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Warhammer 40,000
Lukas: Der Schakalwolf
Unter den Space Wolves gibt es so viele Sagas wie Krieger, doch keine gleicht der Saga von Lukas dem Listenreichen. Gleichermaßen bewundert und geschmäht stand der Schakalwolf schon immer abseits seiner Brüder und wurde immer wieder aus dem Rudel erbitterter Wolfslord vertrieben. Doch als ein neuer Feind zur Helwinterzeit die eisigen Gefilde von Fenris angreift, steht Lukas einem Gegner gegenüber, der es mit seiner legendären Gerissenheit aufzunehmen vermag – Herzog Sliscus, einem Korsaren aus dem grausamen Volk der Drukhari. Zwischen Wolf und Schlange entbrennt ein grimmiger Kampf. Wer wird am Ende triumphieren und wessen Blut wir den Schnee rot färben?
Warum du dieses Buch lesen solltest
Josh Reynolds widmet dem ebenso verschmitzten wie gefährlichen Lukas einen ganzen Roman.
Paperback
First published February 24, 2018
23 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
About the author
Joshua Reynolds
313 books330 followersJosh Reynolds’ work has previously appeared in such anthologies as Historical Lovecraft from Innsmouth Free Press and Horror for the Holidays from Miskatonic River Press, and his novel, Knight of the Blazing Sun, is currently available from Black Library. He can be found at: http://joshuamreynolds.wordpress.com
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
February 22, 2020
This is a great story. It is a story about two key characters who walk a different path. The first is Lukas of the Space Wolves. The other is Duke Sliscus of the Dark Eldar. While on different sides, they both are different than their normal kin.
Lukas the Trcikster has a strange wyrd. His is to be the voice of dissent and to make the Space Wolves question some of their own beliefs. This does not make him a popular member and having him on your team can be a hassle. Jarl Grimblood assigns Luks to train some Blood Claws (newer Space Wolves, similar to scouts in other chapters). While this is going on Duke Sliscus stages a raid/hunt on Fenris.
The Duke, one of the most powerful of Dark Eldar players, exists outside the reach of Asdrubal Vect, or does he? There are a lot of plots going on here. The conflict between the Dark Eldar and the Space Wolves is excellently done.
Lukas is a great character and so is the Duke. Both of them in the same setting make for a great and exciting story. A must read for any Space Wolves or Dark Eldar fan.
Lukas the Trcikster has a strange wyrd. His is to be the voice of dissent and to make the Space Wolves question some of their own beliefs. This does not make him a popular member and having him on your team can be a hassle. Jarl Grimblood assigns Luks to train some Blood Claws (newer Space Wolves, similar to scouts in other chapters). While this is going on Duke Sliscus stages a raid/hunt on Fenris.
The Duke, one of the most powerful of Dark Eldar players, exists outside the reach of Asdrubal Vect, or does he? There are a lot of plots going on here. The conflict between the Dark Eldar and the Space Wolves is excellently done.
Lukas is a great character and so is the Duke. Both of them in the same setting make for a great and exciting story. A must read for any Space Wolves or Dark Eldar fan.
March 21, 2020
Lukas fucks.
March 1, 2018
Warhammer 40,000 benefits from a unique thematic standing, something which few other franchises have mastered: The capacity to slide back and forth between borderline parody and stone-faced seriousness in style and tone, without either clashing. A few years ago we discussed this, dubbing it the "Batman Effect" - Comparing it with how one character could represent the pinnacle of the comicbook Silver Age but also dark, serious and intelligent storytelling. Well, as a character who replaced a vital internal organ with high explosives, Lukas the Trickster sits firmly on the Adam West side of things.
Born out of the most insane elements of the Fifth Edition (non-Ward related ones anyway), Lukas is very much a love-him-or-hate-him character. Either he reflects a type of exaggerated humour that was all too rare in Warhammer at the time, or he passed Adam West right into George Clooney territory. Yes, that is the last time Batman mentions will be made in here. The point is that between his humour and standing as the antithesis of typical Adeptus Astartes, the character stood on a knife-edge of becoming obnoxious. In most cases either an author would be forced to abandon these elements, or might crank them to intolerable degrees.
The Synopsis
With his presence inflicted upon another Jarl, Lukas sets about establishing himself among the younger Blood Claws. With a reckless joy which is matched only by his skill, Lukas proves himself a capable hunter time and time again, despite the frustrations of his brothers. Yet, his constant drive to surpass himself may well have met his match. When he faces Duke Traevelliath Sliscus of the Dark Eldar, the encounter between the Serpent and Trickster will end only in blood on the snow, and neither will walk away from the battle unchanged.
The Good
Let's follow on from that last point in the introduction - The balance required to pull off someone like Lukas. The book more or less manages it, and while he is perhaps not so overtly insane as people imagined from his reputation, the character walks a fine line between juvinile and laughably skilled. While the old trope of the dumbass who is secretly a badass is centuries old by this point, the book manages to find creative ways to express it. Lukas' nature is in stark contrast to the dour-faced and saga spewing figures in charge of his Great Company, but the story presents it in the correct way. He still manages to fit in with this world, so rather than seeming utterly at odds with the Space Wolves chapter, he serves as a facet which is rarely seen.
A major benefit of how the story continually depicts Lukas stems from how it knows exactly when to dial back the humour or divert it. His opening brawl with a company's worth of Blood Claws follows some remarkably childish acts, and serves as a stark reminder of his skill. Equally, his actions during the Kraken hunt makes it clear that while he is irreverent and prank prone, he is far from stupid nor negligent in his skills. He retains all the skills, experience and knowledge of a Grey Hunter, but the way he expresses them is what singles him out from the others. The book focuses somewhat on his evolution, but a stronger part helps to define just how such a figure could exist within this world.
