Blood and Fire by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. An Armageddon novella featuring Grimaldus, the hero of Helsreach. Originally published by The Black Library, July 2013. Approx. 113 pages.
Within the vast body of the Imperium, so many different relationships can form. Bonds of brotherhood, grudging respect, and friendly and bitter rivalries. And, once in a while, actions as odious as betrayal. While Grimaldus and his Black Templars waged the bitter battle for the salvation of Helsreach, on the other side of Armageddon, at Hive Volcanus, the Celestial Lions fought as well against the bastard xenos greenskins. As if battling the endless hordes isn't difficult enough, something is just...wrong. So very, very wrong. Ships in orbit are suffering disproportionately grievous losses. Supply ships are being shot down. They are being fed misinformation at every turn, leading to wild goose chases and ambushes. And then came the Mannheim Gap, where the most brutal, decimating blow was tendered. Sent to destroy a gargant-manufacturing base, they found those vicious god-machines very operational, as well as meeting some very prepared orks and snipers. It was a massacre, and a message.
Reclusiarch Grimaldus recovers a report of the treachery from Chaplain (Deathspeaker) Julkhara of the Lions. He knows as well the cause of it. The Templars and Lions are cousin, descendants of Dorn all. He knew the error of the Lions. They crossed and questioned the authority of the Inquisition. They showed compassion in the face of an overzealous, violent, dogmatic regime (never a smart move). A message needed to be sent. A message to all Astartes chapters. Grimaldus knows all of this. He knows what pride will prompt the Lions to do. And he knows that it is his obligation to try and counsel them, or at least record their last actions. So, with aspiring Chaplain Cyneric in tow, he flies down to Hive Volcanus to meet with the remaining Lions.
Grimaldus meets with them, and bonds with them. And, as you can tell by the pretty awesome cover, he goes to battle with them. Again, the Mannheim Gap promises to run blackish-red with the blood of these mortal enemies.
Blood and Fire is told, like Helsreach, from the first person POV of Grimaldus. The whole tale is rendered via his internal monologues. This works, and for a very good reason: AD-B is one of the very few authors that is talented enough to properly depict what the mindset of one of these superhumans might be. Space Marines aren't only superhumans, or jacked up humans, or humans minus fear. They are, for all intents and purposes, a separate race with certain similar values, or, as Grimaldus puts it, "a weapon with a human soul". It is a herculean task for any author to sit in the mindset of any alien entity for the course of an entire novel; for one of two mistakes can occur. First, the author might not be up to snuff and write the character as a slightly modified human, thus risking forfeiture of that race's identity. Second, the depiction might be so accurate, so "alien", that audiences may not be able to sympathize with the characters. Sometimes it is best to view these superhumans in an observational capacity, like in shorts such as Witness. But, again, AD-B (and a few other Black Library scribes) can pull off this first person view.
Grimaldus' narration is a mixture of storytelling and philosophical discourse. This being the case, the action scenes are retold as stories as well. We get an account of the Mannheim Gap massacre, a great, juicy tale of how Grimaldus earned his skull face, and a telling of the relevant events of the second Mannheim campaign. In this last tale, Grimaldus waxes more on the logistical philosophy of combat than on the actual "pew pew pew", which is fine since AD-B has always stressed characterization over bolter porn. Again, he can strike that balance.
Are there any complaints about Blood and Fire? Very few. While AD-B excels at descriptive prose, and his knowledge of the 40K lore is excellent. However, when it comes to dialogue, he sometimes falls into the habit of having different characters speak with the same voice. This is especially obvious when it comes to the "brooding, sarcastic badass" type, making the humorous quips of those such as Talos and Grimaldus essentially interchangeable.
Blood and Fire also offered me a sad epiphany as to the grouchy old codger that I am becoming. It seems I am getting too old and jaded to appreciate pop culture references. In the second battle scene (where Grimaldus earns his stripes), there is an actual Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch.
In case you were unfortunate enough to be under a rock for the past 40 years.
Or, as it is referred to in 40K lore, an Antioch Orb. I don't know if this piece of fluff existed before this novella or not, but I kind of just shook my head and wondered if the High Marshal was going to say "We'll not risk another frontal assault, that daemon's dynamite!" Then again, if I had found that Easter egg in my early 20's, I'd have been harassing my friends to read the story on the merits of that alone. So the lesson here, don't get old. It sucks.
But anyway, AD-B still delivers a solid novella featuring some fan favorites (yes, even Andrej makes an appearance). While it doesn't have the epic bombast of Helsreach, or the emotional weight of For the Fallen, it strikes a comfortable balance somewhere in between.
Here's what it is:
An enjoyable novella that sees the return of an iconic character. A good study on how cruel and petty those who wield power can truly be.
Final Score:
87/100
Cover Score:
Another great cover in the Space Marine Battles series. It's a shame that Grimaldus is mostly cut from the main cover, but it was a good choice to keep the ork and the Celestial Lion in the frame. Here's the full cover so you can enjoy it in all its glory:
Flesh of Cretacia by Andy Smillie. A Space Marines Battles novella featuring the Flesh Tearers. Originally published November 2012. Approx.116 pages.
Andy Smillie has kind of burst onto the Black Library writing scene with the sudden ferocity of an Astartes drop pod, and has been very prolific in the short story sector. He is also the current authorial authority on the Flesh Tearers chapter, and most of his works have featured them. Now, it can be great if a talented author adopts a Chapter in such a manner; however, in the hands of a less capable author......I'll just say that I am glad that I am not a Salamanders fan.
So far, my experience with Smillie has been minimal. I think he was the fierce looking little bald guy with Aaron Dembski-Bowden when he was doing signings at the East Village (NYC) Games Workshop location in June, 2011. Other than that, I read his "Immortalis", which was his entry in the Black Library 15th Birthday Collection. At around 1,000 words (like all the shorts in that series), it was an intense tale, told with the pacing of a real-time fistfight. It was the perfect way to depict this Chapter.
The question is, was Smillie ready to apply his obvious knowledge of this Chapter to a larger format, with a larger cast of characters, and dialogue too? Andy excels at writing violence, and he seamlessly incorporates the martial, hand to hand aspect that the Flesh Tearers lean more towards. Unfortunately, his efforts at creating dialogue that seem natural, relevant, and believable fall short. In essence, he becomes a bit like James Cameron; a maestro at orchestrating glorious violence, but God help you if he penned the screenplay.
Two points to note at this time; first, this story takes place shortly after the Horus Heresy. This is no time indicator at the beginning of the tale, but there are some references to the closure of the Heresy and the recent introduction of the Codex Astartes. Second, this being a Space Marines Battles title, a story recap is not necessarily a spoiler. So, let us proceed.
Chasing some ork stragglers knocked out of orbit, a group of Flesh Tearers under Chapter Master Amit find themselves on a Death World, a world seemingly malicious and hell-bent on destroying any intruders. Setting up a defensive perimeter, while sending out scout teams, the Flesh Tearers find the the orks are the least of their problems; the planet has already taken care of the xenos filth, and now it aims to take care of them.
Flesh of Cretacia focuses on three central groups; the Flesh Tearers holding their defensive circle, and the hordes of creatures they face, a Scout group, and the planetary horrors they encounter, and a lone Marine, who finds himself negotiating an understanding with the native tribes.
In the end, some of the worst of the creatures are slain, and out of left field, Amit declares that this planet, now dubbed "Cretacia" (Baal for 'Birth of Wrath'), will be this newly formed Chapter's (remember the timeline) Homeworld, a place where they can pluck future aspirants from. The End.
What works in Cretacia is, first and foremost, the action. This is, as already mentioned, brutal, fists flying, knees taken out, wince as you are reading it combat. The bolter action is sharp too. And, as already mentioned, Smillie knows Flesh Tearer lore. Many of their unique ceremonies get detailed treatment; but, like with the dialogue, they feel placed in the story 'just to be there'. It's as if Smillie had a checklist of ceremonies and rituals to include and just started ticking away. In his favor, his depiction of the Black Rage and the hold it takes over those afflicted is chilling and authentic.
