cameronmcgr's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
frazsaysyes's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
trackofwords's review against another edition
4.0
Book 54 in the Horus Heresy, James Swallow’s The Buried Dagger brings the main-range series to a close as the final book before the Siege of Terra begins. It’s a deserved moment in the spotlight for the Death Guard both past and present, told across two narratives with similar themes. One strand features the long-awaited ‘doom of the Death Guard’, the moment when Mortarion and his sons are becalmed in the Warp and turned to Chaos, while the other focuses on ex-Death Guard Nathaniel Garro and Malcador’s Knights Errant as they unravel a series of complex, unexpected mysteries back on Terra.
This is a book about journeys reaching crucial moments, not necessarily endings but tests, revelations and turning points – for the characters and for the series as a whole. There’s an awful lot for it to cover, and while it might not be to everyone’s taste it manages to combine a lot of threads – including a few really big ones – into a narrative that’s entertaining, intriguing and complex. In an ideal world then perhaps the two arcs would have been told in separate books, but then Swallow’s Garro stories have always been about gradually digging into his motivations and the lengths he’s prepared to go so it makes sense to bring his story almost to a close alongside a fascinating character study of his estranged Primarch. After this, all that’s left is to watch as the Siege unfolds.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/03/01/the-buried-dagger-james-swallow/
This is a book about journeys reaching crucial moments, not necessarily endings but tests, revelations and turning points – for the characters and for the series as a whole. There’s an awful lot for it to cover, and while it might not be to everyone’s taste it manages to combine a lot of threads – including a few really big ones – into a narrative that’s entertaining, intriguing and complex. In an ideal world then perhaps the two arcs would have been told in separate books, but then Swallow’s Garro stories have always been about gradually digging into his motivations and the lengths he’s prepared to go so it makes sense to bring his story almost to a close alongside a fascinating character study of his estranged Primarch. After this, all that’s left is to watch as the Siege unfolds.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/03/01/the-buried-dagger-james-swallow/
majorrawne's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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