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SquadronROE posted:Okay, so I'm almost done with a Ciaphas Cain book, The Emperor's Finest. I've reread the Gaunt's Ghosts books, read Zulu War In Space (that was a lot of fun), and am looking for my next metal as gently caress book. How is Fifteen Hours?
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Jan 28, 2013 02:30
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Xander77 posted:Since the OP rates this bunk as a 5/5 series, I feel as though I can't use it as a guide. Could you tell me which Black Library series are palatable, not as Warhammer fiction but on a general genre fiction level? SquadronROE posted:How is Fifteen Hours?
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Jan 28, 2013 03:57
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Execution Hour & Shadow Point are 2 really good books, though they may be out of print. They focus on the Imperial Navy. I liked them a lot. To join battle of the abyss in the dumpster pile I nominate Rogue Star. Its the only book I put down after only the first chapter. To put that in perspective I finished Battle of the Abyss. Something about the writing & names of the cast introduced in the first chapter of rogue star made me go blind with rage. Jerkface fucked around with this message at 04:57 on Jan 28, 2013 |
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Jan 28, 2013 04:01
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Rapey Joe Stalin posted:I really liked Path of the Renegade. It's certainly a lot better than Gav Thorpe's Eldar books. But then, so is testicular torsion. Yeah I just finished this up, I'll be picking up the sequel for sure. Really good book. Wasn't expecting to see the Harlequin show up but thought it was awesome when he did. Good stuff. Scoobi posted:Execution Hour & Shadow Point are 2 really good books, though they may be out of print. They focus on the Imperial Navy. I liked them a lot. I'd kill for more of these. Now that Battlefleet Gothic isn't really a 'thing' anymore probably unlikely. But drat, I love these books. Scoobi posted:To join battle of the abyss in the dumpster pile I nominate Rogue Star. Its the only book I put down after only the first chapter. Haha, I didn't mind Rogue Star or Star of Damocles that much. It was interesting I guess to see the perspective of a Rogue Trader but I can see why you would hate them. They definitely have problems.
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Jan 28, 2013 04:49
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Scoobi posted:Execution Hour & Shadow Point are 2 really good books, though they may be out of print. They focus on the Imperial Navy. I liked them a lot. Anyone interested should check BL's print on demand service. I'm sure they're on there as an omnibus under the title Gothic War
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Jan 28, 2013 05:38
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Brothers of the Snake is a good Space Marine book that has, gasp, character development! And a Librarian who isn't an annoying rear end in a top hat.
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Jan 28, 2013 05:55
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He is however completely poo poo at his job.
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Jan 28, 2013 06:03
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Having just finished Execution Hour and Shadow Point I'll agree that they're good. But Shadow Point has a glaring flaw that works hard to completely ignore a staple of the Imperial Navy just to make the plot work. Once you realize it, it niggles at the back of your mind for the rest of the read.
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Jan 28, 2013 07:58
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Lead Psychiatry posted:Having just finished Execution Hour and Shadow Point I'll agree that they're good. But Shadow Point has a glaring flaw that works hard to completely ignore a staple of the Imperial Navy just to make the plot work. Once you realize it, it niggles at the back of your mind for the rest of the read. Execution Hour is definitely the better of the two.
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Jan 28, 2013 18:19
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Lead Psychiatry posted:Having just finished Execution Hour and Shadow Point I'll agree that they're good. But Shadow Point has a glaring flaw that works hard to completely ignore a staple of the Imperial Navy just to make the plot work. Once you realize it, it niggles at the back of your mind for the rest of the read. Must have missed that. What is it?
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Jan 28, 2013 23:18
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bunnyofdoom posted:Must have missed that. What is it? Even though they are in the book and the minor character responsible for the position aboard the Lord Solar Macharius is present once or twice, Astropaths are never mentioned again after the first 115 or so pages. They would've been mighty handy when the events of Shadow Point picked up at the rendezvous. But don't even get acknowledged. I know the warp plays some funny poo poo but that struck me as the worst thing with the book. Still, an overall fun read that had a good variety of combat. But I agree with Scoobi that Execution Hour was the better of the two in the series. Gave a more thorough idea on the operations of a naval ship (And set during a Black Crusade. Awesome!) , which is what I wanted when I asked for a recommendation a while back. Think I'm going to try out the Shira Calpurnia books next. Marshal Byzantane got me interested in Arbites action.
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Jan 29, 2013 07:54
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On Chapter 15 of Pariah so far, it's so good. I'm loving the concept of the Warblind too. The Imperial Guard is so different in different parts of the Imperium, it's awesome. I do wish there were more authors that were tackling different time periods, though. I'd love to read about the Macharius Heresy or some of the more incredible things like the Lost Crusade and whatnot.
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Jan 30, 2013 17:12
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SquadronROE posted:On Chapter 15 of Pariah so far, it's so good. I'm loving the concept of the Warblind too. The Imperial Guard is so different in different parts of the Imperium, it's awesome. Well, William King just started a series on the Macharian Crusade so it isn't inconceivable that they will tackle the Macharian Heresy once that's completed.
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Jan 30, 2013 17:16
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Finished Yarrick: Chains of Golgotha last night. I liked it quite a bit, nice palate cleanser after reading Commissar. The pace is pretty breathless. After the very start it's just non-stop action. I wish some of the supporting characters were a little less one-dimensional and prop-like but with a title like 'Yarrick: etc etc' I can forgive it.
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Jan 30, 2013 17:58
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Fried Chicken posted:15 hours is ok, but if you want a good guard book after Gaunt's Ghosts I'd suggest Cadian Blood. I've always loved the "Oops. What happened to the commissar? Guess he didn't make it. *cough*". Kinetica fucked around with this message at 18:12 on Jan 30, 2013 |
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Jan 30, 2013 18:10
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Kinetica posted:I've always loved the "Oops. What happened to the commissar? Guess he didn't make it. *cough*". Cadian Blood was really quite good. Not just for that reason, but for just how badass the Cadians are.
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Jan 30, 2013 18:34
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Kinetica posted:I've always loved the "Oops. What happened to the commissar? Guess he didn't make it. *cough*". All power to the nova cannon 
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Jan 30, 2013 18:48
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I wonder what Cadian Commissars do. That must be a relatively cushy billet. Sort of like being the Commissar of the Death Korps where your primary job is to keep the troops from being TOO eager to die for the Emperor.
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Jan 30, 2013 18:50
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Deliverance Lost is classic Gav Thorpe. A tour de force of Thorpiness. And by that I mean it is absolute shite. There's no internal logic or consistency. Things happen because Thorpe thinks they sound cool, regardless of the wider established fluff or what happened a page ago. He tells us that the marines are incredibly disciplined super soldiers and their primarchs are demi gods, but he shows us indiscipline and outright stupidity. My favourite part, surpoassing even taking the most powerful technology known to man and removing it from terra to some backwater shithole with hilariously inadequate security, is probably that if this book is canon, Rhino APCs use explosive "drop-bolts" to open their rear hatch. As opposed to, you know, hydraulics. So presumably, in the grim dark future of the 41st millennium there is only armoured vehicles driving around dragging open ramps behind them.
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Jan 30, 2013 19:00
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Rapey Joe Stalin posted:Deliverance Lost is classic Gav Thorpe. A tour de force of Thorpiness. Out of all the books I've read, I think that how the Space Marines were presented in Gaunt's Ghosts is pretty much the best. It gives them the proper weight, knowledge, and awe factor. Granted, I've never read Space Marine. Just a bunch of the Horus Heresy stuff, which doesn't really make them seem very awe inspiring.
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Jan 30, 2013 19:29
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SquadronROE posted:Out of all the books I've read, I think that how the Space Marines were presented in Gaunt's Ghosts is pretty much the best. It gives them the proper weight, knowledge, and awe factor. Granted, I've never read Space Marine. Just a bunch of the Horus Heresy stuff, which doesn't really make them seem very awe inspiring. I agree, I think Space Marines are the coolest when you're looking at them from the perspective of the Imperial Guard and they are just these incredibly lethal, alien death machines. I think their luster suffers when they are normal characters in the books because the authors have to try to make them relatable and give them normal motivations and failings. It's understandable, it would be hard to read a 'realistic' account of the average battle brother's day for most chapters. quote:Brother Zacharius enters his austere berth on the battle barge His Righteous Hand. He meditates on his twenty-two hours of training and ritual cleansing of his holy power armor. Repeat for the next 6 chapters until a battle happens in which case replace 'hone our skills' with 'take out that ork stompa brother'.
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Jan 30, 2013 19:38
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orphean posted:I agree, I think Space Marines are the coolest when you're looking at them from the perspective of the Imperial Guard and they are just these incredibly lethal, alien death machines. I think their luster suffers when they are normal characters in the books because the authors have to try to make them relatable and give them normal motivations and failings. Yeah, exactly. That's why I tend to not like to read stories focused on Space Marines. It makes them feel less alien, and just not quite wrong. Although to be honest I never really connect with any of the characters living in a grimdark universe 38,000 years from now with flying skulls and laser guns and space ships the size of skyscrapers.
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Jan 30, 2013 19:48
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Wrath of Iron, Helsreach and the Night Lords trilogy do a good work with Astartes vs human characterization, I think, despite them being main characters in those. I think it has more to do with the bulk of BL authors simply being bad. Even Abnett is spotty: on this particular subject, he nails it masterfully when marines are secondary characters, but when they're his main he tends to miss.
