Recently after visiting a friend I borrowed Pariah, Bequin #1 by Dan Abnett.
This is the latest reprinting of this book which features characters from Abnett's Eisenhorn and Ravenor series.
Now I know I'm probably late to the party with this book as most people will have read it the first time it was printed.
Especially as everyone seems to put both Eisenhorn and Ravenor up on a pedestal as the greatest things released from the Black Library and the greatest works that Abnett has put out.
Personally I have never gotten on with the Inquisition novels of said series. They might be full of scheming and counter-plotting all within the Inquisition, but I was always drawn to Abnett's other famous creation, Gaunt's Ghosts.
Anyway, Abnett does what he does best in this book by really getting into the setting away from the bombastic frontline combat which seems to be the mainstay of most other 40k books
Told from Bequin's perspective, i really liked how the descriptions of the various places and backgrounds featured in the setting of Queen Mab played out. From the decay and age of the city, to the people trying to scratch a living and the merchants dealing in wares like antiques.
The Warblind are a great addition in my opinion, and Deathrow is great when he shows up.
One other thing I liked was the various subtitles of the, admittedly very short, chapters:
Giving almost a sneaky spoiler about the forthcoming chapter.
If you're a fan of the other Inquisition series I mentioned, you'll probably have already read this novel. If you've not it fleshes out Bequin and how she ends up in the employ of the Inquisition.
This reprint is of the latest style of Black Library hardbound books with a new cover by Lorenzo Mastroianni.
Unlike previous books I have posted about, I don't feel that this one has that re-read ability to make me want to pick it up again at some point in the future.
But that's just my opinion...
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