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Warhammer 40,000
«Император»: Гнев Омниссии
Священный вестник войны из Легио Металика, титан класса «Император» под названием «Казус Белли» десять тысяч лет служит Омниссии, обращая армии в бегство и стирая города с лица земли. Когда война захлестывает Темный Империум, этот механический бог сражений прибывает на планету Никомедуа, чтобы уничтожить войска отступников и впавших в ересь техножрецов. Во главе тактической группы титанов, имперских рыцарей и скитариев «Казус Белли» должен одолеть порченые боевые машины, предателей-легионеров и полчища культистов. Пока по всему миру бушуют апокалиптические битвы, не менее смертоносная схватка разворачивается внутри самого титана: магосу Эксазе, командующему техногвардейцами «Казус Белли», нужно выявить и остановить врагов, прежде чем их коварные планы осуществятся.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 11, 2018
25 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Gav Thorpe
377 books580 followersGav spent 14 years as a developer for Games Workshop, and started writing novels and short stories in the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 when the Black Library imprint was launched in 1997.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 17, 2018
A book starting with "the correct choice of pronoun for the self-identifying asexual admech is Vi Vis or Ver". Leave politically correct bullcrap out of 40k. Nobody needs it in their hobby. This is idiocy at PETA vs Space Wolves controversy levels.
June 2, 2018
Leave your modern day politics in the modern day, and out of the battlefields of the 41st millenium.
January 10, 2020
Gave up because of the obnoxious gender neutral pronouns that really take you out of the story. It's hard to get immersed when it's so obvious that modern day social justice ideology is being applied to my fictional sci fi universe. Not to mention the story itself was quite dry.
March 9, 2019
I couldn't continue reading it. Not only because it's some messed up political SJW statement, but also because it's just unnatural to the brain to change language like that.
It's like if you exchanged every "the" with "ktx" instead. Its just annoying as hell to read.
It's like if you exchanged every "the" with "ktx" instead. Its just annoying as hell to read.
July 7, 2018
This was one of the most human and enjoyable 40K books I have read recently. I saw another reviewer refer to this as a Die Hard story. I definitely see what they meant and I really enjoyed it in this setting. In general terms I did appreciate the female lead character since a universe dominated by Space Marine novels becomes quite tiresome over time without some variety. Some others may complain about the increased female character presence in these stories, but as I like to say: in the grim darkness of the far future women still exist and such an expansive literary universe should reflect that. But specifically regarding this story, I was engaged the entire time, whereas with a lot of the Horus Heresy novels lately I’ve been getting bored.
September 12, 2019
In the grim darkness of the future, there is only lectures on genderless pronouns.
To date, this is the first 40k book I have not been able to finish, and I have smashed my way through some of the worst.
Starts with a lecture on non gendered pronouns, and goes down the hill from there.
The writer enjoys hittings you with so many overuses of the pronouns just to soapbox, that it might as well be scrapcode.
Way too jarring to be able to get in to, or listen to. It breaks the immersion badly.
Want one of the best titan books ever written, also including an *All female legion* as the primary heros and story? Titandeath by Guy Haley. Amazing
Imperator is banging some last notes on a tired old feels good man values drum at the expense of the reader and story
To date, this is the first 40k book I have not been able to finish, and I have smashed my way through some of the worst.
Starts with a lecture on non gendered pronouns, and goes down the hill from there.
The writer enjoys hittings you with so many overuses of the pronouns just to soapbox, that it might as well be scrapcode.
Way too jarring to be able to get in to, or listen to. It breaks the immersion badly.
Want one of the best titan books ever written, also including an *All female legion* as the primary heros and story? Titandeath by Guy Haley. Amazing
Imperator is banging some last notes on a tired old feels good man values drum at the expense of the reader and story
April 28, 2018
Gav Thorpe made me love the Adeptus Mechanicus. This is a great story of a humble worker, Ghelsa, who has her Die Hard adventure in an Imperator Titan. Ghelsa gets caught up in a conspiracy and is joined by one of the Imperator’s commanders, Exasas, the other main character. The personalities are very lively, the plot unfolds quickly and the action inside and outside the Imperator are just enough. This was a great read. I feel liking saving money to buy a Forgeworld Titan and/ or start a Mechanicus army.
