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Warhammer 40,000
Cult of the Warmason
Out of Print Hardcover Cult of the Warmason: An Adeptas Sororitas Sisters of Battle Warhammer 40K Novel ----- On the shrine world of Lubentina, one of the holiest planets of the Imperium, dedicated to a hero from the Age of Heresy, civil unrest and rumours of sinister, four-armed monsters spur the Sisters of Battle into action against numberless foes. ----- In a galaxy teeming with alien aggressors, nothing unites the Imperium more than the worship of the immortal God-Emperor. Without the shining light of his divinity, travel through the stars would not be possible, and humanity would be swallowed by darkness. The shrine world of Lubentina attracts billions of pilgrims who visit to reaffirm their faith, and catch a glimpse of the sacred relic held in its great cathedral. But the reach of man’s enemies is long, and when civil unrest breaks out, and rumours of four-armed monsters abound, the Adepta Sororitas tasked with defending the world must face the fight of their lives. For they are few, but their enemies are numberless.
- Genres40kScience FictionNovels
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2017
24 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 20, 2018
Vote: 3,5
Sisters of Battle of the Order of the Somber Vow defend the holy cathedral and the relics there kept on an imperial shrine world against the hordes of the Genestealer (purebreeds, hybrids and cultists) Cult of the Apocalypse (the Warmason one of the title is the imperial one) in an action packed clash of fanatics!
And when at last a distress call is sent by astropathic choir, Space Marines arrives quickly to save the day... or not?
Loved the story and Werner's style is a real page turner, but events and twists were just much predictable (final one was great but phoned, you have not to be a 40k lore expert to see that arriving at all) and characters just needed a few more building and fleshing (Sister Superior Trishala's past is essentially the same of Newt in Aliens, but the other ones?).
Still a good read, and I love Warhammer 40000 Genestealers since I was playing Space Crusade tabletop game a life ago, but it was a bit disappointing for me.
April 16, 2017
Cult of the Warmason is an ambitious book that crumbles slightly under its own weight. By that I mean that it strives wonderfully for a great story but feels betrayed by its own hybrid nature.
As a story of war between the Sisters of Battle and the Genestealer Cults, it succeeds as a beautifully twisted contrast. If anything we don't get enough of the prep, at least not on the xenos side. While the most obvious source of comparison, Peter Fehervari's Genestealer Cults novel, made their cult feel truly organic this one comes across as a bit by the numbers. That being said, their martial capability is wonderfully described and the early encounters in the tunnels make them feel like a truly plausible threat. The early descriptions help to fend off that straight from the codex feel of the units.
What truly complicates matters is the intrusion of the Iron Warriors into the narrative. I remember early plugging of this book having it as an Iron Warriors on Genestealer Cult story. The attempt to make it into both its core story and a sequel of sorts to Siege of Castellax undermines the novel to an extent. I feel it would have been better served as one or the other.
The clash of forces as the novel goes on becomes increasingly dilute as you struggle to determine who to root for. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see Rhodaan again and both he and his sorcerer Cornak are well written but it feels like a waste.
It also feels as though you'll only care about seeing him again if you've read Siege of Castellax. Prior knowledge is less of a problem, but still a niggle, as regards the subject of Lubentina's worship- Vadok Singh. For those who haven't read/heard The Lightning Tower or other Heresy stories Singh is just window dressing. It feels as though we don't learn anything new about him- which feels like a shame.
I realise that all this sounds like I didn't enjoy the book. I did. It was an engaging and action packed romp which ends on a hell of a reveal (and totally not the direction I was expecting a reveal like that to go). It feels slightly hollow though, at a time when BL literature has felt especially on the ball. Werner is a great writer and an enthusiastic architect of violence and compelling characters (with Trishala feeling like Newt from Aliens if she grew up angry) but this novel feels as though it shot for the stars and didn't quite hit the mark.
As a story of war between the Sisters of Battle and the Genestealer Cults, it succeeds as a beautifully twisted contrast. If anything we don't get enough of the prep, at least not on the xenos side. While the most obvious source of comparison, Peter Fehervari's Genestealer Cults novel, made their cult feel truly organic this one comes across as a bit by the numbers. That being said, their martial capability is wonderfully described and the early encounters in the tunnels make them feel like a truly plausible threat. The early descriptions help to fend off that straight from the codex feel of the units.
