Primarch Book 4: Perturabo-Hammer of Olympia

[Dagoth Ur]

Thank you kindly for filling me in :) quite curious about the Ferrus Manus one...

[HeritorA]

Lorgar by Thorpe in July. Manus from Guymer and Fulgrim from Reynolds at Q3/4 this year.

[Izlude]

I think Lorgar will be as we expect...the Joker from Batman or something very not subtle. Would have been awesome if ADB could have done it but he more or less defined him in The First Heretic and The Betrayer. Come to think of it is ADB doing anything for the Primarch series? Would be great

 

Fulgrim: I am sure it will be good. I know alot of people love the Fabius Bile book from him but I honestly wasn't a big fan of the book, just wasn't my cup of tea. I thought the main characters were sort of meh. I think what did it for me was when he took out a keeper of secrets while making these corny jokes...I was sort of like "the dude is not a Primarch but can take on a greater demon..."

 

Manus: Iffy on this one. I heard Guymer is very solid in the warhammer fantasy world, my only experience with his writing were the two books from the The Beast series. With everyone speaking highly of him I was looking forward to his two books. Sadly they actually ended up being my least favorite (surprisingly Gav's 2-3 books were quite good). I am not sure if it was the topic related to the beast series or his writing but it seemed excessively wordy and felt like things were dragging out. Echoes of the Long war...I am still wondering what the point of that story arc was...

 

Will get these on amazon when they come. The series has been great so far (reading Magnus now with the pretty LE of Perturabo waiting). Sadly my least favorite thus far has been Guilliman which I obviously got as a LE. I notice the ones where the primarch are interacting with one another seem to be the better ones, in Guilliman it was just a battle against the Orks with some "profound revelation"...boring...plus the whole final battle with him unlocking his Fist from its box like some cheesy video game was too much for me.

Edited May 5, 2017 by Izlude

[bluntblade]

I want AD-B, Abnett, French or Wraight to handle Sanguinius.

[dcye]

I'd really like ADB to write Curze.

[LaurieJGoulding]

I'd really like ADB to write Curze.

 

You should tell him that, on Twitter and Facebook, once or more every day. Enlist your friends, too.

[Kelborn]

Sounds like he has to be persuaded in order to write Curze. ;)

 

Seems like Perturabo is a safe pick. Will be my second Primarch novel (after Russ). Magnus will be the third and I'll give RG a chance as well. Though some view it as redundant. I rather form a view by myself.

[dcye]

 

I'd really like ADB to write Curze.

 

You should tell him that, on Twitter and Facebook, once or more every day. Enlist your friends, too.

 

 

I can be very persuasive.

[DarKnight]

If AD-B can't do Sanguinius at the Eternity Gate during the Battle of Terra, then he has to do his Primarch book.

[Bulwyf]

Lorgar by Thorpe in July. Manus from Guymer and Fulgrim from Reynolds at Q3/4 this year.

 

I thought Mortarion was getting a book this year?

[Knockagh]

I doubt ADB could do a book in the series. It would move it from 4 years to a 10 year series

[helterskelter]

I doubt ADB could do a book in the series. It would move it from 4 years to a 10 year series

It's OK he started his several years ago :p

[HeritorA]

My last thoughts on Perturabo and I will leave it at that - almost spoiler free.

Abbati, medico, patrono que intima pande
(Conceal not the truth from thy physician and lawyer)

