Faith & Fire

Sisters of Battle #1

by James Swallow

In the grim nightmare future of the 41st millennium, the witch-hunting zealots of the the Sisters of Battle stand between humanity and damnation. From the elite Seraphim warriors to the berserk Sisters Repentia, they are the strong arm of the Ecclesiarchy and the brutal hammer of witches. When dangerous psychic heretic Torris Vaun escapes from her custody, Seraphim Miriya is disgraced in the eyes of her fellow sisters and superiors. Following Vaun's trail to the planet Neva, Miriya takes her sisters in pursuit and, along with Hospitalier Sister Verity, starts her investigations. When they uncover a terrifying plot that could threaten the future of the Imperium, is Miriya's and Verity's faith strong enough for them to triumph?

Read it because
In the grim nightmare future of the 41st millennium, the witch-hunting zealots of the the Sisters of Battle stand between humanity and damnation.

Genres: Science Fiction, 40k, Fiction, Fantasy, Audiobook, Space Opera, Dystopia

347 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 28, 2006

About the author

James Swallow is a New York Times, Sunday Times and Amazon #1 bestselling author and scriptwriter, a BAFTA nominee, a former journalist and the award-winning writer of over sixty-five books, along with scripts for video games, comics, radio and television.

DARK HORIZON, his latest stand-alone thriller, is out now from Mountain Leopard Press, and OUTLAW, the 6th action-packed Marc Dane novel, is published by Bonnier.

Along with the Marc Dane thrillers, his writing includes, the Sundowners steampunk Westerns and fiction from the worlds of Star Trek, Tom Clancy, 24, Warhammer 40000, Doctor Who, Deus Ex, Stargate, 2000AD and many more.

For information on new releases & more, sign up to the Readers’ Club here: www.bit.ly/JamesSwallow

Visit James's website at http://www.jswallow.com/ for more, including ROUGH AIR, a free eBook novella in the Marc Dane series.

You can also follow James on Bluesky at @jmswallow.bsky.social, Twitter at @jmswallow, Mastodon at @jmswallow@mstdn.social and jmswallow.tumblr.com at Tumblr.

Reviews

[Vee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I'm the only one who couldn't stomach this book? I have to admit I did a little squee dance when I found out they finally wrote about the Sororitas. However, when I sat down and read it, I almost tore the book in half. Luckily I restrained myself and promptly returned it back to the library.

My issue is that it read like a gothic romance novel where the female characters (basically all of them) were wooden dolls voiced by men. I do understand the background of the Sororitas and understand the religious zealotry by which their squad lives. I just wish it was better portrayed in the characters. Maybe to see some humanity would work as well. Despite their zealotry, they are also human, with human flaws and human strengths.

The plot itself was good and the action was the only saving grace of this novel. Maybe I'm spoiled by Dan Abnett and the other well written writers of the Black Library but this book was not up to par with the current standards of the Library and the standards of epically good science fiction.

Overall this story served it's purpose of pleasing the fandom. It just needed an overhaul on the characters and bringing something we didn't know about the Sororitas to the surface. In a nutshell, read the codex and make up your own stories about the Sororitas. They are bound to better.

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. If you are a fan of 40K, particularly of the Sisters of Battle, then you should find it an enjoyable read. If you didn't understand that last sentence, then stay away from this book. You're going to be confused. I'm a sucker for the Sisters of Battle "fluff", and so I am the target audience for the book.

A lot of people have criticized this book. It had its problems, but nothing detracted from the entertainment value. Sure, the plot is predictable and the characters a little bit lacking in depth. The story lulled in spots. But overall it was just great fun and met all my expectations.

[David Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This could go easily to 4 1/2 stars, if not 5. But whatever the rating I enjoyed this book a lot. I read it in paperback form, which is a big deal to me, as I have been a Kindle junkie for over 5 years now. But I picked up this book for less than $5 and it was worth it to me to read it in PB.

Lots of good ole sci-fi action with these Battle Sisters. A great plot and a pretty darn good evil cold-hearted villain (with a mysterious backstory that fits into the plot). These Sisters are devout, determined, and Tough-As-Nails. Great characters.

I will for sure read the 2nd Battle Sisters book written by this author: . I will also be on the hunt for anymore Black Library books featuring the Warrior Nuns.

