The Iron Kingdom

Dawn of Fire #5

by Nick Kyme

Dawn of Fire Book 5

A depleted Battle Group Praxis returns the slain heir of Kamidar to the Knight world's ruling family – and its embittered ruler, the Iron Queen Orlah.

READ IT BECAUSE
Nick Kyme continues the story of the Indomitus Crusade, as a vicious feud breaks out on the Knight world of Kamidar – and the agents of Abaddon are only too happy to stoke the flames.

THE STORY
A war-weary Battle Group Praxis arrives at the Knight world of Kamidar, ruled by the Iron Queen Orlah, to return the queen's slain daughter and heir, who died in Guilliman's name. In truth, the Imperium's mission here is twofold: to strip Kamidar of its resources in order to resupply the flagging armada, and to prepare the Ironhold Protectorate to become part of the defensive Anaxian Line, a crucial bulwark for the Indomitus Crusade.

Yet Kamidar's Knights have survived for many years without the Imperium's aid, and what should have been a simple reunion between allies soon becomes a vicious feud. As division turns loyal souls against one another, the agents of Abaddon move in the shadows, seeking to manipulate this growing rift to their own ends. Can the Imperium restrain itself from laying an old ally asunder, or will the Hand of Abaddon arise triumphant, halting the Avenging Son's reclamation in its path?

Genres: 40k, Science Fiction, Audiobook

480 pages, Paperback

First published February 25, 2023

About the author

Nick Kyme (b. 1977) writes mostly for Black Library. His credits include the popular Salamanders series and several audio dramas.

Reviews

[Matt TB · Rating 2 out of 5]

I might have been a tad jaded going into this from a friends review… but I found it a bit boring/dry/slow.

Normally I can’t wait to get stuck into some Imperial Knight or Black Templar action, plus the curiosity to see the next stage in the Indomitus Crusade.

It just felt a bit flat, characters feeling like they’re typecast from Hollywood, the odd completely redundant line similar to “somehow Palpatine returned”. Something just didn’t seem to flow with it.

Onwards!

[Andrew Peel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst 40k book I’ve read bar none. It’s an unashamed rip off of the much better Assasinorium Kingmaker and the Malevolent Marines are the worst creation in the 40k universe. They have no logical place in the DoF Series. The plot of the novel is childish beyond belief.

[Kingsley Houston · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull and inconsequential, there are far too many characters but none of them have anything to do half of the time. The book feels stretched to breaking point and could have been much, much shorter. There are 18 chapters of even seeing before the plot really gets going. There's no tension, because you can guess what is going to happen 3 chapters ahead most of the time. Characters have dialogue that just repeats things you already know. In several places I had a feeling of déjà vu as a character "thought" something and then "said" it to another character.

The book tries to tackle some big themes, but doesn't have the subtlety to express them. The scale of action and reaction makes the characters seem like lunatics, as they dramatically over react against their best interests.

I thought that dawn of fire would be able to be a bit more interesting than the Horus heresy with more freedom to make up the story, but they keep using the same dreadful writers, who don't know how to inject any interest or tension.

Probably John French could have written something interesting with this setup, but Nick Kyme should stick to being an editor.

[Diveristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was awful as is per usual for Kyme. I wish he would learn to write people and not contrived plot points wearing a flesh suit.

[Lukas Deicke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow in the begining. However, in the begining of second half all the plot points which were slowly built up, explode in a pretty exciting and worthwhile narrative which also has a satisfying ending. But the start of the novel is rough.

[Lars Panzerbjrn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow.... Mostly just really boring; and unusually, I wanted everyone to die...
Many characters in 40k or dumb, but the ones in the book, we're truly exceptional.

Skip it, unless you're really really bored.

[Jack Neighbour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was another good instalment. Was interesting to read about an imperial civil war. I enjoyed the book but found the start was a little hung out.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cunning from the start, competing priorities that are constatly shifting right from the start, full of daring do, epic plots twists from the beginning and character changes! :D

[AA_Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took me a while to get into (hence the long read time…) but once I was there I tore through it. I always think that there should be more internecine conflict within the Imperium in BL books, and this is a great depiction of that.

[Richard Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. A great, story of dignity, royalty and ultimately loyalty to the imperium.

[Jorge · Rating 2 out of 5]

The worst book of this series. It just set the table for (I hope) more histories, the main characters are all injured none dead, so you know how it goes... almost DNF, because it seems that a lot of things are happening, but not really. Everything is completely predictable., that I just started saying: this will happen, and it did.

