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Warhammer 40,000
Mark of Faith
At long last - the Adepta Sororitas are back!
With the birth of the Cicatrix Maledictum the Imperium of Mankind suffers as never before. Conflict and corruption is rife on every front and precious little hope remains, save for those who hold to their faith when faced with destruction...
Denied a martyr’s death during the battle for Ophelia VII, Sister Evangeline of the Order of Our Martyred Lady is blessed with a new and grave duty; to embark on a pilgrimage beyond the Great Rift to recover a precious and powerful artefact – the Shield of Saint Katherine. Accompanied by the enigmatic Inquisitor Ravara, who seeks her own closure in the veiled regions beyond the Rift, Evangeline must find a way to bear the weight of this unaskedfor destiny if she and her Sisters are to succeed in restoring a fragment of light to this new dark Imperium.
With the birth of the Cicatrix Maledictum the Imperium of Mankind suffers as never before. Conflict and corruption is rife on every front and precious little hope remains, save for those who hold to their faith when faced with destruction...
Denied a martyr’s death during the battle for Ophelia VII, Sister Evangeline of the Order of Our Martyred Lady is blessed with a new and grave duty; to embark on a pilgrimage beyond the Great Rift to recover a precious and powerful artefact – the Shield of Saint Katherine. Accompanied by the enigmatic Inquisitor Ravara, who seeks her own closure in the veiled regions beyond the Rift, Evangeline must find a way to bear the weight of this unaskedfor destiny if she and her Sisters are to succeed in restoring a fragment of light to this new dark Imperium.
368 pages, Paperback
First published November 29, 2019
108 people are currently reading
686 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Harrison
28 books56 followersRachel Harrison writes Warhammer 40k stories for Black Library. She also publishes under the name Ray Harrison.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Rachel^^Harrison
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Rachel^^Harrison
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
November 16, 2019
After losing everything in defence of Ophelia VII, Sister Evangeline of the Order of Our Martyred Lady is sent on a divine quest to seek out the Shield of Saint Katherine in Imperium Nihilus. To Inquisitor Ravara of the Ordo Malleus, Evangeline’s mission offers the opportunity to serve her own ends and undo a terrible wrong. Haunted by ghosts of the past and wrestling with their duties, both find their faith tested and their paths profoundly challenged.
As with all the best Black Library books this uses great characters to reflect and explore their archetypes, digging beneath the surface of the 40k setting while telling a powerful, compelling story which cuts to the core of 40k and the eternal conflict between the Imperium and Chaos. Everything combines into a driving narrative which is cleverly paced using the intertwining viewpoints of the two characters, the intensity of the plot ebbing and flowing with some incredibly dark moments, particularly in amongst the breathless and high-impact action sequences. For all the bruising combat and Warp-infused cosmic horror (it is a Warhammer story, after all) however, Harrison never loses sight of her characters, putting them through hell but keeping the reader engaged with relatable, human stakes. All told it’s a powerful, brutally honest book, and something that should be at the top of the list for any 40k fan.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/11/...
As with all the best Black Library books this uses great characters to reflect and explore their archetypes, digging beneath the surface of the 40k setting while telling a powerful, compelling story which cuts to the core of 40k and the eternal conflict between the Imperium and Chaos. Everything combines into a driving narrative which is cleverly paced using the intertwining viewpoints of the two characters, the intensity of the plot ebbing and flowing with some incredibly dark moments, particularly in amongst the breathless and high-impact action sequences. For all the bruising combat and Warp-infused cosmic horror (it is a Warhammer story, after all) however, Harrison never loses sight of her characters, putting them through hell but keeping the reader engaged with relatable, human stakes. All told it’s a powerful, brutally honest book, and something that should be at the top of the list for any 40k fan.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/11/...
June 20, 2020
Rachel Harrison is an outstanding writer of books that make me live in the imperium of man in the 40k universe, now when you consider what an absolute nightmare that universe is and how my life expectancy would be counted in minutes let career prospects you can understand (hopefully) how immersive she makes her books and actually gives the reader hope.... I loved this book and went and bought it on Audible straight after I had read it enhance my enjoyment
October 16, 2020
Review copy provided by the publisher.
This is the second novel by Rachel Harrison I have read published by Black Library, following Honorbound. Besides the common Warhammer 40,000 setting there are no links between that and this, at least that I picked up on, as the focus moves from the Antari Rifles - baseline human soldiers of the Imperial Guard - to the Sisters of Battle, elite warrior-nuns.
I struggled to make it though Mark of Faith, as neither of our perspective characters really clicked with me. The first is Evangeline, a sister of battle who is one of few survivors of her order following a terrible battle, who is physically marked out her by scars as under the special favour and protection of the Emperor. Evangeline struggles to understand why she has survived when her sisters have fallen, and privately wishes she had achieved a martyr's death alongside them. She is given new purpose -and further insecurity - by a quest for a holy MacGuffin, in which she is accompanied by our second perspective character.
