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Warhammer 40,000
The Lords of Silence
The Cadian Gate is broken, and the Imperium is riven in two. The might of the Traitor Legions, kept shackled for millennia behind walls of iron and sorcery, has been unleashed on a darkening galaxy. Among those seeking vengeance on the Corpse Emperor’s faltering realm are the Death Guard, once proud crusaders of the Legiones Astartes, now debased creatures of terror and contagion. Mighty warbands carve bloody paths through the void, answering their lord primarch’s call to war. And yet for all their dread might in arms, there is no escape from the vicious legacies of the past, ones that will pursue them from the ruined daemon-worlds of the Eye of Terror and out into the smouldering wastes of the Imperium Nihilus.
Read It Because
The Death Guard have returned to prominence with the return of Mortarion and their fabulous model range, and Chris Wraight's previous work with them (in his Space Wolves novels, notably) makes him the perfect person to delve into their particular darkness.184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 5, 2019
About the author
Chris Wraight
224 books417 followersChris Wraight is a British author of fantasy and science fiction.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
August 28, 2018
Well, it was a long time since a proper review. But this time Chris Wraight wake me up from my stupor with a tale which should be an example how a PROPER Black Library novel should be written.
It has everything - amazing characters, who are in a general word a 'bit evil', but you want to applause them! It has amazing void war snippets - and even if I always want more, I can definitely say the snippets approach was masterfully done.
It has a straight and defined story presented through a sliced timespan approach - which totally works in this case.
And even though it is a W41K - setting which gave us a very condradictory lore with Gathering Storm and appearance of Primaris and Cawl (sigh), it's story feels more as a true grimdark and partly 'fun' emergence for W40K, than a lot of newly released Dark Imperium or Indomitus Crusade stories (which by precondition should be a more grimdark and scary due to the Cicatrix Maledictum nad broken galaxy space).
And most of all The Lords of Silenceit's a poetic approach to writing by which Chris Wraight is so famous now. It has a slow approach and a lot of particularly detailed descriptions.
But if you read Chris The Carrion Throne you would already know how GODLIKE you reading time would be.
Do you need to read this novel to know the important events of W41K which are happening now? Nope.
Do you need to read it to get a proper long missed Death Guard focused book? - Hell YES, YOU SHOULD!
It is a more DG 'loving' book than all the Horus Heresy DG Legion books released to date!
But most of all - YOU should read it, because it is the best Black Library book of 2018 so far.
And probably the best praise for an author would be this - I never liked pets in W40K. Never. But after I closed the last page I do want to have a Little Lord hobbling about my feets.
Chris - you have written a Godlike novel, which can't be praised enough. From the bottom of my heart - deepest thank you!
And now a long wait for the second novel in a trilogy (hopeful breathing) would commence :)
It has everything - amazing characters, who are in a general word a 'bit evil', but you want to applause them! It has amazing void war snippets - and even if I always want more, I can definitely say the snippets approach was masterfully done.
It has a straight and defined story presented through a sliced timespan approach - which totally works in this case.
And even though it is a W41K - setting which gave us a very condradictory lore with Gathering Storm and appearance of Primaris and Cawl (sigh), it's story feels more as a true grimdark and partly 'fun' emergence for W40K, than a lot of newly released Dark Imperium or Indomitus Crusade stories (which by precondition should be a more grimdark and scary due to the Cicatrix Maledictum nad broken galaxy space).
And most of all The Lords of Silenceit's a poetic approach to writing by which Chris Wraight is so famous now. It has a slow approach and a lot of particularly detailed descriptions.
But if you read Chris The Carrion Throne you would already know how GODLIKE you reading time would be.
Do you need to read this novel to know the important events of W41K which are happening now? Nope.
Do you need to read it to get a proper long missed Death Guard focused book? - Hell YES, YOU SHOULD!
It is a more DG 'loving' book than all the Horus Heresy DG Legion books released to date!
But most of all - YOU should read it, because it is the best Black Library book of 2018 so far.
And probably the best praise for an author would be this - I never liked pets in W40K. Never. But after I closed the last page I do want to have a Little Lord hobbling about my feets.
Chris - you have written a Godlike novel, which can't be praised enough. From the bottom of my heart - deepest thank you!
And now a long wait for the second novel in a trilogy (hopeful breathing) would commence :)
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August 20, 2022
I never expected to find a gaming tie-in that, beneath all the body horror & military sci-fi & lore, is so beautiful, so emotional, so complex, so subtle, that I consider it legitimate "Literature." And i NEVER could have guessed it would be a story about Nurgle's worshippers...
Aside from the military sci-fi, aside from the body horror, aside from the internecine squabbling & politicking... This book contains one of the most effective and intelligent depictions of the seductive power of sloth, apathy & lassitude that I have ever encountered. A character is seduced, not by rhetoric nor by miraculous displays, but by being able to just give up and abandon all discipline and self-interest. Again, this is in a gaming tie-in. And it's about Nurgle cultists.
