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Two immortal robot skeletons who have hated each other for thousands of years, and now they're being forced to team up again.
Honestly, what could possibly go wrong?
If you've already met Trazyn the Infinite and Orikan the Diviner, you probably already know the answer: pretty much everything.
This The Wicked and the Warped audiobook review takes a look at Robert Rath's long-awaited follow-up to The Infinite and the Divine, bringing the two ancient Necron rivals back for another dangerous investigation involving a mysterious world, the Great Rift, Chaos, and the lost expedition to Amenthis.
And yes, they're still absolutely terrible at getting along.
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ 4.5/5
Trazyn and Orikan are back, and somehow their ancient rivalry is still one of the most entertaining things happening in Warhammer 40,000.
The Wicked and the Warped has the right combination of mystery, grimdark science fiction, Necron lore, and character-driven humor. Rath understands that the appeal isn't just the setting—it's watching two ancient egomaniacs being forced to cooperate while neither is remotely interested in admitting the other might be useful.
Richard Reed's return as narrator is another major plus, especially if you listened to The Infinite and the Divine.
Listen to it if you loved the first Trazyn and Orikan story and want another chaotic adventure with these two.
Skip it if you're completely new to Warhammer 40,000 and want a simple standalone science-fiction audiobook without much lore or prior character history.
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| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | The Wicked and the Warped |
| Author | Robert Rath |
| Narrator | Richard Reed |
| Series / Universe | Warhammer 40,000 |
| Genre | Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction, Space Opera |
| Subgenre | Warhammer 40,000 Tie-In, Grimdark Sci-Fi, Dark Comedy |
| Audiobook Length | 13 hours 24 minutes |
| Release Date | August 15, 2026 |
| Format | Unabridged Audiobook |
| Publisher | Black Library |
| Language | English |
At the center of The Wicked and the Warped are two ancient Necrons who probably shouldn't be trusted to organize a lunch together, let alone investigate a dangerous mystery.
Trazyn the Infinite is an obsessive collector and historian. He has spent millennia preserving objects, people, and moments from history for his enormous personal collection.
Orikan the Diviner, on the other hand, is an immensely powerful astromancer obsessed with prophecy, the future, and manipulating events to fit his own vision.
They've hated each other for thousands of years.
Their rivalry has survived conflicts, destroyed worlds, and more than enough opportunities for either one to simply walk away.
They never do.
This time, the opening of the Great Rift causes an ancient world from the Necrons' past to return to realspace. For Trazyn, the discovery isn't just mysterious—it's potentially valuable.
The world may contain clues about a lost expedition that disappeared while investigating Amenthis, a planet that has since been corrupted by Chaos.
Trazyn sees the investigation as an opportunity to uncover lost history and perhaps even repair his strained relationship with Orikan.
Which sounds optimistic.
Considering these two are involved, I'd probably lower those expectations.
Let's be honest: you aren't picking up The Wicked and the Warped solely because you desperately need another explanation of the Great Rift.
You're here for Trazyn and Orikan.
And thankfully, they remain the best part of the experience.
Trazyn is vain, manipulative, fascinated by history, and completely convinced that his collection represents the greatest preservation of civilization imaginable.
Orikan is colder and more calculating, obsessed with the future and convinced that his ability to predict and manipulate events puts him several steps ahead of everyone else.
The contrast between them creates the audiobook's personality.
One is constantly trying to prove how clever he is.
The other is constantly trying to prove that he's even cleverer.
Neither is particularly willing to admit when the other has a point.
And that's where a lot of the fun comes from.
The easy mistake with a story like this would be to make the rivalry nothing more than comic relief.
Rath doesn't do that.
The banter is funny, but there's genuine history underneath it. These aren't two random characters who happen to dislike each other. Their relationship has developed over thousands of years, and the story uses that history to give their arguments more weight.
They know each other's weaknesses.
They know exactly which buttons to push.
And neither of them is mature enough to resist pushing them.
That makes even relatively simple conversations entertaining because you know there's usually something else happening underneath the dialogue.
At the same time, the story knows when to stop joking.
When the mystery becomes dangerous, the tone can shift from amusing rivalry to genuine tension without feeling completely out of place.
The central mystery gives The Wicked and the Warped more substance than simply putting Trazyn and Orikan together and letting them argue for thirteen hours.
An ancient world from the Necrons' past suddenly returns to realspace after the opening of the Great Rift.
That alone would be enough to get Trazyn interested.
But the world may also hold answers about an expedition connected to Amenthis, a Chaos-corrupted planet that has been hiding secrets for a very long time.
That gives the story several questions to keep you listening:
The last question might be the most dangerous one of all.
If you're already familiar with Warhammer 40,000, there's plenty here to enjoy.
The story combines Necron history, ancient civilizations, Chaos, the Great Rift, mysterious worlds, and the enormous scale of the 40K universe.
But the setting isn't simply background decoration.
The history of the Necrons and their relationship with the wider universe is directly tied to the mystery, which gives the story a distinctly Warhammer 40,000 identity.
That also creates the biggest barrier for newcomers.
If you've never touched Warhammer 40K before, some names and concepts may fly past you at first.
You don't necessarily need to know every detail of the universe, but having some familiarity with the Necrons and these two characters will make the audiobook considerably more enjoyable.