As many of the secondary characters clearly follow the themes and ideas present in Chris Wraight's works. This naturally means that they are far more serious on the whole, and that ultimately they fit more into the Odin side of things than Loki. This helps to further ground the book in the sense that it is still a part of the main 40,000 setting, and sidesteps the obvious accusation that it could simply be non-canon due to its themes. Just take a look at how that accusation plagued the Ciaphas Cain series for years. More impressively still, however, it avoids turning them into caricatures to contrast with Lukas' larger than life nature. A few obviously antagonistic elements within them are quickly shown to have far more depth than you might expect, but it holds it back just long enough to make full use of their inital role within the story. It's only when two particularly important figures meet in a long disused part of the Fang that it starts to deconstruct what the tale initially built up.
Another major point in the book's favour is how it handles the Space Wolves themselves. A massive problem with Wraight's later works - and even a few authors - is how they overplay the theme of internal decay. In Wraight's later books he took the Space Wolves' flaws and exaggerated them until you were left questioning how the chapter was even combat effective. That isn't true here, and the story addresses it in a number of ways. The state of the Fang itself - with areas in disrepair - is one obvious point, but the story handles their tribalism in a few curious ways. One, in particular, suggested that the Wolves' see their changes as improvements and that they were necessary to survive in a changing galaxy. These are minor themes, but it's the sort of approach more chapters need when covering these ideas. Especially the Iron Hands given the downward storytelling spiral they have been stuck on for years.
Obviously, despite the cover and title, this tome was hyped as something of a showdown, depicting the famous clash between Lukas and Sliscus. Given how effective many scenes were with Lukas and how it further fleshed out aspects of their lifestyle, the Duke could have easily been reduced to a secondary role. A simple opponent skilled enough to counter the Trickster or heighten the tension of the battle itself. Well, while it is true that he fills out the role of protagonist, it's clear early on that Sliscus has his own story to follow. The politics of his fleet, ambitions and daring nature quickly marks him out as a very dangerous figure even before he starts cutting people open. This focus and standing is further assisted by his subordinates, many of who stand out more than the Space Wolf supporting cast. This permits them a far better standing than would typically be found in most Marine novels, and allows the Dark Eldar to do more than serve as hired muscle for a real villain.
Because the story spends so much time building up the two main figures in this conflict, it takes over a third of the book for the real battle to start. This isn't to say it's without action, but to emphasise the fact it took its time to reach that point. It doesn't rush into things, this means that much of the heavy lifting and narrative establishment is handled very early on, leaving the rest of the book to focus on the violence. Oh my, the violence. Josh Reynolds tends to excel in conversations, character exploration and building a sense of atmosphere. As such, the fact he can cut loose as he did came as a brilliant surprise. To detail some of the things attempted would be to spoil the main draw of the novel, so instead, please simply know this: Yes, it is thoroughly entertaining. Yes, it is as insane as you would expect. Yes, obvious tactics and unconventional methods both play a major part in the story.
The Bad
The real limitation of the book is, more than anything else, that it seems not to quite know when to stop and start things. This might not be clear at first, but after a few times, you might notice how the story seems to "cut corners" in jumping about between events. While this is usually a factor within novels and authors can usually pull it off, this one deals with it in a few odd ways. A particularly big one is, how in the first third, it seems to rely more on verbal exposition than true exploration.
Lukas' own introduction suffers from this thanks to his hectic arrival and trying to gloss over listing the exact details of his antics. On paper (pun fully intended) it's clear that this was intended to establish him for new audiences and contrast him with the other Space Wolves. That said, it read as if there should have been a prologue or even a previous chapter or two as a more definite introduction. Sliscus' own introduction works, but later moments with he and his subordinates fall into the same trap at times. Reynolds can usually pull this sort of thing off, but it stuck out here due to how often it was used.
On more than a few occasions, the story also seemed to both embrace and avoid combat. While specific actions, figures, and even sequences were handled well, the larger scale of events was something left more to background information. The aforementioned Kraken hunt is where this comes into play first, and at that point at least the flaw is not overtly obvious. However, while later engagements take place on a decent scale, you might miss out just how large they are supposed to be thanks to how the story frames the events in question and who it follows. This is likely more a quirk in the writing style here, and you could even excuse this as it's supposed to focus on the major figures over the armies involved. Yet, it can be jarring in how you can miss numbers or scale.
The actual humour of events can be surprisingly hit and miss, and that's thanks in part to the thematics. While there is more than a few genuinely hilarious moments (including a fantastic moment of borderline fourth-wall breaking dialogue toward the end) it's difficult to get to grips with during the story's first half. Lukas' own antics at this point seems to have been written to fit in more with the ancient saga depiction of the Wolves, framing him in a manner akin to Loki. It's amusing to be sure, and one or two of the pranks to get a grin, but the best moments take quite some time to reach. In this regard, Lukas' own reputation among fans might work against him, and one Space Wolf fan I spoke with had to be convinced to keep going with it. Oh, she certainly enjoyed it once she did, but it's that flawed first impression which can hurt it the most.
Perhaps most crucially, however, is how the story struggles to make use of some of its side characters. The Dark Eldar ensemble works well, and a few of the high ranking Space Wolves are a solid addition to the book. Unfortunately, however, Lukas' own abilities leave him overshadowing the other Blood Claws with him, until they are less their own characters and instead become something for him to work off of. There is a clear subtextual message to be had in this, established by an early event, but it's difficult to see them as part of a full unit rather than "Lukas and his bitches".
Yes, that was a cheap and quite crass joke to make, but this is the first time I have been able to work that joke into a Space Wolves book in seven years of writing on here. Plus I'm somewhat surprised Lukas himself didn't subtly make it at some point in there.
The Verdict
The real problem with this one is that it both benefits and suffers from the need to get the ball rolling. The opening act is engaging, but anyone entering this expecting A-Team style madness from the start is going to be somewhat disappointed. With that aside though, it's a solid book and definitely the most enjoyable M41 Space Wolf book since Battle of the Fang. The jokes are genuinely funny much of the time, and it manages to feature all the flaws of the chapter without ever downplaying or ignoring its strengths. Combine that with a fantastic battle between two legendary figures and, for once, the fact we have someone besides Chaos as the villain, and it's definitely one worth looking up. If the cover even gets you to crack the slightest grin, seriously consider buying it.
