Stormcaller by Chris Wraight

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The hypcrisy is imagined because the Wolves' argument is not "No psychic powers" but instead  "Psyker's powers should be limited".  To the Wolves the Librarius program had gone to far and despite Arhiman statements to the contrary.  We still see several Thousand Sons psykers pushing themselves beyond what they can control.

 

There is no hypocrisy in saying "Our powers come from Fenris" because they know that they are warp powered.  Like I said it is a mask worn to trick others. 

 

There is no hypocrisy in saying "Psyker's powers should be limited" when you are using psykers that are trained to be self limiting.

Let's say there's a politician who makes his reputation as a tireless crusader against drug use. But he goes beyond cracking down on illegal use, severe penalties for street level dealers, etc - he makes it his mission to make all drugs of any kind extremely inaccessible. People can't get their medication in effective doses. Hospitals are having to perform operations with insufficient anaesthic. It gets ugly. But let's say it's a society where illegal drug use is a particularly big risk, and voters buy into his "it's a slippery slope!" attitude wholesale, and he's wildly successful on this platform. After all, real 'dependency' on this stuff is a slippery slope. His opponents fall in line, and the ones who don't are part of ugly scandals where they're discovered having Scarface-style parties complete with piles and piles of illicit substances, and their careers are done.

 

Then it turns out our theoretical politician has his own drug lab and he's been moderately high for his entire political career.

 

When confronted, his reaction is first "Well, I made it myself, on my own property, and anyway I KNOW THE DOSE I CAN HANDLE! I was still able to function!" When it becomes evident this isn't going to get people off his back, he changes his response. "OK, fine! I tricked you! I lied about my personal beliefs. It was a mask to give me an advantage!"

 

Would you feel this politician was a little hypocritical? Or would your thought process be "Well, he didn't go for an outright ban, just a severe restriction of everyone's access - everyone's access but his, apparently - so fair play to him"?

 

I'm not saying I might not still like the guy or even vote for him; he might be interesting or charismatic enough to qualify for 'charming rogue' status. But I'd think of him as either delusional or an outright liar. 

 

I concede the Sons were out of control. Two wrongs don't make a right.

 

And I've never been convinced by any of the "we limit our psykers" arguments in any SW novel I've read. Maybe I'm reading the wrong ones...

[Stonerhino]

What if said politician was formerly a medical doctor and or chemist, had all the nessessary permits for his lab and perscriptions for the dosages he was using.  That said then hypocrite? no, currupt as all get out? for sure.  However if we are looking at a "Supprise...  Methlab" then yes he is a hypocrite.  I think you are moving into argumentum ad absurdum territory with this line of argument though.

 

Lets change it a little and use a real world problem.

 

I own several firearms but agree that there should be some gun control laws.  I also live in California (Very strict guns laws compared to other States for UK readers) so all of my firearms meet both Federal and State requirements.  One of them (my Siaga chambered for .223mil) would be called an "Assult Rifle" by most people, except by Fed and CA laws it is not.  So if a new law was introduced banning all "Assult Rilfes" using the current CA laws as the derterminer.

 

Would I be a hypocite if I kept my rifle???  By the new law it would not be an assult rifle becasue CA says it is not.  Even though it looks and functions exactly like one.     

 

And I've never been convinced by any of the "we limit our psykers" arguments in any SW novel I've read. Maybe I'm reading the wrong ones...

 

In Prospero Burns Abnett was a genius when he showed us native Fenrisian culture.  Not only did he foreshadow the "Wolves being Executioners" but also showed they had a "Built in fear of 'Malificarum' and that native Fenrisian psykers have a fear of learning to much".  It really is no different when you look at the White Scars' Stormseers.   Chogoris has a cultural self limiting of thier psykers.  In Scars Yesugei laments about Nikaea and how many other Librarians see the Stormseers as weaker because they don't delve as deeply as other Librarians but have better control.

