Warhammer 40K book reviews?

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-02-24 02:17am

Since we've got a fair 40K contingent I figured we might be able to start a review thread (potential sticky even) for book reviews. Any one interested (reading, writing, or both)?

Post by **Kuja** » 2004-02-24 02:40am

Anyone else read Execution Hour yet? I just finished it and I thought it was awesome.

Black Admiral · Post by **Black Admiral** » 2004-02-24 11:38am

Kuja wrote:Anyone else read Execution Hour yet? I just finished it and I thought it was awesome.

I have, as well as Shadow Point, the sequel.

Laird · Post by **Laird** » 2004-02-24 12:53pm

Only one I have is "13th penal legion" which is about imperial guardsmen lastchancers.(Great book.)

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-02-24 02:02pm

Okay, so I take it there is some interest. Awesome.

Anyone else read Execution Hour yet? I just finished it and I thought it was awesome.

It is indeed awesome. I hope there are more chronically the whole overall story. Some of my favorite 40k.

SAMAS · Post by **SAMAS** » 2004-02-24 02:47pm

The only books I've read are:

Warhammer Fantasy -- Trollslayer, Drachenfels

Warhammer 40K -- Storm of Iron, Fire Warrior

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-02-24 02:52pm

I've only read Storm Of Iron, but i've been meaning to get some more for some time now.

Guardsman Bass · Post by **Guardsman Bass** » 2004-02-24 04:15pm

I liked the Dan Abnet books, because they told a lot about the actual Imperium itself, but didn't like Gaunt's books- to me, they seemed too simplistic.

Guardsman Bass · Post by **Guardsman Bass** » 2004-02-24 04:15pm

Ooops, make that Gaunt's ghosts series

Tasoth · Post by **Tasoth** » 2004-02-24 04:32pm

Read several of the anthologies. The only actual 40K books I've read were the Eisenhorn Trilogy, which was completely and utterly awesome.

Post by **Kuja** » 2004-02-25 02:20am

SAMAS wrote:Fire Warrior

Fire Warrior kicked ASS. That is easily the best game-to-novel transition I've ever seen.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-02-25 01:42pm

Kuja wrote:
SAMAS wrote:Fire Warrior
Fire Warrior kicked ASS. That is easily the best game-to-novel transition I've ever seen.

Maybe so, but was it any good simply as a novel? I'm usually not hesitant about Black Library novels but Firewarrior....

Ted C · Post by **Ted C** » 2004-02-25 01:54pm

I was very pleased with Space Wolf, Ragnar's Claw, and Grey Hunter. I also liked Farseer. Unsurprisingly, they're all by the same author (writer of the Felix and Gotrek books -- name escaping me).

I read Inquisitor a long time ago, and it still doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Have to try reading the sequels one of these days.

buzz_knox · Post by **buzz_knox** » 2004-02-25 01:55pm

Like most game novels, it's a bit simplistic but overall rather good.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-02-25 02:05pm

Ted C wrote:I was very pleased with Space Wolf, Ragnar's Claw, and Grey Hunter.

I take it you're a UKer since Grey Hunter for some reason isn't out here in the States till May.

Ted C · Post by **Ted C** » 2004-02-25 02:14pm

Stormbringer wrote:
Ted C wrote:I was very pleased with Space Wolf, Ragnar's Claw, and Grey Hunter.
I take it you're a UKer since Grey Hunter for some reason isn't out here in the States till May.

No, I live in Tennessee, just like my info says. I just ordered it from GW Mail Order. I've had it for months.

William King is the author, btw (brain function slowly returning).

buzz_knox · Post by **buzz_knox** » 2004-02-25 02:30pm

Grey Hunter is available. There may be a new edition coming out, but I've seen the book for sale here in TN.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-02-25 02:42pm

Ted C wrote:No, I live in Tennessee, just like my info says. I just ordered it from GW Mail Order. I've had it for months.

Ah, that would make sense. It never went out of print in the UK.

buzz_knox wrote:Grey Hunter is available. There may be a new edition coming out, but I've seen the book for sale here in TN.

Might be the old US edition still kicking around (I got a copy of Ragnar's Claw that way) or a copy from the UK printings.

Post by **Kuja** » 2004-02-26 01:52am

Stormbringer wrote:Maybe so, but was it any good simply as a novel? I'm usually not hesitant about Black Library novels but Firewarrior....

Yes. Without giving away too much plot, virtually the whole novel is a chronicle of the main character's descent towards insanity. To be perfectly frank, if I'd read the novel first and then played the game, I'd have detested the game's simplistic story. The novel's better in every way.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-02-26 02:48am

Kuja wrote:
Stormbringer wrote:Maybe so, but was it any good simply as a novel? I'm usually not hesitant about Black Library novels but Firewarrior....
Yes. Without giving away too much plot, virtually the whole novel is a chronicle of the main character's descent towards insanity. To be perfectly frank, if I'd read the novel first and then played the game, I'd have detested the game's simplistic story. The novel's better in every way.

Sweet, I'm glad the Black Library didn't disappoint.

SAMAS · Post by **SAMAS** » 2004-02-26 08:26pm

That's true. Fire Warrior the Game and Fire Warrior the Novel are almost two entirely different stories.

Remember the stats they had for Kais in that one special mission in a recent White Dwarf? That was Game Kais. Novel Kais would have something like a Chaos Dreadnought's Fire Frenzy rule added in.

Krasus · Post by **Krasus** » 2004-02-27 02:03am

Black Admiral wrote:
Kuja wrote:Anyone else read Execution Hour yet? I just finished it and I thought it was awesome.
I have, as well as Shadow Point, the sequel.

Is Shadow Point as good as the first? Better? Worse?

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-02-27 06:54pm

Krasus wrote:
Black Admiral wrote:
Kuja wrote:Anyone else read Execution Hour yet? I just finished it and I thought it was awesome.
I have, as well as Shadow Point, the sequel.
Is Shadow Point as good as the first? Better? Worse?

To be honest, it's about the same. It's a good book but there isn't a lot of difference between it and Execution Hour. Good story but not a lot of variantion.