Primarch Series: Roboute Guiliman

[Izlude]

For those who may not have received the email with the ability to dl the small excerpt. UMs have always been my favorite so I have sort of high expectation for this (maybe not a good thing) but I have to say based on the excerpt I am looking forward to this one! While the excerpt is only about 20 pages or so (so clearly the book could be totally different) the following is what I noticed:

1. Destroyers: I have always found these squads (or in this case an entire company!) interesting. The ideal of using "forbidden weapons" especially within the UMs seems like good times. Hopefully this will be explored more it seems like they were used earlier in the crusade but of course Guillman questions this. The captain of this company is from Terra and based on how he comes across clearly belongs with the World Eaters-just wants to blow up.

2. Monarchia: Not sure if this will be explored further but we clearly see the UM's view on this event from their eyes and their feelings about it. I thought maybe this book would have taken place closer to the beginning of the crusade or even his rise under Konor but it seems to take place mid crusade. I like getting this perspective as all we know about the razing has been via the WB's perspective so of course it is skewed.

3. Guilliman: Nervous how Annandale will handle him as to me Dan and ADB (also Guy with Pharos) have been my standard as to how he has been handled. I think it is tough to make Guilliman come across interesting without being a robot. At least based on the excerpt, Annandale has done his homework. I like how he weaves in "codex-like" comments in the text and Guilliman's anticipation of events and responses of his captains.

All in all looking forward to this one. Now I can order this and Path to Heaven to avoid the shipping charge (US).

[Taliesin]

Ouch, 55 Euro, that is too much for such a small book. Don't think I'll even go that far for Wraight's upcoming Leman Russ book.

[gogmagog]

I'm afraid I shan't be getting this one, far too expensive, even though I have all the limited edition Horus heresy.

[Izlude]

Yeah I was little shocked when I logged in to buy that it was 65 US. I figure 50 the most which is similar to many of their LE books. I doubt I would get many of the other Primarch ones if they stay at that price although as of now more than 1/2 sold...

[Felix Antipodes]

Struggled a lot about whether to get this - even more expensive here after the Oz Tax is applied - but ordered it in the end after reading the excerpt.

[Rob P]

anyone got this yet? and spoilers?

[karden00]

Given that the series is called 'Primarchs', do ya'll think it should heavily focus on the primarchs themselves? Maybe even first person, a la Wolf of Ash and Fire (I think I recall it was? Could be dead wrong though) 

[R_F_D]

I'm reading this now for the first time.  Can any one explain the Chapter/company structure?

[bluntblade]

Given that the series is called 'Primarchs', do ya'll think it should heavily focus on the primarchs themselves? Maybe even first person, a la Wolf of Ash and Fire (I think I recall it was? Could be dead wrong though)

 

You're wrong indeed. First person from a Primarch would probably feel rather lacking

[HeritorA]

 

Given that the series is called 'Primarchs', do ya'll think it should heavily focus on the primarchs themselves? Maybe even first person, a la Wolf of Ash and Fire (I think I recall it was? Could be dead wrong though)

You're wrong indeed. First person from a Primarch would probably feel rather lacking

 

The worst Primarch book of the 4 released so far. Why they started with it can't be explained with any sane logic.

[IronDrake28]

I'm reading this now for the first time. Can any one explain the Chapter/company structure?

It's wrong in this book. If we say the 1st Chapter is 1st-10th Company, then the 2nd Chapter should be 11th-20th Company. So on and so forth. Somehow Annandale screwed it up and added 10 to the companies.

[R_F_D]

 

I'm reading this now for the first time. Can any one explain the Chapter/company structure?

It's wrong in this book. If we say the 1st Chapter is 1st-10th Company, then the 2nd Chapter should be 11th-20th Company. So on and so forth. Somehow Annandale screwed it up and added 10 to the companies.

 

 

Cheers! 

[HeritorA]

 

 

I'm reading this now for the first time. Can any one explain the Chapter/company structure?

It's wrong in this book. If we say the 1st Chapter is 1st-10th Company, then the 2nd Chapter should be 11th-20th Company. So on and so forth. Somehow Annandale screwed it up and added 10 to the companies.

 

 

Cheers! 

 

Indeed. Still need Laurie to explain why this book was selected as a premiere of a serie! The only logical one so far - because it's papa smurf and ultrasmurfs club is the biggest one

[IronDrake28]

Hey, I'm glad it came out first! The content of the book is very interesting, it's just the style it's written in that isn't to my liking, and the combat was rather dull imo.

[HeritorA]

Hey, I'm glad it came out first! The content of the book is very interesting, it's just the style it's written in that isn't to my liking, and the combat was rather dull imo.

Sure - a lot of fans were glad it was released first. Till they read it. Style and story wa beyond dull.

'Sire - what are you doing?. - Guilliman: 'I'm making a point and changes to make a point and changes'.

One of the worst BL books and one of the 10 that are in my 'worse books ever read' list.