Born out of the most insane elements of the Fifth Edition (non-Ward related ones anyway), Lukas is very much a love-him-or-hate-him character. Either he reflects a type of exaggerated humour that was all too rare in Warhammer at the time, or he passed Adam West right into George Clooney territory. Yes, that is the last time Batman mentions will be made in here. The point is that between his humour and standing as the antithesis of typical Adeptus Astartes, the character stood on a knife-edge of becoming obnoxious. In most cases either an author would be forced to abandon these elements, or might crank them to intolerable degrees.
The Synopsis
With his presence inflicted upon another Jarl, Lukas sets about establishing himself among the younger Blood Claws. With a reckless joy which is matched only by his skill, Lukas proves himself a capable hunter time and time again, despite the frustrations of his brothers. Yet, his constant drive to surpass himself may well have met his match. When he faces Duke Traevelliath Sliscus of the Dark Eldar, the encounter between the Serpent and Trickster will end only in blood on the snow, and neither will walk away from the battle unchanged.
The Good
Let's follow on from that last point in the introduction - The balance required to pull off someone like Lukas. The book more or less manages it, and while he is perhaps not so overtly insane as people imagined from his reputation, the character walks a fine line between juvinile and laughably skilled. While the old trope of the dumbass who is secretly a badass is centuries old by this point, the book manages to find creative ways to express it. Lukas' nature is in stark contrast to the dour-faced and saga spewing figures in charge of his Great Company, but the story presents it in the correct way. He still manages to fit in with this world, so rather than seeming utterly at odds with the Space Wolves chapter, he serves as a facet which is rarely seen.
A major benefit of how the story continually depicts Lukas stems from how it knows exactly when to dial back the humour or divert it. His opening brawl with a company's worth of Blood Claws follows some remarkably childish acts, and serves as a stark reminder of his skill. Equally, his actions during the Kraken hunt makes it clear that while he is irreverent and prank prone, he is far from stupid nor negligent in his skills. He retains all the skills, experience and knowledge of a Grey Hunter, but the way he expresses them is what singles him out from the others. The book focuses somewhat on his evolution, but a stronger part helps to define just how such a figure could exist within this world.
As many of the secondary characters clearly follow the themes and ideas present in Chris Wraight's works. This naturally means that they are far more serious on the whole, and that ultimately they fit more into the Odin side of things than Loki. This helps to further ground the book in the sense that it is still a part of the main 40,000 setting, and sidesteps the obvious accusation that it could simply be non-canon due to its themes. Just take a look at how that accusation plagued the Ciaphas Cain series for years. More impressively still, however, it avoids turning them into caricatures to contrast with Lukas' larger than life nature. A few obviously antagonistic elements within them are quickly shown to have far more depth than you might expect, but it holds it back just long enough to make full use of their inital role within the story. It's only when two particularly important figures meet in a long disused part of the Fang that it starts to deconstruct what the tale initially built up.
Another major point in the book's favour is how it handles the Space Wolves themselves. A massive problem with Wraight's later works - and even a few authors - is how they overplay the theme of internal decay. In Wraight's later books he took the Space Wolves' flaws and exaggerated them until you were left questioning how the chapter was even combat effective. That isn't true here, and the story addresses it in a number of ways. The state of the Fang itself - with areas in disrepair - is one obvious point, but the story handles their tribalism in a few curious ways. One, in particular, suggested that the Wolves' see their changes as improvements and that they were necessary to survive in a changing galaxy. These are minor themes, but it's the sort of approach more chapters need when covering these ideas. Especially the Iron Hands given the downward storytelling spiral they have been stuck on for years.
Obviously, despite the cover and title, this tome was hyped as something of a showdown, depicting the famous clash between Lukas and Sliscus. Given how effective many scenes were with Lukas and how it further fleshed out aspects of their lifestyle, the Duke could have easily been reduced to a secondary role. A simple opponent skilled enough to counter the Trickster or heighten the tension of the battle itself. Well, while it is true that he fills out the role of protagonist, it's clear early on that Sliscus has his own story to follow. The politics of his fleet, ambitions and daring nature quickly marks him out as a very dangerous figure even before he starts cutting people open. This focus and standing is further assisted by his subordinates, many of who stand out more than the Space Wolf supporting cast. This permits them a far better standing than would typically be found in most Marine novels, and allows the Dark Eldar to do more than serve as hired muscle for a real villain.
Because the story spends so much time building up the two main figures in this conflict, it takes over a third of the book for the real battle to start. This isn't to say it's without action, but to emphasise the fact it took its time to reach that point. It doesn't rush into things, this means that much of the heavy lifting and narrative establishment is handled very early on, leaving the rest of the book to focus on the violence. Oh my, the violence. Josh Reynolds tends to excel in conversations, character exploration and building a sense of atmosphere. As such, the fact he can cut loose as he did came as a brilliant surprise. To detail some of the things attempted would be to spoil the main draw of the novel, so instead, please simply know this: Yes, it is thoroughly entertaining. Yes, it is as insane as you would expect. Yes, obvious tactics and unconventional methods both play a major part in the story.
The Bad
The real limitation of the book is, more than anything else, that it seems not to quite know when to stop and start things. This might not be clear at first, but after a few times, you might notice how the story seems to "cut corners" in jumping about between events. While this is usually a factor within novels and authors can usually pull it off, this one deals with it in a few odd ways. A particularly big one is, how in the first third, it seems to rely more on verbal exposition than true exploration.
Lukas' own introduction suffers from this thanks to his hectic arrival and trying to gloss over listing the exact details of his antics. On paper (pun fully intended) it's clear that this was intended to establish him for new audiences and contrast him with the other Space Wolves. That said, it read as if there should have been a prologue or even a previous chapter or two as a more definite introduction. Sliscus' own introduction works, but later moments with he and his subordinates fall into the same trap at times. Reynolds can usually pull this sort of thing off, but it stuck out here due to how often it was used.