November 15, 2020
Gav Thorpe has always been a bit average as far as W40k authors went but this is definitely his worst effort to date.
My expectations from a W40k book is to provide high octane action, it did not deliver on that front. The battle scenes were lacking and I found myself quite bored frequently. The writing style is also quite dull. I understand that AdMech can be somewhat difficult to write for but other authors have managed much better than this.
What I don't expect from a W40k book is modern day politics. This book is crammed with weird pronouns like vis, ver and others. This feels like a butchering of the language and takes you out of what is already a fairly mediocre story.
My expectations from a W40k book is to provide high octane action, it did not deliver on that front. The battle scenes were lacking and I found myself quite bored frequently. The writing style is also quite dull. I understand that AdMech can be somewhat difficult to write for but other authors have managed much better than this.
What I don't expect from a W40k book is modern day politics. This book is crammed with weird pronouns like vis, ver and others. This feels like a butchering of the language and takes you out of what is already a fairly mediocre story.
March 27, 2020
"Protect the faithful!"
I've been enjoying various Black Library fiction for nearly a year and a half, but chose this particular book as kind of a challenge, since I always thought the Adeptus Mechanicus the most difficult faction to read - or for that matter, write - about. However, I'll admit that they, too, possess a certain flair which at last managed to fuel my interest and imagination... That's why, having only tried several short stories about them before, I selected this very book for my personal reading challenge. And I must say it was certainly worth my time!
For a person who hadn't previously delved into AdMechs' lore extensively, it proved the most hearty fare to date, since what's a better choice of making it than by venturing all the way in and grabbing a novel that features the grandest, rarest and most venerable of the Martian battle constructs - an Imperator-class Titan?.. (And I really wouldn't mind seeing a tabletop version of the battle that constitutes the plot of this Gav Thorpe's book).
For all serving aboard the Casus Belli it is a veritable living giant, an entire world unto itself - their world - that not only protects the faithful but in turn, for all its gargantuan might, has to be protected by them. Because the taint of the Omnissiah's enemies can penetrate even its seemingly inviolable armour.
The Imperator is manned by the various Mechanicus-inducted ranks, who had long become less actual men than emotionless machines, together with ordinary people who toil in its depths and occasionally unwind by drinking 'machine-spirits', playing 'Omnissekh' and even .
Consequently, the novel is divided into a pair of sub-plots that gradually merge together as an internal conspiracy is detected within the millennia-old god of war. Thus, we explore the Titan in all its complex, rugged glory and follow the thread of events through the unique perception of two protagonists - magos dominus Exasas (who is something of an outsider among the crew) and common tributai worker Ghelsa from the numerous maintenance personnel. Consequenly, the style of the book is notably different, especially since the magos' very peculiar behaviour and his "data-exchange" dialogues can make it seem that only scarce traces of humanity remain to the likes of him. Which isn't really the case, for as the story progresses his role becomes ever more prominent though highly dependent on the assistance of unaugmented humans.
My favourite character, however, was Ghelsa, with her story arc the most delightful to follow. At the outset, she is a person far more comfortable around tech than her fellow humans , and it's mostly through her own eyes that the readers witness the daily life inside the cyclopean battle-construct. Very soon, she is faced with some pretty difficult decisions indeed in her attempts to help bring the hereteks to justice. In a single grimy, action-packed day, Ghelsa's journey takes her all the way from the downdecks to the inner sanctum, revealing her as a woman of quick mind, impressive bravery and unwavering loyalty both to her comrades and superiors.
