Bloody Books Review: Day of Ascension

When someone of the caliber of Adrian Tchaikovsky takes on the challenge of exploring a world not of his making, it's certainly time to sit up and pay attention. When someone of the calibre of Adrian Tchaikovsky starts exploring elements of the Warhammer 40k universe, its time to celebrate.

When it's this damn good, it's time to start wondering what else Black Library has planned for this level of release.

That may be something of a spoiler for my thoughts towards this particular book, but I feel I need to plant my flag down on this hill, as this is some of the best fiction Warhammer 40k has to display.

40k Fiction has a strange and myriad history, ranging from the all-to-regular “bolter porn” release to the highs and lows of the Horus Heresy series*, with Dan Abnett and Dembski-Bowden pushing the ceiling ever upward on what 40K Fiction can and should be**

Day of Ascension manages to scale the upper echelons of that ceiling in two ways. The first being a constant oppressive reminder that Imperium of Man is not, in any way, a good thing. The world of Morod is a world of crushing servitude, of using up the cheap resource of human life without care nor thought other then as as an accountant would discard his abacus. The choice of either an early death in the mines or to be taken to be turned into a mindless mechanical is no choice at all, made worse by the fact that it's not yours to make. Within this environment Genetor Gammat Triskellian desperately works to sustain his legacy of research, and his place within the Adeptus Mechanicus***. Triskellian is constantly foiled as humiliation upon humiliation are heaped onto him by his superior, due to his insistence on improving and researching the biological. Triskellian mistakenly thinks he discovered a path out of his own ever-pressurised existence with the revaltion of a new and interesting genetictic strain within the inhabitants of Morod. Whilst we are led to believe his place in the Mechanicus is one that mirrors the difficulties of the miners, as the book moves along becomes obvious is still a fairly privileged one. The change of focus that takes place as we are introduced to Davien and her extended family**** of the Congregation of the Divine Union as she attempts to first find her brother (a monstrous abomination that apparently likes a cuddle) and then to find the meanings of her built-in faith as events speed along at an ever-quickening rate. Tchaikovsky does not shy away from nuance within these two factions, showing the good that comes from the Genestealer Cult community, and the safety that the members of that community feel when together, even when the threat of exposure threatens their plans. The humanisation of the inhuman

Which leads me to the second part of what makes this novel a benchmark in 40k. Neither faction is presented as black and white. About halfway through, I had to shake myself with the reminder that the Genestealers are not the heroes here. The “aunts and uncles” of the cult have stolen generations of people away from themselves, and have installed a community that will welcome oblivion that comes in teeth and claws. In fact, there are entire conversations here about what the end result for the cult will be, as well as surprisingly effective responses. Tropes are not as much subverted throughout the tale, and deconstructed and rebuilt in a manner to better praise the Four Armed Emperor. The use of a deep portrayal of what the life of a cultist is like day to day is something of a switch to what we are used to when dealing with Xenos in 40k storytelling, and is used to great effect. Its fascinating to watch two vastly different viewpoints aim to work towards what they assume are the best interests of the world they inhabit, each being anathema to the other whilst holding very similar mirrored ideals.

In short, Day... is a mature book that delves deeply into moral ambiguity without either viewpoint suffering a collapse into cartoonish villainy, holding the door open at the end for a continuation that would be welcome but is not necessary. A highly recommended read for fans of 40k in general, as well as of intelligently created Science Fiction*****

*that has to be holding some record now for the longest continuous story?

**I know it's terrible, but I do love the Jaq Draco books for that very reason. Also Golden Throne Queues.

***Absurdist academia at its finest

****brood

*****What would it take to get a China Mieville Age of Sigmar story?