A tale of the Horusian Wars, John French’s short story The Son of Sorrows offers a dark and at times harrowing look at another of Covenant’s warband, the ‘specialist’ Koleg. Tasked with a preemptive strike on an early-stage heretical cult, he approaches his task – sowing terror, and making a statement – in a methodical, emotionless fashion, the perfect weapon for the job. As we watch him prepare for his mission and then calmly slaughter his way through the reeling cult members we see his thoughts turn, impassively, towards the man he used to be and what made him who he now is.
Fans of French’s writing will know what to expect here, but even so this is a grim tale, its impact only enhanced by the dispassionate voice it’s written in. Compared to some of the other Horusian Wars short stories it’s relatively straightforward, but what it lacks in narrative complexity it makes up for in visceral power and emotional heft. This is the story of a man so damaged he chooses to lose a key part of his personality in order to avoid his pain, and the incredibly powerful tool he becomes as a result. Dark, for sure, but – as you’d expect – beautifully constructed and fascinating.
This was first released in the Black Library Events Anthology 2017/18 and then as part of the 2018 Black Library Advent Calendar – click here to see the main page for the Advent Calendar, with links to all of the reviews.
Click here for more information on the Horusian Wars series.