[Son of Horus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preface: I purchased this novel on pre-order from GW and was excited to read it. I have read many of Kyme's other works like Damnos, Deathfire, Vulkan Lives, Sepulturm & Knights of Macragge, so I am familiar with his work.

I read the reviews before reading this, which, in retrospect, was a bad idea. Some of the reviews could have had their issues with this book resolved if they were simply paying attention while reading. Although, some problems did arise in the book like the quick succession of killing 3 important characters in one scene - this warranted my 4 star rating.

If you are expecting a "bolter-porn" like novel, which DoF has been criticized for being, then this book is simply not that: it is a political drama between the Imperium and their vassal world of Kamidar. The reader is introduced to several cleverly written characters which support the arguments of Kamidar and the Imperium which made me question were my allegiance would of lied. It is kind of obvious which side will win, but how they win and the ramifications of their victory will have an ever-lasting impact on the Imperium and future novels in the DoF.

I saw a lot of reviews talk about how their are "too many sub-plots" and that the narrative changes too often. If you are familiar at all with the previous DoF novels and the Horus Heresy novels, this type of prose and book structure is very normal - this is a fault of the reader.

Each character and sub-plot played their role very well in the overarching narrative of this book. We received POVs from Space Marines, Departmento Munitorium Adepts, Guardsman, Knight Pilots & an Imperial Navy Admiral.

Tragically, 3 characters from previous DoF novels (one of my favorites as well) were killed off in this book an a unwholesome manner. Now, their deaths were not in vain and certainty progressed events in the book, but killing off previous characters from other books makes me think that Kyme (overall editor of this series) is short sighted in his approach to the future of the DoF novels.

Spoiler: the epilogue is fantastic. We see an appearance from Tenebrus from books 2 & 4, as well as Warmaster Abbadon himself, albeit briefly. We now learn that the Hand of Abbadon is multiple people. What they are trying to due is gather shards of the Athame Kor Phaeron used to slit Guilliman's throat in the events of Know No Fear by Abnett (I think). One of the members is a Death Guard Warrior - a hint to the next book in the series (Death Guard are on the cover).

Overall, it was a mistake coming into this book with pre-conceived notions. It is also one of Kyme's better works, maybe his best one? There are issues ever present in any Sci-Fi book like the potency of a weapon or the durability of a Space Marine - these are all up to an authors' headcanon at the end of the day. I hope this review helps and I will be purchasing the next book in the series.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me quite some time to finish this book, and I can't really hold it against the title, but at the same time, these are usually books I devour at a quick pace. This one intrigued me as soon as it was announced, but from the first time I opened it, there was just something that...didn't catch me. I usually won't set a book down to read something else and in this case I did several times. I'll also tend to jump right into a book after finishing another, and this one wound up being the book I went back to after finishing others and yet I'd read a chapter or two and put it back down.

The story is that the Indomitus Crusade has ventured far out past its normal supply lines, as we are 5+ years from the point of The Gate Of Bones, which this novel is sequel too, focusing on Battlegroup Praxis. The Battlegroup has been tasked with securing a redoubt and supply line, and not a moment too soon, as they are low on just about everything. Kamidar, a Knight world and lead planet of this system, has an abundance of supplies, but they are also weary of the returning Imperium due to seven years spent defending the "Iron Veil" on their own. Adding to the complication is the fact that in addition to coming to take all these supplies, Praxis is also returning the body of Kamidar's leader, who had fallen during the events of The Gate Of Bones.

Now that on it's own is a handful of plot points for a novel like this, but this thing is just overly packed. POV characters and their arcs include (but odds are I'll miss a few): The Departmento Adept in charge of procurement of supplies, the Admiral in charge of Praxis being overly confident and iron handed, a Storm Reaper Space Marine to be the cool one, a Marines Malevolent Space Marine to be an asshole, a Black Templar Space Marine to be dour and chase a separate beef seemingly unrelated to the main plot but related to the greater DoF arc, a Chaos Space Marine for the Black Templars to beef with, the Queen of Kamidar grief stricken and angry, a renegade/rebel Knight to be grief stricken and angry with the Queen, and a Moridian Sharpshooter as a carry over from The Gate Of Bones (and still grief stricken by the events of that book.) Half these pairings would have been more than enough to carry their own books, but since they are all crammed together, it tends to steal the limelight from one another.

Essentially the plot is an attempt to get all these pots boiling about the same time, and while it is somewhat successful in that regard, it is just a bit of a chore getting there as you are treated to plotting and maneuvers that would seem more appropriate for a medieval/fantasy story yet wrapped in the 40K setting. Almost equivalent to a sampler plate of multiple good foods that leaves you wishing you had gotten a real portion of any of them.

