Guilliman the Primarch Novel

[Prot]

I'm wondering how many people read this...

 

I've always been an ultra fan but very rarely enjoyed the fiction surrounding them.... Until Abnett fleshed out Calth etc... I know some people dislike Abnett here, but whatever... we all have different tastes.

 

This is more about Guilliman because I'm wondering who's picking up that torch now that Abnett has more or less stopped writing about him. For a while I had hopes of other authors stepping in and then this book was announced.

 

Honestly I didn't read it for a long for fear of hating it. Now I've almost completed this and I'm extremely mixed. I have personally met David Anandale and wanted to love it.

 

Before I say anything to colour anyone's perception of it (especially someone who hasn't read it), I want to hear what you guys thought of it.

[DarkChaplain]

The Primarch novels are in part supposed to give different authors a go at the Primarchs and Legions from the usual suspects. So best don't expect the authors of the series becoming the mainstay authors for them.

 

Either way, I enjoyed Lord of Ultramar. The lead-in sections to chapters put the action into context, it dealt with often neglected points like the Destroyers and it puts the post-Monarchia mentality into perspective and showcases Guilliman's idealism working against his pragmatism. I liked that he actually got to stand in the spotlight for a change, actively waging war and not being a defensive Primarch.

 

On the surface it is very action heavy, but thematically I liked what Annandale was doing

[Roomsky]

I thought Annandale did alright, and I'd rank his Roboute as the best non-Abnett style I've read. He's fairly personable and isn't the obstructive beurocrat some writers like to portray him as. That being said, I'll take Abnett's (and by extension- Kyme's, as he mimics Abnett's Guilliman well enough for me) over Annandale's any day. He doesn't really seem larger-than-life as primarchs should, and I thought the scene where he one-man's the tank was a little over the top, even for Warhammer. 

 

That said, the book broaches on a lot of interesting topics: the destroyers, the Ultramarine's reaction to Calth, and how Guilliman's youth formed the man he became. It was just buried under so much green that I can't help but feel the author's priorities were in the wrong place.

[bluntblade]

Solos a tank? I've read about the Khan overturning Land Raiders with his hands and Angron catching Titan feet.

[Roomsky]

Solos a tank? I've read about the Khan overturning Land Raiders with his hands and Angron catching Titan feet.

 

Its the gratuity with which it was described. A good author should make me buy it, like Angron stopping the titan's foot. I did not buy the Guilliman v tank sequence in Lord of Ultramar, it came across as rediculous even if it was less impressive. I put that failing on the author, not the event itself.

[bluntblade]

How gratuitous is it? The Khan one is simply a character remembering that she'd seen him flip tanks, no context. To which I always thought "and he's one of the least hefty..."

[Roomsky]

The scene was basically Guilliman running up to a larger-than-usual ork tank and bouncing around, blowing :cuss up as he went and popping out the other side. 

 

I think it was an issue of how acrobatic it was. I know primarchs are gods among men, but I still can't see them doing battle-parkour in terminator armour, especially when, like Guilliman, they're wearing the giant-feet variant.

[bluntblade]

Ah. Yeah, that seems silly for Guilliman

[HeritorA]

Ah. Yeah, that seems silly for Guilliman

Wait for the Gathering Storm 3 - that kind of silliness will leave you speechless

[Kelborn]

For example?

I know the basement of its story but are there some silly moments as you've mentioned? ^^

[HeritorA]

For example?

I know the basement of its story but are there some silly moments as you've mentioned? ^^

You will read it this Saturday.

I will mention just 2 - first his fight with Skarbrand were he flips a 'Skarbrand' lol

His 'dialog' with Magnus - that has gone hilarious, lol

[JH79]

I'm about half way through Chapter 3 and finding this surprisingly enjoyable! I have been quite on the fence re the whole Primarch's series and this first book seemed to receive quite the battering when it was released. DarkChaplin, your brief summary above is what persuaded me to give this a try, so thank you!!

 

So far I've not had too much action, lots of character set up and some exploration into the mindset of Guilliman though. Hearing his thought's re the humbling of the Word Bearers was fantastic... and the strange thing is I'd never even considered another Legion doing that at the behest of The Emperor until he speaks of it.

