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Castellan Crowe #1
Warden of the Blade
Castellan Crowe of the Grey Knights bears a heavy burden – to carry the cursed Blade of Antwyr, a weapon imbued with dark power. For the first time, discover the origins of this dread task and why only Crowe can be the one to carry it out.
Castellan Crowe, Brotherhood Champion of the Purifier order of the Grey Knights, bears a heavy burden – to be the warden of the dread Blade of Antwyr. Its malevolent voice is forever in his head, trying to crack his resolve, urging him to unleash a power he must never use. The toll is terrible, and how long before the incorruptible Crowe is at last defeated? His harrowing task first began at Sandava II… Under the command of Castellan Gavallan, Crowe and his brother Purifiers bring purging flame to a daemonic incursion that threatens to consume the world. What awaits them is more insidious and more powerful than they imagine, and they must reckon too with the machinations of the Blade, as it seeks to destroy its guardian and drown the galaxy in blood.
It's a fascinating look at a compelling character, showcasing the duality of the purest of souls as he contends with the corrupting power of an artefact that could damn him and all he holds dear to utter ruination.
Castellan Crowe, Brotherhood Champion of the Purifier order of the Grey Knights, bears a heavy burden – to be the warden of the dread Blade of Antwyr. Its malevolent voice is forever in his head, trying to crack his resolve, urging him to unleash a power he must never use. The toll is terrible, and how long before the incorruptible Crowe is at last defeated? His harrowing task first began at Sandava II… Under the command of Castellan Gavallan, Crowe and his brother Purifiers bring purging flame to a daemonic incursion that threatens to consume the world. What awaits them is more insidious and more powerful than they imagine, and they must reckon too with the machinations of the Blade, as it seeks to destroy its guardian and drown the galaxy in blood.
It's a fascinating look at a compelling character, showcasing the duality of the purest of souls as he contends with the corrupting power of an artefact that could damn him and all he holds dear to utter ruination.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 12, 2016
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January 2, 2025
Grey Knights are not the most beloved of the factions among the 40K fandom. One can understand why; being the super-secret special errand boys of the inquisition that are veritable Gary sues.
But, seeing as how they’re the imperium’s preeminent daemon hunters, there are some perks when it comes to following their exploits. Not to mention the sheer level of brutality and casualties put on display during your typical grey knights' missions.
Just take this into consideration. At any given time, the imperium is waging war, against half a dozen major enemy factions, over battlefields in hundreds of thousands of worlds. The imperial guard regiments who fight the majority of these wars, are legion, and constantly cycle from one battlefront to the next, if they don’t get annihilated.
Having said that, the IG are quite good at their job and manage to win wars in most of their engagements. Usually stabilizing the systems, when moving on. When things start getting out of hand, with say an Ork incursion, or a Tyranid swarm, and the whole planet or sector is in danger, that’s when the Astartes intervene.
Their wars often end in pyrrhic victories or exterminatus, it’s 50-50. Not because they are lacking; it’s just that the threats which qualify an intervention by a space marines' chapter are just that gruesome, and often world ending.
If you are an average imperial citizen, and you happen to see the silver/grey armored behemoths of the grey knights descend upon the battlefield, then your fate is forfeit, regardless of how the war ends up. As their role signifies, the kind of engagements in which the Daemon hunters intervene, involve full-scale chaos invasions, where the immaterium is literally bleeding into reality, and reshaping it to its whim. Where horrifying abominable monstrosities of the warp, as well as deranged psychotic heretic who’ve given themselves completely over to the warp are writhing in ecstasy.
Regardless of whether the emperor’s chosen succeed in their mission, which they often do, you and everyone in your planet are looking at best, towards a quick death in the righteous flames of the emperor. (Unless you’re lucky enough to have one of the founding chapters protecting you). The grey knights are thorough in their work and won’t tolerate even the minute possibility of the chaos taint spreading to other planets. To be fair, if you’re an average mook who experienced the horrors of the warp for the first time in life, and somehow manage to survive, you are forever under risk of being a host or gateway to future incursions. The imperium has trillions more souls to replace you, and better be safe than sorry. This is after all, 40K.
So, the exploits featuring the hammer to all daemons, promises to be a roller coaster ride, where titans clash, and the world rips and tears all around you.
Despite indulging myself war and wide in their lore, I have to confess, this is the first novel featuring grey knights which I’ve read. And I found it to be a compelling read. There is little in terms of character development. These are after all characters who are considered perfect, even compared to the standards of your regular marines. But the narrative, featuring not one, but two chaos tainted MacGuffins, how their conflicts literally tear worlds asunder, and how the lives of millions are casually snuffed out for the whims of the dark gods, have a lot of stuff going on. In the midst of all this chaos (heh), stride in the purifiers order of the chapter, as well as their future warden of the blade Castellan Garran Crowe, indifferent to the world ending entities around them. Forever stalwart in performing their sacred duty to the God Emperor.
Part of their duties, in addition to bodying daemons, include the retrieval and storage of dangerous artifacts tainted by chaos, and can lead to great calamities if left unchecked. The most troublesome of such artifacts is one called the ‘Blade of Antwyr’, or the black blade.
