# Ahriman:Exile



## Brother Subtle

Is anyone else super excited about this? How long have we wanted a Thousand Son trilogy in 40k? Other than the blurb:

"All is dust...Spurned by his former brothers and his father Magnus the Red, Ahriman is a wanderer, a sorcerer of Tzeentch whose actions condemned an entire Legion to an eternity of damnation. Once a vaunted servant of the Thousand Sons, he is now an outcast, a renegade who resides in the Eye of Terror. Ever scheming, he plots his return to power and the destruction of his enemies, an architect of fate and master of the warp."

Does anyone know much more about it? It's going under the radar a bit. I hope John French does a good job, lots of TS fanboys out there!!!

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Ahriman-Exile-John-French/9781849704267


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## Vitarus

I don't know anything else about it, but I'm very excited!


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## Alhom

Are you sure it'll be a trilogy?
I'm very excited too, dude, but I wonder if the plot is good...


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## Lord of the Night

Old news to some of us, me included. I asked John French about it and he declined to comment.

But someone came up with an idea that is not completely insane sounding, actually very plausible. This might not be the start of an Ahriman series, but rather a Chaos Quartology. Think about it. _Ahriman: Exile. Kharn: Betrayer. Typhus: Traveller. Lucius: Eternal_. It's actually an amazing idea if this possibility turns out to be true, a series depicting the most famous moments of each of the Four Champions's lives. Ahriman being exiled from Prospero. Kharn betraying his Legion at Skalathrax. Lucius becoming the eternal in his battle with Lord Commander Cyrus, and Typhus unleashing the Zombie Plague in the 13th Black Crusade.

Dunno which one to be hoping for. An Ahriman series, or a Champion series. Either is just sheer awesomeness and will shoot up to one of my most anticipated releases.


LotN


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## Brother Subtle

Both options sound fine by me. TS trilogy or Chaos Champion quadrilogy.


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## Alhom

Wow a Champion Chaos Quadralogy? I'll love to see Typhus *o* in a novel!
But hat makes you think that? Especialy if John didn't answer you?


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## Brother Subtle

Yeah, where did this quadrilogy originate? Is it built on facts or just hopes and dreams?


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## Xisor

A LotN describes the genesis: it's entirely hopes and dreams. But nevertheless still plausible & interesting.

I'm inclined to expect/hope-for an Ahriman series, but by the same token I'd be very happy indeed with a 'series' that touches base with each of the representatives.

As for the book itself - from everything I've read from John French, I'm mighty excited about this. In my head, I imagine him and Rob Sanders to be basically competing with one another to one-up each other in their stories. They're similar yet different, very nice having both of them on hand and writing at the same time.


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## Mossy Toes

I imagine that such a hypothetical "Chaos Champions" series would work better as a single book: an anthology similar to Treacheries of the Space Marines but entirely focused on the special characters of Chaos (perhaps not even limited to the 4 champions! Huron in the Palace of Thorns; an Abaddon short by AD-B as he renames the shattered Sons of Horus as the Black Legion; perhaps stories from Fabius and/or Cypher).

Certain famous events of these characters have already been depicted, though:


Lucius's death at the hands of Lord Cyrius in _Angel Exterminatus_. The glimpse of Ahriman casting the Rubric in _A Thousand Sons_.

I also imagine that James Swallow's next Death Guard novel will cover Typhon marooning his fleet in the warp, prey to the Destroyer Hive.

A short story for each of these characters that touches on their famous events would be welcome, but I would want the stories to cast new light on the event, or have some unique angle that they cover. I don't want a lazy rehashing of what we've already seen or will see in the Heresy books to come.

I for one welcome more Ahriman fiction! Which reminds me, I still very much have to get my hands on a copy of _Atlas Infernal_ (yes Xisor I know it's fantastic and I trust your judgment of 40k novels implicitly* you don't have to blare at me to buy it)

*though I still want to take a look at Brothers of the Snake to come to my own conclusions. It sounds like something in the area of my interests, but also my reading taste has pretty closely copied yours, so...


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## gothik

i am salivating at the thought of it possibly being out there one day......


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## March of Time

At the Black library weekender they said that the Ebook for Ahriman:Exile would be released on Christmas Day


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## Lord of Ruin

Just gone through my notes from BL weekender, this is def a trilogy featuring the journey/exploits of Ahriman.


