Customer Reviews

Path of the Warrior (Warhammer 40,000 Novels: Path of the Eldar)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is for 40k fans >=)

After reading Eldar Prophecy I was hesitant to read another novel written about the enigmatic race of Space Elves. Unfortunately after playing a lot of Dawn of War II, I was compelled to find and read an Eldar book. So came along Path of the Warrior. And to my surprise, it wasn't just decent... it was actually good. So good, that I am actually giving a review, my first ever!

The aspects which make this novel so compelling a read can be divided into three aspects (Setting, Characters, and Story). Each of which I will examine, without spoiling too much (I hope).

Setting: The thing that bugs me a lot about the 40k setting is that it focuses too hard on a Medieval or Fantasy motif. Path of the Eldar does not attempt to render Elves in space like Eldar Prophecy. The Eldar in Path of the Warrior are portrayed as a race of psychically enhanced and technologically advanced people whom are cursed by both the decadence of their ancestors and trapped in a universe at war. As such, I was impressed by the style, as it gave a sense of `realism' to the 40k universe.

Characters: For once, the Eldar are rendered as creatures with hopes, fears, aspirations, and anger. After so many Space Marine novels, it's quite refreshing to examine conflict and combat from the other side. The main character Korlandril is believable in the context of the universe, his `human' emotions allows the reader to connect with him and his journey. The character is quite sympathetic, especially through his interactions with the other characters.

Story: There was a review earlier that states that the Korlandril character is inconsistent. That he changes more than he should (And then some...). And that is why he had qualms with this novel. While I respect his opinion, I suggest rereading the title once more, even to people who have just picked up the novel. It is called Path of the Warrior, not path of Korlandril. The story is overall about the spirit of those that fight and die in war. In fact there are subtle hints of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome in the novel. The book is more about the spirit of war, the effects it has upon the psyche, the transformation it requires, its importance on a primal level, and the inevitable fate it brings. In that respect, I believe this novel is deeper than most 40k Space Marine novels.

Anyways, I hope this review has been helpful.

I have a problem with reviewing this book. I think Gav Thorpe is one of the Black Library's best authors, his Last Chancers novels are excellent. I've never been a fan of the eldar but I figured I'd give this book a chance.

This book's strongest aspect is the amount of time put into the development of Korlandril. I would say 95% percent of this book is character/world building. At first it can seem difficult to empathize with Korlandril, he seems kind of whiny and melodramatic at times, but once you come to understand the eldar as a race it sort of makes sense. This book follows Korlandril as he progresses from the path of the artist to the path of the warrior (big surprise). In several ways this novel follows the Heinlein format set in Starship Troopers.

Now for the books weaker aspects. There is a very minimal focus on action in this book. That in itself is not such a bad thing, many BL novels are gratuitous in violence and lacking in plot. This would be excusable were the three action sequences actually entertaining but I found myself skimming through them. Another complaint I have is the switch that comes near the end of the book **spoiler** Korlandril ends up being consumed by his blood thirst and becomes the master of a Warrior Aspect Shrine...after only two battles, one of which he was injured in before he got into any real fighting. This would be ok, if not for the fact that he loses any resemblance of the character you spend three hundred pages watching grow **spoiler end** Anyway the ending (a giant battle for the Craftworld), is left off at a cliffhanger, not that the fighting seemed all that intense or gripping anyway. I realize that this is just the first book in a series but you can have an ending to a debut novel that leaves the rest of the series open for growth.

I don't find this novel up to snuff with Thorpe's other novels. I can't really recommend it unless you are a diehard eldar fan. I'm still undecided as to whether I will purchase the sequel, if it is anything near as unfulfilling as Path of the Warrior I may have to pass.

These days, there are always movies and books coming out in twos, or threes (or even sevens or eights). Often, if you read some interviews with the writers, you'll find that the work was originally conceived as a single piece, but that it had to be broken up to maintain a good flow and to tell the whole story. This book is an example of what happens when you keep it one book. The novel has lofty goals, and the protagonist goes through enormous character changes throughout the story. The problem is that there never seems to be enough justification for the changes, nor enough description of Korlandril for the reader to even fully understand what the change was. Parts of the story that end up just being background info take up huge numbers of pages, while crucial battles or plot twists seem rushed. Character descriptions become tediously long while deep character changes seem to happen suddenly and with little justification. The actions scenes are fun but lack detail or depth, or go on for pages only to be abruptly cut short. This would have worked better with simpler goals or as a more extended piece.

