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Emperor’s Children novel releases in 2024
Today finally sees the release of the first of two Emperor’s Children novels. The second, Eidolon the Auric Hammer by Marc Collins, is set during the Horus Heresy and due to release in October 2024.
In the coming days or weeks expect to see a summary and review by yours truly, just as soon as I can get the small matter of formally launching She Who Thirsts, configuring the new forums and populating the initial content out of the way.
The story
Set after the events of A Perfect Union (an Emperor’s Children short story) our protagonist Xantine returns with his body still partly possessed by S’janth, a seductive Slaaneshi daemon.
From that alone you can already tell we’re right on theme and into the thick of Emperor’s Children Lore. It will certainly be interesting to see what the most recent take on our legion will be.
The below is lifted directly from the Black Library blurb about the book.
Black Library
A Warhammer 40,000 Novel
The Emperor’s Children seek sensation above all else, but when Xantine’s warband come upon an isolated Imperial world, he sees an opportunity to pursue the finer things in life. How long can the proud warlord maintain his ‘perfect’ rule – and will the planet survive his reign?
Read it Because
It’s a tantalising look into the gleefully twisted minds of the Emperor’s Children, as an arrogant warlord strives to ‘save’ an Imperial world from its own imperfections.
The Story
Once a united Legion, the disparate splinters of the Emperor’s Children now eke out a violent, hedonistic existence between the stars, raiding and ravaging worlds to indulge their fathomless appetites.
Xantine, proud leader of the Adored and a true son of Fulgrim, wants more than simply pillaging backwater worlds. He soon finds what he has been searching for – Serrine, a wealthy but cruel planet festering under misrule and inequality, cut off from the Imperium by warp storms. It is too tantalising a prize to ignore, and Xantine sets out to bring perfection to his new world.
But perfection is an elusive concept, and as threats creep from the depths of Serrine and the ranks of the Adored, the rot at the heart of Xantine’s perfect rule is laid bare…
Written by Rich McCormick. Narrated by Richard Reed.
Implications for the future (prior Lore spoilers)
At the risk of spoilers ahead, be warned, there does seem to be an emerging theme now. Tension between some in the remnants of the shattered Legion, most often officers, attempting to retain some semblance of order, perfection and prior martial structure and those who have fallen completely to baser desires.
We see elements of this in ‘A more Perfect Union’ and ‘Renegades: Lord of Excess’. It’s a bit more overt with reference to Eidolon and the Phoenix conclave in prior novels and lore. Given the repeated references to this I expect we will see something along those lines in narrative aspects of the final release.
This may perhaps even be realised miniature from with a dichotomy between those who retain order and those who have fallen to daemons and base desires. We have certainly seem similar with that in the recent World Eaters release and new Eightbound units. It also leans into the rumours of some form of possessed marines for our eventual release.
Maybe we will end up with three aspects in the form of possessed, the Noise Cult and martial perfection. It would certainly be refreshing after all this time to have something new to get our teeth into.
Could we see Eidolon pulling the legion back together, perhaps with some Influence or support from Fabius Bile, now under the sway of Slaanesh, and a returning Fulgrim? Perhaps this will see conflict with the Black Legion or within the Legion?
Who knows but there are most certainly threads there that can be woven into a coherent narrative. I hope we’ll get to hear more about Eidolon his attempts to unify the Legion rather than just the sideways mentions almost in passing in other Lore.
What else might we see in 2024?
With novels ramping up and the Chaos Space Marine 10th Edition Codex on the Horizon it’s heady days to be an Emperor’s Children fan, with a release potentially on the cards.
Though Black library releases have a tenuous, at best, connection to miniatures and the rules it remains to be seen if anything in this novel, or the prior novels covering Lucius and Fabius Bile, will have direct impact or correlation with future releases.
Regardless, it’s certainly promising to see some more focus on our faction.
Have you managed to nab a copy?
If so perhaps head over to our forums and let us know what you thought.
