This is very strange, great, and oddly funny for its tragic framing and being one of those legendary moments and references from 40K Space Wolves lore. It almost feels like at least two distinct stories as there is such a tonal shift, however somewhat gradual, between the first half and the second.

I usually avoid spoilers in my synopses and won't get specific and spoil everything, but it's hard to discuss this, especially with it being such a fundamental known thing for the vast majority of people who listen to it. If that's not you, this is a real odd Wolf, but it's definitely worth a listen.

The 13th Great Company of VI Legion, so-called Grey Beards and Wolf Brothers, being the first Longfangs from the first recruits from Fenris, arrive on Prospero to raze the glittering Pyramids of Tizca. This whole first section plays out with the high quality writing action that could be from Prospero Burns, if lacking the personal and individual hooks the novel has time to set up and play out. But soon the Veteran Space Wolves burst into the Great Pyramid in pursuit of a powerful Thousand Sons Sorcerer, marking the transitional period that is the search for the Psyker, chasing them his portals and initial jaunts through more portals.

At this point things get weird, there's even an extremely silly reference line that genuinely made me laugh. Things get all Scooby Doo and Doctor Who as the labyrinth and narrative become almost slapstick for a bit. I could imagine Yackity Sax (a less famous Commissar) playing as they run about in the Moebius-Escher maze. I'm often saying that Warhammer needs to remember how silly it is and have some fun once in a while, as a treat. Admittedly, the level of goofs within the utter tragedy of the burning of Prospero is a bold and interesting choice, but, Throne, do I have so much respect for Gav Thorpe just swinging for the fences.

Things get more serious with glimpses of the Warp and possible places people could get stranded, building up to a tragic ending that highlights the utter pointlessness of any of these conflicts (and war in general) and a very strange, so that's how and why it happened, huh?!

This truly is a bizarre audio drama, almost as if a Wulfen, a Raptor, and Flesh Changed had a baby. It feels longer than it is in a good way and, while it's absolutely not perfect, it is bloody good, and mostly sticks the tonal shifting transitions, mostly.

Lots of tones and vibes is better than no tones and vibes and I had a great time with this absolute loose unit! ( )