On more than a few occasions, the story also seemed to both embrace and avoid combat. While specific actions, figures, and even sequences were handled well, the larger scale of events was something left more to background information. The aforementioned Kraken hunt is where this comes into play first, and at that point at least the flaw is not overtly obvious. However, while later engagements take place on a decent scale, you might miss out just how large they are supposed to be thanks to how the story frames the events in question and who it follows. This is likely more a quirk in the writing style here, and you could even excuse this as it's supposed to focus on the major figures over the armies involved. Yet, it can be jarring in how you can miss numbers or scale.
The actual humour of events can be surprisingly hit and miss, and that's thanks in part to the thematics. While there is more than a few genuinely hilarious moments (including a fantastic moment of borderline fourth-wall breaking dialogue toward the end) it's difficult to get to grips with during the story's first half. Lukas' own antics at this point seems to have been written to fit in more with the ancient saga depiction of the Wolves, framing him in a manner akin to Loki. It's amusing to be sure, and one or two of the pranks to get a grin, but the best moments take quite some time to reach. In this regard, Lukas' own reputation among fans might work against him, and one Space Wolf fan I spoke with had to be convinced to keep going with it. Oh, she certainly enjoyed it once she did, but it's that flawed first impression which can hurt it the most.
Perhaps most crucially, however, is how the story struggles to make use of some of its side characters. The Dark Eldar ensemble works well, and a few of the high ranking Space Wolves are a solid addition to the book. Unfortunately, however, Lukas' own abilities leave him overshadowing the other Blood Claws with him, until they are less their own characters and instead become something for him to work off of. There is a clear subtextual message to be had in this, established by an early event, but it's difficult to see them as part of a full unit rather than "Lukas and his bitches".
Yes, that was a cheap and quite crass joke to make, but this is the first time I have been able to work that joke into a Space Wolves book in seven years of writing on here. Plus I'm somewhat surprised Lukas himself didn't subtly make it at some point in there.
The Verdict
The real problem with this one is that it both benefits and suffers from the need to get the ball rolling. The opening act is engaging, but anyone entering this expecting A-Team style madness from the start is going to be somewhat disappointed. With that aside though, it's a solid book and definitely the most enjoyable M41 Space Wolf book since Battle of the Fang. The jokes are genuinely funny much of the time, and it manages to feature all the flaws of the chapter without ever downplaying or ignoring its strengths. Combine that with a fantastic battle between two legendary figures and, for once, the fact we have someone besides Chaos as the villain, and it's definitely one worth looking up. If the cover even gets you to crack the slightest grin, seriously consider buying it.
May 24, 2025
Das Buch war für mich eine echte Überraschung. Die Story ist spannend, ein bisschen düster und gleichzeitig total emotional. Lukas als Hauptfigur ist ungewöhnlich, aber genau das macht’s so interessant – halb Tier, halb Mensch, und voll auf der Suche nach seinem Platz in der Welt.
Der Schreibstil liest sich superflüssig und bringt die Stimmung und Umgebung richtig gut rüber.
Der Schreibstil liest sich superflüssig und bringt die Stimmung und Umgebung richtig gut rüber.
March 14, 2018
The Space Wolves are an enduringly popular Chapter, but Josh Reynolds’ novel Lukas the Trickster is slightly different to their usual stories. With Fenris in the grip of Helwinter and the Space Wolves isolated, the dark eldar corsair Duke Sliscus launches a daring raid from out of the webway in an attempt to stave off his crippling ennui. Banished from the Fang along with a pack of Blood Claws after a prank played on the Wolf Lord Kjarl Grimblood, Lukas pits his cunning against the sly Sliscus, defending Fenris and its people in his own inimitable way.
The broad sweep of the plot is pretty much what you’d expect, but the details are cleverly crafted and allow for a genuinely characterful story. It’s full of snark and dark humour, often laugh-out-loud funny, but this isn’t Ciaphas Cain – the humour complements the story, and sits comfortably alongside the expected 40k stylings and overall tone. It’s a balancing act that Reynolds seems to have perfected, and feels like an extension of his work with Fabius Bile as he gradually carves out his own black-humoured corner of the 40k universe. This is a book that might not sit quite right to dyed-in-the-wool Space Wolves fans who want an epic saga of bravery and sacrifice…those things are there, but you might not see them in the same light having read this. For a neutral, however – a general fan of 40k as a whole – it’s a deeply entertaining and satisfying read that offers some fantastic variety within the wider setting.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/03/...
The broad sweep of the plot is pretty much what you’d expect, but the details are cleverly crafted and allow for a genuinely characterful story. It’s full of snark and dark humour, often laugh-out-loud funny, but this isn’t Ciaphas Cain – the humour complements the story, and sits comfortably alongside the expected 40k stylings and overall tone. It’s a balancing act that Reynolds seems to have perfected, and feels like an extension of his work with Fabius Bile as he gradually carves out his own black-humoured corner of the 40k universe. This is a book that might not sit quite right to dyed-in-the-wool Space Wolves fans who want an epic saga of bravery and sacrifice…those things are there, but you might not see them in the same light having read this. For a neutral, however – a general fan of 40k as a whole – it’s a deeply entertaining and satisfying read that offers some fantastic variety within the wider setting.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/03/...
April 30, 2018
Lukas the Trickster is one of those characters where it is very easy to go overboard with and turn him into a caricature. However Joshua Reynolds has captured the spirit of the Jackalwolf perfectly in making him a round character rather than a full blown pranskter. He is mischievous and cunning, a rolling stone which gathers no moss - he is not some fossilized relic hidebound by tradition. His intellect is prodigious and his wyrd is not fixed, it is ever shifting. He is like the trickster gods of ancient mythology and like them he uses his cunning to flout convention but at the same time help his own people - in this case the transhuman Space Wolves and the mortal Fenrisians. The way Joshua has written him makes him a fun character to read.
His cunning is contrasted well with that of Duke Sliscus and he uses the vagaries of Dark Eldar society to his advantage. That said it is far from a one-sided affair and as befitting a very long-lived creature the Duke is more than a match for the Jackalwolf.
His cunning is contrasted well with that of Duke Sliscus and he uses the vagaries of Dark Eldar society to his advantage. That said it is far from a one-sided affair and as befitting a very long-lived creature the Duke is more than a match for the Jackalwolf.
