Fear to tread

[Emperor's Scourge]

I haven't had much chance to really sit down and get in some good reading time. I'm about a third through it now. They've just hit the time period around Istvaan V and the Angels are about to receive their orders from Horus.

 

All I can say that pertains to your question is;

Erebus and Fabius Bile were just in the last chapter I read.

 

[Marshal Traben]

Got my copy of Fear to Tread today, with it came lapel a pin that had the Eye of Horus on it.

[daveNYC]

Wow, um that's a bit of a change to the fluff.

The Red Thirst doesn't turn the BA into raving nutters who need to be put down, maybe Sanguinus was just being proactive.

Should be an interesting read. I'm less excited to hear that

the Alpha Legion

is in it. Hopefully they don't do much, I'd hate to have them end up as the go to reason for why everything that's a thing happens.

[Sabadin]

Personally liked

That this book marks the point where everything starts slipping out of Erebus'/The Four Gods plans and Horus starts asserting himself firmly in the driver's seat of the Heresy. (AKA ordering Sanguinuis needs to be killed to ensure there's no competitor to his position as Warmaster/Champion)

[Perrin]

I could be wrong but I thought the Red Thirst first came out when Sanguinius was downed by Ka'Bandha and a few hundred Blood Angels died at once on Signus Prime? Can't remember where I read that though and it's not on Lexicanum so maybe i'm remembering wrong.

[Marshal Traben]

 

The Red Thirst has been there all along according to Fear to Tread, at Melchior Sanguinius said that the number of those who had succumbed to it had been few.

 

Ka'Bandha killed a company of 500 Blood Angels and more with the swing of an axe.

 

[DarKnight]

What do you guys think the the Alpha Legion was up to in that asteroid field in the beginning of the book? LOL

[Hephaesteus]

If I remember correctly. the Alpha legion tried to call Horus for aid before he went to Davin.

 

Reading Legion suggests the cabal and the Alpha's knew about the Heresy about 50yrs before it started. So it looks a lot like they tried to remove Horus from the place he would fall, before he got there. That raises the point about their loyalty, at least at first. Though it does seem there is a schism between Alpharius and Omegon about what side they are on as the whole shebang unfolds.

 

Back onto Fear to tread; the Alpha's didn't need the BA for the mission, they wanted Horus and couldn't get him. They just pretended they needed anyone else to help to keep up with their sneaky sneaky agenda. They are sneaky like that.

 

I am about 1/3 through now and it is all building nicely. A good read so far. Now back to the book I go!

 

 

edit: I may have misread what you meant there! I think Alpharius dressed up like Gork, Omegon like Mork (or maybe the other way round) and got the Orks so confused they didn't know what was happening...

[Angel of Solitude]

So having just finished this book, one of the things that I liked was how

as with the Dark Angels, the Blood Angels were effectively forced into breaking the Nikaea Edict as it was the only way to effectively counter warp daemons. It was also hinted at that the Space Wolves essentially ignored the Edict, somehow believing that they had found a loop hole in the rulings and that their Rune-based power was exempt.

 

On this basis, I'm guessing that in future books a similar story will be revealed for how the other loyal legions were essentially forced into breaking the Edict. I'd guess that the Ultramarines must have something to do with Calth, although I can't see how the Imperial Fists may work - perhaps they see other legions doing so in the defence of Terra, and think "what the hell?" and go for it?

 

Likewise, for the Grey Knights to develop, there must also be a time when Malcador himself issues the order to break the Edict. Maybe this is where the Garro series is heading?

 

The other thing I wanted to check was that at the end, it seems that Kano becomes the last surviving librarian in the whole chapter? Quite a burden then to be repsonsible for developing and training the Chapter's Librarian population.

 

[amaze07]

Just finished it the other day,one of the best one's in the series ,great pace to it,I was especially interested in the in end

With Roboute showing up was not expecting that all wish they could of show us a bit more of that conversation!!

but all in all great book!!!

[Blood Angel Scout]

quote name='amaze07' date='Aug 20 2012, 12:12 PM' post='3153427']

Just finished it the other day,one of the best one's in the series ,great pace to it,I was especially interested in the in end

With Roboute showing up was not expecting that all wish they could of show us a bit more of that conversation!!

but all in all great book!!!

