Bloody Books Review: The Infinite And The Divine
DISCLAIMER: INCOHERENT JOY NOISES
When one starts a book that opens with a perfectly natural and normal scene involving an immortal robot punching out an alien Tyrannosaur Rex in a deep distant primal past as a taste of how things are about to go… you know you may be in for a ride. A fear may be that such a strong, characterful opener may overshadow where the story leads, but let me assure you.
This is a calm and sensible moment compared to where this multi-millennia narrative drags us.
Robert Rath has, within these pages, created the Statler and Waldorf of the 41st millennium, managed to channel two characters* that are both hilariously horrible, and horribly hilarious. Take for example, the practical joke that ends up being the reason for the main drive of the plot**. Its a throwaway moment that adds to the every increasing bitchy dislike that Trazyn the Infinite and Orikan the Diviner have for each other, layered upon layers of constant waspish backbiting and thinly veiled insults that would not seem out of place at a Victorian Ball, engaging in Spy vs Spy-esque shenanigans against each others property and person.
“This is ridiculous. Standing here among these biologicals, pretending to be their equals. Watching them gargle bean water down their oesophagi, swilling it through their fatty insides. It makes one ill.”
For a book that starts hundreds of millions of years before the current 40k setting and ends pretty much slap bang into the Indomitus Era, its a book that never stops moving. Rath went big for his first foray into 40k, spanning out a tale that both shows the horror of the existence of the Necron within themselves, as well as being a star-spanning out and out camp comedy.
Make no mistake, The Infinite and The Devine is a comedy. There are the elements of the GrimDark there, with Trazyn’s generational assistant on Solemnace, the constant rise and fall of civilizations that we see from afar on that doomed world. Within those two far reaching polar points sits a book of nuance, of character, and of absolute madness from a man who may care more about his craft that is feasibly possible. Rath’s unwinding of the story is masterful, as you pick up on these disparate elements that felt so fun, or even throwaway, as they tie together to make a web that ties our favourite metal men together into a destructive cycle.
Also, there’s a court case that lasts a few thousand years, and some of the most mindbogglingly brilliant use of a time travel concept i can honestly say I’ve ever seen***
Trazyn and Orikan themselves deserve much of the praise. It’s hard to think of these two being written, as the dialogue flows so naturally, it honestly feels like it’s been recorded and reprinted from actual conversations.*****. These two are not godlike beings, despite that being the level of power that they hold. They are flawed, fallible, and prone to making poor decisions once frustrated. They are incredibly relatable and make recognisably humanish mistakes as they cast their optics over Necron society and consider what they may have lost over their time since the flesh.
I could easily go on further, but I feel to do so would be to spoil a lot of the joy and the fun of spending time with metal Tom and Jerry******.
This one isn’t just recommended. It’s a must read.
*Played by Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in my mind
**I’ll spoil nothing of this…but it is the best reveal I’ve seen in years.
***I have honestly tried to reign my gushing in. It really is that good.****
****I have named this sequence “Titting About With Time”,
*****Patrick and Ian, again
******Interchangeably so