 

The tragic part of the story is that Magnus' "The more the better" doomed the Librarius program.  Where as Jaghatai Khan's ideas for limits could have saved it.  Had the Stormseers not be lashed to the Librarius program I dought that the Emperor would have banned their use of psychic powers too.   
 

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Oh no. There's no way this will go anywhere good now. I regret bringing in my analogy.

 

You win, the Wolves aren't hypocrites, they are the best. Their actions regarding psychic powers throughout the Heresy were beyond reproach. 

 

Let's try and keep discussion to the book.

[Archaon9]

Going more on topic then were there any hints about what the 3rd book might cover? I'm guessing "Typhus is coming" means another Death Guard vs Space Wolves conflict unless there were other hints?

Can't think of many books featuring a Death Guard perspective, though seems like Nurgle is making more of an appearance in books lately I feel. Plague zombies everywhere I look. Miss the other gods of Chaos being villains. 

[Chaeron]

Plague Zombies are awesome though: so I don't mind.

 

If anything, Death Guard have never had enough love - so the more we get, the happier I am.

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Yeah, if the plague zombies continue to be as well-described as Wraight does them, I don't mind them being a bit overused.

 

(I agree that all Chaos Gods should be given equal showing - I'd love to see more Tzeentch acolytes as villains, especially human cultists.)

 

Finishing book two, I see the third book possibly going a couple ways:

 

 

First option: a narrative going back and forth between Jarnhamar's search for justice and Stormcaller preparing for a showdown with Typhus. Could be an incredibly epic conclusion to the series, though I don't know if GW would want to kill either of these named special characters, so that side of it might be a bit inconclusive.

 

Second option: Purely focusing on Jarnhamar on their crusade for vengeance, leaving the Stormcaller/Typhus thread for someone else to write. I'd prefer this, I think, because I would like a return to the dynamics of 'Blood Of Asaheim', crossed with 'Eisenhorn' (with the difficulties of operating 'outside the law' of the Imperium but still being Loyalist). I'd love to see Wolves interacting with mercenaries, pirates, bounty hunters etc, maybe going into something like 'Lucky Space' in the course of their hunt. And I'd love the book to focus solely on Gunnlaugur's pack & how they interact, without any other non-pack plot strands crowding this out.

 

 

But there are probably lots of different ways it could go, I'm sure CW will do a good job.

[Archaon9]

Plague Zombies are awesome though: so I don't mind.

 

If anything, Death Guard have never had enough love - so the more we get, the happier I am.

I agree completely about the Death Guard. Apart from "Flight on the Eisenstein" I can't think of all full book covering them, just short stories or cameos. 

 

Yeah, if the plague zombies continue to be as well-described as Wraight does them, I don't mind them being a bit overused.

 

(I agree that all Chaos Gods should be given equal showing - I'd love to see more Tzeentch acolytes as villains, especially human cultists.)

 

Finishing book two, I see the third book possibly going a couple ways:

 

 

First option: a narrative going back and forth between Jarnhamar's search for justice and Stormcaller preparing for a showdown with Typhus. Could be an incredibly epic conclusion to the series, though I don't know if GW would want to kill either of these named special characters, so that side of it might be a bit inconclusive.

 

Second option: Purely focusing on Jarnhamar on their crusade for vengeance, leaving the Stormcaller/Typhus thread for someone else to write. I'd prefer this, I think, because I would like a return to the dynamics of 'Blood Of Asaheim', crossed with 'Eisenhorn' (with the difficulties of operating 'outside the law' of the Imperium but still being Loyalist). I'd love to see Wolves interacting with mercenaries, pirates, bounty hunters etc, maybe going into something like 'Lucky Space' in the course of their hunt. And I'd love the book to focus solely on Gunnlaugur's pack & how they interact, without any other non-pack plot strands crowding this out.

