I’ve been reading the Warhammer 40k novels for years. It’s a gigantic universe with a lore so deep that you could read about it for days and still not be done. But it does tend to focus heavily on space marines and bolter porn, as well as a Horus Heresy series that seems to be going on forever. It reminds me of Star Wars in that there are so many tales to tell, but it was always a bit too focused on the Skywalker clan. I don’t mind reading space marine novels, but I want to see how the common person lives in this brutal universe. I want to get down on the dirty streets. That’s why I loved Bloodlines by Chris Wraight, as it shows a side of the Warhammer 40K universe that we rarely see.
Bloodlines is the first novel in the Warhammer Crime imprint from Black Library, which the publisher introduced after the success of the Warhammer Horror imprint. I’ve always felt that the WH40K universe would be perfect for a futuristic hardboiled detective noir story, as the common hive cities of the Imperium of Man tend to be crime-infested hellholes that are ripe for a thousand intriguing stories. It’s written by Chris Wraight, who’s fast becoming my favourite Black Library author (although Dan Abnett still takes the gold for me) and it’s the third WH40K I’ve read by him (the other two are Vaults of Terra: The Carrion Throne and Vaults of Terra: The Hollow Mountain, both of which I enjoyed).
Just a note. I say ‘read’, but I listened to this on audiobook through my Audible subscription. It’s narrated by Charles Armstrong, who does a fantastic job and manages to make the various characters sound unique.
Bloodlines* takes place in the massive sprawling hive city of Varangantua on the planet Alecto. This is the setting for all the Warhammer Crime books, at least at the time of writing. It doesn’t seem to be your usual hive world, such as the hellhole that is Necromunda, as there are locations like beaches and hills mentioned, so humankind hasn’t sucked the life out of this planet just yet. The city, as with most cities, is divided between those who live somewhat comfortably (at least comfortable for the WH40K setting), the terribly poor, and the gilded. The gilded are the wealthy citizens of Varangantua, who live behind walls on their own estates with their own personal security teams.
The law in Varagantua, if you can call it that in a city where corruption is rife, is the Bastion. The main protagonist in Bloodlines, Agusto Zidarov, is a probator, which is basically what passes for a detective in Varangantua. He’s assigned to a case to investigate the disappearance of the son of Udmil Terashova. Udmil is one of the gilded and head of the Terashova Combine, one of the massive conglomerates that ply their trade in the city; both legal and semi-legal. But Zidarov is immediately suspicious about why he’s even been called in, as why would one of the richest families on the planet want to get the common law involved when they have the resources to investigate it privately?
Aside from investigating a disappearance, there’s a parallel story based on the horrific trade in cell-draining. This literally drains the cells from kidnapped young people, who are hooked up to coffin-like machines and kept alive for days. These cells are then used in rejuvenation treatments that help older people live longer. While this treatment can be done through legal means in the form of lab-grown cells, the illicit way is much cheaper, despite the horrific moral implications. Zidarov had previously helped stamp this out in his sector, but it’s now reared its ugly head again. He finds it a disgusting trade, which it is, so makes it his personal mission to crack down on it.
Other narratives include a look at the home life of an Imperial citizen. Zidarov lives with his wife and daughter, but his daughter, Naxi, has been away at training and, when she returns, she’s hell-bent on joining the Imperial Guard, much to the condemnations of her parents. A lot of WH40k makes out that everyone has an undying love for the emperor and soak in all the propaganda that the Imperium of Man pumps into its subjects. In reality, the common person is just trying to get by in life and may only go to church because they feel like they have to for fear of being labelled a heretic. Naxi’s parents don’t want her to leave the planet for the stars, because they know full-well that she won’t be coming back, and she’ll likely die horribly in some far-flung warzone. Such is life in the Astra Militarum.
There’s also something going on with a place that Zidarov visits from time to time, but we don’t learn an awful lot about it. It feels like that’s just setting it up for the inevitable sequel, but I’m totally happy with that as I want to spend more time with Ziadrov. I’ve read a few theories floating around on Reddit, but I won’t mention them here for fear of spoiling something.
You could fully enjoy Bloodlines without knowing a thing about the WH40K universe, as it often comes across as just a detective novel set in the future. But, for those of us who do know a bit about the universe it’s set in, it does have its references. Paying the ‘tithe’ to Terra is mentioned, as well as Naxi wanting to join the Imperial Guard. You’ll see references to the ‘machine spirit’ that the Adeptus Mechanicus believes in, as well as references to citizens worshipping the Emperor of Mankind and exclamations of ‘his hand’ between characters.
The setting also shows you just how little the common imperial citizen knows about the wider galaxy. There’s talk that something is disrupting the shipping lanes (which is no doubt a reference to the recent ‘Great Rift’) but that’s about all most people know about the massive ongoing events currently taking place in the WH40K universe. Even the gilded don’t know much about it, only that their off-world trade is being disrupted. Also, some people discuss, including Zidarov, whether or not Genestealers or Xenos (aliens) are a myth as they’ve never actually seen one. It just goes to show how each planet in the 40K universe is its own diverse civilization and the chaos and war that grips parts of the galaxy may never be seen by some planets (luckily for them). As long as they pay the ‘tithe’ and don’t fall to Chaos or Xenos infiltrators, they’re pretty much left to get on with things by the wider Imperium.
It’s the little moments of life in the 41st millennium that I enjoyed reading about the most, but it’s a great detective story too. Zidarov and his associates are just a handful of people amongst untold trillions. There are plenty of stories to tell in this universe, so it’s refreshing to read a story that isn’t just about slaughtering Tyranids or blasting Orks to pieces with heavy bolters. I hope Black Library continues to put out more in the Warhammer Crime imprint, as I’m excited to see where they can take it next.
You can buy Bloodlines by Chris Wraight over on Amazon*. Or buy it direct from Black Library at their website.
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