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Lady Chettamandey #1

by Mike Brooks

Лорд Азариил, глава навигаторского дома Бробантис, мертв. Его вдова и убийца, леди Четтамэнди, готовится унаследовать власть и положение супруга в обществе. Однако ее планы занять престол терпят крах, когда Четта оказывается вовлеченной в мрачный мир обрядовых убийств и душегубов-культистов, а меж тем целые планеты затягивает в варп, словно по чьей-то прихоти. Угроза наследию дома неминуема, и только Четтамэнди в силах остановить надвигающуюся катастрофу.

Genres: 40k, Science Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Politics, Mystery, Horror

416 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 2019

About the author

Mike Brooks was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and moved to Nottingham when he was 18 to go to university. He’s stayed there ever since, and now lives with his wife, two cats, two snakes and a collection of tropical fish. When not working for a homelessness charity he plays guitar and sings in a punk band, watches football (soccer), MMA and nature/science documentaries, goes walking in the Peak District or other areas of splendid scenery, and DJs wherever anyone will tolerate him.

And, y’know, writes.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

It should be noted that this book is being review bombed on both Goodreads and Amazon by alt-right chuds angry that it featured a black female protagonist and LGBT characters. Please ignore the average rating. It is actually very good.

[Kairos Fateweaver · Rating 1 out of 5]

Inconsistent story, with a weak plotline. The worst part is that you think it goes somewhere for about 2/3s of the book but doesn't give enough back to warrant reading.

Hopefully there are no lore clashes, and this book can be put on the backburner.

Hopefully the author's next work is better. We all have made something that didn't do right. I burnt an apple strudel last night.

[Blrp · Rating 1 out of 5]

By the power vested in me by the Holy Orders of the Emperor's Inquisition, I sentence this book to Exterminatus.

[Michael Dodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Returning home to Vorlese after the death of her husband (which she herself arranged), Chettamandey Brobantis’ careful plans for the future of her house are interrupted by inter-house politics, mysterious disappearances and the looming threat of warp-based disaster. As danger builds, Chetta comes to realise that all of her meticulous planning and all her skill in diplomacy might not be enough to save her house, and Vorlese itself, from what’s coming.

It has the usual Brooks hallmarks of well-observed characters with a natural sense of variety and inclusivity, who feel real by virtue of dealing with relatable problems (like a dodgy hip, in Chetta’s case), and some genuinely fantastic dialogue…mostly from Chetta, who utterly steals the show. If you’re looking for a traditional action-heavy 40k story then look elsewhere – there are plenty of great examples, after all – but instead if you’re interested in inter-House politics, great female characters and a glimpse behind the scenes of the Imperium, then this should be right up your street.

Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/10/...

[Dan Stickle · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the poorer Black library Showings. plodding and not very exciting, as well as barely being 40k in much of its subject matter. Alot of 5 star reviews appear to be by people who haven't read it and only like its political content, and some 1 stars are the opposite. In reality its trash, read eisenhorn or Gaunts ghosts.

[Alina Zabiyaka · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What citizen of Ascension City hadn’t seen the Navigator palaces and marvelled at the wealth and majesty of them? Who hadn’t fantasised about venturing within, of experiencing the unthinkable luxury that must surely lie behind those thick, heavily guarded walls? Which of them hadn’t dreamed of a day, just one day, when they didn’t have to work in the Emperor’s name? Not that anyone begrudged Him their labour, of course, but perhaps there were those in the Navigators’ palaces who didn’t have to do it all the time?”

Exactly two years ago, it was none other than the Navis Nobilite that had, quite literally, guided me onto the path to the Warhammer 40,000. Yes, they were the first faction I had developed a genuine interest in, and that I still regard as one of the setting’s coolest – even though they mostly seem to be engaged with internecine rivalries and clandestine politicking rather than devoting themselves to their primary duties. Ergo, I couldn’t have missed the first-ever Black Library novel entirely centered on this obscenely rich, at once hated and revered, and just absolutely vital three-eyed folk whose gene-crafted talents essentially hold the Mankind’s galactic domain together. Now, having read Rites of Passage I’ve discovered that its main strength lies in the truly eclectic mix of primary and supporting characters from almost all walks of Imperial life. Frankly, not many Warhammer tales manage to reflect the Imperium’s motley society this well, and with every single character’s temper, vocation and background reflected so nicely.