Think of it as your run of the mill demon blade; it gives you great power, helps slay your enemies, in exchange for stripping you of your sanity, very soul and turning you into a tool of mindless, horrific slaughter on the planetary scale. At the height of its power, it was able to subjugate the populace of entire millions to serve as the extension of its own being. Through which it could gain near perfect omniscience. Imagine a malevolent being with an unwavering army, capable of carrying out its every whim. A lesser version of the C’tan and the Necrons, pre their rebellion.
Even when the grey knights managed to defeat it, the thing was nigh indestructible. It couldn’t be contained in any physical cage, as despite the best protections, it would manage to break them over time. If left somewhere to gather dust, the blade had the annoying habit of yeeting itself away into the immaterium, to only reappear somewhere else in the physical realm, to repeat its horror all over again.
The only solution, at least something close to a solution, was it to be contained by pure force of will and psychic might. Not something everyone can do. You have to remember, this thing is so potent, the mere touch can consume a mortal whole, turning it into the blade’s host. Even space marines are not free from corruption. Even amongst the grey knights, the emperor’s chosen, and a group where a single member has yet to fall to chaos, being in proximity to the blade drained them mentally and physically.
So, it was decided to hand it over to the order of purifiers, who are utterly incorruptible and resistant to the temptations of the warp. Yet, even among this elite order, only their most revered warrior, the Castellan Champion, is bestowed the formidable duty of serving as ‘The warden of the Blade’. They have to not only contain the blade, but as champions must also carry it to battle during missions. Considering how ludicrously dangerous said missions tend to be, this is double the burden.
This too unfortunately is an imperfect measure. The influence of the blade, which is constantly whispering its promises of rewards and sweet temptations, is enough to wear on all around it. But, the warden, who has to always keep it in person as part of their duty? They’re assaulted full force by the blade’s psychic whispers, 24x7, 365 days, year in year out.
Castellans, after diligently serving as wardens, for years, decades, sometimes centuries, eventually get worn down, turn to hollow of their former selves. At which point, the blade begins to inflict even more attacks, to weaken them during crucial moments during combat, for that one weakness, which might lead to its freedom.
The current Castellan Garran Crowe is arguably the most diligent of the blade’s wardens. One most suited to his role. Being as close to immune to the corrupting influence of the blade. In fact, he treats the blade’s whispers as an adult would those of a toddler throwing tantrums, with utter indifference. He is the literal embodiment of the meme ‘couldn’t literally give a f**k’.
There is this hilarious scene in the book, where the black blade, when confronting daemons of slaanesh, shows great hostility towards them, and urges the castellan to use his power to slay them. He complies, by suppressing the blade’s chaotic power using his own psychic might and using the blade as nothing but a sharp piece of metal. You see, the blade is only able to corrupt the wielder, when they give in and use its power. But, by using it as nothing other than a physical blade, the Castellan was essentially spitting in face of the blade’s temptations. Leaving it to rage and thrash around in its impotence.
The novel, which deals with his first interactions with the blade, sees him take over the responsibility from his predecessor who fell in battle. Throughout the story, we see him come to terms with the role, and by the end, sees him fully imbibe it, using his will to chain the sword in nigh unbreakable prison.
So continues the legacy of Castellan Crowe; each battle he fights, each world he saves, each day he carries the blade without falling to its corruption, weaves the testament of his indomitable service under the light of the God Emperor.
But, seeing as how they’re the imperium’s preeminent daemon hunters, there are some perks when it comes to following their exploits. Not to mention the sheer level of brutality and casualties put on display during your typical grey knights' missions.
Just take this into consideration. At any given time, the imperium is waging war, against half a dozen major enemy factions, over battlefields in hundreds of thousands of worlds. The imperial guard regiments who fight the majority of these wars, are legion, and constantly cycle from one battlefront to the next, if they don’t get annihilated.
Having said that, the IG are quite good at their job and manage to win wars in most of their engagements. Usually stabilizing the systems, when moving on. When things start getting out of hand, with say an Ork incursion, or a Tyranid swarm, and the whole planet or sector is in danger, that’s when the Astartes intervene.
Their wars often end in pyrrhic victories or exterminatus, it’s 50-50. Not because they are lacking; it’s just that the threats which qualify an intervention by a space marines' chapter are just that gruesome, and often world ending.
If you are an average imperial citizen, and you happen to see the silver/grey armored behemoths of the grey knights descend upon the battlefield, then your fate is forfeit, regardless of how the war ends up. As their role signifies, the kind of engagements in which the Daemon hunters intervene, involve full-scale chaos invasions, where the immaterium is literally bleeding into reality, and reshaping it to its whim. Where horrifying abominable monstrosities of the warp, as well as deranged psychotic heretic who’ve given themselves completely over to the warp are writhing in ecstasy.
Regardless of whether the emperor’s chosen succeed in their mission, which they often do, you and everyone in your planet are looking at best, towards a quick death in the righteous flames of the emperor. (Unless you’re lucky enough to have one of the founding chapters protecting you). The grey knights are thorough in their work and won’t tolerate even the minute possibility of the chaos taint spreading to other planets. To be fair, if you’re an average mook who experienced the horrors of the warp for the first time in life, and somehow manage to survive, you are forever under risk of being a host or gateway to future incursions. The imperium has trillions more souls to replace you, and better be safe than sorry. This is after all, 40K.
So, the exploits featuring the hammer to all daemons, promises to be a roller coaster ride, where titans clash, and the world rips and tears all around you.
Despite indulging myself war and wide in their lore, I have to confess, this is the first novel featuring grey knights which I’ve read. And I found it to be a compelling read. There is little in terms of character development. These are after all characters who are considered perfect, even compared to the standards of your regular marines. But the narrative, featuring not one, but two chaos tainted MacGuffins, how their conflicts literally tear worlds asunder, and how the lives of millions are casually snuffed out for the whims of the dark gods, have a lot of stuff going on. In the midst of all this chaos (heh), stride in the purifiers order of the chapter, as well as their future warden of the blade Castellan Garran Crowe, indifferent to the world ending entities around them. Forever stalwart in performing their sacred duty to the God Emperor.
Part of their duties, in addition to bodying daemons, include the retrieval and storage of dangerous artifacts tainted by chaos, and can lead to great calamities if left unchecked. The most troublesome of such artifacts is one called the ‘Blade of Antwyr’, or the black blade.
Think of it as your run of the mill demon blade; it gives you great power, helps slay your enemies, in exchange for stripping you of your sanity, very soul and turning you into a tool of mindless, horrific slaughter on the planetary scale. At the height of its power, it was able to subjugate the populace of entire millions to serve as the extension of its own being. Through which it could gain near perfect omniscience. Imagine a malevolent being with an unwavering army, capable of carrying out its every whim. A lesser version of the C’tan and the Necrons, pre their rebellion.
Even when the grey knights managed to defeat it, the thing was nigh indestructible. It couldn’t be contained in any physical cage, as despite the best protections, it would manage to break them over time. If left somewhere to gather dust, the blade had the annoying habit of yeeting itself away into the immaterium, to only reappear somewhere else in the physical realm, to repeat its horror all over again.
The only solution, at least something close to a solution, was it to be contained by pure force of will and psychic might. Not something everyone can do. You have to remember, this thing is so potent, the mere touch can consume a mortal whole, turning it into the blade’s host. Even space marines are not free from corruption. Even amongst the grey knights, the emperor’s chosen, and a group where a single member has yet to fall to chaos, being in proximity to the blade drained them mentally and physically.
So, it was decided to hand it over to the order of purifiers, who are utterly incorruptible and resistant to the temptations of the warp. Yet, even among this elite order, only their most revered warrior, the Castellan Champion, is bestowed the formidable duty of serving as ‘The warden of the Blade’. They have to not only contain the blade, but as champions must also carry it to battle during missions. Considering how ludicrously dangerous said missions tend to be, this is double the burden.
This too unfortunately is an imperfect measure. The influence of the blade, which is constantly whispering its promises of rewards and sweet temptations, is enough to wear on all around it. But, the warden, who has to always keep it in person as part of their duty? They’re assaulted full force by the blade’s psychic whispers, 24x7, 365 days, year in year out.
Castellans, after diligently serving as wardens, for years, decades, sometimes centuries, eventually get worn down, turn to hollow of their former selves. At which point, the blade begins to inflict even more attacks, to weaken them during crucial moments during combat, for that one weakness, which might lead to its freedom.
The current Castellan Garran Crowe is arguably the most diligent of the blade’s wardens. One most suited to his role. Being as close to immune to the corrupting influence of the blade. In fact, he treats the blade’s whispers as an adult would those of a toddler throwing tantrums, with utter indifference. He is the literal embodiment of the meme ‘couldn’t literally give a f**k’.
There is this hilarious scene in the book, where the black blade, when confronting daemons of slaanesh, shows great hostility towards them, and urges the castellan to use his power to slay them. He complies, by suppressing the blade’s chaotic power using his own psychic might and using the blade as nothing but a sharp piece of metal. You see, the blade is only able to corrupt the wielder, when they give in and use its power. But, by using it as nothing other than a physical blade, the Castellan was essentially spitting in face of the blade’s temptations. Leaving it to rage and thrash around in its impotence.
The novel, which deals with his first interactions with the blade, sees him take over the responsibility from his predecessor who fell in battle. Throughout the story, we see him come to terms with the role, and by the end, sees him fully imbibe it, using his will to chain the sword in nigh unbreakable prison.
So continues the legacy of Castellan Crowe; each battle he fights, each world he saves, each day he carries the blade without falling to its corruption, weaves the testament of his indomitable service under the light of the God Emperor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2016
David Annandale is at the height of his powers in a truly inspired piece that rollicks between brutal warfare and unspeakable corruption.
As he did before in "The Carrion Anthem", Annandale weaves a blasphemous symphony of unholy horror which is compelling and grotesque all at once. The fall of Sandava II is a car crash we cannot help but watch and be swept up in- one that resonates and echoes and repeats throughout the novel.
Juxtaposed with a later mission to Sandava III, the novel explores Crowe as he comes face to face with his destiny as Warden of the Blade of Antwyr. Crowe is a compelling hero, focused and dutiful yet also contemplative and wise. Shaped by decades of service, he is an ideal candidate to control and imprison the Blade. Antwyr itself is a character all its own, goading and whispering and raging against its imprisonment. Annandale makes you feel every barb and attack.
Sweeping imagery and punchy battle scenes fill this novel; particularly focused on patterns and symmetry as the Grey Knights sift through the omens of the Warp.
I devoured this novel, and it held my attention at every twist and turn. I was reminded of Annandale's previous work such as "The Carrion Anthem" or "Damnation of Pythos", but also other Slaaneshi masterworks such as Chris Wraight's "Wrath of Iron". Annandale takes you head first into the insanity and corruption with a matchless skill. This is a novel that tests the limits of understanding. It is the warp as virulent insanity, as living madness.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the appearance. This book is one of the most beautiful Limited Editions BL has ever put out. It truly feels like a tome; potent and inviting, yet containing forbidden and profane knowledge. Like all the secrets of Titan, horror is shielded in a pleasing reliquary.
As he did before in "The Carrion Anthem", Annandale weaves a blasphemous symphony of unholy horror which is compelling and grotesque all at once. The fall of Sandava II is a car crash we cannot help but watch and be swept up in- one that resonates and echoes and repeats throughout the novel.
Juxtaposed with a later mission to Sandava III, the novel explores Crowe as he comes face to face with his destiny as Warden of the Blade of Antwyr. Crowe is a compelling hero, focused and dutiful yet also contemplative and wise. Shaped by decades of service, he is an ideal candidate to control and imprison the Blade. Antwyr itself is a character all its own, goading and whispering and raging against its imprisonment. Annandale makes you feel every barb and attack.
Sweeping imagery and punchy battle scenes fill this novel; particularly focused on patterns and symmetry as the Grey Knights sift through the omens of the Warp.
I devoured this novel, and it held my attention at every twist and turn. I was reminded of Annandale's previous work such as "The Carrion Anthem" or "Damnation of Pythos", but also other Slaaneshi masterworks such as Chris Wraight's "Wrath of Iron". Annandale takes you head first into the insanity and corruption with a matchless skill. This is a novel that tests the limits of understanding. It is the warp as virulent insanity, as living madness.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention the appearance. This book is one of the most beautiful Limited Editions BL has ever put out. It truly feels like a tome; potent and inviting, yet containing forbidden and profane knowledge. Like all the secrets of Titan, horror is shielded in a pleasing reliquary.
November 28, 2019
“She knew, without being told, that witnessing these beings was a privilege, a rare opportunity, and one that would come with a great cost.”
This little quote, as can be seen in the novel, ironically pertains as well to the silver-armoured protagonists as to their adversaries… Surely the noble Grey Knights have it much harder than any other Adeptus Astartes Chapter – after all, with both their weapons and their minds they wage wars against the very horrors that firmly have their insidious roots not in the intergalactic void or the bestial mind of an Ork warboss, but in the human soul. For this reason, the warriors of the 666th Chapter must be the purest of their kind – although nothing’s to be taken for granted even about these pious crusaders, for the taint of Chaos is omnipresent and can potentially reach deep inside the spirit of any single man, poisoning one’s dearly-held beliefs and twisting them into something altogether inimical.
Like all his battle-brothers, Castellan Garran Crowe is himself a weapon of exceptional purity, which the Imperium of Man wields in the most desperate circumstances, and whose first and foremost means of war is the strength of his faith. The Warden’s narrative is built around the ages-old themes of fate and duty, since Crowe’s destiny is constant vigilance over an artefact imbued with daemonic properties. Over a deadly enemy that shall always remain at his side while the Astartes does endless battle with other, no less lethal foes – and while its sly, infernal voice keeps trying to lure the Castellan into wielding it, promising him untold glory and power. Shall Garran’s transhuman will prove strong enough to resist these foul temptations? Looks like only time would tell…
However, Warden of the Blade is actually just the beginning of the Castellan’s legend, told through his own reminiscences framed by grotesque, horrifying and strangely familiar scenes on his current engagement. We get to learn how Garran and his Purifier brothers fight the daemonic legions in the three main cities of the doomed planet Sandava II, and how the destiny of the once-proud Imperial world is shaped by two foul relics brought by some malefic scheme onto its surface. These are the relics of the Ruinous Powers – and often can the power of such exceptional villainy be vanquished only with an equally powerful; in this case one that feeds off pure bloodshed and rage instead of excess and impure desires. And to their chagrin, the heroes gradually come to realize that Crowe’s Black Blade is a mighty, and probably the only, artefact capable of stalling the dissolute incursion of the rival dark deity’s legion.
Now I wish to mention that particular aspect of the story which is quite possibly its most important. Turns out, the warp is perfectly capable of playing onto the mortals’ eternal leanings for heathen idolatry, transforming their ancient, stagnant faith into something debased and outright monstrous. Thus the local heretics initially become deluded by their belief that they’re graced by the Emperor himself – for how often does Chaos make the naïve Imperials believe they serve their master on the Golden Throne, when really it is the warp that they willingly accept?.. The spiritual implications of this sort are tackled very well in the book. At what point does the cult of a benign god transform insidiously into its direct opposite – the embrace of destructive powers? Not so easy to answer... After all, holy artefacts are supposed to embody the idea of worship, never to be worshipped for their own sake. And so, when a precious article of highly questionable provenance comes into play, Annandale aptly demonstrates what might happen when an object – no matter how sacred – replaces the ideal. Only true faith can tell one from the other, which I feel is relevant not just for the 40K setting, but our own world as well.
Further, the task of coming up with original, well-orchestrated battle scenes that constitute the main stuff of the Warhammer literature is not a simple one. Yet for all its bolterporn-filled pages, the Warden’s fast-paced, flowing, dynamic style makes for an engaging read and never gets boring as you follow the characters’ fateful paths to victory or damnation – along with their differing, but always troubled psychology. Two main subplots gradually melt into one – with a great deal of battling, of course, as the Space Marines fight side by side with the mortal Guardsmen who they know shall in any case be put to death because of what they’d already witnessed…
Intensely psychological, character-driven story arcs of certain persons show them falling victim to their own ambitions – which are immediately and masterfully exploited by the ever-watchful dark gods. For no matter how pure and virtuous one may come across, true evil always can (and often does) find the easiest way to one’s heart... The actual portrayal of the daemonic incursion is different than, say, in Guy Haley’s Shadowsword but still rather vivid, as is the two feuding Chaos gods’ contest for a single human soul (an ideal example thereof being Commander Vendruhn). Descriptions of chaotic violations to the Sandavan cities are extravagant to the point of downright opulence, yet the human spirit’s path to damnation is rendered highly believably, with the seduction of Imperial citizens occurring deceptively slowly yet (almost always) inexorably.
All things considered, David Annandale's Warden of the Blade is a thoughtful and interesting read featuring what may only be called a win-win plot – the ‘psyker-only’ Chapter and ordinary people against the forces of Chaos, plus two such forces against each other – which, to me, has always been the most appealing and original staple of Warhammer metaphysics. Now I’m definitely eager to hear the next chapter of the Castellan’s journey…
This little quote, as can be seen in the novel, ironically pertains as well to the silver-armoured protagonists as to their adversaries… Surely the noble Grey Knights have it much harder than any other Adeptus Astartes Chapter – after all, with both their weapons and their minds they wage wars against the very horrors that firmly have their insidious roots not in the intergalactic void or the bestial mind of an Ork warboss, but in the human soul. For this reason, the warriors of the 666th Chapter must be the purest of their kind – although nothing’s to be taken for granted even about these pious crusaders, for the taint of Chaos is omnipresent and can potentially reach deep inside the spirit of any single man, poisoning one’s dearly-held beliefs and twisting them into something altogether inimical.
Like all his battle-brothers, Castellan Garran Crowe is himself a weapon of exceptional purity, which the Imperium of Man wields in the most desperate circumstances, and whose first and foremost means of war is the strength of his faith. The Warden’s narrative is built around the ages-old themes of fate and duty, since Crowe’s destiny is constant vigilance over an artefact imbued with daemonic properties. Over a deadly enemy that shall always remain at his side while the Astartes does endless battle with other, no less lethal foes – and while its sly, infernal voice keeps trying to lure the Castellan into wielding it, promising him untold glory and power. Shall Garran’s transhuman will prove strong enough to resist these foul temptations? Looks like only time would tell…
However, Warden of the Blade is actually just the beginning of the Castellan’s legend, told through his own reminiscences framed by grotesque, horrifying and strangely familiar scenes on his current engagement. We get to learn how Garran and his Purifier brothers fight the daemonic legions in the three main cities of the doomed planet Sandava II, and how the destiny of the once-proud Imperial world is shaped by two foul relics brought by some malefic scheme onto its surface. These are the relics of the Ruinous Powers – and often can the power of such exceptional villainy be vanquished only with an equally powerful; in this case one that feeds off pure bloodshed and rage instead of excess and impure desires. And to their chagrin, the heroes gradually come to realize that Crowe’s Black Blade is a mighty, and probably the only, artefact capable of stalling the dissolute incursion of the rival dark deity’s legion.
Now I wish to mention that particular aspect of the story which is quite possibly its most important. Turns out, the warp is perfectly capable of playing onto the mortals’ eternal leanings for heathen idolatry, transforming their ancient, stagnant faith into something debased and outright monstrous. Thus the local heretics initially become deluded by their belief that they’re graced by the Emperor himself – for how often does Chaos make the naïve Imperials believe they serve their master on the Golden Throne, when really it is the warp that they willingly accept?.. The spiritual implications of this sort are tackled very well in the book. At what point does the cult of a benign god transform insidiously into its direct opposite – the embrace of destructive powers? Not so easy to answer... After all, holy artefacts are supposed to embody the idea of worship, never to be worshipped for their own sake. And so, when a precious article of highly questionable provenance comes into play, Annandale aptly demonstrates what might happen when an object – no matter how sacred – replaces the ideal. Only true faith can tell one from the other, which I feel is relevant not just for the 40K setting, but our own world as well.
Further, the task of coming up with original, well-orchestrated battle scenes that constitute the main stuff of the Warhammer literature is not a simple one. Yet for all its bolterporn-filled pages, the Warden’s fast-paced, flowing, dynamic style makes for an engaging read and never gets boring as you follow the characters’ fateful paths to victory or damnation – along with their differing, but always troubled psychology. Two main subplots gradually melt into one – with a great deal of battling, of course, as the Space Marines fight side by side with the mortal Guardsmen who they know shall in any case be put to death because of what they’d already witnessed…
Intensely psychological, character-driven story arcs of certain persons show them falling victim to their own ambitions – which are immediately and masterfully exploited by the ever-watchful dark gods. For no matter how pure and virtuous one may come across, true evil always can (and often does) find the easiest way to one’s heart... The actual portrayal of the daemonic incursion is different than, say, in Guy Haley’s Shadowsword but still rather vivid, as is the two feuding Chaos gods’ contest for a single human soul (an ideal example thereof being Commander Vendruhn). Descriptions of chaotic violations to the Sandavan cities are extravagant to the point of downright opulence, yet the human spirit’s path to damnation is rendered highly believably, with the seduction of Imperial citizens occurring deceptively slowly yet (almost always) inexorably.