[Myke Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not as convoluted and dense as your typical 40K books. I read this because it sounded interesting and hadn't been into 40K or Games Workshop for several years, and it was easy to pick up and get involved in. However, I will say that a lot of these female characters (most of the characters are women, but a few men were tossed in for all you worrisome neckbeards out there) spoke like men, maybe because the author was, of course, a man, but as someone who associates with and is aware of all sorts of people--including women--I found it hard stomach a lot of the conversations in this. Great action, and great way to advertise all the toys miniatures for 40K.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily a 4.5

I haven't read too many books in the Warhammer 40k setting, but I really enjoyed this novel. I bought this quite a few years ago and just now got around to checking it out, apparently it's rather rare at this point, which is a shame, because it's a great novel. The one caveat to reading this that might be a downside is that in the middle of reading this I felt compelled to read Codex Sisters of Battle, which is the rules supplement for the game. The main thing was that I didn't feel very well versed in the mechanics and history of the Adeptas Sororitas, so to give the novel a little bit more meaning, I read a codex. I tried to choose a codex that was written near the publication of the novel, because by today (2023) the Sisters have changed a little bit. I think their lore might have had some retcon-ing as well over the years. Either way, knowing a bit more depth and history did add to my enjoyment of the novel, so if you have the ability to read this and read a codex, I highly recommend.

I think I've run into other books by James Swallow, but I'm drawing a blank on whether I just own them or if I've read them. This might be my first book by this author and reading this makes me look forward to reading other books by him in the future. He does an excellent job representing the Warhammer 40k universe in all its gritty and grim atmosphere. A future broken under the will of the Imperium as mankind struggles against its own institutions as well as actual enemies from within and without.

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this novel, but this story takes a deep dive into the realms of witches and the witch hunters. From there we will be brought to the deepest corruptions within the priesthood and it is up to the devout sisters to hunt the witches and bring them to justice (or die trying). The story begins with a prisoner transfer overseen by the battle sisters, unfortunately the prisoner is a rather powerful psyker, Vaun, and somehow manages to escape. This gets the ball rolling and the hunt is on! The Sisters track the rogue psyker back to his home planet of Neva, where the head Deacon, LaHayn, in charge of the planet takes on some very curious request considering the rogue psyker. He wants him alive and amidst the chaos sowed by Vaun the Deacon starts making power plays to take ever more control of the planet and its holdings. This makes the Battle Sisters contingent pursuing Vaun somewhat suspicious of his actions, however, they are compelled to follow orders and so they carry out LaHayn's orders.

Vaun manages to escape from the main city and turn another city to his will. This forces LaHayn to issue orders to hunt down Vaun and take down the command structure of the city. The Sister in charge of the force, Galatea, sends all her troops to war to take down the heretics. This whole sequence is true to form of the game and everything we expect to see in a 40k novel at some point. I love how Swallow wove it into the overarching story and gave more of a reason for fighting such a pitched battle.

During this battle our real main characters of the story really come to light. Sisters, Verity, Miriya, Cassandra, and Isabel manage to track down the witch and are in hot pursuit as he tries to escape to some secret place on the planet. Verity is an important component in this story because she is a Hospitaller, not really a Sister of Battle, since she is basically part of the medical unit not combat. Anyway, the sisters technically disobey Galatea's orders to hunt down the mysteries and possible heresy of LaHayn in a secret installation called Null Keep. In Null Keep our intrepid heroes will have their faith tested and their wills nearly broken. LaHayn's heresy is nothing what I was expecting and it makes for an incredible story!

There was really only one moment that seemed unbelievable, in the sense that it seemed out of character. At one point the Battle Sisters are captured, but their captor doesn't remove their power armor. They do mention that they were surprised they weren't stripped naked, and I am too. Leaving the Battle Sisters to have access to their power armor was odd and the only time the story didn't make much sense, but they really did need their Power Armor to complete the next leg of the story, which was excellent... so, I'll allow it.

If you're a fan of 40k and a fan of the Battle Sisters, this will be a very enjoyable read. It's action packed with enough depth and mystery to make it not seem like a shallow novel about war. There is a sequel to this novel Hammer and Anvil, also by James Swallow, and I look forward to reading that in the near future as well.

[Tanner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit predictable towards the end, which nearly made it a chore to finally finish. However, I still recommend it for any Adepta Sororitas fan. It had elements of espionage akin to Abett’s XENOS, but without the stench of Chaos, which was an interesting component. The author did a good job at building political conflict and pitting humanity against itself, forcing me to question who the baddies really are (a classic, yet exceptionally well executed, 40k trope here). The Sisters of Repentia make an appearance that was really cool. Below is my favorite excerpt from the story, describing this band of disgraced sisters as they approach a rocked “Salamander” tank (not to be confused with the Astartes chapter), ready to greet the driver with their Eviscerator swords.


