Grey Knights Omnibus

[minigun762]

I've read a fair amount of the BL books out there but nothing from the Grey Knights.

I saw the new Omnibus on Amazon (on sale too) but wanted to see if its worth picking up.

[templargdt]

I've only read the first book of the series, and it was an enjoyable enough book. Personally, I thought a couple of bucks for a story about my favorite army was a fair trade. And hey, if it sells enough maybe GW will get off their half moons and update our codex sometime before I have a kid.

[Alanter]

Worth, I read the first one and am going to by the other 2, soon.

[Chapter Master Gabriel]

I actually just finished reading the Omnibus recently. The entire series is a good read. Prepare yourself - favorites will die.

[Peredyne]

I've read all of the GK books, and it really struck me as a perfect kill-team set up. Good reads. I think the Eisenhorn series is better, but the GK books are worth a read in an omnibus edition.

[Adam_R]

Ben Counter when he first started writing 40k fiction, i personally think their not worth the read unless your a GK fan. Could always grab one of the free extracts for a taster.

[number6]

Having a literature degree, I must admit to being something of a fiction snob. :P For me, the Ben Counter books are utter crap. Relatively predictable, relatively flat characters, pedestrian writing, and worst of all: not very compatible with the GW game fluff as presented to us in the various game books (e.g., the two BRBs since the codex was released, the codex itself, etc.).

 

I haven't yet found a BL writer that I actually enjoy that isn't Dan Abnett.

 

Then again, most IP-derivative fiction (e.g., Star Wars, Star Trek, Warhammer, Halo and other video games, etc.) is written at a fast pace by journeyman authors who haven't established (or haven't been able to establish) themselves as indepedent properties. Such fiction is written just to make money (for the author, for the IP holder), and therefor isn't necessarily cared for in the same fashion by the people shepherding such works through the publication process.

 

Not that 90% of everything isn't crap -- it is :) -- but in my experience, much more than 90% of IP fiction is crap.

 

Obviously, lots of 40K aficionados like a lot of the BL fiction. YMMV. As I said, I'm considerably more fussy than I think the actual target market of BL is.

[Dragons]

Having a literature degree, I must admit to being something of a fiction snob. :P For me, the Ben Counter books are utter crap. Relatively predictable, relatively flat characters, pedestrian writing, and worst of all: not very compatible with the GW game fluff as presented to us in the various game books (e.g., the two BRBs since the codex was released, the codex itself, etc.).

 

I haven't yet found a BL writer that I actually enjoy that isn't Dan Abnett.

 

Then again, most IP-derivative fiction (e.g., Star Wars, Star Trek, Warhammer, Halo and other video games, etc.) is written at a fast pace by journeyman authors who haven't established (or haven't been able to establish) themselves as indepedent properties. Such fiction is written just to make money (for the author, for the IP holder), and therefor isn't necessarily cared for in the same fashion by the people shepherding such works through the publication process.

 

Not that 90% of everything isn't crap -- it is :) -- but in my experience, much more than 90% of IP fiction is crap.

 

Obviously, lots of 40K aficionados like a lot of the BL fiction. YMMV. As I said, I'm considerably more fussy than I think the actual target market of BL is.

 

 

 

Wow.. Pretty harsh... heh.. I wasn't going to post at all.. but this is pretty much hitting the nail on the head. I didn't really want to pick a fight un-intentionally which I seem to do when I'm harsh on something that people really are passionate about (40K.. Grey Knights.. Inq. forces) but I must say that 6 got it pretty much right here.

 

I read them because I am a grey knight fan, even though I expected them to be pretty solid in the 'bad' category.. and it was.. bad. Not HORRIBLE.. but bad.

 

-Dragons

[Prathios]

Having a literature degree, I must admit to being something of a fiction snob. :D For me, the Ben Counter books are utter crap. Relatively predictable, relatively flat characters, pedestrian writing, and worst of all: not very compatible with the GW game fluff as presented to us in the various game books (e.g., the two BRBs since the codex was released, the codex itself, etc.).

