Booknote: Bloodlines

Chris Wraight, Bloodlines: an Agusto Zidarov Novel. Nottingham, UK: Black Library, 2020. ISBN: 9781789991604. 

Genre: science fiction

Subgenre: detective, mystery, Warhammer 40,000

Format: e-book galley

Source: NetGalley

 

Agusto Zidarov is a probator, a police detective in the metropolis of Varangantua. Varangantua is a sprawling city of extremes: squalor and poverty on one end and obscene wealth and grandeur on the other. The city in reality is run by various large corporate conglomerates and by criminal cartels. Corruption is a way of life, even for the Enforcers (the police force). This is the setting where Agusto works. The story begins when the matriarch of one of the big conglomerates summons him. She wants him to find her missing son. Agusto wonders why because corporations often have their own security forces, often better funded and equipped than the Enforcers. Why bother calling on him? Agusto soon finds out this goes way beyond a missing persons case, and he soon realizes he's being used by the matriarch, but why?

 

This is a Warhammer 40,000 novel, but in heart it is a noir detective mystery novel with a bit of conspiracy and corruption thrown in. If you already read WH40K works, you'll likely enjoy this one. The author pays attention to details to get the ambience and setting of WH40K right. However, you don't have to be a WH40K fan to enjoy this. If you like a good detective story with a bit of noir, the worn down cop who has to step up to solve a case no one really wants solved, you'll likely enjoy this one. If you are not familiar with WH40K, you may be concerned about a term here or there. No need to worry. The author includes a helpful glossary so you can get the lingo and terms. 

The novels starts, and it builds up gradually. As the case builds up, we also learn more about Agusto and his family. He is a relatively ordinary man called to solve a big case; this is a common trope in detective stories. Soon the tension and action pick up the pace, and the truth is revealed in the last act. It is a well paced novel that keeps your attention. I wanted to keep on reading. Setting is crucial in the novel, and it works well. It is oppressive, corrupt, overwhelming at times, reinforcing that the odds are not in Agusto's favor. Throughout the novel, we see bits of Imperial propaganda, such as billboards. It can be a bit reminiscent of Orwell's 1984, and it is a reminder that the universe of Warhammer 40,000 is very much dystopian. The author manages to make a good detective noir story within the Warhammer 40,000 universe, and it works well. 

This novel is part of a new Black Library series: Warhammer Crime, taking place in Varangantua. I do hope there are other Agusto Zidarov novels coming down the line. This looks like it can get interesting. Overall, this was one I really liked. 

4 out of 5 stars.