Originally published in the Sabbat Crusade anthology and linking in with Dan Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, John French’s short story Son of Sek is a sinister, ambiguous tale which offers an insight (of sorts) into the dark world of the Sanguinary Tribes and what it means to become a Son of Sek. It’s the interwoven stories of a Son waiting to hear his master – the voice of his god – speak and give him purpose, and an Imperial warrior rising through the ranks in blood and violence without finding any meaning in his life.
As you might expect from John French this is a dark and complex story, full of menace and really digging into what drives its characters. We don’t often get the chance to spend time inside the head of the Archenemy, and certainly not in such a personal depiction, so it’s a fascinating perspective…although don’t expect straight answers. It’s not necessarily the easiest story to read and fully understand, though that’s sort of the point, and it rewards the reader who’s happy to pay close attention and really think about what’s happening. Look elsewhere for a straight-up action story, but if you’re after a thought-provoking glimpse of the other side of the Ghosts’ story, this is worth a look.
