2 Book Reviews For The Price of One: Mark of Calth and Space Wolves: Blood of Asaheim

Hey there Chaos goons! Old Man Chaos is back with a pair of book reviews- I promise I'll be brief here (I always try to be brief with the book reviews, but I end up writing too much). Today I'll be reviewing Mark of Calth and Space Wolves: Blood of Asaheim. One is fantastic, one is a disappointment. Which is which, you ask? Let's find out, shall we?

Mark of Calth (Anthology by various writers): If you have been reading this page, you know that I love the Horus Heresy books. Sure, not all of them are winners, but overall I love the rich tapestry this series is creating. We know how the Heresy ultimately ends (or do we? Or have we just been hearing Imperial propaganda about that final battle?), but each book takes a look at characters great and small, and events that are tearing the galaxy apart. In particular, the focus has moved to the "Shadow Crusade", the war to sever the realm of Ultramar from the rest of the galaxy- thus allowing the forces of Horus to move against Terra without fighting the Ultramarines. Of course, there is a lot more at stake here, which is why Know No Fear and Betrayer were both so great- You have this terrible war going on, but there's a lot of other things happening, particularly the ongoing rivalry between Lorgar and Guilliman, the politics within the Word Bearers, little nuggets about "the perpetuals", and, particularly amusing/compelling, the fate of Angron. I read Know No Fear and Betrayer back to back, and it was just amazing, with Abnett and Dembski-Bowden giving a fantastic one-two punch. I was thrilled to see the announcement of the anthology Mark of Calth- more action and intrigue in the Shadow Crusade...

Well, it dawned on me as I delved into it- these anthologies rarely go well. Every anthology I've read from Black Library is always the same- there's a couple of good ones, and a bunch (more) bland or even bad ones. Sadly, this is the same, despite the excellent backdrop. The best one was by Abnett, which followed Oll Persson and his group as they escape from Calth. Oll is a "perpetual"- and the hints dropped here about these "perpetuals" is just fascinating- are they the actual biological children of the Emperor? Are they like the Emperor, but just not as powerful? I loved that Oll was disdainful of the Emperor's "game" as he called it, and quite resentful that he's been drawn into it. Also, John Grammaticus makes an appearance too (always welcome). The other tale I really enjoyed was by John French regarding the origins and "path" of one particular ceremonial chaos knife- from its crafting to its role on Calth. The story was told in an interesting way (someone is telling the knife about its blood-soaked history), and the ending was connected very well both to Know No Fear and the Oll story.

The others, sadly, just weren't that good. There's a short bit about Marduk from the Word Bearers series- I want to read the other two books in that, but I haven't had the chance to- that said, the story was OK at best (though perhaps that's because I haven't read all of Marduk's adventures). Then there's the first story about Erebus learning about the ceremonial knives and such- the story kind of just goes nowhere. Unfortunately, the rest of the anthology is the same, with stories about the "Underground War" that are just kind of dull. Worst of all, the short story by Dembski-Bowden is fairly bad. Its about a Word Bearer that realizes that Lorgar has screwed a good chunk of the legion- a Chaos fanatic having a crisis of faith. While this is a cleaver conceit, again it just kind of goes nowhere because of the rather poor ending (it kinda never happened). I think Dembski-Bowden should keep to telling longer stories (Night Lords? Word Bearers? World Eaters? Grey Knights? He's good with all of them!).

So, this is a big disappointment- a couple of good stories can't save the whole- See, I have low expectations when it comes to things like Treacheries of the Space Marines... but when it's Horus Heresy AND about Calth- I was hoping for more. As it stands, I'll give it 2 out of 4 Marks of Chaos.

Space Wolves: Blood of Asaheim (BoA) by Chris Wright: While I had enjoyed Wright's previous book, Battle of the Fang, I regarded it more as a conclusion to Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns than anything else (and it was indeed a worth companion to those two, no doubt). After I finished Mark of Calth, I really wanted something that would be good- to get the bad taste of Calth out of my mouth. Now, I wasn't sure what to pick- I had heard that BoA was really good- when I checked the description, it said that a Space Wolf squad was going up against the Plague Marines... my biggest (and favorite) army. Well, that piqued my interest. Now, would it be any good?