Inquisitor Ravara is a member of the most feared institution in the Imperium, the Inquisition. Secret police with near-unlimited authority, in previous depicitions an Inquisitor's competence has only been exceeded by their ruthlessness. Ravara is neither competent nor ruthless. Broken by the loss of her subordinate and lover in a recent failed venture, Ravara is accompanying the Sisters' warship in search of the MacGuffin in the hopes that it will return her love to her. Why anyone listens to her I am sure I don't know, as she comes across as a rather pathetic character, following the directions of prophetic dreams that seem to lead her and her associates into disaster after disaster.
Evangeline has the beginnings of an interesting arc in her insecurities, but unfortunately it is not paid off in a satisfying way. Ravara, meanwhile, fails her way through the story and never suffers more than a stern word of rebuke in response. I noted in my Honorbound review that I would have liked the author to be more ruthless with her characters and that feeling continues here.
The antagonist of the piece is also unsatisfying, as they do not arrive until the third act and are not previously foreshadowed. They have no known relationship with our protagonists, and it feels rather as though a hand reached into a hat marked "Enemies of the Imperium" to pull out a villain for the climax.
I enjoyed Honorbound and the Sisters of Battle & Inqusition are potentially very interesting subjects for fiction, so I am disappointed not to have had a better time with this book. Unfortunately Mark of Faith is merely staid bolter porn. For an excellent book featuring Sisters of Battle, may I recommend Peter Fehervari's Requiem Infernal.
This is the second novel by Rachel Harrison I have read published by Black Library, following Honorbound. Besides the common Warhammer 40,000 setting there are no links between that and this, at least that I picked up on, as the focus moves from the Antari Rifles - baseline human soldiers of the Imperial Guard - to the Sisters of Battle, elite warrior-nuns.
I struggled to make it though Mark of Faith, as neither of our perspective characters really clicked with me. The first is Evangeline, a sister of battle who is one of few survivors of her order following a terrible battle, who is physically marked out her by scars as under the special favour and protection of the Emperor. Evangeline struggles to understand why she has survived when her sisters have fallen, and privately wishes she had achieved a martyr's death alongside them. She is given new purpose -and further insecurity - by a quest for a holy MacGuffin, in which she is accompanied by our second perspective character.
Inquisitor Ravara is a member of the most feared institution in the Imperium, the Inquisition. Secret police with near-unlimited authority, in previous depicitions an Inquisitor's competence has only been exceeded by their ruthlessness. Ravara is neither competent nor ruthless. Broken by the loss of her subordinate and lover in a recent failed venture, Ravara is accompanying the Sisters' warship in search of the MacGuffin in the hopes that it will return her love to her. Why anyone listens to her I am sure I don't know, as she comes across as a rather pathetic character, following the directions of prophetic dreams that seem to lead her and her associates into disaster after disaster.
Evangeline has the beginnings of an interesting arc in her insecurities, but unfortunately it is not paid off in a satisfying way. Ravara, meanwhile, fails her way through the story and never suffers more than a stern word of rebuke in response. I noted in my Honorbound review that I would have liked the author to be more ruthless with her characters and that feeling continues here.
The antagonist of the piece is also unsatisfying, as they do not arrive until the third act and are not previously foreshadowed. They have no known relationship with our protagonists, and it feels rather as though a hand reached into a hat marked "Enemies of the Imperium" to pull out a villain for the climax.
I enjoyed Honorbound and the Sisters of Battle & Inqusition are potentially very interesting subjects for fiction, so I am disappointed not to have had a better time with this book. Unfortunately Mark of Faith is merely staid bolter porn. For an excellent book featuring Sisters of Battle, may I recommend Peter Fehervari's Requiem Infernal.
January 13, 2020
Rachel Harrison is KILLING it with these books. Right out of the gate she is vaulting to the top of the Black Library's authors.
December 25, 2022
Seeking a book about the Adepta Sororitas I launched myself into this book. The strongest points are the characters and how their individual storyline interconnects with each other’s, but that’s pretty much it. Apart from that I can only describe my reading experience as forceful and eager to finish the book to be done with it, mainly because the full main plot can be easily written as a short story and almost everything feels like a filler that overstreched the reading for hours. Also, I found myself annoyed on what I felt it was a limited vocabulary by Rachel Harrison - mainly because she always uses the character’s eyes to describe their actions and feelings.
July 30, 2020
Great book. Love how Blacklibrary has not shied away from using strong female MC's. This is no exception.
December 11, 2019
The Adepta Sororitas have received a long-awaited revitalisation in the Warhammer 40k franchise, with this novel accompanying the release of the faction's first plastic models. And the novel does this revitalisation justice. Rachel Harrison crafts her characters masterfully; every scene is drenched in personality, and every action taken by the characters is motivated, understandable from the character's perspective. Before the book is a third over, we know all we need to know about them to understand the journey each is respectively on, and their development unfolds magnificently.
The two main characters are, as stated in the bio, Sister Evangeline and Inquisitor Ravara. However, there is a third character that remains unmentioned: that of the setting. Specifically the Great Rift. It is omnipresent throughout every point of the story, and is brought to dark life when the journey through it commences. This is the most detailed, most interesting examination of what the Great Rift is and what it means for the Imperium that we've seen yet. In a way, Mark of Faith has laid significant groundwork for future novels to build off.
