Review: Shadow Knight

Shadow Knight by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Shadow Knight serves as a prologue to the characters Talos, Cyrion, Uzas, Xarl; who comprise the 1st Claw of the 10th company of the traitor legion of Night Lords.

Beginning with the memories of a young Talos, who through various cruel and difficult trials and tribulations is essentially indoctrinated into becoming an adeptus astartes marine of the Night Lords. This is framed in such a way which makes us question the Non existent moral vein of the imperium of man who essentially creates superhuman soldiers from orphans and mentally disturbed young children. And then sends them out to kill and die in name of a cultivated and flawed cult like ideology.

It reminded me of the same themes explored in regards to the Spartan II program in the Halo series.

Rather than going in details, the story is mostly a glimpse into a typical mission the Night Lords are engaged in. Also explored briefly are their (at least Talos') motivations, how they view the Imperium & the Emperor to be corrupt. They believe the acts they commit are something entitled to them, and consider lives of others as insignificant.

Even though they are our main characters, 1st claw are by no means to the end considered as protagonists. Some of them are more likeable than others, but all hold the belief that their superior biology allows them to lord over the mere mortals that surround them.

Through their brief exchanges what is expanded upon are brief snippets of their personalities; and being an autistic Space marine, most of said personality comes out when playing stabbing and shooting in the battlefield.

It doesn't serve as much of a standalone work, but works well to expand upon the established characters of the main Night Lords storyline.
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Update 21/Jul/2022: On Second reading, I didn't realize how much detail was put into the intro; the way it meshes the lore of the Horus Heresy, as well as the Initiation, Indoctrination and Augmentations that make Space marines into the Emperor's angels.

Except for those heretics who have turned from the light of the emperor and deserve to burn in righteous damnation.

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