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about the books


kalle

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That largely depends on what you define as "good". If you mean entertaining, then yes, many of them are entertaining, but in the Arnold Schwarzenegger kind of way, lots of running around, shooting, explosions, etc. So compared to say Rowling (who I think is a total hack but that's off topic) yes they are very good, especially Abnett's stuff, but compared to say Wilde or Bulgakov well--they lack literary value in that they are neither establishing archetypes nor making any kind of statement about anything or even relating to human experience in any interesting or original way.

 

But hey explosions are fun, and comparing game based sci fi novels to literature is kind of like comparing bubblegum to lobster, both serve their purpose although one is generally considered the "finer" choice and for good reason.

That largely depends on what you define as "good". If you mean entertaining, then yes, many of them are entertaining, but in the Arnold Schwarzenegger kind of way, lots of running around, shooting, explosions, etc. So compared to say Rowling (who I think is a total hack but that's off topic) yes they are very good, especially Abnett's stuff, but compared to say Wilde or Bulgakov well--they lack literary value in that they are neither establishing archetypes nor making any kind of statement about anything or even relating to human experience in any interesting or original way.

 

But hey explosions are fun, and comparing game based sci fi novels to literature is kind of like comparing bubblegum to lobster, both serve their purpose although one is generally considered the "finer" choice and for good reason.

 

What he said :huh:

 

Most of them are great fun, highly entertaining, and will bestow many nerd-points if you want to become an oficionado on the background of 40k.

What Rain and Pacific said, just adding my vote! Entertaining hamburgers, not steak nor healthy diet.

 

On the negative side, I find that reading more than 1 BL book without either a grown-up book or a few weeks break in-between tends to blacken my outlook on life in general, and inflame my anger towards the GW corporate machine and its legacy of dysfunctional gun-crazed teenage boys who shoot up schools...

a few weeks later I'm back to thinking it's all harmless tabletop fun!

 

John Wyndham, Isaac Asimov, Frederick Pohl, Iain M. Banks, Philip K. Dick; there are SOOOO many better books to read first, if you're reading to think, but if you're looking for a rollercoaster not a pilgrimage, they are a good series, and are certainly good for swelling your background knowledge.

 

If you are going to read them, definitely read them in order, don't miss any out, even the ones that most people think are the weaker ones.

Anyone have any idea why the top of the spines have a different coloured line across the top? Is it to show somehow the those particular books are linked i.e. Horus Rising, False Gods and Galaxy in Flames all have a red bar on the spine but Descent of Angels is green?

Good reads, yes. I enjoyed Flight of the Eisenstein, and Battle for the Abyss, particularly.

 

But from a gamer's standpoint, I dunno.

 

The second I read Guns of Tanith, I wanted a Guard army, but then when I assembled a small one, I found that all the stuff I read about just didnt translate. Space Marines might have a better chance in that regard, but I dont think it will be close enough.

 

Read the books! You'll enjoy them!

 

-P

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