“THE HATCH WAS twisted on its mounts, so it took the driver four attempts to kick the thing open. His limbs were trembling and he couldn't see very well, so touch and a little sight were all he really had to go on. The missile salvos had rocked the Salamander like a dinghy in a storm, and along the way he had planted his head on the metal walls a half-dozen times. He was deaf now. There was nothing but a curious squealing going on inside his skull. Just to make sure he could still speak, the driver let out a couple of curses worthy of a day in the stockade, and picked his way out past the wet paste of remains that was all that was left of his crewmates.
The broken hatch let him out close to the churned dark mud and he scrambled wildly, adding more streaks of soil to the rust-brown, red and oil-black coating the busy heraldry of his cavalryman's uni-form. He had lost his stubber pistol somewhere inside the upturned tank, and after finally rolling down a little incline, he came to rest face up.
When the man wiped the blood from his eyes, he saw the circle of women about him, and cried out.
They all wore death's head hoods the colour of new blood and were dressed in rags. One of them leaned down to examine him, as a child might consider an insect beneath a magnifying glass.
'Puh-please, the driver managed to spit out.
'Emperor, please. I am no heretic!'
The woman's lips moved and he struggled to understand what she was saying to him. Finally, the hooded female snatched his hand and pressed it flat to her bare chest so he could feel the vibration as she spoke. He struggled in her grip as he realised she was not speaking, but singing.
'A morte perpetua, domine, libra nos, intoned Sister lona. That thou wouldst bring them only death, that thou shouldst spare none, that thou shouldst pardon none'
He saw the glitter of the eviscerator chainsword as she raised it, and then his body lit with pain as she used it to sever the hand pressed to her torso. The driver reeled away and screamed as the rest of the Repentia brought down their blades and cut him apart.”

[Aaron Denis · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a decent Warhammer story. Battle sister are fun to follow. Psykers being the main antagonistic force was interesting. Overall fine

[Stefan Koepeknie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pagan idolatry surrounding the God Emperor of Mankind from the Adeptus Ministorum makes Lorgar and his Word Bearers seem like agnostics.

[Nathaniel R. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I believe a flowery style of writing was chosen to reflect the piety and faith of the cast, and the overall theme. But I don't believe this style was a good choice and really bogged down my ability to read this novel. It would have been a DNF if I was not stubborn. Personally, I don't think I would have missed much.

[Damian Luenemann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has nothing to say about the human condition, but space nuns weild flame throwers and kill heretics for the God emperor of man. So honestly, pretty dope.

[Ted Henkle · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the more popular factions among Warhammer 40K players, but sporadically supported by Games Workshop, are the Adepta Sororitas (a.k.a. Sisters of Battle), the actual military arm of the Ecclesiarchy.

I stumbled across a copy of Faith and Fire at Half Price Books.

Fire certainly comes into play throughout the novel. The Sisters of Battle believe that the only good witch/mutant/heretic/traitor is one who's not only dead, but burnt to a crisp. Meanwhile, their psyker enemies often retaliate with "witch fire." So in just about every combat scene there's flames, screaming, smoke and burnt-flesh odors.

The story itself revolves around Miriya, a Celestian, and Hospitaller Verity, in their attempt to recapture renegade psyker Torris Vaun. During their investigation, and the battles they're swept-up in, they uncover a plot by deluded Deacon Viktor LaHayn to restart an Artifact Of Death hoping to revive the comatose God-Emperor of Mankind.

Their Odd Couple partnership resembles the Cop And Scientist team-ups from Holmes & Watson to Scully & Mulder.

I found Faith & Fire to be a predictable, but entertaining story and give it a 3-star rating. The finale has an element of Deus Ex Machina to it. However, this can be justified, since the story revolves around the characters' religious zealotry for the God-Emperor.

Readers generally liked Faith & Fire, which has a 3.5-star rating on both Amazon.com and Goodreads. Warhammer 40K fans either loved it, or hated it. The fans who disliked the book thought the characters were wooden, flat, unremarkable and even unlikable, along with sounding more like men, than women.

I didn't pay attention to these valid observations, because the characters are members of Imperium's Church Militant. Their lives revolve around prayers, singing hymns, and incinerating the enemies of the God-Emperor. This doesn't leave much room for deep character development, or more feminine pursuits, beyond religious fervor.

