Book Review // Ahriman The Exile by John French

Something about the 40k universe is so addictive for me. It’s the dark, dystopian nature of it all that I really enjoy. There seems no hope and no point, yet the human race continues, and it is not the humanity that you would hope for. Instead, it is the worst kind, warlike, aggressive, cruel and uncaring. It is just pure dark. In this space, characters that should be villains seem like heroes, and heroes are villainous. One such character is Ahriman - the son of an uncaring father, distrusted by his kin and hunted by those he once swore to protect, but still he struggles onwards in the hopes of undoing the wrongs he helped to create. I am very excited for this series.

Book: Ahriman: Exile
Author: John French
Publisher: Black Library
Fluff:
"All is dust... Spurned by his former brothers and his father Magnus the Red, Ahriman is a wanderer, a sorcerer of Tzeentch whose actions condemned an entire Legion to an eternity of damnation. Once a vaunted servant of the Thousand Sons, he is now an outcast, a renegade who resides in the Eye of Terror. Ever scheming, he plots his return to power and the destruction of his enemies, an architect of fate and master of the warp."

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Review

So, let us begin with the main character Ahriman. Ahriman was a librarian for the Thousand Sons legion in the timeline of 30k. Many considered him as one of the most potent psykers of that time. Following the events of the Horus Heresy and his legion's destruction, Ahriman ended up in exile (whoa, love when a book title gets mentioned). During this time Ahriman limited his powers and served as a pawn to other masters. Soon, though, his past was to catch up with him, and fate took over his destiny. Most of the book is spent in or close to the Eye Terror, as Ahriman travels trying to find out who is hunting him and his old cabal down. This mystery is an interesting take on 40k, showing that you don't always need guns-blazing, galaxy-spanning wars to make for a good read. Ultimately, as more story is revealed, it would seem like Ahriman is heading back home to the Planet of Sorcerers to face an old comrade and possibly his Primarch.

There isn't a huge cast, which is excellent. All the action is mostly happening around Ahriman, so it's easy to stay on track. It's also great to see some early characters, who I can only assume grow into more important roles as the story progresses. A true highlight is that the author has made me care about Ahriman. It's got me invested and hooked, which is always a good thing. I am looking forward to picking up the next volume soon and seeing where Ahriman goes next. Ahriman: Exile is an excellent read to see in the mind of who would become in my mind one of the 41st most iconic villains; it also helps to humanize him. Actually making me want to support his goals even if he is going about it all wrong. This is the first book I've read by John French and I found it very easy to be absorbed into his words. He created a space to imagine ships and psychic powers without forcing it into you with over-the-top details.

Overall, this is an excellent read, and one I suggest picking up. As always, thank you for reading, and if you enjoyed it, please hit follow.