Oh hell yeah. This book was absolutely fantastic. One of the best Black Library books I have ever read- I'd put it up there with the best from McNeil, Abnett, and Dembksi-Bowden. The book is one part zombie/horror story, one part epic city siege, reminding me of the attack on Gondor from Lord of the Rings. Basically, a small squad of Space Wolves called Jarnhamar has been sent to aid a battalion of Sisters of Battle on a world that is under attack (they don't know what, as astropathic communication has failed). The squad gets there and discover that the forces of Nurgle are all over the place- as the plague spreads, the defenders become infected and become part of the invading host- growing like a cancer until only the holy shrine city remains. The Space Wolves face overwhelming odds, as they must not only fight such a massive force without any further aid, but they must also bolster the defenses and boost the human morale. They face further complications in dealing with the Sisters of Battle, with whom the Wolves don't have a good track record. The result is a tense and action packed story, with a real see-saw battle that sees zombies, cultists, siege engines, and of course, a handful of Plague Marines running rampant.

While all of that is great, it would be for naught if the main characters weren't interesting, and here is where Wright really, truly shines. This cadre of Space Wolves is one of the best set of characters I have come across in the Black Library. Gunnlaugur is the leader of Jarnhamar, and frankly, things have been better for them. They have lost several members of the pack, and they have been constantly been sent on missions, without any real respite. They have been worn down, inevitably and inexorably, by the constant warfare of the 41st millennium. They are fighters and warriors without peer, but they are getting strained and wearied.

What makes this squad work is the through line in the book- people questioning their place (in the squad, in the scheme of things, etc.). Gunnlaugur is the leader by default, as the previous Wolf Guard died years before without selecting a successor. Gunnlaugur is brave and strong, but he is haunted by self doubt. This is only exacerbated when Ingvar comes back to the squad. Ingvar seemed to be the natural leader, but he had been selected for the Deathwatch. Now, 50 years later he is back, and he is questioning his place- he's a wolf, but he has learned so much from other chapters in the Deathwatch- he now questions the teachings of Russ. Further, he questions Gunnlaugur' s decisions, which puts the two characters at odds, and makes for great tension at key points. The rest of the Wolf squad is equally good, such as Halfoi, the young Blood Claw recruit who isn't sure about being in such a squad of old-timers, and Jorundur, the oldest Wolf, who is growing more and more weary (and sarcastic). The other members include Valtyir the swordsman who must constantly prove his worth, and one wolf who has a secret that may cost the squad dearly.

The interactions among the squad are great- sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, but always compelling. They are both super human and sympathetic all at the same time. They are brash and heroic, but not invincible. However, the main idea of "knowing your place" is present for each character, and I think its great that a Black Library book is capable of asking a bigger question. Drawing on that further is the parallel that is made between Jarnhamar squad and the Death Guard. Wright portrays the Death Guard is impossibly ancient and weary. They are tired of war, tired of endless strife, but they believe that they know their "place", which is to tear the Imperium down, and spread that weariness and illness throughout. If Wright wants to write a book from the Plague Marine perspective (a la Dembski-Bowden's Night Lords trilogy) he has my full support!

I don't want to give away the ending (or some of the twists in between), but I believe that it is just one of the better stories from the Black Library. The book is, of course, just the beginning for squad Jarnhamar, and I can't wait to see more! I give it 4 out of 4 Marks of Chaos.

I was so inspired by Ingvar and his Deathwatch background that I have decided to read the book Deathwatch next. I'll let you know how that goes. Until next time...

Book Review: Treacheries of the Space Marines

Welcome back to another edition of Chaos Corner. Old Man Chaos is back in action! Ready to rumble! Er... Yes, well then. I am posting another entry, this time its a book review. I just finished Treacheries of the Space Marines, edited by Christian Dunn. So, was this a strong anthology of Chaos stories, or was it a lackluster attempt to cash-in on the Chaos codex? Let's take a look then, shall we?

