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simonmee's review
4.0
Better than I expected.
A ragtag team including Bjorn the Fell-Handed and adolescent navigator travel to an ancient ruin only to find their quest subsumed by a galactic level threat. In a shade over 300 pages they stop the threat, complete the quest, and find personal resolution.
Straight down the line but Thorpe pulls it off. The way forward is clear and characters get their chance and writing space to prove themselves worthy. It's satisfyingly tied up, and while that's the easier route, I like it here. The story also contributes to the wider lore without being just a vehicle for it.
It's not top tier. The rag tag element gets mumbled a couple of times but otherwise forgotten to push things to the end - it's just a label that doesn't overly reflect the group's limitations. There are also a couple of short stories bolted on - I'm on the fence as to whether they detract or enhance the story but they aren't perfectly integrated. Finally, the dialogue and battle descriptions are fine but I wrote no quotes down, suggesting it didn't get above that.
Still, a pleasant surprise.
A ragtag team including Bjorn the Fell-Handed and adolescent navigator travel to an ancient ruin only to find their quest subsumed by a galactic level threat. In a shade over 300 pages they stop the threat, complete the quest, and find personal resolution.
Straight down the line but Thorpe pulls it off. The way forward is clear and characters get their chance and writing space to prove themselves worthy. It's satisfyingly tied up, and while that's the easier route, I like it here. The story also contributes to the wider lore without being just a vehicle for it.
It's not top tier. The rag tag element gets mumbled a couple of times but otherwise forgotten to push things to the end - it's just a label that doesn't overly reflect the group's limitations. There are also a couple of short stories bolted on - I'm on the fence as to whether they detract or enhance the story but they aren't perfectly integrated. Finally, the dialogue and battle descriptions are fine but I wrote no quotes down, suggesting it didn't get above that.
Still, a pleasant surprise.
jbragg6625's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
kt6193's review
4.0
I try to write these reviews for someone who knows nothing about Warhammer 40,000 so don't worry if you're brand new! And nothing here will be a spoiler either. I only touch on things that happen at the beginning (or other events in vague, broad strokes).
Ashes of Prospero is about a psychic space marine (or psyker) who lets his guard down one day and has a psyker from the dark and sorcerous chaos space marine chapter of Thousand Sons invade his mind. He doesn't lose control of his body though, and simply has an uninvited guest loitering in his subconscious. He considers seeking help to expel this Thousand Son, named Izzakar, from his mind but Izzakar mentions that he knows how to help the Space Wolves rescue their lost 13th company of space marines. These marines were trapped in another dimension thousands of years ago and may or may not still be alive to this day. All he asks in return is to be returned to his dead body deep within this same alternate dimension. But can the Space Wolves trust a traitor? Can they even trust their own psyker, now that his mind has been compromised by the enemy?
Gav Thorpe does a good job crafting this story, and even delivers some big surprises for people who are familiar with the separate Horus Hersey series of novels. It gets a little tough to follow later in the novel, once the characters are thrust into this aforementioned alternate dimension, but it never gets so confusing that I wanted to stop reading. It can be hard to describe the indescribable, and Thorpe does his best. Considering this, it's a solid 4 out of 5!
Ashes of Prospero is about a psychic space marine (or psyker) who lets his guard down one day and has a psyker from the dark and sorcerous chaos space marine chapter of Thousand Sons invade his mind. He doesn't lose control of his body though, and simply has an uninvited guest loitering in his subconscious. He considers seeking help to expel this Thousand Son, named Izzakar, from his mind but Izzakar mentions that he knows how to help the Space Wolves rescue their lost 13th company of space marines. These marines were trapped in another dimension thousands of years ago and may or may not still be alive to this day. All he asks in return is to be returned to his dead body deep within this same alternate dimension. But can the Space Wolves trust a traitor? Can they even trust their own psyker, now that his mind has been compromised by the enemy?
Gav Thorpe does a good job crafting this story, and even delivers some big surprises for people who are familiar with the separate Horus Hersey series of novels. It gets a little tough to follow later in the novel, once the characters are thrust into this aforementioned alternate dimension, but it never gets so confusing that I wanted to stop reading. It can be hard to describe the indescribable, and Thorpe does his best. Considering this, it's a solid 4 out of 5!
trackofwords's review
3.0
The second novel in the burgeoning Space Marine Conquests series, Gav Thorpe’s Ashes of Prospero sees the Space Wolves stretched thin in the wake of the Cicatrix Maledictum and Magnus’ assault on Fenris. When a weary Njal Stormcaller finds the spirit of a dead Thousand Sons sorcerer lodged within his mind, the revenant reveals that Bulveye and remnants of the 13th Grand Company still fight on, trapped within the Portal Maze. Though loathe to trust the ghostly presence, the prospect of retrieving Bulveye is enough for Njal to risk venturing to Prospero with what few battle brothers he can find.
There’s a good concept at the core of the book, tackling the Space Wolves and Thousand Sons’ relationship from a fresh perspective with Njal and Izzakar at the heart of it, but the pacing doesn’t quite work. The problem is that there are lots of cool ideas here, but they don’t quite get enough room to develop. There’s still lots of interest here, whether you’re after straight-up action or more thoughtful, character-based content, but it’s not quite as developed and sophisticated as much of Gav’s other recent work.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/02/28/ashes-of-prospero-gav-thorpe/
There’s a good concept at the core of the book, tackling the Space Wolves and Thousand Sons’ relationship from a fresh perspective with Njal and Izzakar at the heart of it, but the pacing doesn’t quite work. The problem is that there are lots of cool ideas here, but they don’t quite get enough room to develop. There’s still lots of interest here, whether you’re after straight-up action or more thoughtful, character-based content, but it’s not quite as developed and sophisticated as much of Gav’s other recent work.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/02/28/ashes-of-prospero-gav-thorpe/
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