All things considered, David Annandale's Warden of the Blade is a thoughtful and interesting read featuring what may only be called a win-win plot – the ‘psyker-only’ Chapter and ordinary people against the forces of Chaos, plus two such forces against each other – which, to me, has always been the most appealing and original staple of Warhammer metaphysics. Now I’m definitely eager to hear the next chapter of the Castellan’s journey…
June 10, 2017
Well, after my slump in reading pretty much anything (thanks moving, and Titanfall, and Total War!), I finally finished Warden of the Blade! And it is high time I play catch up with all the fantastic Black Library releases that have been coming out pretty much the entirety of 2017.
Warden of the Blade was fantastic, and while I haven't read any of the other Grey Knights novels, this one was an absolute joy to read. The Grey Knights themselves I felt were fairly fleshed out, and we got to see a lot of how they operate and think. That said, one of my main issues was that while Crowe and Sedrax were very well done characters, all the other Grey Knights were more or less one sided religious quotes. I think where the novel really shines for me personally is yet again Annandale's glorious depiction of Chaos. From the monstrous seeds of the Daemonic incursion up through the wild ride of the ecclesiarchal palace, Annandale's mind somehow always depicts Chaos in a very uniquely insane way that I just love to read.
Overall, the novel was a blast. The action was amazing, most of the main characters were extremely well done while most of the supporting characters and secondary characters ranged from one sided to some of my favourite. The Chaos depiction and characters were really what made the novel for me though. Though that might be my bias for all things Chaotic when it comes to Warhammer!
Thanks for reading folks!
Warden of the Blade was fantastic, and while I haven't read any of the other Grey Knights novels, this one was an absolute joy to read. The Grey Knights themselves I felt were fairly fleshed out, and we got to see a lot of how they operate and think. That said, one of my main issues was that while Crowe and Sedrax were very well done characters, all the other Grey Knights were more or less one sided religious quotes. I think where the novel really shines for me personally is yet again Annandale's glorious depiction of Chaos. From the monstrous seeds of the Daemonic incursion up through the wild ride of the ecclesiarchal palace, Annandale's mind somehow always depicts Chaos in a very uniquely insane way that I just love to read.
Overall, the novel was a blast. The action was amazing, most of the main characters were extremely well done while most of the supporting characters and secondary characters ranged from one sided to some of my favourite. The Chaos depiction and characters were really what made the novel for me though. Though that might be my bias for all things Chaotic when it comes to Warhammer!
Thanks for reading folks!
December 11, 2016
By the God's, this is such a good read. The horror elements go so well with the naturally dark and grim world of Warhammer, and Annandale has wrote the magnum opus of Grey Knight novels. Palpable darkness seeps from the pages, reaching out to strangle you in its depth of madness and level of description.
People go insane and murder in cold blood in a hive mind effect.Daemons galore killing and being killed spectacularly by the Holy retribution of the Imperiums greatest Space Marines. Brothers sacrifice themselves without fear or hesitation for the greater good.
Did i mention there is an evil talking sword? Yeah, it's that awesome.
I cannot possibly do the book justice enough through review or recommend it anymore then I am. Even of you don't know what Warhammer is, go to the bookstore, ask for this, bring the heavy and gorgeously presented tome back to the house, and indulge in one of the best horror/military sci fi stories ever conceived.
People go insane and murder in cold blood in a hive mind effect.Daemons galore killing and being killed spectacularly by the Holy retribution of the Imperiums greatest Space Marines. Brothers sacrifice themselves without fear or hesitation for the greater good.
Did i mention there is an evil talking sword? Yeah, it's that awesome.
I cannot possibly do the book justice enough through review or recommend it anymore then I am. Even of you don't know what Warhammer is, go to the bookstore, ask for this, bring the heavy and gorgeously presented tome back to the house, and indulge in one of the best horror/military sci fi stories ever conceived.
November 26, 2017
While the unholy is a terrifying experience, the truly holy, the pure and the sanctified, when used as a weapon against the darkness, is the most terrifying force in the universe.
David Annandale takes on the Grey Knights, and gets them perfectly. In fact, this might be Annandale's best novel so far.
Following a squad of Purifiers, we travel to Sandava II, where an Ecclesiarch (pretty sure I butchered that) has been corrupted by a no longer so holy relic which acts as a conduit for a greater daemon of Slaanesh. The relic, a mask of unsurpassing beauty, soon corrupts the capital city, and the daemonic infestation spreads.
But these Grey Knights themselves carry into battle a daemonic sword called Antwyr. The Knight who carries it is the Warden of the Blade, and he spends his existence copying the insane ravings of the sword, while it is chained to him in battle to be sure it never corrupts anyone else.
The blade Antwyr, I assume it is a relic of Khorne, loathes the Slaaneshi Daemon Prince that controls the outbreak on Sandava II, and tries to free itself to strike the rival daemon down.