 

I haven't yet found a BL writer that I actually enjoy that isn't Dan Abnett.

 

Then again, most IP-derivative fiction (e.g., Star Wars, Star Trek, Warhammer, Halo and other video games, etc.) is written at a fast pace by journeyman authors who haven't established (or haven't been able to establish) themselves as indepedent properties. Such fiction is written just to make money (for the author, for the IP holder), and therefor isn't necessarily cared for in the same fashion by the people shepherding such works through the publication process.

 

Not that 90% of everything isn't crap -- it is ;) -- but in my experience, much more than 90% of IP fiction is crap.

 

Obviously, lots of 40K aficionados like a lot of the BL fiction. YMMV. As I said, I'm considerably more fussy than I think the actual target market of BL is.

 

I think I enjoy them because I try to. They are enjoyable if you don't read them with a critical eye (like six! :P ) Of course hes right about the genre as a whole, because most IP stuff does indeed stink.

 

However I was surprised when I got into 40k because the BL stable of books is actually superior in quality to most other series. Out of all the IP stuff I've read (which is considerable) the BL has by far the best written or at least entertaining books. This is of course influenced by their star child Dan Abnett. But I have yet to read a BL book that I didn't enjoy. Some have come close...

 

The GK books are fun for a fan of the Grey Knights but they are more on the low side of the spectrum, they have tons of inconsistencies and Counter probably didn't even read the codex for source material which is a shame.

 

I have one question for Six though. Have you read much of Sandy Mitchels work or William King's stuff? I very much enjoyed the Space Wolf and Ciaphas Cain books.

[Daedalus Templarius]

They are an entertaining read, not the most mind blowing stuff ever. Nothing much has topped Horus Rising (by Abnett of course) for me yet, other than maybe Eisenhorn and some Ravenor stuff(hmm, also by Abnett).

 

They are good if you are a GK fan. I wish there was some more GK stuff out there, but I guess they might be kind of difficult to write for since they are supposed to be inured to things that would drive a regular SM insane, and all that psychosurgery they always talk about... might make them kind of stiff to write. Ben did a good job though, I especially like his descriptions of the varied locations in which they travel (the crazy daemon-flesh world at the beginning of the first book was great).

 

Hopefully in the next book, Alaric will team up with that inquisitor or something.

[Doomaflatchi]

I've kinda got to agree with number6 on the state of this trilogy. I thought the first book was enjoyable if you like Grey Knights, as it's really just a chance to get to see them in action. The subsequent books, however, I found to be varying degrees of worthless. Dark Adeptus suffered from horrendous pacing problems and a complete lack of character development, while Hammer Of Daemons was more of a Chaos book than a Grey Knight book - after the first chapter, you could substitute Alaric with Uriel Ventris or any other generic Space Marine hero and not know the difference. Combining this with the fact that Ben Counter has a previously mentioned penchant for ignoring fluff, I'd consider the entire Omnibus a waste of money. If you want to try them, pick up the first book on its own, but don't bother going any farther.

 

However, I do disagree with number6 on one point - Dan Abnett and Graham McNeill. While Abnett is the undisputed master at Black Library of character development and small-scale conflict, no one has the ability to compete with McNeill on interweaving a narrative with a large-scale confrontation. His books, like Storm of Iron, really make you feel like you're in the middle of large armies clashing with everything they have, rather than small clusters of men. <_<

[Grand Master Tyrak]

The GK books are fun for a fan of the Grey Knights but they are more on the low side of the spectrum, they have tons of inconsistencies and Counter probably didn't even read the codex for source material which is a shame.

