorly and unconvincingly rendered, and the dialogue is – though, sadly, expected in genre novels of this sort – wooden and does not ring true. I refuse to accept that it has to be this way – many historical novels, whilst most certainly not being fine literature, do manage to impart magnificent psychological portraits of their subjects and cracking dialogue, too.
The story arc is very poor indeed, and remains in essence a let-down. The whole plot-line feels grossly truncated (a lot of momentous events are crammed into a very short time frame) and not given the status they deserve. The invasion (yes invasion!) of Altaioc is given the most perfunctory treatment, and never builds up any tension or feeling of momentousness – though this is surely an event that, to the Eldar, would be as important as the invasion of Terra would be to the Imperium (not to mention that the lore is disregarded in the tactics and battle methodology employed by the humans/astartes – surely a surgical strike of Space Marines would start the battle followed up by Guardsmen, rather than the other way around?).
Overall, as said, I did enjoy this book – but with the caveat that I would only recommend it for people very interested in Eldar society, and caution them against high expectations.
The writing is mostly ok, though it is positively woeful in parts. Thorpe tries to give an insight into the Eldar psyche and this is semi-successful. When describing the protagonist, Kolandril’s, progression on the “Path” this seems to make sense and is shown well overall, but individual episodes of emotion or motivation and psychology are poorly and unconvincingly rendered, and the dialogue is – though, sadly, expected in genre novels of this sort – wooden and does not ring true. I refuse to accept that it has to be this way – many historical novels, whilst most certainly not being fine literature, do manage to impart magnificent psychological portraits of their subjects and cracking dialogue, too.
The story arc is very poor indeed, and remains in essence a let-down. The whole plot-line feels grossly truncated (a lot of momentous events are crammed into a very short time frame) and not given the status they deserve. The invasion (yes invasion!) of Altaioc is given the most perfunctory treatment, and never builds up any tension or feeling of momentousness – though this is surely an event that, to the Eldar, would be as important as the invasion of Terra would be to the Imperium (not to mention that the lore is disregarded in the tactics and battle methodology employed by the humans/astartes – surely a surgical strike of Space Marines would start the battle followed up by Guardsmen, rather than the other way around?).
Overall, as said, I did enjoy this book – but with the caveat that I would only recommend it for people very interested in Eldar society, and caution them against high expectations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2021
This book worked much better for me as a lore dump than it did as a novel. Thorpe's writing is very effective at painting a scene of the Eldar's daily life and rituals, with lots of history and detail. As someone new to Warhammer with an interest in the Eldar, I feel like I learned a lot, and it made me want to know even more about the other Craftworlds and how they differ.
In terms of plot and character, though, Path of the Warrior lacks coherency and structure. Initially I found Korlandril hilariously charming, and I was looking forward to seeing how the titular Path of the Warrior would mold him. By the end I didn't feel his journey was all that convincing, with long stretches of time glossed over in montage, and many pivotal moments seemingly thrust upon him. If told in summary (as in a codex entry) it makes plenty of sense and even sounds compelling, but in execution, it left me unsatisfied.
The plot itself contributes to this; there doesn't seem to be any particular thread through the events, other than the fact that Korlandril is there for all of them. Battles spring up with very little thought or care to their greater context, and then end without fanfare. The enemies don't have names or personalities assigned to them, and only the barest motives, and Korlandril goes up against three different armies that have nothing to do with each other. There was a very obvious possible connection between the last two battles that no character makes mention of (I guess we won't find out until book three why anything happened, if at all). And because this book ends rather abruptly, it feels like the whole lacks structure, with very little in the way of setup and payoff.
Like other reviewers have said, if you're interested in the Eldar, this is a great way to absorb the lore in a more intimate form than wiki articles, but falls short in most other areas.
In terms of plot and character, though, Path of the Warrior lacks coherency and structure. Initially I found Korlandril hilariously charming, and I was looking forward to seeing how the titular Path of the Warrior would mold him. By the end I didn't feel his journey was all that convincing, with long stretches of time glossed over in montage, and many pivotal moments seemingly thrust upon him. If told in summary (as in a codex entry) it makes plenty of sense and even sounds compelling, but in execution, it left me unsatisfied.
The plot itself contributes to this; there doesn't seem to be any particular thread through the events, other than the fact that Korlandril is there for all of them. Battles spring up with very little thought or care to their greater context, and then end without fanfare. The enemies don't have names or personalities assigned to them, and only the barest motives, and Korlandril goes up against three different armies that have nothing to do with each other. There was a very obvious possible connection between the last two battles that no character makes mention of (I guess we won't find out until book three why anything happened, if at all). And because this book ends rather abruptly, it feels like the whole lacks structure, with very little in the way of setup and payoff.
