Book Review 2 For 1 Deal: Angel Exterminatus and Ahriman: Exile

Ahoy there Chaos fanatics! I'm back with a 2 for 1 special book review- I'll keep them brief- just enough to give you the gist so you can think about whether they would be worth your time to read. Like it says in the title, I'll be looking at Ahriman: Exile by John French and Angel Exterminatus by Graham McNeil. So, away we go...

I think I may have read a short story by French and that's about it, so I really wasn't sure what I was expecting here. I have enjoyed some of the recent Thousand Sons stories (A Thousand Sons and Battle of the Fang were great). In a way, Ahriman: Exile is a continuation of those stories, so it really adds up to a nice, cohesive whole. Naturally, Ahriman is the focus of the story, and French does a great job with the character- he is both sympathetic and very arrogant all at the same time. When the story begins, we meet a broken Ahriman- he is no longer with the Thousand Sons, he is a servant of a lesser Chaos Space Marine, and he refuses to use his powers. Comparing Ahriman from A Thousand Sons with his portrayal here, it is great to see him so broken and despondent.

However, Ahriman must re-embrace his powers and his will to live when mysterious forces come looking for him. Survivors of the Thousand Sons have come looking for Ahriman for nefarious purposes. In the course of the chase, Ahriman teams up with several desperate characters (a former Space Marine named Astraeos and a Chaos sorcerer Maroth are both really interesting characters) in order to evade his enemies and figure out what they are truly planning.

It is a fun, and interesting story, which sees a re-awakening of Ahriman. He is always sympathetic, but you also realize that he is only walking down the path that Tzeentch wants him to walk, and that, perhaps, Ahriman has ALWAYS been a doomed individual, no matter what he does- is that fate perhaps? Or simply his own arrogance? By the end, Ahriman is on the path of the renegade that we recognize from the 41st millenium.

My only problem with the story is the resolution. The Thousand Sons that are after Ahriman are led by Amon (I'm not spoiling anything there). Amon has his own plans for the Thousand Sons, and it is, quite frankly, really compelling and so much the opposite of all Ahriman's hopes for his legion- Amon's plans are very interesting, I won't say more as I don't want to give it away, suffice to say that there are now three people- Amon, Ahriman, and Magnus who are each trying to direct the destiny of the legion. However, my main problem is that Ahriman defeats Amon far too quickly. I had imagined a much longer conflict, considering that this story is obviously going to be continued- and there are many plot threads hanging by the end (deliberately). Also, sometimes the story drags a bit too much at times. Once you get through those sections, the book picks up and is a lot of fun, but it slows too many times, in my opinion. 

As it is, I'll give the book 3 out of 4 Marks of Chaos. I am looking forward to part 2 a great deal, as I think this bigger story is going to be very interesting and a lot of fun.

Now, I love Graham McNeil. His Horus Heresy books are amongst the best, particularly Fulgrim and A Thousand Sons. I was very excited to see that he was doing a book about The Iron Warriors (with great ties to Storm of Iron, I must add right off the bat). Plus, they would be teaming up with the Emperor's Children too... how could you go wrong? This would be the second of what I call "The Odd Couple" trilogy (Betrayer, Angel Exterminatus, and the upcoming Forgotten Empire), and who wouldn't want to see the dour Peturabo going up against the outrageously flamboyant Fulgrim?

Unfortunately, the 2 legions just don't gel, and neither does the story. Yes, McNeil does a great job in portraying both legions and their respective Primarchs. McNeil really loves Peturabo, no doubt, but he sometimes becomes a caricature of Peturabo- he is a bit too one-dimensional. The problem is I had read Betrayer earlier- and the portrayal of Angron is so textured and complex, despite the fact that you would think Angron is one note, he simply isn't. Peturabo is motivated to join the rebellion because... the Emperor won't let him build... poor baby. That really can't be the whole thing, can it? Really? Further, I really like Forrix and I really was amused by Kroeger, but they don't get fully developed as characters either.

And that is because McNeil is also putting the spotlight on the Emperor's Children. I loved how Fulgrim ended- but after a short story and now this, Fulgrim is back in control of his body and actions- I feel that this totally negates the great story of the previous Fulgrim. I thought that was just not that cool. Yes, I think McNeil does a great job of showing the complete decadence of the legion- and he writes Lucius so well that I want to paint the model. But again, because the 2 legions have to share the spotlight, it detracts from both too much.

