The Twice-Dead King: Ruin

Warhammer 40,000, Book 1

By: Nate Crowley

Narrated by: Richard Reed

Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's Summary

A Warhammer 40,000 novel

Pride is everything for the dynastic kings of the Necron race, who have awakened after millennia to see their empires occupied by foul beasts and simple minds. For the Necron Lord Oltyx, the Ithakas dynasty was his by right, but the machinations of the court see him stripped of his position and exiled to a forgotten world.

Listen to it because

See the struggles of the Necron court from their own eyes, and discover the lengths one Lord will go to for the status they desire.

The story

Exile to the miserable world of Sedh, the disgraced Necron Lord Oltyx is consumed with bitterness. Once heir to the throne of a dynasty, he now commands nothing but a dwindling garrison of warriors, in a never-ending struggle against Ork invaders. Oltyx can think of nothing but the prospect of vengeance against his betrayers, and the reclamation of his birthright. But the Orks are merely the harbingers of a truly unstoppable force. Unless Oltyx acts to save his dynasty, revenge will win him only ashes. And so he must return to the crownworld, and to the heart of the very court which cast him out. But what awaits there is a horror more profound than any invader, whose roots are tangled with the dark origins of the Necrons themselves.

Written by Nate Crowley. Narrated by Richard Reed.

©2021 Games Workshop Limited (P)2021 Games Workshop Limited

For Necron fans, old and new.

With Richard Reed returning to the Necrons as a narrator I had high expectations, which he met. His work on ," The infinite and the divine," Being what got me into 40k in general. He shows great range in characters and their corrupt voices. His performance alone makes this a must have.

The story is new and shows us so much more about the Mentality of the the Necron before and after the Bio-transference. Nate Crowley did qn amazing job in referencing deeper lore, characters and war gear that table top fans will be able to identify with ease.
That being said I would most likely recommend this as the Story to start with if you want to learn about the Necron. The intense end to book one really gets you hyped for the second part that is soon to come.

Just as good or better than the Infinite+Divine

The Twice-Dead King: Ruin is a more serious take on Necron's and their society than The Infinite and the Divine was. However, it does a very good job of it. This book is riddled with the Necron's culture and how a noble Necron functions internally. More so, the introspection into how Necrons view flayed ones is also very interesting and is done very well. 10/10 would recommend.

Give it time

This book tricks you at the beginning, makes you believe the protagonist is nothing but a self important fool only thinking of himself and what he's entitled to, his elder a bully and his post a punishment where we'll laugh at his misadventures like in the infinite and the divine. It's not a comedy, it is a tragedy, a beautiful story in fact, must read for necron fans.

Be like Trazyn and add this to your collection

After listening to other 40K books mainly set in the Hersey this was a good change in pace. I was looking forward to another book about the Necrons after listing to Trazyns adventures. I was hopping for a light hearted adventure not a start to a epic new charector that I love and want more of. I am going into stasis till book 2 is out

Necrons

This book is a masterwork of dramatic and emotional storytelling while depicting souless robots, it ya ks your heart right out, and then shoves it back in.

A good listen

Richard Reed performance is excellent as always. That alone is worth a listen. The portrayal of the filleted ones is really on point. The author really captured there creepy and bizarre behavior. The main character is well developed. I do love the dive into necron psychology. The thought that they have a rogue code inside them that believes it's alive and they need to be suppress was creative. My only problem was the battle with the Imperium felt rushed. other than that still enjoyed will definitely pick up the next book.

Worth the read/listen

Didn't think it would be possible to empathise with soulless death-robots, but here we are.

Fantastic deep dive into the lore!

Hooked on this book from start to finish! As a Necron player in the ttg, I was looking for more lore and this provided it in spades. All the way up until the ending it had my attention in it's grasp, and I've immediately purchased and downloaded the sequel. Can't recommend this book enough to anyone even remotely interested in the Necrons.

Love these Necron books

I've never been a fan of the 40k books I've read. but this and the infinite and the divine were much better than the other ponderous books I've tried to read from the 40k setting.

Absolutely amazing!

An excellent look into the lives and psyche of the necrons. Enjoyed it all from start to finish, genuinely one of my favorites and very excited to start the next one!

Great Xenos audiobook

Fantastic audiobook, great narration by Richard Reed, he’s does a great job with all the characters.
The story is about a necron dynasty falling into entropy, and is from the perspective of outcast Necron Lord Oltyx.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Necron lore/books, or anyone wanting a perspective that isn’t from the imperium. I hadn’t listens to any Necron audiobooks until I listened to the infinite and the Devine, and then this which I both thoroughly enjoyed.
It’s quite grim and dark at times, but also being funny and epic, anyone wanting to get into xenos factions in 40k should look into this.

A good warhammer book

First if this is your warhammer book I WOULD NOT recommend this, it uses a lot of in universe technical jargon, if you want a good starter for our robot boys you would be better off reading the divine and infinite. But if you are aware of the universe then it is a really good book

Excellent all round

Well narrated, excellent character voices, and most of all: a brilliant story! An incredible portrait of Necron psychology for those into Warhammer, if not just a cracking sci-fi.

Another great book and narration

This book is fantastic, I could barely stop listening at times.
I find it funny how the race of immortal robots at times seem to be the most "human" of all the races in 40k.
In this book Crowley does an amazing job at conveying the fact the necron (nobility) are individuals that just happen to exist in robotic bodies. The way the different characters are seen struggling with the accumulated weight of anxiety, pettiness and/or vindictiveness that has piled during their immortal wake makes for a very interesting read as they struggle to hold on to their selves, keep themselves sane and all the while deal with an ever more hostile universe.

The only con I can say this book has is its frequent use of WH40k and (mostly) necron terms and names.
If you are like me who isn't that well versed in necron lore you will most likely have to pause and Google some things from time to time. But trust me, it's worth it!

Thanks for reading and have a nice day!
-Luke

Not big on Warhammer? You’ll probably love this anyway!

Author Nate Crowley has a real knack for writing fantastical characters with compelling and nuanced personalities, and The Twice Dead King: Ruin continues this trend admirably. Despite only having a rudimentary understanding of the WH40k setting, I found this to be a deftly written and at times highly emotional tale of pride, duty and strained relationships set against the entropic decay of a once mighty dynasty.

Great listen

Great story and characters also a nice little lore bit of Zahndrekh only issue was a capital city not having a c,tan shard?!?

Excellent

Very good - good book, great performance. Does not require extensive background in Warhammer 40K lore

One of the best wh40k books

Great performance
A little slow to start but amazing towards the end and great to see a perspective thats not the imperium

Necron books for the win!

I am pleasantly surprised by how brilliant the Necrontyr have proved to be as protaganists, first in the Infinite and Divine and now in this beauty. Fantastic story, well told. Can't wait for the sequel.

dont do it!

If you like good stories Ravanor et al you wont like this sorry guys Id love o love some necron books :(