Should re-read the last few pages, it's the Blood Angels who end up in

ultra's territory

 

[lords2001]

Triple post fail.

[lords2001]

Finished it - the beginning was awesome - the first 50% gives a great feeling of a great doom descending on the BA - awesome work.

 

Second part was decent too, though not quite the same level of... page turning draw in.

 

Do note that they show the red thirst in this book, NOT the black rage. No major fluff changes as far as I can see. Though Radeloreon is less... awesome than I would hope, at least compared to some other first captains (Abaddon, Sevetaar,etc).

[lords2001]

Finished it - the beginning was awesome - the first 50% gives a great feeling of a great doom descending on the BA - awesome work.

 

Second part was decent too, though not quite the same level of... page turning draw in.

 

Do note that they show the red thirst in this book, NOT the black rage. No major fluff changes as far as I can see. Though Radeloreon is less... awesome than I would hope, at least compared to some other first captains (Abaddon, Sevetaar,etc).

[amaze07]

@ Blood Angel Scout

 

I did read the end,and I know they were in

Ultramar

,just was not expecting him to show up.

[daveNYC]

It was a good read, but nowhere near the best of the series. Having the

Alpha Legion

in there wasn't a bad thing, it let the readers wonder their motives for asking for help in their attack. The

Space Wolves

on the other hand didn't add much of anything. They showed up, acted all git like when they were called on having a

Rune Priest in their group (seriously, the BA see the Wolves openly breaking Nikea and then just let it slide?)

then they make a few cryptic comments and then get crumped.

 

Finally two things:

Is there anyone who is taking the Emperor's edict against psykers seriously? So far there are two loyalist legions who bust out the Librarians when things get tough, and there's the Wolves who never got rid of their Librarian equivalents to begin with. If GW ever decides to validate the theory that the Blood Ravens are 1k Sons loyalists, they've got a pretty easy way to set them up as a chapter since they could potentially get initial support from the DA and BA.

 

Secondly, we've now got a situation where Sanguinus and Guilliman are in the same system at the same time, and yet the BA manage to get to Terra to help out at the siege and the Ultramarines don't. That should set the tongues to wagging.

 

[Angel of Solitude]

Finally two things:

Is there anyone who is taking the Emperor's edict against psykers seriously? So far there are two loyalist legions who bust out the Librarians when things get tough, and there's the Wolves who never got rid of their Librarian equivalents to begin with. If GW ever decides to validate the theory that the Blood Ravens are 1k Sons loyalists, they've got a pretty easy way to set them up as a chapter since they could potentially get initial support from the DA and BA.

This was the thing I picked up on most from the book, essentially we've now seen the same thing happen in two successive HH books. I think the reality is, Librarians are fully incorporated into the post-HH Codex Astartes world, so we already know that

the Emperor's edict is going to be well and truly broken at some point. I think the reason why it's being broken is straight fowards: it is the only way to counter the power of the warp. This was the rationale for both the DA and the BA.

 

 

Now what I'm looking forward to is what happens with the Ultramarines and Imperial Fists, particularly with the IF being based on Terra...

[Siege40k]

I did think the culmination was a 'bit' anti-climactic from a cinematic standpoint. However, the feel I now get for the Blood Angels is much better (and why Papa Smurf included them in the Dauntless Few)! (not a smurfs fan but I sure as hell respect a few of them).

 

I do have to say though the character who stole the show for me was a none to subtle tearer of the flesh....

[DarKnight]

Finished it - the beginning was awesome - the first 50% gives a great feeling of a great doom descending on the BA - awesome work.

 

Second part was decent too, though not quite the same level of... page turning draw in.

 

Do note that they show the red thirst in this book, NOT the black rage. No major fluff changes as far as I can see. Though Radeloreon is less... awesome than I would hope, at least compared to some other first captains (Abaddon, Sevetaar,etc).

I think you were mistaken brother. Raldoron mentions the "company of death" multiple times, as well as marking the angel that Sanguinius dispatched early on in the book with the black armor of the M41 death company. Death Company Blood Angels are afflicted with the Black Rage, not the Red Thirst.