January 12, 2019
A very good SW novel, very different than your usual Wolves or extremly dull bolterporn black library books.
4/5 - it was longer than needed, if it was cut by 20-30 pages it could have been 5/5.
4/5 - it was longer than needed, if it was cut by 20-30 pages it could have been 5/5.
October 6, 2024
If the viking-themed Space Wolves are a little wilder and more volatile than your typical (loyalist) Space Marines then there is obvious promise in a tale of their wayward son, the Space Wolf so annoying that he is passed from pack to pack by exacerbated middle-managers.
As it turns out Lukas has some entertaining and endearing moments but comes across as more of a Thor than a Loki. The tale of exiles seeking redemption provides familiar structure and there is clever juxtaposition of the respectful nobility of a Space Viking's hunt compared to the callous stalking of 40k's Romulans, but the whole thing feels a little disjointed. Aside from a fantastic baddie this doesn't quite hit the heights it promises, but it does enough to make me hope for more Lukas stories in future.
As it turns out Lukas has some entertaining and endearing moments but comes across as more of a Thor than a Loki. The tale of exiles seeking redemption provides familiar structure and there is clever juxtaposition of the respectful nobility of a Space Viking's hunt compared to the callous stalking of 40k's Romulans, but the whole thing feels a little disjointed. Aside from a fantastic baddie this doesn't quite hit the heights it promises, but it does enough to make me hope for more Lukas stories in future.
April 15, 2020
I really enjoyed this - who can't but love the Trickster and his wayward ways! Some good writing by Reynolds full of energy and empathy. Would like to read more about this Space Wolf and definitely build and play the model.
April 14, 2018
A cunningly thoughtful 40k novel.
Lukas the Trickster tels the story of the Jackal-wolf in his battle of wits and cunning against the Dark Eldar Duke Sliscus. But behind that is so much more. Cunningly (as befitting the main character) this novel is full of dark-humor that shines a somewhat different light on the often more lighthearted Space Wolf stories. As even in these places of power with larger-than-life characters there is harsh and often bleak reality that goes unnoticed in all those other stories. In that Lukas and his humor play themselves a trick on the reader by subtly redrawing everything you already knew about this chapter and by extension the universe they live in.
In all this was a great read, that'll stay with me for a long time to come.
Lukas the Trickster tels the story of the Jackal-wolf in his battle of wits and cunning against the Dark Eldar Duke Sliscus. But behind that is so much more. Cunningly (as befitting the main character) this novel is full of dark-humor that shines a somewhat different light on the often more lighthearted Space Wolf stories. As even in these places of power with larger-than-life characters there is harsh and often bleak reality that goes unnoticed in all those other stories. In that Lukas and his humor play themselves a trick on the reader by subtly redrawing everything you already knew about this chapter and by extension the universe they live in.
In all this was a great read, that'll stay with me for a long time to come.
April 22, 2021
Is it possible to get Sci Fi on Audible now that isn't Warhammer 40k? I return most of it for being utterly dull. This however caught my attention, the writing style and universe wouldn't be out of place as part of the Culture Series by Iain M. Banks. I was getting tired of it toward the end though...
February 28, 2018
Fantastic book that makes me want more of The Trickster! Plenty of action and quite a few laughs make this a definite must read for any 40k fan. Has me contemplating a possible Space Wolf army in the tabletop game, just so I can field Lukas!
November 9, 2020
When you think you're in for a typical winter break hanging out with the lads, but then you meet a fun-loving fashionista elf boy who steals your heart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2021
Лукас Ловкач и Джош Руинер
Hola Amigos! Как всегда пройдемся по пунктам:
О чем: Лукас Ловкач - самый необычный и хитрый из своих братьев Космоволков (якобы). В разгар Хельвинтера, когда планету Фенрис окутывают мороз и бури, Лукас и отряд Кровавых Когтей оказываются за пределами Клыка, после очередной выходки Ловкача.
В то же время Фенрис становится полигоном для развлечений у конченой эльдарской мрази по имени Трэвельят Слиск, который пользуясь погодными условиями решает устроить охоту на обитателей планеты, под носом у космодесанта.
Как не сложно догадаться, два указанных события в итоге пересекаются между собой. Но лишь к середине книги.
Персонажи: Сам Лукас Ловкач прописан более менее сносно, отряд Кровавых Когтей под его началом состоит из пяти условно обозначенных, но не слишком отличающихся друг от друга Космоволков, которые не раскрываются никак.
Половина внимания в книге уделяется эльдарскому герцогу Слиску и его подручным. Рейндольдс не жалеет строк и страниц на описание ужимок этого мерзавца, очень быстро начиная повторяться. Образ антагониста не меняется никак со времени его первого появления. Все это можно даже счесть любованием, видимо автору по душе представители темных эльдар.
Его подручные прописаны на порядок хуже и интереса не представляют совсем.
Повествование:
Сама книга читается довольно легко, что впрочем портит обилие опечаток и порой странной работы переводчика. (Издательство ФКК, повнимательнее!)
Рейнольдс тоже хорош и допускает ляпы. Персонаж вроде в шлеме, но все видят его улыбку и он чувствует лицом холодный ветер. Или у него выбивают из руки пистолет, но через строчку он его выхватывает. Откуда интересно? Из варпа?
Хотя может и это благодаря переводчику.
Чрезмерных описаний нет.
Боевые сцены вполне неплохие.
Юмор присутствует, порой даже удачный.
Мнение:
Вспомните описанную мной завязку. Жестокий и надменный эльдар приводит кучку самых различных мразей на оставшийся без коммуникации Фенрис и сталкивается с оказавшимся вне Этта небольшим отрядом Космоволков.
Из этого можно было сделать жестокий боевик о героическом противостоянии нескольких комодесантников превосходящим в числе и технике эльдарским корсарам. Можно было нагнать драматизма нелегким выбором между спасением жителей Фенриса и предупреждением Клыка. Можно было ярко противопоставить протагониста и антогониста, показав насколько они похожи хитростью и насколько отличаются моральными установками.
