Welcome to the first ever novel published about the Leagues of Votann. When you release a new army into the 40k universe, it needs lore. 40k lives and dies on the stories behind its factions and characters, so for many people getting lore for a new faction is as, if not more, important than the models and rules. A certain amount can be told through the codexes, but that is often dry explanations and occasional short stories. What you really need is novels. So I, like many people, were very excited for this book, and I am happy to say I wasn’t disappointed.
The High Kahl’s Oath tells the story of Myrtun Dammergot, leader of the Eternal Starforge Kindred. After an exciting introduction involving her Prospect hunting and essentially gutting a Tyranid bioship for its resources (a nice reversal of roles), the plot revolves around her being called back to the Kindreds holdship and having to uphold an oath. This will lead her and her crew through dangerous warp phenomenons and into encounters with the forces of Chaos and the Orks, all for a mysterious goal. To say any more would be spoilers, but suffice it to say it’s a solid tale. It hits all the right points, and while it might not be a legendary read (not everything can be The Infinite and the Divine), it is exactly what you’d want from an initial book for a new faction.
Welcome to the first ever novel published about the Leagues of Votann. When you release a new army into the 40k universe, it needs lore. 40k lives and dies on the stories behind its factions and characters, so for many people getting lore for a new faction is as, if not more, important than the models and rules. A certain amount can be told through the codexes, but that is often dry explanations and occasional short stories. What you really need is novels. So I, like many people, were very excited for this book, and I am happy to say I wasn’t disappointed.
The High Kahl’s Oath tells the story of Myrtun Dammergot, leader of the Eternal Starforge Kindred. After an exciting introduction involving her Prospect hunting and essentially gutting a Tyranid bioship for its resources (a nice reversal of roles), the plot revolves around her being called back to the Kindreds holdship and having to uphold an oath. This will lead her and her crew through dangerous warp phenomenons and into encounters with the forces of Chaos and the Orks, all for a mysterious goal. To say any more would be spoilers, but suffice it to say it’s a solid tale. It hits all the right points, and while it might not be a legendary read (not everything can be The Infinite and the Divine), it is exactly what you’d want from an initial book for a new faction.
This is the key point here. With the Kin being such a new faction, we still have many questions about them. Such as deeper questions about their culture and structure, as well as how they interact with other races. The best thing about this book is that it addresses all the questions I have about the kin. And it doesn’t just dump it all on you either, it all comes out naturally as part of the plot (although thinking back one encounter early on did seem a bit forced, but I appreciated it nonetheless).
While The High Kahl’s Oath probably wouldn’t fit into my all time 40k book recommendations (there are so many choices), I definitely would recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the Leagues of Votann. It’s pretty much essential reading in that regard, and I’m hoping it has paved the way for more to come
