Vulkan Lives - Review (Spoilers)

[nurglespuss]

Vulkan Lives! – A book that made
me sad...

 

This review contains some
spoilers, so be aware of that before you read on... (I can't find spoiler tags sorry!).

 

 

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Well, I have not picked up a
Horus Heresy book for a little while, or any Games-Workshop/Black Library book
– due to the annoyance of waiting for it to come out in easy to manipulate
paper back, but, my fiancé grabbed me a digital copy that I read on my phone
(yes I felt dirty too). I’ve just finished reading this Nick Kyme offering and
was surprised by the type of literary adventure it matured into.

 

I must admit the start of the
book, I found a little slow and slightly irrelevant in places, but this is not
always a bad thing, and I hoped the book would clarify, metamorphosing into an
adventurous tale. I wasn’t disappointed here.

 

Now to talk about the generic
groups of characters, firstly the Salamanders. Now, I will reveal a secret,
despite painting one recently, having always loved the Promethian/Black
Smith/Vulkan imagery but, found the written imagery of the Salamanders, and
their Primarch, entirely boring. I was open (in fact hoping for) change, and
Nick Kyme delivered. Salamanders have been fleshed out from ‘slow’ space
marines, into rather emotional, introspective and philosophical beings, with
(unusually) a Primarch that is rather an individual with a foot in two worlds,
none of which seems to involve being a ‘Salamander’.

 

I will qualify this statement, Kyme
has Vulkan first interaction with the Salamanders as that as military saviour,
a big man brought in to save a walking disaster from becoming extinct, which he
achieves admirably we presume. However, Vulkan remembers his upbringing fondly,
he has ‘two Fathers’, and see’s a potential, peaceful future in agriculture. I
like this image, it says to me that while Vulkan is physically the strongest
Primarch, a mighty blacksmith with prodigious will power, tactical acumen and
personal resolve, he is ephemeral in this role.

 

Now, his legion, and
unfortunately Vulkan as a result, seem destined for tragedy. The image conjured
by Kyme is one of survival from one disaster to the next, which I feel is
cleverly mirrored in Vulkan’s experiences with Night Haunter (later). It (to
the reader) seems that the kindest thing that could have happened to the
Salamanders and their Primarch, was to make sure they all died on Istvaan V,
there is no happiness for anyone in green power armour in this book.

 

We are also given a glimpse of
the other surviving loyalist legions from Istvaan (Iron Hands and Raven Guard),
and it is an interesting one. The surviving Iron Hands seem to be taking things
remarkably well, considering their Primarch was beheaded by a brother in pink
very recently, and in fact seem to be coping much better than the Salamanders
(who don’t know if Vulkan lives – heh). In fact, their sarcastic, slightly
nihilistic humour is refreshing, they are true survivors (for a while). Whereas
the surviving Raven Guard featured are an interesting representation – the
avian quality of the chapter and Corax are highlighted, the method of funeral
rights is particularly interesting as a new concept – it bodes well for Raven
fluff.

 

The bad guys (Word Bearers) are
their usual, slightly inept, but defiantly evil (or at least immoral/amoral in
some cases) selves. They seem to have a plan, Erebus is still lurking around pulling
strings, but, they really fill the role of pantomime villains in this book. Now
this isn’t a dislike from me as they really are my least favourite legion,
especially Erebus (boo hiss!) but, it can be viewed as ‘slightly’ lazy.

 

However, the Word Bearers aren’t
the real ‘bad guys’ here, there’s a reason they are slightly one dimensional in
being ‘bad’ there is true evil present, there is Night Haunter, Konrad Curze.
In all the previous ‘fluff’ and literary offerings, I had a deep sympathy for
Curze, he was in that small group of traitors that were doomed to be as they
were, almost ‘Judas’ characters. Set points in time that will play out their
terrible part. I could sympathise with his catastrophic, prophetic visions, his
madness, his being the outsider etc. etc. This is forever changed.

 

As Vulkan's gaoler, this madman
causes a noble being to not only suffer terrible personal torture, but for that
being to inflict it upon others. I won’t go into details, but some of the
scenes (especially if you have a reasonable imagination) are truly disturbing,
disgusting in some cases, and would blow paltry films such as ‘Saw’ out of the
water. Some have left a mark on me, in fact, I believe the book should be an 18
if it were ever classified.

 

Back to the story of the book,
the survivors of Istvaan V are intent on preventing a Word Bearer dark apostle
from his terrible aims, having failed already to achieve this on another
Imperial planet. From the outset, you know they don’t really stand a chance,
they are out gunned, out manned, out manoeuvred, tired and injured physically
and mentally. In fact, they have become far more like shell shocked humans than
Space Marines. This situation is further complicated by the arrival of John
Grammaticus, a character that with this book, I hate.

 

He has given up on humanity,
because he is no longer really a part of it. He considers himself a puppet, and
actor in an inevitable play of fate. He plays his part, and it must be well
written, because the feeling of disappointment and dislike is palpable after
finishing the book.

 

As for the ending, well, suffice
to say, in one way or another, everyone you like, dies. Often in sad, senseless,
or selfless ways. So, this book left me feeling down, essentially, the bad guys
win, the annoying guys escape, the planet is screwed, Erebus is still alive, an
doubt Vulkan will live, but, is he ruined as a general? As a Primarch?

 

In conclusion, a well written,
well told story, with plenty of imagery, and some nice art prints too. It adds
little meat to the Heresy, but, does give some more flesh to the Salamanders
and Vulkan.