Ravenor: The Omnibus [Paperback]

I read Eisenhorn (A Warhammer 40,000 Omnibus) a long time ago and then proceeded to read all kinds of Warhammer 40k books but I never got around to Ravenor.

I have to say that I missed out. Ravenor is definitely fantastic. I will tell you that the book is considerably darker, grittier, and more gothic dystopian than Eisenhorn. It's not for the faint of heart.

I still think that Eisenhorn is probably the best starter novel for anyone looking at dabbling with Warhammer 40k but I think it's Ravenor where Dan Abnett truly delves into the dystopian aspects of society in the Imperium of Man. This is a dark and opressing book.

By now I've read a lot of Warhammer 40k books. I have to say that Eisenhorn is still my #1 book but Ravenor has immediately eclipsed all other works and taken it's place as the solid #2. Both Eisenhorn and Ravenor are not just my two favorites, they're my favorites by a very long long way.

This book is set in the Warhammer 40K Universe -- it's vast, rich, dystopian and on a scale as big as Star Wars, Star Trek, LOTR. I've been throwing a generic Warhammer40k Universe overview into my WH40K reviews for new reader. Here it is if you're interested:

GENERIC WARHAMMER 40K OVERVIEW
I'm adding a Warhammer 40K overview to this review to help newcomers get a sense for the Universe. (Warhammer 40K pros, go easy on me - I'm also somewhat of a newcomer to the Universe, hope I got the broad brushstrokes right). Review for book at bottom.

HOW I GOT HOOKED
I got this through vine and put it directly on my nightstand. Although I've never gamed Warhammer (Warhammer 40k Space Marines Combat Squad) or any of their many other games, I became a fan of Warhammer 40,000 after a friend in college introduced me to the Warhammer 40k universe back in 1990 I want to say. While browsing through Amazon, I came across Eisenhorn probably the best "starter" novel to get anyone started into the Warhammer Universe. I have to admit, I've gotten hooked on the stories.

THE BLACK LIBRARY
From a company standpoint there is a British company called the Black Library that owns and manages Warhammer 40K. They have some great writers on staff like Dan Abnett and Graham McNiell who write many of the stories. The common thread of the writers is that in my opinion they are very literary people who manage the capture the dark, dystopian, almost opressing vision of this far future. Many of their stories have foundations and parallels in real world history...for example The Flight of the Eisenstein (Horus Heresy) is very similar in my opinion to The Battleship Potemkin. I think the company was founded in 1989 to provide advanced hobbyist game pieces (Games Workshop Space Marine Devastator Squad Box Set) that gamers could paint and decorate and then play in competition based on some rule books called codexes (Warhammer 40K (40,000) Codex Space Marines) very similar to dungeons and dragons.

THE SERIES
Warhammer 40K takes place about 40,000 years in the future in a neogothic dystopian Universe where the entire galaxy has been colonized. During the 40,000 year history humanity discovers that hyperspace (the mechanism they use to travel faster than light) is filled with ghostly demons and other lifeforms that will not hesitate to invade and infest the real universe. Add to that alien Elves, Orks, intergalactic insectoid invaders, parasites and every other conceivable menace, this makes for a tormented universe that only knows War and suffering for its untold trillions or quadrillions of denizens.

In this Universe there is an Empire based on Earth with an Emperor and and a gigantic bureaucracy that manages the Imperium. I'll outline some of the story lines to help you make sense of this (if you're not a pro already):

SPACE MARINES - Genetically and Cybernetically augmented warrior monks that form the front line of defense for the Empire. Space Marine novels generally build on the mythology of the space marines and generally describe a chapter of space marines (a monastery) and tell some story of how they fight for the Empire or how they fell from grace. Space Marines are almost not human, they've been augmented genetically stand at 8 to 12 feet tall and wear giant powered armour. They fight in space and in some horrible conditions. For this reason, you don't get much of a feel for the denizens of the Empire (generally) in these novels. Space Marines are Monks and celibate (I think) so you don't get any flavor for interpersonal relationships. Although in a few stories you do get some political intrigue and in one space wolf novel, you even get to see Earth. Expect lots of fighting with these novels in very novel settings.
The Ultramarines Omnibus (Warhammer 40,000 Omnibus)

TITANS - The giant Mechwarriors (giant walking two legged tanks) that form the heaviest of assault machines of the empire. Titanicus is the only Warhammer 40K novel that I know of that is based on Titans. Because Titans stand at 40 stories and are crewed by a very select group of very religious people, you don't get much of the flavor for the citizens of the Empire although you do get dazzling descriptions of the cities, planets, and how the war machines fight. Expect lots of fighting with these novels.
Titanicus (Warhammer 40,000)

