Majority mortal view in space marine books.

[Yogi]

I'll make it simple..

 

When you buy and read a book about space marines, and the book advertises itself to be about space marines. Are you cool with it mostly not being from their perspective?

 

 

I wish I could add a poll.. Anyone know how to?

[UltraHawk]

It depends on the subject matter and the skill in which the writer pulls it off, a very good example is Dan Abnetts Legion, it is almost entirely from the perspective of mortal men, which serves the pupose of keeping the Alpha legion misterous and not entirely not within a normal mans understanding.

You see this in the other Heresy books as well, such as the first three books, where you get to see things occasionally from the perspective of mortal remembrancers or iterators. This is important tool for the storytelling, to emphasise how powerful and godlike the astartes are.

[Gv0zD]

Do you refer to 'Legion'? :)

I don't mind if the book describes the Astartes from mortal's point of view. It give certain diversity. We know the space marines are super-humans, geneboosted warriors, brainwashed to feel no fear blah-blah-blah... We know this. And honestly, astartes' as they are described in codices should be automatons with great tactics and combat skills database in their brains, able to implement them all and being able to fight in almost every environment. Oh, and they have a great sense of duty for the Emperor. Of course it is a bit exaggerated ;)

While from the mortal's point of view an astartes is a demi-god, inhuman being, that overcomes an ordinary man in almost every aspect. I liked the moments in the first HH trilogy when the astartes were compared with mortals by those mortals (the remebrancers). The difference of two kinds was almost evident, and I imagined what would it be to find myself standing next to astartes, oh, that's so thrilling.

So, while it is good to see human aspects in astartes, it is also good to see their divinty in comparison with the simple mortal humans.

 

edit: typos

[Aegnor]

I think it is a useful device in HH novels because it helps illustrate one of the often overlooked reasons for the Heresy - the Astartes' anxiety in the new Imperium they were building. It was made explicit a few times in the first three that the large part of Horus' initial disatisfaction was that having conquered the empire, he and by extension the other Primarchs and Astartes were being relegated to the sidelines. What's the role of a wartime army once the war is over?

 

The human perspective is really useful because it comes at this from the other viewpoint - the realization from the remembrancers that the Astartes are not actually human, that it's only their loyalty that stops them being a threat, and to wonder as things get worse what happens once the interests of humanity and the interests of the Astartes diverge. There are some really good scenes along those lines - the girl remembrancer seeing Loken semi-naked and realizing he's not actually human as she understands it, the sculptor in Fulgrim, the way the Marines view Garro's serf in FotE, etc.

 

Some books need a bigger human role - like Legion, it would have utterly stuffed the book to have too much stuff from Alpha Legion's PoV. Prospero Burns is the one case where I think it went too far in terms of (a) human dominating the narrative. His role was useful, to allow the Wolves to explain themselves to someone, but was much too big.

[Brother-chaplain Astador]

I often feel a book from the perspective of someone veiwing the space marines through their eyes (ala the skjald) is better than reading from the marines perspective, it serves to keep the mystery while still giving enough insight.

 

I didn't feel like I was reading prospero burns from a mortals pov, I just felt as if I was reading about Space Wolves..

[Yogi]

Good points.

 

Ok so I guess I am the only one who finds it irritating.

[Jarl Kjaran Coldheart]

Good points.

 

Ok so I guess I am the only one who finds it irritating.

 

no, your not the only one.

 

i usually find it irritating myself, but Legion makes sense for a non-Astartes PoV.

I was hoping that Prospero Burns would be from a Wolf PoV, as it was the first novel length story about the Wolves set in the HH (after the amazing ToH short story i was anxious for MOAR!) and i was hoping it would clear up a few of the more messed up moments the Wolves were involved in. show their internal struggle of duty v brotherhood. which abnett managed to pull off (he is a pro for a reason) but as a "fanboy", i had untouchable hopes.

 

WLK

[obs0l3te]

Every one says the first three HH books were the best. Why? It had both points of view. I did not like PB. It seemed a huge let down in that aspect. We hardly saw Russ. It totally did not fit into any of the space wolf lore written. And the battle of prospero and nikea hardly any coverage. The title of the book and the way it was promoted was wasted. Great idea and concept but very poorly executed. Usually I'm inspired to play games or paint models after reading a book. But bot this one. I don't. Even feel the book had any strong characters in it. Not like Garro, Talos, or Spradon. These were strong main characters from various books. PB was very much lacking