Dead Men Walking: Steve Lyons

Dead Men Walking: Steve Lyons

When the Necrons rise, a mining planet descends into a cauldron of war and the remorseless foes decimate the human defenders. Salvation comes in an unlikely form – the Death Korps of Kreig, a force as unfeeling as the Necrons themselves. When the two powers go to war, casualties are high and the magnitude of the destruction is unimaginable.

~http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/Dead-Men-Walking.html

Okay, Dead Men Walking is my second venture down the road that is Imperial Guard Black Library Novels, not counting The Gaunt’s Ghosts series. It is also my first fluff encounter with the Death Korps, and my first novel with Necrons as the main opposition. And, if I’m honest, Dead Men Walking focuses more on the inhabitants of the world under attack by the Necrons. The world is in fact Hieronymous Theta, and it is a doomed world, as the Iron Gods have risen to reclaim the planet that was once theirs.

Now, moving on, this story was a great read, and gave some great information to the background of the Death Korps of Krieg, and equally about the Iron Gods, the Necrons, and how they are viewed from a normal person’s point of view in the forty-first millennium.

Dead Men Walking was an enjoyable Imperial Guard Novel, and as this is the first time I’ve read a novel by Steve Lyons, who wrote Ice Guard and a Novel in Imperial Guard Omnibus, Vol. 1. The main characters were all flushed out and well-developed, given plenty of background and plenty of time in the spotlight. There’s also one or two heroic sacrifices, and the Death Korps of Krieg are portrayed brilliantly.

Yes, I know, some of the main characters will die, perhaps even your favorite ones, but Steve Lyons does make sure that nobody is safe – every time you turn the page you wonder, will this character die? Will he or she live? In that way, Lyons keeps the reader hooked as they want to try and find out about their favorite, as each character escapes one problem and is immediately thrown into the next.

Dead Men Walking may seem slow at the beginning, but when the Death Korps arrive, and the Necrons turn up in full force, it suddenly turns into an action packed, fast paced and a great page-turning Imperial Guard adventure, that really captures the grim-dark setting that the 40k universe is known for.

I’m pleased to say that Dead Men Walking contains no errors that I noticed, and overall there were little bad points about this novel, easily one of the better Black Library books out there that I’ve read.

Indeed, the only major downside to this novel was that I found the front cover to be a bit dull compared to the newly released ones, like The First Heretic and Garro: Oath of Moment. (Both of which I’ve reviewed, by the way).

Rating: 8/10

Should you buy this book? If you’re a fan of the Death Korps of Krieg, Imperial Guard, Necrons or just want to expand your knowledge of the 40k ‘verse, then this book’s for you.

Garro: Oath of Moment by James Swallow. Read by Toby Longworth

Garro: Oath of Moment : James Swallow / Toby Longworth

“My name is Nathaniel Garro, and I am a Legion of One.”

In surviving the horrors on board the Eisenstein, Nathaniel Garro proved his courage and absolute loyalty to the Emperor. On his return to Terra, Garro is dispatched on a mission of even greater importance – a mission given to him by Malcador the Sigillite himself. He soon finds himself back amongst the stars and on the fields of battle, thrust into a warzone where the Ultramarines are purported to be battling a greenskin invasion. Once again Garro must fight for survival, but now he also fights to achieve a higher purpose...

~http://www.blacklibrary.com/Horus-Heresy/Garro-Oath-of-Moment.html

Now then, where to start? I guess; as this is an audiobook, I will be doing a few things differently to a novel review, just to let you know. This is the second audiobook that I’ve ever brought, the first being Throne of Lies and I can say that I found it interesting, very interesting, particularly since it focuses on Nathaniel Garro, whom many of you will remember from Swallow’s non-audiobook, also a Horus Heresy novel, called The Flight of the Eisenstein.

Although Oath of Moment seemed short compared to standard Black Library novels, being 70 minutes in length, it was a nice listen.

Oath of Moment is a fast-paced, action packed listen, and although it had a weak plot (come on, it’s basically Garro searching for somebody to help Malcador), it does feature the Battle of Calth, which was touched on in The First Heretic, and is of course the Battle between the Word Bearers and the Ultramarine loyalists.

