Bane of Kings writes a short review of Savage Scars by Andy Hoare, published by Black Library.

“Andy Hoare does action right. No restraint, no forgiveness.” ~The Founding Fields.

Note: This is an advanced review for Black Library and this novel is not available for purchase until March 2011. 

Now then, this was to be my first White Scars Novel that I’ve read, and also my first novel that I’ve read written by Andy Hoare, who has also written novels such as Hunt for Voldorius, and an older novel, which is now out of stock on Black Library’s website – Rogue Star.

The Plot of this novel is fairly simple, with White Scars, along with Imperial Guard, Ultramarines, Scythes of the Emperor and Iron Hands, among other chapters including the Novamarines on a crusade force against the Tau Empire. However, there are a few minor twists and turns to it, such as the stakes being raised higher as the novel goes on.

First of all, Lucian Gerrit, main character of Andy Hoare’s Rogue Trader Novels returns to fight once again, despite this being a White Scars novel and not a Rogue Trader Novel, so this will be a plus for those who were around in the earlier years of Black Library novel. Unfortunately I missed these two books, and am hoping for a reprint.

Sure, there may be very little scenes where somebody is not firing a bolter or in close combat, but Andy Hoare does describe the action very well, even if the novel is a bit fast paced.

The novel is focused around the actions of three main characters, putting them each in different settings and making them each have their own objectives. Lucian is leading the Imperial Guard, Sarik, the White Scars character and presumably the astartes on the cover, is the second, and the third is Lucian’s daughter Brielle, currently in league with the Tau. Unfortunately, even though there is character development in this novel, there is very little seen, but nonetheless, the great action kind of makes up for it, unless you think that the key to a good novel is character development.

Now, you don’t really have to pick up the Rogue Trader novels from a second hand bookstore or eBay to understand what’s happening in this novel, as Andy Hoare explains it all at the beginning, which sets up the scene for this novel.

And, on that bombshell, I leave you with:

Rating: 3/5