Watchers In Death

Watchers in Death by David Annandale. Book Nine in The Black Library's "The Beast Arises" series. Originally published August, 2016. Approx. 191 pages.

The Beast Must Die ended with a brutal loss at Ullanor for the Imperium, as well as the loss of the Primarch Vulkan, who gave his life going toe to toe with a monstrous being most assumed to be the Beast himself. However, upon returning to Terra, Koorland is dismayed to still here the perennial chant of  "I Am Slaughter" being broadcast from the ork attack moon hovering over Terra.

A new approach is most definitely in order. Which brings us to Watchers in Death.

After conferring with Grand Master Vangorich, Koorland realizes that instead of massive frontal assaults against the orks, the Astartes should custom make 5 marine mixed-Chapter "kill teams" to conduct surgical strikes and precision kills. Never mind the fact that at the climax of The Beast Must Die, a kill-team of various Chapter Masters failed in their task of taking out the Beast, but I digress.

Koorland proposes the notion to the Council of High Lords, knowing full well that a) they will balk at the notion and oppose it vehemently, and b) he's going to do it anyway. As to why the High Lords are perfectly fine with planetary assault forces composed of mixed Chapters at full strength, but fear the notion of 5 member teams (I'm assuming they are worried that they might be utilized for purposes of assassination, at which point I'd remind them about Vangorich glaring over their shoulders).

So, there's a lot on the line going into this installment. There's the sense of urgency, and the palpable tension between Koorland and the High Lords. Ergo, this should be a slam dunk for Annandale, whose prior two installments were fairly strong.

The problem is, the finished product is anything but a slam dunk. While not bad in the least, Watchers in Death is, in areas, flat and mundane. It just shouldn't be this was. Let's have a look-see...

Characters:
Much better here than in some previous installments. Koorland is still showing maturation and increased capability as a leader, but we aren't seeing enough of the rage, sorrow, and loss that must be huge drivers for him.

We get to see more of the High Lords in all of their conniving action again. I would implore writers of this series (well, the series is already over, but you know what I mean) to not lose focus of the importance of these characters, as their appearances have been a bit lean lately. Especially of interest in Ecclesiarch Mesring's further mental declination into madness in the light of his impending death.

Also enjoyed was the continued duel of one-upmanship between Inquisitorial representatives Wienand and Veritus. This is enhanced by one of the story's subplots - a covert mission to determine whether or not the secretive Sisters of Silence (they of the infamous Sister of Silence audiobook) still exist.

However, not all of the characters fare this well. Also, I need to mention; for all the positives that I mentioned, there still, in my opinion, needed to be a bit more. We should've seen more of the fallout of Koorland's Deathwatch mandate across the entire swathe of High Lords; how it affected each of their positions, spheres of power, and machinations. And, I really don't think that is asking too much, either - Watchers in Death is definitely one of the leaner tomes in the series. An extra five pages for character development would have worked absolute wonders.

Also, the members of the first Deathwatch units are, to be frank, a tad dull. First of all, there is a frustrating lack of diversity in the initial groups. They are populated primarily with Space Wolves, Dark Angels, Ultramarines, and Blood Angels. This same assortment is applied to all three of the original teams. There is nothing spectacular about these characters, either, and I had a hard time with both keeping up and caring to. I could tell you that the Space Wolf would be the growly one, and the Dark Angel would have "ie" in their name somewhere. There was a librarian in each team. That's about it. For the initial group that would set the standard for how this method would turn the tide in the battle against the Beast, it's a pretty boring batch.

One last note: it's nice to see an appearance by Annandale's best character from his entries, Galatea Haas, even if her job here is little more than a cameo.

Plot:
Not much to say here. Koorland proposes the idea, the High Lords balk. The teams assemble; there is a cringe-worthy moment that explains why they choose to wear black. Then, they go on a few missions to show how effective this dynamic is. Plus, Wienand, Veritus, and Thane go on their SoS wild goose chase. It tells the story, to be sure, but that's it.

Action:
One of my traditional sticking points with Annandale. I believe him to be a meaningful writer; therefore, he only really writes well when there is something of import. When he was describing the Proletarian Crusade, there was a faith based charge on the line. The participants were getting swept up in the the ideology of their ultimately damned maneuver. And Annandale was able to invest the reader fully in that.

With standard action sequences, that engagement is not present. It ultimately devolves into familiar territory: boltguns crack, bones crunch, combatants die in scores, swathes, and droves. There are literal mountains of the dead.

Also, we want the Deathwatch teams to succeed, but the processes of their tasks become methodical.

What Annandale excels at is the aftermath(s). Whenever a Deathwatch team takes out an ork target, the fallout is usually quite amazing (won't go into too much detail because of spoilers).

All in all, Watchers in Death is a good entry. Should have been great, but it is definitely a step above average. I would like to commend Annandale for three strong entries in this series.

Final Score:

7/10

Cover Score:

Ah yes, the extremely photogenic, if a bit Robert Pattinson-y, Deathwatch kill team member. This is a great picture. I only have a few things to mention here: first of all, there's no real rhyme or reason to that hairline. Second of all, the picture of the Marine himself is so well done (look at the original):

....that it's a real shame that the final cover had to cut the heavy bolter off midway through. I understand it's a formatting issue and all, but it throws off the overall effect. Still a great picture.

One last minor quibble: the mark of the Inquisition is in plain view on the pauldron; and, at this point, the Deathwatch are not yet under the Inquisition's purview. Nothing really damning about that; the picture still stands as a fantastic piece of art.

Cover Final Score:

9/10

The Beast Must Die

The Beast Must Die by Gav Thorpe. Book Eight in The Black Library's "The Beast Arises" series. Originally published July 2016. Approx. 163 pages.

It took me nearly half a year to finish this book, and now it has taken me almost a full month to compose the review. Roughly three drafts later, I'm going to try and condense this to a few paragraphs and let you know the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I have to admit, I am feeling some real exasperation with this series as a whole. Were it not for the fact that the books were already sitting on my shelf, paid for and waiting to be opened, I might have given up already.

So, taking that into consideration, I want to put out here a reminder of some of the issues which I already have with the series as a whole. This way, if I teeter to complaining about them, it won't seem as solely an indictment of Mr. Thorpe.

Issues plaguing the series as a whole:

Wants to convey a aura of political intrigue, and manipulation. Final result is more in tune with bumbling and incompetence. Shady or not, the High Lords still preside over the day to day operations of an Empire that spans thousands of planets. They are not, you know, stupid.

Neither are Space Marines. These are genetically enhanced super soldiers, molding in the image of the original master of said Imperium. Again, super soldiers. In normal times, each individual Chapter may be tasked with the protection of an entire sector. They are not incompetent on strategic, tactical, or logistic levels. Please do not present them as such.

Another thing I want to mention before an in-depth analysis of the book is that this book is a bit light on plot. For his second entry series, like his first, Thorpe has opted to give us a book which is one huge battle set-piece. In The Emperor Expects, it was an epic naval battle. In The Beast Must Die, it is the assault on Ullanor. I have no problem with this ambitious move, but it also bears mentioning that the ancillary story lines see no advancement via this installment.

Also, we all know that tastes vary from reader to reader. With this in mind, I try to minimize criticisms based on style. For example, I've seen many cite Thorpe's flowery descriptions as a reason for not liking his work; however, I personally believe that that is when his work is at its most engaging. With that in mind, any complaints that I lodge will be when something just doesn't make sense.

Now, on to the review:

The Good:
No doubt about it, Gav Thorpe is a master architect of worlds. He has been instrumental in making the 40K universe what it is today; and that is predicated upon the sheer scope of his imagination. He brings the imaginative worlds of this shared universe to true life with his prose.

Also rendered with vivid detail are the diverse assets of all the factions in play here: the Adeptus Astartes, the Imperial Guard, the Adeptus Mechanicus, and, the chaotically jury-rigged machinery of the orks themselves.

I also give high marks (for the most part) for Thorpe's action sequences. When your choice is to make over 90% of your book one continuous action scene, the fact that you are maintaining a roughly 80% efficiency rating at it is still fairly impressive. Again, as mentioned before, it goes to my personal taste. I like when Thorpe uses vividly descriptive and comparative terms to bring his scenes to life and imbue them with a true sense of scale. I personally do not like Warhammer fiction that reads like "And then the Fist Exemplar, wearing Mark III armor, fired an incendiary round from his something-pattern bolter, hitting the 30 meter tall gargant." But, I'm sure some people do.

What doesn't work so well for the action scenes is that we don't have enough "eyes on the ground"; in my opinion, it would've worked to have a few more characters, giving us a few more viewpoints, and really invested us in what was at stake here. However, speaking of characters....

The Bad:
Yeah, characters and dialogue just aren't Gav's strong suit. His characters all kind of go along with the emotional current of the narrative, rather than being the forces driving it. There is nothing added to these characters in this book. (although I must say, there are epigraphs for some chapters which take snippets of Vulkan's inner monologue, and they are fantastically done)

In fact, there are some scenes which are just kind of painful. Which leads us to....

The Ugly:
Be forewarned -  there may be minor spoilers and major griping ahead.

A note before the rant begins: one thing I did not mention in the review for The Hunt For Vulkan (in order to minimize spoilers) is that Vulkan is indeed found. It is a moment of excellence for Annandale, because he truly conveys the sheer awe that even a super human like an Astartes would feel when a true living legend appears before them. It was truly an awe-inspiring moment.

Fast forward to preparations for the assault on Ullanor, and we have Koorland stomping his foot like a petulant child and shouting "I am Slaughter!" over and over at Vulkan. That was the moment that led me to put the book down for a few months.

Then, we have the issues with strategy, as I mentioned before. This massive assault force reaches Ullanor, and SPOILER!!!! the orks are utilizing pretty much the same technique that they employed to dismantle the Proletarian Crusade in seconds (just lay low for a while). And the Imperium forces fall completely for it. I am assuming the preparations and transit to Ullanor took a few months; and, in that time, the combined strategic minds of the Space Marines, Imperial Guard, and Adeptus Mechanicus could not come up with a solid attack plan as well as a half-dozen contingency plans? Really? In all honesty, it takes quite a bit to rustle my jimmies, but that left me quite rustled.

In closing:
I don't want to get too caught up in the complaints. I want to reinforce that for all of its flaws, there is a lot of good in The Beast Must Die. Read it for the grand action sequences, including a rousing climactic battle.

Final Score:

7/10

Cover Score:

As always, a fantastic cover. Why they chose the Adeptus Mechanicus for this installment, I have no idea. They figure in the book, they are written very well in the book, and I truly wish that they had featured more in the book.

Cover Final Score:

8/10

The Hunt For Vulkan

The Hunt For Vulkan by David Annandale. Book Seven in The Black Library's "The Beast Arises" series, originally published June 2016. Approx. 149 pages.

Sorry about the delay on this one, folks. I have to be totally honest; I was feeling quite a bit of a mid-season slump with this series. Plus, I was away for two weeks on the closest thing resembling a vacation I've had in years.

I had gotten back, put off reading this installment; picked up one of my favorite sci-fi classics, almost finished the reread, and then decided to get myself in gear and keep the reviews of The Beast Arises going. But it was tough going. Honestly, the beginning of this one was a slog. Plus, I'm not crazy about either the Salamanders or their legendary primarch, Vulkan. There was nothing in this one for me to look forward to. So how did it all pan out in the end?

Before I go into detail here, I'm pretty sure that this is the shortest entry thus far in the series. Also, the entire plot synopsis is right there in the title. In brief, predicated upon the revelation that the Beast is based on Ullanor, Koorland begins preparations to lead a massive Imperial force to kill him. Veritus, the Inquisitorial leader on Terra, prompts him to seek out no less than a legend to aid in the strike. He tells Koorland that the last intelligence on Vulkan's whereabouts were on the planet Caldera; and so, the hunt is on.

The rest of the book deals with the hunt, and with the saving of Caldera itself, which is also beset by an ork moon.

The Hunt For Vulkan is almost entirely an action piece, with little room for character growth. A lot of the enjoyment of that aspect lies in how Annandale presents those characters. He gives us a solid Koorland; troubled, capable, and fantastically wrathful. This Slaughter is a win. Thane is another well-balanced presence; but he is still lacking a special spark to make him truly memorable. There are a number of secondary characters mentioned who fill their roles in a satisfactory manner. One standout is General Imren of the Lucifer Blacks, who Annandale infuses with a vital lust for redemption.

The rest of the familiar dramatis personae are relegated to cameo status, and in their limited capacity they make the best of their minute word counts. A particularly poignant example of this is the brief conversation between Kalkator and Zerberyn.

On the other side of the bolter, Annandale gives us some more ferocious, bestial greenskins to act as perennial foils to the Imperium. He displays a real acumen for constructing devious plots and plans to allow the orks to keep one step ahead of the good guys at each turn.

This is a book that will live or die on the quality of its action scenes. Because of this, I was a little bit worried in the beginning, which gives us a standoff between the Fists Exemplar and the cohorts of Mars as Thane is charged with retrieving Urquidex before Kubik can have his mind completely wiped. This encounter reads like a tabletop battle report, and seems more of an excuse to name drop AdMech unit types. The whole thing seems tacked-on, and it reads as such.

Annandale is a writer whose action scenes only compel when they have emotional or ideological underpinnings to them. So, while that initial scene reads as stale, the events on Caldera are truly rousing. Annandale knows how to cultivate despair, how to put victory within reach, and how to make redemption an attainable goal if the hill is charged with enough fervor. These are savage, bloody action scenes, with a strong attention to the details of unit and armament types.

There are a few other solid elements here, but I don't want to teeter too far into spoiler territory. In short, Annandale does a real fine job cultivating the legend of Vulkan, and that, along with the action sequence which is the entire second half of the book, make this a strong entry in the series.

Final Score:

8/10

Cover Score:

Victor Manuel Leza strikes again with another astounding greenskin.

Cover Final Score:

9/10

Throneworld

Throneworld by Guy Haley. Book Five in The Black Library's "The Beast Arises" series, originally published April 2016. Approx. 177 pages.

So, here we are at Book 5 of The Beast Arises. Where we last left off, the Proletarian Crusade ended with a true "Last Wall" - moving mountains on the ork moon over Terra which closed shut on the Crusaders which had made it to the surface. Only one survivor is confirmed - Galatea Haas, the Arbiter who served as one of the story's protagonists.

Following this, the near unthinkable happened: ambassadors from the ork moon came down to demand surrender from the High Lords. Yes, orks walked through the hallowed halls of the Palace on Terra. And they made utter fools of the people in charge. As if this wasn't enough of an affront to all Imperial sensibilities, ringing alarms hailed the arrived of new guest within the Palace: the Eldar.

I had equal amounts of excitement and trepidation heading into Throneworld. I was psyched that Haley was finally getting an installment in. My worry? Eldar. Personal taste. All respect due to those who like the Eldar, but I really can't take them. So, I was a bit worried that they would be a focal part of the story; meaning that no matter how well Haley wrote the book, I still wouldn't enjoy it because, you know, Eldar.

Then again, someone recently told me that I worry too much. They are correct.

Haley's Throneworld is a pretty outstanding entry in the Beast Arises story line. I would go so far as to say that it is tops as far as pure authorial quality is concerned. Haley gives us a book that, instead of focusing primarily on one or two of the continuing arcs, while the others inch along, budgets the pages fairly among all existing storylines. He does this seamlessly within the lean page count; giving us what satisfies like a 300 page in a tome that boasts under 200.

But how was it overall? And what of the introduction of the Eldar? Synopsis and my take to follow, with some small spoilers. There will be a major spoiler section, later on, when I list the few complaints I have with this book.

So, it turns out that the Eldar involvement in Throneworld is pretty much contained to the first 20 or so pages. It turns out that the Eldar interlopers dashing through the palace are a Harlequin group, led by one Lhaerial Rey, who has been sent by Farseer Ulthran to deliver a message directly to the Emperor. And so, this merry motley group cuts a bloody swathe through the ragged remnants of the Imperial Palace's defenses.

Meanwhile, Koorland leads the assembled Last Wall on a mission to disable the ork moon lingering over Terra. On the way in, Slaughter receives some very helpful advice from Vangorich regarding the nest of vipers that masquerade as the High Lords of Terra.

Also, we get some more information regarding what is transpiring on Mars under Fabricator General Kubik's watch (Kubik being one of the only High Lords that isn't an absolute moron). Vangorich's assassin/spy cell is uncovering dark and unsettling secrets; but the closer they get to the truths, the more exposed they become. And, again, Kubik is a man-machine that plans well for these contingencies.

Finally, we get a story arc involving Dreadnought-Marshal Magneric of the Black Templars. In a bit of a rogue move, Magneric ignored the call to the Last Wall, opting instead to continue his millennium-long pursuit of Warsmith Kalkator, leader of the Iron Warrior contingent introduced in the last book. Their game of cat-and-mouse culminates on the sand-blasted world of Dzelenic IV, where they must quickly choose alliances in an urgent game of "enemy of my enemy is my....friend or enemy?".

That's the overview. Now, let's look at it element by element.

Eldar:
They've been announced, they're on the cover, and I've already bitched about how I don't like them. Here's the thing, though: Guy Haley is a fantastic science fiction writer; and when you want someone to make sense out of an alien race, and portray them in a legitimate manner, he's your man. A little off topic here: a while back, I read one of his Eldar shorts, Wraithflight. At the time, I didn't compose a review; for one because I didn't have the time; and also because I didn't want to be bothered to look all the names back up. But, there was such an excellent element to that short story regarding the technology of the Eldar wraith fighters. Haley deftly balanced the spirit-powered Eldar ships against the insect-like, organic hulks of the Tyranids, and finally, the primitive ships of the Guard. He really gets into the speculative logic of how each type of ship would work and perform. So much so that by the time the humans showed up, in that story, the reader saw them as the primitive brutes that the Eldar did.

Anyway, back on track. Just wanted to illustrate how well Haley can write for the xenos races. His work in Throneworld is no different. There is such a confident mastery of not only the weaponry and technology of the Eldar (I personally enjoyed the havoc caused by the death jester's shrieker cannon), but their mentality as well. He infuses the sentences that describe their fluid movements with carefully chosen descriptive terms; making the deadly dances that evidence themselves in the Harlequins' every move pop off the page.

Another thing; even though the Eldar don't physically appear in the book a great deal, Haley shows us how their efforts yield great assistance to the Imperium. There are obvious parallels to modern military actions in the "alliance" between Eldar and Man: the Eldar provide logistical support, while the Imperium puts boots on the ground.

It's so masterfully written; I just wish it could've made me a convert (for example, I was not crazy about the Tau until I read Peter Fehervari's take on them in Fire Caste). But something about the overly lofty themes of the Eldar just seems too, I don't know, forced? Tacked on? This isn't Haley's fault; it's the race as a whole. And harlequins are the worst example of it. This is all individual taste, though.

Also, a reminder; the Eldar portion of Throneworld is limited to around 20 pages. And, I can't say enough how well-written and well-paced it is as an action sequence.

The Other Players:
I really enjoyed Haley's take on the rest of the dramatis personae. He keeps Vangorich wittily pithy and utterly lethal; in the correct balance. What we read of the other High Lords focuses less on their ineptitude, and more on their blatant self-serving tendencies, which is how it should be.

Haley also writes very well for the Astartes; working within the parameters of their limited emotional palettes and evoking a legitimate portrayal of these transhuman supersoldiers. Koorland matures as his leadership role in the Last Wall continues, including is new, unfamiliar foray into the politicking aspect of leadership.

I will also list the Iron Warriors here because they aren't bad guys per se, this time around. I prefer Annandale's take on Kalkator more than the one we get here. Part of that is because he had time to establish himself as a protagonist in The Last Wall. Here, he snarls a bit; makes sure that the Iron Warriors show their skills as they dig into a fortification to fend off the greenskin hordes, and engage in some counter-philosophy to Magneric's fervor.

About the only thing that I found slightly off-putting in Throneworld was some of the dialogue. This isn't an indictment of Haley's ability to pen it, though. By this point in the series I have resigned myself to the fact that there is a certain "TV show" quality to the overall series pacing and dialogue. This is why we have overly bumbling leaders; entire societies that follow similar behavioral patterns, etc. It is also why matters of great import have to be resolved in a line or two of snappy conversation, even if that might not be the best manner in which to portray it.

So, Haley writes strong dialogue, especially for the Space Marines. He also livens up conversations with genuinely witty elements. But, there are two scenes in which the dialogue was just, simply put, bad. I'll put those later in a SPOILER area. In short, I'll just say that if I want someone to write a strong sci-fi novel for me, I'd ask Haley. If I need someone to pen dialogue for a weekly series, perhaps not.

Orks:
If you want greenskins done right, you call Guy Haley. End of story. That's why he is the best choice to write the final installment of this series, as well.

In Throneworld, when the orks are involved, they are often more compelling than anyone else on the stage. Haley doesn't just keep the "intelligent ork" theme rolling, he enhances it greatly by introducing a slew of greenskin unit types; including mekboyz, kommandoes, and, best of all, a weirdboy. The scene that features this specimen is by far the very best in the book.

Action (MINOR SPOILERS):
There are some pretty ambitious battle scenes in Throneworld, and those are the ones that work, and well. I've already mentioned the opening battle featuring the harlequins, and also the epic battle with the weirdboy. There is also an all-out scene featuring a massed force of Terminators just unloading absolute hell.

Unfortunately, it is the more "typical" combat scenes which fall somewhat flat. Haley is no "pew pew pew" bolt-pornographer, and there is little engagement in those back and forth scenes.

World Building:
Simply cannot review one of Guy Haley's books without mentioning how he excels at world building. Perhaps no other Black Library author is as adept at bringing imaginary worlds to life.

His realization of the Mars of the Adeptus Mechanicus is a cyberpunk wet dream.

Or, when he desribes the world of Dzelenic IV; a planet where all vitality has been erased by war:

"Craters marred the ground, distinguishable only by their infill of windblown sand. Further cliffs edged the plain, the product of millions of years of geological processes that had been halted in an instant of fire."

Of course, the most vivid descriptions are those that take place within the looming ork moon; as seen by Galatea Haas and other offworld captives of the orks' great assault.

So, those are the reasons why Throneworld is an excellent entry in the series. Now, on to the SPOILER area to voice some dissent.

SPOILERS:

First of all, the Custodes. Yes, these guys. They finally make an appearance in this book....and get cut down like wheat before the harlequins.

Then, when they finally pin down Lhaerial Rey, right in front of the Emperor's Door, no less, they pause with blades at her throat so that their leader can inform her that he is about to kill her....just in time for Vangorich to run in and save her. I'm sorry, but first of all, I'm pretty sure they could've killed her without as much loss as they took, and second, if an enemy got so close to the Emperor's door, I don't think they'd hesitate a moment to press the advantage and carve her to ribbons.

Having Vangorich come in at the second the gun was about to fire was gimmicky as hell, and the diatribe before it did not help.

Second complaint, there is the interrogation (of Rey) scene. On the observation side of the glass, we have Vangorich, Veritus, and Wienand (the latter two coming to the understanding that assassination attempts have failed and none more should be forthcoming for now). As the two Inquisitorial higher-ups spar over the xenos' fate, Vangorich literally steps in to remind them that if they think about it, even if they don't agree with each other, there is merit in each of their opinions. Seriously. This is what an assistant principal says to two teenagers butting heads, not a fanatical old man in full body power armor and a very capable woman that has been capably managing the affairs of the Inquisition on Holy Terra.

Lastly, the "parley" between Magneric and Kalkator totally fell flat to me. I get that the basis for their ability to join forces against the orks was predicated upon their prior friendship. However, this is not a case of two men fighting for the respective causes of their countries. This is a case of two superhumans whose own fundamental ideologies have diverted towards polar opposite, and have been cemented over a period of centuries. And, those that label themselves "Templars" and "Crusaders" are rarely known for their flexibility of though. Therefore, I would imagine it would take more than "Hey, look behind you. See all those orks? If we don't work together they'll get you before you get me." to sway Magneric.

But, those are just a few things that detracted from and otherwise superb read. And again, in all of those instances, the actual quality of the writing and dialogue was still above par. So take from it what you will.

Eagerly looking forward to David Guymer's Echoes of the Long War.

Final Score:

9/10

Cover Score:

What can I say? Even if I don't personally like Eldar, this cover by Victor Manuel Leza is beautifully done. Take a minute or two to take in all of the intricate detail in it. It is a great piece.

Cover Final Score:

8.5/10

The Last Wall

The Last Wall by David Annandale. Book Four in The Black Library's "The Beast Arises" series, originally published March 2016. Approx. 157 pages.

Here we are at Book Four in the The Beast Arises series. The Last Wall marks the first entry by David Annandale; who will be the most prolific author in the series with three books contributed. This will also be the first full-length book by him that I've read; having mostly dealt with his short stories. Those have been a little hit or miss for me; a bit of cause for concern, seeing as though if you really don't like his writing then this may not be the series for you. Let's see how it worked out...

Another mention; at this point, I'm assuming that those reading this have read the previous installments. So, as much as I try to avoid spoilers, a lot of these stories pick up from pretty significant cliffhangers, and they will be mentioned.

At the end of The Emperor Expects, Lansung, Lord High Admiral of the Imperial Navy, was returning to Terra to much celebration and fanfare after destroying an ork attack moon off of Port Sanctus. And then, to the surprise and horror of all, another ork attack moon simply materialized....right over Terra.

Over a Terra that, post-Heresy, post-annihilation of the Imperial Fists, and without a Navy that is still returning from Sanctus, finds itself virtually undefended. Truly the worst case scenario.

A lot of the action which transpires in The Last Wall occurs on and around Terra, and Annandale wisely opts to kick off the proceedings with a snapshot of the utter panic that unfurls directly following the moon's arrival. Here we meet Galatea Haas; a dedicated and dutiful officer in the Adeptus Arbites, who is also one of our primary protagonists. This scene gives the reader and excellent bird's eye view of the sheer magnitude of this event on the common Terran, and it is masterful. So, so far, so good.

Even though all of the introduced story arcs get advanced a little for continuity's sake, the centerpiece of this book is the Proletarian Crusade. This little slice of military genius was concocted by Juskina Tull, Speaker for the Chartist Captains, and one of the High Lords of Terra. As part of the perpetual jockeying for ascendancy among that group, her plan is to unite all of the merchant ships under her purview, and have them carry millions of members of the Imperial Guard (to be cobbled together by volunteers from the general public), and take the fight to the ork moon itself (which, to this point, has been laying completely stationary in low orbit). With the Navy still absent, this would essentially be an orbital Normandy landing, without any fire cover, to initiate a ground assault on a moon which, as far as I understood, no one even checked to see whether or not had any breathable atmosphere on it.

It is a concept of unparalleled idiocy and lunacy. And yet, coming from the mouth of such an emotive orator, it resonates with hope and heroism. The fact that this ludicrous reality of the human mindset is so believable, and conveyed in such an authentic manner, was my crash course in realizing how good an author Annandale is. When it comes to writing about the core levels of belief inside all of us, he does so with a frightening mastery. Whether he is illustrating it by showing us how easily even rational people get caught up in a jingoistic call to arms, no matter how ill-conceived, or showing us the fierce, yet futile raging of an sole, insignificant person against a force that stands ready to crush it in a heartbeat, he does it with utter realism. This is a trait that I saw a glimpse of in his kaiju short story The Conversion, and now I can see that it was no fluke.

With that all being said, let's see how the other elements here were represented.

Characters:
The new characters introduced here, most notable Haas and Leander Narkissos (a Chartist Captain), are all well done and well-rounded. One of the nicest surprises here is that we also get an appearance by the Iron Warriors as they do battle with the ork menace. I really enjoyed the character of warsmith Kalkator. I really did not want the Iron Warrior chapters to end (although I stopped thinking of them when the focus on the Crusade started heating up).

Annandale's treatment of the established characters is excellent as well. Although I still prefer Sanders' Vangorich a smidge more, we get a return to some of that character's snark; though; thankfully not in the amount that Abnett saturated him in. His handling of the Space Marine confluence of Koorland, Bohemond, Quesadra, Issachar and Thane is superb as well. At least here they sound like the leaders they are. They exhibit the right balance of concern and reserve.

The only real storyline that did not do much for me, yet again, was Wienand's. I don't even attribute this to authorial error; nobody has really been able to make this character compelling. The ante of the Inquisitorial squabbling has been upped, with Veritus stepping in to take Wienand's place. His philosophy leans more towards the fanatical; with the Ruinous Powers being his primary concern, even with an ork moon in plain view.

Bad Guys:
I love these orks. We all know by now that these specimens are smarter than the average greenskin. However, Annandale seems to take pure joy in concocting wonderfully complex tactics and traps that the minions of the Beast use to trip up the hapless 'humies at every turn. Terrifying in the flesh, and terribly fun to read about.

Action:
The action scenes are good, and are nicely conceived and choreographed. I would say that they don't 'pop' or that they aren't as visceral as the scenes in other books, but that's not the point. I enjoyed this more because my concern for the characters was the paramount concern. If you can be emotionally invested, everything else is good. And, again, the scenes we get are done very well.

Now, one exception is this: tank battles. We get tank action in the scenes that deal with the Iron Warriors, and with those that deal with the Imperial Guard. And these are amazing. Bonecrushing, devastating, beautiful.

Pacing:
The Last Wall moves along at a nice clip. As mentioned, there were certain scenes that I never wanted to end. Other ones, I don't know if it was Annandale or myself that weren't into them, just kept moving. Cases in point: the Wienand scenes (although the early on assassination attempt is nicely done), and the chapter focusing on what the AdMech is up to on the sly. We close once again with a huge cliffhanger. The last few pages, I'm not going to say they feel rushed, but there was something about what was going on that I felt was a bit.....I don't know, silly? Even by the standards of what the 40K universe has to offer. Maybe it all just seemed a bit flippant after the emotional draining that occurred with the conclusion of the Proletarian Crusade.

Writing Style:
I'm pretty sure I've covered how much I was impressed by Annandale's writing in The Last Wall. He has a strong grasp on highly descriptive, figurative language. He displays this by using short, power-packed statements, like:

"It was stone and iron come together as if brute force had a geology."

See, with succinct, clever lines like this, there is no need for pages upon pages of flowery prose. And, writing like this, it becomes possible to pack a full story into a lean volume. Another trick he employs which I laud him for is the running "Last Wall" motif. Permeating each aspect of the narrative is a wall of sorts; be it human or inorganic. We see this from the opening pages, as Terra goes mad with the ork moon looming above; we see the greatest example in the wall that heralds the end of the Proletarian Crusade. Great stuff.

In the end, boasting a great story line, nice action, and some frighteningly powerfully emotional scenes, I'd list The Last Wall as my current favorite entry in the series.

Final Score:

9/10

Cover Score:

Again, I can't stress how much I love these Beast Arises covers that feature the orks. And this one has a squig to boot!

Cover Final Score:

9.5/10

The Emperor Expects

The Emperor Expects by Gav Thorpe. Book Three in The Black Library's "The Beast Arises" series, originally published Febraury 2016. Approx. 215 pages.

After two very solid installments to kick off their Beast Arises series, we come to the third volume, The Emperor Expects, by Gav Thorpe. Would Mr. Thorpe continue the high level of quality laid down by Abnett and Sanders, or would we start to see some of the chinks in the ceramite of the power armor?

Maybe we should start with a bit of a preamble regarding Mr. Thorpe. Gav has always been sort of an enigma to me as a writer. I see a lot of vitriol pointed at a lot of his works, but I've never considered him a bad writer (there are only two writers I've sampled from The Black Library who I'd say were "bad writers". I won't mention any names, but I'll just say that one of their last names rhymes with "rhyme"). Thorpe actually strings together coherent sentences in a meaningful manner. And yet, for some reason, his stories almost always fail to engage me in any way whatsoever. Due to this, I have a fairly large collection of unfinished works by him, compared to only one finished book (Grudgebearer, which was enjoyable and yet fairly unmemorable). But, I see a lot of anger directed towards him and his body of work on the interwebs, which I don't get.

Well, we'd see with this one. I am committed to finish this series, so The Emperor Expects would be the Gav Thorpe acid test.

What was the result? Well, it's a decent book; good in some ways, and pretty bad in others. What went wrong, and what was still right?

With the groundwork and preliminary framework already laid down, The Emperor Expects focuses primarily on two story arcs; in one, High Admiral Lansung and a large contingent of the Imperial Navy take the fight to the orks. In the other, a power struggle has erupted within the ranks of the Inquisition on Terra, with Inquisitor Weinand caught squarely in the middle.

There is also a small section dedicated to Captain Koorland, aka Slaughter, the Last Imperial Fist, just for a sake of keeping a low flame under that story until the next installment (we get a hint at something known as "The Last Wall" protocol, which also happens to be the name of the next book).