This is among the best 40k novels I've ever read, and I hope we will get to see Rachel Harrison do more with the Adepta Sororitas in future.
The two main characters are, as stated in the bio, Sister Evangeline and Inquisitor Ravara. However, there is a third character that remains unmentioned: that of the setting. Specifically the Great Rift. It is omnipresent throughout every point of the story, and is brought to dark life when the journey through it commences. This is the most detailed, most interesting examination of what the Great Rift is and what it means for the Imperium that we've seen yet. In a way, Mark of Faith has laid significant groundwork for future novels to build off.
This is among the best 40k novels I've ever read, and I hope we will get to see Rachel Harrison do more with the Adepta Sororitas in future.
March 30, 2024
3,5*
Good appropriation of the Adepta Sororitas lore. The plot is logically bathed in religious symbols and symbolism with characters made of faith with bits of devotion inside. Anything less would seem ridiculous even though it’s sometimes oppressive.
Within this frame- and the franchise’s- the characters are chemically pure archetypes: the chosen one filled with doubt, the precog inquisitor with her own agenda, the authority challenger and drones of faithful devotees...
The plot itself is rigid: chosen must cross the Rift to find mcguffin. Pitfalls along the way. Takes its sweet time to start.
If the above doesn’t seem very encouraging I’ll give the book two highlights: a pleasant style- if sometimes stuffed with religious whatnots- and archetypal yet solid characters for one. The second one would be the introduction of some horror. Crossing the Great Rift isn’t without consequences on the Warp and what lurks within.
I’m still a noob in the WH40K universe so I’m probably not the best judge but this well done mix of Sororitas lore + Warp horrors worked on me.
Good appropriation of the Adepta Sororitas lore. The plot is logically bathed in religious symbols and symbolism with characters made of faith with bits of devotion inside. Anything less would seem ridiculous even though it’s sometimes oppressive.
Within this frame- and the franchise’s- the characters are chemically pure archetypes: the chosen one filled with doubt, the precog inquisitor with her own agenda, the authority challenger and drones of faithful devotees...
The plot itself is rigid: chosen must cross the Rift to find mcguffin. Pitfalls along the way. Takes its sweet time to start.
If the above doesn’t seem very encouraging I’ll give the book two highlights: a pleasant style- if sometimes stuffed with religious whatnots- and archetypal yet solid characters for one. The second one would be the introduction of some horror. Crossing the Great Rift isn’t without consequences on the Warp and what lurks within.
I’m still a noob in the WH40K universe so I’m probably not the best judge but this well done mix of Sororitas lore + Warp horrors worked on me.
February 16, 2025
This was excellent! I didn't like how it ended but that could be rectified with a sequel. Lots of great characters and the author clearly understands the world, but this came out like eight years ago so we are SOL.
May 21, 2020
Well written book even though predictable.
Just not Grimdark, missing the 40k theme.
Just not Grimdark, missing the 40k theme.
January 28, 2025
3.5 rounded up
While I did enjoy this a lot, I do agree with other reviewers that mentioned it getting repetitive, especially with character's names being said. Annoying, but not a deal breaker for me. I didn't care for the twist either, but I'm not a twist enjoyer to begin with, so that doesn't really count.
And since I listened to the audiobook, I also noticed that one of the two narrators wasn't as skilled as the other, and especially struggled with "evil voices." This led to me liking the other actress's character alot more. Would I have felt the same reading it on paper? I don't know, maybe?
But despite all that I am very much looking forward to more from Black Library, the author, and one of the narrators. Ok maybe the other narrator too, just not if she has to be a villain.
While I did enjoy this a lot, I do agree with other reviewers that mentioned it getting repetitive, especially with character's names being said. Annoying, but not a deal breaker for me. I didn't care for the twist either, but I'm not a twist enjoyer to begin with, so that doesn't really count.
And since I listened to the audiobook, I also noticed that one of the two narrators wasn't as skilled as the other, and especially struggled with "evil voices." This led to me liking the other actress's character alot more. Would I have felt the same reading it on paper? I don't know, maybe?
But despite all that I am very much looking forward to more from Black Library, the author, and one of the narrators. Ok maybe the other narrator too, just not if she has to be a villain.
March 15, 2021
Pretty entertaining read while it lasted, although I only finished it two weeks ago, and I'm struggling to remember how it ended. There are several very compelling and visceral battle scenes but the narrative arc of the story is rather uncompelling. The setup is very promising, and seems like it's going to be a fun quest for a lost artifact, but almost a full half of the book, and most of the third act, I'd say is just being on the ship that's taking them right to where their objective is. Great action, and some very interesting relationships between characters that are very unique to a Warhammer novel. Passable. But I went in with really high expectations that weren't quite met.