Nice to know that decades on, the world still finds way to pleasantly surprise me!
Aside from the military sci-fi, aside from the body horror, aside from the internecine squabbling & politicking... This book contains one of the most effective and intelligent depictions of the seductive power of sloth, apathy & lassitude that I have ever encountered. A character is seduced, not by rhetoric nor by miraculous displays, but by being able to just give up and abandon all discipline and self-interest. Again, this is in a gaming tie-in. And it's about Nurgle cultists.
Nice to know that decades on, the world still finds way to pleasantly surprise me!
April 8, 2019
Such a pity that this magnificent Novel is only 400 pages long!
It is the first Novel I have read of Mr. Chris Wraight. It won't be the last! The author has deep knowledge of the 40k lore and this is obvious by just reading the first pages. Very interesting characters, especialy Vorx. Nice story. Simple but very interesting. Mr. Wraight shows the character depth, intelligence, purpose and strategy of a chaos legion that many times comes out as mindless with a will just to conquer and destroy without reason. Looking forward with anticipation for a possible sequel.
It is the first Novel I have read of Mr. Chris Wraight. It won't be the last! The author has deep knowledge of the 40k lore and this is obvious by just reading the first pages. Very interesting characters, especialy Vorx. Nice story. Simple but very interesting. Mr. Wraight shows the character depth, intelligence, purpose and strategy of a chaos legion that many times comes out as mindless with a will just to conquer and destroy without reason. Looking forward with anticipation for a possible sequel.
September 27, 2018
Oh what a joy it was to go through The Lords of Silence. Chris Wraight does a fantastic job of fleshing out the Death Guard and their Nurgle compatriots. This book is full of interesting (and disgusting) characters, tremendously interesting descriptions, and some tasty plot twists. I plan on going through this book again as it is so filled with wonderful fluff and descriptors that it is hard to absorb it all in one pass. You will not find any slow or dull points as the pacing is just right. There is an interesting juxtaposition presented between the "old school" Barbarus Death Guard and the newer breed of Plague Marine. I like this tension as it shows a stoic legion, torn with some inner angst and turmoil over their leadership and ways (very similar to how their issues started in 30k). There are several parts in the book that felt a little out of place, but I am hoping they are setting the stage for a sequel. I look forward to any potential continuation of this story arc.
5/5 highly recommend.
5/5 highly recommend.
August 18, 2026
The Death Guard, the focal faction of this novel, are one of my absolute favourites in 40k. They are who I collect and paint primarily and they were one of the hooks that led me to rediscover the hobby after two decades away – and despite going into this a pre-existing fan of these stinky guys – I still learned a lot about their lore, hierarchies, tactics and personality, as well as the way they hold themselves internally, the regard in which they view the galaxy and the opinions they hold of the other factions found within it.
The structure of this book is what proved a slight stumbling block for me, but this may admittedly have been because I was reduced to having to listen to this as an audiobook, rather than reading it in print, because all physical copies of the book cost £100 or more – shout out to the scalpers and the Black Library business model.
But I digress; the structure here felt rather disjointed; its more series of vignettes, covering somewhat haphazardly the major moments and key conflicts the Death Guard have been a part of over the last few thousand years. They are unnaturally long-lived thanks to their “gifts”, granted to them by their God, so time means very little to them, perhaps pointing towards that being the reason the book is written and presented the way it was.
Otherwise, I thought the book was superb. The writing is excellent (meaning brilliantly disgusting) and it was very evocative. I’ve read a handful of Chris Wraight’s books at this point and I have been consistently impressed.
The structure of this book is what proved a slight stumbling block for me, but this may admittedly have been because I was reduced to having to listen to this as an audiobook, rather than reading it in print, because all physical copies of the book cost £100 or more – shout out to the scalpers and the Black Library business model.
But I digress; the structure here felt rather disjointed; its more series of vignettes, covering somewhat haphazardly the major moments and key conflicts the Death Guard have been a part of over the last few thousand years. They are unnaturally long-lived thanks to their “gifts”, granted to them by their God, so time means very little to them, perhaps pointing towards that being the reason the book is written and presented the way it was.
Otherwise, I thought the book was superb. The writing is excellent (meaning brilliantly disgusting) and it was very evocative. I’ve read a handful of Chris Wraight’s books at this point and I have been consistently impressed.
September 23, 2018
The surprising thing is that this book wasn't even on the review list. Really, due to extreme time and financial constraints, the next Ciaphas Cain novel was slotted in for today instead. I had been meaning to cover the series for years and the new novel was a chance to do just that, but it was unavailable at my local store. So, Lords of Silence took its place instead. You might expect the next bit to say "and dear sweet heaven that was a mistake!" but instead, it's quite the opposite. If anything, it's the Death Guard novel we've been needing for years.
