Eye of Ezekiel

[cheywood]

I believe it's out in ebook format today. Anyone have plans to pick it up or thoughts on how it is? I don't have much of an opinion on CZ Dunn, since Pandorax is the only other novel he's written as far as I know. The description on BL.com mentions the Ad Mech and guard as being involved, so hopefully it's more than just space marines killing orks.

[DarkChaplain]

I'm looking forward to reading it at some point, but won't be able to make it a priority. Too much stuff left lying around, so I'm waiting on the paperback.

 

Hopefully it'll tie back to Dunn's other Dark Angels stories, like The Ascension of Balthasar, Dark Vengeance, his Deathwatch audio drama and Pandorax. At some point I'll get to his Crimson Slaughter novella too..

But yes, I think this is his second novel for BL, the rest was mostly shorts.

[Jareddm]

Crimson Dawn was pretty good.  It gives a decent representation of the Crimson Sabres as dicks that most chapters don't want to work with, but in a very different way from, say, the Marines Malevolent.  I've read a few other stories by Dunn, and honestly none of them stick with me for very long.

[Nazguire]

Crimson Dawn was sick.

[DarkChaplain]

He wrote Malediction, which was awesome

[cheywood]

I'm looking forward to reading it at some point, but won't be able to make it a priority. Too much stuff left lying around, so I'm waiting on the paperback.

 

Hopefully it'll tie back to Dunn's other Dark Angels stories, like The Ascension of Balthasar, Dark Vengeance, his Deathwatch audio drama and Pandorax. At some point I'll get to his Crimson Slaughter novella too..

But yes, I think this is his second novel for BL, the rest was mostly shorts.

Balthasar is referenced in the extract as 'deserving a promotion to the Deathwing' so maybe it'll depict him as a younger marine, but it could also be a throwaway reference to him.

[veterannoob]

It's in the pile. Love the cover art.

[Augustus]

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

[cheywood]

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

 

Good to hear. I enjoyed the scale of Pandorax, Dunn incorporated a lot of POV characters and factions in a way that felt organic to me. I'll have to keep an eye open for this then.

 

The Dark Angels need someone other than Thorpe to do them justice I feel. I haven't read his more recent Horus Heresy work (maybe it's great?) and I've enjoyed some of his writing on other races, but I'm reading The Unforgiven now and I just don't enjoy his image of the chapter. It's almost like they're teenagers in the bodies of space marines at times.

[HeritorA]

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better  - Gav or Dunn  - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter  (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

[R_F_D]

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better  - Gav or Dunn  - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter  (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

 

 

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity?  I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably I discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

Edited March 21, 2017 by R_F_D

[Robbienw]

Can we have spoilers please pretty please?

[HeritorA]

 

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better  - Gav or Dunn  - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter  (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

 

 

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity?  I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

 

Usually I read book 2 times (before I critisize something - I read material). On the second reread it has not improved my opinion about it. Same with the Vulkan Lives, Deathfire, Corax anthology, Ravenwing, Purging of Kadillus  - which are an abyssmal read

[R_F_D]

Fair dos. 336 pages twice in 3 days is reading at a pace that far outstrips by own. 

[cheywood]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better - Gav or Dunn - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity? I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

Usually I read book 2 times (before I critisize something - I read material). On the second reread it has not improved my opinion about it. Same with the Vulkan Lives, Deathfire, Corax anthology, Ravenwing, Purging of Kadillus - which are an abyssmal read

So you've read Eye of Ezekiel twice since it came out on Friday and formed a conclusive opinion on it? I find even once I've finished a book its themes and characters sit and percolate in my head. For me at least that's an important part of softening initial judgements, both positive and negative. To each their own though.

[Roomsky]

 

 

 

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better - Gav or Dunn - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity? I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

Usually I read book 2 times (before I critisize something - I read material). On the second reread it has not improved my opinion about it. Same with the Vulkan Lives, Deathfire, Corax anthology, Ravenwing, Purging of Kadillus - which are an abyssmal read

So you've read Eye of Ezekiel twice since it came out on Friday and formed a conclusive opinion on it? I find even once I've finished a book its themes and characters sit and percolate in my head. For me at least that's an important part of softening initial judgements, both positive and negative. To each their own though.

 

 

While that is the case for a good and layered book, some just aren't (this doesn't apply to Eye of Ezekiel, I know nothing about it). Any book I have a good enough time reading heads onto the shelf for another (some day), but some works are just insufferable and its entirely reasonable to give them the boot. I don't name names but there have been BL works that have made my eyes glaze over, and there's not much reason besides masochism to try them again.

[cheywood]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better - Gav or Dunn - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity? I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

Usually I read book 2 times (before I critisize something - I read material). On the second reread it has not improved my opinion about it. Same with the Vulkan Lives, Deathfire, Corax anthology, Ravenwing, Purging of Kadillus - which are an abyssmal read

So you've read Eye of Ezekiel twice since it came out on Friday and formed a conclusive opinion on it? I find even once I've finished a book its themes and characters sit and percolate in my head. For me at least that's an important part of softening initial judgements, both positive and negative. To each their own though.

While that is the case for a good and layered book, some just aren't (this doesn't apply to Eye of Ezekiel, I know nothing about it). Any book I have a good enough time reading heads onto the shelf for another (some day), but some works are just insufferable and its entirely reasonable to give them the boot. I don't name names but there have been BL works that have made my eyes glaze over, and there's not much reason besides masochism to try them again.

Fair point, if there's absolutely nothing enjoyable about a work of fiction then there's not much point in reflecting on it once it's over. Even with a bad book though I feel that some time (not necessarily any active reflection or what not) helps me articulate why I don't like it. Not that that's necessarily the case for everyone of course.

[Roomsky]

Certainly. I feel in the case of a wide IP, books have more stacked against them as well. For me personally, poor writing isnt the only thing that can turn me away, so can egregious examples of continuity snarl or characters acting in ways that make me feel like I'm going to blow a blood vessel. I can't stand a lot of Tau stories because they have a bad case of just being blue humans, so there's another thing that would make me drop a story beyond simple literary quality or depth.

 

As for Eye of Ezekiel, I'm interested to see how I take to it. A new author getting his hands on a Chapter/Legion that has long gotten the literary shaft (IMO) is an exciting prospect. 

[cheywood]

Certainly. I feel in the case of a wide IP, books have more stacked against them as well. For me personally, poor writing isnt the only thing that can turn me away, so can egregious examples of continuity snarl or characters acting in ways that make me feel like I'm going to blow a blood vessel. I can't stand a lot of Tau stories because they have a bad case of just being blue humans, so there's another thing that would make me drop a story beyond simple literary quality or depth.

 

As for Eye of Ezekiel, I'm interested to see how I take to it. A new author getting his hands on a Chapter/Legion that has long gotten the literary shaft (IMO) is an exciting prospect.

I can look past some continuity issues with 40k since the setting seems built on the idea of history and truth being unreliable (at least my image of it), but poor characterization, or no characterization at all, is certainly a major issue in some BL fiction. Feels like it's gotten better recently with what is, as I understand it, the return to more author driven works, but in a shared universe as broad as 40k there'll inevitably be some duds.

 

The Eye of Ezekiel seems interesting. Heavy focus on the Mechanicum and Vostroyans as well as the Dark Angels, and varied perspectives are always a good thing in my mind. Part of my issue with a lot of other Dark Angels fiction is the lack of interaction between them and the Imperium at large, which seems odd for a chapter as divided between their service to the Imperium and the ghosts of their past as they are.

[Augustus]

I'm terrible at reviews and giving cohesive spoilers. For nuanced reviews of Dark Angels works you should turn to the freater Phoebus. BUT I'll give a few tidbits:

 

Ezeikiel is next in line to be the Grand Master of Librarians. He is powerful. Very very powerful. According to the current Grand Master of the Librarius he is the most powerful Librarian the Dark Angels have had since the Heresy. It shows. He is able to project his aetheric form 2 sectors away. Beastly.