The novel's heroes are the servants of a dystopian Imperium where the value of an individual is literally nil compared to the fate of uncounted billions. However, they learn that according to the Cult Mechanicus, each single person has their own important role within the Cosmic Engine, and it is their own actions - selfish or selfless, treacherous or dutiful - that eventually result in overall defeat or victory.
In general, this is definitely a great Warhammer story, much recommended to the avid readers of WH40K fiction - especially fans of the clanky cogheads and all their faithful creations.
I've been enjoying various Black Library fiction for nearly a year and a half, but chose this particular book as kind of a challenge, since I always thought the Adeptus Mechanicus the most difficult faction to read - or for that matter, write - about. However, I'll admit that they, too, possess a certain flair which at last managed to fuel my interest and imagination... That's why, having only tried several short stories about them before, I selected this very book for my personal reading challenge. And I must say it was certainly worth my time!
For a person who hadn't previously delved into AdMechs' lore extensively, it proved the most hearty fare to date, since what's a better choice of making it than by venturing all the way in and grabbing a novel that features the grandest, rarest and most venerable of the Martian battle constructs - an Imperator-class Titan?.. (And I really wouldn't mind seeing a tabletop version of the battle that constitutes the plot of this Gav Thorpe's book).
For all serving aboard the Casus Belli it is a veritable living giant, an entire world unto itself - their world - that not only protects the faithful but in turn, for all its gargantuan might, has to be protected by them. Because the taint of the Omnissiah's enemies can penetrate even its seemingly inviolable armour.
The Imperator is manned by the various Mechanicus-inducted ranks, who had long become less actual men than emotionless machines, together with ordinary people who toil in its depths and occasionally unwind by drinking 'machine-spirits', playing 'Omnissekh' and even .
Consequently, the novel is divided into a pair of sub-plots that gradually merge together as an internal conspiracy is detected within the millennia-old god of war. Thus, we explore the Titan in all its complex, rugged glory and follow the thread of events through the unique perception of two protagonists - magos dominus Exasas (who is something of an outsider among the crew) and common tributai worker Ghelsa from the numerous maintenance personnel. Consequenly, the style of the book is notably different, especially since the magos' very peculiar behaviour and his "data-exchange" dialogues can make it seem that only scarce traces of humanity remain to the likes of him. Which isn't really the case, for as the story progresses his role becomes ever more prominent though highly dependent on the assistance of unaugmented humans.
My favourite character, however, was Ghelsa, with her story arc the most delightful to follow. At the outset, she is a person far more comfortable around tech than her fellow humans , and it's mostly through her own eyes that the readers witness the daily life inside the cyclopean battle-construct. Very soon, she is faced with some pretty difficult decisions indeed in her attempts to help bring the hereteks to justice. In a single grimy, action-packed day, Ghelsa's journey takes her all the way from the downdecks to the inner sanctum, revealing her as a woman of quick mind, impressive bravery and unwavering loyalty both to her comrades and superiors.
The novel's heroes are the servants of a dystopian Imperium where the value of an individual is literally nil compared to the fate of uncounted billions. However, they learn that according to the Cult Mechanicus, each single person has their own important role within the Cosmic Engine, and it is their own actions - selfish or selfless, treacherous or dutiful - that eventually result in overall defeat or victory.
In general, this is definitely a great Warhammer story, much recommended to the avid readers of WH40K fiction - especially fans of the clanky cogheads and all their faithful creations.
September 26, 2019
Pretty good overall. Enjoyable reading, with really good description of the noosphere and the machine spirits of the titans. The story itself wasn't really captivating, and generally it was predictable. Gav Thorpe's description of the battles didn't satisfy me personally, hence the 3 star review.
Generally a good read, especially if you like the Mechanicus and Titans.
Generally a good read, especially if you like the Mechanicus and Titans.