Now, what doesn't work. The dialogue. Look, I get it. These aren't friendly, lovable space giants. It's like the scene from the latest (atrocious) Die Hard movie: "We're not a hugging family." But, a lot of the dialogue here comes off as forced; as if Smillie is trying to make the Flesh Tearers sound 'killer-cool'. Maybe it's just me. A lot of the Tearers are essentially unlikable, but again, that's there nature. And again, it's the author's burden to make us care. Especially with Amit, however, once I started visualizing him like Matthew McConaughey's character in Reign of Fire, I warmed up to him quite a bit.
In the Top 10 for "Best Cinematic Sequence Ever"
To be honest, a lot of the characters were considerably cooler once the action heated up. So maybe Flesh is just a slow starter?
Well, matter of fact, pacing was another slight issue for me. Flesh of Cretacia starts off nicely from the point of view of Tamir, the strongest tribesman of the planet's natives. Through his eyes the reader sees the orks make planetfall. We then cut to the battle in space, which sent said orks reeling down with the Tearers in hot pursuit. The entire bridge sequence on the Victus is a bit jerky and forced. The novella would have been more seamless if all the events transpired on Cretacia itself, with any reference to the Victus being in flashback form. Also, in that opening scene, the planet is already referred to as Cretacia, even though the Flesh Tearers are yet to step foot on it.
Another minor niggle is the whole "Homeworld" aspect. Throughout the story, Amit is being a standoffish asshat with all his captains who implore him to give up the ork chase and commit to larger endeavors. His position is that they are there for the fight, they need the release of the fight, so they will stay and fight. Then when all is said and done, he has a near-literal "I claim this land for Spain" moment, and says the Flesh Tearers no longer have to roam the stars without their own world. Even if Amit had his own reasons to keep his plan secret, at no point in the novella does the reader have any notion whatsoever that the Flesh Tearers are homeless vagabonds. So, I mean, great little slice of Warhammer 40,000 history, but the casual reader may have no idea why it is historical.
I really don't want to sound like I am harping on this novella. I cannot reiterate enough; this is what Warhammer 40K action should be written like. However, as Smillie hones the knife of his craft, he has some work yet to do on characterization and dialogue.
Here's what it is:
The Flesh Tearers kick ass. And after a slow start, they do nothing but kick ass for about 80 pages. But some stuff doesn't kick ass. And that comes off the score.
Final Score: 69/100
Cover Score:
Usually Space Marine Battle books feature covers by Jon Sullivan, but Flesh of Cretacia sports a cover by the excellent Clint Langley. Langley is peerless in rendering Astartes armor, and this is no exception. On the front, Amit strides towards the reader, chainfists buzzing. Looking at the full cover, the placement seems off. The standard bearer (I forget that captain's name) seems there just to occupy space, and it would have been nice to see some image or hint of Cretacia's beasts. Solid, not stellar.
HachiSnax note: The "Looking Back At:" segment will focus on books that I have read at least one year ago, and although exact details may not be fresh in my mind, I will try to comment on the impact or impression that it left on me, good or bad. Today's post focuses on a Warhammer 40K Space Marines Battles entry titled Legion of the Damned. I cannot stress well enough how epic this book is, and no kidding, it is my fave WH40K book to date. And yet, this book catches a lot of flak from fans. Even more strange, most people who complain about this book still laud Rob Sander's writing style. So what is the issue? Well, most take umbrage with the fact that the titular legion gets title and cover creds, but only features in a few pages in the book itself. So, what's the final say on LotD? Is it a decent read with a deceptive title? Or is it a solid, rousing read, with a completely appropriate name? I say the latter. Let me make my case.... Cheers, Hach
Legion of the Damned by Rob Sanders. Published 2012. Approx. 416 pages.
