Unremembered Empire....initial review

[Scribe]

The Lost, yes and yes regarding Curze.

 

I dont have a page count for the Emperor bit, but its alluded to several times.

[Greyall]

Grayall, killable, yes. We are told over and over that Angron is mortal, near death, or dying. However the scenario to put him in that place needs to be suitable to his (and all the other Primarchs) position relative to the setting itself.

 

Due to precedent, that means dropping some skyscrapers on their heads, having them burrow 200 feet through solid earth/stone, then another 200 feet back up, proceeding to halt the downward stomp of a Titan, and walking away to then butcher an Ultramarine Captain.

 

Thats Angron.

 

Its not if a Primarch is killable, its the scenario that puts him there.

 

This is where we disagree, I think the Primarch's power can vary so a certain scenario may take place. I fully understand your point, it's just that I prefer it that way. Of course it irked me a bit to see Guilly in such bad shape against Legionnaires, but it was an awesome moment, both for the AL and Roboute. Doesn't mean the next time we see Guilliman he won't beat up Curze, it can happen.

 

About precedent, it's true Betrayer puts both Angron and Lorger in battlefield-sweeper territory, but it's in the same book that Angron gets some good chunks of meet blown off by Ultramarine bolter fire.

 

In a way, i agree with you in terms of offense, Primarchs should be able to down lots of Marines while they're still thinking about firing, but once the fireworks start, they can't just dive into the bullets.

[Scribe]

Yeah, like I said this likely isnt going to end well (or ever).

 

Primarchs are, on paper, in canon, diving into bullets. Corax does it, Angron does it. I dont want to detract from this book anymore though, as one scene does not a book make.

[Vazzy]

I look at the primarchs the same way I look at comic book heroes. Their power level is whatever the author needs it to be for that particular scene. It's a lot easier that way. 

 

 

But you guys keeping arguing needlessly,because no ones going to concede, which is okay, as it's fun to see everyones perspective.

[Greyall]

@Scribe: My 'Likes' for the day are all gone, but we agree on disagreeing here. =)

[Ekim_Trub]

According to Lexicanum there is a cameo from the Raven Guard in Chapter 4 (a Verano Ebb- Captain of the Silence Squad?), is this true and can someone tell me what they do and what is the Silence Squad?

[Scribe]

No answer for either trub, they, the Iron Hands, and Salamanders do (as best as I can recall) nothing in the book.

 

The White Scar does, but thats about it.

[Emperor's Furor]

They listen to an old woman lecture them about working together then rush off to help Roboute. After a funny line that goes something a long the lines of "should we be worried that both the white scars and space wolves can relate themselves to Curze?" they run back to where they started. The Salamander thinks he hears a heart beat from Vulkan at the end.

[Ekim_Trub]

Thanks Scribe.

[Kol Saresk]

Okay, I think I've finally organized my thoughts for a review.

 

 

This was a good book. Literally, I think it is something most, if not all, of us can agree on, despite what little quirks we may or may not have with it.

 

Things I was kind of iffy on.

 

1.) Curze. Now, some will sit there and go "Kol, weren't you just defending the portrayal of Curze?" Remember, almost every single post I also said Curze was OTT, and I still stand by that. At the same time, I am also of the impression that Curze is coming across as OTT because usually we're seeing a sword shoved through his back, or him getting cut up into a thousand pieces and going into a coma where his hearts give out thirty-nine times while he lies in a coma for two weeks. We're used to seeing him at his low point. So a high point is rather new and slightly a bit overwhelming.

 

2.) It seemed like the setting was too huge. Kind of like the game Dishonored where you're shown bits and fragments of this huge whole, but the story only takes in this one portion. At the same time, it leaves plenty open for the future. Like what exactly a Silence Squad is for example.

 

3.) Narek. IIR Vulkan Lives Correctly, Narek was shown as a Word Bearer who still viewed the Emperor as a god, but fully supported the Heresy, just not the warp-taint that was running rampant through out is Legion, or the way his brothers welcomed it. But for most of UE, he comes across as a Loyalist similar to Dantioch, but going solo versus trying to join another Legion.

 

Good things

 

1.) Guilliman's reaction to what seemed like a sudden betrayal. The way it kept flowing from thought to action reminded me of those fight scenes from the Robert Downing Jr. Sherlock Holmes movies.

 

2.) Curze finally being in his element. Here, we finally get to see the Night Haunter. No more false nobility, or "I did it for the greater good" or any of that. Here we see Curze for the monster he really is. And boy did Abnett pull out the stops. The synchronicity with his visions, the invisibility from way back in Dark King that we've only seen since being used by Corax, the traps, the confusion, the terror, yeah. It was awesome. A bit OTT but awesome.

 

3.) The balancing of the Primarchs. I honestly think Abnett did a spectacular job with this one. When Primarch bleeds, they all bled. Guilliman bled from wounds to his unarmored neck and face. The Lion bled from several wounds inflicted by Curze. Curze bled from wounds from Polux to Guilliman to Vulkan. Vulkan was the only Primarch who came close to being OP, but his sheer insanity helped balance it out in my opinion.

 

4.) 'And you have defied corporeal physics to escape me, Imperial Fist,’ Curze whispered, his words issuing as though they had been ground out between millstones. ‘Come. Does no one else wonder at that?'

 

I have no earthly idea but I found this hilarious. In a way, it reminded me of the slapstick comedy we see from characters like Freddy Krueger and the Joker I guess.

 

5.) The story always flowed. Literally. I can't think of any one place where it halted or even slowed down.

 

 

EDIT: I just realized I had two point 4s.......

[Scribe]

Agreed on most points Kol. Love your point 4 as well. :D

[Xin Ceithan]

I feel Kol sums it up fine

 

and am totally rad with Curze being totally OTT ;)

[Scribe]

Excellent, so we can let Kol, the Night Lord fan, show us the way to peace and happiness. I am ok with this..(okay even...)

 

:p

[Apothecary Vaddon]

It certainly did flow. Before I knew it, I was at page 200 with no real recollection of how the hell I got there, just that I did and that it was on a five-star hotel with wheels.

[Brother Heinrich]

On a semi-related note, has anyone else had difficulty downloading the ebook version? I purchased it last night but every time I click to download it nothing happens. I've tried it on three separate networks now.

[Stonerhino]

Kol, the only thing I disagree with is Cruze being ott.  He is what I would expect him to be.  Any Primarch in their element should be ott, within limits.  And at no time did I sit back and think wow Cruze is just to good or feel his abilities went to far.

 

Edit:

Nope Ebook worked perfectly.

[Scribe]

On a semi-related note, has anyone else had difficulty downloading the ebook version? I purchased it last night but every time I click to download it nothing happens. I've tried it on three separate networks now.

 

Yes, are you using Chrome? I had to fire up IE to get it.

[Brother Heinrich]

I'll try that.

[hopkins]

anyone else enjoy the comment about parking drop pods?

[Conn Eremon]

It didn't seem to me that Curze actually had invisibility, like they showed Corax with. In that, Corax can stand right in front of you in broad daylight and you wouldn't even notice. Curze was more of a darkness thing. If there was a shadow, no matter how impossible it would seem to hold him, it could. It was things like when the Ultramarines are fighting him and one sees like the flicker of a shadow brush against another Marine, which sends him flying, eviscerated. Or when

Guilliman's mam

sees Curze appear as if he had somehow came from a crack in the wall, hidden in shadow.

 

However, there is a point I'd add to Kol's list that really sold the book for me:

5) MAMA. SMURF.

 

Though my initial misgivings were waylaid, I do feel that the scene on the steps between Guilliman and the Wolves still felt off. Thankfully, it wasn't all that terribly repeated elsewhere, so instead of it being indicative of the whole it was only a hiccup along the way.

 

Though there was a single point where the 'plot armor' of Curze rubbed me the wrong way. Because it was kind of corny.

 

 

The Lion stands over Konrad Curze, who is completely unaware of his presence. He is absolutely certain the Lion is below. The Lion readies his blade, tenses his muscles for the inevitable execution that is about to come when "HI, LION, WE FOUND SOME SORT OF BRIGHT BEAM OF SPACE, WHATCHA DOIN'?" comes over vox. Lion's response? Mild annoyance, cliched "This better be worth it" threat. I would have been LIVID.

 

[Brother Heinrich]

bingo, that worked. Man Black Library has gotten frustrating recently. Annoying little quirks and extra passwords, even got locked out after a couple attempts at a stupid mastercard ID thingy. JUST GIVE ME MY DAMN BOOK.

[lilMAC25]

Hmm, thanks guys.

 

That's kind of a bummer though. I was hoping to avoid more of Kyme's writing.

 

 

IMO

 

Vulkan Lives is the absolute worst book in the entire Horus Heresy.

 

 

Abysmal.

 

 

BUT, it is (IMO again) necessary to this novel.

[depthcharge12]

How does the whole mama smurf thing work out?

 

 

I know that his daddy got McStabbed when Rob was but a boy, so how did his adoptive mother live this long?

 

 

Its been what, almost 200 years since he was discovered?

 

 

Does it say that she had gotten super aging cream or something?

[Conn Eremon]

Agreed. First book I bought off of their website, and it was a hassle to do so. Which really kind of dissuades me from buying something else from their website, which is kind of counter-productive for them ain't it?
 

@lilMAC25: Unremembered Empire does well enough on its own to tell you what you missed that is important. You won't get details, but a lot of that book's horrors were in the details I hear.

 

Edit: On Mama Smurf:

They don't really go into their backstory much. He has memories of Konor, but 'mam' is absent in them. However, Guilliman is the 8th found. We have no idea when that is, but we do know the twentieth was about thirty years ago. She certainly isn't two hundred years old, unless the first eight were found within the first decade. But, considering her high place in Guilliman's court (his chamberlain and clearly valued advisor. She even talks down to the First Master, it's hilarious), it stands to reason that she'd probably be rejuvenated a bit like other mortals who live longer lives. With that in mind, a century, give or take a few decades, doesn't seem to extreme. She is very clearly at the end of her lifespan, though. She is damn old, rejuvenated or not, victim or not.

[Balthamal]

On the subject of Gulliman getting owned by 10 Legionnaires I hope people aren't forgetting what happened when Fulgrim took  a pasting off his elite.

 

But enough of that. I think any Primarch in his element within an environment where they truly excel would appear as overpowered as Curze does. The Lion ambushed Curze and carved him apart in moments when he managed to get the drop on him, something that isn't exactly expanded upon but when Abnett describes him as a huntsman, we're reminded that a childhood surviving Caliban has made him exactly that. The same could be said of Gulliman. Put him at the start of a campaign and give him carte blanche to plan out the particulars and he'd win because that is where he excels. Dorn and Perturabo, put them in front of a fortress or in the fortress and they'll come to the fore.

 

Its nice change to see Curze on the front foot for a change given ADB always writes him with his back to the wall as it were (which granted is something he is peerless at)