For the third story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar the action returns to the 40K universe with Ian St. Martin’s In Wolves’ Clothing, in which a pack of Space Wolves finally track down Lucius the Eternal on a daemon world deep in the Eye of Terror. Battling twisted cultists and the constantly shifting surface of the planet itself to bring Lucius to heel at last, pack leader Hrothgar leads his Wolves to a famous victory, but at what cost to their souls? Fans of 40K will know what happens next when Lucius meets his match…
There’s definitely the core of a good story here – it’s got quite a strong narrative, is paced well and while there’s a certain degree of inevitability it’s balanced by a sense of being part of a wider picture…but it’s let down a little by overly ornate, flowery prose that feels exaggerated and over the top. The author has gone for the more modern approach to the Wolves, with all the correct terms and phrases, but it feels a touch contrived and let down by a sense throughout that he’s just trying too hard. A little subtlety would have gone a long way towards making this a genuinely good attempt – it’s clearly setting up the next part in the story, so hopefully we’ll see less bombast and more nuance next time around.
Click here to go to the main Black Library Advent Calendar post and see the other reviews.
I like your review style, Michael. Very authentic :). Would love to feature your reviews in our weekly curated email digest that goes out to thousands of people.