The Cholercaust is coming. Like the wrath of a mad, angry god, it travels on the tail of the blood-red Keeler Comet. Emerging from the Eye of Terror, driven by the psychotic motives of the vicious World Eaters, what chance does the small cemetery planet of Certus Minor have? The 5th Company of the Excoriators Space Marines, under the command of disgraced Chapter Scourge (Chapter Master's Champion) Zachariah Kersh, are the planet's last hope. What can one Company do against a Blood Crusade of World Eaters, crazed cultists, and the horrors of the Warp? And yet, after the battle is done, both sides lay dead. The Cholercaust has been stopped. As for the Excoriators, one sole survivor draws breath. How did one Company stop this remarkable force of Chaos? Could it be that in the most dire of situations, sometimes miracles do occur?
Now, before you rake me over the coals for putting spoilers in the first paragraph, hear me out. Remember that the books in the Space Marines Battles series are based on skirmishes already established in the WH40K canon. So we already know that there was a monstrous battle for Certus Minor, and that the phantom Legion of the Damned came to turn the tide for the Imperium. The book kicks off with a prologue set in the aftermath of the battle, which ends with the sole combat survivor being found. See, as mentioned in the Rynn's World review, the challenge of the SMB series is whether or not the author chosen can make the events preceding a known outcome both readable and enjoyable over the span of 400 pages. Can Rob Sanders handle the task?
No higher authority.
Simply put, LotD is an outstanding book. Rob Sanders crafts a tale that is atmospheric, cinematic, and creepy (I will not say scary as in making my lose my sleep, but the horrors that the warp vomits forth are well presented). The battle scenes are intense, brutal, and real. This is no faint praise; LotD is not bolter porn, but the way fighting techniques are conveyed is integral to the character of the Chapter. The Excoriators are attrition fighters, always battling at the epicenter of Chaos. During the Feast of Blades (a ceremonial battle early in the book), it is stressed that Kersh is "a killer, not a fighter." During physical confrontations, you can hear the flesh tear, and rip from skulls, you feel the crunch of the gladius against bone. Fierce realism.
LotD opens with the previously mentioned prologue, which finds an Imperial approbator surveying the war-scarred landscapes of Certus Minor. A survivor is found, and.... we go back to the beginning of the tale. We meet Zachariah Kersh, who is suffering from a blight that afflicts his Chapter. This grievous disease affects only the Excoriators, who are successors of the Imperial Fists. When afflicted, an Excoriator blacks out from a sudden onset of grief. This grief is the tragic feeling of Rogal Dorn seeing the Emperor lying near dead, critically wounded by the traitor Horus. In that moment, Dorn thought the God-Emperor dead. That moment of grief, at seeing one regarding as divine, strikes them essentially comatose. Unfortunately for Kersh, he suffered one of these attacks during a battle with the devious Alpha Legion. He therefore failed in his duty as Chapter Master's Champion, and the current Chapter Master lies sick, victim to an unknown poison, with no known cure. In his 'absence' from the battle, the Chapter banner, the Stigmartyr, was lost as well. Suffice to say, when we meet Kersh, he is not well-esteemed by his peers. He is chosen to represent them at the ceremonial Feast of Blades (a sort of intramural battle royale for Fists successors for the rights to bring home Dorn's blade), and the pressure is put on him to win (as all the other Excoriators have failed), while the odds are intentionally stacked against him. No matter what he does, he is screwed.
After the Feast, Kersh is put in charge of the 5th Company (who are none too happy about it) and dispatched to guard the seemingly unimportant cemetery world of Certus Minor. The world has some importance as the remains of a person of historical importance are interred there, but other than that, it is basically a way for the Excoriators to shoo off the unwanted Kersh with the Cholercaust coming. It is implied (at least I took it as so) that there is some scheming by some religious types to have Excoriators dispatched there to protect, I am assuming, the financial interests of the world. Burial space is leased out, and being buried there is very vogue. As to whether or not this was the exact reason for their dispatch, or if there was a more nefarious plot at hand, is never revealed. Honestly, this is the sole gripe I had with the book.
We go through the motions when the group arrives on Certus Minor. There are personality conflicts, characters evolve, and the taint of Khorne affects some of the locals.
Then comes the assault.