[Ridel · Rating 3 out of 5]

What Series am I Reading?

The Iron Kingdom is a great one-shot that’s wholly stereotypical of the 40K universe. Unfortunately, it’s supposed to be the fifth part of the Dawn of Fire series, and everything connected to the Indomitus Crusade is either weak or outright terrible. For the third time in a row, we dive back into a subplot from Gate of Bones in pursuit of continuity. That carcass is thoroughly picked clean, as the author has chosen to continue the story of a corpse.

One of the least interesting subplots from Gate of Bones was the Princess and the Knights of Kamidar. She was the idiot warrior obsessed with honor and lacking all qualities of leadership or practicality. Her death is evident from her first scene, and upon meeting Queen Orlah, we learn that stupidity is hereditary. Equally baffling is the Imperium’s leadership - a pompous Admiral without a hint of diplomacy. Such is life in the grim future, but these things shouldn’t occur under the direction of Guilliman. Yet the clash of egos proceeds predictably, with neither side sympathetic as the Imperium scores an own goal.

I continue to criticize that the Dawn of Fire series has failed to nurture and develop characters into charismatic leads. This novel provides plenty of evidence for my thesis, including the utter waste of returning Mordian regiments and Guilliman’s lieutenant. Unexpectedly, the villains are starting to cohere into an intriguing arc. I wonder if the authors — constrained by the Black Library’s direction to write grimdark and provide us with pyrrhic victories — are accidentally creating a better narrative on the Chaos side as a side effect of killing off too many protagonists.

Regardless, there’s plenty of bloodshed on land and in space. Lesser known Imperial factions get their time in the spotlight, including the Marines Malevolent, and the atmosphere perfectly captures the sense of utter waste that defines WH40K. The grim darkness of the far future is more than just death and destruction, but also callousness and squandered resources. Unfortunately, The Iron Kingdom was meant to portray a resurgent Imperium, and the author failed that brief.

Recommended with reservations.

[Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast paced, keeps you guessing

I've read my share (and several other people's share) of Warhammer 40k lore. I enjoy the genre because it's a diversion and despite the chainsword and bolter core, it's generally hopeful that even in the grim darkness of the far future, there are still heroes. Nick Kyme turns the genre on end in this one though, in a good way.

If Dan Abnett is the master of character development and bringing together a tapestry of human threads in the face of inhuman(e) cosmic horror in 40k, then Nick Kyme is the best at keeping you guessing and moving the tale along with fast, brief exposition and shifting viewpoints. Most 40k novels lean in the plot armor of their heroes, the "good guy", such as it is will always suffer along the way to eventual respite, it not success. In Iron Kingdom, Kyme executes a page turner where it's really not clear what side to be rooting for until the end, and even then leaves questions.

The Dawn of Fire series is adding a lot of depth and value to this in-between period in the 40k timeline, where the Indomitus Crusade rages, prior to the events of Dark Imperium.

[Gordon Ross · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book 5 of the oddly paced Dawn of Fire series starts off strongly with the intriguing setup of the body of a deceased character from earlier in the series (I think - it's been a while since I read these) being returned to a grieving mother who happens to control lots and lots of very big guns.

That promise isn't quite delivered on - the strong action scenes (especially the space-naval conflict), good character work and tragic plotlines not quite making up for an unnecessarily large cast list, unsatisfying insistence that Chaos must be the cause of everything that goes wrong, and a few too many unclear character motivations.

That said, there's enough to like here to make me think it would have worked better as a standalone rather than cramming it into the Dawn of Fire narrative (if such a thing exists).

[Martyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably a four but certainly doesn’t warrant some of the poor scores received. It’s not as action packed as the usual 40K entries out there but it doesn’t lose anything for that. I really enjoyed this book. It shows a different side to the attitudes of those within the Imperium and the struggles of keeping such an empire together. I’ve read “this doesn’t progress the story” but this series has yet to have and end game as such. It’s not the Horus Heresy where we know the ending so there should be a natural progression. This book highlights the struggles of the loyalists between their duty to the Imperium and their own people and the moral conflict this creates (plus the insidious nature of chaos). The best book in the series so far in my opinion.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, solid story for the genre but seemed very small for the series. In other books in the series the stakes were grand/strategic - while here it's just another almost stand-alone tale of tragic misunderstandings and a localized conflict. The book did introduce some new characters on the chaos side that managed to miraculously survive everything to be key players in some saga in the future. I don't mind some of that - but I had hoped we were getting to the point in the series where some characters' arcs could start to resolve. All-in-all a solid book but not one that feels very necessary for the series.