Faith & Fire does follow the standard story lines of the Warhammer 40K 'verse--

--The heroes demonstrate insight and initiative.
--Which in turn, causes them to run-afoul of their dogmatic superiors.
--The agency the heroes are members of have a hidden agenda.
--Which in turn, runs afoul of one or more other agencies operating on their own agendas.
--There's a conspiracy afoot to take over a planet/star system/quadrant/the entire Imperium.

Despite these standard tropes, I still liked Faith & Fire enough to start reading the sequel, Hammer & Anvil, right off the bat.

[AmbroseKalifornia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rare non-omnibus 40k book for me, but I'm a big fan of the Sisters of Battle, and this is the only book out there. I've read James Swallow's Blood Angels omnibus,and wasn't terribly impressed, so I went in to this one with lowered expectations, and was pleasantly surprised. The Sister are depicted as more human than the Adeptus Astartes, but still powerful in their own right, and the author manages to cram in a good deal of witch-purging. Good combat, if you're familiar with all of the 40k terminology. If you don't know a Canoness from an Exorcist, you're pretty much screwed.

I give it a 3, but it's only recommended of you're already a fan of the Adeptus Sororitas. If so, Ave Imperator.

[Buzz Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the first to admit that I am a fanboy.

I loved this work. As with anything well done in the WH40K universe it is richly textured and I found myself strangely drawn to the passion of these warrior nuns, the Sororitas Adeptus. Strangely as is "this is so hot, and I shouldn't be thinking this...." Fanboy. Sorry.

It is very well written and the plot is quite good, and the wide variety of characters are distictve therefore easy to follow and remember.

If all you want is high brow space opera and know nothing of the world of WH40K you can still read this. If you have read everything Warhammer this work doesn't bog you down with prior knowledge. Of all the books in this series this is by far my favorie.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an AWESOME book to introduce the Sisters of the 40K universe. We learn of unwavering faith and the costs that the sisters are willing to pay in service to both each other and the god emperor. If you are a Novice to the 40K universe of books this is great place to get started.

[Taddow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that this was great book about the Sisters of Battle. Especially in a genre dominated by the Imperial Guard and Space Marines.

[Chris The Lizard from Planet X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Warhammer 40,000: Faith & Fire by James Swallow

I came into Faith & Fire not as a lore-obsessed Warhammer 40K veteran but as someone who enjoys the universe at arm’s length—and, more importantly, as a fan of James Swallow’s writing. I’ve read a good chunk of his other work, so my expectations were less about ticking boxes on canon accuracy and more about whether he’d deliver the kind of emotional weight, character focus, and action pacing he’s usually good at. The short version? Faith & Fire absolutely feels like a James Swallow novel first—and a Warhammer book second—and for me, that’s a good thing.

The story follows the Adepta Sororitas, specifically Sister Miriya and the Order of Our Martyred Lady, as they respond to a brewing Chaos threat on the hive world of Van Horne. At face value, this is classic Warhammer territory: a city rotting from within, heretics in the shadows, and holy warriors preparing to cleanse the corruption with bolter fire and faith. If you’ve seen this setup before in 40K stories, that’s because you have—but Swallow uses it less as an excuse for nonstop combat and more as a backdrop to explore belief, doubt, and identity.

What stood out to me most is how human this book feels, despite being about warriors who are trained to be anything but. Sister Miriya isn’t written as a cardboard “faith machine”—she doubts herself, struggles with her sense of worth, and carries emotional scars from past failures. James Swallow has always been good at writing characters who feel internally conflicted, and that trademark is all over this book. You don’t need a lexicon of Warhammer terminology in your head to understand what Miriya is going through, and that made her an easy anchor for a more casual reader like me.

Sister Verity also deserves special mention. Her dynamic with Miriya adds a quietly emotional through-line to the novel—equal parts loyalty, tension, and unresolved trauma. Their relationship isn’t played for melodrama, but it’s strong enough that the quieter moments hold just as much weight as the battles. That’s something I’ve come to expect from Swallow’s work: even when the setting is massive and apocalyptic, the emotional conflicts are often small, personal, and cutting.

The pacing is another classic Swallow strength. The book moves quickly, but it doesn’t feel rushed. There’s enough time spent setting up the world and the threat that when things start to unravel, it actually feels earned. When the action hits, it’s brutal and vivid—bolters roar, bodies break, and Chaos is portrayed as appropriately grotesque—but it never turns into mindless noise. The violence has purpose and consequence, which is something I appreciate more than pure spectacle.

