Booknote: Mark of Faith

Rachel Harrison, Mark of Faith: an Adepta Sororitas Novel. Nottingham, UK: Black Library, 2020.  ISBN: 9781789990867. 

Genre: science fiction

Subgenre: Warhammer 40000, Adepta Sororitas

Format: e-book galley

Source: NetGalley 

 

Sister Evangeline survives battle in Ophelia VII. This is a battle where she loses her mentor and most of her battle sisters. She is gravely wounded. She is also marked on her face with marks others take as divine favor from the Emperor. She is seen as chosen by the Emperor, so when the opportunity to find and bring back a valuable relic arises, naturally the Ecclesiarchy believes she is the one to lead the expedition. So does the Inquisition, and Inquisitor Ravara, seeking the artifact for reasons of her own, is going along as well. 

This is a story of quests. It is Sister Evangeline's quest to prove herself worthy and to maintain her humility despite events thrusting leadership and attention on her. It is Inquisitor Ravara's quest to make right the wrongs of her past as well as follow her father's voice, the voice of a dead man. The novel alternates between Evangeline's view and Ravara's view. This works pretty well as it emphasizes it is their story. However, we also see some of the supporting characters through the two main characters' eyes. 

The author starts in the midst of battle, so we get into some action right away. After that and Evangeline's recuperation, the author builds up the story. Gradually the quest comes together, and soon the stakes increase as they travel, a voyage that costs lives but that may be nothing compared to the foe they find when they get there. Much of the tale's intrigue is trying to find out what motivates Ravara. Why is this quest so important to her?

The novel combines action with some suspense and intrigue. We get a bit of Ecclesiarchy politics, especially early in the novel. The novel also has pretty good pacing, and it keeps the reader engaged. This is one I wanted to keep on reading to see how it would turn out. I will note I wished Evangeline had chosen a different path for herself at the end (don't worry, she does remain faithful), but otherwise this was a pretty good tale. Fans of the Adepta Sororitas will likely enjoy this, but they may also want more. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

Book qualifies for these 2020 Reading Challenges: 

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