Synopsis
Set during the more recent events of the Plague Wars, the events of the novel follow almost directly after the shattering of the Cadian Gate. Chaotic Warbands now race across the Imperium as the Eye of Terror stretches into a crack across the very galaxy itself, and the Death Guard are moving to answer Mortarion's call to war. Yet even as they answer the call to arms of their primarch, ancient secrets, mistakes and past battles haunt them. While the Lords of Silence warband move to battle across the Imperium Nihilus, an especially dark and persistent specter of their past haunts their every step...
The Good
Past reviews have typically been quite harsh of Chris Wraight, despite typically repeating that he is a talented author. Much of this is due to his treatment of the Space Wolves in their own series, with the mistake of emphasising failings and weaknesses to the point of ignoring strengths. While this might be true of that chapter, no element of it is present here and that drive has been used in a more creative means. The exploration of their character has shifted from failings to the subject of worship, corruption and age, as we see how the Death Guard have adapted through the centuries. While the mistake of linking modern and Heresy era events has led to some stories making it seem as if a few decades have passed rather than thousands of years, this is the opposite. There is a real sense of weight to how corrupt and warped the marines in question truly are, thanks to how they view Nurgle's influence and the subject of decay as a whole.
The nature of every marine's change is seen as much through how they describe the Warp, the nature of worship and even nearby daemons. There is a much more monastic sense of reverence within the warband, even by the standard of space marines. While they are certainly willing to show some of the macabre joy Nurgle is known for, it's a more straight faced example than you might expect. Furthermore, daemons are used sparingly, but this helps to further emphasise how they are viewed by this particular warband in question. Plus it helps to hit much harder, as when they appear s when Wraight's more creative descriptions truly kick in, and he offers some fantastically vivid images of things which simply do not belong in this world.
The book is also one of the few to share a protagonist role in the form of Vorx and Dragan. This isn't so much the usual protagonist and deuteragonist relationship as you might expect, as you're never wholly sure just which one is supposed to be star of the show. Well, at least until the end anyway. Each is a contrast to the other, reflecting a way in which the Long War has influenced their lives, and even how their memories colour their sense of loyalty. While Vorx is old enough to remember the Great Crusade and is wise in his aged nature, Dragan is a relatively more recent recruit and shows devotion to the Long War. It's an interesting dynamic, as it's not nearly so openly hostile as you would expect, but it reflects the shift in attitude. It leads to a multitude of interesting conversations and verbal sparring which makes for some of the book's most engaging moments, especially during the events in the Eye of Terror.
Given that history and ghosts of the past are a major subject within the story, it's fitting in a way that it's told through a non-linear structure, with frequent flashbacks and shifting chronological events. This allows the story to repeatedly hit the reader with a number of surprises, and several intelligent twists which makes re-reading the book all the more appealing. It's delivered in a different manner to your typical flashbacks through dialogue and overall structure, and the hints delivered of certain events carry much more impact thanks to this. They are not so openly forecast, and the fact that they are chronologically much closer together means that there is more of an interesting connection. Look, if you want it in layman's terms, it's less Lost than it is Reservoir Dogs.
Finally, while a character piece first and foremost, it does utilise its locations very effectively. We see much more of the Eye and the Imperium in contrast to one another than would usually be expected, but it does so very effectively. There isn't a lost sense of mystery to the Eye despite this fact, and the Imperium itself is shown as reeling from the new changes. While it does delve into a few lesser used tropes - notably that the Imperial characters in the book deny traitor astartes as even existing - it's seen as a farewell to those elements. They will be harder to justify in future works after all, and it's one last opportunity to fully explore them at this point in the timeline.
The Bad
After so many great elements, the negatives are mixed to say the least. Some aren't truly badly handled, but they fail to fully fit in with the overall narrative, or simply don't mesh with they key subjects. A big part of this is down to how the story is supposed to be very slow burning, and rather action-less book, with its focus concentrated on conversation pieces. Unfortunately, this just makes the action itself stand out like a sore thumb. While most Warhammer novels are typically able to work this into the story without issue, here much of it feels gratuitous. On its own it works fine, but there are only one or two fights which truly compliment the characters and work with the overarching story.
Furthermore, the villains of the piece were quite weak. Outside of the warband itself, both the intended antagonist and the Imperium lacks much in the way of real engagement, often coming across as bland or one-dimensional. While this could have been used for commentary or emphasis on the themes of corruption - as each traitor marine typically regards their move as an upgrade - it never comes across this way. As such, it feels as if the story only has a portion of what could be an excellent ensemble of characters. Ironically, those who do break this trend are Mortarion and Typhus, both of who we barely see in the tale.
A third major point which proves to be rather frustrating at times is how the story sets up certain elements, but never fully follows up on them. Some of this can be put down to establishing elements for future novels, or even as throw-away lines, but the way in which they are delivered sometimes makes it seem as if they were intended to be something more. Vrox's hatred of the Thousand Sons is a major one, as it's framed and delivered as if it were a point which was meant to have much more impact at a later date, but we get relatively little from it.
