WH40k Book Club Book #175 - Zardu Layak by Rich McCormick

Every two weeks we read a new book in the WH40k universe and discuss it on our podcast. We invite you to read along with us and join in on our conversation via comments, Twitter, Discord, email, or vox cast.

For this episode, we’re reading Zardu Layak: The Crimson Apostle by Rich McCormick. You can purchase it at Amazon, Warhammer, or Audible.

From the back of the book:

Zardu Layak is not mad. Zardu Layak has been chosen by the gods.

After receiving visions of his father, Lorgar, in his dreams, the Word Bearer now understands the truth – in the war to come, he is destined to set the stage, open the way and change the galaxy forever.

But he is not yet ready. First, he must travel to the forgotten world of Helwain to seek out the Anakatis blades, weapons of terrible power that will give him the strength required to walk the path to glory. Yet Helwain is also home to ghosts, and as the echoes of Layak’s past weakness surround him, he must reckon with the question that turned his Legion from the Emperor: what if the truth is a lie?

Discussion guide for Zardu Layak: The Crimson Apostle:

Did you like the book?
Which parts stood out to you?
Did you like Zardu as a protagonist? Is this a good bolster to his lore?
Helwain seems like a nice place to visit. Was Helwain an effective antagonist?
Chaos is a cruel mistress, indeed. Do we think there is a larger scheme at foot, or is this just Chaos being Chaos?
Given what we know about Zardu’s eventual path in both Slaves to Darkness and The Siege, do we feel differently about Zardu?