One Bullet (Deathwatch 1)

One Bullet (Deathwatch 1) by Ben Counter. A Warhammer 40K short story, originally published by The Black Library, August 2015. Approx. 26 pages.

Just when you thought the pickings were slim over at The Black Library, they go and kick off not one, but two series of quick reads. One features the always popular Space Wolves, and the other showcases the mysterious warriors chosen to join the shadowy Deathwatch. This latter them piqued my interest more, of course. Wisely kicking off the proceedings with a tale by fan fave and action maestro Ben Counter, the first installment is One Bullet.

One Bullet tells the story of Vael Donatus, an utterly pragmatic and clinically efficient veteran of the Ultramarine Sternguard. His and some other select companies are tasked with freeing up the manufacturing world of Skemarchus (which, with its lava pools and platforms, is a picture-perfect backdrop for a tale such as this) from the foul clutches of the greenskins. Wow, you cannot get a more classic match-up than that; Ultramarines vs. orks.

Donatus is not the only character of note here, though. One Bullet is also notable in that it features a prominent character from Ultramarine lore, Chaplain Ortan Cassius. Even though a specific date isn't mentioned, we see Cassius in his earlier years here.

What transpires herein is a 26 page action set piece. I can only say it so many times without sounding like a broken record, but the action is choreographed and mapped out so very well. Sometimes people (even myself) might joke that Counter is a bolter porn auteur, but even if it sounds clever, it's kind of a dig. This is real, bone-rattling, blistering action, a step high and above simple "Pew! Pew! For the Emprah!" storytelling.

The characterizations here are strong enough to carry the narrative. There is some fun banter between the Marines. But what carries the story is the contrasting determination of Doantus and Cassius. Each one interprets the Codex Astartes faithfully and fervently, yet their methods of application differ greatly. Donatus pushes for the methodical, bit by bit retaking of high value assets, where Cassius is all forward aggression, his crozius and zeal both ready to smite the xenos horde from the face of the world.

And, of course, somewhere in the tale, you will expect that the titular "One Bullet" motif will come into play. When it did, it was much better than I had anticipated.

On the orky side, Counter makes a wise move by focusing on the dangerous aspects of the orks; their ferocity, their frightening physicality, and their oft under-estimated canniness in fields such as engineering. He doesn't use them for comedic levity, as is often the case with orks. It is enough that are already ridiculous parodies of humanity by nature. Plus, we get to see some formidable orky units at play here. Good stuff.

Put all these components together, and it seems that Counter has achieved the nearly impossible: made a thrilling story showcasing the SmurfMarines.

Wait, what is that you ask? What does this have to do with the Deathwatch?

Excellent question. The answer: it really doesn't.

To be precise, there is technically a member of the Sternguard that is a former Deathwatch team member. However, other than a few observations about not underestimating the enemy, he only really serves as a tertiary character.

What it boils down to is a Deathwatch story almost no Deathwatch in it.

Those buns have more fluff than the entire Codex Astartes.

The only reason I keep mentioning this is because I can understand readers feeling mislead by the advertising. And it would be a shame for One Bullet to be seen as guilty of something it really didn't do. It is a strong story on its own. But I won't lie; the entire Deathwatch angle comes off as "tacked-on", as if the story were on a back burner (maybe as part of a planned "History of Famous 40K Figures" series) and then got retrofitted to shoehorn some Deathwatch material in.

One last thing I really appreciate that Counter does here is to give some quick, expository sentences as background for potential newer readers. I've lauded these types of actions before; since the 40K universe is so expansive and intricate, new readers might feel overwhelmed trying to comprehend it. And Counter is skilled enough to deliver a concise message, being mindful of the economy of his word count.

This line is a perfect example of what I mean, and it sums up the ork mentality oh so well:

‘The greenskins despoil even that which they can turn to their use,’ said Felidus, watching through the gunport beside Donatus. ‘Like some in-built allergy to civilisation, they have to tear it down.’

So, one last time; give One Bullet a read. Enjoy it for what it is; not what it is billed as. It stands perfectly fine on its own merits.

Here's what it is:

The first story in the new Deathwatch series is an excellent, high-octane Ultramarine actioner. That's as honest as I can be.

Final Score:

8.5/10

Cover Score:

Not a fan. It's not as bad as the cringe-inducing "Read it because" section on the BL website. The style is somewhat like a graphic novel. which is fine, but the execution is somewhat poor. When I first saw it, I wanted to say, zoom it out a bit, show some more of the Astartes armor, and maybe the pauldron with the Inquisition logo (assuming it was an actual Deathwatch tale). Knowing now how little Deathwatch is here, I have to ask: is that supposed to be Donatus or Cassius? That weird grin reminds me of someone else entirely.....

