The Death of Integrity by Guy Haley – A Book Review

After having returned from the dark streets of Commorragh, I took the plunge into Black Library’s latest entry to the Space Marines Battles series of novels: The Death of Integrity by Guy Haley.

There were lots of reasons for me to take a look at this book:

1. Space Marines are everywhere this month. Can’t help but getting excited about them!
2. The Death of Integrity is a Space Hulk novel (and I love weirdly named Space-craft even more than I love Space Hulk, and “Death of Integrity” is a naming worthy of a culture novel).
3. I haven’t read anything by Guy Haley yet. I know his previous novel Baneblade was well-received, but I had no chance to read it myself (yet). The Death of Integrity was a good opportunity to get a taste of Guy Haley’s work.

In the end, The Death of Integrity delivered all it promised, and a lot more besides. This book is a truly rare gem, hidden in the (sometimes ridiculed) Space Marines Battles series that is well worth reading if you enjoy Warhammer 40K (and not just to get into the mood for Space Marines).

After pursuing an insidious genestealer cult across the sector for years, Chapter Master Caedis of the Blood Drinkers stands ready to destroy the original source of the infection – the vast and mysterious space hulk designated Death of Integrity. However, immediately coming into conflict with both their brothers in the Novamarines Chapter and the priesthood of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Blood Drinkers must reign in their more aggressive instincts and accept the possibility that the hulk itself may be of value to the Imperium…

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#1 – The Death of Integrity: A Space Hulk Novel

For a start, The Death of Integrity is billed as a Space Hulk novel. And it is just that, in all the ways that the idea of Space Marines breaching the dark depths of a Xenos-infested Space Hulk is one of the most iconic and awesome thing about Warhammer 40K!

The Blood Drinkers, the Novamarines and the Adeptus Mechanicus all want to purge the Space Hulk designated “Death of Integrity“, all for different reasons, and the forays of the Marines into the Hulk are at the core of the story for most of the book.

Guy Haley does a fantastic job conveying the claustrophobic and hazardous environment of the Space Hulk. The fights with the Genestealers are vicious. Most of all, I enjoyed how Haley took the opportunity to show off the different approaches, or styles, of the Blood Drinkers and Novamarines in fighting the Xenos infestation (though I probably could’ve done with just a bit less time spend on the various Space Marine rituals and preparations).

Terminators battling Genestealers in the dark of a Space Hulk is such an iconic Warhammer 40K image, and Guy Haley truly nails it. The Death of Integrity is worth reading for that alone.

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#2 – The Death of Integrity: More Than A Space Hulk Novel

The Death of Integrity actually goes quite some ways beyond a “simply” Space Marines vs. Genestealer “Space Marines Battles” story, delving deeper and deeper into the secrets and ambitions of the Blood Drinkers, the AdMech and the Death of Integrity Space Hulk itself as the story moves forward.

Every one of the characters, be it the Blood Drinker Chapter Master, the Novamarines Captain or the Mechanicum Adepts, have motives of their own, not all of them (or even most of them) clear from the start. The Blood Drinkers in particular harbour a sinister secret, and the story takes a few surprising turns towards the end as the different strands come together.

One one hand, The Death of Integrity is a rewarding read precisely because it takes the reader to some rather unexpected places. The many plot-twists follow quite naturally from the story.

On the other hand, there are almost too many “dark secrets” in there, and perhaps one or two too many characters with a secret mission. It is an odd luxury, I suppose, to complain about a Space Marines Battle novel having too much depth and story.

Nevertheless, the various twists and reveals towards the end did feel a bit rushed at times (especially given the slower pace the books starts with).

Slightly less, would’ve perhaps made The Death of Integrity even better.

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#3 – Verdict

The Death of Integrity is a highly enjoyable read. It sets the “Space Hulk mood” brilliantly. The action is fast, fun and exciting. The various characters and Space Marine chapters all get their moments to shine, showing how much one really can do with the concept of a Space Marines.

I could nitpick the book a bit more on pacing and on trying “a bit too much” in too few pages. These are luxury-concerns at the best of times, however. Even with these flaws, The Death of Integrity stands out for being a far better-than-average Space Marines story.

The Death of Integrity is easily one of the best new Black Library books to pick up this summer.

Z.