We find out that Ezekiel is recovering from a battle with a Greater Demon of Tzeentch. The battle with it cost Ezekiel his ability to foretell the future. Ezekiel tries to hide this from the Chapter at large including the Grand Master for...reasons? Very stupid IMO. Anyway, Ezekiel's protegee,Turmiel, deduces the truth but has no intention of tattling on Ezekiel. Indeed, he tells Ezekiel to rely on him. He also tells Ezekiel that he has seen that he will die in the upcoming battle.

The planet that is coming under attack by orks is Honoria*. During the Heresy a Salamander and a Dark Angel crash on the planet. With the Salamander's dying breath he tells a native to "Prepare for War". Fast forward 10k years and thats exactly what they do. They were primitive natives who had barely mastered speech but now they have archaeo-tech that the Mechanicum wants. Thats why the DA are here. The Mechanicum has called in a favor. And the Dark Angels keep their oaths according the the GM of the Librarians. tehehe

The tech are these massive foritifed bunker cities. That are like 80 meters high. They are accompanied by super turrets that can morph quickly into whatever weapon they need. The computing power of it is very AI like but that is blasphemy so yeah. They might have explained further but I don't remember.

The warboss kills the Chaplain and puts the 5th company master Zadakiel* in a coma. Ezekiel leads in their stead. Balthasar leads 1st squad. He hates psykers. He keeps them at arms length. Ezekiel shows him that hes more than just a psyker. With his bare hands, no psyker shenanagans, he rips apart a Nob-Boss. This frightens the orks. --Now some people might get upset about scared orks. But IMO orks are afraid of not winning versus dying. They don't mind dying if they are getting a good fight in and are winning. -- Ezekiel leaves some alive to spread word of his Bad Assery. 

Cool scene in where Ezekiel is trying to get back to base. He led a sabotage mission. The orks built a huuuuge thing to pile up all the dead so they can get over the walls, very orky/tyranid-like. Well he is exhausted. So he can't teleport himself directly back to base. He needs to make it in smaller jumps.  His final jump comes up 1 meter short and hes floating before the wall in a Saturday morning cartoon sort of way. Luckily the 5th company Tech marine grabs him with his Servo harness. I enjoyed the scene but tastes will differ.

The Tech Marine, Serapicus* (Im really sorry about the names) is torn between protecting Tech and saving the planet AND the Mechanicum guy has evidence that a Fallen was leading cult forces on another world. Serapius is not deathwing but knows the Chapter keeps its secrets. So he follows along.

Well Ezekiel, lacking his foresight powers, takes a bullet to the brain. Things look grim. He dies. But his brain is still active. The Demon comes to him and taunts him. He shows him visions of the future. One where Ezekiel has both eyes. He, Azrael, Draigo, and Balthasar bust out the GK from Pandroax. --Neat I hope it comes true. -- He shows him visions of the fall of caliban. The demon is a bit worried in this vision. Likely because hes around an, albeit dying, primarch and cypher.  Cypher cries over the dying primarch. Notices that he is being watched by the Demon and Ezekiel. The demon wants Ezekiel to live. He does. He gets a new eye grafted. This eye was attached to the human B story character. He is a vosotran 1st born. His brother died. He has psychic powers. He can see the the near future. He is pretty awesome. He is trying to find his pregnant girlfriend. He has Ezekiel's soon to be bionic eye. He dies. There is more than meets the eye with this bionic eye. -- HEHE

Ezekiel is back and POed. He has his powers back. He kills the warboss. The Waaagh breaks. And they are mopped up. Serapicus* confronts the Mech guy. Kills him after learning that no one knows the video evidence. Neat. 
Ezekiel goes back to the planet with the Greater Demon on it. Murderizes him. Learns that the Demon did not give him his powers of Foresight back, but the warp did. And tells him that there is more than meets the eye with his new bionic eye. -- HEH.

Overall a good story. Just the right amount of fallen, Dark Angel mystery but focused on Ezekiel. I recommend it.