Но в итоге Рейнольдс выдает довольно вялый боевичок, где картонные Космоволки просто пару раз дерутся с эльдарами, перебивая это утомительными подробностями жизни и мышления герцога Слиска, по тридцатому разу описывая как тому скучно жить и как он ухмыляется над одним и тем же.
В повествовании вроде бы начинают просвечивать интересные темы, вроде участи жителей Фенриса, которых Астартес бросают на произвол судьбы, исходя из традиций или противопоставление пресытившихся всем эльдар и находящихся в условиях лишений и выживания людей Фенриса. Но эти темы именно что просвечивают и никакого развития не получают.
В качестве resumiendo: "Лукас Ловкач" - это типичный боевик из прошлого, причем сильно пропитанный запахом категории B. Картонные герои, злодей, который злой только потому что злой и ему все наскучило.
Никакой драмы и моральных дилемм. И даже казалось бы беспроигрышную карту, когда герои должны в конце окончательно и бесповоротно уничтожить так тщательно описываемое в своей мерзости зло. Даже эту карту Рейнольдс умудряется ... не использовать.
Книга настолько незаконченная, будто за ней должны последовать ещё минимум две, где обозначенные линии завершатся, но, как я понял по бэку, никакого развития у данных событий нет.
В общем, если хотите почитать легкий, неплохо написанный фанфик про Лукаса и Эльдар, то знакомьтесь смело. Остальные с той же смелостью могут спокойно проходить мимо.
Оценка 7/10 (неплохо на один раз и не обязательно к прочтению).
Рейтинг "goodreads" - 4.24/5
Моя группа Вконтакте - https://vk.com/ashborndetv
Hola Amigos! Как всегда пройдемся по пунктам:
О чем: Лукас Ловкач - самый необычный и хитрый из своих братьев Космоволков (якобы). В разгар Хельвинтера, когда планету Фенрис окутывают мороз и бури, Лукас и отряд Кровавых Когтей оказываются за пределами Клыка, после очередной выходки Ловкача.
В то же время Фенрис становится полигоном для развлечений у конченой эльдарской мрази по имени Трэвельят Слиск, который пользуясь погодными условиями решает устроить охоту на обитателей планеты, под носом у космодесанта.
Как не сложно догадаться, два указанных события в итоге пересекаются между собой. Но лишь к середине книги.
Персонажи: Сам Лукас Ловкач прописан более менее сносно, отряд Кровавых Когтей под его началом состоит из пяти условно обозначенных, но не слишком отличающихся друг от друга Космоволков, которые не раскрываются никак.
Половина внимания в книге уделяется эльдарскому герцогу Слиску и его подручным. Рейндольдс не жалеет строк и страниц на описание ужимок этого мерзавца, очень быстро начиная повторяться. Образ антагониста не меняется никак со времени его первого появления. Все это можно даже счесть любованием, видимо автору по душе представители темных эльдар.
Его подручные прописаны на порядок хуже и интереса не представляют совсем.
Повествование:
Сама книга читается довольно легко, что впрочем портит обилие опечаток и порой странной работы переводчика. (Издательство ФКК, повнимательнее!)
Рейнольдс тоже хорош и допускает ляпы. Персонаж вроде в шлеме, но все видят его улыбку и он чувствует лицом холодный ветер. Или у него выбивают из руки пистолет, но через строчку он его выхватывает. Откуда интересно? Из варпа?
Хотя может и это благодаря переводчику.
Чрезмерных описаний нет.
Боевые сцены вполне неплохие.
Юмор присутствует, порой даже удачный.
Мнение:
Вспомните описанную мной завязку. Жестокий и надменный эльдар приводит кучку самых различных мразей на оставшийся без коммуникации Фенрис и сталкивается с оказавшимся вне Этта небольшим отрядом Космоволков.
Из этого можно было сделать жестокий боевик о героическом противостоянии нескольких комодесантников превосходящим в числе и технике эльдарским корсарам. Можно было нагнать драматизма нелегким выбором между спасением жителей Фенриса и предупреждением Клыка. Можно было ярко противопоставить протагониста и антогониста, показав насколько они похожи хитростью и насколько отличаются моральными установками.
Но в итоге Рейнольдс выдает довольно вялый боевичок, где картонные Космоволки просто пару раз дерутся с эльдарами, перебивая это утомительными подробностями жизни и мышления герцога Слиска, по тридцатому разу описывая как тому скучно жить и как он ухмыляется над одним и тем же.
В повествовании вроде бы начинают просвечивать интересные темы, вроде участи жителей Фенриса, которых Астартес бросают на произвол судьбы, исходя из традиций или противопоставление пресытившихся всем эльдар и находящихся в условиях лишений и выживания людей Фенриса. Но эти темы именно что просвечивают и никакого развития не получают.
В качестве resumiendo: "Лукас Ловкач" - это типичный боевик из прошлого, причем сильно пропитанный запахом категории B. Картонные герои, злодей, который злой только потому что злой и ему все наскучило.
Никакой драмы и моральных дилемм. И даже казалось бы беспроигрышную карту, когда герои должны в конце окончательно и бесповоротно уничтожить так тщательно описываемое в своей мерзости зло. Даже эту карту Рейнольдс умудряется ... не использовать.
Книга настолько незаконченная, будто за ней должны последовать ещё минимум две, где обозначенные линии завершатся, но, как я понял по бэку, никакого развития у данных событий нет.
В общем, если хотите почитать легкий, неплохо написанный фанфик про Лукаса и Эльдар, то знакомьтесь смело. Остальные с той же смелостью могут спокойно проходить мимо.
Оценка 7/10 (неплохо на один раз и не обязательно к прочтению).
Рейтинг "goodreads" - 4.24/5
Моя группа Вконтакте - https://vk.com/ashborndetv
October 17, 2021
The Space Wolves are one of my favorite Space Marine Chapters and Lukas may be my favorite Space Marine characters. As a fan of Norse Mythology, I love the parallels between him and Loki, both in mannerisms and appearance (Since Original Loki canonically has red hair). In many ways, Lukas is the Anti-Space Marine. While many Space Marines are relatable and human enough to connect with, Lukas feels like he never stopped being human in terms of personality. He's like a person who was modified, but never got the final bits of brainwashing that Space Marines go through. He remembers his past and the people he knew and keeps an eye on those who are his descendants and looks out for them. He also screws around with his brothers simply for the sake of it. Why does he do it? Boredom and to be the Clown that everyone needs. He's the one who calls out the hypocrisies of Space Marines who protect others but let their own people suffer because they believe it builds character. He's also pretty damn smart in that he is able to outthink opponents and devise clever traps for them.
