Sunday, August 22, 2010

Path of the Warrior - A Book Review

It's hard to comprehend that I've not posted anything at all for months. Sorry to everyone for being a lazy git.
But work and an addiction to online Blood Bowl have provided quite a large distraction.
So it's back to business now, I can't promise regular updates, but I will try to post more often.

Now before you all start, I know this is nothing to do with Luna Wolves or even Pre-Heresy, but as Eldar were my first 40k Army, (I now have about 7,000 - 8,000 pts worth.), and Striking Scorpions have always been my favourite Aspect Warriors. I just couldn't pass up reading this book.  I've also read Gav Thorpe's Warhammer Fantasy Time of Legends - High Elf books and really enjoyed them too.  So with this in mind I wanted to see if Gav could deliver the goods in 40k.

I must say that I really did enjoy this book.
Gav provided a very interesting insight into Eldar society, life, mindset and the way that they go about following and changing their paths.  It also reveals that the rest of Eldar society don't really appreciate the mindset of Eldar that are on the Path of the Warrior and tend to avoid them, until their journey on the path is complete and they rejoin "normal" society.

I won't get into details, as I hate spoiling the plot for others.
But the book follows the life of one Eldar, Korlandril, as events shape his life, forcing him into the Path of the Warrior. It then follows him through his training and first mission, finally culminating in the invasion of the Alaitoc Craftworld by Imperial forces.

What Gav does reveal, is the interplay between the differing points of view that different shrines, even of the same aspect, have on training and how to follow the path.  Even resorting to ritual combat to resolve disputes between shrines. There is also some minor hints about the relationship between Arhra & Karandas.

All in all, I think Gav has done a very good job, it can't of been easy to adjust your own mindset to write from the perspective of an Eldar character. It was also great to get a bit of insight into the Striking Scorpion Aspect, no doubt I will try to add some into my next foray on the table with my 'Pointy Ears'.

So if you have ever had an interest in Eldar at all or are curious if it's a good read, I can honestly say that I enjoyed reading the book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something to read.

Y.