As someone who isn’t deep into Warhammer lore, I was also relieved that Faith & Fire never made me feel stupid. The book explains what it needs to through context instead of info-dumping, and while longtime fans will probably pick up more nuance, the story works just fine without knowing every faction banner by heart. If anything, it made me more interested in the Sisters of Battle as a concept, which says a lot for how effectively they’re portrayed here. They come across not just as religious zealots, but as disciplined warriors shaped—and sometimes warped—by their beliefs.

If I had one criticism, it’s that the overall plot isn’t particularly surprising. The novel’s strength is in how it tells the story, not necessarily in what story it tells. You can see certain twists coming well in advance, and some side characters feel like they exist mainly to fill roles rather than to leave a lasting impression. That said, when the emotional beats land, they land hard enough that I didn’t mind seeing a few familiar narrative shapes.

Compared to other James Swallow books I’ve read, Faith & Fire feels very much in line with his usual style: character-first storytelling wrapped in genre trappings, with emotional vulnerability tucked beneath armor and authority. If you like his work elsewhere, you’ll feel right at home here. And if you’re a more casual Warhammer fan who mainly shows up for a good sci-fi story rather than strict continuity worship, this is one of the better entry points into the universe.

In the end, Faith & Fire left me less dazzled by the setting and more invested in the people inside it—and that’s exactly why it worked for me. It’s intense, emotional, occasionally predictable, but always sincere. Not every Warhammer novel needs to be an encyclopedia of lore or a non-stop firefight. Sometimes, it’s enough to tell a story about belief under pressure and the price of carrying faith like a weapon.

Verdict: A strong, character-driven Warhammer novel that plays to James Swallow’s strengths. More emotional than epic, more personal than cosmic—and all the better for it.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters are honestly the highlight of this book.

Everyone, even background characters that appear just to die, is brilliant. They’re passionate bordering on fanatic, truly disgusting and lacking morals, compassionate in the weirdest ways, and everything the 40k universe is known for rolled into distinct little stereotypical packages. And the stereotypes are fun! Yes, villains are ridiculously one-dimensional, and most of the SoB can be summed up as ‘angry’, but they’re well written and the dialogue is fun. I’d love there to be a book going into Galeta’s backstory, strict but fair military leaders are my kryptonite!

The background plot and setting just felt a bit flat for me purely because I don’t think it went deep enough into the idea of the Imperium creating the very thing it hates.

There were flashes of it that were interesting at the beginning, discussing the use of psykers and witches by the Imperium that hates them and the zealous nature of the rote responses about the Imperium always being best being framed as almost wrong, but it fades pretty quickly. I know that wasn’t the point of the plot necessarily, there was just so much opportunity to explore this idea...only for it to get pushed aside by the ‘mad villain’ trope.

[Charlotte Schaefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Sisters of Battle trilogy. My rating is the rating of a Warhammer 40k fan, the universe in which the story is set. Otherwise I would lower it slightly. The novel follows Sister Miriya in her quest to redeem herself and recapture the escaped criminal Torris Vaun. Along with the hospitaller Verity they follow his trail across the planet Neva encountering questions that simply capturing the fugitive won't answer.

I have since read the second book in the series and the simple plot of this first installment serves the quality nicely. As Miriya chases the criminal from place to place it keeps the lore of the expansive universe coming at you. If you are a fan of expanded lore rich universes this will make a good read.

My complaint isn't cutting, but the book can become predictable at times, and the ending, while satisfying, flies off the rails in favor of one last twist.

One thing that should absolutely be noted is that there are no 'men-writing-women' moments. James writes the all female band of warriors with the same dignity and grit that you would reserve for a band of marines in any other war book. I went in to the book waiting for that one moment where I would roll my eyes and sigh but it never came.

[Anaïs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Que dire j'ai un peu le seum parce que bon la fin était quand même cool je lui donne quand même 3,5 sur 5 je peux pas lui donner que 3 parce que ce serait trop méchant et ce livre a beaucoup de potentiel mais je peux pas lui mettre 4 sachant que bon pendant une semaine et demi je me suis dit c'est bien quand je le lis mais quand j'arrête de le lire j'ai pas envie de le continuer. Mais j'ai vraiment adoré tout l'aspect de la religion de voir les sœurs de bataille prétend à se sacrifier pour leur foi. Mais, il y a aussi beaucoup de remise en question de pourquoi l'empereur dieu a fait certaines choses ou non comment les sœurs de bataille sont challengées sur leur propre foi. Les personnages sinon étaient plutôt cool après voilà l'histoire enfin la mission en elle-même et pas folle dans le sens où bon tu sais un peu comment ça va se terminer mais j'ai beaucoup aimé les réflexions un petit peu philosophiques et théologique sur la religion et l'endoctrinement.