On the villain side, Duke Sliscus is the perfect counter to Lukas. He's arrogant, but can back up that arrogance with intelligence and skill. He's also a good voice to critique the mannerisms of the Dark Eldar for their constant need to plot and scheme and backstab. He has no patience for politicking or schemes and just prefers to live his life the best he can. It's just that life is making others miserable.
I highly recommend this book.
On the villain side, Duke Sliscus is the perfect counter to Lukas. He's arrogant, but can back up that arrogance with intelligence and skill. He's also a good voice to critique the mannerisms of the Dark Eldar for their constant need to plot and scheme and backstab. He has no patience for politicking or schemes and just prefers to live his life the best he can. It's just that life is making others miserable.
I highly recommend this book.
March 20, 2024
5/5 Dark Eldstars (they're still called that in this one)
Definitely one of my favorite 40k books. I've never been super keen on the Space Wolves, but this one brought me around. I also tend not to care for sections from xenos POVs in Astartes-centric novels because they tend to be fairly flat. Lukas and the Drukhari Duke make for good opponents though. I'm not quite sure I'd call them foils but this is 40k so it's close enough
Despite having a lot of action, Lukas the Trickster is mostly devoid of bolter-porn. This brings the characters to the fore and I absolutely love when they aren't just emotionless killing machines. Lukas is your Loki character and his pranks were pretty fun
There's so much positive I could say about this book that it's leading me to procrastinate on writing the review. The narration was great and while I knew already that I like John Banks' narration, this reinforced it. It also reinforced that I enjoy Josh Reynolds' Black Library entries
A great 40k novel
Definitely one of my favorite 40k books. I've never been super keen on the Space Wolves, but this one brought me around. I also tend not to care for sections from xenos POVs in Astartes-centric novels because they tend to be fairly flat. Lukas and the Drukhari Duke make for good opponents though. I'm not quite sure I'd call them foils but this is 40k so it's close enough
Despite having a lot of action, Lukas the Trickster is mostly devoid of bolter-porn. This brings the characters to the fore and I absolutely love when they aren't just emotionless killing machines. Lukas is your Loki character and his pranks were pretty fun
There's so much positive I could say about this book that it's leading me to procrastinate on writing the review. The narration was great and while I knew already that I like John Banks' narration, this reinforced it. It also reinforced that I enjoy Josh Reynolds' Black Library entries
A great 40k novel
August 16, 2025
Great book, probably my favorite out of the Soace Wolves books I read and they are my favorite faction so that says something. I absolutely loved every character, especially Lukas and the main antagonist whose name I will not even try to write. They are both so interesting and similar that I didn’t even feel bad swapping between them, and their supporting cast is also great with Lukas’s bloodclaw pack and the drukhari underlings.
The story itself was also interesting, the human was great as well and the character moments really stuck. It was really interesting to listen to Lukas’s opinion on the Space Wolves and their flaws and how similar they are to some of the stuff Russ said in his book. Lukas is also a very interesting character, with his own flaws that show that he still isn’t perfect.
The story itself was also interesting, the human was great as well and the character moments really stuck. It was really interesting to listen to Lukas’s opinion on the Space Wolves and their flaws and how similar they are to some of the stuff Russ said in his book. Lukas is also a very interesting character, with his own flaws that show that he still isn’t perfect.
December 2, 2022
Really fun. Picked my favourite Space Marine chapter to get back into Black Library and one of the characters who I recognised after about 4-5 years out seemed to be a good call; and Joshua Reynolds is very good at capturing Lukas' charms and quirks that make him different from the rest of the Space Marines. I mean how can you not sell Space Vikings as a premise for your novel and then deliver on it? The back half of the book has some good conflict with the Dark Eldar and I really liked how Reynolds weaved that in too - with a memorable and effective final showdown that works, a welcome removal from the deliberately darker, all-edged hard science fiction nature that some Black Library Books fall into. Reynolds is very aware of the universe that he's operating in.
March 7, 2018
This novel shows a different side of the Vlka Fenryka from their usual ‘destroyers of civilizations’ role. Lukas the trickster and his main opponent, the equally wily Drukhari, Duke Sliscus, show the cunning side of warfare. Lukas is the clown that screams that the Emperor has no clothes and stops the chapter from ossifying. It is also alluded that he is carrying out his own eugenics program among the native mortal Fenrisians. How interesting and canon shaking! Duke Sliscus and his satellites are cleverly, sensuously skewed and contrast the Space Wolves. The action is small scale but very intense toward the last part of the novel.
September 27, 2021
This was only the second Warhammer 40k novel for me and as silly and over the top as this particular universe can be, it was certainly fun. For readers not familiar with 40k lore, this is essentially space vikings VS space pirates.
Lukas was certainly an interesting character as far as Space Marines go. While his fellow Space Wolves are exactly the dumb, superpowered killing machines that can be expected, Lukas is a bit of an odd duck. He doesn't take his brothers' obsession with glory and the building of their saga all that seriously, he plays pranks on the jarls and he dares to make critical comments about his chapter's Primarch and even about the Emperor himself. While he doesn't exactly defy the ruling order, he regularly challenges and questions the satus quo. Unlike his fellow Space Marines for example, he feels a moral obligation to protect the people of Fenris and believes the strong should always protect the weak. And while his brethren prefer to charge into battle head on, Lukas is quite sneaky. His unusual personality doesn't exactly make him popular among his chapter's leaders and so he gets handed from one company to the next for a certain amount of time and becomes their problem.