However, there are a few bad things about this audiobook; an error that I noticed is the first one. It’s an error that not many new 40k fans will notice really, but it’s something the die-hard fluff followers will be annoyed about. Swallow mentioned Adeptus Astartes instead of Legio Astartes, which was what they were called during the Heresy. However, maybe I’m just nitpicking – after all, it’s something that I missed out on during the bit on the Black Library Website.

Another disappointing thing in this audiobook is that the scene changes & flashbacks are hard to spot, as one second I was with Garro and the Ultramarines, and the next I found myself with Garro and Malcador the Sigillite. 

Oh, and saying Malcador’s name reminds me of a key thing that happens in this audiobook that sheds some light on one the Imperium’s past (past from present 40k, not past from Horus Heresy).

Now, you’ll probably be wondering by now what the sound effects are and whether the voice acting is any good or not – well, let me tell you, it’s a lot better than the extract from Horus Rising: Abridged Audio, and the A Thousand Sons: Abridged Audio extract. Garro, and Olan, the lieutenant of the Ultramarines PDF at the start has been done very well. Toby Longworth, who is the reader, manages to make each person’s voice fit their description.

Also, if you haven’t read The Flight of the Eisenstein, Swallow explains a rough outline of what happens in this audiobook, but I would still recommend you get the novel first.

Oh yes, a disappointing part is that we don’t find out what happens to the Rembrancers (not sure if this is spelt right or not, could someone please check for me?) and the other Marines, including Iacton Qruze, who joined Garro on the Eisenstein, and I found this annoying as I wanted to know what happened to the people who accompanied him.   

And on that bombshell, I will leave you with two final bits, ones that you'll all be familiar with if you've read my reviews in the past.

Rating: 7/10

Should you buy this book? Well, if you’re a fan of Garro or the audio Horus Heresy books , or simply want to hear Ultramarines getting cut down by Word Bearers, or see Word Bearers in action – then this is for you.

Angels and Demons: Dan Brown [Minor Spoilers]

Angels and Demons: Dan Brown

When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati... the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth.

The Illuminati has surfaced from the shadows to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy... the Catholic Church.

Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces he has hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.

Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair... a secret location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.

An explosive international thriller, Angels & Demons careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war...

~http://www.danbrown.com/

Hello, and once again I’m here with another review, this time it’s Angels and Demons, by Dan Brown, the very first novel starring the Harvard Symbologist, Robert Langdon.

Langdon comes from a unique background rarely seen in other novels, for example, you’ve all heard of wizards, assassins, aliens and Space Marines, but who’s heard of a symbologist? From Harvard?

Now, you’re thinking, how does Dan Brown tie in a Harvard Symbologist, the reappearance of the Illuminati, and a plot to destroy Vatican City? Well, let me tell you this, he does. And he doesn’t just do it well, he does it very well. Too bad I read the Da Vinci Code and The Lost Symbol, the next two books on the series before this. However, it still didn’t spoil me of the ending.

Dan Brown is possibly one of the smartest authors out there, and not only is he smart, he knows how to write a page-turning novel.

I found that the pace was very fast, mainly because I was desperate to get to the end to work out what the conclusion was. Would Vatican City get destroyed, or would Langdon and Vetra manage to save the day?

Yes, it was that unpredictable. Sure, I knew that Langdon wasn’t going to die because I’d read The Da Vinci Code and The Lost Symbol, but the other characters, I had no idea. That aside, the twists in this story were excellent, as well as the background. I should point out, that if you lose your bookmark, or page, and lose out on the story, maybe skip a few pages or so, you won’t understand what’s happened, so you’ll have to go back and find where you were.

Despite this, Angels and Demons was an amazing read, and I can’t wait to read Digital Fortress, unfortunately not starring Robert Langdon but, based on what I’ve read, I have high expectations.

But I also had high expectations for The Chapter’s Due.

Also, may I point out, there’s a lot of gory details in this novel, and a bit of romance, but they still all make Angels and Demons interesting – they don’t ruin it.