[Izlude]

Yeah as a UM fanboy, it pains me to say it was super dull. When it was first announced I was excited and got the LE. Reading it was a choir. As with other works from the author, it was technically written well but fell short for many reasons:

 

1. The supporting cast were boring: I think this is maybe an UM thing, but many of the supporting characters were boring. The whole destroyer thing had potential showing the UMs are not as uniform but got old fast.

 

2. Orks: Was never fan of Sm vs Ork battles, this one was no different. 

 

3. Guilliman: Getting in his head to some degree and seeing the beginnings of the codex was good. Would have been nice to see some primarch-primarch interaction.

 

After this one, I had misgivings about future books in this series but luckily I have been proven wrong. Russ was a great read as was Magnus. Got the LE Perturabo but haven't read it yet. I think I enjoyed these books more seeing the primarchs interacting with other primarchs like the Russ:Lion and Magnus:Perturabo. 

[Knockagh]

Yea this book was a massive let down on so many levels. Annandale is probably the worst BL author out there at the moment and Gulliman is more than a little boring. Good news is though the series hasn't had a miss since it been fair sailing since.

[Mellow]

Author: I'm going to write about Guilliman.

 

Me: Great

 

Author: it's going to be a boring battle with Orks with a side story about how destroyers are awesome at getting stuff done but Guilliman telling them he doesn't like the way they talk or behave or even what they wear.

 

Me: ... right

 

Author: will you buy it?

 

Me; yes I like to give Novels a chance

 

*after reading*

 

Author: did you like it?

 

Me: No, it was boring as hell!

[R_F_D]

I finished it on Thursday.  It's different, and I think it's why I don't dislike it. 

 

1. I agree the supporting characters could be fleshed out more but Annandale was only limited to one book.  I also saw the Destroyer's as fairly one sided characters a bit like the steroid infused gym junkies you see in gyms who only interact with one another through a series of grunts, all the Destroyer's care about it unleashing their tools of war.  I'm fine with that but would have liked more from Guilliman as they why he didn't want to use them.
2. I haven't read too much SM vs Ork so this wasn't too onerous for me although the Orks did seem to roll into one for me i.e. it seemed to me that the only Orks ever being fought were Dreadnought sized warlord bodyguards. I did however find the fighting quite atmospheric, the scene with the Scouts (whilst Lord of the Rings esque)
3. At the same as reading this I was/am reading Nightbringer by McNeil.  It was an interesting juxtaposition with the certainty of Nightbrigher and the thoughts of Guilliam and his desire for change.  

[Jarl Caldersson]

I just finished this and started reading Leman Russ.

 

I always had this sense of Guilliman expecting something from his sons but never telling them what he expected leaving them clueless as to why he was doing things. He would just think to himself "when the time comes they will understand." and then expecting no ill side effects. He just treated his sons like they were robots where you put something in and expect a exact result out. This made the whole *Robot Guilliman* meme a little funnier for me.

 

He also keeps mentioning how his sons need to find a way to go on without him, but several times he thinks to himself "X-enemy needs to die and only I, Roboute Guilliman, can do it". Which seems counter productive and against his logical thinking ways.

 

Finally I was thinking the whole time that Guilliman would be learning a lesson from all this and hopefully it would be that every weapon and personality type has a place to belong. But nope at the end he uses the destroyers simply because what he was protecting he thought wasnt good enough for what he believes should be places in the books. It had this sense of "just-as-planned" and he simply was dictating what should be placed in history. This the opposite of Russ where he attempts to correct history with a *$&@ up he made and simply tells a lowly blood claw.

 

I went into this book wishing to grow a better appreciation of the UM and Roboute. It ended in me simply thinking that Roboute his a one-way thinking :cuss and dictator, while his sons are a product of mental abuse causing them to never think outside the box because Roboute demanded that. I hope Cassius book shows me a little more justice for the UM.

[Mellow]

He likes robots.

 

That's why he made the Primaris Astartes. Vat grown and do as they're told.

[HeritorA]

Yeah as a UM fanboy, it pains me to say it was super dull. When it was first announced I was excited and got the LE. Reading it was a choir. As with other works from the author, it was technically written well but fell short for many reasons:

 

1. The supporting cast were boring: I think this is maybe an UM thing, but many of the supporting characters were boring. The whole destroyer thing had potential showing the UMs are not as uniform but got old fast.

 

2. Orks: Was never fan of Sm vs Ork battles, this one was no different. 

 

3. Guilliman: Getting in his head to some degree and seeing the beginnings of the codex was good. Would have been nice to see some primarch-primarch interaction.

 

After this one, I had misgivings about future books in this series but luckily I have been proven wrong. Russ was a great read as was Magnus. Got the LE Perturabo but haven't read it yet. I think I enjoyed these books more seeing the primarchs interacting with other primarchs like the Russ:Lion and Magnus:Perturabo. 

Exactly. Which again give me the moment to ask Laurie, why it was selected as a premiere book in the serie?

 

He likes robots.

 

That's why he made the Primaris Astartes. Vat grown and do as they're told.

Indeed, as we saw with all that abomination of a books called Gathering Storm