IMPERIAL GUARD - The Army of the Empire (untold billions serve and die regularly) -- CADIAN BLOOD is an Imperial guard novel. Expect down and dirty grunt fighting and warfare in these novels with a healthy does of intrigue and plot machinations. Because Imperial Guard are human, you get more of a sense for the Empire than you do with Titan or Space Marine novels.
Cadian Blood (Imperial Guard)

INQUISITORS - The Emperor's inquisition carries the Empire's complete support as they go out and seek out evil in any form (Einsenhorn, Ravenor, and Innocence Proves Nothing are Inquisition novels). Expect more intrigue and deceipt in these novels and expect to see some of the more opulent aspects of the Empire because many times Inquisitors walk among the citizens of the Empire. I find that I get a better flavor for the Warhammer Universe from Inquisitor Novels. They are my personal favorites.
Eisenhorn (A Warhammer 40,000 Omnibus)
Ravenor: The Omnibus (Warhammer 40000)
Innocence Proves Nothing (Warhammer 40000)

MECHANICUM - The Mechanicum is almost like a pseudoreligion based on Mars who has a very close alliance with the Emperor (although sometimes you wonder). The Mechanicum makes most of the technology for the Empire. So many things have been invented and forgotten in the 40K universe that technology is more of technomagic and technology use is almost ritual-like.
Mechanicum (Horus Heresy)

HORUS HERESY NOVELS - When the Warhammer 40K Universe was invented (mostly for gaming purposes), a backstory was developed that tells how the Galaxy was brought under the Emperor. It used to be a fairly short story but has been expanded broadly now that Warhammer 40K is so popular. Here are some Heresy books in no particular order but there is an order (there are too many of them for me to track and I haven't read them all).
Horus Rising (The Horus Heresy)
The Flight of the Eisenstein (Horus Heresy)
False Gods: The Heresy Takes Root (The Horus Heresy)

This is a Warhammer 40K book so it takes place in the 41st millenium, just FYI.

I could hardly put this book down. It was my first foray into the Warhammer universe other than playing the video game Dawn of War. Dan Abnett does an awesome job of fleshing out a diverse, twisting story that spans a galaxy. The world is dark, violent and corrupt. The characters are complicated, believable and have secrets to keep.

The hero of the story, Ravenor, is a powerful Psyker/Telekine Inquisitor that has only the power of his mind to get him through situations as he has been entirely physically disabled. His mental communication with his team carries them through a variety of excitingly violent encounters as they hunt down Corruption Chaos and Heresy.

Various pieces of the big picture are thrown out across the three novels and two short stories that make up this omnibus. The reader doesn't start to see how things are fitting together until at least the second book. As pieces start to fall into place, the stakes keep getting higher and it sucks the reader in more and more.

My one lament, and the reason I gave this only four stars, is the ending. All of the main plot lines are pretty tidily wrapped up but it opens a question at the very end that is not answered. This may be so that fans of the tabletop games can play out characters without adhering to 'canon' that the book defines. However, in my opinion, this could have been done more gracefully. The other option is, maybe there is a sequel planned? Even if that is the case, the author could have done a better job of leaving a thread hanging without being annoying about it.

I have tried to write this review without spoiling the reader experience. This is a thrilling ride and definitely worth the purchase price. There is a lot of content in this omnibus! Even if you are new to the Warhammer universe (as I am), this is a great tale. If you are a fan I imagine it's just that much better.

Dan Abnett has a heck of a reputation among the warhammer and 40k community, a very well earned one and in these books he dosn't disapoint.

The ravenor series is another inquistion based drama set out by a crippled powerful psyker who has played a major role in the previously written eisenhorn trillogy. Anyone who read the eisenhorn books could tell that ravenor was going to be someone special, and in these books he takes the center stage and we learn all about the world he fights to protect, even while being shut off of it for the rest of his life.

For those who have read many of the other abnett books you will find this one filled with his same gripping descriptions, inteligent intergration of secrets and lore but without the bogging down of so many technial and "gamey" terms or aspects that so many other authors suffer from. This is a great read up to par with all of the authors other work.

Perhaps the only thing that felt odd to me about the ravenor series was the mix between the gaunt ghosts and eisenhorn feel. While the generic idea is similar to eisenhorn, dealing heavily with the inquisition and being over a decent time gap, not to mention the coming and going of several interseting side characters, the flow of the book feels far more front line like the ghost novels. This is a book about the brutal secret forces and lost technology wraped around a inquisitors life, not so much a book about the bitter internal strugle of a man such as in the eisenhorn books.

Overall this is another great offer from GW and another amazing story by a trusted and much loved author.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 21 reviews  4.3 out of 5 stars