Prolific, award-winning science fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky makes his long-form Black Library debut with Day of Ascension, a Warhammer 40,000 novel which pits the cold, academic machine logic of the Adeptus Mechanicus against the insidious alien threat of a Genestealer Cult. Genetor Gammat Triskellian is an ambitious man, but the organic focus of his work is out of favour with the priestly hierarchy of the forge world Morod, and Triskellian is frustrated at every turn by his superiors. When he stumbles across evidence of a xenos taint lurking amongst the poorest inhabitants of Morod he sees an opportunity to further his own goals and undermine his rivals. To the downtrodden members of the Congregation of the Divine Union though, Triskellian is merely another oppressor to be endured and overthrown on the path to their destiny.
As you would expect from an author of Tchaikovsky’s calibre this is a gripping, characterful and beautifully written novel, and it’s clear that he really gets the tone of 40k. Pitting Genestealer Cults against the Adeptus Mechanicus is an inspired choice, and by having a viewpoint character from each of them (Triskellian for the Mechanicus and lowly scribe Davien for the cult) Tchaikovsky treats both with equal care and attention, and asks the reader to consider which one to root for – the uncaring Imperial oppressors or the diligent but alien cultists. Both practice extreme interpretations of faith in the Emperor, are unwaveringly loyal to their own ideals, and are equally monstrous in their own way. Tchaikovsky has an impressive track record of humanising inhuman characters and that really shows through here, in believable and – at times – relatable characters on both sides.
At a little over 50k words this is very much one of Black Library’s ‘short novels’ (compared to the usual 80-100k length of a regular novel), and accordingly it’s pacy and punchy, with little in the way of excess fat. There are definitely elements that in a longer novel might have benefited from further exploration – it would have been nice to see more of the forge temple, and what life is like for the cult in their underground lairs, for example, and there are some great secondary characters it would have been fun to spend more time with. In some respects it’s a shame that there wasn’t enough space for these things and a more complex, twisty plot, but there’s still plenty of time to really get to know the brilliant main characters – Davien with her strong familial bonds and ongoing crisis of faith, and Triskellian with his towering arrogance and painful relationship with his infuriating superiors – and how they represent their factions.
It would be easy to be critical of what this book is not, but that would be missing the point. Judged on what the book is, it ticks a great many boxes – memorable characters, an engaging plot, prose that feels effortlessly great to read, and a thoughtful approach to familiar 40k themes and factions that’s both entirely in keeping with the bleak, evocative tone of the setting and wonderfully original at the same time. It’s surely the first depiction of the Mechanicus as bickering, underfunded academics, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better representation of the essential irony at the core of the Imperium than in the contrast between Davien and Triskellian, with their wildly differing world views and relationships to the idea of being small parts of a larger whole. Perhaps with a longer word count this could have been a truly exceptional 40k story, but as it is it’s unquestionably an excellent addition to the 40k range, and further proof – as if it was needed – of Tchaikovsky’s formidable talent.
For more information about this book, check out AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Adrian Tchaikovsky Talks Day of Ascension.
See also: all the other Adrian Tchaikovsky reviews on Track of Words.
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