In Betrayer, Aaron Dembski Bowden seemed to be able to balance both the Word Eaters and the Word Bearers so very well while also tying the story to the greater Calth Shadow Crusade- with Lorgar's secret agenda coming into focus by the end of the story. Angel Exterminatus tries to do the same thing (right down to Fulgrim's end goal, it seems), that Angel Exterminatus seems to be a weaker version of Betrayer. This story simply didn't hold my interest or excite me that much. Like I said, I love McNeil's work, but this just didn't do it for me.

Thus, I would give it 2 out of 4 Marks of Chaos.

So there you have it folks. Right now I am just beginning to read the anthology Mark of Calth. I'll let you know how it is when I'm done. I'll also have a review of Star Trek Into Darkness by the end of the weekend. Until next time...

Book Review (In Brief): Battle of the Fang

Hey there Chaos fans! It's been two weeks since I've posted (I've been a bit busy, but that's how it goes), but now I've got another one for you. I just finished Battle of the Fang by Chris Wright, so I thought I'd give you a brief review:

I had just finished reading Prospero Burns by Dan Abnett, and I really liked it. No, it wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I prefer it when Abnett does the unexpected (Legion, Eisenhorn) as opposed to when he's predictable (Titanicus, Ravenor). After reading that saga of the Space Wolves war against the Thousand Sons, I decided to "finish" the trilogy by reading Battle of the Fang, which takes place only 1,000 years after the events of the Heresy (as opposed to being in the 41st millennium).

The book is really, really good. An action packed book that shows how things are going to go from here on out in the "Long War". The Thousand Sons are splintered, with some of the sorcerers still backing Magnus, while the other half has been banished for following Ahriman. Magnus has been plotting for a long time to attack The Fang, the Space Wolves' fortress on Fenris. The Thousand Sons want to destroy it, just as the Wolves ravaged Prospero during the Heresy. Of course, Magnus would not be the chosen of Tzeentch if he didn't have another, more secret motive than just simple revenge...

The Great Wolf now leading the Chapter, Ironhelm, has become obsessed with chasing down the remnants of the Thousand Sons. Following clues to Magnus' whereabouts, Ironhelm takes the vast majority of the Space Wolves with him to chase down a lead, and leaves only the 12th company, led by Greyloc, to protect the Fang. Of course, this was Magnus' plan all along; once Ironhelm is off on the proverbial wild goose chase, the Thousand Sons lay siege to the Fang, with Greyloc desperately defending the fortress with his handful of marines and normal Fenrisians.

The balance of the book is the siege itself. I mean it as a compliment that it reminded me of the sieges of The Lord of the Rings. Greyloc is surrounded and outnumbered, and must rely on cunning to hold the enemy back as long as possible. There are upsets for both sides, and the battle ebbs and flows as an epic showdown should. There are some great bits: the escape of a single Wolf ship, that leaves Fenris to find and warn Ironhelm; the waking of the Dreadnoughts (Bjorn is awesome), the collapsing of the entryways into the Fang, and more. But the height, of course, comes when Magnus himself is "summoned" to Fenris (he is a Daemon now, after all), and all hell breaks loose.

As I said, its action packed, and the author does a great job of contrasting the Wolves with their corrupt and soulless opponents. I also enjoyed the paths of two human soldiers, father and daughter no less, and the parallel paths they take in the course of the battle. Several marines are developed (Helfist and Redpelt stand out), as does the Wolf Priest Wyrmblade. I do wish that the author had developed Greyloc a bit more- he is a heroic figure, but he gets lost in the action at points, and gets overshadowed by Bjorn and Wyrmblade, which is too bad. I also wish that the author had developed Magnus and his two lieutnants (Temekh and Aphael) just a bit more, but that's just me wanting to give the bad guys their due.

The best part of the book? Well, I don't want to give it away, but I do want to discuss it, so here's what I'll do. I'll rate the book now 3 1/2 out of 4 marks of Chaos. If you've read the other two (A Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns) you really owe it to yourself to read this- they really do tie together quite nicely. If you've already read it and want to stick around, I'll briefly look at the ending, which may be one of  the strongest (and yet ambiguous) endings in the Black Library...