March 15, 2019
Genuinely enjoyable and focused adventure, with some nice and interesting world building at the margins. The way gender is handled is fascinating, and pertinent when many characters are posthuman. It’s also a great, propulsive adventure yarn. Imagine Die Hard if the building was actually a giant walking robot with hundreds of inhabitants locked in an internal civil war. The perspective is admirably focused, with the actions never leaving the inside.
Now: If you can’t get used to reading a three letter word like “vis”, then reading is not for you.
If you can’t read a story without rage quitting because of the garbage reactionary politics you thoughtlessly absorbed while poisoning your brain in the outer dark of the chans, then the entire internet is not for you. Log off, loser. We’re gonna take all your toys.
Now: If you can’t get used to reading a three letter word like “vis”, then reading is not for you.
If you can’t read a story without rage quitting because of the garbage reactionary politics you thoughtlessly absorbed while poisoning your brain in the outer dark of the chans, then the entire internet is not for you. Log off, loser. We’re gonna take all your toys.
December 24, 2020
“She certainly was not special, but nobody was until they were needed. The gears and levers of the cosmos worked their impenetrable mechanisms, requiring each component to do its part when called upon. The Machine-God had set that engine in motion, and now the time had come when Ghelsa would be a fulcrum upon which the workings would hinge.”
December 30, 2020
Where to start? The book was bad on every possible level. The characters were cartoonish and predictable dolls without any character development. The plot was mundane. The book is not worth of my money and was promptly sold. Avoid.
Pronouns shenanigans were not the problem. I suspect author wanting to get his sales to rise by inserting the gender issues there.
Pronouns shenanigans were not the problem. I suspect author wanting to get his sales to rise by inserting the gender issues there.
February 19, 2022
It seems titanicus has set a bar too high to be met by any other 40k novellist.
April 29, 2024
The pronoun stuff made this a slog. They/them would have been more tolerable than whatever this garbage is.
January 5, 2024
Almost all of the negative reviews are from individuals who don’t understand 40k and/or are for some reason offended by the idea of an extremely mechanically augmented human who doesn’t identify with gender (despite it being explained in the narrative). If you are a 40k fan that wants to explore the inner workings and community of a Imperator Titan and also experience Titan Combat. Gav Thorpe delivers. As a Dark Angels fan and player I am used to Gav’s style and while he isn’t the best writer ever, he gets the job done. I enjoyed the read.
January 28, 2025
Aaah, Titan books. The cover art is invariably fantastic but the contents usually less so, because there's only so much you can do with big stompy killer robots. There is a reason, after all, that the Power Rangers don't bring out the Megazords until the last five minutes of the episode.
This time out Gav Thorpe has the reigns and is leaning heavily into the Titan/submarine comparison. This premise is valid in that both are highly destructive war machines in which the crew are isolated from the rest of the world and could be killed en masse at any given moment. It is, simultaneously, less valid in that your typical U-Boat is not a gigantic walking robot visible to everyone for many miles around and with enough armour and firepower to dismantle entire armies all by itself. As a result something doesn't quite click tonally, but nonetheless Thorpe does a decent job of setting up an entertaining civil war inside a Titan's innards.
Neither Techpriests nor Titans are really my kind of thing so I picked this up more as a completionist keen to read more about the 40k setting than as someone intrinsically interested in the factions at hand. I'm sure others will find much to enjoy though, and if nothing else Thorpe deserves credit for upsetting all the right people by daring to employ any pronoun other than the ones they find acceptable.
This time out Gav Thorpe has the reigns and is leaning heavily into the Titan/submarine comparison. This premise is valid in that both are highly destructive war machines in which the crew are isolated from the rest of the world and could be killed en masse at any given moment. It is, simultaneously, less valid in that your typical U-Boat is not a gigantic walking robot visible to everyone for many miles around and with enough armour and firepower to dismantle entire armies all by itself. As a result something doesn't quite click tonally, but nonetheless Thorpe does a decent job of setting up an entertaining civil war inside a Titan's innards.
