Brother Pariah Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 So, I finished The Killing Ground, Graham McNeill's latest "Ultramarines" novel, a few days ago. I thought that there was something worth writing a bit of criticism about, and I figured that my post count here is high enough that some of you might be interested in what I have to write (sheerest hubris, I know). So here it is. Warning: here be spoilers. Not a lot of spoilers, but some. The Killing Ground is, at its heart, a ghost story. It basically starts out as a ghost story, and I was afraid that McNeill would switch gears partway through, and try to turn it into a military thriller or something, but he obviously knew what sort of novel he was writing and stuck to it. Supernatural events occur in the 40K universe, and horrible death occur (like, all the time) in the 40K universe, so it should come as no surprise that the dead should occasionally find it difficult to rest in peace. The actions opens right where we left off in the previous novel, Captain Uriel Ventris and his faithful friend, Sergeant Pasanius, are fleeing from the Eye of Terror aboard a daemonic locomotive, having completed their death oath. The train drops them off on a friendly (well, reasonably friendly) planet with a Very Dark Secret. Uriel is out of his depth but, being the charismatic chap that he is, starts making friends pretty quickly. The capital of the planet is pretty much Baghdad, circa now. The central government is holed up in a fortified palace, and heavily-armed military units sally forth now and then, but insergent activity is high. The reclaimation of the planet was particularly bloody, and the locals and the garrison units don't get along at all. The insurgents are lead by a man with the absurd name of Pascal Blaise. I half-expected his lieutenants to be Nietzsche Friedrich, Rousseau Jean-Jacques, and Descartes Rene, but such was not the case. Every time Pascal Blaise was mentioned, I couldn't help but shake my head in wonder at the silliness of it all. Was this a Rogue Trader-style silly name, perhaps? Like Keorn Asata, or Captain Khyrk? Anyway, it was distracting as hell. Several members (and former members) of the occupation force experienced dreams or visions of firey death, accompanied by the searing indictment: "You were there." This was kinda spooky, actually. Eventually, monsters possessed by the venegful spirits of the dead (massacred during the final hours of the invasion) are roaming the streets, all but invulnerable to the efforts of the PDF and the two Ultramarines. It looks bad for Our Heroes. Then, to make things worse, Uriel is arrested. By the Grey Knights. Suddenly the fate of the planet is out of Uriel's hands, and none of our concern any more. But that's okay, because the Grey Knights are seriously cool! One does not simply waltz into the Eye of Terror and back, at the head of a major daemonic/ghost incursion, and expect nobody to notice or care. The Grey Knights (these are like super Space Marines, and the premier daemon hunters in the Imperium, for the uninitiated) are concerned that Uriel may have been tainted, either in body, mind, or soul, during his time in the Eye. They test him (and Pasanius) and find him to be untainted. The tests are very evocatively-written, and are the most interesting parts of the book. Anyway, the Grey Knights fight alongside Uriel and Pasanius, but it's hard going. Eventually the rather anticlimactic ending rears its head. It turns out that to get rid of the ghosts, the heroes pretty much just have to get out of their way and allow the ghosts to achieve their retribution. The heroes were pretty much just making things worse be fighting the enemy. A bit lame, I think. Urield and Pasanius ride off into the sunset at the end, presumably heading home to Macragge. Characters: The characters all seemed to have plausible motivations, which certainly helped. The main villain (the Imperial Commander of the planet) was abviously some kind of psychopath, but he was the kind of psychopath that often seems to rise to power under some circumstances. The Grey Knights weren't taking any chances, but they clearly thought that Uriel was too valuable to simply kill. Most of the other characters were trying to deal with the guilt of their involvement in an atrocity in whatever way they could, but most of them clearly thought that death was all that they deserved. Writing: McNeill is improving, I think. He really engages the senses in this book, the sights and sounds and especially the smells of everything are described carefully. He's been taking notes from Dan Abnett, I think, especially from Horus Rising, which doesn't hurt. It still isn't very good, but it's better, at least. There is a bit of humor at Uriel's expense, which was good. Geeky details: Useful fluff was few and far between. Uriel asks what year it is, but the action shifts before we hear the answer. It is revealed that Sergeant Learchus was left in charge of the 4th Company during Uriel's absense. Also, at appears that Uriel does not have his Terminator Honours. I didn't notice any distracting variance from the established background material, and the descriptions of the various types of power armour were dead on. Final Verdict: As a McNeill Ultramarines novel, this is probably the best so far; McNeill is improving. As a 40K novel, it's a rather forgettable tale, though somewhat notable for its dip into the horror genre. As a novel, when compared against the greats such as Cervantes, Fitzgerald, Twain, etc., (or even Heinlein, Doc Smith, etc.) it's not worth the time spent reading it. But I suppose that's a bit unfair, isn't it? Overall, it wasn't good but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
minigun762 Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 I probably won't read the book, as I haven't read the rest of the series, but I'm curious if you don't mind going into more detail regarding the Grey Knights and the trials. You made it seem like its the coolest part of the book so you grabbed my interest with that. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1636316 Share on other sites More sharing options...