What truly complicates matters is the intrusion of the Iron Warriors into the narrative. I remember early plugging of this book having it as an Iron Warriors on Genestealer Cult story. The attempt to make it into both its core story and a sequel of sorts to Siege of Castellax undermines the novel to an extent. I feel it would have been better served as one or the other.
The clash of forces as the novel goes on becomes increasingly dilute as you struggle to determine who to root for. Don't get me wrong, it's great to see Rhodaan again and both he and his sorcerer Cornak are well written but it feels like a waste.
It also feels as though you'll only care about seeing him again if you've read Siege of Castellax. Prior knowledge is less of a problem, but still a niggle, as regards the subject of Lubentina's worship- Vadok Singh. For those who haven't read/heard The Lightning Tower or other Heresy stories Singh is just window dressing. It feels as though we don't learn anything new about him- which feels like a shame.
I realise that all this sounds like I didn't enjoy the book. I did. It was an engaging and action packed romp which ends on a hell of a reveal (and totally not the direction I was expecting a reveal like that to go). It feels slightly hollow though, at a time when BL literature has felt especially on the ball. Werner is a great writer and an enthusiastic architect of violence and compelling characters (with Trishala feeling like Newt from Aliens if she grew up angry) but this novel feels as though it shot for the stars and didn't quite hit the mark.
January 7, 2018
Just finished this one an hour or so ago. This was a really riveting read. Tharsis is the capital of Lubentina, prime country of the Shrine world of Vadok. Tharsis holds the cult of the Warmason, Vadok Singh, and several ancient and powerful relics that bring pilgrims and riches from across the stars to the shrine world. The Sisters of Battle of the Order of the Solemn Vow are ensconced here, guardians of these relics and soon to be embroiled in a war that they have no hope of winning.
Strange purple skinned and crimson clothed rebels begin minor assaults on portions of Tharsis, spurring the local militia, frateris militia and planetary defense force into action. Led by the Ecclesiarchy, and the city being managed by a Cardinal-Governor, to say the least there is a pecking order, but the Cardinal-Governor has final and total say of the goings on of his purvey.
Barakus, the Magus of the Genestealer Cult dwelling under the city holds sway over a horde of the righteous, tainted by the xenos rites that produce different breeds of cultists, up to and ending with the Inheritors, and the pure strain Genestealers, who can punch through Terminator armor. This cult begins an all out assault of the city after the Sisters of Battle, led by Sister Superior Trishala, destroys a hub where the cultists collect. These events undershadow a larger threat, the Iron Warriors.
A squad of murderous traitor Marines from the planet Castellax are given information through their sorcerer of the relic hidden in the Warmason's Cathedral on in Tharsis. They begin their journey to retrieve this fabled item as the city erupts into full scale anarchy.
Trishala is tasked with protecting the relics but the road to her being believed by the administration of the Ecclesiarchy in power is a rough road. They don't want to affect the economy, being not only religious autocrats, but pious and dismissive autocrats, and they would never agree to something happening under their very feet that may damage the revenue of pilgrims monies that fill their coffers. The taint and corruption grows and the Sisters of Battle are ordered to stand down. This makes matters worse and when the Iron Warriors arrive they destroy both innocent city dwellers and cultists on their way to capture the relic they seek. The militia believes the Space Marines are there to save them until they begin to perish along with the cultists, and then the battle begins in earnest. This rolling war rages on until it culminates in the relics ultimate discovery and the events spin out of control again.
This was a maelstrom of a book. All the factions are explained and fleshed out really well. I found myself feeling so sorry for the Sisters of Battle, for they are trying to do the right thing and fulfill their duty and yet all around them traitors and spies and cultists and backstabbers flourish.
This book is really written well and the characters are strong and developed well. I have always enjoyed this author from the Brunner novels he wrote for Games Workshop, to the Mathias Thulmann, Witch Hunter books. He never fails to deliver memorable characters and a deep, twisting plot that keeps you flipping pages.
This was a great one.
Strange purple skinned and crimson clothed rebels begin minor assaults on portions of Tharsis, spurring the local militia, frateris militia and planetary defense force into action. Led by the Ecclesiarchy, and the city being managed by a Cardinal-Governor, to say the least there is a pecking order, but the Cardinal-Governor has final and total say of the goings on of his purvey.