So, If you want no spoilers, stop reading now...

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Well, OK, if you're still here, you want to know about that ending then. Here's the crux of the plot and the climax: while Magnus wants to conquer the Fang for the sake of revenge, he is also seeking to destroy something else. Wyrmblade has been working on something called "The Tempering", which could shift the balance of power in the universe once and for all. The gene-seed of Russ is strong, but unstable. It does lead some of the Space Wolves to fall into animal fury permanently (one flaw), and it cannot really be replicated on those outside of Fenris (the second flaw). Wyrmblade's plan is to "temper" the gene-seed- keeping its strengths while limiting the flaws. Wyrmblade's vision is of many, many Space Wolf successor chapters, each with this new and improved gene-seed. Wyrmblade says that they could make so many Wolves, that they could surround the Eye of Terror and traitor marines could never again leave it. The Space Wolves would truly be the protectors of a new, stronger Imperium.

This is what Magnus is really attacking the Fang for. Obviously Tzeentch and the other gods of Chaos would not want the Space Wolves to become so great in number that they can actually carry out Wyrmblade's plan, so Magnus goes to destroy "The Tempering" and all who know about it. Magnus tells Temekh that this is not about revenge, but about preventing a "possible future" (how Tzeentchian). That is what the siege is really about... stopping the Wolves from reaching their "true potential". Ultimately, Magnus is successful- he kills Wyrmblade and destroys all the materials and experiments regarding "The Tempering", and it is made clear that this was the last chance the Wolves would have to try this. Thus, even though the Thousand Sons lose the battle (with the return of Ironhelm's companies), they won the war by denying the Wolves a better future.

However, in true Tzeentchian fashion, that may not be a victory at all... Why, you say? Think about it this way... Only the Emperor knew how to do the gene-seed thing (and even his results were far from perfect); who is to say that "The Tempering" would have been successful? Several characters called Wyrmblade's experiments "an abomination". What if... what if it appeared to work and was carried out on the scale Wyrmblade intended? Would the Wolves have run riot across the galaxy? Or what if it appeared to work only to develop mutations later on, say nine thousand years hence? The Space Wolves could have been ruined... So, did the destruction of "The Tempering" really hurt the Wolves, or did it force them to remain true to themselves?

Thinking about it that way- I can't be sure if this is a win for Chaos or a win for the Imperium... And that's great about the book- being that it is only the 32nd millennium, the events of the Heresy are still "fresh". The book sets the stage for an ambiguous, dark future, full of war and stalemate, without hope or change, of squandered potential.

Did the good guys win or the bad guys? Neither. It is simply war, with no winners...

Book Review: Prospero Burns

 Hey there Chaos fanatics! Old Man Chaos is back with a book review. I have just finished Prospero Burns by Dan Abnett. Now, for me, while Dan Abnett is a great writer, I find that his work is often hit or miss. When he hits, he hits BIG. His Eisenhorn Trilogy may be one of the best 40K story arcs ever- the writing, pacing, detail, characterization, etc are all fantastic. It was the type of book that I didn't want to see end, since I felt so invested in Eisenhorn, Bequin, Aemos, and the rest. Equally good are Abnett's Horus Heresy books- Horus Rising is a great introduction to the series, and Legion has some of the greatest story twists of any Black Library book. However, Abnett does miss quite a bit too- for example, his Titanicus is quite underwhelming, with too many charcaters floating around and not enough Titan action. Also, though I loved the title character, his Ravenor series isn't nearly as good as Eisenhorn, which disappointed me. As for Prospero Burns, some fans have said that it doesn't focus nearly enough on the Battle of Prospero, and that it feels like you're just following some historian around for too long.

While I agree that the Battle of Prospero itself is a bit too short, the rest of the story is, in fact, very, very good. Indeed, I feel that it is one of Abnett's strongest to date. You see, there's multiple themes and stories running through this book. Yes, it culminates in the Battle of Prospero, but if you have already read A Thousand Sons, you already know the general contours of the battle itself, as well as the perspective of Magnus and the Thousand Sons themselves. This book is bigger than that battle, but in a fantastic way, Abnett uses the smallest, most insignificant character as a window into not just the fight between the Wolves and the Thousand Sons, but the bigger conflicts that are happening between mankind and the immaterium, as well as man's battles within himself.

