Just read Dead Men Walking, thoughts and opinions?

[depthcharge12]

So I just finished reading "Dead Men Walking" by Steve Lyons, and wow...it was the most grim dark thing I've read in a while.

 

Originally I've always wanted to play with a DKOK force, so I thought it would be fitting to read this novel as it had been suggested to me previously. I was expecting more from the perspective of a Korpsman, however, it seemed more fitting to get an outside perspective of them from others fighting with them.

 

Now I know the book is a little dated due to the updates for the Death Korp and the Necrons (their main enemy) but I still thought it was a fantastic book.

 

Since this is supposed to be an open discussion I will mention that there are spoilers below if you wish to skip, if not, please interject your thoughts and opinions on the story.

 

 

First of all, I was blown away. I was expecting at least one happy ending at the end of the book but Mr. Lyons did well with his grim dark and denied us that. I felt the book almost made it feel like the reader needed to become a Krieger to make it through the crapstorm that happens to the characters.

 

First on my list of well portrayed was Gunther Soreson for many reasons. He starts off as about your every guy and you find yourself rooting for him and his forbidden love. The man tries to do right by what he does, but ultimately comes up shirt in every confrontation he's faced with. What pushed me through the book was hope that he'd meet Arex again; to my chagrin, he does but she ultimately forgets him and travels off with another good guy, but not the one you want. He does redeem himself by heading out to take on the Necrons alone, but the book terminates and his fate is pessimistic.

 

I did like how the author dealt with the eventual dehumanization that Gunther went through and it was nice to see this debated throughout the novel between various characters. Gunther goes from Mr. Soreson at the beginning (a proper title) down to just Gunther (a familiar but informal first name) all the way down to his number, Trooper 1419. This was a great representation of the loss of an identity he must go through to save what he loves - a micro version of the larger scale problem the Imperium faces as a whole.

 

Finally I did like and relate to the Commissar as he tried to be political about everything before and ultimately decides, "I'm too old for this :cuss."

 

I shed some manly tears at one point in this story, when the young Krieger tells the Commissar that he'll take the explosives because he will die with his friends and that he is worthless compared to the commissar. That boy had some serious balls.

 

I think a final word that this book represents in it's grimdark entirety is that in the 40k universe, you will either live and be an emotionless robot (Arex, DKoK, Necrons) or you will die with your ideals and love (Gunther, Commissar, citizens). There's no time for peace, there's only war.

 

What are your thoughts on the book and the DKoK as a whole?

[spafe]

A great write up, and you do capture the feel very well. The only thing I think I can add to that is the newer commissar, not yet jaded by it all. He is so wowed at the beggining, thinking he's found the greatest regiment ever, but it shows how the commanders think, how quickly he becomes de-humised to the casulties and the men jsut become numbers... sums it all up quite well I think.

 

I did think it laboured the point about everyone dying at the end, if jsut the older commissar had survived to transfer to another regiment then I would love this book, as it is... well I get its a grim dark world etc, but always leaves me feeling very morose and down after reading it (I have read it 5+ times though it is an incredible book dont get me wrong).

 

The real driving point on that storm trooper you mention for me is how young he is... and he;s their veteran... Just thinking about that is shocking, prob means the average trooper is barely old enough to shave... barely...

 

Like I said, I great book, would recomend reading it, but parts of it for me are a little too cruel to really have it as light reading that I usually go to 40k universe and black library for.

[WarriorFish]

I've not read the book, but I agree that there's a little too grim dark sometimes - like someone just read the wiki entry for 40k and didn't really understand the theme of 40k. "Grim dark" itself is now thrown around as a joke as much as anything else :P The narrative has always been grim dark yes, but there's always the underlining message of hope. Hope that the Emperor rises, that the Space Marines will save the day etc and aside from that it can make stories a slog and is usually a sign of a misstep by the author.

 

Otherwise without hope there is no point, and that's not interesting.

[depthcharge12]

I've not read the book, but I agree that there's a little too grim dark sometimes - like someone just read the wiki entry for 40k and didn't really understand the theme of 40k. "Grim dark" itself is now thrown around as a joke as much as anything else :P The narrative has always been grim dark yes, but there's always the underlining message of hope. Hope that the Emperor rises, that the Space Marines will save the day etc and aside from that it can make stories a slog and is usually a sign of a misstep by the author.

 

Otherwise without hope there is no point, and that's not interesting.

There's hope in this story...of exterminatus :P

 

It gives you hope at so many times, but then dashes them away. This book makes you feel like you're a trooper in the Death Korp of Krieg - the only hope you'll get is to see your favorite characters accomplish their objectives.

[Mandolore511]

Agreed there... and to tell the truth after a few read throughs that is all I wanted then to care about as well.

 

First time I read it I will agree that the ending frustrated me. I am a hopeless romantic so I wanted the hero to beat all odds and ride off into the sun set with the girl and I was angry that he died. But upon reflection, I think the book does a good job of showing that the hero you meet in the beginning died long ago somewhere in the hatred of the Xenos and his dedication to the holy war against them. The hero became a martyr in spirit looking for his pyre and in the end be finds it and earns his place beside the golden throne as one of the few, proud, and finally at peace.

 

The more I think of the story the more I find that it encapsulates the great strenght and weakness *BLAM! HERESY!* of the imperium that everyone who truly believes dies and everyone who sees what is out there either believes, goes insane, or doesn't survive the sight.