The Verdict
While flawed, Lords of Silence nevertheless proves to be another great addition to the Black Library, and easily the best Nurgle related book we have seen to date. With so many stories coming out on both sides, and the Death Guard's prominence of late, this could be the starting point to a great trilogy. After all, with the Iron Warriors, Word Bearers, Night Lords and (technically) Thousand Sons all having had their time in the spotlight, the sons of Barbaras are long overdue a decent trilogy. It certainly works as a stand alone, and I do strongly recommend it, but there's certainly potential for something more here.
Synopsis
Set during the more recent events of the Plague Wars, the events of the novel follow almost directly after the shattering of the Cadian Gate. Chaotic Warbands now race across the Imperium as the Eye of Terror stretches into a crack across the very galaxy itself, and the Death Guard are moving to answer Mortarion's call to war. Yet even as they answer the call to arms of their primarch, ancient secrets, mistakes and past battles haunt them. While the Lords of Silence warband move to battle across the Imperium Nihilus, an especially dark and persistent specter of their past haunts their every step...
The Good
Past reviews have typically been quite harsh of Chris Wraight, despite typically repeating that he is a talented author. Much of this is due to his treatment of the Space Wolves in their own series, with the mistake of emphasising failings and weaknesses to the point of ignoring strengths. While this might be true of that chapter, no element of it is present here and that drive has been used in a more creative means. The exploration of their character has shifted from failings to the subject of worship, corruption and age, as we see how the Death Guard have adapted through the centuries. While the mistake of linking modern and Heresy era events has led to some stories making it seem as if a few decades have passed rather than thousands of years, this is the opposite. There is a real sense of weight to how corrupt and warped the marines in question truly are, thanks to how they view Nurgle's influence and the subject of decay as a whole.
The nature of every marine's change is seen as much through how they describe the Warp, the nature of worship and even nearby daemons. There is a much more monastic sense of reverence within the warband, even by the standard of space marines. While they are certainly willing to show some of the macabre joy Nurgle is known for, it's a more straight faced example than you might expect. Furthermore, daemons are used sparingly, but this helps to further emphasise how they are viewed by this particular warband in question. Plus it helps to hit much harder, as when they appear s when Wraight's more creative descriptions truly kick in, and he offers some fantastically vivid images of things which simply do not belong in this world.
The book is also one of the few to share a protagonist role in the form of Vorx and Dragan. This isn't so much the usual protagonist and deuteragonist relationship as you might expect, as you're never wholly sure just which one is supposed to be star of the show. Well, at least until the end anyway. Each is a contrast to the other, reflecting a way in which the Long War has influenced their lives, and even how their memories colour their sense of loyalty. While Vorx is old enough to remember the Great Crusade and is wise in his aged nature, Dragan is a relatively more recent recruit and shows devotion to the Long War. It's an interesting dynamic, as it's not nearly so openly hostile as you would expect, but it reflects the shift in attitude. It leads to a multitude of interesting conversations and verbal sparring which makes for some of the book's most engaging moments, especially during the events in the Eye of Terror.
Given that history and ghosts of the past are a major subject within the story, it's fitting in a way that it's told through a non-linear structure, with frequent flashbacks and shifting chronological events. This allows the story to repeatedly hit the reader with a number of surprises, and several intelligent twists which makes re-reading the book all the more appealing. It's delivered in a different manner to your typical flashbacks through dialogue and overall structure, and the hints delivered of certain events carry much more impact thanks to this. They are not so openly forecast, and the fact that they are chronologically much closer together means that there is more of an interesting connection. Look, if you want it in layman's terms, it's less Lost than it is Reservoir Dogs.
Finally, while a character piece first and foremost, it does utilise its locations very effectively. We see much more of the Eye and the Imperium in contrast to one another than would usually be expected, but it does so very effectively. There isn't a lost sense of mystery to the Eye despite this fact, and the Imperium itself is shown as reeling from the new changes. While it does delve into a few lesser used tropes - notably that the Imperial characters in the book deny traitor astartes as even existing - it's seen as a farewell to those elements. They will be harder to justify in future works after all, and it's one last opportunity to fully explore them at this point in the timeline.
The Bad
After so many great elements, the negatives are mixed to say the least. Some aren't truly badly handled, but they fail to fully fit in with the overall narrative, or simply don't mesh with they key subjects. A big part of this is down to how the story is supposed to be very slow burning, and rather action-less book, with its focus concentrated on conversation pieces. Unfortunately, this just makes the action itself stand out like a sore thumb. While most Warhammer novels are typically able to work this into the story without issue, here much of it feels gratuitous. On its own it works fine, but there are only one or two fights which truly compliment the characters and work with the overarching story.