Edited March 21, 2017 by Augustus

[HeritorA]

 

 

 

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better - Gav or Dunn - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity? I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

Usually I read book 2 times (before I critisize something - I read material). On the second reread it has not improved my opinion about it. Same with the Vulkan Lives, Deathfire, Corax anthology, Ravenwing, Purging of Kadillus - which are an abyssmal read

So you've read Eye of Ezekiel twice since it came out on Friday and formed a conclusive opinion on it? I find even once I've finished a book its themes and characters sit and percolate in my head. For me at least that's an important part of softening initial judgements, both positive and negative. To each their own though.

 

Usually they do - if a book is good, if it's story is well written and has some meaning.  Then the book would be read again and enjoyed. Slamanders, DA and Raven Guard simply rolled a rong dice to have been written in bad stories

 

 

Certainly. I feel in the case of a wide IP, books have more stacked against them as well. For me personally, poor writing isnt the only thing that can turn me away, so can egregious examples of continuity snarl or characters acting in ways that make me feel like I'm going to blow a blood vessel. I can't stand a lot of Tau stories because they have a bad case of just being blue humans, so there's another thing that would make me drop a story beyond simple literary quality or depth.

 

As for Eye of Ezekiel, I'm interested to see how I take to it. A new author getting his hands on a Chapter/Legion that has long gotten the literary shaft (IMO) is an exciting prospect. 

Dunn is not a new author. As for all else I agree with you

[cheywood]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better - Gav or Dunn - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity? I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

Usually I read book 2 times (before I critisize something - I read material). On the second reread it has not improved my opinion about it. Same with the Vulkan Lives, Deathfire, Corax anthology, Ravenwing, Purging of Kadillus - which are an abyssmal read

So you've read Eye of Ezekiel twice since it came out on Friday and formed a conclusive opinion on it? I find even once I've finished a book its themes and characters sit and percolate in my head. For me at least that's an important part of softening initial judgements, both positive and negative. To each their own though.

Usually they do - if a book is good, if it's story is well written and has some meaning. Then the book would be read again and enjoyed. Slamanders, DA and Raven Guard simply rolled a rong dice to have been written in bad stories

 

Certainly. I feel in the case of a wide IP, books have more stacked against them as well. For me personally, poor writing isnt the only thing that can turn me away, so can egregious examples of continuity snarl or characters acting in ways that make me feel like I'm going to blow a blood vessel. I can't stand a lot of Tau stories because they have a bad case of just being blue humans, so there's another thing that would make me drop a story beyond simple literary quality or depth.

 

As for Eye of Ezekiel, I'm interested to see how I take to it. A new author getting his hands on a Chapter/Legion that has long gotten the literary shaft (IMO) is an exciting prospect.

Dunn is not a new author. As for all else I agree with you

Agreed on the Salamanders and DA's. I feel with the Raven Guard it's not so much bad writing as a lack of content. There's a few George Mann books, though like Dunn he's primarily an editor, and Thorpe's written two HH novels about them, but that's pretty much it. Both the Dark Angels and Salamanders have had far more written about them, unless there's a series I'm forgetting of course.

 

As for Dunn, while he may not be new his output for BL as a writer is small enough that people who don't remember Pandorax might not've heard of him.

[HeritorA]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better - Gav or Dunn - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity? I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

Usually I read book 2 times (before I critisize something - I read material). On the second reread it has not improved my opinion about it. Same with the Vulkan Lives, Deathfire, Corax anthology, Ravenwing, Purging of Kadillus - which are an abyssmal read

So you've read Eye of Ezekiel twice since it came out on Friday and formed a conclusive opinion on it? I find even once I've finished a book its themes and characters sit and percolate in my head. For me at least that's an important part of softening initial judgements, both positive and negative. To each their own though.

Usually they do - if a book is good, if it's story is well written and has some meaning. Then the book would be read again and enjoyed. Slamanders, DA and Raven Guard simply rolled a rong dice to have been written in bad stories

 

Certainly. I feel in the case of a wide IP, books have more stacked against them as well. For me personally, poor writing isnt the only thing that can turn me away, so can egregious examples of continuity snarl or characters acting in ways that make me feel like I'm going to blow a blood vessel. I can't stand a lot of Tau stories because they have a bad case of just being blue humans, so there's another thing that would make me drop a story beyond simple literary quality or depth.