Barakus, the Magus of the Genestealer Cult dwelling under the city holds sway over a horde of the righteous, tainted by the xenos rites that produce different breeds of cultists, up to and ending with the Inheritors, and the pure strain Genestealers, who can punch through Terminator armor. This cult begins an all out assault of the city after the Sisters of Battle, led by Sister Superior Trishala, destroys a hub where the cultists collect. These events undershadow a larger threat, the Iron Warriors.
A squad of murderous traitor Marines from the planet Castellax are given information through their sorcerer of the relic hidden in the Warmason's Cathedral on in Tharsis. They begin their journey to retrieve this fabled item as the city erupts into full scale anarchy.
Trishala is tasked with protecting the relics but the road to her being believed by the administration of the Ecclesiarchy in power is a rough road. They don't want to affect the economy, being not only religious autocrats, but pious and dismissive autocrats, and they would never agree to something happening under their very feet that may damage the revenue of pilgrims monies that fill their coffers. The taint and corruption grows and the Sisters of Battle are ordered to stand down. This makes matters worse and when the Iron Warriors arrive they destroy both innocent city dwellers and cultists on their way to capture the relic they seek. The militia believes the Space Marines are there to save them until they begin to perish along with the cultists, and then the battle begins in earnest. This rolling war rages on until it culminates in the relics ultimate discovery and the events spin out of control again.
This was a maelstrom of a book. All the factions are explained and fleshed out really well. I found myself feeling so sorry for the Sisters of Battle, for they are trying to do the right thing and fulfill their duty and yet all around them traitors and spies and cultists and backstabbers flourish.
This book is really written well and the characters are strong and developed well. I have always enjoyed this author from the Brunner novels he wrote for Games Workshop, to the Mathias Thulmann, Witch Hunter books. He never fails to deliver memorable characters and a deep, twisting plot that keeps you flipping pages.
This was a great one.
November 5, 2025
Couldn't put it down. Finished it in 2 days. This is a very welcome change in pace and story from the Horus Heresy stuff. Three different factions (well 4, if you count the militarum) are all vying to destroy, obtain, or protect the same objective. Chaos space marines duking it out with the Sororitas and a Genestealer cult just works, and (other than a few repetitive sections with the cult leader) the writing is superb and keeps you reading chapter after chapter. Loved it.
April 17, 2017
Vigilo confido
Black Library nowadays produce a lot of stuff - audio, books, recycled anthologies etc. Sometimes it's a hit and miss, sometimes it's a road trip to readers paradise and sometimes it is a road to hell paved with the good intentions.
Today I want to review a very intelligent, ambiguous and at the same time cumbersome novel. Cult of the Warmason written by the talented Herr C.L. Werner provide us a glimpse of the other side of hell with all the circles to it. One of the reason we love and adorn W40K setting. But - Cult of the Warmason is a very (and I mean it) - very strange book.
Let's get to the dissection.
Plot, environments
As the synopsis tells us: In a galaxy teeming with alien aggressors, nothing unites the Imperium more than the worship of the immortal God-Emperor. Without the shining light of his divinity, travel through the stars would not be possible, and humanity would be swallowed by darkness. The shrineworld of Vadok attracts billions of pilgrims who visit to reaffirm their faith, and catch a glimpse of the sacred relic held in its great cathedral. But the reach of man’s enemies is long, and when civil unrest breaks out, and rumours of four-armed monsters abound, the Adepta Sororitas tasked with defending the world must face the fight of their lives. For they are few, but their enemies are numberless
And actually that's one of the rare BL synopsis that covers the story the right way.
The story created by Herr C.L. Werner covers one of the themes that made a central line of GW and BL storytelling not that long ago - Genestealers Cults and their place in the W40K universe. In case of this novel, we have the shrine world of Lubentina, one of the holiest planets of the Imperium, dedicated to a hero from the Age of Heresy - covered with civil unrest and rumours of sinister, four-armed monsters spur the Sisters of Battle into action against numberless foes. That's right - another example of the Genestealers cult on the lose.
To be more precise it is better to dissect the plot into several separate stories.
1) First of all we had a full enclosed Genestealers Cult uprising flowing via every cornerstone of the Lubentina society.
2) Next we have a world ruling council that struggle with itself and it's own decisions.
