Book Review // Mark of Calth (Multi-authors)

Who knew that having pneumonia would up my reading ability? I guess it is the joy of not working and being able to spend time on oneself. I was excited to get back to Calth. It has felt like a while since we had some Ultramarines vs Word Bearers, so I was happy to see this as the next title. Now comically, I did not realize I had ordered the giant book version, but damn, does it look good!

Title: Mark of Calth

Author: Multiple Authors, edited by Laurie Golding

Format: Paperback

Page Count: 416

Where to buy: Hit this Amazon link for mass paperback and help support the blog.

Fluff: In this all-new collection of Horus Heresy stories, witness the untold tales of the Underworld War. The Heresy reached Calth without warning. In just a few hours of betrayal and bloodshed, the proud warriors of the XIIIth Legion – Guilliman’s own Ultramarines – were laid low by the treachery of their erstwhile brothers of the XVIIth. Now, as the planet is scoured by solar flares from the wounded Veridian star, the survivors must take the fight to the remaining Word Bearers and their foul allies, or face damnation in the gloomy shelters beneath the planet’s surface. The battle for Calth is far from over...

The Shards of Erebus, Calth That Was, Dark Heart, The Traveller, A Deeper Darkness, The Underworld War, Athame & Unmarked

Review

This one has many stories, so I will do a quick mini-review of each. Let's dive into these tales:

The Shards of Erebus by Guy Haley

I love that this title starts with the main villain, Erebus. Set during the planning stages of the Calth war, we get to see inside the villain's head and his dealings with the other leaders. It is a great opening tale that gets you into the headspace of the book—a perfect starting piece.

Calth that was by Graham McNeill

The central tale of the book. Set in the aftermath of the Calth conflict written in Know No Fear. This was a fantastic read; the characters deserved an entire novel. It had some dodgy parts, like any Space Marine tale, especially with the Ultramarines facing off against many Word Bearers and suffering no losses (damn the plot armour!). But overall, it was a great follow-up to the Know No Fear novel.

Dark Heart by Anthony Reynolds

This story ties in with Reynold's 40k Word Bearer trilogy (which sits in my to-be-read pile). The main feature character is Marduk, and the story is set during the Battle of Calth. Marduk seems to be in some deep trouble after killing his assigned mentor. Due to this, he is now being interrogated by Kor Phaeron! This was a standout story for me, as it fits in perfectly with the Know No Fear story and makes me want to read the Word Bearer Series. So watch this space. It’s coming soon!

The Traveller by David Annandale

The following story was a slight change of pace as we learned about the refugees of the conflict. It dealt with life in the caverns, how they cause themselves more trouble than they solve, and how scary daemons can actually be. It was an intriguing read. David Annandale is rapidly becoming a favourite author of mine.

A Deeper Darkness by Rob Sanders 

It's a horror/ghost story set in the 30k verse. Yes, please! While seeking a warren of traitorous Word Bearers, an Ultramarine squad discovers a darker horror! There are some real great highlights in this tale. The setting is great and made me feel claustrophobic, and the daemon is terrifying. This is another great short story.

The Underworld War by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

This is an intriguing story about how the Gal Vorbek is created. The story had a great twist that left me wondering what was happening all the way up to the end. I found it interesting how Lorgar and Argel interact with each other over their creation and the chapter's future. I hope we see more of this insight in future novels.

Athame by John French

It's a bit of a strange tale as it follows the life of a ritual dagger. It feels like this is an opening tale that will get a follow-up at some point. It did seem out of place in the storyline, but it came across as an okay tale compared to those before it.

Unmarked by Dan Abnett

Oh, I wrote that last review too soon. It seems like the follow-up happens straightaway. Dan Abnett jumps into the tale, moving through time and space with a small group of Calth survivors fleeing with the Athame while being chased by the daemon M'kar. It felt like a 30k version of Sliders and was a fun read, though once again, with it being the final tale of the book, it felt a bit out of place.

The last two tales should have been expanded and given a more substantial page count to do the story justice. They could have been onto something unique and special, but instead, they came across as rushed and unfinished.

Overall, it is an above-average read for this title. There are many great shorts, with The Dark Heart, A Deeper Darkness, and The Underworld War my standout picks.

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