Neither Techpriests nor Titans are really my kind of thing so I picked this up more as a completionist keen to read more about the 40k setting than as someone intrinsically interested in the factions at hand. I'm sure others will find much to enjoy though, and if nothing else Thorpe deserves credit for upsetting all the right people by daring to employ any pronoun other than the ones they find acceptable.
May 28, 2023
Imperator: Wrath of the Omnissiah starts off with a great premise. A conspiracy from within the titan to mutiny mid battle and turn it over to the traitors. Unfortunately the story just does not have enough interesting turns as it proceeds. It's like a rollercoaster with no dips, loops or twists. From the offset we are told of the conspiracy plot, which (1) makes some main characters feel dumber than they should due to them ignoring the 'obvious' clues something is awry, and (2) leaves no room for suprises as, lets be honest, we know they'll carry the day.
The closest to a suprise we get is a bit of subversion of expectations when . But this just makes that character seem a little stupid, and the lack of fallout from that act, and given the heresy is revealed when they attempt mutiny with no input from the characters anyway, it 'almost' makes a load of the characters actions to that point in the story meaningless.
Still, the battles were well described, fun, and the titan combat w/active mutiny is a fresh angle. Enjoyable, but not memorable.
The closest to a suprise we get is a bit of subversion of expectations when . But this just makes that character seem a little stupid, and the lack of fallout from that act, and given the heresy is revealed when they attempt mutiny with no input from the characters anyway, it 'almost' makes a load of the characters actions to that point in the story meaningless.
Still, the battles were well described, fun, and the titan combat w/active mutiny is a fresh angle. Enjoyable, but not memorable.
October 23, 2022
Pretty good book. In this novel an engineer and a warrior priest come to realize the ruling council of the giant mechanized super war machine are traitors. The best part of this novel is the exploration of the thought process and philosophy behind the cult mechanics. The engineer views herself as a cog in a far greater machine, and finds great satisfaction in that role. It highlights how her religion makes her feel valued by her society and content in her place, a pleasant contrast to the insanity and depression many 40k authors choose to focus on. The skitarri warrior priest is entertaining as he creates mental clones of himself with which to have well written arguments and revelations, contrasting vers inhuman abilities with vers very human thoughts. The pronouns too help show a character who has abandoned the weakness of flesh and gender rolls in order to be closer to ver views of the machine god. Another standout moment is when a very competent but arrogant inquisitor finds themselves very mortal. We are reminded though… no-one escapes the inquisition.
December 4, 2019
The story was more or less ok. I liked the Inquisitor arc while it lasted and didn't expect it to go the way it did. Though Gav's take on the magos was a bit odd for some reason, but all in all it was a good book. I must add however that I liked the first one in the series a lot more. That said, I definitely did not appreciate the gender pronouns stuff. I really really do not like modern politics intruding the world of 40k in any shape or form. Yes, I get the perspective that some tech-priests and other similar beings who have replaced biology with cybernetics might not have a gender nor care about one, but pulling real-world issues in such a way is just awful. If you want to tackle that particular subject Gav you can at least do it in some other, creative way that does not associate with gender pronouns thing that is going on at the moment. Actually exactly because of it, the whole thing could have been left out entirely imo.
May 22, 2024
This review is coming someone who listened to the audiobook via audible:
Overall the audio was done very well. The reader did a splendid job creating unique voices and dialogue for the characters in the story.
I’ve listened to I believe every Titan audio book I can find and this is most likely my least favorite. Mainly because the Titan action is so minimal, which had been my goal for these audiobooks. However, the author did a great job making you care for the characters involved.
If you quickly read through reviews either here or on audible, you’ll hear about a big issue the community has about an aspect of a particular protag. For me, even though I wasn’t the biggest fan, understood how this particular character could have arrived to this kind of conclusion. Ultimately it didn’t sway my opinions on this character or the story as a whole.
The ending, mainly the later quarter of the book, is easily my favorite, which makes sense and makes the journey worth it.
