A review by trackofwords
The Ashes of Prospero, by Gav Thorpe
3.0
The second novel in the burgeoning Space Marine Conquests series, Gav Thorpe’s Ashes of Prospero sees the Space Wolves stretched thin in the wake of the Cicatrix Maledictum and Magnus’ assault on Fenris. When a weary Njal Stormcaller finds the spirit of a dead Thousand Sons sorcerer lodged within his mind, the revenant reveals that Bulveye and remnants of the 13th Grand Company still fight on, trapped within the Portal Maze. Though loathe to trust the ghostly presence, the prospect of retrieving Bulveye is enough for Njal to risk venturing to Prospero with what few battle brothers he can find.
There’s a good concept at the core of the book, tackling the Space Wolves and Thousand Sons’ relationship from a fresh perspective with Njal and Izzakar at the heart of it, but the pacing doesn’t quite work. The problem is that there are lots of cool ideas here, but they don’t quite get enough room to develop. There’s still lots of interest here, whether you’re after straight-up action or more thoughtful, character-based content, but it’s not quite as developed and sophisticated as much of Gav’s other recent work.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/02/28/ashes-of-prospero-gav-thorpe/
There’s a good concept at the core of the book, tackling the Space Wolves and Thousand Sons’ relationship from a fresh perspective with Njal and Izzakar at the heart of it, but the pacing doesn’t quite work. The problem is that there are lots of cool ideas here, but they don’t quite get enough room to develop. There’s still lots of interest here, whether you’re after straight-up action or more thoughtful, character-based content, but it’s not quite as developed and sophisticated as much of Gav’s other recent work.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/02/28/ashes-of-prospero-gav-thorpe/