Rating: 10/10 – I’ve been giving away a lot of 10’s recently, but I feel everything is deserved as normal.

Should you buy this book? You don’t need me to tell you that.

Nick Kyme has finished Fall of Damnos First Draft.

Yes, he has. This Space Marines Battles Novel is expeted to come out in April 2011. Here's the link.

http://www.nickkyme.com/?p=1464

Discuss.

Also, I edited a few of my coming soon review section. There will be a Gone review by Michael Grant, a Digital Fortress review by Dan Brown, and I think that is all that I've changed.

The First Heretic: Aaron Dembski-Bowden [Spoilers]

The First Heretic: Aaron Dembski-Bowden

Amidst the galaxy-wide war of the Great Crusade, the Emperor castigates the Word Bearers for their worship. Distraught at this judgment, Lorgar and his Legion seek another path while devastating world after world, venting their fury and fervor on the battlefield. Their search for a new purpose leads them to the edge of the material universe, where they meet ancient forces far more powerful than they could have imagined. Having set out to illuminate the Imperium, the corruption of Chaos takes hold and their path to damnation begins. Unbeknownst to the Word Bearers, their quest for truth contains the very roots of heresy…

~http://www.blacklibrary.com/Horus-Heresy/First-Heretic-The.html

Having finished The First Heretic around lunchtime, I enjoyed it greatly, and now holds the prize of being my favourite Horus Heresy Novel, outclassing even A Thousand Sons by Graham McNeill.

And believe it or not, this is Dembski-Bowden’s first step down the Horus Heresy series and he’s pulled it off brilliantly. In this novel, as many have guessed, the focus is mainly on the XVII Legion, the scions of Lorgar, the Bearers of the Word. Yes, the Word Bearers are back.

Even though I haven’t read Anthony Reynolds’s Word Bearer Trilogy, I was wondering if ADB could still pull it off, and judging by the other reviews that I’ve read – he has.

There are several great moments in this book, and I especially like the fact that we see the discovery of a planet near the Eye of Terror that will prove such an important role in the 41^st Millennium, but is literally nothing in the 31^st. If you’re a fan of 40k then you’ve probably guessed what planet it is already. (Note for Heresy Online Readers: I cross-post this on other websites where people who read it might not always be 40k fans).

Another revelation in this novel is the identity of the first person to utter the words, “Death to the False Emperor.”

The First Heretic was well written, well paced and contained great action towards the end, although seemed to be more political in the beginning. Also, this novel was the first book that felt similar to the earlier novels that focused around the Sons of Horus, so I enjoyed it even more for that.

As well as being focused on the Word Bearers themselves, you also get a hint as to why the Ultramarine Legion might be so huge and a bit of information of the twenty Primarchs creation.

There is also a lot of character development, as the Word Bearers go from over-zealous followers, devout worshippers of the God-Emperor to renegade upholders of the Chaos Gods.

High Point: Returning to the Isstvan system again and learning about the backstory to the Word Bearers, learning about the Primarchs as well.

Low Point: What low point? There is no low point in this novel, a great book and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Rating out of 10: 10/10, Great stuff.



Firedrake: Nick Kyme

Firedrake: Nick Kyme

When Chaplain Elysius of the Salamanders is taken captive by Dark Eldar, he faces a fight for survival at the hands of these cruel aliens. The Firedrakes of 1st Company attempt a daring rescue mission, but much more is at stake than the Chaplain’s life. He holds the key to secrets buried beneath Mount Deathfire, secrets that could reveal the damnation – or salvation – of their home world. The Salamanders must penetrate the Port of Anguish and defeat the xenos threat there if they are to unveil the mysteries within the Tome of Fire. Meanwhile, Dak’ir battles to survive the brutal Librarian training, and in his visions liesan even darker future…

~http://www.blacklibrary.com/Warhammer-40000/Firedrake.html

Okay, here we go, and I’m back with the second instalment in the Tome of Fire Trilogy, appropriately titled Firedrake, and Tsu’gan and Dak’ir are thrown back into the action once again.

