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The Wicked and the Warped
- Genres40k
425 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2026
About the author
Robert Rath
30 books257 followersRobert Rath is an author and screenwriter from Honolulu, Hawai'i.
As an author, he's known for working with the publisher Black Library, writing fiction set in the worlds of Warhammer. His work for them includes the necrons novel THE INFINITE AND THE DIVINE, the assassins novel ASSASSINORUM: KINGMAKER, the war epic THE FALL OF CADIA and numerous short stories.
Since 2018 he's served as Head Writer of the animated YouTube show Extra History, where his scripts have attracted over 200 million views
He lives in Hong Kong with his family, amid and a growing pile of models he *swears* are for research.
As an author, he's known for working with the publisher Black Library, writing fiction set in the worlds of Warhammer. His work for them includes the necrons novel THE INFINITE AND THE DIVINE, the assassins novel ASSASSINORUM: KINGMAKER, the war epic THE FALL OF CADIA and numerous short stories.
Since 2018 he's served as Head Writer of the animated YouTube show Extra History, where his scripts have attracted over 200 million views
He lives in Hong Kong with his family, amid and a growing pile of models he *swears* are for research.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 15, 2026
*as always with new books, this will be spoiler free*
oh robert rath, you legend you. at what point do we collectively agree to put mr. rath on the rushmore of the best 40k authors? because he’s kiiiiilling it.
now i have to be honest, i always get nervous when it comes to the ‘sequel book’ when reading 40k. cause let’s be honest… they’re usually quite hit or miss.. with a vast majority of them falling into the miss category.. HOWEVER!
THIS WAS AWESOME.
where do i begin.
i guess first and foremost, the plot itself is absolutely incredible. it takes you on one hell of ride from beginning to end. we hit the ground running and it doesn’t stop! there will be times you think the story will do one thing, and mr. rath will take you the other way & leave you in complete awe. i don’t want to mention to much about the plot, since it’s a brand new book but all i’ll say is you’ll love it.
most important to the story, is we are finally reunited with our favourite bromance, trazyn and orkian! they are FANTASTIC (as always). the way these opposites compliment each other is such a treat. i could read novels upon novels of just them talking/arguing/denying they’re bffls.
also the tone of this book, paired with its pacing is 11/10. you’ll go from literally laughing out loud, to having a mild panic attack and everything in between. robert rath has mastered his art, and you can see it here.
another thing is the book is also surprisingly philosophical. there a certain quotes that a dropped that will genuinely have you re-reading them, writing them down, and make you look at life in a different way. it’s one thing i’ve loved about all necron books to be honest, these soulless ‘robot skeletons’ always have the most human-introspective books.
this was awesome. i can’t recommend it enough. it was totally worth the wait and im already excited for (hopefully) a third book!!
on a total side note, i would love to see robert rath take on a horror book. there is a beautifully ironic relationship between comedy and horror, and considering robert has mastered comedy - it’d be super interesting to see him take on some 40k
horror.
ANYWAYS. GO BUY THIS. BUY IT TWICE. YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED
oh robert rath, you legend you. at what point do we collectively agree to put mr. rath on the rushmore of the best 40k authors? because he’s kiiiiilling it.
now i have to be honest, i always get nervous when it comes to the ‘sequel book’ when reading 40k. cause let’s be honest… they’re usually quite hit or miss.. with a vast majority of them falling into the miss category.. HOWEVER!
