Sometimes things happen for a reason. Other times, they just happen, and often it can be hard to tell which one it is.
Broken Crusade, a story about Black Templars by Steven B. Fischer, seemed interesting enough when I picked it up early last November, but “interesting enough” doesn’t normally get very far when I’ve got more books in the must-read on-deck circle than I have time to read them.
After all, the latter half of 2024 was filled with intriguing releases. We had some more Horus Heresy with Eidolon: The Auric Hammer by Marc Collins as well as Denny Flowers’ sequel to Outgunned, Above and Beyond. Noah Van Nguyen gave us a new T’au novel with Elemental Council, while Jonathan Beer’s Adeptus Mechanicus-centered Dominion Genesis was calling as well.
But when it was time to pick my next read recently, I found myself lingering on this one more than once driven by some unexpected impulse. Something about it was tugging at me… and I am very glad I listened.
The Story
Broken Crusade is centered around Emeric, a Castellan of the Black Templars (a rank equivalent to a Lieutenant in other Astartes Chapters). There’s little doubt that he anchors the story, as his point of view is told in first person.
While part of a crusading fleet bound for the heretic-infested Shrine World of Tempest, they are caught in a Warp storm that separates them from the rest. Completely on their own, what’s a shipful of crusading zealots to do?
“In such circumstances, the rulebook of Imperial Guard warfare was dear: if in doubt, move forward.” – Dan Abnett, First and Only
And move forward they do!
Emeric links up with a flotilla of pilgrims as he makes way for Tempest, then must battle besieging World Eaters set on desecrating the world. Can Emeric’s small band of warriors, castoffs, and misfits blacken the eye
A Well-Written Protagonist
Although it’s occasionally jarring to jump back into that POV partway through a chapter, overall it works well to give the reader a little more insight into Emeric’s character.
We don’t ever learn a lot about Castellan Emeric, however, as Fischer writes him as a character in-the-moment. There aren’t any long recollections of past glories or traumas.
What this does allow us to see is how Emeric changes through the course of the story, and it’s important to note here that Fischer doesn’t take the easy way out with this.
The easy way would have been to write his character, then use flashbacks or memory sequences to show what they “used to be like.” Voila, instant change!
Fischer takes the more painstaking approach of actually showing the change across the narrative, and in so doing catapults what would have been a good book into a great one.
The Emeric of the early pages is very much a grim creature. A sequence in the opening chapter sees him pre-emptively and ruthlessly cull the ship’s astropaths after they become lost in the void following a warp-storm. “Abhor the witch, destroy the witch,” he says.
In this he is quite representative of his Chapter. If you suffer from the inclination to see kindness and virtue as intrinsic components of holiness, we are reminded frequently that these zealots of the God-Emperor have no such hangups. Twice the apothecary assistant Liesl- a normal, human woman- is threatened with murder should she fail to do as ordered- despite those orders being nearly impossible to execute.
The transhuman’s disdain for the merely human is a staple trope of Warhammer, and Emeric is little different- at least initially. The growth arc- slowly, over the course of the story- is masterfully depicted here as portrayed through his interactions with the book’s other characters.
His relationships with others, particularly Brother Hadrick, become the kind of repeated, human interactions I’ve enjoyed from writers such as Abnett and Dembski-Bowden. You start to look forward to them interacting to see the relationship develop- even if they’re just praying together or polishing weapons.
That’s right, praying together. This highlights the second essential element that sets Broken Crusade firmly as a top book in my library.
Treatment of Faith
That’s because Fischer writes deeply and meaningfully about faith in a way I don’t think I’ve seen from a Black Library author before (with an honorable mention to Danie Ware, who did right by it in Morvenn Vahl).
Faith is a vital element of the world of Warhammer 40K, but it’s usually a cosmetic faith.
A few signs of the Aquila here, some “The Emperor Protects” there, and that’s just enough garnish to convey a character’s depth of belief.
With Fischer, however, there’s something deeper at work.
It’s less, “how can I use faith as a plot device or character characteristic” and more, “how can I take genuine faith and best represent that within my story.” Indeed, buried at the very bottom of the copyright page you’ll find his dedication to his parents, “for showing me what faith looked like, and for teaching me to question it.”
This is a terrific throughline in the book (though I didn’t feel he quite stuck the landing on the “lost my faith” moment towards the end), but it was one more strong element at work here.
A Compelling Villain
Fischer also did a terrific job with his antagonist. I often feel that Chaos gets short shrift in these stories. Daemons should be terrifying, horrible things, but too often we see Astartes mowing them down like packs of generic cartoon enemies. Fischer’s Eightbound villain Dravek Soulrender is brought to vibrant life through the pack of eight, individual and named daemons that feature prominently as the narrative unfolds.
These aren’t just featureless demons consigned to the background of the story, but rather a full supporting cast in their own right. Each of Draven’s eight co-occupants have their own distinct form and purpose, quite distinct from one another. In this it reminded me quite a bit of Barker’s Hellraiser, with the variety of Cenobites each individual and different yet alike in their profane horror.
As the story progresses the schemes and competing ambitions of the Eight play a significant part of the story, giving the sections centered on Draven a great deal of purpose and momentum beyond just setting the villain up as a foil for the story’s heroes.
Conclusion
Steven B. Fischer to this point has largely focused on Astra Militarum stories, from his 2018 debut The Emperor’s Wrath short story to 2022’s novel Witchbringer. In 2023 we saw his first dabble into the Black Templars with the short Consecrated Ground setting the table for more Templar content. Indeed, Consecrated Ground was also included in Broken Crusade’s Special Edition.
Come for the gripping story of conflict between the World Eaters and Black Templars on a shrine world, but stay for the very well-written characters (on both sides of the conflict) and the wonderful handling of that tiny, glimmering candle illuminating the center of the grimdark: faith. Broken Crusade is a terrific work, and well worth a read.
Incidentally, as this goes to press it is voting time for the Black Library Book of the Year for last year. Make sure to stop by and cast your vote, whether it’s for Broken Crusade or one of your other favorites!
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