[Perrin]

Finished it - the beginning was awesome - the first 50% gives a great feeling of a great doom descending on the BA - awesome work.

 

Second part was decent too, though not quite the same level of... page turning draw in.

 

Do note that they show the red thirst in this book, NOT the black rage. No major fluff changes as far as I can see. Though Radeloreon is less... awesome than I would hope, at least compared to some other first captains (Abaddon, Sevetaar,etc).

I think you were mistaken brother. Raldoron mentions the "company of death" multiple times, as well as marking the angel that Sanguinius dispatched early on in the book with the black armor of the M41 death company. Death Company Blood Angels are afflicted with the Black Rage, not the Red Thirst.

 

Black Rage was caused by Sanguinius' death, and the Death Company contains marines suffering from red thirst and/or the black rage. And there's the possibility that over 10,000 years the Death Company has changed/evolved from what it was designed for.

[nagashnee]

I have finished the book and as such present my own thoughts on the matter. Mild spoilers ahead stop here if you have not read the book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let my start by stating that i do not think this is a bad book, simply not a good one. I consider it Swallows finest BA work to date, and, while that may not mean much too many ( me included) it is still noteworthy. As other before me have already stated Fear to tread suffers from wooden and uninspiring characters. Raldoron and Azkaellon are the most glaring examples of this, both we know from other HH works are regarded not only as the finest the IX legion has to offer, but as some of the greatest living Space Marines of the crusade. Yet thru out the novel i never once cared for them, they never intrigued me or made me go 'wow, these guy are pretty awesome/interesting'.

 

I feel the book suffered from a lack of a clear protagonist, a Loken or Garro and the like. To make matters worse i feel we were given no introduction to the legion as a unique entity amongst its peers. Swallow continuously told us who the Blood Angels are, their nobility and humble characters and how Sanguinius was this or that, but he never showed us any of it. I never viewed Raldoron acting humble, instead i heard him state it as fact nearly on the same page as we were told of this fact. This lack of character introspection not only ties into my previous point, but goes further making things that should have been special and shown as such seem mundane and uninteresting, be it the Sanguinary guard, the almost total lack of legion ideals and traditions most glaringly.

 

I feel the red thirst was poorly handled, by leading the book with its existence and impact on a legion and Primarch we have not yet experienced or become in any way attach too ( i guess he expects all readers to be die hard Blood angel fans before hand) i find robes the event of any real impact. Ditto for Horus finding out, honestly who cares? Not the reader, he doesn't know any of these people or this legion or how this discovery will affect them, what struggles and challenges they have faced because of it, or even their actions and sacrifices to keep it a secret, so somebody found out, who cares?

 

The space wolves i will not comment in any depth as other before me have done it already and far better then i could. They show up, they act tough, we never see them again. Where are the insights into the legion differences? Where are the great debates like those had between the Sons of Horus and the Imperial fists in the early HH works? Like the Wolves i guess they got killed off screen, and like the wolves with the lack of any real insight into it, no one really cared.

 

Signus was handled well, but i cant really credit swallow here, the idea and events were not his invention, neither did he add anything of note to the proceedings. While handles it well enough the fact that to be it bluntly 'Sanguinius gets his grove back' within the space of the same novel labeled as ' The Angel Falls', and against the very opponent that is suppose to be his crowing moment of awesomeness at the siege of terra takes away any real impact of his loss and conflict.

 

The ending twist simply screams of money grabbing additional novels, but then again so does half the books so far.

 

 

Ultimately a good book considering the Author, but the mass of missed potential leaves me wishing someone else in BL had been given the project.

[Siege40k]

@Captain Kain: I may be giving the author more credit here than is due, but one of the funny things about the book was the fact that the blood angels all said they were honorable...noble...etc, the big exception being Amit. (He doesn't seem to be under any preconceived notions about what he really is...) The BA's are all wooden and the 'proper model' of an honorable chapter, when really they are just as blood thirsty, and terrifying as the world eaters....

 

Maybe the author intended for the BA's to be all wound tight, because down at the center, in their core, they all know just how brutal they could really be?