You can't make one relatively short book which encompasses a very short period of time, have the character basically unravel all the mysteries of a supposedly ancient and mysterious sect of an ancient and mysterious race, and have it not seem rushed or even ridiculous. If you're not familiar with the Eldar background already (from the games or other books), you'll be confused and lost. If you are familiar, you'll likely feel like damage was done to the canon by the lack of focus and rushed pacing. Either way, do yourself a favor and skip it.

The ancient eldar are a mysterious race. Their lives must be in constant motion, moving from one Path to the next, developing their senses of self and the universe. Craftworld Alaitoc is where Korlandril the Sculptor treads. When confusion and anger become overwhelming, Korlandril must abandon the Path of the Artist for the Path of the Warrior. He goes to the Shrine of Deadly Shadows, where Exarch Kenainath will teach him the ways of the Striking Scorpion.

The peace is broken, harmony falls to discord, only war remains.

When war comes, Korlandril and the other Aspect Warriors array themselves as merciless killers. Wearing their war-masks, these warriors feel no guilt, no remorse, no pity. When battle is over and their war-masks have been removed, they do not remember the deaths or acts of destruction they had committed. However, if one is not careful, one may lose himself, his very identity, and turn into the ultimate embodiment of warfare.

The peace is broken, balance falls to discord, only battle remains.

***** FIVE STARS! A masterful rendition of the ancient eldar race! As I began this story, I was wary and unsure of how the author could live up to the challenge of depicting the Eldar species. The Eldar is beyond the advancement of the humans of the W40K Universe, even of the Adept Astartes. I read and slowly soaked up of the Eldars' society and their ways. By the end of the story, I had finally come to the conclusion that Gav Thorpe had not only done the Eldar species justice, but had surpassed my expectations. The author managed to show the reader the race's sense of logic, advanced technologies, individual self control, and constant seeking for knowledge and advancement. Yet understanding that no species is perfect, the author also managed to show that not all of their people can remain so strong. A weak link is inevitable. But a weak link may also be the beginning to unparalleled greatness. It is all so very hard for me to describe; however, Gav Thorpe makes it all so clear and simple. To me, that shows incredible talent. My advice to fans: If the name Gav Thorpe is on the cover, BUY IT. Do not bother reading the back of the book to learn what the story is about. It will not matter. If Gav Thorpe wrote the story, it is sure to please. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

"Path of the Warrior" is a great novel for anyone who is curious concerning Eldar society, culture and history. Unlike most Black Library products, this book will give you healthy doses of warfare but not ignore the world that exists outside of the battlefield, of course you could buy the Eldar codex or "Eldar prophecy" (an older Eldar novel) , but you would miss out in a literary masterpiece. I am an Imperial loyalist when reading Warhammer 40 K (I am too lazy to play the game), but for once I saw humanity as despicable and found myself perplexed and interested concerning the Eldar. The novel follows the life of an Eldar as he goes through different stages of his life until the culmination inside the Striking Scorpion aspect (generally ignored in 40 K lore), believe me you want to read and learn what happens with him. In the end I learned more about Eldar culture than its warrior, but I LOVED IT!, a gust of fresh air in the grim darkness of the future. The only thing I have to take up with Gav Thorpe was that the ending was sudden and without drama, a whole book ends with a whimper and that, I hated. Even with the anti climatic end I deeply recommend this novel to any Eldar player/reader or even Imperial/Chaos/etc. player, its worth your time you wont regret adding this title to your collection.

First off I think that if you dislike the Eldar race then you shouldn't pick up this book. Essentially the book gives great background information on Eldar society on the craftworld Alaitoc. What the novel does best is highlight the main idea that certain individual Eldar may never journey on the path of the warrior while others will forever be entangled by it. The main character goes through transformations that reveal what the craftworld sees as Eldar destiny. I.E. every Eldar walks a certain path. For Eldar fans this is a exciting read, in general for Warhammer 40k fans I would think it is enjoyable. If you only like reading about Space Marines, well then there are plenty of other novels out there for you.

