The third book in what seems to have been dubbed ‘The Characters Series’ looks at a newer but equally storied character, High Marshal of the Black Templars, Helbrecht. Interestingly, this means that all three featured characters have undergone significant and repeated medical alterations, effectively dying in the process.
This book largely occurs after the transition across the Rubicon Primaris, though parts of the procedure do feature, as do some of the existential doubts that followed it. The main thrust of the novel is focused on Helbrecht trying to find a balance between his urge to go crusading and the reactive wars the Imperium finds itself fighting post-rift.
In his previous novel, Grim Repast, Collins demonstrated his innate understanding of the 40k universe, especially in the scale of the finale, and he demonstrates the same again here. Hevaran is to my mind the most quintessentially 40k world imaginable. Trapped in the past, prevented from advancing by hidebound & pointless tradition and ultimately doomed it is a remarkably concise and emblematic piece of world building. The population are destined to spend their lives atoning for and erasing the mistakes made by their ancestors almost countless generations back at the expense of all else, in ever-worsening conditions, leaving themselves exposed to other dangers- a perfect model of the wider Imperium. Thematically, dreams feature heavily, as does the nature of faith. The book isn’t quite as action-heavy as the character, and Collins’ previous work with the Chapter might lead you to expect, and the events depicted are very high-stakes but economical.
The book has a small cast, and Helbrecht is undoubtedly the star and main event, but we do get a look into the dynamics and character of the Black Templars as a Chapter.