Assassinorum Kingmaker (Warhammer 40,000)

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The Knight World of Dominion is on the verge of seceding from the Imperium, its court riven by factionalism and ruled by an increasingly unhinged monarch. With the aid of the shapeshifting Callidus assassin Sycorax, Raithe must remove the king from his throne – and safely steer a pro-Imperial candidate to victory through the brutal succession crisis that will inevitably ensue. His team will need to infiltrate a world steeped in chivalric codes, where every move risks discovery, and every threat pilots an adamantine monster... for if the assassins fail, and Dominion falls, the entire sector will be plunged into darkness. The battles feel weighty and feasible (as much as anything in 40k). The final conflict is really meaty. This Knight-pilot interactions are great at showing how weird machines are in that world. I also need to highlight the great characters featured within Kingmaker as Rath has created an excellent collection of enticing figures whose unique personal stories deeply enhanced the overall tale. This was a fantastic group of deep and complex characters, and their statuses within this universe ensured that they all had some unique experiences. Most of Kingmaker’s narrative is spread amongst the three members of the Assassinorum who represent a different Assassinorum Temple, and as such have very different viewpoints on the universe and the best way to operate as killers. This provides some compelling initial conflict amongst them as they try to work together, something none of them are really good at. However, they soon start to come together as a team as the novel continues, and they ended up playing off each other’s strengths and personalities to create an excellent, core group of protagonists. Culexus Assassins are true terrors because they have, or appear to have, no presence in the Warp -– in its place, there is simply a void. They are, to all intents and purposes, soulless.

Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath - Audiobook - Audible UK Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath - Audiobook - Audible UK

Civilisation’ is applied as equally to a coral reef as it is the Imperium by Trazyn, fundamentally there is little difference between the two for him- all impermanent, all interesting but ultimately of a lesser status than him. The hierarchies of the Necrontyr still haunt the Necron psyche, it’s no wonder that they place themselves so far above the galaxy’s other species. Trazyn, for all of this distance, is keen to learn from what he encounters- his arrogance is of a different kind to the one we usually encounter in 40k. Orikan, I’m contrast, professes to look down upon others- on seeing a human cafe, his response is “This is ridiculous. Standing here among these biologicals, pretending to be their equals. Watching them gargle bean water down their oesophagi, swilling it through their fatty insides. It makes one ill.”- but how much of that is jealousy? Trazyn bemoans the loss of Necrontyr music, Orikan responds with a defence of their replacement, algorithm chants. Music can evoke long-lost places and music, whereas these chants can reshape time. Both believe their preference to be superior, and, I suppose, they are both right. The techniques that the Callidus Temple uses to bring down its targets are many and diverse, and can go far beyond that of simply killing the perpetrator. The Callidus Temple undertakes many covert operations that may involve an Assassin infiltrating an enemy civilisation for solar weeks, months or even standard years. Despite not having Imperial Knights in the title this is the best Imperial Knighs book that I've read so far. So many deep dives into Assassin/Knight lore. Intricate descriptions. Great ending. This is a book about Necrons, so some knowledge of Necrons might be good in advance. You could also watch TIMELINE of the 40K UNIVERSE by Trazyn the Infinite by WarriorTier to understand whole history of the universe because Necrons are a long lived race and this book spans a period right between 30k and 40k timeline. Unless you already are WH fan, and know of the history, then no more words are needed.

Specialists in infiltration, deceit and impersonation, these Human chameleons will often take the place of a trusted aide or adjutant through their utmost mastery of disguise. The Assassins of the Imperium are able to change the fate of worlds with the pull of a single trigger. Where the length of the Emperor's reach needs to be made abundantly clear, a Vindicare sniper will put a bullet in the target's head whilst the errant individual is surrounded by his followers. If the traitorous creed has spread to an entire organisation or military force, an Eversor will instead be set loose; a bio-enhanced berserker that will slaughter dozens if not hundreds of rebels alongside the key individual he has been sent to slay. Should the deed require more subtlety, an operative from the Callidus Temple will instead be despatched; in such cases it is all but impossible to detect the presence of these shape-shifting Assassins until the deed is done. If the target is a psyker, one of the rare and fearsome Culexus will be sent to hunt them down –- beings with a strange void in place of a soul that makes them the bane of all who treat with the Warp. Each temple is led by an official known as a "director primus" while the Officio Assassinorum as a whole is led by the Imperium's grand master of assassins.

Assassinorum Kingmaker is Awesome (Light Spoilers) Assassinorum Kingmaker is Awesome (Light Spoilers)

Temple Secretum - It is whispered that there exists a "Temple Secretum," an Assassinorum temple named for its dedication to keeping the Imperium's darkest secrets by any means necessary rather than for a preferred method of killing. No, no,’ scolded Ossuaria. ‘Phillias, activate the signal dampeners. Anything you two say we shall all be a party to. No colluding on testimony–’ The most lethal assassins in the Warhammer 40,000 universe go face to face with a gigantic foe in the impressive and deeply thrilling Assassinorum: Kingmaker by amazing author Robert Rath. Vanus Temple - Almost nothing of the Vanus Temple is known beyond its name and the fact of its existence (though the High Gothic word "Vanus" means "Empty"). The Vanus Assassins are primarily used as intelligence-gatherers and in matters of grand strategy and intelligence tactics they are without peer, their political insight unparalleled by the savants of the Imperium. The Vanus Temple works to engineer their mark's doom via their consummate command of information. The Vanus Temple wages a far more complex war, taking the art of the stealth kill to the next level. Their modus operandi is to learn everything possible about not only their target but also those closest to him, then to tacitly manipulate circumstances so that their mark's death is brought about by his own folly or -- preferably -- by the hand of a once-trusted friend or comrade. It is the Vanus Temple that the Imperium employs when the revelation of a prominent figure's heresy would cause more damage than the knowledge of the resultant retribution. Many a shining saint or vaunted figurehead has met with premature martyrdom after some secret heresy has reached the ears of the Vanus. Perhaps the best summary of the Vanus Temple's philosophy was stated by Fon Tariel, an infocyte of Clade Vanus, the Vanus Temple's precursor, during the terrible civil war and intrigues of the Horus Heresy: "the cleanest kill is one that another performs in your stead with no knowledge of your incitement." Here lies the genius of this novel which, through a plot firstly meant to deliver the entertainment one expects to receive when consuming what is for all intents and purposes litterature written for the sake of advertisement, actually delivers a tale honed with unexpected literary qualities. For Robert Rath proves himself to be a genuine writer and a good author : one with an elegant way with words, a strong sense of plot, full understanding and control of and over the characters he employs, excellent skill in dialogue writing and a very real care for his craft.Other than that, Kingmaker is just overall a fun time. The three assassins making up the Officio team all get their moments to shine and have great interpersonal chemistry. They were surprisingly – though pleasantly – human, with a smart focus on how their personalities and viewpoints integrate with their equipment and methodology instead of bland codex regurgitations. The assassin parts: it's well thought out and well written. A lot of variety, and not just because we have three Temples present. Clever solutions, creative plans, good utilization of everyone's abilities. The personalities seem to be within the boundaries of what a highly trained, brainwashd, and augmented professional could have, but still show enough individuality. The Knight parts: really good depiction, I like how he realized a working semi-feudal society, with these high tech parts organically built in. With the commander of an enemy force suddenly slain, the balance of the battle can be skewed dramatically in favour of the Imperium.