A prequel to Rites of Passage, Mike Brooks’ short story Serpents of Ardemis adds a little context to a key character in the novel, and provides a sharp exploration of the abuse of power amongst the privileged. Chetta and her (not yet dead) husband Azariel are on the water world of Ardemis for an annual social engagement, rubbing shoulders with other Navigators and nobility whilst simultaneously maneuvering for political gain. Chetta’s disarmingly blunt approach to diplomacy makes as many unexpected friends as it does enemies, friends which will come in handy if she and Azariel are to achieve their goals.
It’s action-light and dialogue-heavy, digging into Chetta’s relationship with her husband, her peers and fellow Navigators, and the servants in her orbit, while some ferocious scoldings allow Brooks to demonstrate just how little time Chetta has for the nonsense of others. Any excuse to spend more time with Chetta is welcome, and while this doesn’t necessarily show us anything brand new about her character it does expand nicely upon some of the elements of her personality that Rites of Passage couldn’t fully explore. If you like your 40k full of political power-plays, razor-sharp dialogue and brilliantly observed reflections of the real world, this is for you. If you enjoyed Rites of Passage, it’s an absolute must!
This was released as part of the 2019 Black Library Advent Calendar – click here to see the main page for the Advent Calendar, with links to all of the reviews.
