Josh Reynolds’ seventh (!) Age of Sigmar novel, Soul Wars sees the Mortal Realms take a darker turn, as the dead begin to rise in horrifying numbers all across the Realms. In the Realm of Shyish, the Free City of Glymmsforge is under the protection of the Anvils of the Heldenhammer, but as Nagash grows bolder Sigmar reinforces the city with warriors from the secretive Sacrosanct Chambers. For Lord Arcanum Balthus Arum, the deployment to Shyish is an opportunity to atone for a mistake, but even his prodigious powers are tested by the Nighthaunt hordes flocking to Glymmsforge.
Until this point the Age of Sigmar novels we’ve seen have, to a greater or lesser extent, had a relatively hopeful tone…but that’s changed here. It’s dark and creepy right from the off, most noticeably when events are happening in Shyish but even in the sections set in Azyr, with a pervasive, inevitable sense of doom looming throughout. Reynolds does a great job of bringing his locations to life, from the lifeless streets of Nagashizzar to a first glimpse of the Anvil of Apotheosis in Sigmaron, but the greatest focus is on Glymmsforge and the (fairly horrifying) nature of life in Shyish – it may be a city of Order, but it’s not an easy place to live, for Stormcast and mortals alike. It’s particularly interesting to see the relationship between its mortal citizens and the Stormcast, before then exploring the difference in how the Sacrosanct Stormcast see their peers and the rest of the city.
It’s hard to say much about the plot or the specifics of the characters without spoiling things, but it’s worth mentioning that while this takes place before and during the Battle of Glymmsforge, the siege itself isn’t the focus of the book. There’s plenty of action, as you’d expect, which feels nice and fresh by virtue of not featuring Chaos for a change, and with the inclusion of Stormcast who think and act differently to what we’ve seen before. As a whole, though, it feels less interested in fighting for the sake of it, and more in examining its characters and making thought-provoking comparisons between Sigmar and Nagash, and their respective philosophies and forces. It’s quite long as Black Library books go, and nicely paced to allow Reynolds time to really get under his characters’ skins, from the arrogant, closed-off Balthas to the conflict and confusion at the heart of Nagash’s newest dreadlord.
There’s a lot for this to deal with, not least introducing both the Nighthaunt and the Sacronsanct Chambers of the Stormcasts, but that’s handled subtly and without drawing attention away from the plot or the themes running through the book. Reynolds does an impressive job of depicting the grand sweep of events taking place in Shyish and across the Realms while maintaining a cohesive story that feels personal to these characters who are relatable and, largely, very human. Reading this you feel that it marks a change in Age of Sigmar, reminding us that while Chaos is still a huge threat, the terrifying power of Nagash is going to be very present from now on. The prequel short story in the special edition hardback (Threnody) really contextualises quite an important arc in the novel, but even without that this is a dark, haunting, personal story set to the backdrop of an intriguing change in tone and direction. It’s pretty much essential reading for any Age of Sigmar fan.
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