With Kal Jerico: Sinner’s Bounty, Josh Reynolds takes the reins from Gordon Rennie and Will McDermott and reintroduces the suave bounty hunter for a new generation of Necromunda fans. Accompanied by put-upon partner Scabbs and sort-of-but-not-really wife Yolanda, Jerico is on the trail of Desolation Zoon, a Redemptionist zealot whose bold behaviour has roused the ire of the Guilders. With every other venator worth the name on the same trail, however, they must keep ahead of the competition and survive the many and varied dangers of the underhive – including a worrying number of muties on the move – if they’re to claim this bounty.
For those unfamiliar with the character of Kal Jerico, he’s a cocky, wise-cracking rogue whose brash (over-) confidence gets him into endless scrapes which his sharp wits and quick trigger finger – plus the begrudging assistance of his partners – usually get him back out of…just about. In other words, he’s the ideal protagonist for a Necromunda story, mixing swashbuckling action with playful humour and just a little bit of an outsider’s eye. Not only that, but there’s a rich history of older stories to draw influences from; while there’s no requirement to be familiar with his previous adventures, Reynolds weaves in enough little references – to earlier Jerico stories and to other, more recent Necromunda shorts and audios – to add an enjoyable extra layer of texture for completionists.
This isn’t a book which focuses a lot on genuine character development, but rather dishes out an action-packed slab of fast-paced adventure crammed full of sharp dialogue, disreputable characters and gleeful carnage. It’s not all about the action, though – it’s part breathless race for the prize, part exploration of the underhive, its power structures and the phenomenal variety of factions, characters and dangerous creatures that inhabit it. Jerico is the main focus, of course, but there’s plenty of time for Scabbs and Yolanda to shine, as well as a whole host of other shady characters with an emphasis on those of a more zealous nature – specifically House Cawdor and the Redemptionists, who come across somewhat more nuanced than you might expect. Compelling characters abound on all sides, but the fun is to be had watching them bounce off each other rather than from seeing them grow and develop.
Whether you’ve been a fan since the graphic novel days or this is your first introduction to Kal Jerico, if you’re looking for an entertaining romp through the underhive and an illustration of what makes Necromunda such a uniquely interesting setting then this should nicely fit the bill. It’s a book which doesn’t take itself too seriously, but which does take seriously the task of telling a gripping story and doing justice to long-established characters. Reynolds gleefully packs in pretty much everything that’s cool about Necromunda as a setting, not to mention featuring just about every conceivable bounty hunter, but with everything dropped in carefully and effectively rather than feeling like cynical product placement. While not as overtly funny as, say, the Ciaphas Cain books, it nonetheless veers towards the lighter end of the Black Library spectrum, which along with its pace, wit and strong characters helps make it a breeze to read and thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.
Click here to buy Kal Jerico: Sinner’s Bounty, or here for the audiobook version.