First comes the Warp-Spawn, those creatures of Chaos that kind of revolve around the Comet. These scenes reminded me of the horrors in The Mist (one of the better movies of the past few years). Then come the cultists and finally the World Eaters. Kudos to Sanders for making the cultists interesting by name-dropping various gangs, different affiliations and gang-attire. It could have been presented in a generic manner, but that upped the ante. Nice touch. The Excoriators fight tooth and nail, not yielding an inch without fighting like cornered rats. It is there way. They had held the lines in defense of Holy Terra. But the numbers of the Cholercaust are too great, and in the end, all is lost.
Or is it?
All throughout the novel, Kersh is visited by a phantom apparition. A dead legionnaire, his broken helm revealing a leering skull, one blazing red eye, teeth always rattling as he keeps his spectral counsel. Kersh's watcher is ever-present, surveying as Kersh becomes acclimated with his new position, his one glowing eye matching Kersh's dead, stainless steel eye. And in the end, after the Legion has unleashed their unstoppable fury, the Phantom stands above the broken Kersh, offering a silent testimonial of validation.
That's the story in a nutshell. As I've said, that is a spoiler-free assessment. You will get similar info in any blurb or book description on this title. So it really comes down to whether or not Sander's prose resonates with you. I've never read a review on a Sanders work that says "yeah, the book was alright." It is usually either "I love his work" or "I really don't care for his style." The few other things by Mr. Sanders that I have read, I truly enjoyed (allow me to recommend his stellar 1,000 word short 'Army of One' from the 15th Birthday Collection). But assuming that you find the story line interesting and you enjoy Rob Sander's writing style? Then what makes this story great? Well, for one, even though the outline of the story is well-known, there are a few surprises and curveballs which are pretty well-executed. Two in particular stand out (one being a paragraph on the very last page), and they really add to the work. Secondly, there is the detail that went into fleshing out the Excoriators Chapter itself.
I have no idea how much information was established on the Excoriators prior to this novel. Maybe they were a name and a color scheme, no more. I am assuming the Sanders did most of the fleshing out of the Chapters' specifics. In addition to being tough attrition fighters, they are a devout bunch as well, and constantly strive to achieve a oneness with the purity of the revered Primarch Dorn. Members of the Chapter engage in ritual self-mortification, known as "donning Dorn's Mantle". This mortification is administered through flagellation, and each Astartes has among his attendants one to wield the whip. A punishment for an Excoriator would be to actually withhold purification by lash; and scouts are deemed unworthy to bear the Mantle. The flagellant aspect may make for uncomfortable reading for some, or a cheap gimmick for others, but I believe it serves to establish their devotion. Another trait of the Chapter is the treatment of armor. Excoriator armor is a stunning ivory color, and it is kept clean to a pristine level, however, all nicks and evidence of battle damage are left intact, and artificers record in the markings details of how the damage was earned. Another noteworthy attribute is the change in rank titles. Kersh, in a role usually termed "Champion" is known as "Scourge". Squad leaders are referred to as "Whips", and so on.
All in all, you would take it that this was rock-solid entertainment. So why does this book get so much hate? Well, there is the controversy surrounding the name. Common is the argument that the book is titled "Legion of the Damned", members of the Legion grace the cover, and yet, they only feature in the last 20 or so pages! False advertising, boo, hiss, grab the pitchforks and so on. I fancy myself an objective fellow, so is there any credence to this outcry? Perhaps, if you only approach it at a literal level. But Rob Sanders is a crafty fellow, and being an English teacher (in some capacity which I cannot remember offhand), it is his prerogative to utilize word tricks. Yes, the book features the actual LotD (and much more than in the last 20 pages, since Kersh's phantom watcher is present through the whole book). But it is very obvious (and I believe mentioned in fact on Sanders' own blog) that the Excoriators are a damned legion as well. Damned to fight at the Eye of Terror for eons, damned with the blight of seeing one revered as a god in a state of apparent death, damned with the prospect of a Chapter Master who lays poisoned to a mystery ailment. And just for arguments' sake, it can be said that the hordes of the Cholercaust are a damned legion as well, those damned for their heretical choices. So actually, what we have is a title that is valid on not one, but three levels. Well played, Mr. Sanders.