Like other reviewers have said, if you're interested in the Eldar, this is a great way to absorb the lore in a more intimate form than wiki articles, but falls short in most other areas.
June 18, 2019
Overall I'd say this was a net positive, considering this was my first eldar POV novel I've tried out in the 40K universe.
We follow the life of Korlandril during a difficult period of time. He has an interest in a friend of his, but he hasn't said anything about it, then the return of another friend of theirs from a long-distance journey upsets the balance of their friendship. Korlandril has a harder and harder time accepting everything, and he feels the touch of Khaine on his soul until he's pushed to becoming a warrior.
The first third of this book is by far the best - it's like an introspective eldar Tolstoy novel. And I especially loved seeing the way that eldar are so nonjudgmental about things. Like, 'Oh, I'm feeling jealousy over something I shouldn't.' 'Hmmm, maybe you should become a warrior.' They felt very unique because of this.
The second third of the book is also fairly interesting, and doesn't fall too far into the trope of 'person learning to become a warrior.' Because Korlandril's eldar, his training is very different than what most fantasy/sf books would offer.
Then in the third (& final) section, Korlandril is replaced by a different character for plot reasons, and I really lost all interest. Especially knowing that the big fight that encompasses the majority of the climax would be covered more in the sequels, it was a big 'meh, who cares.' But still, as a whole, the book was very enjoyable and I look forward to following the path of the seer next.
We follow the life of Korlandril during a difficult period of time. He has an interest in a friend of his, but he hasn't said anything about it, then the return of another friend of theirs from a long-distance journey upsets the balance of their friendship. Korlandril has a harder and harder time accepting everything, and he feels the touch of Khaine on his soul until he's pushed to becoming a warrior.
The first third of this book is by far the best - it's like an introspective eldar Tolstoy novel. And I especially loved seeing the way that eldar are so nonjudgmental about things. Like, 'Oh, I'm feeling jealousy over something I shouldn't.' 'Hmmm, maybe you should become a warrior.' They felt very unique because of this.
The second third of the book is also fairly interesting, and doesn't fall too far into the trope of 'person learning to become a warrior.' Because Korlandril's eldar, his training is very different than what most fantasy/sf books would offer.
Then in the third (& final) section, Korlandril is replaced by a different character for plot reasons, and I really lost all interest. Especially knowing that the big fight that encompasses the majority of the climax would be covered more in the sequels, it was a big 'meh, who cares.' But still, as a whole, the book was very enjoyable and I look forward to following the path of the seer next.
May 9, 2022
Probably one of my favorite 40k books I've read because of how unconventional it is. The start of the novels contains a lot of "elf-talk", tilting to the edge of melodrama. Eldar conversations are long-winded and arguably pretentious, but through the slow burn of the novel (especially for 40k standards) Thorpe really does develop a genuinely tragic story.
Korolandril is that stupid art kid in school who doesn't know how to take criticism. He starts out as a whiny child and slowly loses himself through a process of militaristic / spiritualistic de-individuation. There's a greater emphasis on his character development and the eldar drama than usual, the three action scenes in the novel being incredibly short and rather average. But they're used to serve the core characters rather than vice-versa. A trap that many action novella fall into.
The only major criticism in regards to the characters is near the end where the writing tries hard at subverting expectations to create tragedy, writing a comedy instead. To have a character say "I just want to kill some time!", wonder why everyone is staring at him funny and recollect that he actually said "I just want to kill something!" will not make the audience surprised. It will make them laugh. And I did just that.
I still love this novel, and I still got genuinely emotional. Its just not a novel for everyone.
Korolandril is that stupid art kid in school who doesn't know how to take criticism. He starts out as a whiny child and slowly loses himself through a process of militaristic / spiritualistic de-individuation. There's a greater emphasis on his character development and the eldar drama than usual, the three action scenes in the novel being incredibly short and rather average. But they're used to serve the core characters rather than vice-versa. A trap that many action novella fall into.
The only major criticism in regards to the characters is near the end where the writing tries hard at subverting expectations to create tragedy, writing a comedy instead. To have a character say "I just want to kill some time!", wonder why everyone is staring at him funny and recollect that he actually said "I just want to kill something!" will not make the audience surprised. It will make them laugh. And I did just that.
I still love this novel, and I still got genuinely emotional. Its just not a novel for everyone.
December 14, 2024
I was interested by the look this book gave into Eldar society, and I appreciate it's the first in a trilogy of books that all look at the same series of events from different points of view. However, it was a bit of a slog, and I don't think I'll be picking up the other two.
I found it incredibly hard to get past the grammatical choices for speech patterns of certain characters. There are a couple of characters in particular who speak always in three-phrase sentences that are split by commas, often incorrectly, and I find it makes what they say mushy and frankly boring.