 

Oddly, I would rate them low for a fan on that basis. They're a fair read, but I don't really identify the main characters as Grey Knights other than Tancred. The supporting characters seemed fair representations of Grey Knights, I felt, but the main guys seemed to be lacking the Grey Knight-ness. I suppose it's due to the central plank of Alaric doubting himself. To my mind, if your doubts keep coming back, you've never overcome them in the first place, and at times I find myself wondering how this guy ever got through the recruitment program. The fact that this premise then necessitates the introduction of a GK Chaplain just makes it even more controversial.

[number6]

I think I enjoy them because I try to. They are enjoyable if you don't read them with a critical eye (like six! :) )

Heh. Sometimes, there is a definite disadvantage to being "trained". I have a difficult time reading fiction without the critical analysis I learned to employ as part of my education.

 

My first job post-university was as a typesetter. I can identify most typefaces easily, and I now spot typographical errors as a matter of course. (I first noticed this when I watched "Star Wars" just prior to the release of the special editions in 1997, and I was mentally correcting the line-breaks of the opening text scrawl. <_<)

 

My housemate is a gun nut. (Doesn't own any actual weapons, but does own several dozen replicas that he uses in the plays and movies he writes and directs.) Watching action movies with him is always dicey because he notices every last detail about the weaponry ... and it's surprising how much Hollywood apparently gets wrong!

 

All this is to say that my opinions on literature and reading are ... rarefied. And I recognize my approach to reading isn't really appropriate to BL fiction (and IP fiction in general). Nevertheless -- and despite Yoda's disappointment -- I can't unlearn what I have learned. Doesn't mean other people won't get their money's worth out of the books. ;)

 

I have one question for Six though. Have you read much of Sandy Mitchels work or William King's stuff? I very much enjoyed the Space Wolf and Ciaphas Cain books.

I'm actually considering picking up the Cain books. There's lots on my queue right now, though, so it may be a little while. I'm eager to get back into the Patrick O'Brien series, for example...

 

Dan Abnett and Graham McNeill. While Abnett is the undisputed master at Black Library of character development and small-scale conflict, no one has the ability to compete with McNeill on interweaving a narrative with a large-scale confrontation.

I haven't yet really liked McNeill, but I haven't yet read Storm of Iron either, which is rather universally praised. I may have to give that one a look.

[Inquisitor Fox]

I have to generally agree with the Black Library fiction. Abnett's Eisenhorn series was fantastic, I got the Blood Ravens book (Dawn of War Omnibus) because there isn't any other background on the chapter besides the game itself and I was drawn to a new chapter that came out about the time I decided I'd have a small force of Space Marines (I had been avoiding them but it seemed inevitable, and it went nicely with my Inquisition forces to have a generic Marine chapter I could call on if I felt like it).

 

I bought the Inquisition War Omnibus because I wanted to read the Illuminati fluff that I came to learn was in the books, but haven't gotten to read them yet with the baby being due any time now and me taking care of my fiancé and doing housework :P

 

Now the artifact books (Imperial Infantrymans Uplifting Primer: Damocles Gulf Edition, The Imperial Munitorum Manual, Tactica Imperialis, The Inquisition, Xenology) I am incredibly happy with!

 

Most of the fiction though... meh. I'm not an English Major/Degree Holder (Economics Degree here with an emphasis on Statistics) but I've noticed the same conclusions Number6 has come to. I guess I've gradually became more a book snob the older I get and the more books I read.

 

Haven't yet read the Ravenor series.. I need to get the Eisenhorn Omnibus first, then I'll get the other Omnibus when it comes out. The Dawn of War Omnibus actually had at least one extra short story inserted that really helped with the fluff and background of the Blood Ravens so I was much happier getting the collection all at once, so I'm tempted to do that with the other ones too.

 

EDIT: I should add I've actually been thinking about Faith and Fire (the SoB one), but haven't heard much about it, so I haven't grabbed it yet pending talking about it on this board.

 

I realize none of this was about that particular series, just more of my experience with Black Library books as a whole.

