Book Review: The House of Night and Chain - David Annandale


So here we have a new novel in the growing horror tales coming out from Black Library.

First of all, like some previous takes I would say that with only a couple of changes this could be set in any other world. To be that's a minus star. I want to read Horror stories set in the 40K (or Sigmar).

This novel was written by an nowadays prolific writers in the Black Library universe called David Annandale. I've read the Yarrick novels, Mephiston & The Last Wall (one book from the ten magnus opus War of the Beast).

I this story we follow Colonel Strock who is returning home, after almost 30 years serving the Imperium, to save his world from corruption, at the behest of the Inquisition. He was discharged after a long phyrric battle in a far way world. He is returning to his world where is family rule. His late wife had died some years prior and the two children still live (now around 30 years).

From this moment on, and most of the book, it's about Strock dealing with the various factions in the world including the main antagonist (which supposedly is corrupting the world); his two childhood friends and his own children.

Every few chapters we get some snippets about his wife demise and we get to know that the main protagonist of the story it's not Strock at all but the House.

This is something I've read somewhere. Maybe Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher? That really doesn't upset me or so (don't get me wrong). But the ending felt a bit rushed and we get the glimpse of what's happening after all. There were some questions in air but overall it felt rushed.

As i said, apart from some names - Inquisition; Enforcer; Ecclesiarchy and other random names this could have been in any other world. I wished for more 40K elements Maybe some chaos or Tyranids background. More Inquisition meddling...

Either way it's not a bad story but it's not the best from him. Maybe Black Library wants to make this kind of novels more avaiable to other people who don't usually read 40K novels? I bet this is it because of all reviews here in goodreads of people who never dwelt on it.

Let's hope C L Werner Castle of Blood it's better. I am reading it next (probably).

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