 Anthologies are difficult to rate and review, in my opinion. I have the opinion that anthologies are *usually* a mixed bag. Unless they are short stories by the same author, the stories of the average anthology tend to rate from fair to poor, with many different styles, voices, strengths and weaknesses, etc. Treacheries of the Space Marines certainly suffers from that. The works contained here run the spectrum: some are great little reads, while others are totally lacking. To facilitate a review, I'll briefly give my thoughts on each short story:

The Masters, Bidding: The author has a very strange, stilted style of writing, but that only seemed to set the mood of this piece, which sees 4 Chaos Marines attempting to "bid" for a boon from an Iron Warriors lord. It's an unusual story, with each Marine telling stories of the long war. There's no final twist at the end or anything, just a solid story of ego, power, and betrayal. The best part of the read though is the author's description of an Emperor's Children champion. The rendering of this character is so weird, creepy, and actually unsettling, that the reader can't help but be fascinated. I'd love to see the author do more with the Emperor's Children in the future.

Carrion Anthem: As a Nurgle fan, I was hoping for more from this Guard versus Plague Marine tale. The story was written in an easy style, but the plot was downright bizarre. In fact, the premise of a song destroying people sounds more like a Slaneesh device than a Nurgle one. That made me disappointed with the tale, as it didn't feel like Typhus at all. The final charge of the Guard commander at the end was nicely done, but the story overall was weak and didn't seem to "get" Nurgle's ways.

Liberator: This may have been the most unexpected surprise in the whole book. It is a great story about how a group of Marines, fighting a long, bloody war against the Tyranids end up becoming slowly embittered by neglectful superiors and an ungrateful populace. Once that happens, their slide toward Chaos is unavoidable. This neat tale shows how current Marines can go bad, and how a single sergeant can become a warlord of Chaos, bringing death to a dozen worlds. I really liked this one.

The Long War: This is solid "bolter porn", with no frills or anything special. It is the story of Warsmith Ironclaw and his warband, attacking a fortress held by Guardsmen. There's big explosions and all, but there's little else. Yes, the author tries to show how time has passed for the Iron Warriors so differently from everybody else, but again, nothing special is done with it. Enjoyable, but forgettable.

Throne of Lies: This story from Aaron Dembski Boden has been around as an audio book, now its been printed. A strong entry for the Night Lords, this story sees Talos looking to claim a relic that might galvanize his Legion (if such a thing is possible). There's a bit of intrigue, and assassin, and the relic itself will raise some eyebrows, IF you haven't read the Night Lords trilogy already ('cause then you'd already know what happens).

Bitter End: This was a fun, breezy tale featuring the Red Corsairs and their impresario, Huron Blackheart. Again, this is "bolter porn", but a good read. I may have to check out The Gildar Rift, written by the same author, and also features the Red Corsairs, as I did like this short tale.

We Are One: While this premise is interesting, following an Inquisitor as he fights the nefarious Alpha Legion over the course of a century, the execution of it is lacking, as the writing is choppy and the action is disjointed. The final twist is also interesting, but I'm not quite sure how the Alpha Legion actually pulled it off- was it a clone? A plant? Copious amounts of plastic surgery? I'm confused, and that's not a way to end a short story.

Torturer's Thirst: This story had a similar problem- great premise, lackluster execution. This story sees a Flesh Tearer's' Chaplain taken prisoner by Chaos forces. The Chaos Lord plans to interrogate the Chaplain for vital battle plans, while the Chaplain vows to resist and escape. What could have been a great battle of wits between Torturer and Prisoner ends rather abruptly, and the result just wasn't interesting. Perhaps the weakest entry.

Vox Dominus:  I am familiar with Marduk, Kol Badar, and the warriors of the 34th Word Bearers, having read the first book of the Dark Apostle Trilogy. Unfortunately, I haven't read the other two (I should rectify that, as I enjoyed the first). This story sees Marduk scheming against another Apostle and a Lord of the Death Guard, Nargalax. The Death Guard were really nicely handled here, and I wouldn't mind seeing Anthony Reynolds tackle a Death Guard centric book, as he really seems to "get" what the followers of Nurgle are. The action was great, and seeing Marduk plot was fun. The ending, however, was ambiguous. I can't be sure if this is in between one of the other books, or is it going to kick off another round of Word Bearers books? Yep- I'll have to get to those last two sooner
or later.