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## Brother Subtle

Lord of Ruin said:


> Just gone through my notes from BL weekender, this is def a trilogy featuring the journey/exploits of Ahriman.


WOOHOO! TS trilogy!


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## Alhom

Is it going to be a hardback? Or a format like the HH?


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## Brother Subtle

Alhom said:


> Is it going to be a hardback? Or a format like the HH?


I would be very surprised if it was anything but paperback and ebook.


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## forkmaster

It will be a Ahriman trilogy written an á la Dan Abnett Inquisitor-style, perhaps first person since John French seems to prefer that writing type.


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## Brother Subtle

Ok so what this?

http://www.blacklibrary.com/warhammer-40000/ahriman-exile-ebook.html

What's an ePremiere? Is it the full book? I've got it down for paperback release well into next year?


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## Words_of_Truth

It means you can download the ebook of it now, so you can read it on a kindle etc. I'm not sure if I should get it, I've never been that interested in the Thousand Sons and Ahirman, but I don't like playing catch up if the series is good.


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## Brother Lucian

I just finished Ahriman: Exile. A quite good and interesting read, building upon his character and developing his plot from A thousand sons and the recent e-short Dust.

It is a complete story by itself, doesnt seem to be a series, yet. Ends on rather satisfied note as the conclusion plays out, with no obvious cliffhangers as one could fear.


Edit: Its the full novel. Last year, Black Library released Legion of the Damned early as an xmas present, and it was also the full book in ebook format.

Edit 2: Ah, it was just confirmed it indeed is a trillogy with Ahriman. Look to your inboxes for the Black Library advert about the book.


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## Angel of Blood

Mossy Toes said:


> Certain famous events of these characters have already been depicted, though:
> 
> 
> Lucius's death at the hands of Lord Cyrius in _Angel Exterminatus_. The glimpse of Ahriman casting the Rubric in _A Thousand Sons_.




Not really. Lucius was killed by Sharrowkyn and then brought back still in his own body, assumedly by Slaanesh. Nor was his death a moment of transcendent pleasure or however it's described when Cyrius kills him. And again he's alive again in his own body, not resurrected through the one who killed him. It's merely the first sign of Slaanesh intervening to save Lucius, as we know he/she has more plans for Lucius. Heavily referenced towards though of course, especially as Sharrowkyn specifically states he takes no pleasure in the act as Lucius means nothing to him, just another traitor, where as for Lucius to resurrect in his 40k state, his slayer must take pleasure, even if just a tiny amount to resurrect through him/her.


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## Lord of the Night

Brother Lucian said:


> I just finished Ahriman: Exile.


How the hell have you managed that in such a short time?? How many pages does it have??

And damn your eyes, all of you! I don't get Ebooks so I won't get to read a freaking Ahriman novel until JULY!! Once again, damn your eyes.


LotN


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## Brother Lucian

Lord of the Night said:


> How the hell have you managed that in such a short time?? How many pages does it have??
> 
> And damn your eyes, all of you! I don't get Ebooks so I won't get to read a freaking Ahriman novel until JULY!! Once again, damn your eyes.
> 
> 
> LotN



The ebook was available about 5 hours ago, even if the email came out about an hour ago. Yesterday I saw the notice of a special comming today, so I started looking for it and got it as soon as it went up. 

And I am an experienced speedreader. Learned to read before I could spell.

Edit: 475 pages. A quite meaty read.

Edit 2: Lord of the Night, a teaser just for you. - In the novel, great importance is placed upon eyes, lots of them! *grin*


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## Lord of the Night

Brother Lucian said:


> The ebook was available about 5 hours ago, even if the email came out about an hour ago. Yesterday I saw the notice of a special comming today, so I started looking for it and got it as it went up.
> 
> And I am an experienced speedreader. Learned to read before I could spell.
> 
> Edit: 475 pages. A quite meaty read.
> 
> Edit 2: Lord of the Night, teaser just for you. - In the novel, great importance is placed upon eyes, lots of them! *grin*


Oh an ebook in five hours. Yeah I can see that. I thought it came out when all the announcements do, around 6pm or so which means you'd have only had an hour or so to read it.

Good to know. I look forward to receiving the dead tree version.

Eyes?? Interesting, and damn teasing!! Damn your eyes Black Library, making those of us who refuse to read ebooks wait 6 months for a CSM novel. Damn them!


