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...

The Dark Knight Rises: Anticipation and Musings

Hello there Chaos Corner fans! welcome to another edition of this most "prestigious" blog. I am deciding to take a break from the usual 40K to do some musings on another perennial favorite of mine- Batman!

I have been a fan of Batman for as long as I can remember. As a young kid, I watched him in the various incarnations of the Super Friends. I had the action figures from the Superpowers team line and everything. Then, in 1989, I saw the Tim Burton Batman film. It is still an amazing film (flaws and all); but at the time, I was completely pulled in. Shortly thereafter, I began buying comics (A Death in the Family was the first... I bought it in trade paperback form). Batman started my whole interest in comics, which spanned years of collection and reading. Eventually, my interest in comics waned (then came back, then faded for good).

However, I still enjoy the occasional graphic novel (I can't read monthlies anymore), and I still enjoy a good comic book based movie. Of course, the Nolan Batman films have been among the very best comic adaptations put to film. Nolan haters be damned- Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are indeed the best adaptations ever. Don't get me wrong, I love X2, Iron Man, and the like. But, Nolan's Batman has been something SO different, so unique... and despite the liberties Nolan takes, he is respectful to the "core" of the Batman characters. Let's take a look at the previous 2 Batman movies, and then let's look at the possibilities for The Dark Knight Rises...

Batman Begins took me by surprise in 2005. The truth was, I didn't know that much about it going in. I had never seen a Nolan movie (though my brother swore by Memento at the time). I knew Bale from American Psycho, and I figured he'd be good. I knew that the guy from 28 Days Later was Scarecrow (weird casting at first glance), and that Liam Neeson was playing "Ducard", a mentor figure, and leader of the League of Shadows (though his mustache look like Ras Al Guhl- hehe! Ras was never a favorite of mine, though this movie went a long way to change that). So, I went to see it... and I was blown away. I loved it. The casting was pitch perfect (even Katie Holmes was good). The movie showed Bruce's journey from innocent rich boy to scarred teen to bitter adult. The theme of fear is prevalent- how fear (in various ways) has hurt Bruce, "Ducard", Gordon, Alfred, and Gotham itself. The film is about controlling your fear, and not letting it control you. This is absolutely clear as Bruce trains under "Ducard"- Bruce refuses to murder a criminal- Bruce wants to "get back" at criminals, but not by murder. Thus, Bruce breaks from the League of Shadows, determined to become symbol, Batman. The movie also does a great job of showing a Batman semi-grounded in reality. People think Nolan is "too realistic"... I think his world is like ours, but not quite... In any case, Batman Begins was great, and I was hoping for another from the same team...

Boy, did I get my wish. In 2008, The Dark Knight was released. Right from the title, you could tell that this was going to be special. If Batman Begins was a well told but ultimately "innocent" superhero story, The Dark Knight stripped that "innocence" away. It is a bleak story- Batman is on the cusp of accomplishing his vision- a Gotham free of crime. Helping him is Gordon, and DA Harvey Dent (played to perfection by Aaron Eckhart). Dent, in particular, can become a true leader, vital if Bruce is to save his city.


Of course, in this time of hope, the Joker emerges to ruin it all. I need not go into Heath Ledger's Joker- suffice to say that even though he's skin isn't scarred and he doesn't use "Joker-weapons" like in the books, his "core"- wanting to ruin or corrupt everything that is good and decent while creating enormous mayhem and suffering- is absolutely perfect. He is very much the vision of the Joker from The Killing Joke. In TDK, his "mission" is to stop Batman from saving Gotham, by corrupting it's heroes- pulling them down. What ensues is a deadly game of cat and mouse, with the clock ticking. You can literally feel the tension build with every scene. Batman makes incredible sacrifices here, both moral and physical, and Bale shines as Batman. The movie ends with the Joker SO nearly succeeding, with Batman and Gordon pulling a last ditch "trick" to save Gotham from disappointment and despair. The last lines of that movie gives me chills still. To save Gotham, Batman must give up the chance of being a heroic symbol. Batman is on an uncertain path, and so is the audience. A fantastic way to end a fantastic movie.



Of course, we knew we'd have another movie. They announced the third, and final movie. There was all kind of speculation as to who the villian(s) would be (I never thought Johnny Depp should be The Riddler. Not a chance). Then, they announced it would be Bane and Catwoman. I'm not thrilled on Catwoman, as she was never a favorite of mine.I loved Bane in the Knightfall storyline. It was one of my all time favorites years ago. I even have Vengeance of Bane and Batman #497 autographed. However, I was unsure how Nolan would bring Bane to life. 