Rating an anthology is tough- as you have now seen, some of the stories were great, others were fairly poor. Average that together, and I'd say you'd get 2 1/2 Marks of Chaos out of 4. If you're a die hard Chaos fan (like me) then it is worth checking out. If not, I'd say skip it in favor of better works. For my own part, I have just begun Abnett's Know No Fear, which I have heard is phenomenal (it's good so far). I would have read it sooner, but I've been backlogged in my reading since my illness. I'll be sure to review it when I'm finished.

Until next time, my friends...

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....

Book Review (In Brief): Ravenor

Hey there Chaos fans! I'm back with a brief book review. I finished the Omnibus Ravenor by Dan Abnett a while back, but I never got around to posting my thoughts about it. So, away we go...

Let me start off by saying that I enjoyed the trails and tribulations of Inquisitor Ravenor. The stories were fun, mostly fast paced, and enjoyable. It takes a lot of guts on the part of Abnett to make the main character a crippled, physically broken man in an "action-packed 40K Universe". Indeed, I love the character of Ravenor almost as much as Eisenhorn. Almost. And I think that's they key problem- we never focus too long on Ravenor. It's telling that Eisenhorn is totally told totally from his point of view. We get to know Eisenhorn- his thoughts, his fears, his slow and seemingly irresistible slide toward "radicalism". In Ravenor, on the other hand, only parts of the story are from Ravenor's point of view. Abnett frequently pulls away from him. Of course, writing all first person can be problematic, for sure. However, the character of Ravenor is so interesting, that focusing on the other characters is just not as rewarding.

Perhaps this was my own problem. I read the two trilogies back to back. Comparisons were simply bound to happen. I think the Eisenhorn trilogy is much more rewarding and better told than the Ravenor trilogy in just about every way. Again, that's not to say I didn't like Ravenor, I just felt that Eisenhorn just blew me away, and Ravenor didn't. Let's take the first books, for example. The first Eisenhor story had everything- cultists, intrigue, a forbidden tome, aliens, battles large and small, Inquisitorial rivalries, etc. Ravenor's first book, by contrast, has them chasing down "drugs", infiltrating a "carnival" of sorts, then going to a Mos Eisley type place which is not nearly as exciting as it sounds. The first book is OK, just blah. The next two books are better, but still not up to the high standards of Eisenhorn.Indeed, the next two stories in Ravenor have great ideas, like the computers that literally bore workers to death, the Fratery cult of "foreseers" is well conceived, and then there's the "door" in the last book that transcends time and space in a way that is fresh for 40K. Unfortunately, Abnett's story is so overstuffed that we don't explore those for very long, and the ultimate conclusion is both climactic and anti-climactic all at the same time.

The story arc of Ravenor centers around Ravenor chasing down a superbly trained Chaos cultist named Molotch, who has fast reflexes, and a faster brain. Molotch is meant to be an opposite of Ravenor, and he's fairly effective, though he is out-shined by a more interesting "cultist for hire", Culzean Orfeo, who is an expert at "setting things up" for other cultists. This character has a wit and style that sets him apart from most villains in 40K stories. However, there's also the "foretelling" of a daemon called "Slyte", who, if he gets into our material universe, will wreak havoc. Then there's criminals smuggling drugs, and then there's a cult trying to "birth" Slyte, and then there's another cult trying to gain the powers of "Enunciation" but they don't want Slyte to appear, and then... well, I think you get the point. The story is very, very convoluted. Whereas Eisenhorn was a fairly straightforward story with twists and turns, Ravenor's storyline is a bit all over the place.