Edit: I simply must rant about this.

Ehem....

WWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYY!!!!!

WHYCOULDN'TITHAVEBEENAGUARDNOVELORSOMERANDOMSPACEMARINENOVELTHATTHEYRELEASEEARLYWHYTHEHELLDIDITHAVETOBEAHRIMAN:EXILE?????? GRAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!

...

Rant over. For now.


LotN


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## Brother Lucian

BL ebooks are always available a lot earlier in the day. You can usually expect them at 1am GMT+1 on a release day. Sometimes stayed up late when expecting a new horus heresy novel and not gotten to sleep before about 7am like with Angel Exterminatus, just had to finish it.


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## Lord of the Night

Finished _Ahriman: Exile_ in under 24 hours. A damn fine read and I absolutely love John French's descriptive narrative and his ability to create immersive settings. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, which will hopefully not be released as an ebook and I can read it properly with a paperback copy in my hands.


LotN


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## Brother Lucian

Lord of the Night said:


> Finished _Ahriman: Exile_ in under 24 hours. A damn fine read and I absolutely love John French's descriptive narrative and his ability to create immersive settings. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, which will hopefully not be released as an ebook and I can read it properly with a paperback copy in my hands.
> 
> 
> LotN


Black Library always release ebooks 2 weeks before paperback release. Though the xmas releases are an exception.


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## Lord of the Night

Brother Lucian said:


> Black Library always release ebooks 2 weeks before paperback release. Though the xmas releases are an exception.


Yeah but I get Advanced Reader Copies so I get the paperbacks/hardbacks/etc weeks before most. So that I can read and review them before others do.


LotN


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## Brother Lucian

Lord of the Night said:


> Yeah but I get Advanced Reader Copies so I get the paperbacks/hardbacks/etc weeks before most. So that I can read and review them before others do.
> 
> 
> LotN



Ah, I see. So thats why you were throwing a tantrum at Ahriman, because its outside the standard release schedule. Ebook long before paperback.


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## Lord of the Night

Brother Lucian said:


> Ah, I see. So thats why you were throwing a tantrum at Ahriman, because its outside the standard release schedule. Ebook long before paperback.


Yep.

And it wasn't a tantrum. It was a half-serious half-jest rant. Any other book I wouldn't really care, I didn't when _Legion of the Damned_ was released in the same way, but i'm a huge CSM fan so I can't accept that the novel was out there and I wasn't reading it.

Any non-CSM or non-Skaven book I would just wait until the paperback. But for Ahriman I simply had to read the ebook.


LotN


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## Brother Lucian

Lord of the Night said:


> Yep.
> 
> And it wasn't a tantrum. It was a half-serious half-jest rant. Any other book I wouldn't really care, I didn't when _Legion of the Damned_ was released in the same way, but i'm a huge CSM fan so I can't accept that the novel was out there and I wasn't reading it.
> 
> Any non-CSM or non-Skaven book I would just wait until the paperback. But for Ahriman I simply had to read the ebook.
> 
> 
> LotN


I do agree on that chaos/disorder side books are often much more interesting to read, than those set on the goody two shoes side. Like Wulfrik, Storm of Iron, the Word Bearers and Soul Hunter trillogies to name some of the better ones.


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## Malus Darkblade

Rants about the book so far.




1) Ahriman is/was the most potent psyker in all of the Thousand Sons and in this story, he's sweating bullets after picking a few people up and brushing minds with a nameless lesser daemon. Maybe this all gets explained later (so far, all we've been told is that he's just rusty).

2) I'm not a fan of the whole 'lets debate about leadership and our purpose in life while trying to cut each other with knives' routine. We've seen it once already in Legion of the Damned and it was dumb then and it still seems dumb now.

I'm not that far into the book but it's hard for me to believe it's written by the same guy who wrote the amazing *We are One* (featuring the Alpha Legion) and *the Crimson Fist* (best description of Peturabo yet in my opinion) in the. 

More later..


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## Khorne's Fist

Downloaded this today along with _Betrayer _and _Angel Exterminatus_. It's gonna be a coin toss to see which I read first.


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## Lord of the Night

Malus Darkblade said:


> 2) I'm not a fan of the whole 'lets debate about leadership and our purpose in life while trying to cut each other with knives' routine. We've seen it once already in Legion of the Damned and it was dumb then and it still seems dumb now.


Yeah because we 21st century people do the same thing. Of course it's stupid to us, the idea that you can have an argument by hacking at each other with blades is not something we do anymore. A lot of things in 40k are foolish to us because of our 21st century upbringing and ideals, but that doesn't make the book bad. You can't blame the writer because we find an aspect of 40k's culture to be brutal and foolish, that is the whole idea behind Imperial culture. To us it is pointlessly cruel, and often very foolish and superstitious.


LotN


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## Malus Darkblade

Lord of the Night said:


> Yeah because we 21st century people do the same thing. Of course it's stupid to us, the idea that you can have an argument by hacking at each other with blades is not something we do anymore. A lot of things in 40k are foolish to us because of our 21st century upbringing and ideals, but that doesn't make the book bad. You can't blame the writer because we find an aspect of 40k's culture to be brutal and foolish, that is the whole idea behind Imperial culture. To us it is pointlessly cruel, and often very foolish and superstitious.
> 
> 
> LotN


Think you should include my spoiler tag to avoid ruining it for others 



This is not a matter of foolishness, it's just cringe worthy. Never in a thousand years would Abnett or ADB portray Astartes debating the finer points in life while dueling with swords. 

A quick jibe or two *maybe*.

It being silly has nothing to do with our 21st century upbringing. Appeasing the 'machine spirit' of your Bolter is however but I'm sure even in ancient times, engaging in dialogue during a sword fight wouldn't even be considered.

It wasn't even particularly brutal. Most if not all 40k fiction nowadays has lost the grimdark feeling you read about in the codexes. 

Also, I never said the book was bad. I'm not even close to finishing it. 

Surprised you didn't bring up my other point about Ahriman being a weakling compared to how he's normally depicted (again, maybe this is explained later on in detail other than him just being rusty)


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## Lord of the Night

Malus Darkblade said:


> Think you should include my spoiler tag to avoid ruining it for others


How is it a spoiler? It's not a plot point or even anything of real importance. It's a one-off scene in a book that relates to it's events in only the most minor way.



Malus Darkblade said:


> This is not a matter of foolishness, it's just cringe worthy. Never in a thousand years would Abnett or ADB portray Astartes debating the finer points in life while dueling with swords.
> 
> A quick jibe or two *maybe*.
> 
> It being silly has nothing to do with our 21st century upbringing. Appeasing the 'machine spirit' of your Bolter is however but I'm sure even in ancient times, engaging in dialogue during a sword fight wouldn't even be considered.
> 
> It wasn't even particularly brutal. Most if not all 40k fiction nowadays has lost the grimdark feeling you read about in the codexes.
> 
> Also, I never said the book was bad. I'm not even close to finishing it.
> 
> Surprised you didn't bring up my other point about Ahriman being a weakling compared to how he's normally depicted (again, maybe this is explained later on in detail other than him just being rusty)





Why not?? You say that like it's something that doesn't happen a lot. Space Marines are monastic warrior knights with rigid codes of honour and who believe in action over words. Of course many of them will settle things with duels and weapons. They aren't Inquisitors to settle everything through talking and promises and threats. They are warriors who usually respond with violence, the thing that they know best.

I don't see any reason that Abnett or ADB wouldn't depict Space Marines settling things with an honour-duel, it's something that is a natural part of their existance as warriors. You say it like they shouldn't be doing these things, like they should all be completely rational and solve their problems by talking to each other like peaceful people. Well they most definitely are not peaceful, and in a way they aren't even people. Their living weapons with a smaller range of emotions than humans, and weapons are going to solve issues like weapons, with violence.

Besides since they are Imperials then it's completely believable for them to think that the Emperor will lend strength to the righteous, he will support the one who is right. That's clearly what they think will happen.

The grimdark is there, you just need to look for it and perhaps think about it a bit more, which I prefer. Overloading on grimdark is just depressing, but when you think about the wider ramifications of what occurs or why something is sad rather than just that it is sad, it becomes much more interesting.

Ahriman is definitely not a weakling in the book. He is just denying his full strength due to personal reasons, he does not want to use the kind of power he is capable of wielding so he settles for using adequate levels of power rather than the unholy excellent levels he can normally wield. Plus this is 10,000 years before we see him in _Atlas Infernal_ so he won't be as strong as he was by then.




LotN


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## Dean2112

I've got the E-Book, so will post back once read.