Best. Poster. Ever

IMAX scene, and my knowledge of Bat-lore:

1. The League of Shadows is back, and Bane is their nominal leader. The way I figure it, Nolan has made Bane the "what if" guy... What if Bruce HAD killed that criminal in BB? Well, Bane is that answer. Bane is brilliant, strong, determined... all the things that Bruce is. If Bruce had given in and murdered that guy at "Ducard's" behest- he would have become something like Bane. Thus, I believe Bane is a dark image of Bruce... not an opposite (that's the Joker). Bane is Bruce gone to fanaticism. Extremism.

2. What does Bane want? The League was not destroyed in BB. Their leader Ras died (more on that in a moment), but they survived. Bane has taken over the League, and he has been watching and waiting. Planning for the day to purge Gotham, waiting until Batman was at his most vulnerable. The goal of the League of Shadows is to purge ALL crime/sin: restore "balance", as Ras said in BB.  The League wants to kill everyone in Gotham. Batman included. Partly for revenge, partly out of necessity. The fact that the League is back is a reminder of Bruce's only "sin"- letting Ras die. Yep- Batman's "original sin" will haunt all of Gotham now.

3. It's been 8 years since TDK. Batman and Gordon just barely saved Gotham from catastrophe. They built up Dent as a martyr for Gotham. Dent became the symbol, with Batman being in the shadows. For the past 8 years, Batman and Gordon (working secretly together), have managed to just about succeed in cleaning up Gotham. It's clear from the trailer, both with the mayor and Selina Kyle's words, that Gotham is about to enter into "peacetime". Just as this is about to happen, Bane strikes to ruin Batman's greatest achievement.

4. I notice Bruce with a cane in several scenes in the trailer. I don't think this is due to Bane breaking Batman's back at all. I think this is the physical price of being Batman. Bruce has given his all, breaking his body beyond repair. Listen to Alfred in the trailer for more on this point. I also think it has taken a mental toll- he is NOT a hero now... and despite his success, it's not enough. He has edged closer to desperation and fanaticism... fighting the good fight nearly alone, unloved, and unappreciated. Thematically, Bane will show Bruce the dangers of going too far to complete "the mission"... though how that will play out in the movie, I can't be sure.

5. HOW is Bane doing that? Looking at the trailers, you can see that Bane has tumblers (Batmobiles) of his won. Also, in the IMAX scene, Bane uses the same plane grappling trick that Batman used in TDK (albeit on  a larger scale). How is Bane using Batman's own tricks and technology? I believe that answer lies with one Miranda Tate, a member of Wayne Enterprises board of directors. She has access to Wayne files, and has given these ideas to Bane. Now, why would she do that? Well, it seems (unless Nolan is pulling an even faster one than this) that she is in fact Talia Al Guhl. She wants revenge for her father's death. Ultimately, SHE is the leader of the League of Shadows now. Bane serves the role that Bruce would have served if he had stayed with them. Now it all comes together...

6. I can't be sure where Catwoman fits in though. Of course, knowing Catwoman, its obvious that she is "independent" and can't be trusted. However, I think that in the end she will side with Batman against Bane. We haven't seen enough of her in the trailers to really see her role yet...

7. Bane will devastate Gotham, physically and morally (a theme of this series to be sure). Bane looks to blow up lots of things, like the football stadium. Bane also looks like he will try to destroy the symbol of Gotham- Harvey Dent. Did Bane figure out Gordon and Bats' lie? It looks that way from this pic, no doubt. If that's true, what will be the end game? Ah. Let's look at Dr. Pavel and what looks to be a big inspiration to Nolan in this film, Miller's The Dark Knight Returns. I suspect that the League intends to purge Gotham alright- with a nuclear device ("When Gotham is ashes... you have my permission to die" Bane says in the trailer). Nolan loves to have real world parallels. Pavel is a black market nuke scientist (AQ Khan- type). Bane kidnaps him in the IMAX prologue. Yes- Nolan is using (again) real world fears, but combining it with the comic.

How will it end? Ha. I can't imagine that Batman will die... but this series has broken the rules of comic book movies. I really don't know how it will END. However, I think it'll be a wild ride, no matter what happens... Let's come back to this blog in July and see how my predictions went!

Until next time Chaos fans...!

Initial Thoughts: Gears of War 3

Hey there Chaos fans! I've got a brief look into Gears of War 3 for the X-Box 360, in case you're interested...

I have long been a fan of the GoW franchise/series/money maker or whatever you'd like to call it. The first GoW is one of my favorite games of all time. That game is a masterpiece of graphics, atmosphere, imagination, and game play. Yes, other games have done all of thee things too (apocalyptic city- check. Hiding behind cover- check. Ugly bug-like enemies- check.), however, GoW put them together in a fantastic, compelling way. The cities of Serra look lived in, yet totally ruined. The Locusts are vile, and the big baddies are a delight to see (and fight). Finally, the character (and voice work) of Marcus Fenix totally pulls you into the game.The cover and fire mechanic keeps you playing the game. All told, it was one of the best games ever made- it certainly helped to blunt the emergence of the PS3 and its "360" killer, Resistance. Compare the two games, there's no comparison- GoW trumps. Released in November 2007, GoW was the right game at the right time. It changed video game history, making the 360 a true contender, AND raising the bar for third person shooters. Whew! And don't get me waxing nostalgic for the trailer (complete with "Mad World" as the song)!