May 7, 2021
This book was diverting enough, though its plot line telegraphed the “plot twist” so hard I wondered why the villain even bothered with his efforts to keep the protagonists in the dark. The religious fanaticism of the protagonists can wear, but my main criticism is for the Audible version of this work. Having only two women voice over 30 characters, and the plenitude of endless repetitions of names: “Ari! Ari! Ari!” “Evangeline! Evangeline! Evangeline!” nearly killed my enjoyment of the last third of the book. Otherwise, a decent science fiction romp in the world of Warhammer 40,000. Above average by the standards of that canon of literature.
June 8, 2025
Was this a challenge devised in a pub: could we create an extremely boring 40K book. The answer is clearly yes and this book is it. A foot fetish is a well-known thing, but this is like an eye fetish. It also has a vibe of slight disrespect towards the Sisters of Battle. Furthermore, it made the Sisters and Inquisitor into female caricatures filled with ridiculous displays of emotions. I so wish people who write women in powerful positions would actually talk to women in the military, police, management, etc. I did like the Canoness. So much potential in this almost quest, but sadly squandered.
January 7, 2020
Unfortunately massive let down as been waiting for this book since it has been announced. Plot seems sooo overstretched that it could have easily been short story in some omnibus. Massive problem with BL is making author write book about products they are marketing at the time and very often it shows, there is feeling of author trying to just make it work but on few occasions I have been close to just giving up. Hopefully one day Dan Abnett will write about Adeptas Sororitas, that would be dream coming true!
January 4, 2020
Harrison has quickly become one of my favorite 40K writers. This wasn't the typical 40K story, as it was more about psychological than physical battles, but the characters were well developed and truly real. Whether you like them or not, you do connect to them. The only reason this wasn't a 5-star for me was the hint of social justice signaling... other than that it was a good story with great characters.
January 21, 2024
Stand strong Sisters! This was a somber listen. The story started out with a bang then continued as a lesson in not living up to expectations.
March 2, 2021
Really great novel that doesn't concern itself with the boring superhuman space marines (I say this as a space marines player) but rather with the flawed psyches of two of my favorite factions in the Warhammer 40,000 universe - the Inquisition and the Sisters of Battle. They are part of the militant arm of the Imperium of Man; religious zealots that seek out and destroy heretics for a human empire which essentially practices clerical fascism in worship of the God-Emperor of Mankind. It's horrible and insane and badass and satirical all at the same time.
The book is written from the first-person PoV of an Inquisitor and a Sister of Battle. This structure allows the reader a glimpse into the minds of humans thrust into extraordinary circumstances and for us to put a little bit of ourselves in their shoes, making the book all the more visceral. This is Warhammer 40,000 at its best. Personal, human; an epic juxtaposition between the frailty and strength of an individual human coming up against the existential and realized horror of a universe out to murder them. It's difficult to relate to superman space marines or space elves or whatever other fantastical species many 40k novels are written from.
Indeed, the plot plays second fiddle to the cacophony going on inside the main characters' heads. It's OK as a vehicle to drive character development, but features a stereotypical McGuffin and enemy, although the scenes during warp travel were pretty cool. Mark of Faith is primarily about psychological struggle and the tug-of-war between faith and duty and self-interest that affects every human, whether here on Terra or out in the galaxy. The novel does feature some of the oft-derided "bolter porn" so common in Warhammer 40,000, but it's relatively well-done and serves as a vehicle to both externalize and contest the aforementioned psychological struggles the characters are dealing with.
The writing is solid, although I noticed everyone tends to "frown" a lot. I guess that's just the default facial expression in the grim darkness of the future in which there is only war.
There's also a lot of "shallow breathing" and singing during battle, which gets a little corny and repetitive towards the end.
Also check out Requiem Infernal by Peter Fehervari if you're interested in more Sisters.
The book is written from the first-person PoV of an Inquisitor and a Sister of Battle. This structure allows the reader a glimpse into the minds of humans thrust into extraordinary circumstances and for us to put a little bit of ourselves in their shoes, making the book all the more visceral. This is Warhammer 40,000 at its best. Personal, human; an epic juxtaposition between the frailty and strength of an individual human coming up against the existential and realized horror of a universe out to murder them. It's difficult to relate to superman space marines or space elves or whatever other fantastical species many 40k novels are written from.
Indeed, the plot plays second fiddle to the cacophony going on inside the main characters' heads. It's OK as a vehicle to drive character development, but features a stereotypical McGuffin and enemy, although the scenes during warp travel were pretty cool. Mark of Faith is primarily about psychological struggle and the tug-of-war between faith and duty and self-interest that affects every human, whether here on Terra or out in the galaxy. The novel does feature some of the oft-derided "bolter porn" so common in Warhammer 40,000, but it's relatively well-done and serves as a vehicle to both externalize and contest the aforementioned psychological struggles the characters are dealing with.
The writing is solid, although I noticed everyone tends to "frown" a lot. I guess that's just the default facial expression in the grim darkness of the future in which there is only war.
There's also a lot of "shallow breathing" and singing during battle, which gets a little corny and repetitive towards the end.
Also check out Requiem Infernal by Peter Fehervari if you're interested in more Sisters.