What this all means is that The Emperor Expects is first and foremost an Imperial Navy book (which I personally love, although individual tastes may vary). Thorpe makes the right decision in approaching this as "naval battles, just in space", yielding some fairly spectacular ship on ship combat. Or should I say ships on ships? There are a lot of ships involved.

Those are the best scenes in the book. It should also be noted that apart from one scene (in my opinion, the best action sequence in this volume), there are no appearances by the orks themselves in the flesh. Don't know if that will be a deterrent to any potential readers.

Now that we've mentioned the things that work, it's time to get around to the elements that didn't. WARNING: SOME SPOILERS LURK AHEAD.

First and foremost, the characters. Strong characters will lift the flimsiest of material, across any genre. Poor characters will sink any work, no matter how lofty the aesthetics. Such is the case here. The characters are flimsy at best, out and out bad at worst.

Let's start with Vangorich. I personally couldn't stand the snarky omniscience which Abnett utilized to realize him. Sanders did a much better job; making him what he should be: the smartest man in the room at all times. Sanders' Vangorich is investigating multiple issues simultaneously, and constantly running simulations to determine the best possible assassination options for high-value targets.

Now let's look at Thorpe's Vangorich: he gets verbally manhandled by Lansung not once, but twice in the same debate. Why? His best argument, when seeing that Lansung was gaining too much influence, was to challenge him with something along the lines of "Oh yeah, if this big battle is so important, why don't you just lead the fleet yourself then? Hunh?" Seriously.

Later on, someone is also able to actually sneak up on him. Again, seriously.

I'm not saying this because I have any emotional investment in preserving the integrity of Vangorich's reputation. It's just that if I am to believe that he is capable of doing what the Lexicanum says he is capable of doing, then showing him committing a series of bush-league mistakes isn't the way to do it.

There are some things that didn't sit well with me regarding Esad Wire, aka "Beast Krule", Vangorich's top assassin. Keep in mind that this man is not only a top assassin, but also worked for years with the Adeptus Arbites in some pretty seedy areas. And yet, during a briefing with his boss, he seems surprised that he should keep tabs on an Inquisitor, because, "she's on our side, right?"

No. You assume that no one is on your side. I know that and I'm not even an assassin.

Later, he draws a blank at a name which turns out to be Wienand's body double. Don't ask me to believe that the fact that there are body doubles in play wasn't part of the Officio Assassinorum's intel packets. If the Assassins are using intricate camouflage, body doubles, and Mission Impossible-style face masks, you have to assume that the other guys are too.

Again....

Rule 1: Trust no one.
Rule 2: Assume that the enemy has the same (if not better) resources at their disposal that you do, and approach them as necessary.

As far as the Navy storyline is concerned, the characters were enjoyable. A lot of the focus is on a Captain named Kulik, and his First Lieutenant, Shaffenbeck.

My issue with these characters is that they feel somewhat manufactured. They are cobbled together with all the qualities that the author assumes makes them likable; the are always capable, tough when they need to be, caring without being soft, able to hold their own in a fight, and they always have a cutesy remark to make at just the right time to break the strict pressure of command. Don't get me wrong; it's entertaining. It makes their scenes very readable. But they never feel like "real" people.

While I'm talking about them, it reminds me of another issue I have with the book....the tone.

Often, during the Navy scenes, even though what I am reading can be called good ship warfare, and even good sci-fi, it doesn't feel like Warhammer 40K. I get it that Thorpe wants us to see Kulik as a noble man in the midst of a vainglorious Navy, but his concern for his men goes beyond a believable norm. The fact that he outright balks at the thought of an Admiral friend being comfortable with maneuvers that would cost lives is pretty funny. Noble commander or not; there is a basic tenet in all military service that your troops are disposable resources. You know that your moves will put a set number of them at risk; your charge is to minimize that loss.

That's pretty much it with my assessment of the characters. I should mention that some of Koorland's dialogue is fairly treacly as well.

I can see now how some might have a problem with Thorpe's writing style. He does indulge quite a bit in the wordy descriptions of backgrounds, clothing, etc. This doesn't bother me per se, but it becomes an issue when there are situations where more detail would've been greatly welcomed. For example, when armsmen on the ship are heading off to repel boarders, we get a full paragraph describing their uniforms; from the stripes on the pants to the piping on their jackets. Great! I love detail like that. On the other hand, a lot of the description of the ships is simply boiled down to what class they are. Think of some of the amazing design work on Imperial Navy ships; why not spend a few paragraphs on contours and crenellations and whatnot. Also, even though Thorpe describes some of the orky ships (and the attack moon) quite well, why not some more details of their pugnacious, haphazardly jerry-rigged monstrosities? I mean, the orks do these things to such great excess that an author should be like a kid in a playground when tasked with describing them all.

One issue I did have with the writing here: exposition. When Thorpe wants to convey an idea, he does not demonstrate it, he does not imply it, he outright explains it. In excrutiating detail. For example, when describing how the Senatorum is supposed to work, he mentions that the end result is something ideally similar to a system of checks and balances. He then explains, in full detail, what a system of checks and balances is. This is done often through the book.

I don't want to complain about that too much. I think to myself; if I got this book when I was, say, 10 or 12, like many are when they get into 40K, I'd probably find it all pretty informative and feel a bit smarter after reading it. So, I understand that there is a sizable swathe of the potential reading audience that this style might resonate with. If you aren't in that slice of the pie chart, consider yourself warned.

I know, there's a lot of nit-picking here; but for the most part, I enjoyed the read. The only section which I'll say I really didn't care for was the "Wienand Chase Sequence".

But, other than that, The Emperor Expects has a lot going for it. There is great pacing; with a nicely balanced ratio of action to story advancement. Thorpe paints backgrounds and realizes people and places with aplomb; he has been an influential force in crafting this universe for many years. This is where all of that detail has a definable, enjoyable yield.

And, it all ends with a nifty cliffhanger.

Looking forward to The Last Wall.

Final Score:

6/10

Cover Score:

I like these covers, but I'm not sure who this is supposed to be. Is it Admiral Lansung (too skinny)? Is it Beast Krule (why the uniform)? Is it Admiral Acharya (but he's only a minor character)?

Cover Final Score:

8/10

Predator, Prey

Predator, Prey by Rob Sanders. Book Two in The Black Library's 'The Beast Arises' series, originally published January, 2016. Approx. 256 pages.

Last month, The Black Library kicked off their ambitious new series 'The Beast Arises' with the solid, but not stellar I Am Slaughter, by fan favorite Dan Abnett. That might sound a tad negative; perhaps I should say that it was Very Good, and not at all bad. For Volume 2, they enlisted the authorial skills of another prose powerhouse in their vast stable, Rob Sanders.

I'm guessing reaction is going to be mixed here; the BL audience is a varied group, and they have a crop of authors with diverse writing styles to match. This is something forever in BL's credit. So, although I can understand the wide excitement over Abnett's entry. I was personally looking forward to Sanders' entry more. To me, he is a defter wordsmith, and his masterful usage of figurative language is the best of all the authors in the Library.

But then, other concerns arise. Those regarding a "Book 2". All the initial framework was laid out in the first volume, would the second be simply a vessel to carry those storylines along until the next installment? Or would Sanders find a way to improve, intensify, and introduce more angles? Luckily, the answer is the latter, and the makes Predator, Prey a superior book to I Am Slaughter.

As far as continuations go, Sanders elaborates more on the initial appearance and immediate effect of the orks than on the progression of their hellish crusade. Where I Am Slaughter focused its narrative primarily between Terra and Ardamantua (site of the utter decimation of the Imperial Fists), Predator, Prey opens with a chapter-long battle report of planets, systems, and industrial sites that were obliterated by the appearance of the attack moon of the Beast. Sanders seems to have some fun here assigning clever names to worlds, and describing them fully in a sentence or two, before snuffing them out entirely.

From there, he splits his book between accounts of different characters, playing their parts in this grand tragedy. Some we are already familiar with (Vangorich, Wienand, and other players on Terra). Others are new faces, including:

Lux Allegra - an Imperial Guard commander on the aquatic hive world of Undine. She begins the story on an escort detail trying to extract the planetary governor amidst the unfolding chaos.

Urquidex - an Adeptus Mechanicus magos attached to a survey team gathering information on this new ork technology. Well, it goes deeper than that, of course. It also involves a nasty little mantra known as the Bystander Paradox, which is a clinic in terrifyingly callous logic.

Maximus Thane - a Space Marine of the Fists Exemplar (a Second Founding Chapter). As a Captain, he finds himself the senior ranking Astartes of his Chapter, and must rally them to hold through the night of impossible odds on their planet of Eidolica.

There are also some other chapters dedicated to characters who play supporting roles in this volume, including the Fabricator Locum of an AdMech forge world, and a Marshal of the Black Templars.

Let's take a look at how each of these arcs fare:

First of all, I enjoyed the scenes on Terra more in this second volume. Vangorich is a tighter, more focused character here; still revealing nothing while simultaneously plotting all options and outcomes. The political intriguing; a real low point of I Am Slaughter, is done in a slicker and more plausible manner. The cogs in some real power moves are beginning to turn; one involving a bold show of force by Naval Commander Lansung, and another regarding machinations and preparations by the AdMech.

The scenes on Undine are where Sanders hits both his highest and lowest points in the book. The world-building here is impeccable; involving socio-economic systems and factors, believable environmental considerations, and imaginative megafauna. The military forces are well-realized and the characters sympathetic. However, the emotional aspects are a little forced at times. There is one scene in particular, where Allegra snatches up a little urchin while squaring off against a greenskin monstrosity that was more than a bit reminiscent of Ripley and Newt evading the Xenomorph Queen. Also, some might feel that making Allegra pregnant (and continually rubbing her belly) is indenturing readers to an emotional obligation predicated on the usage of a growing baby as a convenient prop. Or not. I honestly liked Allegra and felt bad for her plight.

What did bother me were two scenes which were resolved via deus ex machina. Not that there isn't a time and a place for that particular plot device, but what was missed were two opportunities for Allegra to show her mettle in thinking on the fly and under extreme pressure.

Moving along. I really enjoyed the scenes with Magos Urquidex. Now, the less said the better here, due to spoilers and all. But, Sanders proves in these chapters why he deserves top consideration for AdMech stories. He knows how to bring for the best semblances of emotion from a faction that does its best to suppress it. And yet, he does it without compromising the legitimacy of the AdMech. Again, we have a very sympathetic character in Urquidex; one who takes issues with some of his protocols, yet follows his duty well.

This brings us to Maximus Thane. with the Fists Exemplar, Sanders creates another Successor Fists Chapter (his Excoriators, true highlights of Legion of the Damned, get a name drop here). The Exemplars embody Dorn's values, and like with his AdMech characters, Sanders makes these Astartes completely sympathetic, likable, and genuine, without making them any less "Space Marine". The world-building of Eidolica is nice, though not as thorough as Undine. The focus of these chapters is trained more on introducing these characters, and providing the bulk of the novel's high action.

Slight, potential SPOILER ALERT:
An eagle-eyed observation by user augustmanifesto over at bolterandchainsword posits a plausible potential story arc involving the Exemplars. I won't post it here, if you are interested, follow the link to the original post.

Just to round things out, I thought I'd mention that I really dug Sanders' take on the Black Templars. Marshal Bohemond is properly belligerent, surly, and ultimately wise. However, it seemed to be another case of cinematic inspiration that resolves a "who will Bohemond choose to assist" storyline; this time a lift from a certain scene in The Dark Knight.

That does it for the characters of the Imperium. The orks that Sanders gives us do their job well. He captures their manner and physiology well, shows their adaptability, and stresses the menace in their obscene technological capabilities. The Beast himself, however, does not make an appearance. These are still members of the rank and file green tide.

And there you have it. There are no resolutions to be had so early in the series, so we get the advancement of some and the introduction of others. It's a fair balance, and it keeps things fresh. The action is plentiful, and well-choreographed. The dialogue is sharp. The world-building, as mentioned, is a real highlight.

All of this adds up to another slim (but slightly thicker than the last one), tightly paced, solid piece of sci-fi. Whether you prefer Abnett's style or Sanders' more, I think most can agree that this series is getting off to a 2 for 2 start.

Final Score:

9/10

Cover Score:

Again, absolutely love these covers. Especially the ork ones. You could argue that some of the proportions are stretched to excess, but certain things you just cannot get enough of....like dakka.

Here's the original. That is a print-worthy pic.

Cover Final Score:

9/10

I Am Slaughter

I Am Slaughter by Dan Abnett. Book One in The Black Library's 'The Beast Arises' series, originally published December 2015. Approx. 238 pages.

The Beast Arises is The Black Library's ambitious project for 2016. It is proposed as a 12 novel (at least) series, centered on the greatest Waaaagh! of all; that of the monstrous warboss known simply as "The Beast", which put the Imperium on its heels in the 32nd Millennium.

At a time when many are complaining that The Black Library is losing it's focus, with too many short stories, audio books, and limited editions instead of just good old fashioned novels being released, The Beast Arises has the potential to be a refreshing throwback. It has a central theme, BL has committed some solid authors to it, the cover art and color scheme are excellent (in my opinion, at least. I've seen plenty of comments by those not so enamored with them). Kicking off the series is I Am Slaughter, a nice, trim little novel (another personal preference of mine. I usually prefer these succinct little novels over bloated doorstoppers) penned by 40K favorite Dan Abnett.

1500 years after the event of the Horus Heresy, there is a sort of "peace" born from laxity throughout the Imperium of Man. On High Terra, a High Council of Twelve, beset by all the expected conniving and power plays of any such ruling body, rules over the universe-wide affairs of humans. And on the planet of Ardamantua, roughly six weeks away from the Terran Core, the Imperial Fists are keeping in the practice of killing by engaging a race of insectoid xenos known as the Chromes.

As the purging of the Chromes progresses, a new anomaly manifests itself: massive noise bursts that accompany disruptive gravitic distortions. Is this a new weapon in the employ of the Chromes, a naturally occurring phenomenon of the planet, or the interference of yet another race?

The frequency and devastation of the noise bursts steadily increases, wreaking pure havoc on the world and atmosphere of Ardamantua, and putting the Imperial Fists - present in the near entirety of their Chapter - at grave risk. Will desperately needed help arrive from Terra in time? Or will the constant in-fighting and power grabs among the High Lords condemn the esteemed Chapter to oblivion?

Well, let's be honest here. We already know from the advertising blitz that there are orks involved. Tons of orks. But it's the hows and whys that matter. Does Abnett get us off to a roaring start here with I Am Slaughter? Or is this a stumbling start to a underwhelming series concept? I opt for the former. This is a very good, though not perfect novel. Let's take a look at the specifics.

Plot/Pacing: One of the things that has always distinguished Abnett is that he is not only possessing of an outstanding imagination, and solid concepts of speculative technology, but he is also a skilled novelist. All the authorial fundamentals are present: accessible writing, engaging characters and wordplay, and a complete story told by the end of the last page (well, to be fair, I Am Slaughter is an introductory novel, so the story threads are left intentionally open. But as an account of some opening moves in a grand chess game, it does its job well). I Am Slaughter moves along at a good clip, with no slogging or boring scenes. I will say, though, one thing that bugged me a bit is that Abnett uses a few too many cliffhanger endings to chapters.

I've seen some scattered dissent complaining that the big baddies - the orks, don't show up until too late in the proceedings. I disagree; Abnett made the best use of his time in establishing an overview of how things were going in the state of the Imperium circa M32.

World Building: An aspect where Abnett excels. He has been defining this universe and its denizens for two decades. Ardamantua, and its progression into decay, are detailed vividly. The images of High Terra are grand. And, best of all, the vessel carrying the ork Waaaagh! is extremely impressive (even though outstandingly ludicrous).

Characters and Creatures: A bit hit and miss here. Let's start with the creatures. The primary antagonist creatures for the first half of the book are the Chromes. With them, Abnett really captures the essence of "giant ant" creatures from sci-fi classics such as "Starship Troopers" and "Armor".

The orks are another big win, even given their limited page time. Abnett brings them to life in gruesome, vivid detail. If the rest of the series afforded them the same treatment that they receive here, then it would be an epic series indeed. That remains to be seen, of course.

As for humans and transhumans (the Space Marines), that is a far stickier matter. In my most recent rant, I mentioned how hard it is for even the best BL authors to make sympathetic characters out of the emotionally stunted Space Marines. Abnett is one of the few authors who can come close to doing so, on his best days. His Imperial Fists are enjoyable enough. Hell, all of Abnett's characters are "enjoyable". The thing is, Abnett has a very "cinematic" writing style. Meaning, his prose moves with the fluidity of a movie. Also, this means his characters are often presented in a manner most palatable for quick viewing, or, as is the case here, quick reading. All of these Fists have a distinguishing point of view, characteristic, or trait. And that is about all. One of the main ones, Slaughter (the Captain whose image graces the cover), is a solid enough character, but could have thrived much more with even two or three pages of solid detail. Another Fist, Daylight, one of the Palace guards on Terra, is a decent character as well. In a later chapter in the book, a moment of regret serves as the most emotional, and best written, portion of the book.

The weakest characters, however, are the humans on Terra. The main focus there is centered on Drakan Vangorich, Grand Master of the Officio Assassanorum. While not one of the High Twelve, Vangorich still weaves some high level of maneuvering and manipulation behind the scenes. The main issue that I have with Vangorich is that he is a prime example of the type of character that Abnett (and AD-B) so often writes: he is always the coolest cucumber in the room. His thinly veiled threats and promises resonate with a well-orchestrated combination of coolness, sarcasm, and snark. I mean, it's fine and believable that he is more efficient than almost anyone he comes across, but the character comes across as such by design, not as the result of a well-created character. The scenes with him become predictable; for example, one chapter opens with a page-long description of all the security measures in place in the residence of an Inquisitor. Before finishing the description, the reader can already predict that Vangorich will, of course, be in the room anyone. Why? Simply, because he is so awesome, I guess.

Something else that falls flat is the depiction of political intrigue. One example stands out glaringly. Vangorich and one of his allies are looking to convince the High Lord of the Imperial Navy to commit ships to the reinforcement of the Fists. Their grand plan? Phrase their proposal in a way that the High Lord will agree, in the hopes of grabbing glory. That's it. I mean,not every writer is effective in describing delicate power plays, but that is just juvenile. But, it all falls into the "cinematic" aspect. In a movie, that's how a situation like that would play out. In actual universe-spanning politicking, I highly doubt it.

The fact is, none of the characters here are well-rounded or thoroughly fleshed out. They all have good dialogue, and get their moments to shine, but that is it.

A few other things did not work well for me, either. I personally did not care for the concept of nicknames for the Imperial Fists. I don't know how long this has been canon, but it was a tad, well, corny to me.

Also, Abnett decides to have some "doubles" here. There are contrasting "Slaughters", both of whom get to utter the titular declaration.

To the detriment of the novel, this Slaughter did not make the final draft..

There are also two "Beasts", both of whom get a chance to "arise". I'm sure this all seemed clever in concept, but it isn't so much in execution.

All in all, I Am Slaughter is a solid entry book for this new series. It isn't Abnett's best (or worst) by any means, but it delivers on every promise that it makes, and it does so in a nice looking, trim novel. If the characterizations strengthen up in subsequent novels, this will be a great ride.

Final Score:

8/10


Cover Score:

As mentioned before, I really like the cover art for these novels. The human and Space Marine ones are decent, but the ork ones are truly excellent. Lots of detail abound as well. I also personally like the white background with the green trim. A bookshelf full of these titles in hardback would look spiffy on any shelf. Here's a pic of the cover with its original background:

Cover Final Score:

8/10