Broken Crusade by Steven B Fischer.
The Black Templars are one of those Chapters that immediately stand apart, even in a galaxy overflowing with zealotry and war. Born from the ashes of the Imperial Fists after the Horus Heresy, they took Sigismund’s uncompromising vision and turned it into a way of life, a crusade without end. Where other Chapters settle into fortress-monasteries and rigid structures, the Black Templars thrive on constant motion, scattering their forces across the stars in countless crusades, each one fuelled by absolute faith in the Emperor. They don’t just fight for the Imperium; they fight for the idea of it, with a fervour that borders on the fanatical. Their rejection of psykers, their oaths, their chains, their relentless drive to prove their devotion, it all creates a Chapter that feels raw, aggressive, and utterly committed. Whether you admire their purity or question their extremism, the Black Templars bring a unique energy to the setting, and any story involving them tends to carry that same sense of righteous momentum. This is the energy that Broken Crusade taps into so effectively. The book doesn’t just introduce the Black Templars; it drops you straight into the mindset that defines them. It shows the early days of their eternal crusade, the forging of their identity, and the tension between duty, faith, and the brutal realities of war. Rather than softening their fanaticism, the story leans into it, giving you a sense of how their culture formed and why they fight the way they do. It’s a compact read, but one that captures the spirit of the Chapter with surprising clarity, making it a great entry point for anyone curious about what sets the Black Templars apart.
The plot takes its time getting to the central conflict, but that slower build works in its favour, giving you a clear sense of the Chapter’s nature, their zeal, their discipline, and their absolute refusal to bend even an inch. When the story finally brings the Black Templars into direct confrontation with their foe, the Chaos Lord they face becomes an unexpected highlight. He’s a fascinating take on a World Eater: a warrior who has somehow carved out an existence not entirely dominated by the Butcher’s Nails. It immediately reminded me of rare cases like Arrian, the Apothecary from Fabius Bile’s consortium, who manages to keep the Nails at bay through chemical calmatives and meditation. But this Chaos Lord’s method is something else entirely, a far more unusual, almost unsettlingly inventive way of managing the constant agony of his implants. All of this comes together to create a story that feels authentically Black Templar while still offering something fresh in the portrayal of their enemies. It’s a compact novel, but one that leaves a stronger impression than you’d expect. The narrative also shifts frequently between Castellan Emeric’s first‑person perspective and a third‑person view of the supporting cast, which adds variety and gives the story a broader sense of scale without losing its focus. I’d wholeheartedly recommend it to any fan. If you don’t mind the Templars’ pious intensity, or even enjoy that flavour of zealotry, you’ll find a brilliant story here, full of unique viewpoints and angles that set it apart from more conventional Space Marine fiction.
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