A Destiny Denied (290.M41) - The Officio Assassinorum, having failed to destroy the obscenely powerful Chaos Lord Malfecius with operatives from the Eversor and Vindicare Temples, sends the Culexus Assassin Vaedrex instead. The Culexus haunts the steps of Malfecius across the Eye of Terror. Only when Malfecius ascends to Daemon Princehood does Vaedrex finally strike. With Malfecius' latest incarnation rendering him vulnerable to Vaedrex' Psyk-Out Grenades, the Culexus finally manages to kill the reeling Daemon Prince with a punishing series of blasts from his Animus Speculum.

Black Library Book of the Year – The Winners! - Warhammer

Just finished it today, top stuff even if, as mentioned, the last act gets a bit confusing trying to keep various knights straight in my head! Did not expect the exact mayhem that went down, some excellent twists and turns. Definite 007 vibes from the Assassins at times, helped i think by the dry english diction on the audio book :D Medieval sci-fi intrigue with a scattering of warhorns and knight combat. Honour and betrayal and some damn sharp shooting. Really enjoyed this. Even amongst the upper echelons of the Officio Assassinorum, this temple is always viewed with extreme caution. This is not because of the way that the Culexus operate, nor because of any particularly hideous methods they use to kill their targets. It is because of the Assassins themselves, for they are bearers of the Pariah Gene. Has anyone read this without reading the sequels? I'm itching it fit this book in, but I don't have the desire to read ebooks compared to audio/physical books right now.The core are three assassins from different temples and distinctly different ways to approach the problem. It's possibly a bit heavy on the characterization at first but it works and gets you in the mindspace when they're presented with obstacles. Dynamics work as well as one would expect for three individuals from very jealous temples. Then you've got this whole world that's alien to just about everyone. It feels like a kid moving to a new town and learning how to act in a relatively bizarre environment. It's as foreign to the characters as the reader. In some ways, it feels like an inverse of a typical Imperium 40k book where mysterious crap is happening to the protagonists. These assassins very much feel like the 40k mysterious danger imposed on the world. History requires two parties – the historian and their audience. Without that, one is just talking to oneself. So kindly stop screaming and you might learn something.” Vindicare Temple Assassins are cold, calculating killers that eliminate their targets with contemptuous ease. They aim to bring inglorious death to the enemies of the Emperor with a sniper's bullet, and have elevated the skills of the marksman to an art form. Really solid 40k book and a huge surprise. I find the one of novels can be a hit or miss sometimes but this was fantastic. The main group of assassins were all really likeable and I really enjoyed the way they interacted with each other. Reminded me of the Eisenhorn books in that respect. Vanus Temple - Almost nothing of the Vanus Temple is known beyond its name and the fact of its existence (though the High Gothic word "Vanus" means "Empty"). The Vanus Assassins are primarily used as intelligence-gatherers and in matters of grand strategy and intelligence tactics they are without peer, their political insight unparalleled by the savants of the Imperium. The Vanus Temple works to engineer their mark's doom via their consummate command of information. The Vanus Temple wages a far more complex war, taking the art of the stealth kill to the next level. Their modus operandi is to learn everything possible about not only their target but also those closest to him, then to tacitly manipulate circumstances so that their mark's death is brought about by his own folly or -- preferably -- by the hand of a once-trusted friend or comrade. It is the Vanus Temple that the Imperium employs when the revelation of a prominent figure's heresy would cause more damage than the knowledge of the resultant retribution. Many a shining saint or vaunted figurehead has met with premature martyrdom after some secret heresy has reached the ears of the Vanus. Perhaps the best summary of the Vanus Temple's philosophy was stated by Fon Tariel, an infocyte of Clade Vanus, the Vanus Temple's precursor, during the terrible civil war and intrigues of the Horus Heresy: "the cleanest kill is one that another performs in your stead with no knowledge of your incitement."

Assassinorum Kingmaker (Warhammer 40,000) eBook : Rath

Despite not having Imperial Knights in the title this is the best Imperial Knighs book that I've read so far. So many deep dives into Assassin/Knight lore. Intricate descriptions. Great ending. The methods of the Callidus Assassin are those of utmost cunning and duplicity. They are sometimes used on missions where overt interference by the Imperium would upset the intricate balance of power maintained by the High Lords of Terra. I also need to highlight the character of Sir Linoleus Rakkan, a noble of Dominion who is co-opted into the plans to kill the high monarch and becomes a member of the assassin team. At the start of the book, he is introduced as an ambitious pilot attempting to raise his fortunes. However, after nearly being killed, he becomes a mercenary Freeblade, fighting against the forces of Chaos, before being kidnapped by the assassins. Initially a depressed prisoner who relies heavily on drink to mask his emotional pain and the issues surrounding his disabled legs, the assassins manage to convince him to help Sycorax impersonate him on Dominion and use his return to gain access to the court. Due to being a son of both the rival Stryder and Rau houses, Rakkan provides some great insights into both houses and the royal court, as well providing instruction on how to pilot a Knight. It was a lot of fun to see Rakkan’s reactions to many of the early events of the book, especially as he is forced to watch himself being impersonated, providing information to help them pull off the charade. While Rath could have left Rakkan as a useful, one-note character, he instead spent a good portion of the novel evolving Rakkan and ensuring that he ended up being a key part of the plot. Not only does he mature greatly after witnessing some of the key moments of the mission and Sycorax’s impersonation of him, but Rath also dives into his past and the connection he has to his father, a Dominion hero whose glorious death Rakkan continually witnesses due to his connection to Jester, which his father died in. This obsession with his family and the past eventually leads him to some big revelations in the present, and he ends up having some major and exciting moments in the last half of the novel. Rakkan ended up being one of the most complex and entertaining characters in Kingmaker, and I really appreciate the excellent way in which the author developed him. Adamus Temple - The Adamus Temple, originally known as the Clade Adamus, was the oldest of the clades of the Officio Assassinorum during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy. It is unclear whether it survives into the 41st Millennium as one of the Officio Assassinorum's present temples. Clade Adamus Assassins are master swordsmen and melee specialists, drawing on some of the most ancient blade-master traditions of Old Earth. Adamus Assassins were dedicated to decapitation strikes intended to eliminate an enemy military force's command and control. For the best viewing experience, we recommend using old reddit version - https://old.reddit.com/r/40kLore/

