Teaser

Among all the chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, there are none who value their independence more than the Space Wolves. Yet centuries of warfare have thinned their once mighty pack. Will they accept the offer of help from the Imperium, or is the great wolf doomed to die alone . . ?

Review

One of the advantages of shared universes is you can have a series compiled by numerous authors. As well as a rapid production schedule, the upside of this is that each author brings something of their own to the table. this is particularly beneficial when it comes to a series that aims to encompass broad swathes of the setting. Dawn of Fire is one such series, and the third book, by the third author, continues to expand the story.

Gav Thorpe’s entry in the series takes a slight diversion from the main thrust of the Indomitus crusade. the grand war between loyalists and chaos worshippers is little more than a looming shadow in The Wolftime. What we get to see instead is how the Imperium is handling the changes wrought by this strange new era. In particular, we see how space marines react to the arrival of the Primaris legions. Thorpe achieves this by focussing on a single chapter, the Space Wolves, and a handful of characters.

What I enjoy most about this clash of old and new is the way it illuminates the deep-rooted issues within the Imperium. Here is a polity that has, for thousands of years, stamped out any innovation, branded change as heretical, and allowed itself to stagnate. Now, faced with a literal apocalypse, forced to utilise new techniques, it is still held back by old beliefs and old grudges. The Space Wolves do not simply mistrust the idea of the Primaris out of unfamiliarity, but because of who offers them. The feuding within the Imperium is as deadly as any external foe. Yet at the same time, neither side is allowed to be a monolith. The forces of cultural weight are immense, but a handful of individuals are able to broach that gap, and possibly find a way to work together. Not through compromise, but each on their own terms.

Alongside this there is a rich vein of history and prophecy, the twin forces on which the Imperium thrives. Prophecy dictates that the Wolftime shall be the end of the Space Wolves, and that destiny must not be fought. Yet history shows that such stories are used to manipulate just as much as inspire. Having the historians openly discussing historical revisionism leads to some great moments, and is also one of the few threads to actively continue from the previous book.

There are, however, missed opportunities along the way. The book teases many a great confrontation with the orks, but these epic conflagrations never materialise. I adore the political relations on display, but a reminder of what is at stake would not have gone amiss. I’m also starting to have a headache keeping track of Black Library’s chronology. Is this book set before David Annandale’s Saga of the Beast? I have to assume so, as characters die in that audio drama. Yet The Wolftime still feels full of forward momentum, coming as it does from the mains storyline of the setting. Then there is the personal arc of Gaius the Primaris, which feels oddly detached from the rest of the novel

Make no mistake, this is still a good book, and as excellently performed as ever. I just can’t help thinking it could have been even better.

Book Stats

• Narrated by John Banks
• A Dawn of Fire Novel (#3)
• First Published in 2021 by Black Library
• Runtime: 15hrs 3mins