[Will Chase · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never write reviews, but this has been one of the, if not the most, boring, dry and unimpressive 40k books I've ever read.

The plot is entirely predictable and the whole book feels stretched out. The author tends to recover/restate what a character has just said or internally feels, and spells out their internal monologue so plainly, which we already know.

There was a lot of potential here that was entirely wasted, especially with several of the characters which were introduced in earlier books.

Two stars instead of one only because there are some characters I'm fond of, even if their arcs were dull. My lowest review for a 40k book so far.

[RaisinBomber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd pacing throughout the entire book. New characters feel like caricatures of each faction, especially the loyal/traitor astartes seem bland and uninventive to me, while those which had already been introduced in earlier books are being thrown out of the window. It would be better to leave them out entirely rather than forcing them into a story where they don't seem to have any proper space.
The middle part actually seemed quite good but it dropped off again in the later chapters, where the jumping from scene to scene simply doesn't do the series justice imo.

[Nazzadan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really wasn't into this for the first full half, then the second half started to build steam before it reached an exciting last quarter or so. Not one of the more *NECESSARY* Dawn of Fire books but I think the last bit of it makes it worth reading. If you really like Imperial Knights your enjoyment of this is probably going to be at a base level higher than mine was, I just don't think most BL authors do Knight/Titan combat very well. Some of the better Astartes content in the series so far as well, the Marines Malevolent make for a great "protagonist" to root against.

[carlo lanasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t understand the poor reviews - this is a continuation of my other favorite book in the DoF series - Gate of Bones. I highly recommend as it gives you a snapshot into the workings of imperial nobility. Some characters leave some traits to be desired but I enjoyed them overall, while others are typecast and you can see their fate from a mile away. I can remember one part had my jaw dropped as the tension finally broke. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend this read. Great amount of action and the overall story is hard to determine what happens next.

[Paul Fischer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A custodian of the emperor was just gunned down in an internal act of treason and nobody cared at all, they just continue the negotiations. Really wierd for them to even try negotiations after that. I understand they were trying to cover it up but did they really believe nobody would notice that a golden giant with an armor that us often described as worth more than planets just poofed out of existence? Pretty bad read since the major plot point in the center, the Walmart version of red wedding, makes no sense.

[Paul Timoce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is hard to follow. At some point, being completely lost, i had to stop and read a spoiler rich reddit thread. The characters are not interesting enough for me to actually care. The stupidity of the imperials is annoying. The main winner here is the hand of abaddon. It just show how important intelligence services really are in a war. I would have liked to have an imperial inquisitor counter the hand and not allow chaos to have such a huge win here

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read about how the Imperium unnecessarily turns on itself. The build up was very entertaining, the character’s sympathetic, and the plot moved well although the ending felt very rushed. War crimes are described and this lends itself to social commentary about justice and morality. It was refreshing to acknowledge how satirical and sad the 40K setting is meant to be.

[Goran Zoricic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read, but has the same weakness that some other Warhammer 40k books have. The 'magic' system is so undefined that anything can happen. But, then, it happens just once in a specific case and then the baddies seem to forget they can do it again elsewhere.
If you forget that, the book is very interesting and well written.

[Alberto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unas novela realmente interesante, como pocas. Me mantuvo entretenido todo el tiempo y el epílogo me hizo entender algunas cosas importantes de la cruzada. Interesante como ahora que dan algunas fechas en el lore también nos digan que igual a veces hay inconsistencias espacio/tiempo. Así que… todo se vale. Pero esta bien!

[Thomas Fereday · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not great, not terrible. Author writes well enough and his battle scenes are enjoyable as well as is use of multiple elements. Plot was frankly unbelievable and didn’t really make a sense to me in the universe as a whole and had some pieces that went against well established lore and historical references.

[Colm Jennings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving this series

A great read, some new characters introduced and old characters return and chaos manipulating all and sundry as usual! Naval battles, ground war and clandestine interventions. So much happening and all comes together in a strong finale, but leaving open threads for the next book in the series.

[Christian Hamilton]

Started a bit slow, but really not too bad. We get to see a few characters in this novel that translated well from previous books, and we kind of get a bit of a sequel to the events on Gathalomor.

Lots of great action, some fun character development, and excellent dialogue. Another great edition in the Dawn of Fire series.