[Prathios]

I'm telling you all right now, READ CIAPHAS CAIN. Sandy Mitchels stuff is right up there with Abnett though with a twist. The Cain books are comedy. They are very fluffy, and still dark, but the inserted humor is fantastic and the character development is amazing. Do yourself a favor, its the best stuff in the BL stable outside of Eisenhorn. Grab the Omnibus, it will be the best ten bucks you ever spent. :woot:

[Dilgar]

I´ve soon finished the two first and over half way on the last, so far ok, not as good as the Wood Elves book or Faith & Fire (SoB), but a ok read.

[Marid]

The first book is worth a read if you find it at a used book store. The second two are crap. The third wouldn't be a bad Conan, but it isn't Conan. It is the far distant future. With gladiators, slave ships, crowds howling for blood, and ... wasn't this about the future again? I know it is 40k, which is fantasy in space, but the only 'space' in the third book is the epilogue. Terrible.

 

Dan Abnett is king. The rest simply lick his boots and pick over the scraps he leaves behind.

[Gentlemanloser]

I agree with the above.

 

The first is ok, I enjoyed reading it. Not the best book I've ever read, but an enjoyable 40K book.

 

The second started to devolve, and felt a lot less 'Grey Knight'.

 

The third. Ughh. Nothing to do with the Grey Knights, Conan in space is a nice comparison, and it made the Lead charcater even more of a sham.

[Tyrannicide]

Sometimes I think to myself, if Abnett had clones that could cover other races and factions of the 40k universe, the Black Library would be one hell of a company. Quite honestly, as of right now, I've only really enjoyed Abnett. Eisenhorn is my favorite book, regardless of category and Brothers of the Snake isn't too shabby either. And from what I've read, I like the Gaunt's Ghosts series too. For whatever reason, Reynold's Dark Apostle really stuck with me, and I enjoyed it immensely. Other than that I've only really been able to benefit from the Ciaphas Cain series and Angels of Darkness. Anything else from the Black Library I've found to be tolerable and sometimes outright horrible. I hope we see a change in the quality of writing in the near future, which I believe we will with writers like Nick Kyme and Henry Zou rising through the ranks.

[Thaelion Hexis]

I have only read Dark Adeptus and have enjoyed it so far. I really should finish it, though I have a really low attention span for reading.

[ripath]

It depends on what type of reader you are. If your like Number six and trained to be a picky reader then probably not. If you are like me and don't really watch tv and instead rely on books and other things to get your blood guts and mayhem fix then I would strongly suggest it.

 

On the subject of black library novels I so far have only really disliked one which I made a thread about not too long ago. So I strongly disagree with number six and other people that have similar views of the books. They do have valid points not every story is perfectly crafted by the rules that some long dead person laid down centuries ago, and most don't examine the human condition. But I'm not interested in Language arts class being in my 40k time. Not saying that self reflective books with carnage and action aren't good, just that they need to be had in moderation. Otherwise the black library would become anime esque with horrible montages, yelling matches, and never dying villians.

 

Also Number 6 I have a question for you that I have always wanted to ask a lit major: How do you feel about a big hunk of steel?

[number6]

Also Number 6 I have a question for you that I have always wanted to ask a lit major: How do you feel about a big hunk of steel?

 

I also have a minor in astronomy. Can I answer with that half?

[ripath]

I also have a minor in astronomy. Can I answer with that half?

 

 

awww Now I can't make the point as well. :tu: oh well, if your wondering its what I wanted to ask my last english prof after he asked how I felt about a person's inner beauty. Both sides basically don't think about things like that so the question was going to help demonstrate just how much your preferences determine wether or not you will like something.

 

Wait a second I said steel not iron. Yes you may answer in astronomical senses because last time I checked there were hunks of iron floating around in space not steel.

[number6]

In my opinion, iron is very useful when you want to make steel.

[Prathios]

In my opinion, iron is very useful when you want to make steel.

 

In your opinion??? Hah, yes it's, "useful" in making steel. It's very "useful". ;)