QUICK REVIEW: The Young Wolf’s Return – Robbie MacNiven

Part two in Robbie MacNiven’s serialised Legacy of Russ novel, The Young Wolf’s Return carries on where The Lost King left off with the Wolves battling daemons across the Fenris system under the looming threat of the Dark Angels-led Imperial fleet. The Wolves are strung out across the system, missing the leadership of the absent Logan Grimnar, while something is amiss within the ranks of the Dark Angels. Help may be on the way however, as not all of the Great Companies have yet returned to Fenris.

This continues not just the storyline but also the structure of the first instalment, covering no less than seven different threads. Each one clearly serves a purpose, and they all link together nicely, but there isn’t yet a clear sense of who the main protagonists are, as none of the characters have really had chance to develop yet. Each section is more of a vignette really, with only a couple – a beleaguered Canis Wolfborn, and a daemonic infiltrator on the Rock – showing signs of much progress. The rest is enjoyable enough but feels a little shallow so far; it’s early days yet for the wider story, but it definitely needs a stronger sense of purpose and cohesion.