faroukh Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 well writen review i must say, But im a bit curious. do uriel and Pasanius go back to macgragge?? because that ws the only reason I wanted to read that book, i thought they'd both go back and lord calagar would't let them back into the chapter they once served. I also gathared from your review that it was more the style of dead sky black sun which i liked but i asumed that this book would be completly differant Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1636786 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Pariah Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 minigun762: A few images that caught my attention during the trials: Channels carved into the rock floor, into which was poured molten silver, forming a circle of protection. A ring of droning null-psykers, who looked like mummified corpses. Uriel plunging his hand into a cauldron of boiling oil to reach a sacred dagger. A Grey Knight Terminator (sans armour) beating the tar out of Uriel and Pasanius in a bare-knuckle fight. faroukh: Uriel and Pasanius only arrive at Macragge on the last page of the book. They speculate about what sort of reception they will receive, but we don't see what happens. It was rather different from Dead Sky Black Sun, in that it was more of a mood piece, rather than a blatant horror-fest. DSBS piled monstrosity upon monstrosity, saving the grossest for the climax. The Killing Ground was more about man's inhumanity to man. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1637041 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Idaho Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 review was pretty good. the best part of the book was far and away the Grey Knights, your right 100%. did anyone feel that the book was, like many BL novels, a little rushed? i feel like there is this huge plot building, then all of a sudden its all wrapped up in a typical anti-climatic and usually cheesey scene. just get the impression that the autors of BL novels are hampered by the size restrictions of a fast-food company. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1637052 Share on other sites More sharing options...
travh20 Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 I just finished it, and I liked it. I like all the ultramarine books, I am no book critic, nor scholar, so I guess that is why I liked it. I never did get a sense of dread in the book, except for when Uriel and Passinius got captured by the grey knights believe it or not. 99 times out of 100 once you are judged, that is it, you are a dead man. It seems that in all the other books in the series I kept thinking "these guys are screwed." I never got that in this book, and ususally that is when books are the best. When the character is in a situation that seem so impossible yet somehow they make it out, either by skill or just butt luck. I got that feeling a lot in the first 3 books, not so much in this one. They do make it home to Mcragee again at the end, but they do not land. They just circle the Fortress of Hera. I hope they get allowed back in and Calgar give Ventris his company back. I want to see a full company fight again. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1681182 Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertsjf Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I want to see a full company fight again. Assuming there's been enough time since Tarsis Ultra to build it back up.... I also enjoyed the story on account of it's variance from the tried and true BL Space Marine novel.... Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1682022 Share on other sites More sharing options...
