Pedro Kantor: The Vengeful Fist

Pedro Kantor: The Vengeful Fist by Steve Parker. A Lords of the Space Marines short story, originally published by The Black Library in December 2013 as part of there Advent Calender series. Approx. 4 pages.

Just wanted to make a quick mention of this short, being as though July has seen a lot of Crimson Fist-based stories reviewed. The Vengeful Fist is one of those micro-shorts that you either love or hate (I usually fall into the love category, especially with the whole "Advent Calender" theme). Last year's calender theme was the "Lords of the Space Marines", which I pretty much avoided since I am not invested enough into 40K canon to know all the particulars of all the heroes. But I did want to read everything that Parker pens that involves the Fists.

The Vengeful Fist centers on the angry reflections of the Crimson Fists Chapter Master, one year after the cataclysmic events of Rynn's World. From inside of the Chapter Master's mind, we get a view of the panorama of this devastated world. And we see the full gamut of emotions that constantly swirl through his head: grief, anger, loss, rage, duty.

That's all that there is, and that's all there is room for. In just 4 pages, Parker gives Kantor more gravitas and depth than he had in the entirety of Rynn's World. There is also a mention of a conflict, though all of the action occurs off-screen.

Pedro Kantor: The Vengeful Fist gives you an emotional view of a devastated leader surveying the wastelands where so many millions under his charge lost their lives. It is 4 of the better pages you'll read from The Black Library, whether or not you like the micro-short story format.

Now, one final question that I hope someone out there can help me with. I really enjoy the Fists stories by Parker and Lee (although Parker's are a bit better), but does anyone know what exactly Alessio Cortez is up to? In Parker's stories, Cortez has left on a personal vendetta to track down and kill Snagrod, however, Lee puts him at just returning from Terra on a mission to petition for the continuation of the Chapter. Which is it?

Final Score:

9/10

Cover Score:

The Crimson Fists logo over a blue background. Proudly displaying the colors. Effective for a short like this.

Cover Final Score:

5/10

Culling The Horde

Culling the Horde by Steve Parker. A Warhammer 40K Crimson Fists short story, originally published by The Black Library, February, 2014. Approx. 12 pages.

Steve Parker's Rynn's World (the first book reviewed here!) told the story of one of the most infamous battles in the Warhammer 40K universe, the decimation of the doughty Crimson Fists. And where that tragic tale ends, it leaves the door open to more stories featuring them. Stories focusing on the arduous task of rebuilding, stories that convey the mindset of a Chapter so devastated. Culling the Horde is one such follow-up tale. And such a well-written short story as this featuring a popular Chapter is a much-welcomed treat.

It has been approximately one year since the events on Rynn's World. A full year, and yet the purge still continues. The purge to cleanse the world of its orkish taint. No easy task to be sure. Not only are all the civilian reaches thoroughly infested with the creatures, but the wind carries their spores, which will breed more greenskinned filth. And so, the cleansing continues, with the remaining Fists motivated by the knowledge that rebuilding cannot happen until the slate is clean.

Culling the Horde focuses on a small team of Fists engaged in purge activities. Four Marines (headed by Sgt. Huron Grimm, one of the best characters from Rynn's World), and one scout make up this kill team. In Horde, the group finds themselves cleaning out a farm that shows signs of recent ork activity. The events that take place here; what they see, what they do, how they feel, all perfectly encapsulate what the Chapter endures day in and day out on the slow road to recovery.

Point blank: this is an excellent story. Parker constructs a tale that brings his skills to full bear. The first thing is that he writes best when he focuses on small specialist groups. This is demonstrated in his Deathwatch novel (which has gotten unanimously positive reviews. I haven't read it but I loved the first short story, Headhunted), as well as with the tank crew in Gunheads. One thing I had harped on in the final act of Rynn's World was how it devoted too much time to Kantor's group; even though that portion was well written, it took away from the Gargant assault at the city. Here, in Horde, the team is the backbone of the story. Parker writes well for these supersoldiers; he captures their sense of fraternity, and the Chapter's feelings of loss, anger, and exasperation. He crafts excellent action scenes and puts them to paper very well. 

What else works well in Horde? The orks. One thing that I have always loved about Parker's writing: he doesn't do funny orks. I love funny orks as well, and no one does talky greenskins better than Guy Haley, but Parker does orks with a primal ferocity. He realizes their attributes; savagery, cunning, and malice. And he knows that they are not dumb. These are huge, feral beasts that pose a firm match even for battle-hardened brothers.

Culling the Horde is one of the slimmest short stories I have seen from The Black Library, coming in at 12 pages. But do not lament the length of the tale; Parker has trimmed all the fat and nonsense and presents a lean cut of action and emotion. And, as an added bonus, we get an update on the status and whereabouts of firebrand Captain Alessio Cortez.

Here's what it is:

Culling the Horde is as good a short story as you will find from the Black Library. Steve Parker is in top form here, and shows that he is one of the few writers who can capture the mentality of a Space Marine well. Excellent action scenes and well-rendered orks make this an all-around great experience, even if it is a short one.

Final Score:

95/100

Cover Score:

Another excellent Crimson Fists cover by Kevin Chin. I'm guessing that between this cover, and the one for The Few, these are pictures recycled from Codices or other publications. But they are nice touches for these stories. Again, the biggest mistake is in centering the text. Put it at the bottom so it doesn't take away from all the detail in the middle!

Cover Final Score:

80/100

Flashback Book Review - Gunheads

HachiSnax Note: The Flashback Book Review sections will feature reviews that I had previously posted to Facebook, or other sources. It's mostly a way to get some content on the blog while I compose new stuff. And also, hopefully promote some good books. This one here is for Gunheads, by Steve Parker (originally posted 8/17/2010). I cannot tell you how much fun this book was. I know Mr. Parker is focusing on his Deathwatch books now, but I wish we could see even a short story featuring Wulfe & Co. again. Great stuff! Cheers, Hach.

Gunheads



Gunheads had been taunting me for a while before I read it. Countless times I've been suckered into a shitty book by an awesome cover (haven't we all), and Gunheads does indeed have an awesome cover. You've got bitchin' retro-style tanks and orks in dune buggies. However, at time of release, Mr. Parker's other W40K offering, Rebel Winter, had only garnered middling reviews. Luckily I had a brain fart and in the end reserved it from the library. Good move on my part.



Gunheads is a Warhammer 40,000 stand alone book, showcasing the Imperial Guard (no Space Marines here kiddos). It focuses on a Cadian tank group, the 81st IIRC, who are being sent on a fool's errand to recover a Baneblade tank (The Fortress of Arrogance, how awesome a name is that?) from the desolate, ork-infested desert planet of Golgotha, for Yarrick to use in his uber-war on Armageddon.



So our set-up is Imperial Guardsmen in tanks vs. millions of orks. Sounds pretty standard, right? So what makes it work? Characters, and Mr.Parker's writing style.



The story is billed as centering around one Sgt. Oskar Andreas Wulfe, although honestly, the entire cast list gets their fair share of screen time. This is all for the best. Wulfe is a great character. One Amazon reviewer compared him to Sgt.Nick Fury in the Howlin' Commandoes days, and it's true. This book reads like an awesome WWII pulp novel. Wulfe is real, a hard-nosed, gritty grunt, who knows enough to question the logic of the Imperium and keep it to himself, and who genuinely cares about his tank crew and the unit in general. He worries for his men to the point of overprotection, which is what managers in hostile environments have to do. He also has the frustration of dealing with an upstart newcomer to the unit. Unfortunately, this royal bastard, Cpl. Lenck, can back up his trash-talk on the battlefield. You just know a sweet showdown with these two is coming. Other characters include Lt. Van Droi, who leads his men from the front, and tries to balance his caring for them with his mandated adherence to beaurecratical B.S., Major General Bergen, a born leader, who is forced to lead his men on a glorified suicide mission, and General DeViers, an ancient, image-obsessed leader who takes on the mission in the hopes of one day having a statue erected of himself somewhere, someday. But don't get him wrong; his resume includes plenty of decisive victories and he still is more than happy to participate in the firefights. Also along for the ride are some representatives from the Adeptus Mechanicus, who have their own agenda on Golgotha; and it's no major spoiler to say that it doesn't involve a pimped-out tank.



Mr. Parker's writing style is superb; world building is descriptive without being encyclopediac. The planet Golgotha is sinister, the atmosphere itself is sickening the men, poisoning their lungs, reddening their skin and eyes. Parasites threaten to infect at all turns. As for the characters, the banter between men has an authentic vibe, and the depiction of orks is on point. These Golgothan orks have been conditioned by their environment, they are bigger, leaner, stronger, their skin a leathery brown. Smarter too, in that they actually try to utilize basic concepts of human warfare strategies. Plenty of times in the action scenes you could feel their presence, smell them closing in, feel their hot steaming breath as they get ready to bash you to bits. The Adeptus Mechanicus are written well too; creepy, haughty, calculating, cold. Yikes.



Are there any criticisms? Very few. Sometimes that battlefield deathtoll becomes hard to envision. You'll be told ten thousand men are squaring off with 2 million orks, then you are reading about "scores" of Guardsmen being blown away and "piles" of dead orks. It makes it hard to keep score of how many Guardsmen are left at any given time, and if millions of orks are dying, are the tanks really riding over small hills of ork corpses? Other than that, the book is solid. No boring spots, no unbelievably ridiculous "bad-ass" characters, and especially, unlike other Guard novels, the commanding officers are not portrayed as simply blundering idiots, wimpy sycophants or cruel tyrants(like in the novels Fifteen Hours and Ice Guard). Everyone has their merits, their faults, their time to shine and their time to die. Oh yes, the death toll is appropriately high for the mission involved. Don't spend too much money on Christmas cards for the 81st, you have very few to send out in the end.



Gunheads. Buy it, read it. After I returned it to the library, I bought my own copy. It's good stuff.



My review, for what it is: 4 out of 5 stars.



P.S.- A good intro to Sgt. Wulfe and Co. is the short story Mercy Run, available in the Planetkill compilation. Pretty standard stuff, but if you're a completist, go for it. It also explains the secret Wulfe is trying to keep the other men from finding out.

Here's what it is: 

Everything an Imperial Guard novel should be. A knock-down drag out brawl between tanks and orks. A WWII-style, pulpy, action-packed read.

Final Score:

87/100

The Cover:

Oh, man. As I had said in the old review, I loved this cover. I know it might look like a Codex or module-type cover, but I love it. Tanks vs. dune buggies, 'nuff said! Alex Boyd captures the spirit of the Imperial Guard like few others!

Cover Final Score:

90/100

Yes, I'm biased. Sue me.

Rynn's World

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.

Cover Final Score:

85/100