Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I hope I'm not the only one... I love the Warhammer 40k background. The epic heroes, dastardly villians, nefarious plots and blood pumping last stands...they all bring us readers to a world we love to visit, but no sane reader would want to live. My hobby life is dominated by reading, and the novels and novellas (i omit audio books because for some reason I cant stand them) are my life line to a hobby I dont get to play much anymore. This means it takes alot for me to walk away from a novel or story, but sometimes trudging through just isnt working. Something in the writing, or my mood makes finishing or continuing a fight rather than a labor of love. I hope I'm not the only one. For me, the book to inspire this topic was Ben Counter's World Engine. I made it through the prologue and first chapter before i gave up. Not a mighty effort on my part, but I dont believe the story helped much either.Are there anybody else out there in this kinda rut over a piece of our background? WLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Red Thirst Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Battle for the Abyss James Swallow Blood Angels Omnibus's So much mustache twirling *shudders* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loddfafnir113 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Battle for the Abyss Glad it wasn't just me. I picked up the Inquisition War omnibus a few years ago when that got released, and thought the opening short story and first chapter or two were good, then it just sort of got away from me a bit. It doesn't help that it was written before a lot of 40k canon was established so there's a lot of inconsistencies with the current game universe (the Ordo Malleus being the internal affairs branch of the inquisition instead of daemon hunters for example). So, I put it down, then just last year I decided to soldier through it. It had some good bits (and Squats!) and I really was intrigued by where it was all going so with grim determination I plowed on to the end. Should have listened to my instincts the first time round. Worst ending I've ever come across in literature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Angel Scout Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 You're not the only one WLK, pretty similar to yourself in that, the novels gives me a link to the hobby and tend to avoid audio 98% of time but there are a few that I wouldn't go back to as either struggled to read through the first time, felt like a rehash of a previous tale/can work out the end halfway through. From memory and that fact I can't remember the title of some, shows the impact: The Lysander novel, Fall of Demos, the third in the Lord of Mars series, one with inquisitor investigating the clearing of a space hulk by a BA successor and Ultra successor, Hunt for Volderus or however it's spelt and a few others but can't recall enough to reference. Think its maybe the Space Marine Battles series themselves that I notice this with, where there is often a feeling after finishing a novel is just a case of "here's a few lines in the codex, need to expand into 200 pages, insert 140 pages of action, 60 pages of dialogue that just describes the existing content over and over until the end" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olis Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Battle for the Abyss Ditto. Not that I think it's quite as bad as the general community makes out - it's just the poor side of average, I reckon. A typical example of warhammer pulp fiction, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Red Thirst Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Battle for the Abyss Glad it wasn't just me. I picked up the Inquisition War omnibus a few years ago when that got released, and thought the opening short story and first chapter or two were good, then it just sort of got away from me a bit. It doesn't help that it was written before a lot of 40k canon was established so there's a lot of inconsistencies with the current game universe (the Ordo Malleus being the internal affairs branch of the inquisition instead of daemon hunters for example). So, I put it down, then just last year I decided to soldier through it. It had some good bits (and Squats!) and I really was intrigued by where it was all going so with grim determination I plowed on to the end. Should have listened to my instincts the first time round. Worst ending I've ever come across in literature. I donno that scene where Draco gets his mind pulled apart and speaks with the Emperor was pretty awesome ;) You're not the only one WLK, pretty similar to yourself in that, the novels gives me a link to the hobby and tend to avoid audio 98% of time but there are a few that I wouldn't go back to as either struggled to read through the first time, felt like a rehash of a previous tale/can work out the end halfway through. From memory and that fact I can't remember the title of some, shows the impact: The Lysander novel, Fall of Demos, the third in the Lord of Mars series, one with inquisitor investigating the clearing of a space hulk by a BA successor and Ultra successor, Hunt for Volderus or however it's spelt and a few others but can't recall enough to reference. Think its maybe the Space Marine Battles series themselves that I notice this with, where there is often a feeling after finishing a novel is just a case of "here's a few lines in the codex, need to expand into 200 pages, insert 140 pages of action, 60 pages of dialogue that just describes the existing content over and over until the end" Yeah that pretty much all but a few of the Battles novels, I try to stay away from them more than anything, no substance, with the exception of Helsreach for obvious reasons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noctus Cornix Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Blood Gorgons for me. I tried but that first chapter alone was a nightmare to try and swallow. Maybe one day I'll try going back to read it.... Maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conn Eremon Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Haven't been able to finish Blood Gorgons either. I have a bit of a list, but usually I finish what I start, eventually. Abnett's Inquisition series is a good example, a series that took me like three false starts before I got through it. Loved the books, I just kept getting burned out, putting it off, then wanting to restart it because I couldn't quite remember where I had left off. A book I am currently reading that I might end up setting aside is A Emperor's Gift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aralon56 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I found i couldnt read the damnation of pythos :S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E.G.J. Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Descent of Angels for me. Then there have been books that I initially put down, but came back to finish later and really enjoyed them....but maybe I'll save those for another thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olis Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Come to think of it... I don't think I finished either Dark Angels HH book. Imho, they were worse than Abyss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorkimedes Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Fear To Tread. That book was so bland. I cannot name one character from that book that isn't a primarch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hummus Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Fear to tread for me as well it sits on my kindle, finished battle for the abyss though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfkry Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Anything nick kyme writes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Red Thirst Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 A book I am currently reading that I might end up setting aside is A Emperor's Gift. I struggled a little with this also, however I think it was down to the fluff changes, when I read it I could literally feel the pill being swallowed, almost as if A D-B was shaking his head thinking "Damn wish I could use that scene/fluff reference from the first time I wrote it" That being said, considering he changed it from 3rd person to 1st person point of view without any issues really speaks about his care as a writer and the diligence of his editor, and the fact that he still made the Grey Knight enjoyable after the change really cemented his "Best BL Author" title in my book ;) Fear To Tread. That book was so bland. I cannot name one character from that book that isn't a primarch. But, but, but.... Nassir Amit.... surely no one could forget literally the greatest character in the book aside from Sanguinius... seriously the guy angers his father with the truth, to which he gets clobbered for and STILL doesnt back down, something that is actually against an Astartes genetic make-up and hypno-indoctrination :) If I remember and actually THANK James Swallow for anything Blood Angel's related, it'll be that he gave life to The Flesh Tearer ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 I did manage to read Battle for the Abyss, Damnation of Pythos, and the Dark Angels HH novels ONLY because they were in the Horus Heresy series. I had to convince myself that there would be something important, some nugget to make them worth of dwindling patience. They werent. Fear to Tread was almost on that list, but I simply loved Amit. I love the idea of a Marine who's not afraid to tell anybody the truth as they see it. The post Heresy Amit based Flesh Tearer stories probably helped me tolerate FtT. I want to like the Space Marine Battle series, but for every Helsreach or Battle of the Fang, there was some toliet quality work making me wonder why I hated myself enough to try and read it. I tried the Blood Gorgon series, but it felt flat to me so I dropped it. Nick Kyme's Salamander novels are odd to me. While I disliked the series for the actions of certain characters were so alien to the Salamander ideal that it hurt, but I couldnt stop reading them. it was like a car wreck in slo-mo. at this point, the only time I'm looking forward to a Bl release is if I see Abnett, ADB or Wraight as the author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conn Eremon Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Honestly, Amit just irritated me because he was the more fleshed out character in comparison to Azkaellon or Raldoran. It was a perfect opportunity to get some kind of insight on the Blood Angels as a Legion, as most HH books are, but the only thing of worth was a Second Founding Chapter Master to be. At least with Sigismund and others of that ilk, we see them as Legionaries, as they were then, but with Amit I didn't really get that. It was a 30k book with a 40k (not literally!) character. Which says nothing about the character of the Flesh Tearer, but of the author who missed an opportunity, in this reader's opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 I think one factor that helped me was setting the bar fairly low...after the BA book series, I didnt expect much from FtT WLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShinyRhino Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Inquisitor was unbearable. I made it through two chapters or so before giving up. I managed to finish Salamander, but it was a challenge. I just really hated the protagonist's foil, the Marine who liked to burn himself. So much weepy angst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 What killed Kyme's Salamander series for me was the generally crappy behavior oof the Marines involved, with the murder of N'ken by Iagon being the straw that snapped the camel's back.This was just...far fetched for me to swallow. WLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rime Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Pretty much the named above, most of the Space Marine Battle novels, Storm of Iron, McNeill's Ultramarine series, Gaunts Ghosts went downhill after The Lost omnibus, near half of the Heresy novels, most short stories (the 2.99 ones and the like). Probably more to add to that list but they are so bad I just don't want to remember them *Sighs* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volt Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Battle for the Abyss. Talk about a waste of money. McNeil's Ultramarines series as well, couldn't get past the short story that introduced it to me in the Space Marine's omnibus. What killed Kyme's Salamander series for me was the generally crappy behavior oof the Marines involved, with the murder of N'ken by Iagon being the straw that snapped the camel's back.This was just...far fetched for me to swallow. WLK How is Iagon a SOD breaker? He's a sociopath that's been hiding his sociopathic attitude. It's not that far fetched at all, given how absurdly crafty sociopaths are in real life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Battle for the Abyss. Talk about a waste of money. McNeil's Ultramarines series as well, couldn't get past the short story that introduced it to me in the Space Marine's omnibus. What killed Kyme's Salamander series for me was the generally crappy behavior oof the Marines involved, with the murder of N'ken by Iagon being the straw that snapped the camel's back. This was just...far fetched for me to swallow. WLK How is Iagon a SOD breaker? He's a sociopath that's been hiding his sociopathic attitude. It's not that far fetched at all, given how absurdly crafty sociopaths are in real life. For me, real life has little to do with being's who've been brainwashed into loyalty everyday in their lives...from a Chapter who're largely seen as the must humane of all Marines. I could see Iagon disobeying an order that resulted in the same result I could see Iagon delaying an order that resulted in the same result I cannot see him doing his action in the manner in which he did. WLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prodigal Son of Magnus Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Vulkan Lives was a struggle for me. The only interesting part was the shattered legion section. The rest was Vulkan doing an inner monologue about how pure he is. The part about him being unwilling to kill Curze was really dumb, but the worst part for me was that Kyme made Vulkan into a bigger special snowflake than Draigo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveNYC Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've finished every BL book I've started, but there's a fair number that I wish I hadn't. It does help that they're fast reads. My solution is to not read books by those authors going forward. Kyme, I'm looking at you. Right now I'm about 30% of the way through Vengeful Spirit and I'm starting to think it might not be worth the effort. Way too many moving pieces, and they all feel sloppy. Plus there've been two 'judging a person's character via combat (of some sort)' and a heaping dose of 'Space Wolves are wolfy awesomeness'. I can't believe it's from the same guy who wrote A Thousand Sons and Angel Exterminatus. I can believe it's from the same guy who wrote Mechanicum and Outcast Dead. Good authors I can handle, bad authors I can handle, it's the ones that are totally hit or miss that drive me nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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