THIS WAS AWESOME.
where do i begin.
i guess first and foremost, the plot itself is absolutely incredible. it takes you on one hell of ride from beginning to end. we hit the ground running and it doesn’t stop! there will be times you think the story will do one thing, and mr. rath will take you the other way & leave you in complete awe. i don’t want to mention to much about the plot, since it’s a brand new book but all i’ll say is you’ll love it.
most important to the story, is we are finally reunited with our favourite bromance, trazyn and orkian! they are FANTASTIC (as always). the way these opposites compliment each other is such a treat. i could read novels upon novels of just them talking/arguing/denying they’re bffls.
also the tone of this book, paired with its pacing is 11/10. you’ll go from literally laughing out loud, to having a mild panic attack and everything in between. robert rath has mastered his art, and you can see it here.
another thing is the book is also surprisingly philosophical. there a certain quotes that a dropped that will genuinely have you re-reading them, writing them down, and make you look at life in a different way. it’s one thing i’ve loved about all necron books to be honest, these soulless ‘robot skeletons’ always have the most human-introspective books.
this was awesome. i can’t recommend it enough. it was totally worth the wait and im already excited for (hopefully) a third book!!
on a total side note, i would love to see robert rath take on a horror book. there is a beautifully ironic relationship between comedy and horror, and considering robert has mastered comedy - it’d be super interesting to see him take on some 40k
horror.
ANYWAYS. GO BUY THIS. BUY IT TWICE. YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED
August 17, 2026
ROBERT RATH YOU’VE DONE IT AGAIN! I didn’t think it was possible to top the Infinite and the Divine, but it is! I love these (canonically!) divorced necrons.
August 16, 2026
This book is absolutely excellent. The Infinite and the Divine is one of the best Black Library books, and Robert Rath has outdone himself with The Wicked and the Warped. I had a difficult time putting this one down. He manages to keep the rivalry between our two man characters engaging and developing them without it feeling like a reskin and repeat of The Infinite and the Divine. The plot has a lot of twists and turns and Rath brings the storyline to a close in a familiar place.
I’d highly recommend this book, and it instantly made it to my top 5 BL books of all time.
The epilogue suggests there will be a third installment, which I certainly trust Rath with.
I’d highly recommend this book, and it instantly made it to my top 5 BL books of all time.
The epilogue suggests there will be a third installment, which I certainly trust Rath with.
August 17, 2026
An absolutely fantastic sequel and just as emotional, frantic, and funny as the first. I can’t wait to see where some of the threads spun in this story lead for the greater 40K universe and to read whatever Robert Rath writes next.
August 17, 2026
He does it again.
Rob Rath tears back into action with The Wicked and the Warped. It is an intensely daunting task to pull off a sequel to one of the most highly regarded of BL books, and yet he manages it. It is eminently readable, a book that practically leaps from scene to scene. A sharply pointed novel that bounds along. Some beautiful metaphysics, gratuitous gallery reveals, and a core friendship/rivalry for the ages.
I'm so glad to have the robot grandpas back.
Rob Rath tears back into action with The Wicked and the Warped. It is an intensely daunting task to pull off a sequel to one of the most highly regarded of BL books, and yet he manages it. It is eminently readable, a book that practically leaps from scene to scene. A sharply pointed novel that bounds along. Some beautiful metaphysics, gratuitous gallery reveals, and a core friendship/rivalry for the ages.
I'm so glad to have the robot grandpas back.
August 17, 2026
Anticipated sequel to a masterpiece, that is beautiful in its own way.
The Infinite and the Divine felt like a finished work, wrapping up all the setups and collections that appeared in the book at the end.
The Wicked and the Warped expands it, delving into the relationship, mental state, trauma, and growth of the beloved duo.
If you are a fan of Trazyn and Orikan, or Necrons, or Warhammer 40,000, try this book.
The Infinite and the Divine felt like a finished work, wrapping up all the setups and collections that appeared in the book at the end.
The Wicked and the Warped expands it, delving into the relationship, mental state, trauma, and growth of the beloved duo.
If you are a fan of Trazyn and Orikan, or Necrons, or Warhammer 40,000, try this book.
August 18, 2026
Superb.
It's not that I doubted that the book would be good, because I was pretty sure it would be, but The Infinite and the Divine set the bar so high for me that I felt like it would be pretty hard to match or top that. But it absolutely did.
It's not that I doubted that the book would be good, because I was pretty sure it would be, but The Infinite and the Divine set the bar so high for me that I felt like it would be pretty hard to match or top that. But it absolutely did.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews