Teaser

Far from the Imperium of Man, the Leagues of Votann wage their capitalistic wars. Driven by greed and a thirst for materials, the Leagues will do anything in the name of business, even if it means facing the deadliest enemies in the known galaxy . . .

Review

Warhammer 40,000 stems from the same well as Warhammer Fantasy, which as the name suggests is fantasy setting. It is hardly surprising therefore, that fantasy’s footprints are all over the grimdark future. There are humans and orks, the aeldari are elves in all but name, and even the necrons are little more than undead hordes. Way back in the early days of the game, there were space dwarves too. These came to be known as squats, and were generally regarded as an offshoot of humanity, but faded out of the game as new editions came and went. In 2022, the space dwarves made a triumphant return. Not as a subservient abhuman mutation, but as their very own faction. The Leagues of Votann had emerged. Now, Black Library are usually ready to hand with a tie-in novel for such a momentous occasion, but it was not until 2024 that we had our very first Leagues of Votann novel. Perhaps it is only natural that it took so long. After all, The High Kahl’s Oath needs to be more than just a good story. It needs to be an introduction to a faction that can rightfully stand alongside those with four decades of history to their name.

Perhaps this burden, this weight of expectation, is why I came away less than fully satisfied with The High Kahl’s Oath. As a story, it’s perfectly functional, but doesn’t get the blood pumping the way other grimdark tales have. Yet as a primer for this new corner of the grimdark universe, it’s astonishing how much Thorpe has packed in. This is a book that is stuffed to bursting point with revelations and information. Sometimes to the detriment of the narrative, but fascinating enough in their own right.

The Kin, as the members of the Leagues call themselves, are vat-bred clones who, at some point in the long distant past, did indeed come from Earth. Yes, they have the stature of dwarves, and there’s a nod to Warhammer Fantasy’s legendary doomseekers. However, the Space Wolves of Warhammer 40,000 have cornered the market in gruff space vikings, so space dwarves needed to be something else. That something else ends up resembling nothing so much as militaristic Ferengi. Yes, they drink a famous brew and have great banquets, but matters are determined by opportunities for profit and gain. A brilliant scene later in the novel shows how they handle group decision-making through the use of a literal set of scales, with each voter having weights according to their social standing. I absolutely love the way Thorpe builds these elements of their culture.

The technology of the Kin also stands out from the rest of the grimdark future. The have advanced robots, but consider these Ironkin to be equals. They harvest the remains, both physical and intellectual, of the dead and recycle them so that the Kin might live again. Most impressive of all are the Votann themselves, which are giant computers that run the Leagues. It’s not entirely clear how sentient these Votann are, but a little mystery goes a long long way. The Votann embrace technology in a way beyond even the T’au, and if they sometimes feel like interlopers on the gothic and superstition-laden Imperium, that’s no bad thing.

If you’re looking for a strong narrative, then Thorpe has better options out there (his Malekith remains one of my favourite fantasy novels), but if you want a glimpse into the inner workings of the Leagues of Votann, then there is no finer starting place than The High Kahl’s Oath.

Audio Stats

• Narrated by Debra Michaels
• A Standalone Novel
• Published 2024
• Runtime 11hrs 29mins