The book’s indisputable star is Lady Chettamandey Brobantis – a skilled Navigator, sanctioned mutant, grieving widow and prospective leader of her late husband’s family – whose acquaintance we’d made in the Necromunda short story A Common Ground. An engaging character despite – or due to – her weaknesses and flaws, she is an ideal, pleasingly complex protagonist. Even if admittedly, despite my best efforts I personally found it pretty hard to root for Lady Brobantis all that much. Because, dare I say, even though it may be a perfectly customary practice in the Navigator households, murdering one’s other half whose only fault was to dare choose less than perfect life-partners for their children doesn’t justify a death sentence this undignified and violent. Then again, perhaps I’m being too harsh on Chetta; for despite this particular wrongdoing, she still does strike one as capable of perfectly human concerns, emotions and feats of bravery. Granted, she comes across as rather manipulative and scheming, belonging as she does to a family more akin to a mafia clan than Imperial aristocracy, yet has enough redeeming features to ignore the fact that her kinsfolk actually have precious little in common with true humanity. With her stubborn perseverance, endearing self-irony and innate quick wits, this outwardly frail old lady proves a much tougher person than we might initially think. When dragged into a close confrontation against enemy witches, mutants and even daemons, Lady Brobantis uses her special gifts in a wholly unexpected way – and prevails. Also, despite her kin’s inherent suspiciousness balancing upon a delicate line between risky naivety and outright paranoia, Chetta is willing to see good traits in people (save hardcore heretics, that is) and generally acts like a strict but fair ‘godmother’ towards those who deserve it most. However, I had really expected more scenes with her two kids, Ranovel and Felicia – after all, they got the least coverage time... Could it be a promise of more next-generation Brobantis tales to come, I wonder?

Of course, the very status, power and influence the Navis Nobilite families enjoy must inevitably attract proper antagonists, and Brooks provides these with a flourish. We are presented with a unique glimpse into a dilettante bunch of Chaos cultists that’d probably have never gotten anywhere if not for their mysterious, off-world leader – a cynical rogue psyker Niklau, who offers his gullible cronies a brilliant plan of using local Navigators to stage a Dark Ritual of Epic Proportions intended to glut their ‘true masters’ on the unsuspecting populace of Planet Vorlese. And, as is often the case with heretics, Niklau’s views concerning the ancient leviathan of the Imperium are delightfully, wittily spot-on.

“Let the chattel think that there was a purpose to their misery, a good reason why you were not providing joy and comfort here and now, and they’d carry blindly on with the grim determination of a person dying of thirst who’s been told that a spring lies just over the next hill.”

“Billions of souls swallowed into an eternity of torture, and the ailing behemoth of which they had been a part wouldn’t so much as blink.”

Thanks to the author’s lively, fast-paced narration constantly switching between the viewpoints from both the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ sides, it’s an especial relish to follow the loyalists’ actions as they’re desperately trying to figure out what we, the readers, already know or suspect. They don’t remain in the dark for long, though – for sooner than later, a powerful representative of a universally-dreaded Imperial authority, Lady Inquisitor Zaretta Ngiri who had already appeared in Mike’s other short story, The Path Unclear – steps into the light, somehow armed with an impressive lot of compromising intel on House Brobantis…

‘So here we are. The unprepared, arraying ourselves against the unfathomable, on behalf of the unaware.’
‘Welcome to His Majesty’s Divine Inquisition.’

Reading the debut full-length novel from one of the Black Library’s newest authors was a great pleasure. To have written about such a little-explored part of the Warhammer universe must be a dream come true, and it’s clearly evident that Mike Brooks had much fun creating this book. Of course, while reading the Rites I often couldn’t help but think back to the only other tale in which the Navigators play a significant part, Wolfblade; and naturally, appreciated all the fleeting mentions of House Belisarius amongst the wealth of fan-service – Brook’s way, I think, of paying homage to William King’s classic. While retaining much of its predecessor’s literary influence, Rites of Passage take place in the current Warhammer 40K timeline where, despite the return of Primarch Guilliman, the aftermath of the 13th Black Crusade is still fresh in people’s memory, the Cicatrix Maledictum glows menacingly in the firmament, and almost every planet stands the risk of falling victim to the Mankind’s oldest enemies.

With its dynamic plot strands, colourful language and precious remarks on not just Navigators but almost every other aspect of 40K background (notably more than in any other recent book) – from the peculiarities of Administratum ranking system to the labour conditions of bonded workers – Mike Brooks very ably demonstrates that he has enough potential for many further stories set in the worlds of Warhammer. As befits a genuine trademark 40K story, there is pathos in abundance, there is fighting, there’s endurance… and there is also humour – that, despite all odds, helps the loyalists and heretics alike to face the grim realities of their existence. Indeed, there are enough great moments of such kind on almost every page to masterly set the book’s unique tone. Warmly hilarious or darkly sarcastic, mostly lore-based jokes, shrewd observations with the perceptive eyes of a seasoned Navigator, and other little details go along with – unusually for Warhammer in general – decidedly humane approach that’s also very much present, for example, in Mike's Necromunda novella Wanted: Dead. What is also of particular notice about Rites of Passage is that it most closely approaches the semblance of a happy end in a Warhammer book. Indeed, loyalty, hard work and valiance are eventually rewarded, and gruesome crimes duly punished – which, I guess, must reflect the setting’s current direction towards a more hope-filled, rather than bleak and fearful, Imperium. An Imperium that, to all intents and purposes, looks like it might need more Navigators than ever before.

P.S. Another great cover illustration, this one. Russian artists really make Black Library proud…

[Tim Van Lipzig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Brooks' first full-length-novel for Black Library is one hell of a debut; a package full of joy for the weary 40k-veteran, full of engaging characters, politics, intrigue, quirks, twists, suspense and excitement. I've described it on Twitter as "Dan Abnett in Domestic-40k-mode with a healthy dose of Terry Pratchett", and on the chance of setting an impossibly high bar, I stand by that comparison.

The main characters are Lady 'Chetta' Brobantis of Navigator House Brobantis - recently, and quite deliberately, widowed by her own machinations - and opposed to her Radimir Niklau, terrorist and faithful follower of the Dark Gods. They're the anchors to Rites' plot, both through Chetta's troubles in the wake of the death of her late husband as well as Radimir's plan to strike a heavy blow to the Imperium on Chetta's homeworld. Those interact and interweave as the novel goes on, and Brooks cleverly let's the different branches of the story slowly grow together and across in ways that feel appropriately surprising and natural at the same time.

Besides the two great leads, Brooks' peppers his story with a colourful menagerie of secondary characters, from Chetta's scheming relatives, the various associates and servants of House Brobantis and a mysterious rogue traders entourage to a slightly hapless cult that Radimir recruits to assist in his plan.

Brooks earns the comparison to both Abnett and Pratchett not solely through the grounded nature of the story or his sharp-tongued humour, but by showing an impressive attention to detail and care to make even his tertiary characters memorable. He also displays a keen eye for *consequences* - every action of a character has logical consequences for his relationships and the actions and feelings of other characters, even seemingly unimportant ones, something that is often glossed over or forgotten by authors focused more on the big action or their central plot.

Rites Of Passage has shot itself squarely into my Black Library Top 3 of 2019, right besides Peter Fehervari's Requiem Infernal and Aaron Dembski-Bowden's Spear Of The Emperor, and might well be one of my favorite Black Library novels of all time. It was a joy to read from first page to last, a novel that left me with the warm feeling in my gut to have eaten a three course menu that's been cooked with love and care and washed down with a good wine, while hanging out with some new friends.

[Tess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uuugh, I dont like writting long form but here goes.... There are some real positives here and there are a few the characters were really well fleshed out and flawed. They had human problems that made them feel endearing and I was on board at times. There is a shifty Rouge Trader with altirior motives who's secrets kept me interested and I enjoyed the delving into how psykers can scan surface thoughts and the overall mystery of the plot was a nice change to your typical action-y warhammer novel, I liked that.

That being said, its a shame that some people have to resort to calling other people names
like "alt right" or "Neanderthal" in order to critise others and validate thier own opinion about a book. This novel has some guineine problems that not only date it but also hold it back narratively. Don't get me wrong, there are some good to this book for sure but the book can be a pain to read at times with made up gender pronouns that; regardless of your opinion about trans people in the 21st century; is a headache to read when written down on paper. The rest of the book has its ups and downs but it honestly feels a little reflective about the authors real life values at times; which is fine for him but reading about it doesn’t allow me to escape into a sci-fi world, it just reminds me of all the angst and division of today’s world. Arnt books supposed to bring us all together rather than divide us? I personally feel this book is trying to alienate people who just want to get away from it all, you know?

What I will say is that if that kind of stuff does not bother you then this book is decent enough, I'd give it a 3 but due to the obvious political stuff im giving it a 2. I found the last quarter of the novel to be a bit of a drag with the end villain being a bit tto powerful and boring but there was some genuine thought put into some of the characters’ here to pull you through

[Lord Inquisitor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Political Rubbish.
This sort of stuff will age very badly.

[Robert Dutkiewicz · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story starts off good but as it goes on it look like author focused too hard on trying to be politicaly correct with non-traditional genders and neopronouns instead on writing a good story. As always shoving a political agenda only hurts the final product. If you can get past it it's still kinda uninspired story with lot of inconsistencies that sometimes feels like characters try to convey author ideology. This is sadly the common theme with Mike Brooks novels and short stories in Warhammer 40k. He got some interesting ideas but fail to execute them due all blatant political agenda. If you want good 40k novel focused on civillian life you need to wait.

[Jo Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful out of the ordinary read. Politics and intrigue drives most all of the book and it's wonderful to just live in 40k for a while. Even the last quarter, unfortunately the weakest part, is still a pretty out there variation of the usual Chaos plot. It's twists and turns all the way down, and despite some structural issues, is absolutely worth the read. Brooks' prose is alright, but the character driven nature of things hooks you when the writing itself does not. It also does well in injecting a lot of the mundane into the bombast of 40k, most prominently the amount of gruntwork Radimir has to put up with, despite having what would normally be an absolutely broken set of abilities.

Good stuff, the unique nature of the book far outweighs its flaws.

[Hawke Embers · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting premise with a muddled execution. Mike Brooks Rites of passage puts forward some interesting concepts & characters but fails to nail the overall execution of the plot. The result gives the book a compelling start but a more frustrating ride as the story progresses.
Never the less, there is potential here for future entries in the navigator houses

[Loki Kultgen · Rating 1 out of 5]

How dare you.

[Nynniaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: A highly-enjoyable book from start to finish. Definitely one of the better entries in the 40k universe, and one that shows there is a lot that one can write about within the setting and that can be made to fit seamlessly inside it without having to churn out the same things over and over.

Prose: The book is excellently written. Neither dry, nor overwrought. There was no point at which I found myself blinking at some absurd choice of word, relentless barrage of typos, or endless wall of stilted text, which is more than can be said for many other books. 5/5

Plot: The plot made for an interesting story. If you pull out all the dressing, then at its core it is a save-the-world story, but it never really feels so... cliched? Perhaps because of the setting, or because of the way everything is presented, but the author makes a great job of assembling all the elements together so that nothing ever feels extraneous to the story, or like a sloppy implementation of some well-known trope.

At the same time, if there was one element that I was not entirely satisfied with, then that is how the confrontation at the very climax was resolved. Things feel ever so slightly forced from the point our shadow-walker gets into the downed ship while the heroes are scarcely around the corner. The fact he has been so smart until now makes this seems even more stupid, and the fact he is surprised when the heroes subsequently chase him makes it even worse. Also, if Chetta could just broadcast for rescue like she did at the end, why didn't she the moment the ship crash-landed? 3/5

Pacing: One thing I really enjoyed about the book is that the chapters are almost perfectly-sized for whatever scene they wish to portray. They never drag, and they hardly ever lull. You are constantly and inexorably pulled forward because something interesting is always going on or is about to go on. 5/5

Characterization: This book had one hell of a main character, and an excellent cast of supporting characters to boot. Chetta might well be among my all-times favorites, so fleshed out and interesting she is. The villain was a little less memorable, but was still well above generic, and decently fleshed-out. 4/5

World-building: The story is presented within a setting connected but different to the face of the 40k universe that most often gets portrayed in novels and stories alike. Despite this different, the author manages to make it feel an inherent part of the wider universe in a way that is not reliant simply on using the correct terminology and the like, but that is part of every action sequence and plot point. 5/5

Final score is properly 4.4 stars, but I'll make it five since people review-bombing things out of political spite annoys me.

[Kassar Krennic · Rating 1 out of 5]

As always, I stopped reading the instant I came across a "neo pronoun" since I refuse to read a book that encourages mental illness.
Keep this shit out of Warhammer, both 40k and Age of Sigmar. It isn't difficult.
Let's just say I'm glad I didn't pay for this one.
Who wrote this? Oh Mike Brooks, didn't he write 'The Lion: Son of the Forest' a while back? Yes, he did! Well, at least I know to avoid this writer in the future. I will never read a book written by a pathetic tumblertot who screams and gets his pronouns in a twist when he sees a straight, white male.

[William Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a shame that internet Neanderthals are review-bombing this book so hard. It’s actually quite good. Mike Brooks first full length BL offering shows a lot of promise and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does next.

[Deshawn Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

What can I say?

Not much. Was not taken with this tbh. Thankfully there Horus Heresy Novels are on point. If you want a good read, buy Betrayer instead.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Rites of Passage through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Rites of Passage is the first novel in the Lady Chettamandey series by Mike Brooks. It also fits into the world of Warhammer 40,000, which should give you an idea of how much material its going to have to work with.

Lady Chettamandey is recently widowed. She's also a Navigator, and an exceptionally talented one at that. Her talent doesn't stop there, as she's also a quick mind and mind – meaning that she's got loads of plans for the Navigator House Brobantis. Namely, she wants to take charge.

But that was all before the disaster. Now she'll be content simply to save her people. And her planet. For there is a dark plan happening, one that involves using the warp as a weapon. Her unique skillset has put her at the forefront of this latest battle.

“It seems we're in agreement, then. I also don't wish to die a horrible, painful death, Tekoa, and I need your help to ensure that both of us, along with anyone we've ever loved, can avoid that.”

Rites of Passage was a highly entertaining novel, and an absolute delight to read. Mike Brooks has successfully merged the world of Warhammer 40,000 with other storytelling techniques in order to create a compelling tale.

Honestly, there's a lot to love about this novel. To start with, let's talk about Lady Chettamandey. She's, simply put, amazing. I love that she's older and mostly incapable of physical fighting (due to the condition of her body) and yet she still kicks major butt. Just not in the way you'd expect. It made for a unique leading character, as did her grit and sass
.
The core of the plot was also fascinating. The Navigators do not have the best job when you consider the risks. And yet they are vital. It's not something I thought too much about if I'm being honest. This whole story opened my eyes to that world.

There's so much more to it than I expected. There's politics, backstabbing, rituals, and more. Rites of Passage contained a little bit of everything, proving that this group of families is just as complex as any other part of this franchise.

The main threat was epic in scale, which I'll admit I was a bit surprised about. Yet at the same time, it felt wholly organic. It felt like the sort of risk that would involve the characters we're reading about. More than that, it explained all of the scheming, as well as the alliances.

I also highly enjoyed the secondary characters, as well as the subplots they brought with them. They added a sense of richness to the world, making it fell all the more fleshed out.

I'm noticing a lot of less than stellar reviews about this book online (well, on Goodreads, I didn't check the other platforms). I'll confess some surprise about that, as I thoroughly enjoyed the read. As for the 'clunky pronoun' problem? I didn't even notice it until I saw the complaints, so clearly it didn't bother me. It seemed rather seamless, actually.

I'm really glad that I took the time to read Rites of Passage, as I loved the different perspective. This is marked as being the first in a series, so here's hoping there will be more in the future! In the meantime, it looks like there are two short stories I can check out.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Jeff Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the second Black Library book I’ve read recently that I rated 5 stars. The other was Belisarius Cawl By Guy Hayley. It is about time we got an interesting book about the navigator houses. I think this book deserves a higher rating, but there seem to be alot of one star reviews by Alt-right neckbeards who think it is “political” to have a protagonist who isn’t a white male and a supporting character who isn’t heterosexual. For others, this book likely presents a good mix of intrigue and action set in the grimdark future. I don’t want to say more about the things I really liked because that would entail spoilers, but my favorite antagonists and one of my favorite imperium factions are involved as well. Lady Chetta makes for an interesting and perhaps flawed protagonist. I suppose I can understand some of the reviews that criticize the story arc for starting out as political intrigue but shifting to murder mystery, but I didn’t take issue with this. There is violence but not the bolter porn I have come to dread and skip over in many black library books. I expect the follow up books to further explore the politics of the navigator houses while delving into other stories. Interested to see what else Mike Brooks will have Chetta embroiled in in future instalments.

PS - I read this book before I rated and reviewed it.

[CrumbleMcLumble · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of the navigator houses, oft mentioned but seldom explored in the 40k universe. Author Mike Brooks does a wonderful job competing and contrasting the murky, dirty underbelly of Ascension City against the ruling class of the navigator houses. A string of grisly murders have been committed, and what follows is Cheta and her compatriots hunting for the hunters in a rather enjoyable sci fi detective novel. It was refreshing to read a Warhammer story where the hero wasn’t just a meathead with a big gun, and one with some serious shades of grey to her as well.

Unfortunately this book got brigaded hard by some really angry people. Keep that in mind when reading any reviews or seeing an overall low score. As for the “controversy” that spawned so much vitriol, there is one character who mentions he has a husband two or three times and a cyborg skitarii who is referred to by they/them pronouns. They’re very minor moments.

If “domestic 40k” a la Eisenhorn appeals to you, you’ll love this book. If feuding nobles posturing at each other sounds entertaining, you’ll similarly like reading or listening to this one. The audiobook narration is excellent as well.

[Jessica Woods · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately the author of this novel isn't simply content with writing entertaining fiction but is instead is concerned with trying to inject Western 21st century politics in a setting and hobby. If you don't mind reading alternative genders like Ver and Xiv rather than Him and Her then have at it. Me on the other hand, I don't enjoy being told what to think by some twat with a bad haircut and a keyboard.

[Ollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on my blog at https://thatguyreading.weebly.com/ which features other reviews, Q&As and more!

It’s an interesting time for Black Library right now. Their flagship Horus Heresy series is nearing its conclusion, they’ve introduced a range of books for younger readers, and they’ve started branching out into other genre fiction with Warhammer Horror. The publishing arm of Games Workshop has really taken great strides in its attempts to diversify in recent years, and Rites of Passage, by Mike Brooks, is yet another sign that the publisher is interested in telling different stories from those that have come before. And Rites of Passage really is definitely quite different to any Black Library book I’ve read before.

First of all, we have a main character who is not a Space Marine (of either flavour), an Inquisitor, or some grizzled guardsman. No, what we have instead is Lady Chettamandey Vula Brobantis, widow of the recently deceased Novator of Navigator House Brobantis. It should be noted at this point that she is the widow of the Novator because she arranged to have him killed, by the way. Chettamandey, or Chetta as she is known, is old. It’s mentioned on a number of occasions that she has very dark skin, unlike the predominantly white (and occasionally even alabaster) denizens of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Her hip plays up. When she falls, she struggles to get back up. As a Navigator, she is also a mutant, the third eye in her forehead allowing her to pilot ships through the warp, as well as being capable of blasting the sanity from any normal mortal unlucky enough to be fixed in its gaze. She is strictly a non-combatant, which means those occasions when she actually comes under fire have a real tension to them - were she a conventional hero or heroine, she would be whirling a chainsword all over the place, slicing and dicing cultists until she faced off against their leader (see, for example, Eisenhorn, Gaunt, Cain and numerous others). But Chetta fights with her wits, preferring to tear strips off her enemies and rivals with her sharp tongue rather than a powersword. She is a scheming, elderly, frail, black, aristocratic mutant, and I love her. Chetta is still a loyal servant of the Imperium, so when bad stuff goes down (specifically, a whole planet disappearing), she feels compelled to act. Her highborn attitude and general bolshiness see her run up against various authority figures, but we are repeatedly shown how she does right by those that do right by her, and its clear that she is possessed of a strong internal moral compass (despite the attempted power grab facilitated by her husband’s timely demise). She describes herself as a battleaxe, and this is definitely the case - there is seemingly nobody that she won’t argue with, even going so far as to press someone against a wall with her cane as she berates them at one point.

Secondly, there’s the plot itself. Rites of Passage has plenty of the usual 40K grimdark, much of which is supplied by antagonist Radimir Niklau, a devoted and murderous agent of Chaos. Plenty of the more visceral moments come courtesy of Radimir, his deadly abilities seeing off plenty of victims as he murders Navigators in grisly fashion. But the nature of Chetta as a non-combatant means there is more of an emphasis on mystery solving and diplomacy than in many Black Library novels. The rivalries and power struggles between and within the Navigator houses are complex without being hard to follow, and the exchanges Chetta has with said houses are entertaining and interesting to read. There are plenty of twists and turns before we reach the big showdown, with alliances forged and agendas revealed that are guaranteed to keep you guessing, and the pacing that comes with all this is practically perfect. Having two very different characters - Chetta and Radimir - allows Mike Brooks to have more action and combat scenes with one and more intrigue and investigation with the other, all fostering a mounting sense of urgency without being relentless, in-your-face action.

Thirdly, and finally, there’s the use of neopronouns. I will hold my hand up and confess my total ignorance here - when I first read the words ve, vis and ver, I thought they were some sort of typesetting error, having never come across them in a novel before. When I realised they were being used only for one specific character, I did a little bit of googling and realised it wasn’t a mistake at all. Once I knew that this was intentional, I thought it was pretty cool, as science fiction as a genre should, in my mind, be pushing boundaries and challenging perceptions. To be able to this so effectively simply through the use of some pronouns rather than the plot was, I thought, very skilful, as well as addressing the all-important topics of inclusivity and representation. Sadly, some readers did not share this opinion. I don’t want this to turn into any kind of rant, but those few negative reviews that I have seen mostly seem to focus on this aspect of the novel, and I really couldn’t understand why. More diverse voices means more diverse characters and stories, which can only be a good thing. I find it extremely heartening, for example, that I struggle to compare this novel to anything else - the closest I have come is Murder, She Wrote crossed with Angels and Demons with a sprinkling of Dune and an all over grimdark wash, at which point there are so many ingredients in the mix that you should probably give up trying to compare it to things and admit that it stands alone as something special. For a genre that has historically attracted misfits and the socially awkward and made them feel like there's a place for them, as well as this being a novel based on a game that, it must be said, shares this characteristic, I find it tragically ironic that some fans have such a gatekeeping and bigoted attitude towards an attempt to be more inclusive. I guess that did turn into something of a rant, sorry about that!

In conclusion, I really enjoyed Rites of Passage. It’s different from what I’ve come to expect from Black Library, and gives me hope that we’ll continue to see some interesting experiments from the publisher in terms of genre and the kinds of characters we can expect to see. It shines a light on a hitherto little written about part of the 40K universe by covering Navigator houses, and is a much-needed display of diversity and inclusion to boot. I am eagerly awaiting a sequel!

[Az Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book on a number of fronts. It has a huge amount of mystery and intrigue, a wonderful plot with twists and turns, and also manages to explore areas of the WH40k that haven't been tapped relentlessly so far.

Learning about the Navigator houses and their pseudo-nobility despite their presence as mutants in a very "deviation from the norm must be punished" society was excellent, and the politicking that follows as Chetta navigates (haw haw) the death of her husband and trying to take the leadership of Brobantis in the midst of various inter-house conflicts is really well done.

There's a lot of great warp action, there's cult mentalities, and maybe even a visit by the [REDACTED] but you'll find it all out by reading, which I'd definitely recommend doing.

There's also a few queer identities scattered throughout the book, and it was really refreshing to see that as part of them, but not defining their role. The importance of "queer stories" cannot be understated, but just as important is representation of us where the plot doesn't hinge on our identity.

Great characters, great twists, great setting, great plot.

[Reid Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since Black Library announced they would be expanding their shelves (Warhammer Horror and Warhammer Crime), I've been looking forward to reading something beyond the usual Space Marines/Guard/Inquisition vs Heresy/Xenos. While Rites of Passage isn't part of the new expansion (I don't think), it does focus on an oft-overlooked faction - the Navigators. Brooks does an excellent job expanding upon the Navigators' abilities and stories; he describes the Warp masterfully, making sure the reader is left with the impression of sheer, overwhelming terror and awe. His characters are captivating - Lady Chettamandey is a powerful, grating, force of nature of a woman, reminding me a little of Avasarala from Corey's epic SF series The Expanse. Rites of Passage is a great glimpse at the surrounding universe of Warhammer 40k, and (even if it's not technically part of the new expansion) is a great look at what we can expect moving forward.

[Carl Barlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's this? A 40k novel with an old, cantankerous woman as hero(ish)? With same-sex relationships (with relationships full stop, to be honest)? With brains over boltgun (for the most part)? With bad joints and back-stabbing? Warp eye plucking and mariticide? Believable plot and characters?

RoP is a richly realised depiction of Navigator family life, Dune-esque (not an accusation - Navigators were clearly derived from the Guild Navigators of Dune, merged with the various Houses of the same... and, to be honest, that sort of thing is always welcome when done well), mixed with an insidious plot to have whole planets sucked into the Immaterium. There are unexpected revelations along the way, some moments of genuine humour and humanity, and some good action sequences. The style is crisp and professional, keeping pages turning at speed and never letting interest flag.

Superior, even refreshing 40k.

[Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chetta is a super snarky character and the people around her are fantastically funny, it keeps you intrigued enough to care about what's about to happen next. My favourite character was Chetta by a mile, that old woman is adorably annoying beyond belief, and the Rouge Trader was super fun as well. Absolutely a must read for all fans of 40k fiction who enjoy stories that are set away from the grimdark battlefields. Rite of Passage is a great read and shows that Black Library is beginning to advance leaps and bounds in how it chooses to engage the dystopian gothic nightmare that is Warhammer 40k - an Imperium that does not care how you identify, because it's focus is far above such petty concerns.

[Prime · Rating 1 out of 5]

Its a shame. Mike Brooks clearly has some natural talent for writing smooth pros and some sparky dialogue. Its just a shame he spends so much of his time furthering a Twitter political cause.

I enjoyed the beginnings and the way things were being set up but I felt like my intelligence was constantly being insulted with the authors use of made up pronouns that were simply just confusing and obnoxious to read. Call me names if you want but 99% of the planet don't really dig this nonsense. Hard pass.

[Bryan Moreton · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot I liked about this book. The characters, some interesting plot and the setting. I applaud the writer for exploring other parts of the 40k universe and appropriately including diverse groups. I found it a little bit hard to get into which is why I knocked off a few stars. However, that's probably more my issue than the book. I would recommend reading it. 3.5 stars!

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a thoroughly enjoyable book that stands apart from other Warhammer 40k stuff by being beyond just shooting - exploring the interiority of these characters, and having a set of well-developed, intriguing, and diverse protagonists and antagonists. It's a cast that would be lovely to see return, and I hope to read and listen to much more about them. Check this one out, folks.

[Michael S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot can be frustrating, but the characters are strong and enjoyable and there are a few lore nuggets that are interesting. Overall if you are looking for a good domestic 40k novel that looks at the lives of the top and bottom 1% then this is for you.