Guy Haley is a proficient and talented author, who wrote quite a lot in his writing career. Richard and Klein, Railroad, shorts and standalone novels and a lot of AoS and W40K stories. Even a full Horus Heresy novel. 
Perturabo: Hammer of Olympia is his second big foray into the time of Great Crusade/HH in M30-31K. 
Let's point out something from the start - Primarch serie, which goes at the time and before the mainstream of Horus Heresy is a definite success for BL as a publisher. Partly due to the time it's start to sell. Partly due to the 'main' characters of each narrative.
I already reviewed all of the previous installments, which are quite different in ratings. From a truly boring and uninteresting Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar to a good Magnus the Red: Master of Prospero and amazing Leman Russ: The Great Wolf.
Guy Haley has a lot to prove with that novella sized novel. And he did - especially if he got one of the hardest jobs so far. 
IV Legion Primarch suffered a lot through years under the writing pen. His character was written by a big range of BL authors. Each of them used this character as a staging stone in their own stories and showed him absolutely in different light. But what they all used as a constant - is that Perturabo is a petulant child with the complex issues of self-validation and grandeur. And that Lord of Iron in general is a sadist and impersonation of fury itself (sometimes even Angron could envy Perturabo's agression). 
So Haley's job was not an easy one. And as a truly proficient writer he tried to do the best he can with what he got. But even through he tried to do best - result is a mixed bag of stones.
        First of all I will mention that I'm not a big fan of Iron Warriors - mostly cause you can't be so unchangeable in your behavior and logic in a Galaxy of M30-31K. So I was patiently waiting will someone will give them justice in all their long road of HH and show true meaning to all their actions. So far - the best depiction of Perturabo was done by John French and partly by Graham McNeill. Partly - cause 'Angel Exterminatus' has more flaws than goods. And seems I will still be waiting further... Cause Haley failed with them (Not so profoundly as McNeil) but still - it is a failure. 
        Second - I was expecting to see the reason why let's say a rank legionary of IW Grand battalion live and breath. And... another failure.
        Third - that's the first BL book in a long while which I was trying to read and finish for 9 days. And not because I was too busy (through I was) - but because it's missed something, a soul if you would say.
But let's dissect it the right way.
Plot/Narrative/Style 
As BL synopsis said: "Born to a life of political conflict, Perturabo was always considered a child prodigy among the people of Olympia – indeed, his philosophical and scientific works were beyond compare. But then, after his rediscovery by the Emperor and decades of thankless military campaigning on the Great Crusade, the primarch begins to resent his Legion’s place in the Imperium. When word reaches him of turmoil on his adoptive home world, he orders the Iron Warriors to abandon their campaign against the alien hrud and crush this emerging rebellion by any means necessary..."
        But it is much more. It is a war story and a story of regret. It is a story of one vengeful, spiteful curmudgeon, and how he sees himself very differently, as a misunderstood genius. 
In general novella consists of 2 parts and addendum. 1 part is focusing on Perturabo during his youth on Olympia and should have shown us why he became that way. Second part focuses on his role and part in the Great Crusade and upon his return to the world that defined him. Addendum is a story from the eyes of one warsmith Barabas Dantioch and how he became the 'insolent' cripple in UE and Pharos. 
       Story progression is quite good and actions seen are definitely not bad. But where this novella shine - is actions about time-warping hrud (and not in a definitive look at what makes the master of iron tick). 
       That's the first time we truly saw how SM found one of the 'enemies' that are more efficient than the Emperors Legions themselves. And how sad that is - especially then we are shown that they are not even fighting - but simply running/migrating away. 
       There's a huge amount about the hrud in the novella (and probably the best parts of it) - not least a ground-breaking revelation about what their "migrations" actually are...
But through awesome they are they are replaced with events of Perturabo youth on Olympia and his logic behind prosecution of Olympia later on in Great Crusade. And it's here where all the interesting build up failed utterly flat. 
Characters
        Novella contain a lot of interesting secondary/main characters - the good old Triarchs of Iron Warriors, battalions commanders etc. But where Guy Haley truly shine - it then depicting a usual human beings. And his cohorts of Olympian characters is what makes the book alive. Dammekos, Adophus, Lord of Iron 'sister' from a tyrant side - they are real and they are what makes the novella truly ticks for the Perturabo character.
       And here we have the main character of the novella - great Perturabo or let's say his egocentric logic. That's who is the main character of Perturabo: Hammer of Olympia. And thus I will go to the cons, cause they are truly and totally based on Perturabo's depiction. 
Cons