 

As for Eye of Ezekiel, I'm interested to see how I take to it. A new author getting his hands on a Chapter/Legion that has long gotten the literary shaft (IMO) is an exciting prospect.

Dunn is not a new author. As for all else I agree with you

Agreed on the Salamanders and DA's. I feel with the Raven Guard it's not so much bad writing as a lack of content. There's a few George Mann books, though like Dunn he's primarily an editor, and Thorpe's written two HH novels about them, but that's pretty much it. Both the Dark Angels and Salamanders have had far more written about them, unless there's a series I'm forgetting of course.

 

As for Dunn, while he may not be new his output for BL as a writer is small enough that people who don't remember Pandorax might not've heard of him.

 

 

Yeah - Raven Guard got a better treatment in George Mann books in W40K. But in Hh they 'suffered' under Thorpe treatment. It was especially sad - cause their first arrival on big HH scene in 'Raven's Flight' audio was amazing (I even questioned if it was really written by Thorpe).  But at least it was 'far better' treatment than poor Salamanders. They simply were written straight into hell.

 

It's not only Pandorax - in the long past 2000-sh his name was on almost every BL anthology as an editor (Edited by C.Dunn and M.G.). What I could remember about Dunn in good light is his audio 'Malediction', which was unexpectedly good (being a standard DA story with Fallen 'involved')

[cheywood]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better - Gav or Dunn - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity? I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

Usually I read book 2 times (before I critisize something - I read material). On the second reread it has not improved my opinion about it. Same with the Vulkan Lives, Deathfire, Corax anthology, Ravenwing, Purging of Kadillus - which are an abyssmal read

So you've read Eye of Ezekiel twice since it came out on Friday and formed a conclusive opinion on it? I find even once I've finished a book its themes and characters sit and percolate in my head. For me at least that's an important part of softening initial judgements, both positive and negative. To each their own though.

Usually they do - if a book is good, if it's story is well written and has some meaning. Then the book would be read again and enjoyed. Slamanders, DA and Raven Guard simply rolled a rong dice to have been written in bad stories

 

Certainly. I feel in the case of a wide IP, books have more stacked against them as well. For me personally, poor writing isnt the only thing that can turn me away, so can egregious examples of continuity snarl or characters acting in ways that make me feel like I'm going to blow a blood vessel. I can't stand a lot of Tau stories because they have a bad case of just being blue humans, so there's another thing that would make me drop a story beyond simple literary quality or depth.

 

As for Eye of Ezekiel, I'm interested to see how I take to it. A new author getting his hands on a Chapter/Legion that has long gotten the literary shaft (IMO) is an exciting prospect.

Dunn is not a new author. As for all else I agree with you

Agreed on the Salamanders and DA's. I feel with the Raven Guard it's not so much bad writing as a lack of content. There's a few George Mann books, though like Dunn he's primarily an editor, and Thorpe's written two HH novels about them, but that's pretty much it. Both the Dark Angels and Salamanders have had far more written about them, unless there's a series I'm forgetting of course.

 

As for Dunn, while he may not be new his output for BL as a writer is small enough that people who don't remember Pandorax might not've heard of him.

Yeah - Raven Guard got a better treatment in George Mann books in W40K. But in Hh they 'suffered' under Thorpe treatment. It was especially sad - cause their first arrival on big HH scene in 'Raven's Flight' audio was amazing (I even questioned if it was really written by Thorpe). But at least it was 'far better' treatment than poor Salamanders. They simply were written straight into hell.

 

It's not only Pandorax - in the long past 2000-sh his name was on almost every BL anthology as an editor (Edited by C.Dunn and M.G.). What I could remember about Dunn in good light is his audio 'Malediction', which was unexpectedly good (being a standard DA story with Fallen 'involved')

Thorpe surprises me sometimes like that. I'm not generally a big fan of his work, but every once in a while he'll hit on something really unique and enjoyable. I feel like moving away from space marines more would result in better writing from him, but that's just my opinion.

 

Good point about Dunn, that was before I really got into 40k novels. But I'm probably not alone in saying I remember the author of a book more prominently than the editor lol

[Xisor]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waaaay better than Pandorax. Gotta say that my initial reaction is that it was very good. Great characterizations of the Voyostran First Born. Also while you need not have read it, there was an awesome scene relating to Pandorax in it.

 

As a Dark Angel fan it was very refreshing. I'll sleep on it before reviewing.

Indeed - way better than Pandorax. It would have been a 'good' novel if not for the orks.

 

That's as a DA fan and simply as a reader who want to get a good story. As for who do DA better - Gav or Dunn - it's easy: both Thorpe or Dunn do lucklaster DA. Poor DA are the third Legion/Chapter (after Salamanders/Raven Guard) to suffer from bad writing.

I'm curious, how many times do you read a book before you consign it to a scrapheap of mediocrity? I find that I need to read a book a couple of times before making a fully informed decision as invariably discover that I've missed things out first time round if I've read something within 2 days of release.

Usually I read book 2 times (before I critisize something - I read material). On the second reread it has not improved my opinion about it. Same with the Vulkan Lives, Deathfire, Corax anthology, Ravenwing, Purging of Kadillus - which are an abyssmal read

So you've read Eye of Ezekiel twice since it came out on Friday and formed a conclusive opinion on it? I find even once I've finished a book its themes and characters sit and percolate in my head. For me at least that's an important part of softening initial judgements, both positive and negative. To each their own though.

Usually they do - if a book is good, if it's story is well written and has some meaning. Then the book would be read again and enjoyed. Slamanders, DA and Raven Guard simply rolled a rong dice to have been written in bad stories

 

Certainly. I feel in the case of a wide IP, books have more stacked against them as well. For me personally, poor writing isnt the only thing that can turn me away, so can egregious examples of continuity snarl or characters acting in ways that make me feel like I'm going to blow a blood vessel. I can't stand a lot of Tau stories because they have a bad case of just being blue humans, so there's another thing that would make me drop a story beyond simple literary quality or depth.

 

As for Eye of Ezekiel, I'm interested to see how I take to it. A new author getting his hands on a Chapter/Legion that has long gotten the literary shaft (IMO) is an exciting prospect.

Dunn is not a new author. As for all else I agree with you

Agreed on the Salamanders and DA's. I feel with the Raven Guard it's not so much bad writing as a lack of content. There's a few George Mann books, though like Dunn he's primarily an editor, and Thorpe's written two HH novels about them, but that's pretty much it. Both the Dark Angels and Salamanders have had far more written about them, unless there's a series I'm forgetting of course.

 

As for Dunn, while he may not be new his output for BL as a writer is small enough that people who don't remember Pandorax might not've heard of him.

Yeah - Raven Guard got a better treatment in George Mann books in W40K. But in Hh they 'suffered' under Thorpe treatment. It was especially sad - cause their first arrival on big HH scene in 'Raven's Flight' audio was amazing (I even questioned if it was really written by Thorpe). But at least it was 'far better' treatment than poor Salamanders. They simply were written straight into hell.

 

It's not only Pandorax - in the long past 2000-sh his name was on almost every BL anthology as an editor (Edited by C.Dunn and M.G.). What I could remember about Dunn in good light is his audio 'Malediction', which was unexpectedly good (being a standard DA story with Fallen 'involved')

Thorpe surprises me sometimes like that. I'm not generally a big fan of his work, but every once in a while he'll hit on something really unique and enjoyable. I feel like moving away from space marines more would result in better writing from him, but that's just my opinion.

Part of the 'issue' I find with Gav is: his writing's usually very dry. His characters are fascinating depictions, but it's difficult to start gushing over them. (Though I was pleasantly surprised in "The Unforgiven", as well as his much more intriguing & evocative Fantasy work.)

 

40k being grim as it is means his is a bit more austere, a bit less... escapist.

 

Which isn't awful, hell - I *like* it - but I know it rubs some folk up the wrong way.

 

With that in mind, I'd generally agree - going for a more human angle really suits his writing; his Astartes can often be a bit too dour/serious/focussed for their own good (as engaging characters).