Uriel Ventris Chronicles Volume One is a huge omnibus collecting 3 novels and 3 short stories written by Graham McNeill for the Black Library. The novels are Nightbringer, Warriors of Ultramar, and Dead Sky, Black Sun and they follow the adventures of Uriel Ventris, Captain of the Fourth Company of the Ultramarines Chapters of the Space Marines.
In my first read, I expected more story and less correct lore about the Warhammer 40K Universe, so I was ambivalent about my feelings. Once I finished a rereading, I can say it’s the best introduction to the world of Warhammer 40K and Space Marines. It has some unexplained terms (for beginners) but it covers the essentials of what makes Warhammer Universe Warhammer, and what it means to be grimdark in this universe. I will start and discuss each novel. It needs to be mentioned that the short stories directly connect to the following novel (they fill some very minor gaps in the story).
Nightbringer
Nightbringer is the first novel featuring Uriel Ventris and as a new captain, he doesn’t do much. It respects the lore, but it may cause some reader dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the novel is best at presenting the bureaucracy of the Imperium, the corruption existing on various planets, the political plays always in motion, and the betrayals between factions, as well as dreadful cosmic mysteries in this old galaxy in which the human empire while vast, is pretty young. It covers everything you need to know about the Warhammer 40k universe and the general feeling of this world.
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