Pharos is the first novel-length foray into the world of the Heresy by Guy Haley, who has previously only written short fiction for the series. A relative newcomer to the Heresy Haley reveals both skills and shortcomings in Pharos, which is at times a gripping story of defiance and survival, at times a lukewarm siege narrative rendered down to a handful of action scenes. And do not be fooled by Alexis Polux posing dramatically on the cover - this is very much a story of Ultramarines versus Night Lords, with a smattering of other characters there to fill in the margins. Those who came hoping for the three loyalist legions of the Imperium Secundus teaming up to deal the traitors some pain will be disappointed. Those who came looking for interesting characters and a pivotal new chapter in the civil war will not.
Pharos is a story set well into the timeline, detailing events that have sprung out the series as it expands rather than anything mentioned in the background canon. This rollicking tale follows the varied defenders of the Pharos, an alien beacon used by Roboute Guilliman for communication and travel within his Imperium Secundus, as they defend the mountainous device against an opportunistic attack by a fleet of Night Lords led by Krukesh the Pale. Despite the Heresy series now being over thirty novels and anthologies long most of its installments need only a general understanding of the setting to read, but Pharos is set so far into the series those who have not read at least The Unremembered Empire would be lost. While many of the books in the series have short stories that set them up the shorts are usually not required reading, but in the case of Pharos I felt the absence of A Safe and Shadowed Place, The Laurel of Defiance and Heart of the Pharos, all of which provide background on important characters.
Speaking of characters, Pharos is very much an ensemble story and this proves to be a double-edged sword. By providing us with point of view characters from every camp Haley is able to weave a multi-layered narrative that explores multiple perspectives, but also dilutes his plot and leaves less room for important scenes that glue the action together. The story of Oberdeii and the other Ultramarine neophytes who escape from the orbital station and are left stranded on Sotha has massive potential, but the scouts disappear into the forest partway through the story and do not play a large role in its conclusion. The unlikely friendship between Imperial Fists captain Alexis Polux and loyalist Iron Warriors Warsmith Barabas Dantioch is a similar goldmine, but we see little of their time together and less of their actions to defend the Pharos. Among the Night Lords the relationship between blood-brothers Kellenkir and Kellendvar and the tensions among their villainous commanders are both given enough page time, but sometimes distract from the siege of the Pharos, which is not covered in much detail. One of the few plotlines that does receive enough attention is that of the human soldiers led by Mericus Giraldus who get caught up in the invasion. Mericus is a likeable character who injects much needed humanity into the story, and his horrific death at the hands of the Night Lords left a bad taste in my mouth.
Overall Pharos is a good book, exciting and action-packed enough to carry the story through to its universe-damning conclusion. Issues with focus break up the narrative, but at the end of the day there is just enough here to satisfy.
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