Now I can understand why there would be excitement surrounding action with the LotD. As far as power-armoured supermen go, they are every 13 year old's wet dream; jet black with skeletal parts, festooned with skulls and flames. Silent, lethal, unstoppable. But they are ghosts, ghosts traveling through eternity. There is no room for development, for personality. How can you expect them to carry a novel that isn't entirely bolter-porn? How can the reader feel invested for over 400 pages when there is no threat of danger to the 'good guys'? I've been a Godzilla/kaiju fan for three and a half decades, and I accept the fact that even though his name and image dominate the posters, he usually appears in less than 10% of each film. Yes, I've seen and agree with the argument that the best novel for the LotD is one in the 'Godfather II' mold, half with their current exploits and half with their time as the Fire Hawks. But, remember, this is still a Space Marines Battles book documenting the battle for Certus Minor. Maybe I am missing something on the current lore and interactions on the LotD, but I am satisfied with this presentation; that they are a spectral reserve that can be tapped into by faith, need, and merit.
Kersh and the phantom legionnaire are an interesting study in contrasts, one in ivory white, one in jet black. White for life, black for death. Both with broken armor, one alive with a dead eye, one watching from beyond the grave with a burning, live eye. Positioned across the planes of the corporeal and spectral planes like opposing chess pieces, like yin and yang, completely opposite yet entirely equal.
And that's what it all amounts to. If you can get past any assumptions you might draw from the title or cover art (remember, this is a novel, not a box of miniatures), and if you can enjoy Rob Sander's engaging, yet non-linear storytelling, you are in for a treat.
Here's what it is:
A thrilling, atmospheric retelling of the massive assault that struck a small, insignificant world, and the miracle that manifested itself to save the day. An examination of two interesting Astartes Chapter. Further proof that the Black Library retains the best stable of writers in current tie-in fiction.
Final Score: 97/100
This is, without a doubt, my favorite of all the Warhammer 40,000 books that I have read. It slightly edges out my prior fave, Helsreach (although I'll say my copy of Helsreach signed by Aaron Dembski-Bowden is my favorite Black Library item).
Cover Score:
Jon Sullivan does it again! The best artist in the biz homers again with this cover featuring the vengeful onslaught of the Legion. Apart from his cover for The Siege of Castellax, this might be my favorite cover by him. Excellent. On the Black Library's site, there are wallpapers available to download of the full cover. Do yourself a favor and check them out!
Also, LotD was lucky enough to have a promotional commercial made for it. Just some decent music and panning shots of the cover to be honest, but I like when Black Library makes them:
Our very first review is on a book that was a first in its own right. That's right, Rynn's World by Steve Parker, the first book in the Black Library's Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine Battles series.
(For those unacquainted with Warhammer 40,000, or WH40K, these are stories set in a grimdark, Orwellian 40th Millenium, where mankind has branched out into thousands of planets and systems and fight perennial battles with various xenos hordes. Tip of the iceberg lip-service description there, so if you really haven't heard of this property, quickly peruse a Warhammer Wiki first. Also, luckily, many of these books are perfectly enjoyable as standalone novels).
Back in 2010, The Black Library introduced a new series into their vast collection of WH40K fiction. We already had the flagship cash cow Horus heresy series, the long-running Imperial Guard standalones (aka where new authors had to prove themselves), the Gaunt's Ghosts series, plus several trilogies and multi-book stories. However, this new series raised some eyebrows for a few reasons. Firstly, these were larger books, larger than your average mass-market paperback. So, of course, they were also larger in price point. They had some nice color graphics inside, some with maps, or chapter designs. But finally, this new Space Marine Battles series would feature stories about famous skirmishes. Meaning the die-hards already knew the endings before they opened the books. Meaning the authors had better be pretty deft to make a known tale interesting. Hoo-boy.
Honestly, I was psyched. Why? Well, even though the books were more expensive, they looked great. The color inserts, while completely unnecessary, were enjoyed. Also, being not quite a die-hard yet, I didn't know all the outcomes yet. Bully for me.
On to the actual review. First, here's the blurb:
"When the ork hordes of warlord Snagrod lay waste to the planet of Badlanding and wipe out the Crimson Fists sent to stop them, Chapter Master Pedro Kantor prepares a hasty line of defense on the Fists' home planet of Rynn's World. Tragedy strikes when an errant missile destroys the Space MArine's Chapter Monestary, killing most of their warriors. With a handful of Crimson Fists left, Kantor must fight the campaign of his life, to defeat Snagrod's orks and prevent his Chapter's annihilation."
At a cursory glance, there should not be much legend or reknown surrounding a battle between the Crimson Fists and the vile orks. Their battle has been ongoing for centuries. Moreover, no matter the size of Arch Arsonist Snagrod's Waaaaaagh, it should not have posed too much of a threat for the entire Chapter on their home planet. And yet, a mixture a horrendously bad luck on a level near to a comedy of errors, turn this into a battle against the odds for the Chapter's very survival.
As Snagrod's forces approach Rynn's World, the Fists have their forces divided into two main areas; the bulk of the Chapter's fighting force holes up in their impenetrable fortress monastery Arx Tyrannus, while a large force holds New Rynn City, where a large group of the planets' human population resides. After the 'tragic errant missile' blows Arx Tyrannus to smithereens, it is up to the surviving 16 Fists (including Chapter Master Pedro Kantor) to make the journey to New Rynn City to join with the remaining Fists there. The bulk of the story is interspersed with the battles they fight on the way, and with the plight of the Fists within the City holding a defensive line against Snagrod's mighty force.What can be done to stop Snagrod? To save the future of the Chapter? Can anything be done?
So there's the basic gist. But what was good or bad about the story? Well, honestly, there was a good amount of good and a fair amount that should have been better. However, to fully detail it, some plot points will be compromised. So be warned, after the basic critique, some spoilers will follow....
Characters/Characterization: As you start reading Rynn's World, a lot of names will get thrown at you fast. You might get frustrated trying to remember who is who, other than the main characters. Don't sweat it; here are the ones you need to remember: Kantor, Cortez, Alvez, Grimm, Mendoza, and Lady Cagliestra. Kantor is the fair-minded Chapter Master, Cortez, one his captains, his best friend, and an angry ball of fury (think Wolverine in power armor). Alvez and Grimm are the Marines whose POV we witness the assault on New Rynn City through, Mendoza is the stalwart Librarian, and Lady Cagliestra provides the human POV.
Honestly, there is no character development (save Lady C 'toughening up' when times get tough), and there doesn't need to be. Astartes don't have or need a full gamut of human emotions, and the focus here is on the battle. All through the book, Kantor says something leaderly, Cortez grumbles. Alvez says something practical, Grimm, who is more sympathetic to the plight of the humans, counters him. Kantor, unfortunately, is the weak link in the story, as he spends a good amount of time partaking in an internal monologue. Granted, facing the prospect of Chapter annihilation, he has a lot on his mind. But it does get a bit repetitive.
Action: Now we get to the meat of the potato. This is where Steve Parker excels. The action is brutal, exciting, and believable (as I had experienced in the first work I read from Parker, the superb Gunheads). While many may view orks as old-hat and passe, Parker gets the physicality of the creature, the hulking, cruel brutality. He makes his Fists equally brutal, and the results are exciting, knockdown, drag out fights (especially the ones involving Cortez). Bolters blaze, and starships battle fiercely in the space above Rynn's World.
Was there any downside to the action? Well, there was one area that should have been developed more. For the bulk of the novel, New Rynn City is under a vicious siege. This plays out as 'orks make a break through here, Fists speed to the area, fight, losses are suffered, rinse, repeat.' As the Crimson Fists are successors of the Imperial Fists Chapter (historically the best when it comes to siege defenses), shouldn't some of this expertise lie in the stock of the Crimson Fists? Maybe someone with more CF expertise can clarify how adept they are supposed to be at siege defense. I get that they are doughty fighters, but I would have liked to have seen more siege logistics (as brilliantly portrayed in Graham McNeill's Storm of Iron), and less of Kantor asking questions in his own head.
