Day seventeen in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar, Glory From Chaos sees the return of Jetek Suberei from Chris Dows’ previous Deathwatch short story, First To Hunt. Taking place at the beginning of his journey as a White Scar, it sees the young warrior on his first mission as a full Marine, joining his brothers in an all-in charge against the forces of the Tzeentchian sorcerer lord Karnel. Having run Karnel to ground after a long hunt, the Scars see the end of their task in sight, but Karnel has other plans for how the day will turn out.
First To Hunt was a fresh, original story full of character and pace, but somehow Glory From Chaos never really lives up to the same standard. It feels disjointed and clumsy, and not properly explained, as though it’s an incomplete part of a wider story. Perspective flicks between several characters as the story progresses, but there’s no real investment in any of them – Karnel’s motives and intentions are never revealed, while Suberei feels flat and one-dimensional, the sole attempt to develop his character feeling rushed and half-hearted. Overall it’s a disappointing story that just feels aimless and not very well thought out.
Click here to go to the main Black Library Advent Calendar post and see the other reviews.
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