Author: J.C. Sterns
Series: Warhammer 40,000 series, Warhammer Horror series
Publisher: Black Library
Released: December 26^th, 2019
Received: NetGalley
Warnings: Graphic gore and violence
Rating:

I received a copy of The Oubliette through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Oubliette is the latest novel to hit the Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Horror series. Written by J.C. Sterns, this is a graphic tale of what can go wrong when a planet is left to its own devices for too long. Or perhaps it’s a tale of politics and temptation. You be the judge.

Ceocan has long run smoothly and efficiently. They meet their quota, and as such are essentially left to their own devices. But with the death of the Lord Governor, that is all at risk. But as with any tale of politics, will it be noticed before it is too late?

Ashielle just lost her father and eldest brother. She hadn’t expected to take on the role of Lord Governor, but thanks to that unfortunate series of events (which she has great suspicions about), she must do exactly that.

Ashielle will have to play the politics game in order to keep her planet afloat. But when danger strikes too close to her heart, a new darkness seeps in. And with it, the temptation to use it.

“Make your offering of flesh and blood. Of life. And the darkness shall descend where you command, leaving only whom you wish.”

Warnings: The Oubliette is a horror novel through and through. As such, it does contain some more graphic details. Most of them involve graphic details of death or gore.

The Oubliette was a mesmerizing read. This is a book that I simply couldn’t put down, or get out of my head. Even when I wasn’t reading it, I found myself wondering what was going to happen next. What turn of fate was in store for Ashielle. Or what drastic action she would take next.

I’m quickly learning that the horror novels coming out of Warhammer are my favorites. The chilling tones add an extra layer to this world, making them all the more thrilling and captivating. The Oubliette is no exception. As a happy side note, The Oubliette also features my favorite cover thus far.

This was honestly a chilling read, from start to finish. It had so many twists and turns. Some of them were predictable, but many were not. I actually suspect that the predictable elements were thrown in with intent – to trick us into a false sense of security. Or perhaps this story made me as paranoid as some of the characters within.

It was thrilling trying to figure out what was going to happen, and what the intent of the ‘other’ was in this novel. I love novels such as this, where much of the truth is intentionally obfuscated. The addition of the politics and scheming really enhanced the sense of dread, something I hadn’t anticipated, by very much appreciated.

I really enjoyed reading The Oubliette, and find myself eagerly looking forward to seeing what the next novel will be from Warhammer Horror. I’m also going to be adding J.C. Sterns to my list of authors to keep an eye on.