3) Further on we have a war driven story of an cataclysmic conflict between the Sisters of Battle, militia/PDF and the Genestealers Cult.
4) And of course we have the thoughts and dreams of the other side - in our case GC Magos.
And it would have been probably even to tell the story on itself. But author decided to add additional parameter to the formula. And thus the Chaos Space Marines take the main stage. That was one of the most unexpected authors decisions and at the same time the one that 'almost' ruin the story. But, miracuously it made it better at the same time. Cause if you have 50 consistent pages of shooty-shooty between SoB and GC hybrids it became boring very quickly. But if you add additional unexpected parameter it goes the other way around.
Also Herr C.L. Werner made a splendid work with the environments for which he is famous for since the old time of Witch Hunter and Black Plague trilogies. Every battle-scene (even through being a bolter-porn), every tunnel/warren/spire or transport route are depicted with vivid imagination and love.
Characters
And here we have a splendid circus of cartoonish villains and unknown heroes.
First several dozen pages make our friendship with heroes and villains, poor people and dreamers.
We had a splendid hero (written from the grown up Newt from the Aliens) Sister of Battle, head of Covent - Trishala. She is an inspiring, heroic figure which will went on a road from a 'knight in the shining armor' to the hard-boiled and unforgiving person.
Next we have prelate Yadav - whose road will be a little bit different while he will travel a road of redemption (which on itself is truly a rare thing for a high senior consul member of the Eclessiarhy in W40K setting).
Colonel Hasif and Sister Kashiba - the ones who are naive and faithful. The ones who always think about others but eventually being crashed in spirit under the avalanche of sacrificial lambs.
Poor Cardinal Murdin and minister Kargil - truly cartoonish villains in only the name which failed to delivery the promised of the 'destruction from inside'. That kind of stuff C.L. Werner has written amazingly in his Black Plague trilogy with his characterizations of Boris Goldgather and Adolph Kreyssig. Here he failed a bit - but not by a big margin.
Also we have a POV from the other side - magos Bakasur, the one who lead the Cult in the name of the 'Great Father'. Whose steps are like that of a kid - who tries to understand the new universe around him at the same time being walled in by the parents.
(Tis a shame we will not see how he was made into the Cult - what was his family and road before the 'Great Father')
And of course - spoilers
good old fella - Rhodaan himself. Which made the novel worse from that point for me.
I usually adorn Werner. But when at one point in the past he has a book called The Siege of Castellax - which was a horrible read of an abomination. Just 30 pages in - he had a Chaos Space Marine says 'Ow' and repetitive mantra while fighting (which actually a perturbation to the fighting process). His characterization of the Iron Warrior marines was similarly blank for the most part. The idea of 64 marines holding off a millions of orks (who are nearly as hardy as marines in the damage they can take) is ludicrous. The IW commander barely took part in the planning of the defense, instead leaving it up to his inept and bickering captains which cost them the war (they apparently didn't know the ork mentality despite having been around for a few thousand years). Add to that the fact that we had absolutely childish ideas in their heads (I live for a Long War, Iron Within...) and the point that IW are still the most 'unexplained' Legion (and how it ticks) in the setting does not help at all.
But at least the author had a lot of black humor to make the novel better.
C.L. Werneralways had high standards of black humor and laugh in his novels. Mainly it was done as a great fan-service (especially to the direct fans of W40K).
Here - just take a sample: These would be real Space Marines, not the Chaos heretics that had added to Lubentina's agonies. When they arrived, he could expect the Flesh Tearers to be noble and disciplined champions of the Imperium...
Score
It is by all rights - an ambitious book. It tries to achieve a lot adding more and more complexity to the narrative. And because of that - it crumbles under its own weight.
One of the unanswered questions which could have been better covered - is where the first Inheritors came from, how they end up on Lubentina? In case of the previous BL forage into the GC territory we had an explanation in the novel Genestealer Cults and short Cast a Hungry Shadow that explains how, then and why GS has arrived on that particular world. Here we all could only guess.
Also the Cult itself feels a little but too fairy. It's like they are without numbers and simply feels like a model range instead of a real danger to the Imperium forces. While the most obvious source of comparison, Peter Fehervari's Genestealer Cults novel, made their cult feel truly organic this one comes across as a bit by the numbers.