Furthermore, the villains of the piece were quite weak. Outside of the warband itself, both the intended antagonist and the Imperium lacks much in the way of real engagement, often coming across as bland or one-dimensional. While this could have been used for commentary or emphasis on the themes of corruption - as each traitor marine typically regards their move as an upgrade - it never comes across this way. As such, it feels as if the story only has a portion of what could be an excellent ensemble of characters. Ironically, those who do break this trend are Mortarion and Typhus, both of who we barely see in the tale.
A third major point which proves to be rather frustrating at times is how the story sets up certain elements, but never fully follows up on them. Some of this can be put down to establishing elements for future novels, or even as throw-away lines, but the way in which they are delivered sometimes makes it seem as if they were intended to be something more. Vrox's hatred of the Thousand Sons is a major one, as it's framed and delivered as if it were a point which was meant to have much more impact at a later date, but we get relatively little from it.
The Verdict
While flawed, Lords of Silence nevertheless proves to be another great addition to the Black Library, and easily the best Nurgle related book we have seen to date. With so many stories coming out on both sides, and the Death Guard's prominence of late, this could be the starting point to a great trilogy. After all, with the Iron Warriors, Word Bearers, Night Lords and (technically) Thousand Sons all having had their time in the spotlight, the sons of Barbaras are long overdue a decent trilogy. It certainly works as a stand alone, and I do strongly recommend it, but there's certainly potential for something more here.
September 20, 2018
Chris Wraight’s first ever ‘bad guy’ Black Library novel, The Lords of Silence takes a close look at the actions and outlook of the Death Guard in post-Cicatrix Maledictum 40k. As the galaxy reels in the wake of Abaddon’s successes and the changes they’ve caused, the old Legions – including Mortarion’s Death Guard – are faced with different challenges to overcome. When the Lords of Silence, led by the strangely philosophical Siegemaster Vorx, are knocked off course they find themselves deep in Imperial territory and faced with the unexpected decision of what they ought to do next.
By stepping away from the main thrust of the ongoing 40k narrative – this definitely isn’t the Nurgle side of the Dark Imperium story, for example – focusing on a smaller scale story and slowing things down to really layer on the detail, it’s resulted in a slightly unconventional but endlessly fascinating book. If you’re at all interested in the Death Guard – if you want to know what exactly a Tallyman does, what the importance of numerology (and the number seven) is, or how the Legion sees Nurglings, for example – then this is a must-read, it’s as simple as that.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/09/...
By stepping away from the main thrust of the ongoing 40k narrative – this definitely isn’t the Nurgle side of the Dark Imperium story, for example – focusing on a smaller scale story and slowing things down to really layer on the detail, it’s resulted in a slightly unconventional but endlessly fascinating book. If you’re at all interested in the Death Guard – if you want to know what exactly a Tallyman does, what the importance of numerology (and the number seven) is, or how the Legion sees Nurglings, for example – then this is a must-read, it’s as simple as that.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/09/...
August 30, 2019
The Lords of Silence is fantastic. The author takes time to lovingly detail nearly every scene, the characters are great, and the story top notch as both its own thing and taking place around the beginning of the big events taking place in the universe now. The back and forth timeline, at first, left me a bit unsure of what was taking place when, but once you settle into the pattern there's no real issue and I think telling the story that way really pays off by the end when everything clicks together. This is my first non-Dan Abnett 40K book in some time, easily one of the best I've read overall, and really makes me want to dive into the new Dark Imperium stuff.
---
Reread: It's still great! Knowing what the back and forth timeline is doing is really helpful and the cast of characters are fantastic. I really hope Wraight gets a chance to revisit these characters.
---
Reread: It's still great! Knowing what the back and forth timeline is doing is really helpful and the cast of characters are fantastic. I really hope Wraight gets a chance to revisit these characters.
September 3, 2020
Best 40K book.
Reading again ( listening to audio book)
So good!
Reading again ( listening to audio book)
So good!
May 2, 2023
Thoroughly unenjoyable book. I think Wraight is a talented writer - his prose is solid. The descriptions of the Death Guard are evocatively grotesque. His depictions are where the book shines and engages you - the characters are described almost as sludge-slime people, and it just works.
But that's about all I enjoyed.
The biggest problem with this book is the plot, or lack thereof. About 25% through, I realized that I had no idea what the arc of this story was going to be, or where it was going. Then I realized that there really wasn't one - the book is just a series of unimportant events, allowing a space for those great descriptions. This book subsists on vibes and vibes alone. Hollow characters and a plot that goes nowhere. Vibes are fine, but they made reading the majority of this novel a slog. I want to GO somewhere when I read.
I feel like this novel would've worked better as a novella.
But that's about all I enjoyed.