And then there's our heroes. Gideon Ravenor himself is a genius and a "humane" Inquisitor. I found that combination to be very refreshing for 40K. Whenever the story focuses on him, the story comes alive. His "thoughts" are soaring, considering how broken he is physically. As a character, he's a wonderful creation- strong but vulnerable at the same time. However, the supporting characters are not all as interesting or well drawn. I didn't like Kara Swole in Eisenhorn, but she was a bit player there. Here, she's more center stage- and I still don't like her. She doesn't fit into the proceedings, and I find it hard to believe she's an Inquisitorial agent, as she's too "goody goody", not traits I'd consider worthy of being an Inquisitorial field agent. A better character is Patience, who starts of vague but becomes a mainstay as the book goes on- her tragic past haunts her, but her skills and coldness make her a great agent for Ravenor. Then there's Harlon Nayl, former bounty hunter that now works for the Inquisition- he's a tough guy but he also cares about his teammates- a great character if slightly 2 dimensional. There are some secondary characters like Frauka and Unwerth who are both funny but also memorable characters.

My main issue here however is Carl Thonius, who is Ravenor's apprentice (an Interrogator). He's an annoying character who whines constantly and is more worried about how he's dressed than anything else. My issue here is that I can't buy that he is "Inquisitor" material. I see nothing about him that says he'd make a great Inquisitor. He's good with computers and he "knows" a lot of random facts- but shouldn't that be more in keeping with a Tech Adept? I also couldn't see Ravenor putting up with Carl's antics and weaknesses, which puts the team at risk more than once. I simply don't/can't believe that this man is an Inquisitor, as he doesn't act like one at all. This is all compounded by the fact that Carl is central to so much of the plot- and he's unlikable. If he is supposed to be comic relief (and I don't think he's funny), how can he be what he becomes at the end? If he' supposed to be sympathetic, Abnett didn't make him likable. If you're supposed to hate him, then there's no investment in his final fate. Carl is a huge contradiction as a character, but not in a good, enigmatic way.

So, don't get me wrong, Ravenor is a worthwhile read for any 40K fan. It has some great ideas, and a few great characters. The action is always fast paced and occasionally brilliant (again- that "door" bit in the third book is amazing- I can't divulge it but its a blast). However, it is not Abnett's best work, not even close. Eisenhorn set the gold standard here, and it doesn't match up. Nor is it as good as say Horus Rising or Legion. So, I'd have to give it overall 2 1/2 marks of Chaos out of 4, though there are bits that are better than that. 

Well, that's all for now. Until next time...

Book Review (In Brief): Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett

Hello there once again, my fans of Chaos. I'm here with another review. I'd been mulling it over for a bit, and decided to do a brief overview of The Eisenhorn Trilogy, by Dan Abnett. So, away we go...

Talk about being late to the party...

I must confess, I have not been the die-hard follower of Dan Abnett. I know, for many GW fans, this is heresy! I should be put to the torch for my witchery. But first, let me explain. I have read a few of his stuff. Legion, for example, is an OK book with a great twist ("I am Alpharius") and a great ending (which leaves the Alpha Legion where they should be- completely ambiguous). I've also red Titanicus, which, while it had moments, wasn't quite that well thought out as far as story pacing and characterization. Then, there's Horus Rising- a great story and great start to the Heresy Series, but I feel that it only puts a few things in place- true, it could be said of any massive epic starter- but still- it is not a complete work, and others have gone both bigger and smaller than this in this series (Big and Great is A Thousand Sons, while Small but Excellent is Nemesis). In the end, I didn't put much stock in Abnett- I perfer McNeill or Dembski-Bowden. Just a feeling; an opinion; a taste.

But, I can admit when I'm wrong. And I was wrong here. My wife decided to pick up a few books for me as a present before our honeymoon. Yes- she is very understanding toward her nerd-husband. And I'm lucky like that. In any event, She bought me both Ravenor AND Gaunts Ghosts The Lost Omnibus. I was greatful, but I also realized that both were sequels/continuations... So, as a completest, I'd have to go back and get their predecessors. I decided to start with Eisenhorn... oh boy.... I had no idea... Holy Cow! What a read! What a story!