Next - dissection of a plot into several additional storylines only make it worse, cause then the IW arrive it really complicates things. You don't know whom to root for. Is it SoB? Honourable prelates/frateris? Villanois burocrats? Misconducted IW? Naive Cult Magos?
And that the additional side is also a known constance for us (the same IW that survived The Siege of Castellax ) only makes things worse again (in my case). I actually disappointed with the nowdays choice of BL authors to add their previous/old characters to the new novels. I hate that with the McNeil choices to add his cast into every book and now I do disappointed C.L. Werner decided to do the same. Add to that the point - I hate The Siege of Castellax. That's why the addition of Rhodaan and co almost ruined the novel for me right where. If an author tried to make it as a separate story and at the same time a sequel of sorts for the The Siege of Castellax - it truly went bad for the Cult of the Warmason
Also, the novel suffers from the repetitive of characters internal struggles and emotions being described all over again. Especially in case of Sister Trishala and Magos Bakasur. How they do not know what to do, how they tried to comprehend the results of their previous choices.
Not to mention the facade of the main person of the novel - Warmason himself. Of which we knew almost nothing (except for the info from the 'The Lightning Tower') about and will leave only with the knowledge that he built something, stole that (spoiler) and kissed a shroud. And that he was a great engineer. Vadok Singh absolutely forgotten and his 'character' and his 'Cult' is being lost amongst the other storylines.
Due to the absolutely wild ride with the novel, it's characters, and a lot of bolter pornish action I wouldn't have suggested this novel to anyone. Loose 20 pages of repetitive bolter-porn, self-doubt and 'repetitive' emotional struggle of several characters and the novel would have been much better.
But due to the funny moments, amazing environments, moments 'how he ticks' and a lot of black humor of high calibre I would give Cult of the Warmason 3,5 out of 5 stars.
C.L. Werner you are an awesome writer. You could do better!
Black Library nowadays produce a lot of stuff - audio, books, recycled anthologies etc. Sometimes it's a hit and miss, sometimes it's a road trip to readers paradise and sometimes it is a road to hell paved with the good intentions.
Today I want to review a very intelligent, ambiguous and at the same time cumbersome novel. Cult of the Warmason written by the talented Herr C.L. Werner provide us a glimpse of the other side of hell with all the circles to it. One of the reason we love and adorn W40K setting. But - Cult of the Warmason is a very (and I mean it) - very strange book.
Let's get to the dissection.
Plot, environments
As the synopsis tells us: In a galaxy teeming with alien aggressors, nothing unites the Imperium more than the worship of the immortal God-Emperor. Without the shining light of his divinity, travel through the stars would not be possible, and humanity would be swallowed by darkness. The shrineworld of Vadok attracts billions of pilgrims who visit to reaffirm their faith, and catch a glimpse of the sacred relic held in its great cathedral. But the reach of man’s enemies is long, and when civil unrest breaks out, and rumours of four-armed monsters abound, the Adepta Sororitas tasked with defending the world must face the fight of their lives. For they are few, but their enemies are numberless
And actually that's one of the rare BL synopsis that covers the story the right way.
The story created by Herr C.L. Werner covers one of the themes that made a central line of GW and BL storytelling not that long ago - Genestealers Cults and their place in the W40K universe. In case of this novel, we have the shrine world of Lubentina, one of the holiest planets of the Imperium, dedicated to a hero from the Age of Heresy - covered with civil unrest and rumours of sinister, four-armed monsters spur the Sisters of Battle into action against numberless foes. That's right - another example of the Genestealers cult on the lose.
To be more precise it is better to dissect the plot into several separate stories.
1) First of all we had a full enclosed Genestealers Cult uprising flowing via every cornerstone of the Lubentina society.
2) Next we have a world ruling council that struggle with itself and it's own decisions.
3) Further on we have a war driven story of an cataclysmic conflict between the Sisters of Battle, militia/PDF and the Genestealers Cult.
4) And of course we have the thoughts and dreams of the other side - in our case GC Magos.
And it would have been probably even to tell the story on itself. But author decided to add additional parameter to the formula. And thus the Chaos Space Marines take the main stage. That was one of the most unexpected authors decisions and at the same time the one that 'almost' ruin the story. But, miracuously it made it better at the same time. Cause if you have 50 consistent pages of shooty-shooty between SoB and GC hybrids it became boring very quickly. But if you add additional unexpected parameter it goes the other way around.