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Jan 30, 2013 20:00
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Nephilm posted:Wrath of Iron, Helsreach and the Night Lords trilogy do a good work with Astartes vs human characterization, I think, despite them being main characters in those.
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Jan 30, 2013 21:20
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Disagree: he doesn't properly convey their mindset in relation to humans. Again, compare with the books I mention where the disconnect is evident. In Abnett's it just isn't present. He's gotten better about it over time (ref. Brothers of the Snake), but as much as I enjoyed Know No Fear, it just didn't do it for me in that respect.
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Jan 30, 2013 21:34
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Theoretical/Practical/Theoretical/Practical. That did it for me.
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Jan 30, 2013 22:17
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Rapey Joe Stalin posted:Deliverance Lost is classic Gav Thorpe. A tour de force of Thorpiness. Most of the Legions have some pretty cool features and themes about them. Only a few chapters into Angel Exterminatus, and I'm actually enjoying it, and the Iron Warriors have quite a bit of character so far. However, whenever Raven Guard are written about, they just turn into awful gravel voiced grim Solid Snake ripoffs who are so super awesome at sneaking and incredibly sardonic and cool and ugh.
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Jan 30, 2013 23:42
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Mowglis Haircut posted:Most of the Legions have some pretty cool features and themes about them. Only a few chapters into Angel Exterminatus, and I'm actually enjoying it, and the Iron Warriors have quite a bit of character so far. However, whenever Raven Guard are written about, they just turn into awful gravel voiced grim Solid Snake ripoffs who are so super awesome at sneaking and incredibly sardonic and cool and ugh. Dark Angels too.
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Jan 31, 2013 00:02
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The Raven Guard can invert their shields to make their ships invisible. But to do this they have to turn the internal lights out and all be quiet because SHHHHHHHHHHH. If you use that intercom the enemy will be able to detect the energy use, or hear it, or something. No, ignore that the power core and the engines are still running, just shut up and implement Darklight Protocols
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Jan 31, 2013 02:33
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Well, gotta remember that space is basically like the ocean and spaceships are submarines.
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Jan 31, 2013 02:41
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An arguement could be made for turning out the lights to minimise heat signature. Wait, engine, NM.
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Jan 31, 2013 03:02
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Cold fusion engines 
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Jan 31, 2013 05:22
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Schneider Heim posted:Brothers of the Snake is a good Space Marine book that has, gasp, character development! And a Librarian who isn't an annoying rear end in a top hat. I just finished that today, and I loved every second of it. It's rare for me to find a book I cannot put down, but this one is one of them. It was a long time since I read any Abnett books, and it was nice to see why he remains my favorite author. Just started Necropolis, not having read any of the Gaunt books before. I'm barely a chapter in, but really like the set up thus far.
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Jan 31, 2013 06:38
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Nephilm posted:Well, gotta remember that space is basically like the ocean and spaceships are submarines. To be fair, in 40k this isn't entirely untrue, as the setting borrows heavily from the Age of Sail. Especially so when it comes to ship-to-ship combat.
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Jan 31, 2013 07:48
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Impaired Casing posted:I just finished that today, and I loved every second of it. It's rare for me to find a book I cannot put down, but this one is one of them. It was a long time since I read any Abnett books, and it was nice to see why he remains my favorite author. I feel bad for you, it's one thing not being able to put down a book. But being hooked on a 10 book series is something else and will ruin your social life for weeks.
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Jan 31, 2013 12:16
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Impaired Casing posted:
Necropolis is absolutely amazing. I almost feel jealous for you having not read them all. Please do post whenever Abnett does something that makes you cry "NOOOOOOO" to an uncaring sky.
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Jan 31, 2013 12:57
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lenoon posted:Necropolis is absolutely amazing. I almost feel jealous for you having not read them all. Please do post whenever Abnett does something that makes you cry "NOOOOOOO" to an uncaring sky.
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Jan 31, 2013 14:38
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lenoon posted:Necropolis is absolutely amazing. I almost feel jealous for you having not read them all. Please do post whenever Abnett does something that makes you cry "NOOOOOOO" to an uncaring sky. Cuu is such an amazing character. I think in the Guns of Tanith forewords Abnett talks about how he actually lost the whole book in a computer crash and had to write it again from scratch. Cuu wasn't in the first one and would never have become a character if not for that crash.
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Jan 31, 2013 17:24
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Sounds like the handiwork of Tzeentch to me. Wheels within wheels.
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Jan 31, 2013 20:17
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joneswt posted:Sounds like the handiwork of Tzeentch to me. Wheels within wheels. How do you pronounce Tzeentch anyway?
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Feb 1, 2013 13:54
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