He’s also explored the nature of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the way they interact with the wider Imperium in, to me, an unprecedented level. Guy Hayley has managed three great things here- he’s fleshed out Varangantua, and by extension the Imperium, even further than the previous books have, making it a living-breathing city (we have alcoholic drinks beyond amasec! Gay male characters! Sects within the Cult Mechanicum!), with a dysfunctional but plausible social model.

Noctis follows in the tradition of JD Robb’s Eve Dallas and Pratchett’s Vimes as a loaded police officer, but unlike these two, he’s born into obscene wealth, which puts a different spin on his experiences. This is yet another really enjoyable title from the Warhammer Crime imprint.

Would that Games Workshop released a Warhammer Crime tabletop game one day. And good for them, since compared to what’s happening elsewhere in the galaxy, their local conflicts are just pillow fights.

A civilisation very similar to our own (after all, humans are essentially the same, whether now or 40,000 years in the past / future), though most of its people have little idea of the current situation in the wider Imperium Hominis. Varangantua, on Planet Alecto, Segmentum Tempestus, is a city where any probator can afford an apartment with a smart home system (okay, that was a joke). However, some adepts of the Machine Cult may even appear more humane than ordinary men… detective) from the family of a groundcar industry king.

One of the most prolific Black Library authors, he writes about iconic 40K heroes as well as original characters - many of whom belong to my favorite factions - and he also created the second Warhammer Crime novel, Flesh and Steel, which I had the honour to translate.įinding common ground with the Adeptus Mechanicus is no easy feat at the best of times.

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