Also Herr C.L. Werner made a splendid work with the environments for which he is famous for since the old time of Witch Hunter and Black Plague trilogies. Every battle-scene (even through being a bolter-porn), every tunnel/warren/spire or transport route are depicted with vivid imagination and love.
Characters
And here we have a splendid circus of cartoonish villains and unknown heroes.
First several dozen pages make our friendship with heroes and villains, poor people and dreamers.
We had a splendid hero (written from the grown up Newt from the Aliens) Sister of Battle, head of Covent - Trishala. She is an inspiring, heroic figure which will went on a road from a 'knight in the shining armor' to the hard-boiled and unforgiving person.
Next we have prelate Yadav - whose road will be a little bit different while he will travel a road of redemption (which on itself is truly a rare thing for a high senior consul member of the Eclessiarhy in W40K setting).
Colonel Hasif and Sister Kashiba - the ones who are naive and faithful. The ones who always think about others but eventually being crashed in spirit under the avalanche of sacrificial lambs.
Poor Cardinal Murdin and minister Kargil - truly cartoonish villains in only the name which failed to delivery the promised of the 'destruction from inside'. That kind of stuff C.L. Werner has written amazingly in his Black Plague trilogy with his characterizations of Boris Goldgather and Adolph Kreyssig. Here he failed a bit - but not by a big margin.
Also we have a POV from the other side - magos Bakasur, the one who lead the Cult in the name of the 'Great Father'. Whose steps are like that of a kid - who tries to understand the new universe around him at the same time being walled in by the parents.
(Tis a shame we will not see how he was made into the Cult - what was his family and road before the 'Great Father')
And of course - spoilers
good old fella - Rhodaan himself. Which made the novel worse from that point for me.
I usually adorn Werner. But when at one point in the past he has a book called The Siege of Castellax - which was a horrible read of an abomination. Just 30 pages in - he had a Chaos Space Marine says 'Ow' and repetitive mantra while fighting (which actually a perturbation to the fighting process). His characterization of the Iron Warrior marines was similarly blank for the most part. The idea of 64 marines holding off a millions of orks (who are nearly as hardy as marines in the damage they can take) is ludicrous. The IW commander barely took part in the planning of the defense, instead leaving it up to his inept and bickering captains which cost them the war (they apparently didn't know the ork mentality despite having been around for a few thousand years). Add to that the fact that we had absolutely childish ideas in their heads (I live for a Long War, Iron Within...) and the point that IW are still the most 'unexplained' Legion (and how it ticks) in the setting does not help at all.
But at least the author had a lot of black humor to make the novel better.
C.L. Werneralways had high standards of black humor and laugh in his novels. Mainly it was done as a great fan-service (especially to the direct fans of W40K).
Here - just take a sample: These would be real Space Marines, not the Chaos heretics that had added to Lubentina's agonies. When they arrived, he could expect the Flesh Tearers to be noble and disciplined champions of the Imperium...
Score
It is by all rights - an ambitious book. It tries to achieve a lot adding more and more complexity to the narrative. And because of that - it crumbles under its own weight.
One of the unanswered questions which could have been better covered - is where the first Inheritors came from, how they end up on Lubentina? In case of the previous BL forage into the GC territory we had an explanation in the novel Genestealer Cults and short Cast a Hungry Shadow that explains how, then and why GS has arrived on that particular world. Here we all could only guess.
Also the Cult itself feels a little but too fairy. It's like they are without numbers and simply feels like a model range instead of a real danger to the Imperium forces. While the most obvious source of comparison, Peter Fehervari's Genestealer Cults novel, made their cult feel truly organic this one comes across as a bit by the numbers.
Next - dissection of a plot into several additional storylines only make it worse, cause then the IW arrive it really complicates things. You don't know whom to root for. Is it SoB? Honourable prelates/frateris? Villanois burocrats? Misconducted IW? Naive Cult Magos?
And that the additional side is also a known constance for us (the same IW that survived The Siege of Castellax ) only makes things worse again (in my case). I actually disappointed with the nowdays choice of BL authors to add their previous/old characters to the new novels. I hate that with the McNeil choices to add his cast into every book and now I do disappointed C.L. Werner decided to do the same. Add to that the point - I hate The Siege of Castellax. That's why the addition of Rhodaan and co almost ruined the novel for me right where. If an author tried to make it as a separate story and at the same time a sequel of sorts for the The Siege of Castellax - it truly went bad for the Cult of the Warmason
Also, the novel suffers from the repetitive of characters internal struggles and emotions being described all over again. Especially in case of Sister Trishala and Magos Bakasur. How they do not know what to do, how they tried to comprehend the results of their previous choices.
