Book Review: Lord of Ruin: A Tale of Malus Darkblade by Dan Abnett and Mike Lee

Lord of Ruin is a captivating Warhammer Fantasy novel that delves into the world of the Dark Elves, known as the Druchii. It is the fifth installment in a larger story arc centered around Malus Darkblade, a Dark Elf noble possessed by a demon. Malus isn't completely consumed by the demon; instead, the demon occasionally exerts its will, overriding Malus's own desires. However, for the most part, Malus is driven forward on a quest by the demon through threats of punishment, which manifest as what others perceive as his schizophrenic tendency to converse with himself.

The novel boasts extensive worldbuilding, not limited to the rich Warhammer Fantasy lore. Authors Abnett and Lee provide an immersive experience, unveiling intriguing and unexpected details that draw you viscerally into this captivating world. A standout moment occurs during a protracted sequence depicting the Chaos horde's siege of the Black Tower of Ghrond, the primary military outpost safeguarding the Dark Elf realm of Naggaroth from the Chaos Wastes. Throughout this segment, the authors' descriptions transported me right into the heart of the action.

However, the novel's plot, like its predecessors in the Malus series, suffers from an episodic and scattered structure. It often feels like each chapter presents a new crisis, with these individual crises serving as stops along a ride filled with spectacular events.

Overall, Lord of Ruin stands as my favorite installment in the Malus series. While it's possible to enjoy this book as a standalone, I recommend reading the preceding four novels. Doing so will imbue the story with a deeper resonance, as you'll appreciate the numerous callbacks and connections that become more meaningful when you follow the entire narrative.

One intriguing aspect towards the novel's conclusion is the development of Malus's conscience. At times, he exhibits behavior akin to that of a good person, which raises questions about its alignment with Warhammer Fantasy lore. Dark Elves are described as irredeemably corrupted by generations of hatred.

Conversation Starter: Plato and the Social Function of Literature

Ancient and classical literary criticism finds its origins in Plato's work, particularly in key passages of his dialogue The Republic. In this dialogue, Plato's protagonist, Socrates, engages in a debate with students about the nature of poetry and its impact on the ideal Republic, specifically its effect on its citizens.

Socrates, essentially Plato's voice, argues that poetic representation can wield significant influence over society, both positive and negative. For instance, he contends that poetry describing the afterlife as a bleak, joyless realm where souls wander aimlessly can be detrimental to the morale of soldiers. In a militaristic society, courage and aggression are vital qualities in its soldiers, and such a bleak portrayal of the afterlife can undermine these qualities.

Plato also discusses the representation of gods in poetry. He criticizes the practice of depicting gods behaving immorally, viewing it as highly dangerous. This representation of gods behaving poorly can negatively shape the moral values of society.

The Republic delves into various other aspects of poetry and literature. One such element is Plato's theory of representation, which is intertwined with his theory of forms. According to Plato, reality is a distorted reflection of a deeper reality, as exemplified in the famous "Allegory of the Cave" enumerated in the dialog. This allegory asserts that sensory perception offers only a limited understanding of reality, while a truer reality exists beyond our senses, composed of immortal and eternal ideal forms.

Plato's perspective on representation influences his perception of poetry, leading him to regard it as a lesser and potentially dangerous form of representation. For instance, he would consider a poetic description of a beautiful horse as less significantly valuable than an actual concrete horse, which, in turn, is less valuable than the ideal concept of "horseness" existing in some immaterial realm.

Despite his reservations about poetry, Plato does allow for its presence in his ideal Republic, provided it serves a specific pro-social purpose. This lays the foundation for understanding the role of a literary critic. According to Plato, the critic of literature should evaluate works based not on their aesthetic qualities but on their impact on society--whether they promote pro-social or anti-social effects.

This perspective raises thought-provoking questions for literary critics:

• Should works of art be assessed primarily based on their societal effects?
• Is it valid to evaluate works of art solely on their aesthetic qualities?
• What role does art play in shaping society?

In summary, key passages of The Republic by Plato raise enduring questions that continue to be relevant for literary critics. They offers valuable insights into the nature of literature and the role of critics in evaluating its societal impact, making them passages worthy of closer examination and analysis.