A lot of Warhammer 40,000 fiction leans heavily into the grim, brutal, relentlessly serious side of the setting.
The Wicked and the Warped understands that 40K can also be very funny.
That's one of its biggest strengths.
The story doesn't abandon the darkness of the universe just to make room for jokes. Instead, the humor comes naturally from the personalities of Trazyn and Orikan.
They're ancient, powerful, dangerous beings who are still capable of behaving like two incredibly petty rivals.
That contrast makes the comedy work.
My one real caveat is that this is very much a sequel.
If you haven't experienced The Infinite and the Divine, you'll still understand the basic mystery, but you won't have the same emotional context for Trazyn and Orikan's relationship.
And since their rivalry is such a major part of the appeal, that's a pretty significant thing to miss.
Richard Reed returns as narrator, which is a particularly good choice for this sequel.
He also narrated The Infinite and the Divine, so there's continuity in the voices and overall performance between the two stories.
That's important here because the audiobook relies heavily on conversations between Trazyn and Orikan.
When two characters spend this much time arguing, their voices need to be easy to distinguish.
Reed's performance helps maintain that separation while keeping the dialogue engaging.
And at approximately 13 hours and 24 minutes, the audiobook has enough room to develop the mystery without becoming an enormous commitment.
If you enjoyed Reed's work on the previous Trazyn and Orikan story, his return makes this feel like a natural continuation rather than a completely new interpretation.
I'd strongly recommend it.
The Wicked and the Warped is a sequel to Robert Rath's The Infinite and the Divine, and the relationship between Trazyn and Orikan is built on everything that happened before.
Listening to the first story gives you a much better understanding of:
You can technically start with The Wicked and the Warped, but I'd consider that the harder route.
Why skip the first chapter of one of Warhammer 40K's best character pairings when you can watch the rivalry develop from the beginning?
Good fit if:
Not a good fit if:
For Warhammer 40,000 fans, I'd say yes.
The biggest selling point isn't simply that this is another 40K audiobook.
It's that Robert Rath brought back Trazyn and Orikan.
That alone gives the story a personality that many tie-in novels don't have.
The ancient Necron mystery, Chaos-corrupted Amenthis, the Great Rift, and the lost expedition give them something substantial to investigate, while their rivalry keeps the story from becoming too heavy.
The early listener response is also encouraging, although the audiobook is still very new and its rating count is relatively small. Audible currently shows a 5.0-star rating, so I'd treat that as an early positive signal rather than a definitive long-term score.
For fans who already know these characters, that's a pretty compelling combination.
The Wicked and the Warped is currently available through Audible, where eligible new members may be able to access the audiobook through a 30-day free trial.
Because trial eligibility, pricing, and membership terms can vary by country and account, check the current offer before signing up.
If you're eligible, the free trial can be a convenient way to try the audiobook without committing to a full membership immediately.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Q: Who wrote The Wicked and the Warped?
A: The Wicked and the Warped was written by Robert Rath.
Q: Who narrates The Wicked and the Warped audiobook?
A: The audiobook is narrated by Richard Reed, who also narrated The Infinite and the Divine.
Q: How long is The Wicked and the Warped audiobook?
A: The audiobook runs approximately 13 hours and 24 minutes.
Q: What is The Wicked and the Warped about?
A: The story follows Trazyn the Infinite and Orikan the Diviner as they investigate an ancient world from the Necrons' past and uncover clues connected to a lost expedition to the Chaos-corrupted planet of Amenthis.
Q: Is The Wicked and the Warped a sequel?
A: Yes. It's the follow-up to Robert Rath's The Infinite and the Divine.
Q: Should I listen to The Infinite and the Divine first?
A: Yes. It's strongly recommended because the relationship between Trazyn and Orikan is built on their history from the previous story.
Q: Is The Wicked and the Warped a good starting point for Warhammer 40K audiobooks?
A: It's better suited to existing Warhammer 40,000 listeners, particularly people already familiar with Trazyn, Orikan, and the Necrons.
Q: Can I listen to The Wicked and the Warped for free?
A: Eligible new Audible members may be able to access it through a 30-day free trial. Availability and terms vary by country and account, so check the current offer before signing up.
The Wicked and the Warped succeeds because it understands exactly what makes Trazyn and Orikan so much fun.
They're ancient.
They're incredibly powerful.
They're deeply invested in their own versions of history and destiny.
And they absolutely cannot stand each other.
Put those two characters inside a mystery involving an ancient Necron world, the Great Rift, Chaos, and a lost expedition, and you've got a pretty effective recipe for another Warhammer 40,000 adventure.
Robert Rath keeps the setting serious enough for the stakes to matter while allowing the rivalry to provide plenty of humor. Richard Reed's return makes the audiobook feel like a genuine continuation of The Infinite and the Divine, rather than simply another story using the same characters.
It's not the best place to start if you're completely new to Warhammer 40K, and I'd definitely recommend experiencing The Infinite and the Divine first.
But if you've already met Trazyn and Orikan?
You're probably going to want to hear what happens when these two ancient troublemakers get dragged into another mystery.
For Warhammer 40,000 fans, Necron enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoyed The Infinite and the Divine, The Wicked and the Warped earns a solid 4.5/5.
Two immortal Necrons. One dangerous mystery. Thousands of years of unresolved rivalry.
What could possibly go wrong?
Probably everything.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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