However, once freed, in a tragic happenstance with the best of intentions, it releases Antwyr to spread its own corruption. And so the Grey Knights must now battle two separate demonic manifestations.
The visuals of the book were superb. Annandale, a horror writer before joining BL, knows how to set a horrific scene, and he knows well how to turn the macabre into the scale of the epic for the 40K setting.
The battles here are immense, and one of the main themes of the novel: that the light of purity burns just as fiercely and lethally as the fire of hatred, is showcased wonderfully through the purging of the daemonic presences.
As terrible as the daemons are, this book is probably the first Grey Knight book to truly portray just how horrifying, in their own right, the Chapter devoted to battling the unholy and the daemonic truly is.
There really is nothing more terrifying than a truly righteous man.
An excellent start to a series, and the best portrayal of the Grey Knights yet written.
David Annandale takes on the Grey Knights, and gets them perfectly. In fact, this might be Annandale's best novel so far.
Following a squad of Purifiers, we travel to Sandava II, where an Ecclesiarch (pretty sure I butchered that) has been corrupted by a no longer so holy relic which acts as a conduit for a greater daemon of Slaanesh. The relic, a mask of unsurpassing beauty, soon corrupts the capital city, and the daemonic infestation spreads.
But these Grey Knights themselves carry into battle a daemonic sword called Antwyr. The Knight who carries it is the Warden of the Blade, and he spends his existence copying the insane ravings of the sword, while it is chained to him in battle to be sure it never corrupts anyone else.
The blade Antwyr, I assume it is a relic of Khorne, loathes the Slaaneshi Daemon Prince that controls the outbreak on Sandava II, and tries to free itself to strike the rival daemon down.
However, once freed, in a tragic happenstance with the best of intentions, it releases Antwyr to spread its own corruption. And so the Grey Knights must now battle two separate demonic manifestations.
The visuals of the book were superb. Annandale, a horror writer before joining BL, knows how to set a horrific scene, and he knows well how to turn the macabre into the scale of the epic for the 40K setting.
The battles here are immense, and one of the main themes of the novel: that the light of purity burns just as fiercely and lethally as the fire of hatred, is showcased wonderfully through the purging of the daemonic presences.
As terrible as the daemons are, this book is probably the first Grey Knight book to truly portray just how horrifying, in their own right, the Chapter devoted to battling the unholy and the daemonic truly is.
There really is nothing more terrifying than a truly righteous man.
An excellent start to a series, and the best portrayal of the Grey Knights yet written.
January 30, 2018
Really great Book! A action packed adventure with vivid descriptions, lovecraftian flavor horror, greate military engagements, a bit of "philosofy" about the nature of destiny and, of course, the grim darkness that we know and love.
My only grip with the book is the acompany cast of Grey Knights, they are quite boring some times. Crowe (the main character) is a bit more complex than the rest because of the nature of his burden, but the rest of the space marines is not interest and is there solely to add to his character in general. Maybe that is more of a restriction of the lore, but it seems like a miss opportunity to me. Vendruhn and Rannoch are more interesting, their humanity makes the situation more emotional and empathic. The juxtaposition between the mortal and the Grey Knights works sometimes, and others just make the later quite uninteresting.
But overall a fun read for anyone that likes good, imaginative, action. I also recommend listen to some thing like Manowar while reading this book, it enhances greatly the experience.
My only grip with the book is the acompany cast of Grey Knights, they are quite boring some times. Crowe (the main character) is a bit more complex than the rest because of the nature of his burden, but the rest of the space marines is not interest and is there solely to add to his character in general. Maybe that is more of a restriction of the lore, but it seems like a miss opportunity to me. Vendruhn and Rannoch are more interesting, their humanity makes the situation more emotional and empathic. The juxtaposition between the mortal and the Grey Knights works sometimes, and others just make the later quite uninteresting.
But overall a fun read for anyone that likes good, imaginative, action. I also recommend listen to some thing like Manowar while reading this book, it enhances greatly the experience.
May 18, 2018
A compelling story about a man and his angry sword.
Warden of the Blade, written by veteran writer David Annandale is a compelling Grey Knights tale about the legendary Warrior, Castellan, as he takes up a cursed demon blade which he must now bear and keep from falling into the wrong hands. The thing is, this blade can talk and its not exactly the nicest conversationalist with it being a demon blade and all, to give you a bit of an idea; many of its compelling conversation tend go a little something like...
Blade: Kill all of your friends
Castellan: No
Blade: *Incoherent rage*
.... I am speaking in jest of course as there is more to ittle than that and this is an excellent novel that had me invested from start to finish. It is a tale that has Castellan and his allies racing to stop a demonic invasion on a world before it happens and has all the trappings of a Slanesh invasion, even going into the dark mindset of those recently brought under its sway.
If you are a fan of suspenseful science fiction, horror and selfless heroism in a grim dark universe, sit yourself down with this novel.
A 4 out of 5
Warden of the Blade, written by veteran writer David Annandale is a compelling Grey Knights tale about the legendary Warrior, Castellan, as he takes up a cursed demon blade which he must now bear and keep from falling into the wrong hands. The thing is, this blade can talk and its not exactly the nicest conversationalist with it being a demon blade and all, to give you a bit of an idea; many of its compelling conversation tend go a little something like...