Not to mention the facade of the main person of the novel - Warmason himself. Of which we knew almost nothing (except for the info from the 'The Lightning Tower') about and will leave only with the knowledge that he built something, stole that (spoiler) and kissed a shroud. And that he was a great engineer. Vadok Singh absolutely forgotten and his 'character' and his 'Cult' is being lost amongst the other storylines.
Due to the absolutely wild ride with the novel, it's characters, and a lot of bolter pornish action I wouldn't have suggested this novel to anyone. Loose 20 pages of repetitive bolter-porn, self-doubt and 'repetitive' emotional struggle of several characters and the novel would have been much better.
But due to the funny moments, amazing environments, moments 'how he ticks' and a lot of black humor of high calibre I would give Cult of the Warmason 3,5 out of 5 stars.
C.L. Werner you are an awesome writer. You could do better!
March 1, 2019
This was an interesting tale. It revolves around a shrineworld defended by the Adeptas Sororitas. Due to the events during the Age of Apostasy, the Ecclesiarchy is not allowed to have their own bodies of armed men. They got around these strictures by using the sisters of the Adeptas Sororitas. Though human, they are rigorously trained and suited in human-sized power armor. They are also fanatically devoted to the Imperium and the God-Emperor.
But on the world of Vadok there are only 200 of the sisterhood. Not good when a xenos cult starts trouble. What's worse is that the xenos are Tyranid genestealers. The sheer bullheaded stupidity of the High Ecclesiarch causes no astropathic distress signal to be sent out until the infestation was out of control. On top of this, we have a group of Chaos Space Marines also make landfall seeking an old artifact.
More than this I shall not spoil. The Sororitas were pretty interesting to read about and quite effective, though by no means like the Astartes. Speaking of which, the Iron Warriors steal the show. The way in which they wade into the mess of the Imperial/Genestealer mass confusion and rioting was a pleasure to behold. I also liked their mission being completely separate from the chaos, no pun intended, unfolding on Vadok.
Good story and interesting new sides of the Imperium to read about. Generally I prefer the Astartes stories, but the Sororitas was interesting reading. Cool characters. But, it is the Warsmith Rhodaan and his band of not-so-merry Chaos Marines who were my favorite characters. Their utter disdain for "the flesh", be it human or tyrannid, and viewing forces that had been waging brutal combat against each other as no more than "obstacles" was very amusing. These are some badass dudes and the fact that from a distance Imperial forces would see the silhouette and assume them to be Loyal Astartes causes some interesting events. A must read for any Warhammer 40K fan..everyone else? Errr probably not the book to introduce yourself to 40K on..but still a fun read if any of it makes sense.
But on the world of Vadok there are only 200 of the sisterhood. Not good when a xenos cult starts trouble. What's worse is that the xenos are Tyranid genestealers. The sheer bullheaded stupidity of the High Ecclesiarch causes no astropathic distress signal to be sent out until the infestation was out of control. On top of this, we have a group of Chaos Space Marines also make landfall seeking an old artifact.
More than this I shall not spoil. The Sororitas were pretty interesting to read about and quite effective, though by no means like the Astartes. Speaking of which, the Iron Warriors steal the show. The way in which they wade into the mess of the Imperial/Genestealer mass confusion and rioting was a pleasure to behold. I also liked their mission being completely separate from the chaos, no pun intended, unfolding on Vadok.
Good story and interesting new sides of the Imperium to read about. Generally I prefer the Astartes stories, but the Sororitas was interesting reading. Cool characters. But, it is the Warsmith Rhodaan and his band of not-so-merry Chaos Marines who were my favorite characters. Their utter disdain for "the flesh", be it human or tyrannid, and viewing forces that had been waging brutal combat against each other as no more than "obstacles" was very amusing. These are some badass dudes and the fact that from a distance Imperial forces would see the silhouette and assume them to be Loyal Astartes causes some interesting events. A must read for any Warhammer 40K fan..everyone else? Errr probably not the book to introduce yourself to 40K on..but still a fun read if any of it makes sense.
May 6, 2017
Set on the Imperial shrine world of Lubentina, CL Werner’s Cult of the Warmason is all about the clash of fanatics. With militia patrols going missing, Sister Superior Trishala of the Order of the Sombre Vow learns that the growing unrest is not caused by rioting workers but an infestation of genestealers. Despite her warnings, Lubentina’s government refuses to react accordingly…until it’s too late.
This is only Werner’s second 40k novel to date, but his dark and sinister style is well suited to depicting these two contrasting but equally fanatical cults. There are all the ingredients here for a creepy, The Beast Arises-style tale full of political intrigue and twisty maneuvering, but it never quite manages to get that far. In the end it’s basically a Space Marine Battles book in all but name, the political elements proving a little one dimensional and the emphasis always returning to the various stages of what is essentially an unconventional siege.
Read the full review at http://www.trackofwords.com/2017/04/1...
This is only Werner’s second 40k novel to date, but his dark and sinister style is well suited to depicting these two contrasting but equally fanatical cults. There are all the ingredients here for a creepy, The Beast Arises-style tale full of political intrigue and twisty maneuvering, but it never quite manages to get that far. In the end it’s basically a Space Marine Battles book in all but name, the political elements proving a little one dimensional and the emphasis always returning to the various stages of what is essentially an unconventional siege.
Read the full review at http://www.trackofwords.com/2017/04/1...
May 19, 2019
This was pretty good, it works by keeping a tighter focus on the action. Although there are little hints here and there that it could have been a much better novel if the author had just pushed at the boundaries a little more.
The prose was decidedly better than average though, and clearly this one was a work of love, rather than a labour of turning into any old dross because there was a deadline looming.
cough Horus Heresy cough we're looking at you.
One of the better Wh40k novels I've read lately.
The prose was decidedly better than average though, and clearly this one was a work of love, rather than a labour of turning into any old dross because there was a deadline looming.
cough Horus Heresy cough we're looking at you.
One of the better Wh40k novels I've read lately.
May 29, 2017
This was a fast moving, action packed battle between the Sisters of Battle, Genestealer Cultists and Iron Warriors. The Sisters are presented competently and sympathetically and fans of the GSC will see the strengths and weaknesses of their army written about. The ending is slightly anticlimactic for the enemies of the Imperium. As for Trishala, the main Sisters of Battle protagonist, she ends on a cleverly ambiguous note.
January 1, 2023
Actually a pretty decent WH40K title, with a several interesting twists and turns. Only problem is that it took me weeks to get through half of the book, then the last half in a night. Great ending, but super slow and boring in the first half.
October 11, 2024
Amazing read for genestealer cult fans and sisters of battle alike.
Amazing read for genestealer cult fans and sisters of battle. What a great read. A really good insight into how the cult uses the Magus in battle.
Awesome.
Amazing read for genestealer cult fans and sisters of battle. What a great read. A really good insight into how the cult uses the Magus in battle.
Awesome.
July 31, 2017
Generic sci-fi. Nothing too special.
October 18, 2017
Love the Sisters of Battle! C.L. Werner's one of my fave Black Library authors too!
May 4, 2018
Ruined utterly by the unnecessary, and frankly insulting, ending.
March 29, 2019
A good story. Not perfect.
I enjoyed it. I didn’t cruise through it like I might have with other books. But the story overall was solid and well planned.
I enjoyed it. I didn’t cruise through it like I might have with other books. But the story overall was solid and well planned.
November 3, 2021
worth a good read
A good book that shows the duplicity of the GSC. A bit confused in early sections but a great read. Well worth losing yourself in
A good book that shows the duplicity of the GSC. A bit confused in early sections but a great read. Well worth losing yourself in
August 27, 2022
Not actually a bad entry were it not for being a bit overly repetitious and some utterly unbelievable plot twists. In fact the last one was unimaginative and moronic.
January 6, 2020
This is precisely the type of Warhammer 40k novel I can't stand: nonstop bolter porn with mediocre writing. Which is unfortunate, since we get so few Sisters of Battle books. Too bad they were forced to share the spotlight with a mustache-twirling genestealer and the least interesting Chaos Space Marines chapter.
The ending was hilarious, though.
The ending was hilarious, though.
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