[TK · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, easy to read, action based novel that has a squad of Sisters of Battle hunt down a criminal heretic as he attempts to enact his devious plan. If you are looking for a novel that has psykers, action, and a heroine that rubs against authority but at her heart is on the side of good guys then this is the book for you.

If you are into the Warhammer 40k universe, highly likely if you are reading this book, then the book follows a Sister Superior (A Sergeant or squad leader in the Sisters of Battle for those uninitiated) as she hunts down a rogue psyker. There are references to Black Ships and pyrokenes (A new word for me, a type of psyker that can control fire) within the Warhammer 40k universe.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The world was entertaining to dive into, the side characters had interesting developments. The main tension was pretty good, not astounding, but enough to keep me reading. I enjoyed the intrigue, secrecy, and build of the story. Each supporting character had their place in the story, and the villain drove the plot. This book would have been stronger if the story was from the villains perspective. He drove the story, built the tension, and added emotion.The main success of the story was showcasing the sororitas. The downfall was that our main character was one dimensional, unemotional, and impossible to impossible to empathize with. Events that you could empathize with happened, but the crucial depth that the main character brings was missing.

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a 3.5 star review if goodreads supported half stars. I found this book pretty mid. There’s good stuff here. The action is good. Vaun is a weirdly charismatic villain (I don’t think I’ve ever read a 40k novel where the villain didn’t care about politics or conquest or the Emperor, and basically just wanted to get revenge and then be left alone). Myriah is a compelling character. And I like that the novel never gives a concrete answer on whether the ultimate villain is right or just insane. But I was still pretty bored for stretches, and suspect I won’t remember much of this book in a month. I do think I’ll try the next one in the series, though.

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m looking forward to collecting an Adepta Sororitas army in 2019 so I wanted to read some stories with them. Sister Superior Miriya and her squad are caught in the machinations of a powerful rogue psyker and the Church of the God Emperor. The novel is well paced, exciting and shows the limitations and strengths of the Ministorum. The ending is a bit of a bummer and I would definitely like to know more about Miriya and possible future adventures.

[AtomicRed · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.8
Points for church politics, the dull lives of soldiers and what happens when the every man has to deal with titanic actions of near god like figures.

Points off for making your main cast so dull and dreary and making your primary enemy so much more interesting. Also the plan made no sense but that’s something else

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very nice reading a War Hammer book from the perspective of the Sisters of Battle. An interesting group, though quite similar to the Inquisitors. That was the point which leveled my enjoyment of the book. Though quite different, it often reminded my of Abnett's Eisenhorn series. The characters are well fleshed out and I am definitely going to be reading the second book.

[Lanfear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, que pasada de libro. Sabía algo de lo guay que eran las hermanas de la batalla pero, una novela desde el punto de vista de Miriya, intentando atrapar un brujo loco del caos. Si alguien es fan de las sororitas creo que debería devorar este libro en el mínimo tiempo posible. Las hermanas de la batalla son duras, devotas e implacables y además tienen un gran villano que purgar.

[Gnik Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story if you love the Sisters of Battle. Can't wait to see what Mariya and Verity get up to in the next one!

My favorite scenes were when you get to see how the Repentia work, and the mock battle festival. very cool stuff.

The story didn't have me on the edge of my seat, tearing through the book or anything, but a very fun read either way.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the one thing I really don't like about the 40k Universe the quasi/medieval religious rhetoric used by the Ecclesiastical, and for that reason I started this book with serious reservations.

That being said, the principal character, grew on me, a kind of religious Maverick .

[Gabrielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book got better as it went along. Unfortunately there were still some really cringe worthy bits. The (female) protagonists were objectified and sexualised by random bit characters fantasising them, in a way I've never seen with male protagonists in 40K.

[Dan Mikeska · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always a fan of the Adeptas Sororitas when I played Warhammer... a bunch of battle nuns fanatically deveoted to the God-Emporer, how could that be anything but cool? I thought the author did a nice job of turning that into an enjoyable story.