October 19, 2020
After surviving a brutal encounter with the forces of the warp on Ophelia VII Sister Evangeline of the Order of Our Martyred Lady is sent on a quest to claim the Shield of Saint Katherine, a holy artifact, located somewhere in the Imperium Nihilus on the other side of the Cicatrix Maledictum aka The Great Rift. Meanwhile Inquisitor Ravara of the Ordo Hereticus is also on a quest of her own.
This book is an impressive example of a new author that people should definitely keep an eye on. A standout is when Harrison taps deeply into the vein of horror that underpins the entire 40K setting. Events aboard The Unbroken Vow, the five kilometre long ship belonging to Canoness Elivia, travelling through The Great Rift unfold in an engrossing, atmospheric and terrifying manner. Evangeline and her battle sisters finding themselves having to deal with the escalating and nightmarish fallout of discovering the ship's protective field flickering for the briefest of moments.
Inquisitor Ravara has her own story which unfolds in parallel to that of Sister Evangeline, one based around a quest to correct a mistake that lead to one of her retinue being grievously injured on a previous mission. Along the way this leads to among other things dealing with dream stealer Dagra Thul, which is another stand out part as it really nails the sci-fi horror aspect of the setting. Ravara has her own cohorts Yumia and Zoric who are distinctly different characters with their own pasts which are revealed as the story progresses.
The chapters are split between Evangeline and Ravara's perspective. There are a number of battle sisters that make up a cast of supporting characters, there isn't really enough space to make them all fully fleshed out characters but they're memorable enough.
At its core this is a story that is centred on both faith and love, which is somewhat surprising for a 40K story. This shows what talented authors can do within the setting and why Mark of Faith is one of the best Black Library books I've read in a long time.
This book is an impressive example of a new author that people should definitely keep an eye on. A standout is when Harrison taps deeply into the vein of horror that underpins the entire 40K setting. Events aboard The Unbroken Vow, the five kilometre long ship belonging to Canoness Elivia, travelling through The Great Rift unfold in an engrossing, atmospheric and terrifying manner. Evangeline and her battle sisters finding themselves having to deal with the escalating and nightmarish fallout of discovering the ship's protective field flickering for the briefest of moments.
Inquisitor Ravara has her own story which unfolds in parallel to that of Sister Evangeline, one based around a quest to correct a mistake that lead to one of her retinue being grievously injured on a previous mission. Along the way this leads to among other things dealing with dream stealer Dagra Thul, which is another stand out part as it really nails the sci-fi horror aspect of the setting. Ravara has her own cohorts Yumia and Zoric who are distinctly different characters with their own pasts which are revealed as the story progresses.
The chapters are split between Evangeline and Ravara's perspective. There are a number of battle sisters that make up a cast of supporting characters, there isn't really enough space to make them all fully fleshed out characters but they're memorable enough.
At its core this is a story that is centred on both faith and love, which is somewhat surprising for a 40K story. This shows what talented authors can do within the setting and why Mark of Faith is one of the best Black Library books I've read in a long time.
August 9, 2020
Inventi sumus in fide. In faith, we are found.
Mark of Faith by Rachel Harrison is a tightly-focused dual narrative that puts the Sisters of Battle centre stage. Set during the Dark Imperium timeline of the Warhammer 40k setting, it follows the characters of Sister Evangeline and Inquisitor Ravara on their perilous quest to retrieve a powerful ancient artefact beyond the galaxy-spanning Great Rift.
I picked up this book for two reasons. The first is that there is very little in terms of reading when it comes to the Sisters of Battle, especially when compared to the endless shelves of books about the conquests of the Space Marines and clandestine operations of the Inquisition. Even though the Inquisition does feature significantly here, this is very much a Sisters of Battle novel. The other reason is that I wanted to read a full-length novel from Rachel Harrison after listening to her incredible audio drama, A Way Out, from the Warhammer Horror range.
Mark of Faith is an extremely character driven story based around the themes of faith, family and love. Both Evangeline and Ravara have their faith and bonds with those closest to them constantly tested. Evangeline is forced to take up the mantle of leadership and must come to terms with the responsibility of such and the impact it has on her relationships with her sisters. Ravara seeks to right a terrible wrong that she blames herself for, even though doing so hurts the very people she is trying to save. Both are haunted by dreams that have them second-guessing themselves at every turn. Throughout the course of the novel, Harrison offers us a deep insight into the doubts and motivations that drive these two women and ensures that we truly understand and appreciate the personal depths they must overcome.
Full review over at Booknest: http://booknest.eu/reviews/assaph/198...
Mark of Faith by Rachel Harrison is a tightly-focused dual narrative that puts the Sisters of Battle centre stage. Set during the Dark Imperium timeline of the Warhammer 40k setting, it follows the characters of Sister Evangeline and Inquisitor Ravara on their perilous quest to retrieve a powerful ancient artefact beyond the galaxy-spanning Great Rift.
I picked up this book for two reasons. The first is that there is very little in terms of reading when it comes to the Sisters of Battle, especially when compared to the endless shelves of books about the conquests of the Space Marines and clandestine operations of the Inquisition. Even though the Inquisition does feature significantly here, this is very much a Sisters of Battle novel. The other reason is that I wanted to read a full-length novel from Rachel Harrison after listening to her incredible audio drama, A Way Out, from the Warhammer Horror range.
