Similarly, if the rest of the 40K universe ceased to exist, Xenos would still function as an exciting quest novel. It would be possible to read Xenos without ever realizing it belonged to a massive pre-existing universe. Whilst there are some fairly obvious 40K influences, for those in the know, they’re mostly in the background. In Xenos, Abnett interlaces his lore delicately. In the books I have read, in-game terminology and too much “telling” and not “showing” have made the stories very clunky. Xenos is 10-15 years old, and has probably informed the lore of the universe and the expectations of its readers. Possibly, some of this is Dan Abnett’s fault. All too often, the huge sprawl and expectation of this much-loved universe overwhelms its novels. Many Black Library books can’t bear the weight of Warhammer lore. A quest will thrills, spills, and unexpected turns. Xenos has a small-scale ensemble cast and is an epic quest novel. Following up on loose ends from having slain his enemy, Eisenhorn and his group of trusty followers embark on a mysterious journey that will take them deep into the belly of the enemy. Despite opening with an ending of sorts, Xenos continues with what Eisenhorn does next. As the book opens, he has tracked down his nemesis, and they fight in mortal combat. Whilst being set in the sprawling multi-faceted Warhammer 40K universe, this is a personal tale.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |