Jakbal Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 First of all ... I really liked this book until the end. This is the first real interaction we had with the emperor (which was awesome) and we got tons of background information for a legion and a Primarch. I love reading about the Primarchs, so I especially enjoyed that. It was also interesting because it showed a planet coming into compliance and rejoining the space age. I liked all that. I was very surprised that the book didn't really seem to delve into the Horus Heresy very much. Things I don't understand: 1. There is a librarian in the Astartes that descended on Caliban. I believe that this is the first Psyker we've seen in the Horus Heresy books and I was very surprised at his presence (and also that the protagonist turned out to be a psyker). At this point in time of the warhammer universe, I thought that psychic ability would be deeply frowned upon and completely stomped out by the Astartes. 2. What happened at the end of the book? Why did Zahariel fall out of favor with the Lion, especially after saving his life in the gunboat from the threat of the exploding visiting space craft, and then his participation in dissolving the threat of the warp entity on Sarosh. I don't understand why this up and coming star fell out of grace. Is it because of his interaction with Luther before the attack on Sarosh? I guess that those are really my questions. Other than that I liked the book pretty well. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Keyaetus Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 1: When Caliban and the Lion were discovered, it was before the Edict of Nikea so librarians would of been floating about around then. I remember reading- *Spoiler maybe* -(In fallen angels) that Caliban actually had a small amount of psykers. 2: For the second question, the next book Fallen Angels explains why it happened (or atleast their reason), never hear it actually from the Lion himself. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3147862 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pavement Artist Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 It is implied that the Lion knew something of Luther's doubts about disarming the bomb and allowing Jonson to be killed. I assume Zahariel was sent back because he was damned by association with Luther. One of the Lion's major flaws is that he is a poor judge of character and so he could have easily jumped to conclusions. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148156 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Keyaetus Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Maybe the Lion knew about the bomb and had it under control just incase, but wanted to test the loyalty of luther etc who he knew would of seen it, maybe due to having doubts about him previously Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148168 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onejackshort Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Have read nearly all the HH series but skipped the DA books... Not really into them but it seems I may have missed a good read !!! Should I get these 2 books??? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148397 Share on other sites More sharing options...
sponsra Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 The second one is far better than the first, but still, I feel you need to be into the Dark Angels to really appreciate them. Lot´s of knights riding around Caliban forests fighting monsters. Not so much Heresey stuff... Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148464 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morollan Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Have read nearly all the HH series but skipped the DA books... Not really into them but it seems I may have missed a good read !!! Should I get these 2 books??? The first book is I) awful and II) has little or nothing to do with the Horus Heresy. The second book is far better and actually has some connections to the HH. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148477 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brannick Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I found Fallen Angels to be a good foil for Descent of Angels. Mike Lee and Mitchel Scanlon should be given another HH book to take care of. Aaron, are Mike and Mitchel still involved in any capacity? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148551 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haranin Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Descent breaks the mold for most HH books; its mostly precontact with the Imperium. I think that throws alot of people. From a character development perspective, its necessary to make the Fallen understandable... they didn't start as a bunch of chaos worshiping fiends. They started as the knight protectors of Caliban. The Lion sent them back to Caliban after one battle, and didn't check up on them for looong time. They discovered things that would cause the Imperium to destroy Caliban if the Imperium knew. And a good chunk of them reverted back to their oaths to Caliban over their oaths to the Emperor. In the context of human v. Chaos, perhaps not the wisest decision, but understandable at this juncture of the Imperium. It was brand new... and at the time the decision was made the choices were 1. Stay with an Imperium that was falling apart (HH) that would nuke your world to a cinder; 2. go independent, hope with the chaos of the civil war to be overlooked; 3. go for Horus. Note during this decision process you have no idea what the Lion is doing, or if he is loyal or siding with Horus. People bond to their battle unit (squad/platoon), close family, extended family, clan, tribe, nation, world, (40k Imperium) and human kind. Generally closer the relationship, closer the loyalty. Picking a loyalty closer then the Imperium is very human. In 41k stupid to tempt chaos, but not so clear in the HH. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148587 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Orlok Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 The second one is far better than the first, but still, I feel you need to be into the Dark Angels to really appreciate them. Lot´s of knights riding around Caliban forests fighting monsters. Not so much Heresey stuff... This. As a DA fan, I enjoyed both, but I know plenty of people who just didn't care about the two books at all due to the fact that there is little to do with the Heresy in them. I am still hoping that there will be a third book to tie things off, but if we have to make do with a short story or audio book/play, then so be it. As long as we get the final confrontation between the Lion and Luther, I'll be a happy bunny. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148641 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakbal Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 I enjoyed the 1st book, and haven't read the 2nd. I was surprised by the 1st book because it is so pre-heresy ... and that wasn't what I was expecting. While I enjoyed the book it doesn't seem to really belong in the Heresy series (to me). Maybe the 2nd book will bring it around. I look forward to reading the next book when I can get my hands on it. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148656 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morollan Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I enjoyed the 1st book, and haven't read the 2nd. I was surprised by the 1st book because it is so pre-heresy ... and that wasn't what I was expecting. While I enjoyed the book it doesn't seem to really belong in the Heresy series (to me). Maybe the 2nd book will bring it around. I look forward to reading the next book when I can get my hands on it. If these books were not part of the HH series I think they would have been better received. I did however think the first book was pretty bad, particularly the ending. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3148661 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakbal Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 If these books were not part of the HH series I think they would have been better received. I did however think the first book was pretty bad, particularly the ending. I will agree that the book ended very poorly. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/258899-descent-of-angels-questions/#findComment-3149521 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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