"Come to me, xenos, and learn a little early the ultimate fate of all your kind!"
I have a real love/hate thing going on with the Space Marine Battles books. A few have been superb, some merely decent, and a couple are downright terrible.
Guy Haley's Death of Integrity is not just one of the better Space Marine Battles books, but it's arguably one my favourite pieces of 40K fiction out there today.
I didn't know what to expect when I purchased it. Although it had mostly favorable reviews, it also looked like it featured two mostly forgettable astartes chapters and a tired premise. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised; Death of Integrity blew me away. It definitely stands up there with Rynn's World, and, dare I say, it comes close to the greatness of Helsreach.
After tracking a destructive genestealer brood across the sector, Chapter Master Caedis of the Blood Drinkers calls upon the Novamarines to assist in the destruction of the space hulk Death of Integrity. Before they can begin, the Adeptus Mechanicus intervenes and tasks both Chapters with a secretive mission into the heart of the hulk.
After tracking a destructive genestealer brood across the sector, Chapter Master Caedis of the Blood Drinkers calls upon the Novamarines to assist in the destruction of the space hulk Death of Integrity. Before they can begin, the Adeptus Mechanicus intervenes and tasks both Chapters with a secretive mission into the heart of the hulk.
Simply put, it's a classic story, told well. If you had ever wanted Space Hulk: The Novel, this is it - and so much more.
The vivid imagery that Haley lays out manages to completely envelop and absorb the reader. Whether you're battling genestealers in the depths of some forgotten vessel, in the harsh cyan-tinted void around the star Jorso, or aboard one of the two astartes flagships, Haley's writing creates a rich, detailed, and exciting world around you. Haley's writing was a real treat, on par with Steve Parker and almost at the level of Abnett or Dembski-Bowden.
My only real critique is that there is a large number of unimportant minor characters that all get names. It makes keeping track of who's who sometimes tiresome, especially during action scenes. Additionally, one of the side-plots - although somewhat interesting - tends to drag on in the middle of the book.
Death of Integrity is definitely at its best during the set pieces. There's some truly exciting and tense moments scattered throughout the book. For the most part, they're perfectly paced and balanced well with other expository scenes.
My only real critique is that there is a large number of unimportant minor characters that all get names. It makes keeping track of who's who sometimes tiresome, especially during action scenes. Additionally, one of the side-plots - although somewhat interesting - tends to drag on in the middle of the book.
Death of Integrity is definitely at its best during the set pieces. There's some truly exciting and tense moments scattered throughout the book. For the most part, they're perfectly paced and balanced well with other expository scenes.
Most of the first and third acts are mainly story driven, with the middle sections being action-filled. That's not to say that Haley lets off the trigger, but the action definitely scales down in the last pieces of the novel; tying up various subplots and delivering some great reveals.
With these various reveals, Haley does an excellent job of allowing the reader to care about two minor successor chapters. Throughout the novel, he creates an interesting dualism between the two chapters by highlighting their homeworlds, rituals, beliefs, and tactics. Additionally, Haley also uses the chapters' strong, contrasting colours to show the division between their ideologies. The blue- and bone-coloured Novamarines are cool-headed, tactically-minded thinkers that worship their dead. The crimson-coloured Blood Drinkers are often rash and prefer the swirling melee of close combat.
This use of colour symbolism (mostly to depict emotions and state of mind) is used continuously throughout the novel, and it was something very subtle, but interesting to witness - especially in the closing pages of the book.
This use of colour symbolism (mostly to depict emotions and state of mind) is used continuously throughout the novel, and it was something very subtle, but interesting to witness - especially in the closing pages of the book.
Death of Integrity provides an engaging look into interactions between differing Space Marine chapters and the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Mechanicus is a major driving force in this story, and their secrets play-up some major themes in the 40k lore.
All-in-all, Death of Integrity was a thrilling ride that provided plenty of tension and mystery. It revealed major information about without being bogged down by exposition and details. It successfully pushes two minor chapters into the spotlight, and highlights the benefits and problems of inter-chapter cooperation. If I was more adventurous, I'd definitely be tempted to paint up a small allied force of Novamarines - making sure to run a squad led by Veteran Sergeant Voldo, a truly great new character.
If you're looking for something new to read that features xenos-slaying action, give Death of Integrity a try.
Oh, and don't miss the epilogue. You won't be disappointed.
"For the Emperor! For Guilliman! For Honourum!" - 4.5 / 5
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