Overall the audio was done very well. The reader did a splendid job creating unique voices and dialogue for the characters in the story.
I’ve listened to I believe every Titan audio book I can find and this is most likely my least favorite. Mainly because the Titan action is so minimal, which had been my goal for these audiobooks. However, the author did a great job making you care for the characters involved.
If you quickly read through reviews either here or on audible, you’ll hear about a big issue the community has about an aspect of a particular protag. For me, even though I wasn’t the biggest fan, understood how this particular character could have arrived to this kind of conclusion. Ultimately it didn’t sway my opinions on this character or the story as a whole.
The ending, mainly the later quarter of the book, is easily my favorite, which makes sense and makes the journey worth it.
January 5, 2025
An inquisitor with zero personality spends most of the book climbing the inside of a titan god machine whilst at odds with a boring mechanicus menial who doesn't know if she can trust him but takes him anyway. The gender pronouns were distracting as they just felt out of place and unnecessary but when at 3/4 of the way through it became a lecture in gender identity I finally gave up, having no idea why I had kept going that far. This book felt like it was serving an agenda to shoehorn gender politics into warhammer, or wokehammer as it's getting called these days, but either way I come here to escape, not be lectured. Massively disappointing. Didn't finish it and I am stubborn enough to keep going through some seriously bad reads.
January 6, 2019
I discovered this book via Goodreads, as I have read something else by this author. This story is set in the newest era of Warhammer stories, during the aftermath of the 13th Black Crusade. The Titans of the Legio Metalica, one of the oldest Titan units, are dispatched to the planet Nicomedua to put down a heretic uprising. Leading the assault is the Imperator class Titan Casus Belli. Unbeknownst to the command crew, there are heretics aboard the Titan, and it will fall to a lowly mechanic and the commander of the skitarii infantry to turn them back.
July 7, 2019
Keep looking for the book that will fully execute on the concept of the Titans at war. This isn’t that book as it is almost entirely focused on the internal machinations of the Imperator Titan Casus Belli. But at least in Ghelsa the “human perspective” was handled about as well as I’ve seen (40k-wise) and in Exasas we get one of the more interesting Magos I’ve read. As strange as it sounds vis conversations with verself (not typos) become a highlight of the book by the end.
July 18, 2024
Solid overall, wish there was more big robot combat, but I enjoyed the plot overall... I think people complaining about gender neutral pronouns for a mechanicum being who refers to themselves as he and she at various parts as different personality were used fits what I expect from a being or set of beings that generally seem to transcend gender
December 30, 2023
The book is pretty good but nothing really elevates it above Thorpe's other work.
Please disregard the 4chan crowd angry about a side character's neopronouns. It takes about 45 seconds to get used to. ... assuming that sort of thing doesn't frighten you to tears like it seems to do them.
Please disregard the 4chan crowd angry about a side character's neopronouns. It takes about 45 seconds to get used to. ... assuming that sort of thing doesn't frighten you to tears like it seems to do them.
May 23, 2024
Damn...
I thought that I could read warhammer books up until 2020 without having modern day politics/lectures in them .
Well....I have to bring the years down a bit.
Got it, note to self : "don't read warhammer books past 2018" .
I thought that I could read warhammer books up until 2020 without having modern day politics/lectures in them .
Well....I have to bring the years down a bit.
Got it, note to self : "don't read warhammer books past 2018" .
May 2, 2019
Awesome book that delves deeply into the nature of the Adeptus Mechanicus and theur philosophy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2023
Go vis yourself. The book is ver to read. Vi is nice, but rather ter. Need to use goddamn yst google to xuh. Uh.
February 24, 2024
The plot was fun, the story was inclusive without feeling forced, and it gave a slice of life in an imperator titan.
Is it groundbreaking?
No.
Is it a nice distraction?
I thought so.
Is it groundbreaking?
No.
Is it a nice distraction?
I thought so.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews