u/Garessta

First of all, 60 million years out of 10, we never doubted Rath but he still outdid himself. Today, we are eating good, fellow phaerons and phaerakhs!

Second, the entire post is spoilery, but I will mark heavy stuff with a spoiler tag. I will also often be intentionally vague, “if you know, you know”.

Now, my ramblings. 

While the first book was “Spy vs Spy” kind, this is a more straightforward adventure, Indiana Jones-esque in its structure. Yet, nothing is ever straightforward on Amenthis! There are two major plotlines, which split and merge wonderfully together, twists and turns and foreshadowing and red herrings. And of course, Trazyn and Orikan – but also other characters returning from Rath’s earlier stories, which have been given much more time here.

And it’s a hilarious book, just like tIatD was, but at the same time more dark. Instead of focusing on history, it explores the realms of necrons, souls and necron souls, quite often through personal relationships of characters.

A story where you laugh one moment, then just sit there, deeply touched, in the next - just like the characters living through all this!

Oh, and yeah. Rath had to know when he named this book. These “old men yaoi” jokes? Expect even more of them. THEY AREN'T BEATING THE ALLEGATIONS.

 

All flows in a single breath... I read this book in one go, which took me ~13 hours. There was only one part that felt a bit too long, at the end–but at the same time, it wasn’t really overly long. More like, at this point I felt that the story was in a good place for a neat tying-up, but it extended unexpectedly for me. Was worth it in the end, though.

>! And then Rath ends on such a THICK bait for the continuation. If he takes another six years to write the next book, I will... I will cry, because I cannot rush the genius, but I need this book YESTERDAY! !<

The book might trick you that the story is about adventuring and eventually fighting schemes of >! an arch-demon of Vashtorr (because who else can corrupt necrons, if not the minor god of machines?) !< and whatnot. Well, this isn’t true. Obviously, the central plotline of this all is the strained divorce (it was Rath’s joke, not mine!!11) between Trazyn and Orikan. The book goes hard on showing their idiosyncrasies and their relationship and friendship.

The things that people in the fandom have already picked at from the first book: how Orikan is very often right, but is such a bitch that nobody wants to listen to him, or how Trazyn keeps carelessly going forth to create most of the problems for his future self... And also, keeps dismissing any shreds of self-preservation.

>! It was a joy for me to find out that they have really made peace this time, instead of turning around and betraying each other all over again in the epilogue. And how this all weaves into the theme of change for the better and for the worse. That the change comes from within, and if you believe that you can only get worse, that’s what will most likely happen... A lot of things that can be said about humans just as well as necrons, because in the end, necrons are the most human-like beings of 40k. !<

Then, the supporting cast.

The entire Sannet plotline. My boy Sannet. My precious boy. I really wanted to see more of him in this book, know more of him. And I got what I wanted, but oh boy. Oh boy I was NOT ready for what happened.

>!Rath put me through an absolute rollercoaster ride with his plotline. Unlike Trazyn and Orikan, who are invincible because GW sells their minis, Trazyn’s retinue don’t have this plot shield. But the way this plotline tied in tIatD was chef’s kiss.!<

>!I really feared that Trazyn would go the Oltyx route here, but in the end, my bonfire was lit again and my humanity was restored. !<

In the similar vein, I was glad that Huntmaster got more screentime, although he didn’t have an “arc” to speak about.

Unlike Phillias, in a sense. Her name must’ve been based on “Phallus” because she has the biggest dick on Solemnance, as long as Orikan is off-planet. Truly a gigachad. And her double-scythe is amazing.

>!Even when she tried to usurp Trazyn, I couldn’t really feel angry at her. And she was a gracious loser, in the end. Also “You are in my chair” moment was so sick... And reminded me, shockingly, of Rogue Trader crpg. Where Trazyn also appears... Ha! !<

A mini, please, GW? (´ω`） She would go so hard on the tabletop.

>! (You can also make mini of augmented Vashtorr’s daemons while you are at it) !<

Also, >! Valeria the Inquisitor !< had a pretty major role, and it was a surprise for me to see her in the first place. She was a great foil for all the necrons, a place of sanity on the more human side of the story, compared to that of necrons. And it really showed how divorced necrons were from biological existence. >! I kinda feel bad about what happened to her... But it was also damn funny. !<

There’s still more to say. I have marked the entire text with so many bookmarks, it wouldn’t have been able to close if it was actually paper (I read an ebook). The shit goes HARD.

And now, my personal top 1 favorite moment from the story:

>!‘Orikan, that was a bad fight. A bruising fight. Why would you live it over and over?’ !<

>!‘Because I wanted to give you as many chances as I could to do the right thing.’ !<

>!Trazyn slapped the zodiac away from his fingers and turned him around, hands on either side of his cranium.!<

>!‘Look at me. I want you to hear what I am going to say.’ !<

>!Orikan paused his subroutines and, reluctantly, focused. !<

>!‘I am sorry. And thank you, my friend.’ !<

>!And before he could react, Trazyn enveloped him in an embrace.!<

Thank you for reading.