 

There's another scene where he speaks to Gage re the future of the Legion, his hopes and how they must be adaptive, prepared to one day go on without him and always remember the principles that set them apart from the other Legions, what it means to be an Ultramarine. Taking in the events from The Gathering Storm and thinking about just how different 40k is from 30k while listening to this book is completely pickling my mind! I cannot wait to see his reaction to modern day 40k, his internal thoughts on what the actual *cuss* is going on...

 

In the mean time though, back to Chapter 3!

[HeritorA]

 

I'm about half way through Chapter 3 and finding this surprisingly enjoyable! I have been quite on the fence re the whole Primarch's series and this first book seemed to receive quite the battering when it was released. DarkChaplin, your brief summary above is what persuaded me to give this a try, so thank you!!

 

So far I've not had too much action, lots of character set up and some exploration into the mindset of Guilliman though. Hearing his thought's re the humbling of the Word Bearers was fantastic... and the strange thing is I'd never even considered another Legion doing that at the behest of The Emperor until he speaks of it.

 

There's another scene where he speaks to Gage re the future of the Legion, his hopes and how they must be adaptive, prepared to one day go on without him and always remember the principles that set them apart from the other Legions, what it means to be an Ultramarine. Taking in the events from The Gathering Storm and thinking about just how different 40k is from 30k while listening to this book is completely pickling my mind! I cannot wait to see his reaction to modern day 40k, his internal thoughts on what the actual *cuss* is going on...

 

In the mean time though, back to Chapter 3!

 

His reaction is a bottomless pit of disappointment and shock

[Indefragable]

 

 

 

I'm about half way through Chapter 3 and finding this surprisingly enjoyable! I have been quite on the fence re the whole Primarch's series and this first book seemed to receive quite the battering when it was released. DarkChaplin, your brief summary above is what persuaded me to give this a try, so thank you!!

 

So far I've not had too much action, lots of character set up and some exploration into the mindset of Guilliman though. Hearing his thought's re the humbling of the Word Bearers was fantastic... and the strange thing is I'd never even considered another Legion doing that at the behest of The Emperor until he speaks of it.

 

There's another scene where he speaks to Gage re the future of the Legion, his hopes and how they must be adaptive, prepared to one day go on without him and always remember the principles that set them apart from the other Legions, what it means to be an Ultramarine. Taking in the events from The Gathering Storm and thinking about just how different 40k is from 30k while listening to this book is completely pickling my mind! I cannot wait to see his reaction to modern day 40k, his internal thoughts on what the actual *cuss* is going on...

 

In the mean time though, back to Chapter 3!

 

His reaction is a bottomless pit of disappointment and shock

 

...until he realizes that his sons efforts are even more impressive because of how despairing the galactic environment. It was easy to hold the line with Emperor and Primarch's to back you, but when everything is a giant :cuss sandwich, it makes the Space Marines' tireless efforts all the more inspiring.

 

I'm not a huge RG/UM guy but that stuff is :cuss -ing awesome. It's nuggets like that make me a 40k fan. Making the grimdark ever grimmer and ever darker so that the single candle in the night shines that much brighter.

 

[Roomsky]

What are you all talking about? Guilliman is positively thrilled to be here:

 

https://regimental-standard.com/2017/03/08/no-you-cant-drop-everything-and-join-the-crusade/

[JH79]

Oh my oh my... I can almost imagine the silence when he asks someone to give him a theoretical or practical... I must agree Inderfragable, 40k feels like it's going to get a hell of a lot darker. Guilliman and his knowledge of the truth and ability to light a fire within the hearts and minds of all who listen could now possibly be the greatest threat to the current incarnation of the Imperium.

 

I think Kelborn hit the nail on the head though with his summary for what would be an amazing new series of books from BL!

 

Back on topic now though I've made it to the end of chapter 4 and the action has really kicked in! For me Annandale has done a great job so far, all being well I'll have time to make my way through the second half tomorrow. Hopefully there's plents more insight into the mindset of the "Destroyers" and their new Chapter Master's mission to re-define their identity.

[mc warhammer]

What are you all talking about? Guilliman is positively thrilled to be here:

 

https://regimental-standard.com/2017/03/08/no-you-cant-drop-everything-and-join-the-crusade/

 

 

i can't tell if that page is joking or not

[DarkChaplain]

Its a parody-marketing-ish website hosted and promoted by GW, and shared via Warhammer Community. I'd highly recommend reading their reaction to PETA complaining about furs in 40k. They know what they're doing, and I have to applaud the marketing department for making this a thing.

 

JH79, I think you'll be satisfied with that stuff. There's plenty to come!

