The Soul Drinkers Omnibus [Paperback]

The Soul Drinkers Omnibus follows the journeys of a space marine chapter by the same name of the Imperium of Mankind's Imperial Fists legion. Written by Ben Counter, he once again displays his knowledge of the Warhammer 40K universe in a well written and action filled book.

The Omnibus is a compilation of three separate books into one edition: Soul Drinker, the Bleeding Chalice and Crimson Tears that follow the exploits of the chapter led by Sarpedon, a psyker who strives for himself and his chapter to be more than mindless servants of greater powers.

Counter's writing is the same as in his other books. He dives right into the story having plenty of action and adding twists along the way to keep you interested, and wastes little time with plot or filler. The downside to Counter's writing is that it tends to jump around a bit, often extended periods of time passing between chapters, but at least he informs the reader of it. It also ends up leaving out some events that a reader would want to actually read about (not going to tell you cause it would be a spoiler), but to Counter's credit, this keeps his books from dragging and being drawn out, so it's a worthwhile trade off.

But on to the books.

Soul Drinker- in the opening book we learn of the Soul Drinkers chapter and one of their Librarians: Sarpedon. Going to recover an ancient and holy artifact of their chapter lost for centuries the Soul Spear, it is within their grasp only to be stolen right from under them. Sarpedon, feeling wronged, rebels against the higher authorities and attempts to retrieve the Soul Spear. But his actions have a price and the Soul Drinkers stroll down a road to damnation. The best aspect of this book is Counter presents it in a way that the reader sides with the Soul Drinkers, so the twists of the book have a greater impact on the story.

Bleeding Chalice- Now on the run from the Inquisition led by Inquisitor Thaddeus, the Soul Drinkers are still led by Sarpedon and are in a race against time. Through the book they go on mission after mission looking for pieces of a puzzle but Counter doesn't tell you what the puzzle is supposed to look like. I don't think he does quite good enough at keeping the intrigue up of wondering what the Soul Drinkers are looking for, but that doesn't keep the book from being entertaining. There are still plenty of battles to keep your interest, but it would help if you knew what exactly they were for as often you find yourself asking "why are they there?" The ending was a bit disappointing, as the final battle really should have been longer, and too many supporting characters were cast from the limelight, only getting brief mentions here and there. The follow up of all the events and aftermath was too short, and leaves you wanting more closure, especially for the non-Soul Drinker characters. The sequel isn't as good as the first book, but far from bad.

Crimson Tears- The final book of the Omnibus is a little different than the others. It focuses on only one planet, so the book feels a bit confined as compared to the others. Unfortunately, the main focus of the Soul Drinkers being there is revealed early, and when you finish you find yourself saying "that's it?" It wasn't a weave of complex actions and small battles like the previous two, so there is really no intrigue at all. It plays out more as an action novel than a mystery The good news is that it is filled with plenty action, and Counter does a good job of visualizing everything that happens. You do get to see some more characters in depth, and some new ones for the Soul Drinkers, but others who were prominent in the first two books seem to take a back seat at times. Crimson Tears though is a step down from the last book, which was a step down from the first.

All in all the series was good, but each book dipped in its story quality. A little more variety at times would have been nice, especially in Crimson Tears. The thing I like least about Counter is the follow up at the end of each book. Every time it is a small chapter that quickly sums of what happened to each person and really leaves you wanting more.

For the price, it is a worth while buy.

One thing must be said right away... if you are a 40k fan and enjoy reading the works of the Black Library then this collected series will not let you down in any way shape form or fashion.

First, Sarpedon's rise to power of the Soul Drinkers Chapter; an off shoot chapter of the Imperial Fists and brother chapter to the Crimson Fists and Black Templars, will suck you in and the following events will lead you hook line and sinker around the galaxy!

Second, the character development that Ben Counter creates for each of the top 7 is so engrossing you are physically wounded when they began their trek down the chaos path. Each hurdle they most overcome as a chapter that is completely cutoff from the Imperium is so wonderfully written its almost impossible to put this book down.

Third, the price is what lured me in initially! For under $10 you get three books written by Ben Counter, when each sold separately for $8 - $9. That is a big savings however its not a mere 15 chapter paperback you can put in your coat pack and read on the tram. No this is a 4 inch thick brick that could cause some rent-a-cop to stop you and ask to see what the bulge in your coat is before getting past the turnstile. :)

If you are having doubts on whether to pick this up let me add to the first review and just put it simply, yes this is a must buy. If your a 40k fan and interested in reading about a space marine chapter that has lost its way from the throne of Terra, sides with chaos then breaks those chains, and then goes smashing thru the galaxy as its own chapter who is based on individual freedom that continues to destroy the threats to mankind then pick it up!

I started off reading the Space Marine sci-fi with Iron Hands, so my bar was set far lower than most. The problem with Space Marines in fiction is there personality. By definition, they're not supposed to have much of one, due to a rigorous multi-year course of indoctrination and subliminal suggestion. which is what makes the Soul Drinkers storyline so appealing.

It shows the Space Marines for what they really are: humans, with minds and wills of their own. The storyline, which is sparked by a betrayal of staggering proportions, and spirals quickly out of control, is original and well thought out. It shows an incredibly dark side of the Imperium, where the greatest enemy Man faces is really itself. Despite being manipulated in the extreme, the characters act out of rational planning and thought, rather than a knee-jerk reaction of "Destroy!" that most would expect from Space Marines.

The main protagonist, Sarpedon, is well thought out and develops a great deal in a short amount of time. His psychic abilities are well used and described, without seeming either boring or overly god-like.

This story arc is well planned and executed, and leaves the door open for another and another, which I am personally eagerly awaiting.

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