Nazguire

I get what you're saying - I think this is a good example of nature vs. nurture. Putting aside his prophetic visions (as much as you can do, seeing as they're integral to his character), he was raised on a literal hell scape where he was bombarded with the worst that humanity had to offer every day. Takes a lot to break that conditioning. You can see real world examples today - people that are raised in perpetual poverty, violence, etc. Bit hard to just suddenly change your mind and think differently to what you're conditioned to otherwise think and feel every day.

Yeah, generally agreed. 40K isn't DragonBall Z, but it should not be controversial that one-on-one a Daemon Primarch will typically stomp a non-Daemon Primarch. Otherwise, what's the point? What's the advantage? There must be a significant increase in power and ability to take on Daemonhood. Not saying that Khan could not beat Fulgrim or that Dorn could not out-tank Mortarion at times, but it should be the exception not the rule. In respect of Moonreaper666's query about Abaddon - I think with Drachn'yen, yes, he would be able to fight with Guilliman - the sword is more than just a sword. However, without it, I still think Guiliman would kill him rather easily. Which winds back to the issue I have with Primarchs returning in 40K - it takes the focus away from the "mortals" who are trying to survive in a universe wrecked by the Gods before them.

Using your numbering: 1. I would generally agree, but we still received a lot of information about the Emperor's Spears, including what drives and motivates them. The information concerning the culture on Nemeton and how the tribals were afraid of the Space Marines (viewing them as ghosts) was particularly enlightening. 2. I tend to agree to a point. It did lack a certain kind of direction that a strong antagonist can drive. The Pure's origins as the Star Scorpions wasn't particularly difficult to work out and while the Battle of the Hex (and subsequent events) was well written, that plot point was relatively wrapped up quite quickly. I disagree that the action being "minimal" is a bad thing - too often Black Library novel rely on "bolter porn" in order to drive a plot forward, rather than genuine character and plot development. I think the action scenes were well placed and used to good effect. I do agree that the conclusion veered left all of a sudden and it lacked a kind of coherency. I can gather what ADB was trying to do but it lacked some of the oomf that otherwise would have gained from a strong driving antagonist. 3. The novel explains that Anuradha is a genetically and cybernetically enhanced human. She may not be enhanced to the same degree as a Space Marine, but she is far from a "mere human". I never really felt that she had overt plot armour, only what was necessary to push the plot forward. I believe that this novel was heavy on "lore" because it is supposed to set up a trilogy (I think) of novels.

I really enjoyed this novel. ADB is just a great writer, plain and simple, and his love for the source material is obvious. It makes it easy to become immersed in his novels and thoroughly enjoy them. The book ended in a way I didn't expect:

Still a ridiculous oversight for a creature millenia old. Did the Emperor ever understand human nature at all ? Angron is the only traitor primarch with a legitimate reason to rebel and one of the Emperors worst mistakes. Off all the options open to him the Emperor chose the options which guaranteed that Angron would one day rebel against him. Magnus and Curze would like to have a word with you. Hell, Mortarion and Perturabo would like a chat as well. But yeah, I completely understand why Angron rebelled. He rebelled against everything and everyone because all they brought him was pain and misery. At least he's somewhat happy/permanent rage beast now. Magnus : prideful believed he had all the answers was told not to do something and did it anyway dooming humanity in the process Curze : A coward and nihilist at heart in that he foresaw what was going to happen but made no real effort to change it and took the lazy way out in regards to Nostromo something which Sevatar rightly rebukes him also went damn near catatonic with fearwhen Sanguinus almost changed his fate . Perturabo : Petulant manchild who actively worked to distance himself from the other Primarchs then wonders why nobody liked him Mortarion : pig stupid and gigantic hypocrite (even after 10000 years as a demon prince as evidenced in Plague war) Each of them could have made different choices but they did'nt Angron had no other choices. Perturabo and his Legion had legitimate grievances. It's not outside the realms of possibility that they had Astartes-version PTSD either.

The handling of the Space Wolves has been one of the most mediocre things of the HH series. Prospero Burns and A Thousand Sons were great but after that, many of the subsequent stories made Leman Russ seem stupid and utterly inept. The events of "Wolfsbane" makes no sense from any perspective, let alone someone who is supposed to be a consummate general and tactician.

I think there is an issue where too many characters which are in the HH series make it past the HH. So you cannot kill them off. The other characters which are HH only (e.g. Loken) become fan favourites and don't die (or they do and are resurrected). Killing off Loken, Aximand, etc. would go down a treat but the authors seem to play it very safe in respect of this.

Right lads, I read Buried Dagger over the weekend.

Is this indicating that Ravenor will kill Eisenhorn? Or something more nuanced? King's City of Dust referring to Prospero?

Some of the ridiculous combinations you could make with the 3.5 Chaos Codex. If you had the points, you could make some baller units that were absurd. Slaaneshi Daemon Prince just scratches the surface. Terminator armoured Khorne Chosen with Feel No Pain etc. were epitome of cheese.

I find the Emperor's Children sorta boring now. Haven't read anything that goes beyond an obsession for being the best at everything. Cool, I mean, every Space Marine presumably wanted to be the best of the best. Fulgrim has been written so as to be so preening, stupid and one dimension that it beggars belief. Raven Guard feel so bland at the moment. The FW and BL background hasn't really done much to change that perception. Stealthy ninja Space Marines who were almost all wiped out. Corax having PTSD is pretty interesting, but other than that they currently feel like sneaky Ultramarines. The super-Astartes genetic material thing is also dumb.

Anyone gonna chuck us a solid and post some spoilers?????

It must be so frustrating for a HH author to read some of the dribble being spouted on here - a series that has made Black Library an absolute motza and undoubtedly shone the spotlight on the careers of some BL authors that may otherwise likely not get that exposure is being wished to end by some fans for no real valid reason other than 'give me Terra already' and/or 'some of the stories I didn't personally like so the whole thing must be over the shark'. If you don't like them, just don't read them and let the people who do enjoy them be able to do so in peace.

It did feel at a certain point that the Death Guard were no threat whatsoever - as stated earlier in the thread, you can tell Hayley was writing to a brief which is expected. That brief most definitely contained a phrase to the following effect: promote the Primaris. The dragon thing had me puzzled - it definitely felt like we were meant to recognise that dragon, or at the very least keep his name stowed away for future memory. Perhaps he is going to be a recurring character? Ultimately, I feel like your main issue is that the book tried to cram too many things into it to be an effective plot. I can agree somewhat. It did have some nice parallels with the Horus Heresy - there was a Triumph at Ullanor, there was a Luthor moment, the uncertainty facing the Primaris as they come to the end of the Great Crusade, etc. I think this is what it was trying to achieve too.

No more loyalist Primarchs. I'd prefer no more Daemon Primarchs either. It just undermines the setting.