The biggest problem with this book is the plot, or lack thereof. About 25% through, I realized that I had no idea what the arc of this story was going to be, or where it was going. Then I realized that there really wasn't one - the book is just a series of unimportant events, allowing a space for those great descriptions. This book subsists on vibes and vibes alone. Hollow characters and a plot that goes nowhere. Vibes are fine, but they made reading the majority of this novel a slog. I want to GO somewhere when I read.
I feel like this novel would've worked better as a novella.
October 25, 2024
"We are Unbroken, but galaxy know us as Death Guard."
It's really hard to make Death Guard look human in 40k, but Chris Wraight did it perfectly.
It's really hard to make Death Guard look human in 40k, but Chris Wraight did it perfectly.
July 31, 2026
Being a Nurgling has to be the best thing that can happen to you in this universe.
August 12, 2019
Plague Marines have been an interesting concept for me. There are a few novels out there in the 40k universe and they tend to do a fairly good job representing how they work and their motivations. (probably better than most of the other chaos god worshiping marines) Wraight has done a very good job representing the things that have come before, as well as adding his own stamp to this novel.
There is a lot going on in this book, which ends up painting a fairly nice picture of the events that Games Workshop decided to put into motion to change how 40k worked. We get to see how things were before the Eye exploded, and then afterwards when the primarchs started to return and all that fun stuff.
We even get to see the slow corruption of a normal human, which I thought was easily the most fascinating and best part of this book. Sure the marine stuff was interesting, with the inner fighting, the old heresy warriors vs the ones that converted into plague marines later on, as well as even Mortarion himself, which Wraight handled extremely well. But the corruption of the one human painted a beautiful picture of how a person would slowly turn into a follower of chaos, especially Nurgle. It is actually quite believable and even the end of the book made it seem as if the plague marines were far more compassionate than the Imperium of Man is to their own citizens.
The only thing I had issue with was the time skipping. This novel jumps back and forth like nobody's business. Until you get a handle on which timeline you are viewing, it can be rather jarring and takes a page or two to find out which part of the story takes place in which section of the timeline. It's a neat way of doing things, and works out especially later on when they reveal certain parts, but until then it takes a bit to get used to.
Still, in the end what we have here is a really well done book about the followers of Nurgle in 40k and one that handles combat, character development, and the slow moments of the book really well. At no point was I ever bored, and anytime there was a chance of that (The whole agri-world intro) it was over before I knew it and launched into either combat or something interesting.
So, if you are looking for an interesting book about chaos marines, this is a perfect one for you!
There is a lot going on in this book, which ends up painting a fairly nice picture of the events that Games Workshop decided to put into motion to change how 40k worked. We get to see how things were before the Eye exploded, and then afterwards when the primarchs started to return and all that fun stuff.
We even get to see the slow corruption of a normal human, which I thought was easily the most fascinating and best part of this book. Sure the marine stuff was interesting, with the inner fighting, the old heresy warriors vs the ones that converted into plague marines later on, as well as even Mortarion himself, which Wraight handled extremely well. But the corruption of the one human painted a beautiful picture of how a person would slowly turn into a follower of chaos, especially Nurgle. It is actually quite believable and even the end of the book made it seem as if the plague marines were far more compassionate than the Imperium of Man is to their own citizens.
The only thing I had issue with was the time skipping. This novel jumps back and forth like nobody's business. Until you get a handle on which timeline you are viewing, it can be rather jarring and takes a page or two to find out which part of the story takes place in which section of the timeline. It's a neat way of doing things, and works out especially later on when they reveal certain parts, but until then it takes a bit to get used to.
Still, in the end what we have here is a really well done book about the followers of Nurgle in 40k and one that handles combat, character development, and the slow moments of the book really well. At no point was I ever bored, and anytime there was a chance of that (The whole agri-world intro) it was over before I knew it and launched into either combat or something interesting.
So, if you are looking for an interesting book about chaos marines, this is a perfect one for you!
July 19, 2019
Does Nurgle's legion disgust you? The protectors and protected alike reduced to a putrid mess covered with festering boils and who knows what other "gifts".
I struggle to read any of the many Warhammer novels. The uncommon vocabulary, odd pacing and there are only so many ways to describe combat in a universe so deeply plunged in it. That said, Chris Wraight has been generally tolerable in his other novels, easy enough to get into but sometimes a slog to the finish line. Not so with The Lords of Silence. This one is pretty close to a perfect starting platform for anyone looking to get into the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Without having any prior knowledge of lore, The Lords of Silence starts of simply with our band of traitorous battle-brothers getting back on their feet following an attack. Thereafter, witness plans and plots come to fruition over the span of 300 or so pages, relatively short.
You'll see things from the "enemy's" point of view, that of the heretic astartes, as they grapple with allegiances and goals. Ultimately the novel reflects the nature of the Death Guard, it is patient, it doesn't force your perspective. After all, in time you too will see things as they do.
You'll see that in a grim, dark future-where lives are so easily lost or sacrificed-it is only Grandfather Nurgle who truly cares.