Yes, it turned out that Eisenhorn was an incredible journey of a story. An epic with a strong, magnetic protagonist and a sense of scope and scale that have been rarely equaled in the 40K books I've read. Yep- it was that damn good. I loved the 1st person perspective here- it made Gregor totally human and relate-able. You got to know him. Like him. This perspective was unique, and gave great story-telling opportunities.

The other characters were also well-drawn. I loved Aemos and Bequin. I also got a kick out of Nayl. And poor Goodwyn Fischig (hehe!). You could see how they were a part of a team- the Inquisitorial Henchmen. Speaking of, the book was a great look into the workings of the Inquisition (which is quite inconsistent, as most human institutions are, I suppose), as well as "regular" Imperial society. The action pieces are great, as is the pacing overall. The stories move quite fast.


The only real complaint I have about the three stories is that the climaxes get resolved a little too quickly. Xenos isn't too bad here, but both Malleus and Hereticus get the "final confrontations" over and done with in a damn hurry. For example, Eisenhorn's bout with Quixos is really, really quick. I'm all for sudden violence and harsh, abrupt vanquishing, but man! He barely fights him and then poof! over and done. Ah well! It can't be perfect, can it.


Despite that detail, the truth is this is a great story, very well told. The best praise I can offer this book is that, even though I knew what direction Gregor Eisenhorn was inadvertently headed in, I hoped against hope that Abnett would "save him" from the lure of radicalism. I KNEW it, and yet I didn't want it to happen- surely Eisenhorn can get out of it! Alas... Now, that is a powerful example of storytelling when you know the end and desperately want to change it for the good of the protagonists (something that, say, the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy didn't manage until it was too late in Episode III, but I digress).

If you haven't, you should read the Eisenhorn Omnibus. It's an incredible, panoramic story, and cliche though it sounds, once you pick it up you'll be hard pressed to put it down. I give it 4 out of 4 Marks of Chaos- my highest recommendation.

Now, on to Ravenor!

Blood Gorgons Review

It's old man Chaos here at the Chaos Corner- this week, I will be doing a new segment as a part of this website- book reviews for 40K.

I have been reading 40K books for quite some time now. My first 40K book was Execution Hour by Gordon Rennie. I did not read Storm of Iron when it originally came out either. Strangely enough, I really got into 40K lit when I began reading Sandy Mitchel's Commisar Cain books. They reminded me in a way of the Blackadder series (Cain IS Edmund Blackadder of the 41st millennium, and Jurgen is Baldrick).

At this juncture, I read 40K books off and on until I began to read the initial Horus Heresy books when they first came out. I've been regularly reading Black Library offerings ever since. The most recent book I have read is Blood Gorgons by Henry Zou. This one is a mixed bag. Let's go through the good and the bad:

Good- This was a very good interpretation of a "non-legion" Chaos Marine chapter. They are not the old traitor legions OR Red Corsairs. They have their own ideas, customs, and even their own daemonic patron. Some great ideas about their organization and how these "pirates" might function. I loved the character of Barsabas. Great lead character, and very vividly portrayed. I also enjoyed the overall plot structure. Plague Marines looking to co-opt the Gorgons was a particularly good idea, and well executed. Additionally, the Dark Eldar were handled very well too. They fit into the story well enough. Poor Sindul!

Bad- the writing was a bit sketchy at points. There were some things that I felt did not actually FIT into the 40K universe. Now, I'm all for writers having room to experiment in the 40K sandbox, but there were some wild things here... I can't get into them without ruining the plot, so I won't (I'll just mention warp travel, and isn't it convenient that there seems to be no Plague Marine battle ships around when the crucial battle comes). Also, there is a character that turns up toward the end, and I kept saying "why didn't they kill him!" when they had the chance? It wasn't just a freak accident, it felt like lazy writing.


All in all, I would give Blood Gorgons 2 1/2 out of 4 marks of Chaos. It had a great overall story idea and some of the characters were really cool (Barsabas, Sindul, Opsarus, and Muhr). However, some murky writing and plot holes keep it from achieving a higher mark.

Until next time my chaos fanatics...