Ben Counter’s: Warhammer 40000

This week I am reviewing a book set in a sci-fi universe my friend encouraged me to look into, and I am thankful he did. Ben Counter’s Warhammer 40000 novel, Soul Drinkers: Redemption, is an omnibus containing three books detailing the exploits of the Soul Drinkers, a zealous group of Space Marines that are forced to make a decision between following orders or following their creed. For those who are unfamiliar with Warhammer 40K, the franchise is based off of a tabletop game. Unlike many other sets of novels based off of games, Warhammer 40K books are known for being of such quality that they easily stand out as fantastic science-fiction novels in their own right. In this universe, humanity has taken to the stars, guided by their Emperor, a being who transcended death and has overseen humanity’s expansion into the cosmos for eons. Humanity has come into contact and combat with a variety of aliens and, at the darkest edges of the known universe, demons. The Space Marines, a faction of prominence that the book is based on, are super soldiers, genetically altered to be the foremost and undeniable enforcers of the Emperor’s will. In this book, the Soul Drinkers chapter of the Space Marines has been given a mission to recover an ancient artifact. This mission is their one purpose. But the Soul Drinkers have always followed orders, and orders one day contradict the will of those they were created to obey. In the ensuing chaos, the Soul Drinkers may just realize that their vast, dark universe isn’t quite as black-and-white as they once believed.

Let me just say, this collection is phenomenal. As an avid reader, I can honestly say I have rarely seen a universe as engaging and developed as that of Warhammer 40K. The characters, especially in this novel, are vibrant and realistic, with amazingly intricate factions pulling the strings behind every event. The action is pulse-pounding, the story is expertly crafted, and the sheer lore behind the Soul Drinkers’ chapter is unique and imaginative. The Warhammer 40K universe is massive, and there is no one place to really begin. If you like Star Wars, Star Trek, or just about any other high-grade science-fiction series, then you will probably want to take a look at this slightly darker take on genre. If you are interested, Ben Counter’s Soul Drinkers: Redemption is the perfect place to dive into the universe.