I struggle to read any of the many Warhammer novels. The uncommon vocabulary, odd pacing and there are only so many ways to describe combat in a universe so deeply plunged in it. That said, Chris Wraight has been generally tolerable in his other novels, easy enough to get into but sometimes a slog to the finish line. Not so with The Lords of Silence. This one is pretty close to a perfect starting platform for anyone looking to get into the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Without having any prior knowledge of lore, The Lords of Silence starts of simply with our band of traitorous battle-brothers getting back on their feet following an attack. Thereafter, witness plans and plots come to fruition over the span of 300 or so pages, relatively short.
You'll see things from the "enemy's" point of view, that of the heretic astartes, as they grapple with allegiances and goals. Ultimately the novel reflects the nature of the Death Guard, it is patient, it doesn't force your perspective. After all, in time you too will see things as they do.
You'll see that in a grim, dark future-where lives are so easily lost or sacrificed-it is only Grandfather Nurgle who truly cares.
February 23, 2021
The majority of the fiction I have read, especially that set within the Warhammer universe, is usually told from the perspective of the ‘good guy.’ This has alienated me from the the main antagonist (the ubiquitous Chaos), which has had the knock-on effect of lowering the stakes somewhat, as I am only ever in touch with the hero’s journey. This book does not answer any questions about the motivation of Chaos definitively, but its very well realized characters encourage the reader to consider what these motivations could be. I found this to be an enjoyable and well-paced glimpse into a Chaos legion, and the author does a good job of highlighting the importance of multi-faceted antagonists. John Banks’ audiobook performance is strong and his range keeps things interesting.
March 16, 2022
Probably about ten pages of plot stretched out with lots of gnarly description of plague zombies and such like. It might be the remnants of covid brain but the anachronistic order was confusing - possibly making me the first person in history to be confused by a 40k tie in novel. Like all these books not written by Dan Abnett its hard to escape the vibe you're reading a toy advert but whatever... it did the job.
August 5, 2024
Good book, expected 340 pages so when the book ended at 310 I was abit annoyed. Thought the ending was tied up quickly.
First read on Kindle 👍, honestly pretty good, was apprehensive but felt good in hand and change the lighting on screen is amazing
First read on Kindle 👍, honestly pretty good, was apprehensive but felt good in hand and change the lighting on screen is amazing
October 15, 2026
First review with the new star system! Immediately betraying my principles by awarding a quarter star.
I think this is the ultimate character study of the Death Guard and Nurgle worship in all of the Black Library. Wraight really outdoes himself in the way his primary characters inhabit and experience the world, and most notably in the way they think. Vorx is probably the most Death Guard character that’s ever been written, and his primary foils, Dragan the relative hothead, and Dantine the captured human, are both stellar exemplars of Wraight’s ability to draw out the character of a legion. They are what happens when you cease to rage against the dying of the light in this fundamentally broken universe. They are the acceptance of horror, the final stage of grief on a galactic scale, the release that comes from no longer fighting against misery. In a universe where no one can be satisfied, some are even content. The exchange about not being allowed to clean the filth from their armor is a perfect illustration here. First they become inured to the filth, then the filth becomes part of their identity. The same is true with the Death Guard writ large. While the scenes with Mortarion and Typhus are enjoyable, seeing the differing perspectives of the leading members of the legion, it’s the other characters who really lay out the philosophy of this group, and I think the book is better for it. I think you can come away from this book, not persuaded, but understanding why these characters might genuinely believe they are doing good despite being murderous super soldier avatars of plague and corruption.
Where the book falls down is in much of the plot being rather forgettable. The A plot is not particularly exciting, most of the flashbacks I don’t think add a ton, and the mystery part of the book is unsatisfying. I also think we were missing one more scene with Dragan to tie together his character arc. And yet, despite all that, Vorx versus Xidias is one of the most memorable duels of the Black Library for me. I am an absolute sucker for a warrior crying out that the light shall come again as he fights a hopeless battle, and it’s a moment that allows both characters to really shine, while still getting to be satisfying within the context of the book. Vorx’s compassion to his foe and his response have stuck with me since I first read this, and I think that scene is the highlight of the book.
I think this is the ultimate character study of the Death Guard and Nurgle worship in all of the Black Library. Wraight really outdoes himself in the way his primary characters inhabit and experience the world, and most notably in the way they think. Vorx is probably the most Death Guard character that’s ever been written, and his primary foils, Dragan the relative hothead, and Dantine the captured human, are both stellar exemplars of Wraight’s ability to draw out the character of a legion. They are what happens when you cease to rage against the dying of the light in this fundamentally broken universe. They are the acceptance of horror, the final stage of grief on a galactic scale, the release that comes from no longer fighting against misery. In a universe where no one can be satisfied, some are even content. The exchange about not being allowed to clean the filth from their armor is a perfect illustration here. First they become inured to the filth, then the filth becomes part of their identity. The same is true with the Death Guard writ large. While the scenes with Mortarion and Typhus are enjoyable, seeing the differing perspectives of the leading members of the legion, it’s the other characters who really lay out the philosophy of this group, and I think the book is better for it. I think you can come away from this book, not persuaded, but understanding why these characters might genuinely believe they are doing good despite being murderous super soldier avatars of plague and corruption.