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## forkmaster

Malus Darkblade said:


> Rants about the book so far.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 1) Ahriman is/was the most potent psyker in all of the Thousand Sons and in this story, he's sweating bullets after picking a few people up and brushing minds with a nameless lesser daemon. Maybe this all gets explained later (so far, all we've been told is that he's just rusty).
> 
> 2) I'm not a fan of the whole 'lets debate about leadership and our purpose in life while trying to cut each other with knives' routine. We've seen it once already in Legion of the Damned and it was dumb then and it still seems dumb now.
> 
> I'm not that far into the book but it's hard for me to believe it's written by the same guy who wrote the amazing *We are One* (featuring the Alpha Legion) and *the Crimson Fist* (best description of Peturabo yet in my opinion) in the.
> 
> More later..


Where can _We are One_ be found?


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## Malus Darkblade

forkmaster said:


> Where can _We are One_ be found?


It's a short story in _Treacheries of the Space Marines _


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## Good Minton

Anyone got any ideas as to when the next book in the series is making an appearance? just re-reading exile and am looking forward to the next installment!


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## Alhom

Awesome book. I love John French, he grows in my heart book by book!
But I've a question, when does the story takes place?
It's not 31k and not totaly 41k because Rubrics have red paint.

So what de you think about it? It's an interlude between the banishment of ahriman and the blue/gold Rubrics of 41k?


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## Brother Lucian

Its not stated explicitly in the book. But I would hazard a guess sometime in M32 The inquisition is present and the legion is struggling to deal with the results of the Rubric of Ahriman. So likely pre Battle of the Fang, as Id hazard a guess that at the end of Exile, it is where Ahriman finds his confidence and strikes out on his own with a coven of all the best sorcerers from the planet of the sorcerers. Magnus might have been absent from the events in the book, cause he is meditating over what to do with the Space Wolves and jolted out of his reverrie when he finds Ahriman have absconded with all of his best sorcerers, leaving him just with the B-Team.


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## Alhom

Ok thanks dude, thus for you, Battle of The Fang and Ahriman: Exile take place at the same timeline (more or less)?
Because the color of the Rubrics is well red and not blue, isn't it?


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## Brother Lucian

Alhom said:


> Ok thanks dude, thus for you, Battle of The Fang and Ahriman: Exile take place at the same timeline (more or less)?
> Because the color of the Rubrics is well red and not blue, isn't it?


that would be my guess. But the next Ahriman book should cast more light on things and confirm or reject my thought.


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## Alhom

Okay, thx a lot dude.
I look forward the next one


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## Dead.Blue.Clown

Alhom said:


> Awesome book. I love John French, he grows in my heart book by book!
> But I've a question, when does the story takes place?
> It's not 31k and not totaly 41k because Rubrics have red paint.
> 
> So what de you think about it? It's an interlude between the banishment of ahriman and the blue/gold Rubrics of 41k?


Coincidentally, me and John were chewing this over only yesterday, in a long-ass Facebook chat about blueness and redness.


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## Alhom

Dead.Blue.Clown said:


> Coincidentally, me and John were chewing this over only yesterday, in a long-ass Facebook chat about blueness and redness.


Yes, I saw that ah ah I can't wait to see Ahriman in the Black Library, againts the Harlequins's Eldars, if he can handle them. I think it'll be a stunning trilogy.


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## Captain_Daerys_Arrun

Just finished it and although I liked the book, I found the end to be anticlimactic. Everyone knew Amon wasn't gonna win but shouldn't he have put up a better fight?


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## revilo44

I have always like Ahriman so may I get pick it. Are they going be other books?


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## Anakwanar

Is this Amon from Nikea (the real one - not from Prospero Burn)? Or is ti simply another powerful Amon - so many do they have now :laugh:


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## Angel of Blood

It is the Amon, (former) equerry to Magnus.


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## Doelago

Hmm... Read the book and it was quite good. One of the few "Chaos" Space Marine novels/stories I have enjoyed.


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## forkmaster

Please don't tell me they killed off Amon! :O


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## Doelago

forkmaster... 



Might want to use the [ spoiler] [ /spoiler] tags for that one..


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## theurge33

Just read this book...do we know who the Raven was that was speaking to Ahriman?


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## forkmaster

theurge33 said:


> Just read this book...do we know who the Raven was that was speaking to Ahriman?