 

They've killed 40K special characters sometimes:

 

Well they killed Lelith Hesperax in the Salamander series from what I remember it was Firedrake. Think Eldrad Ulthran is might be dead. Can't remember for sure. Covered in 13th Black crusader I think

 

 

I guess it'll be a yearish before we know one way or another.

[Knight of the Raven]

Well they killed Lelith Hesperax in the Salamander series from what I remember it was Firedrake.

 

 

She wasn't Lelith Hesperax. None of the Salamanders who entered the arena would have come out alive it she was, including He'stan and the firedrakes. She was just your regular self-loving dark eldar wych queen. I don't even remember her name or that of the archon she slept with, and neither lexicanum nor google are helping me at the moment. And there's no way I'm trudging through that theme-overdosed book again to find her name.

 

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They've killed 40K special characters sometimes:

 

Well they killed Lelith Hesperax in the Salamander series from what I remember it was Firedrake. Think Eldrad Ulthran is might be dead. Can't remember for sure. Covered in 13th Black crusader I think

 

 

I guess it'll be a yearish before we know one way or another.

They also killed Tycho in the Third War for Armageddon, back when I still bought White Dwarf all the time...

 

Anyone remember any others? Or how the death of Tycho was received? Does anyone just field him anyway?

 

It's not at all impossible that they'll kill Njal or Typhus, I just don't know if this series is the venue they'd choose to do that.

 

But hey, I'm down for it if that's what they wanna do...

[Chaeron]

 

They've killed 40K special characters sometimes:

 

Well they killed Lelith Hesperax in the Salamander series from what I remember it was Firedrake. Think Eldrad Ulthran is might be dead. Can't remember for sure. Covered in 13th Black crusader I think

 

 

I guess it'll be a yearish before we know one way or another.

They also killed Tycho in the Third War for Armageddon, back when I still bought White Dwarf all the time...

 

Anyone remember any others? Or how the death of Tycho was received? Does anyone just field him anyway?

 

It's not at all impossible that they'll kill Njal or Typhus, I just don't know if this series is the venue they'd choose to do that.

 

But hey, I'm down for it if that's what they wanna do...

 

 

Highly, highly doubt that for either of them.

[Archaon9]

 

Well they killed Lelith Hesperax in the Salamander series from what I remember it was Firedrake.

 

 

She wasn't Lelith Hesperax. None of the Salamanders who entered the arena would have come out alive it she was, including He'stan and the firedrakes. She was just your regular self-loving dark eldar wych queen. I don't even remember her name or that of the archon she slept with, and neither lexicanum nor google are helping me at the moment. And there's no way I'm trudging through that theme-overdosed book again to find her name.

 

 

I had a quick browse myself. I found 1 post about it. Seems the surname was almost the same (Helspereth) so I probably got confused by that. Was ages back I read the book. 

 

 

 

They also killed Tycho in the Third War for Armageddon, back when I still bought White Dwarf all the time...

 

Anyone remember any others? Or how the death of Tycho was received? Does anyone just field him anyway?

 

It's not at all impossible that they'll kill Njal or Typhus, I just don't know if this series is the venue they'd choose to do that.

 

But hey, I'm down for it if that's what they wanna do...

 

I think I vaguely remember something about Tycho's death. Fabius Bile "died" a few times but if there are god knows how any clones of him running about I don't think we can count it as a true death. Ditto with Lucius the Eternal coming back in his own way.

 

I'm assuming that Typhus won't die. No idea how big of a character Njal is so couldn't comment on him.

[Chaeron]

Both are huge - won't happen. Not a chance. Nada. Nil. Zilch. Nope. 

 

(Please don't prove me wrong about Typhus Wraighty.)

[Chaeron]

Halfway through:

 

 

de Chatelaine :(

 

[Taliesin]

Has anyone else read this? Thinking of picking this up.

[veterannoob]

Has anyone else read this? Thinking of picking this up.

I have, but after reading Blood of Asaheim like 9-10 months prior so I had to remember the plot points and it made more sense of what's going on on that planet. I do like it as a SW fan and Chris Wraight is always a good bet. Without any spoilers, obviously Stormcaller is in the book, it approaches psykers from the SW perception and more on the tension between Inquisition and SWs. 

I'd recommend it but if you can get through BoAsaheim first.

[Chaeron]

Has anyone else read this? Thinking of picking this up.

It's great, but as suggested - read BoA first!

[Taliesin]

 

Has anyone else read this? Thinking of picking this up.

It's great, but as suggested - read BoA first!

 

 

I can't, Black Library has decided to let it go out of print. Apparently they feel it is not necessary to read it before Stormcaller.

 

I don't mind that though, I'll just jump into Stormcaller since I'm more interested in their portrayal of Njal anyway.

[Kelborn]

Here's a short summary.

 

 

After half a century apart, in service to the Deathwatch and the Chapter, Space Wolves Ingvar and Gunnlaugr are reunited. Sent to defend an important shrine world against the plague-ridden Death Guard, the Grey Hunters clash with the pious Sisters of Battle, who see the Space Wolves as little better than the enemy they fight. As enemies close in around them and treachery is revealed, Gunnlaugr and his warriors must hold the defenders together - even as hidden tensions threaten to their the pack apart.

 

Dramatis personae:

 

Pack Jarnhammer of Ragnar Blackmane's Great Company:

 

Ingvar - Space Wolves, served in the Deathwatch for 50 years. Fought against Tyranids and nearly lost his hope of winning the entire war against the threads he faced. Greatly influenced by his Ultramarine Deathwatch sergeant.

Gunnlaugr - Packleader. Hell of a stubborn ass. Fears that Ingvar wants to take the role of packleader. Heavy tensions between them, at the end of the book, they lay that to rest and swore to fight together.

 Baldr - the good soul of the pack. Gets corrupted by Nurgle but can redeem himself and his soul by killing the leading Death Guards champion

damn...forgot nearly all of their names

A huge Space Wolves - cares for the mortals, the stereotypical good guy

A very old Space Wolves - the pack's pilot and mechanic, bitter, frustrated bad ass <- loved him ^^

A Blood Claw - typical Blood Claw, acts before he thinks, has some hilarious scenes with the Old One

Pack's champion - second in command, dies while fighting the leading Death Guard's champion, has some self-doubt

 

The book is really good. A shame that you can't buy it anymore. Maybe via amazon or ebay?

There are some hints of a secret organization which hunted down the former pack leader. And that was just in the prologue. A Sister of the Battle knows a lot of this organization but the reader and Ingvar don't get to know what.

I really enjoyed the Jarnhammar pack. Every character seems legit and lovely (laughed at some scenes so hard that I needed to read them twice xD) 

The Death Guard's Marines are well described. Their champion was really awesome.

In a really short way: the loyal forces are beaten several times until they only have one city fortress left. There the fight against the Champion and his Marines. Thankfully, Baldr uses his psychic powers (which were greatly enhanced by chaos) to destroy the Champion. Because of that, the loyal forces are able to drive the undead and plague marines out of their city. Ingvar and Gunnlaugr promise each other that they will from now on work together like they did before Ingvar departed.

 

That's how it ended. A small encampment of loyal forces vs an entire planet infested with Death Guard and their servants.

 

 

Hope this might help you.

Need to get Stormcaller by myself as I really want to know how it continues. :)

[Chaeron]

 

 

 

Has anyone else read this? Thinking of picking this up.

It's great, but as suggested - read BoA first!

I can't, Black Library has decided to let it go out of print. Apparently they feel it is not necessary to read it before Stormcaller.

 

I don't mind that though, I'll just jump into Stormcaller since I'm more interested in their portrayal of Njal anyway.

Fair enough! I would recommend trying to find it first if at all you can, just for that character development, but you'll still enjoy it nonetheless.