Ok, I had to actually edit this review to make it more understandable. What I first considered a stand alone book is part of a trilogy.
Path of the Warrior is the first, followed by Path of the Seer, and ending with Path of the Renegade. So what is the premise and in depth story: the Eldar paths and the life Eldar live is the easiest way to explain it.

Some background information for those that have no idea of Eldar background: the Eldar are effectively space elves that believe that no scenario of fate is accidental. Thus each life has a strand through time that is affected by countless others and in return affects countless others.
The other key concept is that Eldar follow a strict life style in which their emotions and urges are channeled into paths. These paths are what protect the Eldar from chaos, to a point, and they follow for either a certain period of time or if they can not escape it for ever on a given path.

Ok, now to the actual review.

First off: If you have ever wondered how Eldar would behave, think, and interact: this is one of these rare master pieces. The book is an amazingly detailed articulation of an Eldar experience. The nuances that most people ignore in our daily lives as well as the dangerous of the Eldar paths. One key part that was amazing was the language they use and how much we ignore the language we use ourselves.

The book itself, as the title already spoiled (sarcasm) is about the path of a warrior. In this case the story begins with Korlandril who is on the path of the artist. Yet soon flaws in his own emotional being begin to surface that push him into the path of the warrior. Korlandril becomes a warrior in the hopes of protecting himself from his own violent tendencies. Yet the more he struggles the more danger he exposes himself due to a flaw he ignores.
The book itself is fantastic and well written and does give the reader a unique experience into the dangers of the violence each Eldar contains within.

I've been slowly working my way through the 40K books for the past year (and have a long way to go). After focusing so much on the humans, I looked forward to reading about the Eldar. This book lived up to my expectations.

The pacing of the books seems strange on the surface, as it moves very slowly in the beginning, then everything suddenly takes off about 3/4 of the way through. But when reading it, the pacing seems more natural, especially if you don't try to overthink it. A few reviewers have said the main character's transformation makes no sense because he was so content as an Artist. The point, however, is that he was not content. He was doing what eldar do - follow a Path until they learn all they wish, then moving on to another. The Path of the Dreamer or the Artist helped him, but he did not truly find himself until he became a Warrior. (The irony is, of course, that by finding himself, he loses himself.)

The very end surprised me. I knew he would eventually become an Exarch, but his final destiny was something I never imagined.

I've read a lot of 40k books and like many fans I always hope the Eldar will pop up. Now I get a whole novel devoted to them. Hooray!

This is a very solid novel that will leave you satisfied if you've ever wanted to read anything about the Eldar. I particularly enjoyed the scope and thoughtfulness of the author, giving us a back story to the protagonists that drives middle parts of the novel. All of the Eldar paths are represented to varying degrees in this novel which is so important and speaks to the vision this author had.

The last third of the novel is a little disappointing. Sadly, it has more than one "best ever" moments, by which I mean the protagonist is written to be the best ever of whatever s/he is doing. Your protagonist starts off as a lowly farmer, why not make him the king of all kings. Your protagonist is a simple soldier in WWII, why not have him drop kick Rommel in the face. Authors sometimes feel that in order for their stories to be grand and their characters to be memorable they have to reach the zenith of existence; characters must be unchallenged in their greatness at a given thing. That's simply not true. The protagonist is a great character who is compelling, and relatable. He doesn't need to become the most powerful (won't say what) to be memorable.

That foible costs the novel one star. It more than earns the other four.

Many readers will not grasp the heart of this story's purity.
Those familiar with the gaming system and some of the background of this enigmatic Eldar race, will immediately see that this story holds pure and true to the strictly disciplined strictures required of this emotionally and psychically sensitive race. The path of the warrior is just one aspect of their path, each an "Aspect" of their incarnate god of war, thus their name "Aspect Warriors".

The fallback of their society requires each individual to devote themselves wholly to each step they take in their life, much like the Eastern philosophies of perfecting every aspect of a task into an art form unto itself.

This book follows one individual, and his struggle along that path, until ultimately culminating into the highest form of tragedy for his race, the immortality of a Warrior.

As an avid player, and enthusiastic fan of this game and its races, this is the best thing since the Horus Heresy novels, and I can't WAIT to read the next aspect visited.