Deathwatch: Swordwind

Warhammer 40,000

by Ian St. Martin

Oaths of brotherhood and loyalty are never lightly undertaken, but what happens when such oaths conflict with each other? Returning from a period of service in the Deathwatch, Battle-brother Adoni returns to his Chapter, the Mortifactors. With him he carries two sacred burdens, but is unable to explain to his peers how he came by them, as he must honour his oaths of secrecy to the Inquisition. And so is set in motion a tragic ​chain of events that can only be resolved by desperate conflict against an ancient and deadly foe.

Read it because
We've seen lots of tales of the Deathwatch, but not too much about what happens when a veteran returns to his Chapter with secrets he cannot reveal... it's a fascinating look at the aftermath of working for the Inquisition.

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction, 40k

20 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 17, 2016

Reviews

[Dylan Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very solid short story with an amazing blend of action, culture, and personality bleeding from every page. I have always been interested in the Mortifactor chapter, and by the gods I really hope Ian St. Martin pitches a full length story for them at some point!
Only thing I didn't like was that it ended!

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but compact, very well-written story pitting the Mortifactors against craftworld Eldar. Skilfully-written beyond the mere bolter-porn. I will be keeping my eye on Ian St. Martin‘s next tales of the 41st millennium.

[Michael Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Day three of Black Library’s 2016 Summer of Reading sees Ian St. Martin tackle the Deathwatch again after City of Ruin with Deathwatch: Swordwind. Adoni of the Mortifactors returns to his Chapter’s fortress monastery at the conclusion of his secondment to the Deathwatch, oathbound to not speak of his experiences but bearing with him a chapter relic. As he rejoins his brothers he recalls the fateful mission where he fought alongside a hero of his Chapter against the eldar of Biel Tan, a battle which will have a profound impact on his Chapter.

Read the rest of the review at https://trackofwords.wordpress.com/20...

[Chris Dennison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. I haven't read anything by this author before so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. I will be looking out for more from St Martin in the future.