Additionally, the main character starts off quite selfish, and literally goes off to join the army because he argues with his love interest. Then, later, he becomes a totally different character who goes through an incredible rise to power. By the end, we're following the same person (sort of) via head-hopping, and as a result it's hard to say that the main character's story has truly had any sort of arc. Some very odd choices.
I found it incredibly hard to get past the grammatical choices for speech patterns of certain characters. There are a couple of characters in particular who speak always in three-phrase sentences that are split by commas, often incorrectly, and I find it makes what they say mushy and frankly boring.
Additionally, the main character starts off quite selfish, and literally goes off to join the army because he argues with his love interest. Then, later, he becomes a totally different character who goes through an incredible rise to power. By the end, we're following the same person (sort of) via head-hopping, and as a result it's hard to say that the main character's story has truly had any sort of arc. Some very odd choices.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2022
While I'm not a complete Warhammer nerd I did play and collect the models in school (as to my parents horror when it came to financing the hobby), and ultimately got into the White Dwarf comics that got me both into drawing and into the awesome carefree action of the orks.
My reading into other Warhammer books is definitely limited - but I found it really difficult to get into the stuffy biblical space marine and related stories from Horus Heresy and the like.
The other book series available at my library were the Path of the Eldar books which I tried, hoping for more story and less lore (crazy I know) - and I was pleasantly surprised with how it read!
Highly suspenseful opener that carried me into the thick of the narrative, I read this one rather quickly. Again I can't judge this from a lore perspective, I never really looked much past orks anyway, but from purely a readability standpoint, this book was really good.
5/5 stars based on how much I enjoyed reading it :)
My reading into other Warhammer books is definitely limited - but I found it really difficult to get into the stuffy biblical space marine and related stories from Horus Heresy and the like.
The other book series available at my library were the Path of the Eldar books which I tried, hoping for more story and less lore (crazy I know) - and I was pleasantly surprised with how it read!
Highly suspenseful opener that carried me into the thick of the narrative, I read this one rather quickly. Again I can't judge this from a lore perspective, I never really looked much past orks anyway, but from purely a readability standpoint, this book was really good.
5/5 stars based on how much I enjoyed reading it :)
September 7, 2024
First part: 5/5
Second part: 4/5
Third part: 2/5
The book was well and expressively written and really takes you on a journey into the culture of the craftworld eldar, which was amazing.
But the entire book is being dragged down by the third part.
There was no storyline that guided me, told me where it was heading, leaving the story without a goal that we'd be reading towards.
All of the sudden the imperium just attacks the craftworld, without a reason as to why, to what goal and to what purpose.
At least it was never mentioned.
Then the space marines just waltz in, with the eldar being portrayed as weak and easily defeatable.
The protagonist is doing almost nothing, practically being a spectator in the whole war, and even the, oh so mighty, phoenix lords being killed of like they were on a guardsmen level.
But the worst part of it all was:
The book just abruptly ends. Just like that. In an absolutely unsatisfying way.
Second part: 4/5
Third part: 2/5
The book was well and expressively written and really takes you on a journey into the culture of the craftworld eldar, which was amazing.
But the entire book is being dragged down by the third part.
There was no storyline that guided me, told me where it was heading, leaving the story without a goal that we'd be reading towards.
All of the sudden the imperium just attacks the craftworld, without a reason as to why, to what goal and to what purpose.
At least it was never mentioned.
Then the space marines just waltz in, with the eldar being portrayed as weak and easily defeatable.
The protagonist is doing almost nothing, practically being a spectator in the whole war, and even the, oh so mighty, phoenix lords being killed of like they were on a guardsmen level.
But the worst part of it all was:
The book just abruptly ends. Just like that. In an absolutely unsatisfying way.
December 31, 2020
Normally I'm pretty hard on books based on existing priorities. So much of the heavy lifting is done by the intellectual property itself and not by the author themselves. But dang, this book was metal.
I got into Warhammer 40k in the first half of the pandemic, bought an Eldar army and started painting. So, to complete the emotional connection to my work, I decided to read this novel.
Honestly, I don't know if it can be judged as a book, I just don't. I'm already too invested in the content to tell if the author did a good job. But in terms of crafting scenes and evoking the feelings of the Eldar Crafworlds, stirring emotions, and filling my mind with kickass spectacle, this book delivered.
I got into Warhammer 40k in the first half of the pandemic, bought an Eldar army and started painting. So, to complete the emotional connection to my work, I decided to read this novel.
Honestly, I don't know if it can be judged as a book, I just don't. I'm already too invested in the content to tell if the author did a good job. But in terms of crafting scenes and evoking the feelings of the Eldar Crafworlds, stirring emotions, and filling my mind with kickass spectacle, this book delivered.
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