Introducing the character of Katja Helvintr, daughter of Fenris, queen of her Rogue Trader dynasty and jarl of the Wyrmslayer Queen, Marc Collins’ 40k short story The Shaper of Scars is an intriguing tale of a battle being fought on both the physical and spiritual planes, and a culture clash between the rituals of Fenris and the strictures of the Imperium. As she lies on death’s door in the cold apothecarion of her ship, Katja relives the moments leading up to her grievous wounding, while medicae thralls tend to her ravaged body and an old gothi sees to her still-strong soul.
Despite what the BL marketing copy might have you think, this genuinely is a Rogue Trader story, although Collins’ unusual take on these characters does blend the expected void-based adventuring with strong Fenrisian influences in a way that’s only really been done before with the Space Wolves. Taking place entirely within the Wyrmslayer Queen, it’s a compelling introduction to Katja and her crew, their methods of war, and their hunter’s instincts, with the dual nature of the narrative – Katja lying wounded in the present, and reliving her actions in the past – fitting seamlessly into the ritualistic, fate-driven beliefs of native Fenrisians. It’s absolutely packed full of character, in both its bombastic action scenes and moments of quiet reflection, and is an excellent example of how interesting BL stories can be when they veer away from the standard tabletop archetypes.
Black Library stories featuring Rogue Traders are historically as rare as hen’s teeth, but with the excellent Blackstone Fortress range and now this story it’s starting to look good for fans of these most interesting (and quintessentially 40k) characters. As a standalone story The Shaper of Scars is powerful, characterful, atmospheric and tremendously entertaining in its own right…but it would be a tragedy if this didn’t turn out to be the first instalment of a wider story. Alongside the Fenris-inspired world building and fantastic characters, Collins hints at a beguiling depth of backstory to Katja and her dynasty, and taken all together this is simply crying out for further exploration. If you have even a passing interest in the stranger, wilder fringes of 40k, this should definitely be at the top of your list to read – and here’s hoping there’s lots more to come.
See also: my reviews of all Marc Collins’ other Black Library stories
Buy The Shaper of Scars on Amazon*
If you enjoyed this review and would like to support Track of Words, you can leave a tip on my Ko-Fi page.
*If you buy anything using this link, I will receive a small affiliate commission – see here for more details.