As Salamander was one of my favourite Black Library books, I had very high expectations for Firedrake, and I’m pleased to say that I got them. Kyme delivers a breathtaking page-turning novel that will leave you eagerly awaiting the ending, which will conclude in Noctrune, part three of the Trilogy.

I found Firedrake to be a great read, and not only does it bring back old characters from Salamander and also introduces a whole host of new ones, the main newbie, well, only a newbie to the Tome of Fire Trilogy, is Vulkan He’stan, and he’s just as awesome as I imagined him to be, and, not only are the characters written well, they also develop, which helps make this novel a great read.

The pacing is fantastic, not rushed, but still allows room for some great scenes, particularly where Elysius squares off against a Dark Eldar Leader, and you also get a few plot twists to keep this story interesting. Having picked up Firedrake & The First Heretic at the same time, I am glad that I read Firedrake first, as I really enjoyed the novel.

Now, unlike a few other books that I’ve read, Firedrake gives us enough description to let us imagine where the Salamanders are at, how they’re fighting and how they look, and who they’re up against.

In this novel, rather than being Iron Warriors and Orks like it was in Salamander, the enemies are Dark Eldar, and of course the Dragon Warriors, lead by Nilihan (I think that’s how you spell it, I don’t have the book on me at the moment).

Rating out of 10: 10/10, Great book and an awesome read. Fully deserves its title.

Should you buy this book? Well, If you’ve read Salamander then you defiantly should. Trust me on this, you will enjoy it.

Traitor General: Dan Abnett

Please note this book is now part of a four book omnibus entitled "The Lost," and cannot be purchased on Black Library as a single book. I brought it as part as an Omnibus. With that in mind, enjoy the review.

Traitor General: Dan Abnett

A Gaunt’s Ghosts Novel

“Whilst Reading The Lost I was reminded why Abnett is the King of 40K.”

The forces of Magister Sek have captured a high raking Imperial Lord General and Commissar Ibram Gaunt and a team of men have been tasked with the re-capture of this vital officer. Dropped onto the world of Gereon, Gaunt and his Ghosts witness first hand, the horrors of a world being enslaved by Chaos. Can the Ghosts track down and save the lost General before his resolve is broken or will they have to silence him?

~http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/Traitor-General-Softback.html

Well, here’s my first Gaunt’s Ghost Review, and it’s the opening novel in The Lost story arc, and puts Colonel Commissar Gaunt back in the spotlight in Dan Abnett’s most popular series. It’s also been a long time since I’ve journeyed to the Realm of Space known as the Sabbat Worlds, and now I wish I’d picked The Lost Omnibus up instead of the Three Ultramarines books.

Because Dan Abnett isn’t just better than McNeill. He runs rings around him, and whilst reading The Lost I was reminded why Abnett is the King of 40K. And 30k, and I have to say that was a weekend well spent.

Unlike other books published by Black Library, Traitor General lacks the epic battle between Loyalist and Chaos forces. However, what it lacks is made up in writing quality. The book wasn’t rushed, and was paced out to give us a great read that’ll drag you in on a hook and keep you there.

There is a fantastic scene in Traitor General, where we see Gaunt’s Ghosts (of which there are only twelve on this assassination mission), take on five Chaos Space Marines. It’s a great moment, and one of my highlights whilst reading this book.

Also for the first time, Abnett puts in humour, which he has avoided in the last two Omnibuses as of the more serious background. I mean, how can you crack a joke after your planet has been destroyed by the Ruinous Powers?

Rather than focus on several of the Gaunt’s Ghosts, Abnett has put them in a situation where there is only twelve, Gaunt, Rawne, Feygor, Cridd, Curth and more come together for this all star line-up of a well paced book which is one of the best of the Gaunt’s Ghosts that I’ve read. Although, I have to say, If there’s one thing which stops it from getting a ten out of ten, it’s the rather sudden ending.

Rating out of 10: 9/10 – Great Read, easily worth it.

Should you buy this book? Yes especially if you’re a Gaunt’s Ghosts fan.