Where the book falls down is in much of the plot being rather forgettable. The A plot is not particularly exciting, most of the flashbacks I don’t think add a ton, and the mystery part of the book is unsatisfying. I also think we were missing one more scene with Dragan to tie together his character arc. And yet, despite all that, Vorx versus Xidias is one of the most memorable duels of the Black Library for me. I am an absolute sucker for a warrior crying out that the light shall come again as he fights a hopeless battle, and it’s a moment that allows both characters to really shine, while still getting to be satisfying within the context of the book. Vorx’s compassion to his foe and his response have stuck with me since I first read this, and I think that scene is the highlight of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2023
Really, and I mean REALLY exposition-y. The worldbuilding is highly questionable at times, although I'd reckon this is more of a fault in the 40K setting as a whole and not in the author.
However, the cast of characters was quite decent. I really vibed with Vorx and I'd be happy to see more of him if we ever get a second part. And the narrator (since I listened to the audiobook version, which I cannot find as a separate entry here on Goodreads) was absolutely godlike and really sold the characters' personalities.
Despite a few qualms, The Lord of Silence made for a great read while I was putting 40K minis together.
However, the cast of characters was quite decent. I really vibed with Vorx and I'd be happy to see more of him if we ever get a second part. And the narrator (since I listened to the audiobook version, which I cannot find as a separate entry here on Goodreads) was absolutely godlike and really sold the characters' personalities.
Despite a few qualms, The Lord of Silence made for a great read while I was putting 40K minis together.
July 14, 2025
Really gross at times, extremely interesting, about my 2nd army (Death Guard) so it has a soft spot in my heart. The clever writing and word play to express really really gross scenes was at times funny, a bit weird, and a little vile.
Heavy with jargon and in-universe terms and lingo, not a book for new-to-40k. I really enjoyed it, a lighter read, with some insight into the Death Guard and some interesting bits about change and nature. Not philosophy mind you, but well put.
An absolute must read for anyone who likes The Death Guard, and probably high up for general 40k Readers.
Heavy with jargon and in-universe terms and lingo, not a book for new-to-40k. I really enjoyed it, a lighter read, with some insight into the Death Guard and some interesting bits about change and nature. Not philosophy mind you, but well put.
An absolute must read for anyone who likes The Death Guard, and probably high up for general 40k Readers.
September 20, 2021
Big fan of Wraight’s work; this is no exception. Always been a fan of the Death Guard and it’s nice to see them written fairly well, as much as I enjoyed this book there were a couple of drawbacks!
The timeline is a little jumpy, going back and forth between events which won’t make much sense without a wider understanding of the universe in its current form, and other aspects or things mentioned which for a casual fan might not grasp?
Still a worthy read for a chaos fan.
The timeline is a little jumpy, going back and forth between events which won’t make much sense without a wider understanding of the universe in its current form, and other aspects or things mentioned which for a casual fan might not grasp?
Still a worthy read for a chaos fan.
November 20, 2025
Bought the annotated version of this book on a whim after flipping through it and reading a section about Solace becoming organic, what a treat! Vorx was funnily enough a breath of fresh air as a villain, and the whole cast had great personalities that were super entertaining. This was my first proper read into Nurgle, and my opinion of him as the most terrifying and also most fun of the warp pantheon has been reaffirmed.
May 10, 2020
En cuanto a acción y trama flojete. Entretenido, pero flojo. Aún así cumple lo que promete, que es acercar el día a día y la manera de actuar de la Death Guard, y la relación con los demonios se nurgle.
September 23, 2021
Hippie chaos marines. A total jam.
November 9, 2023
Is it just me or did that end very abruptly?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2024
The book is very well written, it's very descriptive and imaginative. I just find it kind of boring.
February 24, 2025
As a pretty big fan of the death guard and mortarion I expected more from this one. Weren't many scenes with mortarion and the story in general didn't really captivate me.
October 15, 2020
This book offers a good look at what life could be like for a Nurgle-aligned warband. How things continuously fester and decay, yet persist. I got to see what attitudes of long serving members and recent converts might have. I appreciated getting to witness the slow corruption of a loyalist, changed against his own will, into just another cultist of the Lords of Silence. I appreciated the narrative style in how it gave hints of what future events could happen without giving everything away before it was due.
November 22, 2022
Excellent Read, I also like the twist at the end.
February 14, 2024
A good modern and proper 40K book . The story comes together at the end like a Guy Ritchie film.
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