Not entirely certain but it could be Magnus, Tzeentch, a daemon or Amon! It could be a reference to TS 1st Company or the Corvidae!


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## theurge33

Ahh , I just wanted to make sure I wasn't supposed to know. I think it was indicated it was not Magnus, but I guess we will have to find out in future books.


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## forkmaster

theurge33 said:


> Ahh , I just wanted to make sure I wasn't supposed to know. I think it was indicated it was not Magnus, but I guess we will have to find out in future books.


My biggest guess would be that its Amon or Tzeentch then.


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## Vitarus

Very much enjoying my second reading of this book.


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## Straken's_Fist

I like the theory that it's something to do with the Blood Ravens...Bollocks though lol


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## Vitarus

Heh. Yeah, I'd enjoy that seeing the Blood Ravens, with their emphasis on Librarians, done by French. His uses of psyker powers in this book was the best I've seen so far.


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## Vitarus

I really enjoyed this book the first time. I absolutely loved it this time. Incredible uses of psyker powers. Far and away the best I've read so far. The variety and inventiveness are amazing. And not remotely just flames, telekinesis, and all that flashy, forceful stuff. I'm talking about very subtle things, and even just his perceptions of particular ideas and moments. 

Ahriman's power is as staggering as it should be. I'm not positive he sleeps in the entire book. Probably. Heh. Yet he has to go from one insanely dangerous situation to another, maintaining his calm and focus, planning impossibly intricate things out to the tiniest detail, and finding immense reserves of power.

The story is great, with some very interesting characters. 

Eisenhorn and Ravenor have been my favorite BL books since I read them, which was in the very beginning of my BL introduction. (Right after the Blood Angels Omnibus.) Ahriman: Exile is most definitely tied with them for the top spot.


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## MontytheMighty

Vitarus said:


> I really enjoyed this book the first time. I absolutely loved it this time. Incredible uses of psyker powers. Far and away the best I've read so far. The variety and inventiveness are amazing. And not remotely just flames, telekinesis, and all that flashy, forceful stuff. I'm talking about very subtle things, and even just his perceptions of particular ideas and moments.
> 
> Ahriman's power is as staggering as it should be.


I haven't read this book but I have read some complaints that Ahriman isn't powerful enough in the book.


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## Vitarus

I can't imagine how anyone could think that.


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## Khorne's Fist

MontytheMighty said:


> I haven't read this book but I have read some complaints that Ahriman isn't powerful enough in the book.


This is a deliberate plot device.



Ahriman has been on the run for a couple of millenia after the heresy, posing as just another renegade marine. He has deliberately suppressed his powers in a fit of angst, guilt and sorrow for what he did to his legion with the Rubric. But don't worry, he comes good in the end when a face from the past finally hunts him down.


This is one of the best 40k novels of the last 5 years by a long way.


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## Vitarus

Just read Ahriman: The Dead Oracle. A short story, it continues where Exile left off. French is fantastic. I love the way he handles the warp, demons, and all things power.


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## Anakwanar

Ahriman: The Dead Oracle - very good


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## Malus Darkblade

MontytheMighty said:


> I haven't read this book but I have read some complaints that Ahriman isn't powerful enough in the book.


I was not a fan of the novel. I didn't complete it or get towards the end where Ahriman supposedly decides to not handicap his power levels anymore but the book didn't sit well with me (especially seeing a Chaos Marine turning into Gollum and having the capacity to feel fear). I'll need to revisit it.


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## Brother Lucian

My take is that Ahriman got his confidence back and that boosted his power and ability to channel the warp. It is after all a highly willpower driven act. He had after all been on the run in selfimposed exile, but deciding to make a stand instead of going out with a whimper.


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## Mossy Toes

Malus Darkblade said:


> (especially seeing a Chaos Marine turning into Gollum and having the capacity to feel fear)


That never particularly bothered me, to be honest. CSMs don't have the _And They Shall Know No Fear_ USR on the tabletop for good reason: they are the Space Marines that felt fear, whose conditioning was imperfect; they were the flawed and the broken, the ones who could be tempted into damnation; they were the selfish and the greedy, who discarded discipline and duty for self-absorption and base survival. If the mind of one of these failures cracks and he's reduced to a gibbering wreck, well...

(there are some spoilery extenuating circumstances that justify some of the things that go on in this regard, too, but those aren't revealed until practically the epilogue, so I won't go into those)


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