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An organisation chart showing how the Officio Assassinorum is organised beneath the Administratum. Note that the Venenum Temple and the Vanus Temple are classified on this chart. The Renegade Maerorus Temple is not shown as it is no longer in existence. What a wild ride! It’s a great mix of characters, action, suspense, 40k shenanigans, espionage, high court intrigue, Assassinorium drama, Knight action. Just bravo Robert Rath! Bravo!

Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath Warhammer 40,000: Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath

The Knight World of Dominion is on the verge of seceding from the Imperium, its court riven by factionalism and ruled by an increasingly unhinged monarch. With the aid of the shapeshifting Callidus assassin Sycorax, Raithe must remove the king from his throne – and safely steer a pro-Imperial candidate to victory through the brutal succession crisis that will inevitably ensue. His team will need to infiltrate a world steeped in chivalric codes, where every move risks discovery, and every threat pilots an adamantine monster... for if the assassins fail, and Dominion falls, the entire sector will be plunged into darkness. On the Knight World of Dominion, a Vindicare and a Callidus Assassin are tasked with eliminating a seditious leader and safely steering a pro-Imperial candidate to the throne.

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And many Easter Eggs inbetween, like Imperial Knights (Rakkan, Hawthorn) naming thier dogs after Imperial Guard heroes:

Assassinorum | Warhammer 40k Wiki | Fandom Officio Assassinorum | Warhammer 40k Wiki | Fandom

Infiltrating the planet using returning Knight, Sir Linoleus Rakkan, who has been co-opted into their plans, the assassins arrive to find a world in turmoil. The planet’s two rival ruling houses are in constant battle with each other, and in the ensuing chaos, anti-Imperial sentiment is high, and the already invincible High Monarch is under heavy guard. Seeking to infiltrate the court of Dominion, the kill team begin to manoeuvre themselves into position, while manipulating the feuding knights around them. However, the assassins soon begin to realise that not everything is as it seems, and a dark secret lies at the heart of this noble planet. Can Raithe’s team achieve their goals, or are they destined to die at the hands of a dangerous foe with malicious plans for the entire Imperium? The story essentially devolves into all-out war for its last quarter, as the protagonists find themselves facing enemies all around, and all four main characters are forced go in some amazing directions at this point as they attempt to stymie the damage before them, with varying degrees of success. Rath really pulls out all the stops here, and the reader is dragged into non-stop action on every front, from a mass of deadly mecha fights, close combat against abominations in the bowels of an ancient castle, and an intense gun fight against overwhelming numbers. At the same time, there are a ton of big revelations occurring here as a lot of the storylines Rath has been patiently setting up throughout the rest of Kingmaker finally come to fruition. I honestly did not notice some of the clues that Rath set out in the earlier stages of the novel, but once you realise what he has done, it really becomes apparent how much detail and planning the author put into the story. Everything comes together extremely well at the very end, and Rath wraps up most of the storylines perfectly, leaving the reader very, very satisfied, with all their action needs firmly quenched. However, he also leaves a couple of storylines opened, which could potentially lead to some form of sequel in the future, which I would be very excited for. An, epic story with so much going for it! If we look at the story beats on the imperial knight side of the story you'll soon see similarities with the older medieval stories, such as the various legends of Arthur and etc. Political intrigue, three Assassin Temples and Knightly Houses, combine to make an interesting story.Two Imperial assassins take on their most dangerous mission yet – navigating the complex social landscape of a Knight World to ensure the right successor takes the throne. Acolytes of two very different temples of the Officio Assassinorum, these agents need to work together to succeed, for failure means raising the ire of the colossal Imperial Knights. Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley When a distant yet crucial world threatens to secede from the Imperium, the Officio Assassinorum dispatches a group of its finest agents to replace the planet’s monarch with someone more favourable. But when you’re working with trained killers, can you really trust anyone . . ? Same applies for the characters in the knight world. The author managed to skillfully blend medieval knights with giant robots, and the result is fantastic. Over the course of the Imperium's history, the agents of the Officio Assassinorum have claimed millions of lives for their masters. But their tactics differ greatly from the worldwide slaughter brought to bear by the Astra Militarum or the unremitting force of an Adeptus Astartes strike. Each death they bestow upon the enemies of the Imperium is a carefully crafted link in the chain that binds the realm of Man to the Emperor's immortal will. Though every one of these kills is extensively documented in the appropriate temple's datacrypts, only a very small fraction have entered the legends of the Imperium, known by few outside the vaulted halls of the High Lords themselves. I’ve wanted a quality Assassinorum novel for years. Yes I know Nemesis and Execution Force technically do exist, but I prefer to forget that fact whenever possible.