travh20 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I think that time will ahve passed quickly since thier time in the Eye of Terror and the company will be rebuilt, but it will have a new captain. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1682200 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLACK BLΠFLY Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Maybe James Swallow will pen the next Ultramarine novel. Heh. 0b Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1683811 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vash113 Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Well I suppose improvement is better than nothing, still not going to shell out 20 bucks for the hard cover copy but when I can get my hands on a paperback version I may pick it up. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1686639 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavulg Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 ... There're hardcover BL novels? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1686907 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vash113 Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 ... There're hardcover BL novels? Yea, my copy of Brothers of the Snake is a hardcover, all the copies of Killing Ground around here are hardcover as well. But its far from the norm, most BL books are straight to paperback. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1686927 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Emperor's Champion Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Like Vash I'll be waiting for this to go paperback because the hardcover is too expensive and all the other BL books I have are paperback anyways. I wish I had hardcovers of the Eisenhorn trilogy tho... I hope they let Uriel back in but only because they already said they would (wouldn't want Calgar and Agemman playing mind games with their men). I hope tho that Learchus was promoted to 4th Captain and the Ventris gets stuck with being just a Sergeant or something. Ventris does not deserve a position of importance. In 600 years he was the ONLY Ultramarine to ever be kicked out. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1686981 Share on other sites More sharing options...
travh20 Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 He only got kicked out because that guy who reported him had a beef with him. His old captain seems to have done much worse breechs of the codex based on what I read, the only difference is no one reported him. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1689057 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Emperor's Champion Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Nope. He and Learchus have a lot of respect for each other. Learchus is a hardcore Codex Ultramarine while Ventris disregards it if it stands in his way. It was Learchus' duty to reprt Ventris' actions ESPECIALLY since 78% of the 4th Company died under his command and abandonment of command. Idaeus didn't do worse stuff. Idaeus would stretch the Codex and interpret it in strange ways but he never totally disregarded it or left his men without a commander in the heat of battle. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1689098 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar Molotov Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 It was Learchus' duty to reprt Ventris' actions ESPECIALLY since 78% of the 4th Company died under his command and abandonment of command. Indeed, and in Dead Sky. Black Sun, Uriel even tells Passanius that when they return to the Chapter he'll have to tell them about the bionic arm he received at Pavonis. It's clear that Uriel accepts Learchus did what he had to do. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1689103 Share on other sites More sharing options...
travh20 Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 That may be, but Ventris did what had to be done. If he stayed the world would have been destroyed along with the entire company. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1690617 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Emperor's Champion Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 No. The Deathwatch was perfectly capable of doing it. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1690625 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Idaho Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Or at least one of his Sergeants, or the Mortifactors, as the mavericks, could have done something. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1691074 Share on other sites More sharing options...
travh20 Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 But Ventris is not one to stand around and "let someone else do it". I personally dont think he should have been banished, but whatever. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1691559 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Emperor's Champion Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 If his duty was to be with his men and someone else could have been sent to do the mission THAT'S what he should have done. Anyways he got exiled for a lot of reasons aside from that. Ventris just failed at life on Tarsis Ultra. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1691661 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar Molotov Posted September 12, 2008 Share Posted September 12, 2008 Ultimately, the exile of Uriel and Passanius was a contrived plot-device to get Honsou and Ventris to interact. On one level we have to accept that. But from an in-universe point of view it shows us more. It shows us another side of the Ultramarines, and I like that a great deal. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1691686 Share on other sites More sharing options...
travh20 Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 WEll they definatly adhere to the codex, even to their own detrement. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1691869 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legatus Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 Unless some xenos come along and destroy their first company. That pisses the Ultramarines off so much (or scares them so much) that they are beginning to doubt the wisdom of the codex and the necessity for all-round training for their best men. Even if they managed to completely wipe out the xenos. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1692052 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Idaho Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 Unless some xenos come along and destroy their first company. That pisses the Ultramarines off so much (or scares them so much) that they are beginning to doubt the wisdom of the codex and the necessity for all-round training for their best men. Even if they managed to completely wipe out the xenos. Except the Tyrannic war veteran fiasco seems to have disappeared and been convieniently swept under the carget, along side Imperial jetbikes, Ork's having bolters, Eldar having lasguns, Marines having shuriken catapults and the Squats! So now we can be at ease knowing that we never broke from the Codex and inducted a specialist squad into our first company at all! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/141531-brother-pariahs-review-the-killing-ground/#findComment-1692066 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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