[Kelborn]

Plenty to come like a series covering the returning Primarch and its consquences? ^^

[HeritorA]

What are you all talking about? Guilliman is positively thrilled to be here:

 

https://regimental-standard.com/2017/03/08/no-you-cant-drop-everything-and-join-the-crusade/

LOL.

 

 

What are you all talking about? Guilliman is positively thrilled to be here:

 

https://regimental-standard.com/2017/03/08/no-you-cant-drop-everything-and-join-the-crusade/

 

 

i can't tell if that page is joking or not

 

It's all imperial propaganda :)

 

Plenty to come like a series covering the returning Primarch and its consquences? ^^

No - that horrible fluff does not deserve another serie

[Jarl Caldersson]

After reading the other Primarch books, does anyone else feel that this boom was hollow? Russ you get the sense of sadness his brother the Lion is "dead" and a clear description of the actual events. Magnus gave me the sense that all he wanted was people to understand psykers and not fear them. Lorgar his faith, Perturabos downfall.

 

RG i get nothing. He kills some orks, he hates WMDs, he teaches his sons he is right about everything. Thats it, maybe I just didnt catch it or maybe the lesson was lost on me. I was really hoping the Orks would become unstoppable and he would have to rely on WMDs to stop the Ork. Thus he learns every weapon and every soldier has a use and function. That to be effective and effecient you must use all of them to their strengtha. Alas no, the book ends as "WMDs are bad, and I RG told you so already!"

[Izlude]

Worse one is the series for me anyways...and coming from a UM fan pains me to say this. The author is okay, have not enjoyed the betrayal at Calth book he wrote. Ruinstorm I feel will be just okay but will read it anyways.

[karden00]

That’s the problem with UM being poster boys. When they are the first up in things, it’s generally only upward from there. It’s the same reason why Guilliman has such a short time on top in terms of 40k rules. Once you’re the benchmark, you basically only exist to be outdone by something else down the road.

[DarkChaplain]

The theme was more about Guilliman's pragmatism clashing with his idealism, and how it causes friction within his Legion. Guilliman is always being praised for being the master administrator and tactician, a born leader, but he's also naive at times and his idealism may actually hold his Legion back from the top spot.

 

I mean, this is something that even Know No Fear featured. Guilliman spent time trying to make his Legion more than warriors, but also diplomats and governors. He was playing a different game from the rest, and you could say that planning for the future is a pragmatic thing to do - but it is also inspired by idealism. Many of his brothers didn't even believe there would be stable, lasting peace to begin with, or that the Legions would be dealt with similarly to the Thunder Warriors. Guilliman instead tried to set up his Legion for taking over ruling tasks and co-existing, planning museums and what not.

And then you have Imperium Secundus, which could never have lasted against all those Traitor Legions. Guilliman still attempted to recreate the ideals of the Emperor on a smaller scale and start over. He adapted and started writing the Codex Astartes, but even that describes the ideal strategies and may be problematic, if applied too rigidly... which his sons would be doing in millennia to come.

 

I mean, this is the Primarch who'd put aside his armor and sit in his office trying to showcase that there's nothing big to worry about and people should stay calm. He almost got assassinated for that. Even in the post-Gathering Storm setting, his idealist nature clashes with what needs to be done.

 

I'd make the argument that his strength is heavily informed by his idealism as a whole. Even his ambitions are towards something greater, not personal aggrandisement. He isn't pragmatic to the point of abandoning his Legion or being explicitly calculating, like could be said about Perturabo and even Ferrus.

 

Throughout Lord of Ultramar, you see Guilliman trying to live up with his idealised writings on how a leader and his followers should behave, how things should work, and it comes to blows with the situation at hand and the reality of war. In the end you've gotta ask if he didn't make a mistake being so reluctant and if the gains were worth the losses to his Legion. You see him chafe at what the Emperor had him do on Monarchia, being used as a simple tool, doing something they weren't comfortable with and actually goes against their system of values. Monarchia was still fresh on their minds by Lord of Ultramar, and Guilliman is trying to prove, including to himself, that his role isn't just as a destroyer, but somebody able to preserve humanity's past, present and future.

[G_R_H]

What are you all talking about? Guilliman is positively thrilled to be here:

 

https://regimental-standard.com/2017/03/08/no-you-cant-drop-everything-and-join-the-crusade/

 

Edited October 14, 2017 by G_R_H