Customer Reviews

Daemonifuge: Heretic Saint (Warhammer 40,000 Novels)

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This review refers to the hardcover table top edition of this book.

If your bookshelf can hold it, go for this book in the hardcover format. Large glossy pages enhance the story by bringing all of the art into clearer focus simply making everything easier to see. The manga style graphic novels from Warhammer are cramped and printed on cheap paper bound too tightly. The hardcover version is really nice and brings the story to life.

Daemonifuge tells the story of Ephrael Stern, a member of the Adeptus Soroitas who has forgotten her past and must seek out the answers to powerful and dangerous questions. As she and Inquisitor Hand seek to solve the mysteries of Stern's existence and powers, chaotic forces hound them and unknown mystical powers protect them. The story is dark and fast-paced (as are most Warhammer tales), and reads almost like a mystery.

The art work is amazing in this graphic novel, better than any I've found in the other Warhammer books. Detailed gore and beauty combine to make an exciting read that you'll be tempted to finish in a single setting.

Heretic.Witch. Daemon-wench. Child of Chaos.
Ephrael Stern of the Adepta Sororitas. She is a Battle Sister. She is a Daughter of the Emperor. In fact, Ephrael was all these things even before she had been born human. She did her duty and she did it well...until she died. When she is resurrected, things change.

Renegade. Outcast. Thrice-Born.
While in a lost convent of the Adepta Sororitas on the edge of nowhere, Ephrael is chosen to be the "Keeper of Secrets" by the "Screaming Cage" on Parnis. Inquisitor Silas Hand gave everything, including his life, to keep Ephrael alive so she could do her duty by delivering the secrets to the Black Library.

Saint. Weapon of Light. Scourge of Chaos. Daemonifuge!
Ephrael is changing within. The knowledge within her is transforming her. She is slowly learning what she has become and what she can do. Until the transformation is completed, she must simply survive and wait for "The Pariah" to find her. The Pariah is to guide her through the secret paths between worlds. Surviving is not easy. She must live through captivity by aliens and their battle arenas, The Ordo Mallous (Daemon Hunters), an inquisitor out to slay Silas's killer (thinking it to be her), and the Dark Ones who make their lairs in the secret paths between worlds.

***** Excellent graphic novel set in the W40K universe! Be sure to have plenty of light as you read. When the text is in italics, it is very hard to make out some of the words due to the font chosen. This is another graphic novel that would make an outstanding full length novel series, such as the Malus Darkblade series has done (and is still doing). Dark Fantasy, battles aplenty, faith, betrayal, pain and blood...it's all in here. Out-freaking-standing! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

This graphic novel is not for the faint of heart. Its intense story requires some basic knowledge of warhammer to properly understand and its detailed art requires pause to fully comprehend what is going on. This may throw some readers off but it also adds to the charm and atmosphere when you get into the rhythem of reading it. This story left me delightfully satisfied with the story arc, but wanting more at the end. I want to know what happens next. I want to read about Stern's life. I want to know how she becomes the Daemonifuge.

**Spoilers (sort of)**

Unfortunately we don't get it. In "Daemonifuge: The Heretic Saint" (a compilation novel of "The Screaming Cage", "The Lord of Damnation", and "The Thrice Born" [unpublished]) it stops short before a fight because the story was cancelled, but this still stands strong as a stand alone story arc. It is a must read for anyone even mildly interested in either Sisters of Battle or Chaos.

This book was fantastic. I have never really been into "picture books" but this one tells a fantastic story and the artwork is superb.

This comic contains several vignettes about one Sister of Battle named Ephrael Stern. The first few stories flow together nicely, but as the book continues the stories leave longer and longer gaps between the tales, leaving a rather disjointed affect.

As a narrative whole, the book is stitched together haphazardly. But the individual tales are well done and the art is strong as well. The overall tale of Ephrael Stern is outlined here, but not detailed.

This book is likely going to only interest 40k trivia or Sister of Battle fans. However, given the lack of competion for Sisters of Battle fluff; it is the only game in town.