The Emperor’s Children, fractured and decadent, are tasked by Fulgrim to conquer the Imperial world of Crucible and slay its Black Templar defender, but the campaign devolves into a brutal siege marked by internal strife and moral decay. Themes of ambition, the cost of loyalty, and the hollowness of excess play out as the Legion’s warriors confront what they must sacrifice for victory and the approval of their distant, enigmatic Primarch.

Reader Review Summary

Set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, this novel centers on the Emperor’s Children, a Chaos Space Marine Legion led by the daemon Primarch Fulgrim. The story follows Fulgrim’s challenge to his scattered warriors: to conquer the Imperial world of Crucible and bring him the head of the Black Templar defending it. What begins as a straightforward assault becomes a protracted siege, with the Emperor’s Children facing not only external resistance but also internal strife and conflict. The narrative explores the fractious nature of the Legion, the cost of ambition, and the consequences of their pursuit of excess, while also featuring the perspectives of the Black Templars and the planet’s militia. Despite the book’s title and marketing, Fulgrim himself is largely absent from the main narrative, and the focus is distributed among various characters and factions involved in the conflict.

Some readers appreciated the nuanced portrayal of the war on Crucible, particularly the inclusion of the planet’s militia and the depiction of the Black Templars as grim adversaries. The action scenes and descriptions of battle, wounds, and the physical impact of violence were noted as vivid and detailed. The book was recognized for avoiding the typical tie-in approach of focusing on new models or units, instead delivering a story with shades of gray and some unexpected twists. The ending was described as satisfying and well-executed, and the narrative was seen as fitting within the tradition of the Space Marine: Battles series.

A significant portion of readers expressed disappointment with the lack of focus on Fulgrim, both in terms of his presence in the story and the absence of insight into his character or motivations since his return. Many found the Emperor’s Children characters to be uninteresting, underdeveloped, or portrayed as caricatures, with some describing them as pathetic or lacking the depth seen in previous Black Library works. The plot was criticized as dry, with forgettable characters and repetitive descriptions of violence. Several reviewers felt the book missed opportunities to explore the internal dynamics of the Legion or Fulgrim’s relationship with his sons, and some compared it unfavorably to other novels featuring the Emperor’s Children or similar themes.

The book was published on April 26, 2025, written by Jude Reid, and falls within the science fiction and Warhammer 40,000 genres. It has received 46 ratings and 10 full reviews, with an average rating of 2.96 out of 5. The novel does not feature returning Emperor’s Children characters or provide significant new information about Fulgrim’s plans or activities since the Scourging. While some readers found the ancillary characters, particularly the militia, to be more compelling, others noted that the book could be skipped by fans seeking deeper exploration of Fulgrim or the Emperor’s Children.