The comparison no one wants right now....

Cover Final Score:

4.5/10

Penumbral Spike & Black Gulch

 Penumbral Spike and Black Gulch by Ben Counter. Two Sanctus Reach short stories, originally published by The Black Library, July 2014. Approx. 27 pages (Spike), and 14 pages (Gulch).

Today, I'll be doing something a little bit different: bundling two short stories into one review. Allow me to explain: I knew all along that I would read and review both of these Ben Counter Sanctus Reach shorts. I opted to go with Black Gulch first, but could tell throughout that it worked better as a follow-up to Penumbral Spike. Therefore, I read Spike immediately afterward.

The fact of the matter is that both of these stories are quite similar (plus, Gulch is pretty short), so they don't really need separate reviews. We'll look at the core elements of both first, and then go into their individual merits.

By this point, when you read a Ben Counter story, you have a pretty good idea of what you are in for. Counter is notoriously weak on characterization, but excels at physical descriptions and battle scenes. One of the Black Library's longest-tenured authors, he is a premier bolter-pornographer.

This short story duology focuses on the incursion of Warlord Grukka as he lays waste to Obstiria, the highly irradiated homeworld of the Obsidian Glaives Chapter of Space Marines. In Penumbral Spike, a massive assault force of Ork Freebooterz lays waste to the Glaives' titular fortress-monastery. And in Black Gulch, Midnias, Chapter Master of the Obsidian Glaives, leads a last-ditch assault against Grukk himself.

First things first. The Glaives have a very interesting background setting, but Counter does not do much to utilize it in writing for the characters here. We get some decent flashbacks to be sure, but nothing in the way of an effective psychology for the Chapter. Things like the eternal penance each Marine endures, we don't get. There are memories, like ghost pains, that each endure, but the notion of it as a core moral tenet is never realized.

The action, however, is done to a satisfactory level. And there is plenty of it. In Penumbral Spike, the forces of Freebooter Kaptin Flamegut wreak merry havoc through the chapter-monastery, until they crash against an arrayed force of all twelve of the Glaives' Dreadnoughts. Great concept, and well done. There is an all-too convenient plot device that forces urgency upon the vitality of the ancient brothers. It is there because it is needed. One side effect is the deterioration of the mental stability of the Dreadnoughts, causing them to suffer memory lapses. In these moments, they feel as though they are the complete Astartes they once were, glorious on the battlefield. Counter handles these moments very well. In Black Gulch, flashbacks are presented in separate paragraphs, here you don't recognize the mental slip for the first few lines. Well played.

As mentioned before, creature descriptions are stellar here. Counter has a lot of fun constructing the orky pirate vision of Flamegut, as well as other special unit types. Strong attention is also paid to the ornamentation on the Dreadnoughts. The one thing I was hoping for is more description on the melee weapons; one Glaive is described as using an obsidian-esque weapon, but how common are they among the other members of the Chapter?

Finally, one thing that I was certainly not expecting here: Spike caps off with a bona fide emotional ending. That was a pleasant surprise I did not see coming.

Fast forward to Black Gulch, and we no longer focus on the Dreadnoughts, but on the last stand of Chapter Master Midnias. The same things that worked in Spike work here, and what didn't work obviously still doesn't. Instead of characterization, we have bombastic battle cries (that were better in Spike). There is also a plethora of bone-crunching action (done a bit better here than in Spike). When you come to a point where you are reading about "stringy pieces of meat" caught in the teeth of a chainsword, you are truly reminded of exactly why you love WH40K.

Instead of the memory slips of the Dreadnoughts, in Gulch, Midnias looks back on his service as a Glaive; specifically on the time he spent in the brig before being offered a chance to join, and on his brutal initiation rite. These moments are not as poignant as in Spike, but it gives us an interesting glimpse at his service.

The single best part of Black Gulch is the description of the monstrous Warlord Grukk, which is nothing short of frightening.

In Black Gulch, there is no emotional ending. What is offered is a furious brawl and a end that is a bit of a shock, even though it is a foregone conclusion.

Here's what they are:
An exciting pair of short stories that give a blistering account of the last days of a unique Astartes Chapter, even if the finer nuances of their behavior aren't presented.


Final Scores:

Penumbral Spike: 73/100

Black Gulch: 70/100


Cover Scores:

Another pair of covers by Alex Boyd, which, I am still guessing, came from one of the gaming supplements. Both are technically impressive, if not outstanding. Both the rendition of the Dreadnought and the ork seem a tad generic for the scopes of the stories.

Cover Final Scores:

Penumbral Spike: 68/100

Black Gulch: 72/100