Penitent by Dan Abnett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It’s taken me the better part of a year and a half to read this book but not because of what’s in the book but because I don’t want to wait another nine years for Pandemonium.
BUT! I decided to re-read and finish the book this month and finally place the hardback on my shelf for a while with pride. What a ride! This novel is a perfect continuation of the Bequin trilogy, the third trilogy of the Eisenhorn saga. This journey is worth the time investment and this novel is no simple bridge. Dan Abnett is an awe-inspiring author with an incredible command of words. Like a magician, he brings every scene to life with jaw dropping detail that completely immerses you in the scene. Beta has absolutely grown on me in this novel as she now has more urgency in her own choices. I say this because the first book she is really a victim of circumstance but now you see her evolve into her own person pulled from two justifiable powers at odds with eachother, that being Eisenhorn (the all-time GOAT) and Ravenor (A coffin with a beautiful mind).
I can’t begin to describe how awesome it is to read a scene and have a minor callback to the Eisenhorn or Ravenor trilogy. Like, I got to see a flashback of the Thracian Primaris incident. If you only read the Bequin trilogy, it is a beautiful and dreamy scene, but if you take the time to read the first two trilogies, this scene in particular means so much more especially due to the outcome of Ravenor. The depth is incredible and Dan Abnett honors your time with his passion for the story and the characters, let alone the expert and precise twists and reveals. I literally gasped at the end of the last five chapters disturbing my coworkers in our downtime because the reveals were table-flipping. What a great addition to the journey and I cannot wait to have Pandemonium in my hands. For me, this is a 10/10.
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Author J.M. Topp 