One of video-gaming's best heroes of all time

The second GoW was quite good in its own right, but lacked the "newness" of the original, and of course that is to be expected. However, it certainly lacked the narrative "umpf" of the original. Of course, you knew there would be a third one, right?

Marcus Fenix versus the Locusts

The game came out well over a month ago. However, I haven't been able to get it, due to time constraints, playing Space Marine (which bears little actual game play resemblance to GoW, despite what critics say), modeling, etc. However, being my birthday and all, my wife decided to get it for me as a gift.  Woo hoo indeed!

Gears of War has atmosphere to spare!

After popping it in, I selected the ""Previously on GoW" video, reminding me of the plot points from the last two games. Then, I started playing... and it was like seeing an old friend again. Hearing Marcus bark orders at his squad, running, gunning, hiding, and gunning from cover brought it all back to me. Whoa- this is a fun game, just like it's predecessors. The voice acting is solid, the graphics (thus far) have been amazing, and the new addition of getting your squad mates to target a particular foe is a great idea that I have to get a better look at.

Ger the "Cole Train" in here... fast!

Again, I haven't played it for that long. However, being a GoW game, you already know what to expect. So, that should make it clear to you whether you want this game or not. For my own part, its been great so far, and I know that I'll enjoy the explosions (which my wife said were quite loud) till the end. I hope that the story is better than GoW 2, but hey- we shall see. If you're a fan and sitting on the fence, I say get it!

Well, that's my 2 cents. Until next time...

Green Lantern Movie Review

Welcome back to Chaos Corner, my devotees of the Dark Gods. Hope you're all slaying in the name of whatever 40K deities you believe in.

I have said earlier that I was going to explore a bit more than 40K on this site, and I've already discussed a few movies and such here. So, after my Blood Gorgon's review, I've decided to review movies in a similar fashion. These types of reviews will be brief (there will be larger diatribes for special occasions). So, without further ado: Chaos Corner reviews Green Lantern----

Green Lantern is a DC character not well known to the mainstream. Comics fans sure know Hal Jordan though, and he has some die hard supporters. I've never been one of them, but my brother sure as heck is. My expectations were low for this, as GL doesn't mean as much to me as say Batman or Wolverine and the like. So, here's my impressions:

The Good: The special effects were really good, no doubt top notch here. There were a few "iffy" shots, but the money shots were fantastic. Most of the actors were very good. Mark Strong IS Sinestro. I loved his performance. His voice conveyed so much feeling, dedication, and also fear and by the end resentment. The perfect combination. Also standing out was Peter Sarsgard as Hammond. He's a lame villain in the books, but here the actor had just the right amount of weird/loser genius vibe going. The director did a good job of making Sinestro and Hammond to be inverted mirrors of Hal. I also liked the (brief) turns of Rush, Duncan, and Clancy Brown. The actors brought a lot of spice to their short screen time, and made it a better movie.

The Bad: There was too much going on- it was another "overstuffed" superhero movie. The smart part about X-Men First Class was the focus on Magneto and Prof X- the others mutants were there, but the emphasis was how Charles and Erik are confronting both Shaw and the emergence of a "Homo Sapien Superior" race. In GL, there's too much to explain, and there's too many baddies running around (Hammond and Parallax and the Senator and Sinestro and some of those Guardians). They could have focused on Hammond, making him a pawn of Parallax, without the big P actually showing up ON Earth. Save it for a sequel. There was some good humor, but some of it fell flat. Finally, the flaw of casting Ryan Reynolds as GL is a big issue. Granted, he is not as bad as I feared, but he wasn't great either. In the face of Strong, Rush, etc, Reynolds didn't pass muster. Again, he wasn't horrible, but not the greatest choice. Hemmsworth WAS Thor. Fassbender and McAvoy embodied their parts.  Bale and Jackman ARE perfect. Reynolds was blah. Not awful. Not George Clooney bad. Just meh. You don't feel to strongly for him; you don't feel attached to him really. If he were better, the whole movie might have succeeded.

Bottom Line: So, this is NOT the abomination that many critics have suggested. Not even close to the damnable depths of Wolverine: Origins, B & R, or Iron Man 2 (admit it, it sucks). It is a serviceable intro to GL. If only someone said "Hmmm... not Ryan Reynolds... he's a good guy, just not for GL...", this would be a great comic book movie.

As it stands, I would rate it 2 1/2 out of 4 Marks of Chaos.

Be well, my friends!