So was there anything less than stellar about the book? Yes, the ending. And a certain plot point. Actually, two plot points. Buckle up, we are venturing into spoiler territory.
......
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SPOILERS AHEAD!
Ok, so what plot points just don't work here?
First, Ceres Protocol: Great idea. This mandates that the Fists cannot put the needs of the humans (which they are technically sworn to protect) ahead of the survival of the Chapter. After the tragedy that annihilates most of the Chapter, this is a damn necessity. Both Kantor and Alvez (who at that point believes he might be the highest ranking officer left) invoke it. Both go against it at every turn. Especially Kantor. Yes, I get it that it is meant to show his humanitarian side, but seriously? When he holed the Chapter up in two areas at the beginning of the book, he must have known that the humans in the outlying areas were gonna be toast. But now, with his ragtag group, he is willing to slow down their rendezvous with other Fists survivors just to accomodate some humans they saved along the way? No, the Chapter Master needs to make the hardest decisions. Something more appropriate would have been "Ok humans, we saved your lives. So now pick up some of these stubbers from these dead orks and protect yourselves. We seriously have got to go." Instead we get something like "Alessio (Cortez), I invoked Ceres Protocol, but you broke it by saving these humans. So now we all have to slow down. Because of you. Hmph." That's just how Kantor rolls. I really did not care for his portrayal, but his fight scenes were done very well, including his climactic fistfight with Snagrod.
Second, securing the Spaceport: So towards the end, help is in orbit above Rynn's World. They want to drop a bunch of reinforcements, including some heavy artillery, planetside to help turn the tide. For them to land these goodies, they need the Spaceport secured. So Kantor has to take a commando team and liberate this port, which is a bit off from the City. Now this is fine and all, but wait a minute. Maybe you need the landing pads to bring down Titans and all, but couldn't they have peppered the landscape with reinforcement Space Marines by simply using drop pods? Like in every other book with Space Marines landing on planets?
Now on to the one real gripe, the ending. I had read in some other reviews that this book has a rushed ending, and, sad to say, it is true. Remember how the bulk of the book jumped from Kantor and company to the events in New Rynn City? Back and forth, back and forth. Now, at the end, we have the stage set for another two-fold approach, the last stand within the City walls as Ork Gargants prepare to smash through, and Kantor's Kommandos as they try to liberate the spaceport so help can finally arrive. Sounds great? Too bad. Once the Gargants show, the action only focuses on Kantor's Krew. Now, don't get me wrong, this sequence is very well written. It has a nice, door-to-door, black ops, FPS feel to it. Parker has a knack for this, which is why his Deathwatch novel has been fairly well-received. But essentially, it is just Kantor, Cortez, and some throw-away names, blasting the crap out of some orks. I wanted a little more Gargant action. What a tease.
Of course the landing pads are liberated, which signals one of the most abrupt that I have ever read. It is almost literally; help is here, yeah, New Rynn City is pretty beat up, but we will win this, we will recover, because we are stalwart. The end. Seriously. You know, I didn't need to even see the other Chapters in action. I get it that the focus was to remain on the Fists. But seriously, no last ditch stand in the City? So many minor characters introduced that don't receive closure? Sorry, this was either rushed or revised with a strict deadline.
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END SPOILERS
Here's What It Is:
A decent, pulpy, bloody slice of military sci-fi. Not the best book to start the SMB series with, and not the worst.
Great action scenes. A little too much redundant inner dialogue.
Could've been very good with a decent ending.
Final Score: 66/100
Cover Score:
Well, if it is one thing that the Space Marine Battles books have going for them, it is the fact that their covers are done by Jon Sullivan, bar none the best artist currently working in sci-fi and fantasy. This cover captures the Fists' last stand very well. These books feature wrap-around covers, so the action continues on the back with a view of the ork onslaught. The Marine faces are a bit too photo-realistic (a trend in covers which I abhor), so that takes it down a notch. A good cover nonetheless.
