Book Review: Deathwatch: Warrior Brood
Warrior Brood is the first book related to the Deathwatch (elite Space Marines picked from all chapters to work for the inquisition in small kill-teams), written by the apparently infamous C. S. Goto.
And well, while the book delivers action, you must indeed have to allow quite a few mistakes, inconsistencies (with the Warhammer 40k world) and in general inventions of the author.
Some units are wrongly described (Tyranids mostly); others have new ultra-powerful habilities not found in the game; Space Marines appear to be really weak in general...
The book relates a Deathwatch detachment sent to a sector under attack from a Tyranid hive fleet, but where some things are not as simple as they seem.
A dumb successor chapter is introduced, and some Deathwatch marines are from lesser chapters or directly from the Blood Ravens (coincidence that this author wrote the book Dawn of War, based on the videogame that invented this chapter). Allows for some specific argumental decisions but in general I miss more realistic chapters.
As I said the pacing is quite good, you won't miss action and if you forgive the heresies related to WH40k lore, the book is not a bad reading, but neither impressive.
Tags: Books Warhammer 40000
Book Review: Ultramarines: The Killing Ground
The Killing Ground represents the fourth book in the Ultramarines series of Black Library Warhammer 40.000 books.
Continues the adventures of Uriel and Pasanius, this time in an imperial planet in which there is a killing ground... where the dead are not at peace precisely.
This book has Imperial Guard, ghosts, the unfleshed from the third book, and another sweet surprise I don't want to spoil, but that sadly is badly represented here, being killed almost entirely as mere puppets instead of the "special" thing they are.
The story is predictable in general, nothing incredible, but at least you enjoy reading. I just wish it had more action and less ghostly stories.
Not bad but neither impressive, a mere nexus between the original Omnibus and the following books.
Tags: Books Warhammer 40000
Book Review: Ultramarines Omnibus
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 :)
Tags: Books Warhammer 40000
Book Review: The Living Dead
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.
Book Review: Angels of Darkness
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.
Tags: Books Warhammer 40000
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