Tag Archives: White Scars

Book Review – Blood of Hercules

February 20, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Villains of Lore #1 by Jasmine Mas

A sarcastically funny, dark fantasy romance reimagining of Hercules from Amazon bestselling author Jasmine Mas.

From the book:

I’m struggling to survive in a Titan infested world where Spartans, immortals from twelve royal families who have god-like powers and obscene wealth, rule over all. A shy-stammering foster child with nothing, I keep my head down, cover my scars, and focus on excelling in school. At least, I try to. Then it happens.

My blood test reveals I’m part of the powerful elite. I’m one of them. A Spartan.

Forced to attend the Spartan War Academy, I undergo the most harrowing test of all time to see if I have what it takes to be an immortal. There’s just a few problems. Achilles and Patro are my scary mentors. Kharon, the ferryman of death, and Augustus, the son of war, are my terrifying professors. Also, I’m pretty sure either someone’s stalking me everywhere I go, or my sanity’s slipping––I have a bad feeling both are true.

I get given books at Christmas, but sometimes they sit on the shelf and get to my read pile, so last year I decided that I would read the ones bought for me. This is the first of those, and it would not be my normal go-to style – but it has Hercules, Spartans and a panolpy of demi-humans and Gods… so that’ll just fit straight into my interests – I hope!

I will admit to a minor level of trepidation with the title as greek heroes are more typically referred to by their Greek names, (and not Roman / Latin names)… so maybe Blood of Heracles, would be better… but a minor quibble so on to the book – and this is my first one with a content warning, but that’s the modern thing I assume.

Unfortunately, my initial (possible) optimism started to take a downward turn – the premise is solid – in a world where the Spartans conquered Greece and then settled in Rome (weird, but okay), the Titans have just returned and want to destroy all humanity.

Fortunately the Spartans have revealed themselves and they can teleport and fight Titans – but the Spartans are a dwindling race and their blood is running low. But they have a very greek solution, there are children around the world that have Spartan blood for ‘reasons’… they may be Zeus like reasons and sleeping with mortals. all children are tested, and those with Spartan Blood are sent to the Colliseum (… err…) to fight to the death so only 10 are left — not a great way to replace your dwindling population.

Our author (Alexis, written in the first person) is one of the ten and so joins her fellow survivors in a school/classroom where they learn about Spartan society and knowledge – although not really – and go on runs if they fail a test. Except they all have to do the run and some are killed on it.

If you’re confused, then so was I and I had the author’s words in front of me. There’s no logic to the process the new Spartans have to go through, there’s no Greek mythology other than the character’s names, and there’s no logic to how 2,000 years of Spartan society have resulted in the same society we have now – except for the destruction caused by Titans.

And then there’s the straw… the main character refers to one of her tutors as being ‘like Satan’… really??? Where did Christianity come from?

So a well deserved 1 star review – but not a ‘so bad it’s good’ type book. Save yourself then 400 pages, and leave this one on the shop’s bookshelf.

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— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Mortarion, The Pale King

February 13, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Horus Heresy Primarchs #15 by David Annandale

The 15th Primarch novel (novella) takes us to the Death Guard and their Primarch – Mortarion.

From the book:

Once, the Galaspar System suffered under the cruel regime of the Order. Billions of people toiled endlessly to enrich their masters, enduring short lives of poverty, squalor and fear. But Galaspar’s sins did not go unnoticed by the Imperium, and so Death itself sentenced the Order to annihilation.

Mortarion, newly uplifted to commander of the Death Guard, descended upon the world, and with him came a slaughter of untold proportions. The sheer brutality of Mortarion’s campaign left the Imperium appalled. Seeking to understand its horrors, two noble primarchs have come to Galaspar, summoning their brother to account for his actions. But the Pale King brooks no challenge to his methods, for when the scythe falls, it reaps a gruesome toll.

Part of the Primarchs (Horus Heresy) series sees Mortarion justify his methods in the compliance of Galaspar. Starting with Horus & Sanguinius who have come to underestand why Mortarion took such brutal measures and why so much of the population lies dead… being counted by those left.

Mortarion doesn’t justify his actions, but he does explain them; how a precision strike through the planets defences and assaulting a hive with a spaceship was the only way to cut the head off the Order.

Unlike some of the Primarch books this was primarily about Mortarion, and his role in the fighting for compliance – and it is better for it. The reader gets a real sense of how Mortarion think, plans, and acts in the face of a world run by the few, at the cost of the many.

I also loved the descriptions of the organisation of the hive, and fighting within it… this book would not be out of place in the Necromunda hives… albeit without the Noble Houses being defeated by Mortarion and the Death Guard. Who knew that 10,000 years after these events and Imperium would be replicating the very worlds that Mortarion fought to destroy.

A great addition to the series.

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Vulkan, Lord of Drakes

February 6, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Horus Heresy Primarchs #9 by David Annandale

The 9th Primarch novel (novella) takes us to the XVIIIth legion and the uniting of their warriors of Terra with those of Nocturne… with Vulkan they will become the Salamanders.

From the book:

As the Emperor marshals his armies to reclaim the galaxy for the glory of mankind, one by one his Space Marine Legions are reunited with their missing primarchs. The XVIII Legion are still waiting to find their true identity, unaware their own lord has been found. In the Taras Division, legionaries face annihilation as they take a last, desperate stand against a monstrous ork invasion. Meanwhile, on Nocturne, Vulkan has raised and trained a new force of warriors. Now it is the time for him to lead his sons into battle. Now it is the time for him to truly don the mantle of primarch, not only to save one half of his Legion, but forge a new, indivisible whole.

Part of the Primarchs (Horus Heresy) series sees the Primarch of the XVIII legion – the Salamanders – set forth from Nocturne to save his Terran warriors from the Orks. They have positioned themselves in the way of an attack moon, and there is no where to retreat to and so they stand to defend the last of the population of the Taras Division.

Annandale gives the Lord of Drakes some air-time in this quick paced novella, but most of it centres around the activity of the Terran soldiers of the Salamanders as they wait for the arrival of reinforcements that they know won’t come. The Orks are seemingly unstoppable and the Space Marines get ever more desperate – including re-routing a volcano — multiple times! (It wouldn’t be a birth of Salamander without diverting a volcano).

Vulkan does get a few scenes, but mostly fighting inside a Ork Moon, killing Warbosses and normal Orks with abandon – but unfortunately no peril – and so despite being purportedly about Vulkan this book – as with a few of the Primarchs series – is more about his legion than him. It’s disappointing, but not surprising – the series is becoming a bit pot-luck as to whether it is a story about the Primarch, or his legion.

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Scars

January 30, 2025 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Horus Heresy #28 by Chris Wraight

Book 28 of the Horus Heresy joins the White Scars and Jaghatai Khan in their fights against aliens and heretics.

From the book:

Fresh from their conquest of Chondax and the discovery of Horus’s rebellion, Jaghatai Khan’s warriors stand divided. Long considered one of the less trustworthy Legions, many of the White Scars claim to owe their loyalty exclusively to Terra, and others still to the Warmaster and his warrior lodges. But when a distress call from Leman Russ of the Space Wolves brings the wrath of the Alpha Legion to Chondax, the Khan’s hand is forced and the decision must be made – in the great war for the Imperium, will he side with the Emperor or Horus?

Chris Wraight is the go-to author for writing about the White Scars and so this story was going to be told by no-one else. Sent to the far corners of the galaxy to expand the domain of the Emperor the White Scars are an enigma even amongst their fellow Space Marines. Their tactics stretch supply lines and out distance their support and allies… and their ships are designed to capitalise on this.

But the legion is torn between Horus and the Emperor. Hearing of the Burning of Prospero by Leman Russ, they are told by Horus that Russ has gone rogue and that he needs the White Scars to join him (Horus) to combat this. Some of the Legion can’t contact the Great Khan and must make their own decision about how to proceed.

And so, the White Scars are ripped apart whilst Jaghatai Khan returns and attempts to discover the truth about Prospero, and about the Warmaster.

It’s a fast paced book, with lots of movement over the galaxy as it burns… and dilemmas the likes of which we have not seen from other legions. I really liked it, and it felt like the White Scars I’ve read in other books – as Chris Wraight keeps it consistent. Hopefully fans of the White Scars will like it as well.

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Jaghatai Khan: Warhawk of Chogoris

August 29, 2024 Declan and Eeyore Leave a comment

Primarchs Book 8, by Chris Wraight

The Primarchs stride across the Horus Heresy as giants (both litteral and metaphorical), being the centre piece of many of the books – although often at a distance or through the eyes of others. The Primarch (Horus Heresy) series brings stories from each of these giants and gives more background for each of the Emperor’s children.

From the book:

For long years, the White Scars have fought for the Imperium, bringing worlds to compliance. But when a new project, to embed psykers in the Space Marine Legions, seems likely to come to fruition, Jaghatai Khan must decide if he will comply…

Chris Wraight returns to the Khan of Khans with a tale set at the height of the Great Crusade and showing the momentous decisions that, in some ways, led to the darkest events of the Horus Heresy.

The White Scars are the fastest of all legions… going ahead of the Great Crusade and causing the logisticians great difficulty to keep up with. And at the head of this horde is Jaghatai Khan.

The White Scars also use Librarians and so the Khan of Khans is heading for a clash with his brothers and the emperor prior to the council of Nikaea. He tries to talk with the Warmaster, the Great Angel and Magnus in order to keep his precious Librarians.

This is a good introduction to the White Scars, their structure and – usefully – their Primarch. He is at the centre of many of the scenes and, as such, this is a good addition to the Primarch series – especially for those (like me) who only know Jaghatai from his appearances in the Siege of Terra.

— Declan & Eeyore

Woeful Wargaming