[DarKnight]

I have finished the book and as such present my own thoughts on the matter. Mild spoilers ahead stop here if you have not read the book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let my start by stating that i do not think this is a bad book, simply not a good one. I consider it Swallows finest BA work to date, and, while that may not mean much too many ( me included) it is still noteworthy. As other before me have already stated Fear to tread suffers from wooden and uninspiring characters. Raldoron and Azkaellon are the most glaring examples of this, both we know from other HH works are regarded not only as the finest the IX legion has to offer, but as some of the greatest living Space Marines of the crusade. Yet thru out the novel i never once cared for them, they never intrigued me or made me go 'wow, these guy are pretty awesome/interesting'.

 

I feel the book suffered from a lack of a clear protagonist, a Loken or Garro and the like. To make matters worse i feel we were given no introduction to the legion as a unique entity amongst its peers. Swallow continuously told us who the Blood Angels are, their nobility and humble characters and how Sanguinius was this or that, but he never showed us any of it. I never viewed Raldoron acting humble, instead i heard him state it as fact nearly on the same page as we were told of this fact. This lack of character introspection not only ties into my previous point, but goes further making things that should have been special and shown as such seem mundane and uninteresting, be it the Sanguinary guard, the almost total lack of legion ideals and traditions most glaringly.

 

I feel the red thirst was poorly handled, by leading the book with its existence and impact on a legion and Primarch we have not yet experienced or become in any way attach too ( i guess he expects all readers to be die hard Blood angel fans before hand) i find robes the event of any real impact. Ditto for Horus finding out, honestly who cares? Not the reader, he doesn't know any of these people or this legion or how this discovery will affect them, what struggles and challenges they have faced because of it, or even their actions and sacrifices to keep it a secret, so somebody found out, who cares?

 

The space wolves i will not comment in any depth as other before me have done it already and far better then i could. They show up, they act tough, we never see them again. Where are the insights into the legion differences? Where are the great debates like those had between the Sons of Horus and the Imperial fists in the early HH works? Like the Wolves i guess they got killed off screen, and like the wolves with the lack of any real insight into it, no one really cared.

 

Signus was handled well, but i cant really credit swallow here, the idea and events were not his invention, neither did he add anything of note to the proceedings. While handles it well enough the fact that to be it bluntly 'Sanguinius gets his grove back' within the space of the same novel labeled as ' The Angel Falls', and against the very opponent that is suppose to be his crowing moment of awesomeness at the siege of terra takes away any real impact of his loss and conflict.

 

The ending twist simply screams of money grabbing additional novels, but then again so does half the books so far.

 

 

Ultimately a good book considering the Author, but the mass of missed potential leaves me wishing someone else in BL had been given the project.

I felt EXACTLY the same way. Wasn't bad, but just not as good as it could have been. Raldoron was presented in 'Savage Weapons' as the equal of Sevatar, Abbadon, Sigismund etc. but did NOTHING remotely remarkable. Azkellon and his "killer's eyes" from 1K Sons did nothing to distinguish why he would be the Primarch's personal guardsman. A lot of potential was wasted with this one. But I can't say it bad bad per se. I wish A-D-B could write everything. Unrealistic and fanboyish. I know, sue me.

[nagashnee]

@Captain Kain: I may be giving the author more credit here than is due, but one of the funny things about the book was the fact that the blood angels all said they were honorable...noble...etc, the big exception being Amit. (He doesn't seem to be under any preconceived notions about what he really is...) The BA's are all wooden and the 'proper model' of an honorable chapter, when really they are just as blood thirsty, and terrifying as the world eaters....

 

Maybe the author intended for the BA's to be all wound tight, because down at the center, in their core, they all know just how brutal they could really be?

 

 

It is a possibility, but that would simply make him criminally negligent of BA heresy era background. All the background has for years ( the HH book series included) portray the legion as one of the most humble and down to earth of the lot, with a Primarch which is largely regarded as tied with Vulkan for the most caring/empathetic/kind. To believe swallow just wanted to retcon the entire thing into oblivion for no reason that i can see or imagine, as he does no portray them as particularly bloodthirsty, raging, berserk or anything of the sort would make this possible the worst book BL has ever produced.

[jeremy1391]

Reading it now and digging it! 'Bout damn time the blood angels got some HH love.