Blade: Kill all of your friends
Castellan: No
Blade: *Incoherent rage*
.... I am speaking in jest of course as there is more to ittle than that and this is an excellent novel that had me invested from start to finish. It is a tale that has Castellan and his allies racing to stop a demonic invasion on a world before it happens and has all the trappings of a Slanesh invasion, even going into the dark mindset of those recently brought under its sway.
If you are a fan of suspenseful science fiction, horror and selfless heroism in a grim dark universe, sit yourself down with this novel.
A 4 out of 5
May 9, 2022
Some fun action and set pieces, while the writer knew how to write a bombastic story the main cast was largely forgettable. The epilogue and its plot twist felt tacked on and by the time the final battle happened I just wanted the book to end.
I quite enjoyed the way David Annandale wrote the general fall of Sendava II and the flamboyancy of the slaneeshi antagonists. Antwyr himself is a really fun idea for an antagonist, there's a lot of energy in the novel, its just a sham that the cast is so dull it drags the experience down.
I quite enjoyed the way David Annandale wrote the general fall of Sendava II and the flamboyancy of the slaneeshi antagonists. Antwyr himself is a really fun idea for an antagonist, there's a lot of energy in the novel, its just a sham that the cast is so dull it drags the experience down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2018
This is why I read Warhammer fiction: To find the best balance between soulful characters living in the horrific setting and the epic scale of action. This is the story of how Castellan Crowe of the Grey Knights became the wielder of the cursed Sword of Antwyr with my favorite Chaos Daemons, those of Slaanesh, as the antagonists. The action is in your face, visceral and page turning. The character interactions are adequate and are not bogged down by excessive navel gazing.
August 29, 2021
David Annandale + Grey Knights ought to be a winning formula for me but I was mildly bored with this novel. It felt too pre-ordained, too safely written. And it blows a twist ending on a throw-away epilogue that would’ve been better served as a full-on sequel. I’m willing to try the next one given the author’s track record and my love of Grey Knights lore in general.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2017
The Grey Knights were my first 40k army so I have a soft spot for any of their stories. This one is the origin story of Garran Crowe, Castellan of the Purifiers and bearer of the Blade of Antwyr. A good story, heavy on the daemon, as would be expected of the Grey Knights.
December 22, 2024
First warhammer book I could not finish. Plots are getting so redundant and predictable, especially with the chaos stories. Cultists, cultists and more cultists. "For everyone killed 10 more take its place" that line is so over used.
August 9, 2018
A fun adventure but not much character stuff - our hero is a bit 2 dimensional. On the plus side a good and interesting story idea.
January 7, 2017
The book starts off slow, as the author develops Crowe and his battle with the Blade. These parts seemed rather silly because the Blade came across rather silly. It reminded me of the kind of things said by a kid on a playground. I found it hard to believe that anyone would be tempted by the thing. (If I can tune out my 4-year old niece when she starts on a ramble, I would think super soldiers specifically trained in mental discipline would find no challenge doing the same.) I also questioned why there needed to be a Warden, as it is not explained until late in the book that the Blade can teleport itself. (I could not figure out why the Purifiers didn't just put it in a warded case deep inside the Chambers of Purity.)
Once the battle begins, however, I began to understand the Blade, which made Crowe's mental battle much clearer. That is when the book picks up and comes into its own. I feel the battle went on a bit too long (in terms of pages, not in the time it took). The Epilogue was amazing, and a great twist to end the book.
I loved the in-depth look at the GK's. As other reviewers have said, previous books just did not good a good job of explaining who the GK's are. The stories were good, but the feeling was missing.
Once the battle begins, however, I began to understand the Blade, which made Crowe's mental battle much clearer. That is when the book picks up and comes into its own. I feel the battle went on a bit too long (in terms of pages, not in the time it took). The Epilogue was amazing, and a great twist to end the book.
I loved the in-depth look at the GK's. As other reviewers have said, previous books just did not good a good job of explaining who the GK's are. The stories were good, but the feeling was missing.
August 31, 2021
An okay story. A bit too much standard generic Bolter porn for my liking and a lot less conversational dialouge than I would of enjoyed. As a reader coming from the horus heresy novels, I expected a lot more brotherhood and emotion in the communication between the astartes and the standard serf humans, but the dialogue felt very hollow and flat. The overall plot twists however, and the nightmare fuel of the big boss-esque antagonists kept me reading, as the overall ambitious drive of the demons and their grim powers displayed throughout the pages were very enjoyable.
I wasn't so much a fan of the ending but im very eager to pick up the next in the series to see if the problems of the first installment are overcome. Hopefully crowe gains more of a personality.
I wasn't so much a fan of the ending but im very eager to pick up the next in the series to see if the problems of the first installment are overcome. Hopefully crowe gains more of a personality.
February 2, 2017
The Grey Knights are sent to Sandava II to prevent or halt a daemonic incursion, Garran Crowe and his fellow Purifiers following Castellan Gavallan in the righteous prosecution of a daemonic plague afflicting the once-loyal world. Forced to battle both the daemons and the insidious power of the blade, Crowe and Gavallan lead their brothers into a battle only the strongest and purest could hope to survive.
Read the rest of the review at https://trackofwords.wordpress.com/20...
Read the rest of the review at https://trackofwords.wordpress.com/20...
February 5, 2017
An excellent Grey Knight book and one worth reading.
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