# Helsreach Review|Spoilers*



## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

My very first novel of the Space Marines Battles series. I went in with some expectations about what this would be like. I imagined third person battle reports like an eye in the sky, telling which squads advance and which ones die. I was very gratefully mistaken. _Helsreach_ is legendary, to say the least.

The novel was written beautifully and transitions seamlessly from a 1st person view, in the eyes of Reclusiarch Grimaldus of the Black Templars, to a 3rd person view. I felt that the 1st person view gave a more personal insight into Grimaldus and his character, which was very different then I expected from what I had read about him. I expected a typical Black Templar, filled with zealous hate and burning wrath. But Grimaldus's hate and wrath have been tempered by his desire to live up to Mordred's legacy, and through the course of the novel Grimaldus begins to discover who he truly is, not as the student of Reclusiarch Mordred but as Reclusiarch Grimaldus, the Hero of Helsreach.

The novel begins with Grimaldus being promoted to Reclusiarch, after his mentor Mordred the Avenger, bad-ass name, dies fighting the Great Enemy.

(Note: In the novel the Great Enemy means Orks rather then its traditional meaning of Chaos)

Grimaldus has his doubts about his promotion but accepts it and is chosen to join the Armageddon Crusade. Grimaldus, High Marshall Helbrecht and Bayard the Emperor's Champion of the Armageddon Crusade arrive at Armageddon and in a meeting with Sebastian Yarrick himself are assigned roles. Grimaldus is consigned to defend a small Hive City named Helsreach. Grimaldus is aghast at this ignoble duty, and is sure that he will perish on this planet, and leaves the meeting in protest. He and his squad, consisting of Artarion the Standard Bearer and Grimaldus's good friend, Cador an aging Black Templar past his prime, Priamus an arrogant youth and expert swordsman, Nerovar an Apothecary devoted to protecting his brothers and Bastilan a sergeant who will never rise beyond his rank, travel to Helsreach and begin preparing for, what the novel describes as 'The largest greenskin force to ever threaten the Imperium.'

The novel also introduces many secondary characters like Zahra, the Crone of Invigilata and Princeps of Stormherald, an Imperator Titan, who strikes up a comradeship with Grimaldus as they pledge to fight until the end. Also introduced are Andrej, a Stormtrooper who saves Grimaldus's life in an ambush and joins him for the final battle in the Temple of the Emperor Ascendant. Some other characters include Major Ryken and Adept Tyro, two characters who go from a mutual dislike to a budding relationship, and V'reth a sergeant of the Salamanders who provides a contrast to the fanatical Black Templars.

The novel also shows a bit of a lie by the Imperium. The records that state Grimaldus is the only survivor are in fact false. Major Ryken, Adept Tyro and Trooper Andrej also survive the battle but are written out of the reports so as to make Grimaldus seem more heroic to the people of Helsreach. A bit of a nicer ending to this tale.

High Point: The end of the novel when Grimaldus gives his speech to the people of Helsreach and realizes that his mentor Mordred was in fact wrong in his own final words, 'We are judged in life for the evil we destroy.', which Grimaldus counters in his own epic speech.


Helsreach said:


> 'We are judged in life for the evil we destroy. It is a bleak truth, that there is nothing but blood awaiting us out there in the spaces between the stars. But the Emperor sees all that transpires in His domain. And we are judged equally for the illumination we bring to the blackest nights. We are judged in life for those moments we spill light into the darkest reaches of His Imperium.'


And the last words of the novel when Grimaldus looks out upon the crowd as they chat his new title.


Helsreach said:


> Hero of Helsreach, the crowd cheers.
> As if there is only one.


The final words are are not only amazing but verify a sad truth about war in 40k. That for every battle honour, a thousand heroes die unsung and unremembered.

Low Point: I could not find one. There was nothing in this book that dissatisfied me in anyway.

For its excellent story, memorable and very well-written characters, and a last stand to end all last stands. I give _Helsreach_ a 10/10. And I do hope this is not the last we have seen of the Black Templars, or Reclusiarch Grimaldus who has proven why, out of all the Emperor's chosen, he is my favourite.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

I agree totally with you. I have to say I really liked Andrej. He helped lighten the tone of what could have been a very dour story. I got a proper gut laugh when he was too busy picking his nose to watch the approaching ork fleet. This being the second ADB novel I've read, I'm really liking his ability to inject that bit of humour into a story. Maybe a few more BL writers should take heed.


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