On the opposite side, we have Duke Sliscus, a decadent Dark Eldar corsair who supposedly possesses immense cunning, but mostly just comes across as vain and pompous. He is also very bored and basically gets tricked into raiding Fenris, the immensely hostile homeworld of the Space Wolves. From there on out it's basically Dark Eldar being Dark Eldar: murdering, torturing and taking slaves in sneaky hit and run attacks and screwing each other over the whole time. Nothing about the raid seems to be well planned, which supposedly is the Dark Eldar's speciality, and so the whole operation soon descends into utter chaos, while Lukas and his band of warriors stage counter attacks without running into all that much opposition until very late in the novel.
As a result, the Dark Eldar never seem like that much of a threat, at least not to the Space Wolves, who mostly don't care about the lifes of the mortal inhabitants of their planet. Honestly, when it comes to the Dark Eldar side of this novel, I probably would have found a full account of Slicus' escape from Commoragh much more interesting than this doomed raid and I found Lady Malys to be a far more engaging character than Slicus himself.
But all in all, this is a well written, enjoyable and often even funny novel that shows a more approachable side of the transhuman, immortal super warriors that are the Space Marines.
Lukas was certainly an interesting character as far as Space Marines go. While his fellow Space Wolves are exactly the dumb, superpowered killing machines that can be expected, Lukas is a bit of an odd duck. He doesn't take his brothers' obsession with glory and the building of their saga all that seriously, he plays pranks on the jarls and he dares to make critical comments about his chapter's Primarch and even about the Emperor himself. While he doesn't exactly defy the ruling order, he regularly challenges and questions the satus quo. Unlike his fellow Space Marines for example, he feels a moral obligation to protect the people of Fenris and believes the strong should always protect the weak. And while his brethren prefer to charge into battle head on, Lukas is quite sneaky. His unusual personality doesn't exactly make him popular among his chapter's leaders and so he gets handed from one company to the next for a certain amount of time and becomes their problem.
On the opposite side, we have Duke Sliscus, a decadent Dark Eldar corsair who supposedly possesses immense cunning, but mostly just comes across as vain and pompous. He is also very bored and basically gets tricked into raiding Fenris, the immensely hostile homeworld of the Space Wolves. From there on out it's basically Dark Eldar being Dark Eldar: murdering, torturing and taking slaves in sneaky hit and run attacks and screwing each other over the whole time. Nothing about the raid seems to be well planned, which supposedly is the Dark Eldar's speciality, and so the whole operation soon descends into utter chaos, while Lukas and his band of warriors stage counter attacks without running into all that much opposition until very late in the novel.
As a result, the Dark Eldar never seem like that much of a threat, at least not to the Space Wolves, who mostly don't care about the lifes of the mortal inhabitants of their planet. Honestly, when it comes to the Dark Eldar side of this novel, I probably would have found a full account of Slicus' escape from Commoragh much more interesting than this doomed raid and I found Lady Malys to be a far more engaging character than Slicus himself.
But all in all, this is a well written, enjoyable and often even funny novel that shows a more approachable side of the transhuman, immortal super warriors that are the Space Marines.
April 30, 2025
This entire book reads like one giant sacrificial ritual—where every character and plot point exists solely to prop up the author’s blatant self-insert. The fact that we’re 40% into the story with nothing but dual-track melodramatic monologues is baffling. While I went in with tempered expectations—knowing not every writer treats shared-universe projects seriously—the sheer hypocrisy of using an author-avatar to trash-talk every other faction still caught me off guard.
March 29, 2021
I enjoyed the plotting and scheming of a plethora of characters in this book. Their insights and considerations and how they use them for their own purposes, like jokes, military strategy, and murder. It is also the first novel I've gone through where several dark eldar characters have a prominent focus, and I appreciate the opportunity to learn a little about what makes them tick.
March 28, 2025
My introduction to the titular character and to the Space Wolves as a proper chapter. As always, Josh Reynolds does a great job. The introduction mentions the theme of the story centers around the jester and this is prevalent throughout. I don't want to give anything away but it's a fantastic deconstruction not just of the Wolves but of the self. Highly recommend.
May 17, 2025
Dieses Buch kann gut zu einem meiner liebsten Warhammer-Titel zählen. Für all, die ein Faible für Trickster und Halunken im Sinne von Loki haben, wird dieses Werk viel zu bieten haben. Lukas basiert ziemlich sicher auf dem nordischen Gott und stellt genau so viel Schabernack an wie dieser.
Im Verlauf der Handlung lernen wir Lukas aber auch von einer anderen Seite kennen, was mich tief berührt hat. Joshua Reynolds zeigt uns einen ambivalenten Helden, der das beste aus dem Macht, was das Leben ihm zugedacht hat.
Das Buch macht Spass, ist aber trotz allem ein düsterer Warhammer 40K-Titel. Es wird also blutig und Schlachten werden ausgetragen.
Im Verlauf der Handlung lernen wir Lukas aber auch von einer anderen Seite kennen, was mich tief berührt hat. Joshua Reynolds zeigt uns einen ambivalenten Helden, der das beste aus dem Macht, was das Leben ihm zugedacht hat.
Das Buch macht Spass, ist aber trotz allem ein düsterer Warhammer 40K-Titel. Es wird also blutig und Schlachten werden ausgetragen.
February 1, 2019
What it says on the tin - Space Wolf adventure, action, blood, guts, xenos to kill and all that. But a fun one since Lukas is a lot less hidebound than the average Wolf and enjoys thumbing his nose at everyone and everything.
February 12, 2020
I am not really into warhammer, but my boyfriend bought this book and I gave it a spin. I love this book. The characters are realistic, the imagery descriptive, and the action is on point. Give it a read.
October 29, 2024
The Trickster was fun. Story follows the Space Wolves and the a Xenos track. Didn’t care about the Cenos storyline at all but the 2 storylines entertwined nicely.
Worth a read (or listen on audible).
Worth a read (or listen on audible).
June 7, 2019
Very entertaining.
Read
September 22, 2019Lukas is a fun character & gives an interesting perspective on following tradition vs trying new things.
September 23, 2019
An absolute joy to read. Lukas had me gripped all the time and even when the perspective changed I still found great enjoyment in this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews