A Few More Warhammer 40K Quick Reads…
This week hasn’t been a bad one but it has been pretty intense (what with one thing and another, and another) and my reading took a bit of a hit. I’ve got the day to myself so hopefully I can catch up with myself a little bit :o) In the meantime, I did manage to get a few more ‘Warhammer 40K’ reads under my belt last night so lets talk about them :o)
‘Eternal’ – Dan Abnett (Black Library)
Page Count: 8 Pages
Captain Froer of the Astra Militarum and his men receive a new ally in their attempts to push into enemy territory - a Space Marine of the Blood Angels Chapter. But as Brother Gammarael wages war with a monstrous foe, Froer gets a glimpse of the eternal darkness that lurks at the heart of the sons of the Angel.
I chose to stick my hand in my wallet, for an 8 page tale that costs exactly the same as Black Library eBooks three times the length, so I can’t really complain but… It’s worth bearing in mind if you’re thinking about giving ‘Eternal’ a read. Maybe try looking for it in an anthology instead, that’s all I’m saying. Because at only eight pages long, even Dan Abnett can’t do much other other than chuck a Blood Angel Space Marine at a monster and then have him make an ominous remark about how plain old water isn’t going to quench his thirst. And funnily enough, that’s exactly what we get and it’s all done before you get a chance to think ‘hang on, the Guard are fighting on a really nice world for a change, I’d holiday there…’
‘Eternal’ isn’t bad, it just feels like it was ‘cut and pasted’ from a chapter in a ‘Blood Angels’ novel. I’m always up for seeing Astartes fighting Xenos but couldn’t quite see the point of it here.
‘Votum Infernus’ – Nick Kyme (Black Library)
Page Count: 23 Pages
Fleeing in the aftermath of a terrible defeat, troopers of the Vostroyan Firstborn are being hunted by dark eldar. A pair of wyches, a brother and sister, plan to make brutal sport of the mon'keigh. But as the mists thicken a strange figure appears on the battlefield, one clad in armour of blackest night. Who are 'the Damned' and what do they want with this world and the souls upon it...?
Now this was a lot more like it; a page count long enough to let the story breathe and do itself a little justice. And that’s what ‘Votum Infernus’ does. Nick Kyme delivers a very creepy tale with a measured pace that really lures you into the fog mist to meet the jump scares face to face. And all of that is before Kyme pulls out a couple of shock twists that cast everything in a new light. A good way to spend half an hour and I’m now wondering if there would be any mileage in a ‘Legion of the Damned’ anthology. I’d read it :o)
‘Flesh’ – Chris Wraight (Black Library)
Page Count: 50 Pages
The world of Helaj V has fallen into heresy, and the local forces struggle to contain it and return order to their planet. But they have unexpected aid in the form of the Angels of Death - Space Marines of the Iron Hands Chapter. But are Ralech Grond and his brothers from Clan Raukaan really on Helaj to help quell the uprising, or is there something more sinister at work?
And I saved the best until last; both the tale itself and the cover art too ;o)
‘Flesh’ gave me some great insight, into the workings of a Chapter that I don’t see that much, along with a plot that mixes a vicious ‘underhive purge’ with some interesting thoughts on the nature of assistance in the 41st Millennium. The Astartes Chapters fight for humanity but some will only fight up until the point where their own objectives are satisfied. Guess what kind of Chapter the Iron Hands are…? I had a good time with ‘Flesh’, a tale that switches effortlessly between mutants being mown down by bolter fire and moments that really made me stop and think about what I was reading.
‘Eternal’ – Dan Abnett (Black Library)
Page Count: 8 Pages
Captain Froer of the Astra Militarum and his men receive a new ally in their attempts to push into enemy territory - a Space Marine of the Blood Angels Chapter. But as Brother Gammarael wages war with a monstrous foe, Froer gets a glimpse of the eternal darkness that lurks at the heart of the sons of the Angel.
I chose to stick my hand in my wallet, for an 8 page tale that costs exactly the same as Black Library eBooks three times the length, so I can’t really complain but… It’s worth bearing in mind if you’re thinking about giving ‘Eternal’ a read. Maybe try looking for it in an anthology instead, that’s all I’m saying. Because at only eight pages long, even Dan Abnett can’t do much other other than chuck a Blood Angel Space Marine at a monster and then have him make an ominous remark about how plain old water isn’t going to quench his thirst. And funnily enough, that’s exactly what we get and it’s all done before you get a chance to think ‘hang on, the Guard are fighting on a really nice world for a change, I’d holiday there…’
‘Eternal’ isn’t bad, it just feels like it was ‘cut and pasted’ from a chapter in a ‘Blood Angels’ novel. I’m always up for seeing Astartes fighting Xenos but couldn’t quite see the point of it here.
‘Votum Infernus’ – Nick Kyme (Black Library)
Page Count: 23 Pages
Fleeing in the aftermath of a terrible defeat, troopers of the Vostroyan Firstborn are being hunted by dark eldar. A pair of wyches, a brother and sister, plan to make brutal sport of the mon'keigh. But as the mists thicken a strange figure appears on the battlefield, one clad in armour of blackest night. Who are 'the Damned' and what do they want with this world and the souls upon it...?
Now this was a lot more like it; a page count long enough to let the story breathe and do itself a little justice. And that’s what ‘Votum Infernus’ does. Nick Kyme delivers a very creepy tale with a measured pace that really lures you into the fog mist to meet the jump scares face to face. And all of that is before Kyme pulls out a couple of shock twists that cast everything in a new light. A good way to spend half an hour and I’m now wondering if there would be any mileage in a ‘Legion of the Damned’ anthology. I’d read it :o)
‘Flesh’ – Chris Wraight (Black Library)
Page Count: 50 Pages
The world of Helaj V has fallen into heresy, and the local forces struggle to contain it and return order to their planet. But they have unexpected aid in the form of the Angels of Death - Space Marines of the Iron Hands Chapter. But are Ralech Grond and his brothers from Clan Raukaan really on Helaj to help quell the uprising, or is there something more sinister at work?
And I saved the best until last; both the tale itself and the cover art too ;o)
‘Flesh’ gave me some great insight, into the workings of a Chapter that I don’t see that much, along with a plot that mixes a vicious ‘underhive purge’ with some interesting thoughts on the nature of assistance in the 41st Millennium. The Astartes Chapters fight for humanity but some will only fight up until the point where their own objectives are satisfied. Guess what kind of Chapter the Iron Hands are…? I had a good time with ‘Flesh’, a tale that switches effortlessly between mutants being mown down by bolter fire and moments that really made me stop and think about what I was reading.
I just cracked Death and Duty and will be reading the first short story. My plan is to read one short story a month.
ReplyDeleteI used to wonder how you handled doing these shorts. Now I know and it really seems to work well for me :-D and it definitely seems to be working well for you.