Mark of Faith is an extremely character driven story based around the themes of faith, family and love. Both Evangeline and Ravara have their faith and bonds with those closest to them constantly tested. Evangeline is forced to take up the mantle of leadership and must come to terms with the responsibility of such and the impact it has on her relationships with her sisters. Ravara seeks to right a terrible wrong that she blames herself for, even though doing so hurts the very people she is trying to save. Both are haunted by dreams that have them second-guessing themselves at every turn. Throughout the course of the novel, Harrison offers us a deep insight into the doubts and motivations that drive these two women and ensures that we truly understand and appreciate the personal depths they must overcome.
Full review over at Booknest: http://booknest.eu/reviews/assaph/198...
May 27, 2022
Story is good, and the way character plots tie into each other was done well, but I have to say Rachel Harrison's vocabulary seems very limited and often descriptions are repetitive.
That is my only major gripe. When first describing Adelynn, the author mentioned her 'emerald eyes' about 5 times within a few pages. I get it, her eyes are green. You don't have to mention them every time she does something like kill a daemon, or every time her name is brought up. But time and time again, her emerald eyes are brought up.
In fact, throughout the rest of the book, Rachel seems to really enjoy mentioning the colors of eyes as a passing description. This also got old, fast. Before I knew it, every character mentioned was hazel eyes as she did this or amber eyes furious as she did that. They just all seem very out of place and uncalled for. Clothes rippling in the movement or hair wafting would've made more sense.
Seems nitpicky but the repetitive descriptions became pretty annoying to read.
Aside from that, everything else was good. Following the scenes was not difficult as other authors tend to make it. Rachel was great at describing the inner turmoil of every character, and illustrating Sisters' role in the Imperium. Fighting chaos was as horrific and chaotic as I would expect it to be, like the horror scene from Event Horizon, while the fervor and conviction of the Sisters, each one spouting litanies or song like a Chaplain, shines a light through all of that darkness. All of this was very well done.
That is my only major gripe. When first describing Adelynn, the author mentioned her 'emerald eyes' about 5 times within a few pages. I get it, her eyes are green. You don't have to mention them every time she does something like kill a daemon, or every time her name is brought up. But time and time again, her emerald eyes are brought up.
In fact, throughout the rest of the book, Rachel seems to really enjoy mentioning the colors of eyes as a passing description. This also got old, fast. Before I knew it, every character mentioned was hazel eyes as she did this or amber eyes furious as she did that. They just all seem very out of place and uncalled for. Clothes rippling in the movement or hair wafting would've made more sense.
Seems nitpicky but the repetitive descriptions became pretty annoying to read.
Aside from that, everything else was good. Following the scenes was not difficult as other authors tend to make it. Rachel was great at describing the inner turmoil of every character, and illustrating Sisters' role in the Imperium. Fighting chaos was as horrific and chaotic as I would expect it to be, like the horror scene from Event Horizon, while the fervor and conviction of the Sisters, each one spouting litanies or song like a Chaplain, shines a light through all of that darkness. All of this was very well done.
July 30, 2024
Prepare for eye rolls in this cloyingly contrite and disjointed novel. This seems to be recommended as a starting point for sisters lore, but I have to think that recommendation is some reverse psychology gatekeeping to keep people away from sisters, because this is just bad.
The overall exploration of guilt, loss of self and loss of loved ones is clear, and that is fine, but it can be executed so much better than this. This feels like an idea which is plastered over the 40k universe without exploring that theme below surface level. The result is a series of monotonous "therapy sessions" between the main character and her friends that don't lead to much, or give us any reason to care or remember the cast, while they perform some boilerplate fantasy quest.
The only silver lining here are a secondary character (weirdly) stealing the spotlight and having some meaningful development and the most plot relevance, and the antagonist being interesting for all of 5 seconds.
Don't waste your time.
The overall exploration of guilt, loss of self and loss of loved ones is clear, and that is fine, but it can be executed so much better than this. This feels like an idea which is plastered over the 40k universe without exploring that theme below surface level. The result is a series of monotonous "therapy sessions" between the main character and her friends that don't lead to much, or give us any reason to care or remember the cast, while they perform some boilerplate fantasy quest.
The only silver lining here are a secondary character (weirdly) stealing the spotlight and having some meaningful development and the most plot relevance, and the antagonist being interesting for all of 5 seconds.
Don't waste your time.
May 28, 2025
sister evangeline i love you dearly ....
Real review of Mark of Faith - 4/5 !!
I may be a bit biased given that the Adepta Sororitas is the army that I have, but I really enjoyed Mark of Faith!
I thought Sister Evangeline and Inquisitor Ravara were both interesting characters, and seeing the story through their perspectives made it interesting. The goal they share and the way that it differs really came through with the writing and the perspectives.
