Illyrium by Darius Hinks

[DarkChaplain]

This is today's audio drama for the advent calendar

https://www.blacklibrary.com/prod-home/advent-home/illyrium-2019.html

 

It is also on Audible (for half a credit, but frankly, just buy it straight up instead, credits are poor value for these short audio dramas!)

 

 

As the Ultramarines flagship Macragge's Honour comes under attack, Seargeant Ammon rushes to the quarters of Tarasha Euten, the primarch's chamberlain. Euten has been by Guilliman's side since he was a child, and counselled him across the decades. Old in body but still sharp and wise, she gives the sergeant a lesson in leadership, using an example from the primarch's youth. Prepare to discover how young Roboute conquered the hill tribes and brought peace to Macragge… just not in the way the history books record.

 

I definitely need to do a second listen, due to distracting neighbors still not being done moving their furniture around (their near-daily ritual) and taking me out of the experience a bunch of times, but.... this is a bold story about Guilliman, no doubt. There's potential for Ultramarines fans to absolutely hate it, I'd wager, but it also adds a good deal of flavor to Roboute's backstory.

 

Your thoughts?

[StrangerOrders]

This was good, really good I think.
 
Its an interesting take on Guilliman and yet another amusing addition to the list of reasons why the other Primarchs are talking out of their rears whenever they discuss Guilliman.
 
I also really like the initial impression his fosters had of him despite their love, its a nice departure from the frankly inhuman level of chill most fosters would have had about something as freakish as a Primarch. 

that Euten was originally scared of Guilliman and that she and Konor were worried about what he might be. Its a nice departure from what I see as a very inhuman tendency in the Primarch stories about their fosters not being utterly terrified of Primarchs. The fantastic and strange would naturally be frightening as often as it is amazing.

 

Its also a really sad swansong for one of the most interesting humans I saw in the Heresy books. Euten is far more memorable to me than characters which are repeatedly crammed down our throats like the Perpetuals (granted, I also love Pike from Fulgrim: The Palatine Phoenix, so I might just have a favorable biased towards badass old women) and it was good to get closure on her.

 

Also, I think we can collectively agree that life enjoys kicking Guilliman in the teeth.

Edited December 1, 2019 by StrangerOrders

[b1soul]

Sounds good, will be checking this out

[Indefragable]

Any story about Guilliman getting his teeth kicked in is fine by me!

 

I kid, I kid. I'm harsh on the fellow.

 

...he can have one tooth left.

 

<I'll go over just why I dislike him in another thread>

[Vazzy]

I really, really enjoyed this, especially as an Ultramarine player. It changes established lore, but for much the better imo.

[karden00]

I enjoyed this! 

Vazzy, what lore did this change? Just the conquest of Illyrium? This was hardly significant lore, and the lore change was justifiied in the telling of the story. 

 

Here's what has my head scratching. It is post-Unremembered Empire, but set during the Heresy, as Euten is still alive. 

 

Buuuuut the Macragge's Honour, at the time of the Heresy, is still unaccounted for, as it chased Kor Phaeron and the Infidus Imperator into the warp, a la Macragge's Honour. 

Unless I am missing something, this is another unfortunate slip up in lore continuity. Nevertheless, still quite an enjoyable listen, especially for $3! 

[Angel_of_Blood]

I generally despise audio dramas, so won't be buying this. Anyone fancy giving me a spoiler rundown of it?

[Vazzy]

I enjoyed this!

Vazzy, what lore did this change? Just the conquest of Illyrium? This was hardly significant lore, and the lore change was justifiied in the telling of the story.

 

Here's what has my head scratching. It is post-Unremembered Empire, but set during the Heresy, as Euten is still alive.

 

Buuuuut the Macragge's Honour, at the time of the Heresy, is still unaccounted for, as it chased Kor Phaeron and the Infidus Imperator into the warp, a la Macragge's Honour.

Unless I am missing something, this is another unfortunate slip up in lore continuity. Nevertheless, still quite an enjoyable listen, especially for $3!

Yeah! Just the Ilyrium conflict, and yeah, in the grand scheme of things it wasn't a huge change, but it was pretty cool to see even as a kid Guilliman was a statesman.

 

I know the macragges honor was gone awhile but maybe this is the end end of the heresy and it's back?

[aa.logan]

I bought this in the Audible sale, and it proved a pleasant listen as I prepared the roast this afternoon.

 

I’m not sure how much the established lore is changed, since a) I was unaware of the prior specifics and B. )

the story explicitly states that what is revealed isn’t in the official histories, which is both a nice way around it and quite fitting for Gulliman if we consider his attitudes to his legend after his return

. The way the main story is framed is really interesting, I don’t know if I’m wrong but it feels like these events occur during the Scouring. The ending is absolutely how more BL stories should go.

 

On a personal level, my only issue with the audio is the fact that Andrew Wincott, as the Ultramarine sergeant is using the exact voice and intonation he uses for Adam Macy in The Archers, and I spent the duration excepting him to start complaining about his polytunnels or the way that Brian is still interfering in the farm despite having retired. In every other BL (Black Library rather than Borcestshire Land, obviously) audio I’ve heard him in, he’s sounded different, so it was pretty jarring.

Edited December 15, 2019 by aa.logan