Articles tagged with: Books

The Ultramarines Omnibus is a compilation of the three first stories of Ultramarines Captain Uriel Ventris and his friend and fellow Sargeant Pasanius.

Each book is a different story evolving the situations adn the state of the main characters but not much else.

The first book tells a dark about Imperial Guard, Dark Eldars and some... political problems. It is nice to grasp how mad this dread aliens are, and has interesting plot twists.

The second book is about a tyranid invasion on the planet Tarsis Ultra and the combined defense of Ultramarines, Imperial Guard and even the Inquisition and other elements I won't spoil.
For me the best of the three and almost the best WH40k book from the few I've read so far. You "live" the alien invasion each page.

The third and last book contained in the omnibus is a travel to the Eye of Terror (home of the Chaos forces, like another space, warped and twisted), so the main theme are Chaos Space Marines and demons. Not bad but the plot here was weak for my taste, and full of opportunism and tricks.

Overall, Ultramarines are the favourite chapter of Warhammer 40.000 of Games Workshop and many people, so this book gives a good introduction to them, with some good narratives and a story about Tyranids that for me makes the omnibus worth just because of it :)

Posted on 2011-04-10

Tags: Books Warhammer 40000

The Living Dead is a compilation of horror stories with a zombie setting. There are stories from some famous writers: Stephen King, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin...

The book contains a lot of short stories. And it is a good thing, because you wil enjoy some and dislike others. Not because they are bad, but becuase a few authors either go to the limit of the theme (almost no zombies at all) or gets too visceral or morbid (two stories made me think that their writers are sick).

Some of them are really good and scary, though. Imagine World War Z without restrictions: A school teacher gone mad "teaching" zombie children, how mad could someone become trying to pass by as one more zombie, how would be to have zombie servants...

The quality of the writers also varies from story to story. I'm no expert (english is not my mother tongue), but a few were bad written or maybe using too much slang.

The book is definetly not bad but I recommend skipping those stories you don't enjoy, because some of them are really disgusting.

Posted on 2010-09-19

Tags: Books Zombies

Angels of Darkness is the third and last book in the Dark Angels Space Marines story.

The first thing you notice while reading the book is the different author. We're still told two stories (one of a Fallen and one of an Interrogator-Chaplain, both Dark Angels) as in the second book, but although both are told in present tense, one happens before.

Also, the difference in writing is noticeable, not a bad thing, just you feel different than with the previous books. Probably having completely new characters boosts this feeling too.

This book deeps a bit more into how a Space Marine thinks. Questioning of oaths, duty, preservation of lives, and secrets, dark secrets between the chapter.

The combats are nicely described (and there are a bunch), although killable this Space Marines are real badasses, and in general the setting is really good (probably the best of the three books).

As usual it ends with a few unanswered questions, but it at least makes some really interesting revelations of the Dark Angels. One warning, though. Without spoiling anything, Astelan's tale has been confirmed to be subjective and not the reality.

If you enjoyed the other too books, you must read this one and finish the trilogy.

Posted on 2010-08-28

Tags: Books Warhammer 40000

Second book in the series of the Dark Angels background, Fallen Angels tries to deliver the reasoning behind Luther's threachery on Caliban (home planet of the chapter).

Continues directly after the events of Descent of Angels, so shares some characters, some are new, and the warhammer futuristic setting is depicted perfectly, only exagerating a bit the resistance of the space marines (but not too much either)...

The pacing of the story is much better in this second book: Two parallel main characters and associated stories in different places (one in the Dark Angels' homeworld, the other in a planet with Horus rebels). Pretty well told, keeping interest even when part of the ending is known, and even with small twists (nothing great but good enough to serve their purpose).

I didnt liked the "humanization" of Nemiel's team, talking as typical cocky marines. Being space marines they are supposed to be badasses without the need of mocking typical movie bluffs and semi-jokes. It kind of disrupts the non-talkative, 200% war focused adeptus astartes image.
But this is a personal taste, other books keep this semi-humanization of Space Marines so whenever I like it or not, I have to bear with it.

The book is the nexus with what will become the "hidden" current Dark Angels secret, unfolding how it happens and what happens but not how it ends (yet, that's what the third book is about). But this time, and unlike what I felt with the first book, what is told forms a whole and is correctly both delimited and depicted.

Now we're talking about real space marines adventures.

Posted on 2010-08-11

Tags: Books Warhammer 40000

I bought this book, Descent of Angels, because I saw it was about the Dark Angels (my Space Marine's army chapter). It tells us the story about the origins of the chapter and it's Primarch, all on their home planet Caliban.

The only problem is that the book just explains that. Almost no first steps of the Dark Angels as Space Marines, just the beginnings as knights... Which is good if you don't expect more (like I did), but might be not enough if you also expected their first steps as Space Marines.

Later I found there are two more books that continue the story so it's not a big deal, but be warned, it leaves you with just a glimpse of the real story.

It is well written, although quite typical tale of the creation of some heroes(just with a Warhammer 40.000 background, and even with that, most of the story is a fantasy knights order with monsters one), decorated with a few plot twists basic and predictable. Nothing impressive but as far as you know the terms of the Warhammer 40k universe you will read it fast (I read it in three days).

Overall, a just decent book, more interesting if you want to expand your knowledge of this Space Marines. Else is of little interest as talks more about medieval-like orders than space marines or alien races. An intro for the following books.

Posted on 2010-07-31

Tags: Books Warhammer 40000