Overall I did genuinely enjoy the book, but the end was just a little underwhelming. Not enough to change the review because I loved Sister Evangeline and I am biased towards the Sisters as a whole, but still underwhelming. The 'big boss' wasn't even really foreshadowed, although he did technically show up throughout the book? And I feel like more time in the book was spent focused on the Unbroken Vow traveling through the warp than the final fight, which made it a little anticlimactic.
Despite that, I did still genuinely enjoy this book!
Real review of Mark of Faith - 4/5 !!
I may be a bit biased given that the Adepta Sororitas is the army that I have, but I really enjoyed Mark of Faith!
I thought Sister Evangeline and Inquisitor Ravara were both interesting characters, and seeing the story through their perspectives made it interesting. The goal they share and the way that it differs really came through with the writing and the perspectives.
Overall I did genuinely enjoy the book, but the end was just a little underwhelming. Not enough to change the review because I loved Sister Evangeline and I am biased towards the Sisters as a whole, but still underwhelming. The 'big boss' wasn't even really foreshadowed, although he did technically show up throughout the book? And I feel like more time in the book was spent focused on the Unbroken Vow traveling through the warp than the final fight, which made it a little anticlimactic.
Despite that, I did still genuinely enjoy this book!
March 11, 2024
A relatively unique 40k book. Being written by a woman about mainly women characters, the book has a feminine bent to it, which when blended with the traditionally-masculine hyper-violence and horror of 40k makes for a great story.
The book focuses more on character relationships and their beliefs, which are the primary motivators for the protagonists, which is definitely where the more feminine writing style shines through. But that doesn't get in the way of a very-40k plot and lots of good action and combat.
One of the things I also enjoyed about this book was it really goes into the danger of Warp travel. In many 40k books it's can be entirely glossed-over, with one chapter ending with the protagonists getting on their ship and the next chapter beginning with them getting off. Not so here: traveling long-distance through the Warp becomes one of the primary challenges of the book.
Overall, really great. It was my very first 40k book and it got me hooked on the series.
The book focuses more on character relationships and their beliefs, which are the primary motivators for the protagonists, which is definitely where the more feminine writing style shines through. But that doesn't get in the way of a very-40k plot and lots of good action and combat.
One of the things I also enjoyed about this book was it really goes into the danger of Warp travel. In many 40k books it's can be entirely glossed-over, with one chapter ending with the protagonists getting on their ship and the next chapter beginning with them getting off. Not so here: traveling long-distance through the Warp becomes one of the primary challenges of the book.
Overall, really great. It was my very first 40k book and it got me hooked on the series.
August 23, 2020
I received a copy of Mark of Faith in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Mark of Faith is one of the latest additions to the lore of Warhammer 40,000. Written by Rachel Harrison, this piece of work focuses specifically on the Adepta Sororitas and a new legend being born.
Sister Evangeline was there the day Ophelia VII was attacked. She watched her sisters, her mentors fall, that day. But she kept standing. Now she's about to embark on a journey like she never expected. One she never wanted.
The Shield of Saint Katherine has been missing for years until the path was illuminated to Sister Evangeline. Thus, she and her sisters are going to be sent through the Rift to find and retrieve it. No matter the cost.
“Before me, Ophelia VII burns. The grand, gothic buildings of the Convent Sanctorum and its surrounding city-state are fractured and aflame.”
Mark of Faith is such a chilling and beautiful read. The Adepta Sororitas are, to put it simply, to amazingly intense. Their quotes alone are enough to send chills down spines. That being said, this tale is arguably one of the most powerful and moving yet.
Sister Evangeline's story is...beautiful. It's also deeply sad. She lost everything on Ophelia VII, including the opportunity to become a martyr alongside her sisters. One can imagine how much that would hurt her heart. How it would leave her scarred, a perfect match to the wings now placed on her face.
This was a heavy tale, of that there is no doubt. But it was also a story of infinite complexity. There were multiple layers to what was actually happening here, and it took a while to work through it all. I love that added depth. It does justice to the Adepta Sororitas, and to Sister Evangeline herself.
“'Fight,' she says. 'Suffer. Strand, until you cannot.'”
Honestly, I really, truly loved every single part of this story. The plot, the characters, the action, the conflict. It was all there, and it was amazing. This is a story that made me fall in love with the Adepta Sororitas all over again. But really, can you blame me?
I'll confess that I have not been reading enough about the Adepta Sororitas as I should. I need to add all of their novels and novellas to my TBR list, because frankly, I've loved every single one of them. I also need to add Rachel Harrison to my watchlist as well, because I was supremely impressed with her writing style here. I cannot wait to see more.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Mark of Faith is one of the latest additions to the lore of Warhammer 40,000. Written by Rachel Harrison, this piece of work focuses specifically on the Adepta Sororitas and a new legend being born.
Sister Evangeline was there the day Ophelia VII was attacked. She watched her sisters, her mentors fall, that day. But she kept standing. Now she's about to embark on a journey like she never expected. One she never wanted.
The Shield of Saint Katherine has been missing for years until the path was illuminated to Sister Evangeline. Thus, she and her sisters are going to be sent through the Rift to find and retrieve it. No matter the cost.
