Book Review - Eisenhorn
I make no bones about it - I’m not a reader. In fact I’ve only read a handful of books cover to cover that I wasn’t forced to because of some teacher’s demands, and most of those I fudged and skimmed through, relying on Cliffsnotes to hopefully get me a passing grade on the tests covering the material.
Every now and then, the urge to get away from glaring screens and just read through a book grabs me - and this usually results in a general disinterest 50 or so pages in - my eyes scanning the lines, but my mind thinking about anything but the story at hand. A few days later and I’m back to the video games and shitty TV shows. A old friend of mine had recommended the Eisenhorn series to me about a year ago - he himself being an old school and long retired 40k player much like myself. So when I happened to spy the book in the sci-fi section of the book store, I bought it - and man am I glad I did.
First off, if you have only played the war game, or maybe you’ve only played Dawn of War, one thing becomes instantly clear when you begin reading this book - you don’t know shit about the vast and colorful world of Warhammer 40,000. The guys that you’re used to seeing - space marines, eldar, chaos marines, imperial guard, etc. aren’t the everyday commonplace denizens you may take them to be given their exposure in the games. Eisenhorn follows the adventures of an inquisitor as he travels to multiple planets around the Imperium, each as different in environment and custom as can be. You get a real sense for how life is like for the average Imperial citizen, most of which have never even heard of a “tyranid”.
The central character, Inquisitor Eisenhorn, is always busy investigating some dark scheme, inevitably leading to tense battles, new riddles, and visits to new exotic locals as he tracks his query. I won’t give away an ounce of the story, but trust me - it’s awesome. The author has a way of writing that simply refuses to let you stop reading, and introduces you to a cast of characters that quickly become like old friends - you’re genuinely sad when one is suddenly killed, and happy when another reenters the stage after a long absence.
The book I am ready is actually a compilation of all three Eisenhorn books - Xenos, Malleus, and Hereticus, as well as two short stories. I got it for 13 bucks, and so far it’s worth every penny. After two weeks I’m 400 pages in (halfway through “Hereticus”) and loving every sentence, and that’s really saying something coming from a non-reader like myself. While it may not be for those unexposed to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - there’s lots of vocabulary in there that may confuse those not familiar with the subject, (Lasguns, Power swords, Vox casters, etc.) those with even a basic knowledge will find this book irresistible.
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DEACON