I don't want to give too much away, so I'll try to keep spoilers to a minimum. The story is about Kasper Hawser, a historian and archeologist from Terra. Hawser has had some academic success in making historical discoveries about ancient Terran history, and has even gotten Imperial recognition for his work. However, Hawser grows tired of the beauracracy of Terra (great foreshadowing of the future of Terra's administratum) and decides to leave it all behind and go to Fenris, the home-world of the Space Wolves (Or Vilka Fenrika, as they prefer to be called). The Wolves take him in and make him Skjald, a storyteller for their legion. Hawser gets swept up in the Great Crusade, sees battles, meets Leman Russ and other major figures, and gets involved to the conflict between the Russ' and Magnus' legions.

Now, of course, it isn't quite that simple. Now here's where I will stop on the plot, since I don't want to give too much away. There are some twists here that I don't want to ruin; the surprises here are very interesting and make one interpret the events of the Heresy in a new light (though it doesn't quite match the twists of Legion- boy, those are doozies). I don't want to dwell on those, so I will instead look at some of the major themes and concerns of this book.

The first, and perhaps most vital question that the book seems to ask is "What is the purpose of Knowledge"? For Hawser (and perhaps, the Thousand Sons), knowledge is essential- the phrase "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it" sums up his view. Hawser initially wanted to find the causes of Old Night, that time of anarchy when humanity nearly fell into ruin. Of course, Hawser suspects something sinister about the Warp, even if he is not sure what it really is out there. Of course, his own quest is mirrored by the Thousand Sons, who seek knowledge (ostensibly) for the benefit of mankind- learning about the esoteric and the Warp in order to master it.

The Space Wolves see knowledge a bit differently. To them, there are some things best forgotten. Too much knowledge is dangerous, even maddening. Traditions must be kept alive, stories of heroism and bravery must be told to inspire. But, knowledge just for the sake of it, can ruin people- excessive knowledge breeds corruption, ego, vanity. I would say that the Wolves value practical knowledge, but shun everything else. This philosophy is set up for some great contrasts between the two legions. And with that, one must question- did the Emperor go to far himself in the pursuit of knowledge and power? Should the Wolves feel the same sense of anger and disgust toward him?

Speaking of, the second issue of this book regards the purpose of the Space Wolves. Abnett goes out of his way to point out that the Emperor created each legion for a specific purpose. Some are made to fortify, others are made to be the Praetorian,  etc. The Wolves are made to be the ultimate deterrent. A weapon of war so terrible, that it could even take on a Space Marine Legion. It seems that the Emperor knew that this might be a possibility, hence the Wolves. Interestingly, the Wolves are not thrilled with their role. To them, this is a thankless task, which causes them to be looked on as savages by all others. They aren't- they are simply designed to be ruthless warriors, able to destroy anything without pity or doubt.

The third issue is that this calls into question just how "wise" the Emperor really is, especially when you combine this with the other Heresy books. After all, if he knows about the dangers of Chaos, why doesn't he warn his Primarchs more forcefully? If the story is true, why did he use the powers of the warp to create the Primarchs (The First Heretic)? How does he not know about the Twin Primarchs (Legion)? How is it that the Emperor condemns religion ("The Last Church") while still allowing the Wolves to practice their "paganism"? There are way more questions than answers, and I doubt we will get any more than that, which is OK- it allows us fans to speculate.

There are some issues with the book though- the pacing is sometimes spotty, and his characterization isn't as good as his usual (though he does a great job with Leman Russ, while Kasper Hawser is a cipher- on purpose). The action scenes are clipped, and I do wish we got to see the Battle of Prospero a little bit more. I do love how the last act is told as if the Skjald is telling the story after the fact though.

Ultimately, Prospero Burns is one of Abnett's strongest (though not his best). If you enjoy the Wolves or the Heresy in general, I think you will enjoy this book. I intend on reading The Battle of the Fang next, as it seems to be the final part of the war between the Space Wolves and the Thousand Sons, even if it takes place a thousand years after the Heresy. I've heard great things about this one, so after Prospero Burns, I'm excited to get it started! As for this one, I give it 3 1/2 Marks of Chaos out of 4.

Until next time....