“Before me, Ophelia VII burns. The grand, gothic buildings of the Convent Sanctorum and its surrounding city-state are fractured and aflame.”
Mark of Faith is such a chilling and beautiful read. The Adepta Sororitas are, to put it simply, to amazingly intense. Their quotes alone are enough to send chills down spines. That being said, this tale is arguably one of the most powerful and moving yet.
Sister Evangeline's story is...beautiful. It's also deeply sad. She lost everything on Ophelia VII, including the opportunity to become a martyr alongside her sisters. One can imagine how much that would hurt her heart. How it would leave her scarred, a perfect match to the wings now placed on her face.
This was a heavy tale, of that there is no doubt. But it was also a story of infinite complexity. There were multiple layers to what was actually happening here, and it took a while to work through it all. I love that added depth. It does justice to the Adepta Sororitas, and to Sister Evangeline herself.
“'Fight,' she says. 'Suffer. Strand, until you cannot.'”
Honestly, I really, truly loved every single part of this story. The plot, the characters, the action, the conflict. It was all there, and it was amazing. This is a story that made me fall in love with the Adepta Sororitas all over again. But really, can you blame me?
I'll confess that I have not been reading enough about the Adepta Sororitas as I should. I need to add all of their novels and novellas to my TBR list, because frankly, I've loved every single one of them. I also need to add Rachel Harrison to my watchlist as well, because I was supremely impressed with her writing style here. I cannot wait to see more.
Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
December 25, 2019
This was an outstanding strongly character driven novel about Evangeline, a Sister of Battle and Ravara, an Inquisitor as they try to find an ancient Imperial artifact and live up to impossibly high religious standards. Even the enemy has very understandable and, to a degree, sympathetic goals. The examination of relationships between all the characters and the moments of character self introspection are some of the best, most honest, and MOST MATURE I’ve read in the genre. I sincerely hope we hear more from these characters in the future and I would love love LOVE to have THESE characters meet Harrison’s other creations. Merry Christmas!
September 15, 2020
Quick impressions: This is a story of quests. It is Sister Evangeline's quest to prove herself worthy and to maintain her humility despite events thrusting leadership and attention on her. It is Inquisitor Ravara's quest to make right the wrongs of her past as well as follow her father's voice, the voice of a dead man.
The novel combines action with some suspense and intrigue. We get a bit of Ecclesiarchy politics, especially early in the novel. The novel also has pretty good pacing, and it keeps the reader engaged. This is one I wanted to keep on reading to see how it would turn out.
(full review on my blog later)
The novel combines action with some suspense and intrigue. We get a bit of Ecclesiarchy politics, especially early in the novel. The novel also has pretty good pacing, and it keeps the reader engaged. This is one I wanted to keep on reading to see how it would turn out.
(full review on my blog later)
October 17, 2021
More of a 3.5/5
So this isn't the typical Warhammer story in that it focuses more on the relationships and emotional experiences of its cast (that's not to put down other Warhammer stories that do the same thing) so the bulk of the writing is devoted to the relationships. This is both a good and a bad thing as I really loved all the characters, their drives and how they fit into the overarching edifice which spawned them. My main critique is that the story is a bit meh and the conclusion, while soulful, lacks a sense of real "oomf." I never got the feeling that what the characters did accomplished anything even if I loved these characters greatly.
So this isn't the typical Warhammer story in that it focuses more on the relationships and emotional experiences of its cast (that's not to put down other Warhammer stories that do the same thing) so the bulk of the writing is devoted to the relationships. This is both a good and a bad thing as I really loved all the characters, their drives and how they fit into the overarching edifice which spawned them. My main critique is that the story is a bit meh and the conclusion, while soulful, lacks a sense of real "oomf." I never got the feeling that what the characters did accomplished anything even if I loved these characters greatly.
July 27, 2020
As usual, Black Library has done a fantastic job finding authors who are able to weave fantastic stories within the WH40k universe. Rachel Harrison's Mark of Faith is a great novel, exploring the ideas and understanding of faith and devotion through the explorations and mission of the Adeptas Sororitas and the Inquisition. Her characters feel authentic, flawed and true to their beliefs, and fit amazingly well within the feel of the Adeptas Sororitas mythos. As good as I've come to expect from Black Library, I look forward to reading more from Rachel Harrison.
May 22, 2021
This is the best book about fanatic warrior nuns in space that I've ever read! :-)
The author is really good at shifting perspectives. She constantly shifts between the two main characters, sometimes describing the same events through different eyes, sometimes looking back. It's very well executed.
The story itself contained no big surprises being a w40k book. Really bad things happen and then it gets dramatically worse. If they make a movie of it, it would probably look like Sucker Punch meets Event Horizon. The God-Emperor would approve of such a movie.
The author is really good at shifting perspectives. She constantly shifts between the two main characters, sometimes describing the same events through different eyes, sometimes looking back. It's very well executed.
The story itself contained no big surprises being a w40k book. Really bad things happen and then it gets dramatically worse. If they make a movie of it, it would probably look like Sucker Punch meets Event Horizon. The God-Emperor would approve of such a movie.
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