Word is that 2019’s Wild Rider, Gav Thorpe’s second Rise of the Ynnari novel, is likely to be the final instalment in the series, which is a shame as it’s both an entertaining story in its own right and a fantastic exploration of the Ynnari and their role within Aeldari culture. After unintentionally awakening a Necron tomb complex on the maiden world of Agarimethea (see the events of short story Fireheart), Wild Lord Nuadhu Fireheart returns to Saim Hann to try and rouse his Craftworld into an alliance with the Ynnari of Yvraine. Nuadhu hopes to reclaim his honour by returning to Agarimethea in force to deal with the Necrons before they can fully awaken, but the council of Saim Hann are loath to commit their forces, wary of Yvraine’s motives.
Rather than a direct sequel to Ghost Warrior this is more of a companion piece, which touches on some of the same themes but explores the Ynnari and their impact on the Aeldari mostly from outside perspectives. There’s as much attention paid to the political tensions between the various clans of Saim Hann as there is to the Ynnari, but this exploration of the culture and identity of Saim Hann nicely contextualises their (largely) less than positive reaction to Yvraine and her goals. The debate about whether or not Saim Hann should ally with the Ynnari and take the fight to the Necrons occupies a large part of the book, during which Thorpe once again digs deep into the fascinating Aeldari lore to examine Nuadhu’s role as Wild Lord, the waning fortunes of Clan Fireheart, and a little bit of everyday life for the Ynnari.
Nuadhu provides the main viewpoint throughout, with his impulsive and emotional temperament that’s so atypical for an Aeldari character (although entirely appropriate for his role), but as with Ghost Warrior there are a fair few other POV characters too. Yvraine, Eldrad Ulthran, and ex-outcast Aradryan (from Thorpe’s Path of the Eldar series) all get a little page time, as does Nuadhu’s half-sister Caelledhin with her conflicting ties between the Fireheart and Icewhisper clans, while there’s a brief but welcome return of Alorynis the gyrinx and even a little from the perspective of the opposing Necron Overlord (who’s characterful enough that it’s a shame she didn’t get more of the spotlight). There’s a lot going on behind the essential, overarching plot, but for the most part the various character arcs combine effectively and give the main body of the novel (virtually the first two thirds) plenty of interest and intrigue before the pace ramps up for the final, action-packed third.
When the action does inevitably kick in it’s on an impressive scale, with the full force of the Ynnari committed alongside Saim Hann’s Wild Riders to a rapid strike against the slowly-awakening Necrons. It loses a little of the book’s earlier depth in favour of excitement and spectacle, but makes for a grand finale and a satisfying, somewhat unexpected resolution for Nuadhu and Clan Fireheart’s arc. While the Saim Hann side of the story wraps up nicely, for Yvraine and the Ynnari this is very much a stepping stone towards their overall goal, and even though Aradryan’s part in the story – offering a newcomer’s perspective on the Ynnari – never quite feels fully justified, overall there’s a real sense of getting closer to understanding the impact that this new Aeldari faction is having on their race as a whole.
All told, Wild Rider once again proves how well Thorpe’s writing works for Aeldari fiction, managing to fold so much fascinating lore – for both Saim Hann and the Ynnari – into an entertaining story. It perhaps doesn’t have quite such a clear and successful tone of voice as Ghost Warrior did, but there’s unquestionably a lot to enjoy here, so it’s disappointing to think that there probably won’t be another instalment in the series. For 40k fans interested in the non-Imperial elements of the lore, the Ynnari are ripe for further exploration to dig more into their actions and implications, and Thorpe is surely the right author to deliver that. Perhaps Black Library will come to their senses eventually and commission a third novel, but until then at least Aeldari fans have these two books (and a few short stories) to enjoy.
See also: my reviews of Ghost Warrior, Fireheart and Shadows of Heaven, and an interview with Gav Thorpe talking about Wild Rider.
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