        Let be honest - Perturabo always was a petulant ego-maniac. Guy Haley tried to make Lord of Iron feel sympathetic (not empathetic! important distinction). But sadly - he failed in that. Partly it's not his fault - IV Legion Primarch was ruined by different authors before him. Each of them tried to do justice to his character. Instead they are totally ruined his personality. 
       There are a lot of points in his life where you can see he easily could have been different. Or where him being a 'giant jerk' wouldn't have mattered as much, because being a 'giant jerk' is part of the whole "intergalactic warlord" job description.
        What are the real reasons for him to snapped and be so full of loathing and hate? Olympia showed him kindness, Dammekos always said 'how great he was' - instead even upon first meeting for his 'step-father' roaring maelstorm in Perturabo's head declared him a liar. 
        Even being a boy he made assumptions which he validate as a constant of a universe. In regards to how he felt about Olympians, he just knew he wasn't one of them from the beginning and was made for bigger things. AS a result - he never made any deep connections, he used them as tools to and then dispose of them, then they had served their purpose.
        A lot of IW fans will tell you that among all the Primarchs, nobody embodies the weariness, the meat grinder aspect of the Great Crusade, quite like Perturabo. Many may lament it, but most still accept their lot in it. Perturabo chafed at it, always. His talents didn't just serve to tear down fortresses, but also his own character and Legion. Instead of uniting it and making something greater.
          Just look at Perturabo behavior with failures, even he was the reason for them:
«Dantioch did not like the bitterness of this statement. 'Then perhaps, my lord, it is your mistake in persisting with this campaign in the face of all available information.»
He simply can't fathom that he could be wrong:
«Stone and iron decayed, everything decayed, but the rapidity with which the human body ceased good function and began to collapse offended his sense of order. Humanity was, in many ways, despicable 'Others have suffered the same fate and yet they fulfill the orders given them,' said the Primarch. 'You were told to hold the straits. You did not.»
If I had the father like him - I would have rebelled after the first year. You can't follow a cruel king who kills for any fault or on his mood whim. How many legionaries have rebelled - we simply don't know. His own Legion 'loves' and hates him:
«Dogma is no substitute for wisdom...' Try telling that to our primarch,' said Zolan».
          But Perturabo himself view them as expendable meat (through author tried to show it from a better view - but failed in that):
«Perturabo gave no thanks or valedictory words to his captain. He expected his warriors to die for him without question».
And through his IW SM are ready to die for him (again - totally unexplained why. Reasoning he is our Primarch totally doesn't work here - cause he is a sadistic tyrant) rank and file humans in his fleet is another matter. Why nobody ran to Terra to tell the Emperor how his son butcher everyone who displeases him? Why they simply does not rebelled against him - his own serfs? 
          Through it's much better than how he views everyone else - with a sense of totally insane 'honor':
«Death is the greatest peace of all,' said Perturabo. 'Unending and total. I prefer other lands, but I can give you death's peace, if that is the peace you would prefer.»
And biggest Perturabo issue of all is his desire to 'drown the shame this news brought in blood'. Sometimes like half of all the Perturabo appearances in different shorts, novellas, novels he is more mad with rage and bloodthirsty than Angron himself. To be honest - Angron seems more sane than Lord of Iron with all his 'cold logic' most of the times.
          The problem of Perturabo as a character, a being, a warlord and a Primarch probably best shown through his dialog with his step-sister during a decimation of Olympia.
As his 'sister' said:
«Bo, a tomb lord. You cannot achieve the impossible so you rage like a child, and now you have unleashed this horror upon us because you can accept no compromise... You waste your men to prove a point that needs no proof, and then grow angry when no one notices and praises your self-sacrifice. Your petulance has cost this planet whole generation of youth...»
           And that's the first and biggest truth ever said to the Primarch. Because that's exactly who Perturabo is. In all his errors, in all his flaws, in all his issues - he is a perpetrator. And all of it is overshadowed by his dogmatic view of the Master of Mankind and the Galaxy. 
«The Emperor of Mankind makes no mistakes!' shouted Perturabo. He powered to his feet, towering over the ruined warsmith. 'His plans are flawless - how could it be any other way?»
Which eventually leads to absolutely errored and horribly wrong deduction:
«This pointless, ruinous campaign was the fault of the Emperor's vanity.»
         As his sister said - maybe he was given he hardest tasks cause he was able to overcome everything? 
         Or maybe if Horus weren't the Warmaster, forcing Primarchs into his own camp by exploiting their flaws. In Perty's case, knowingly sending him against threats like the Hrud that are obviously not going to work out well with Perturabo's approach to war. I think Horus was doing that before he even knew he wanted to rebel against the Emperor, too. Just manipulating things his way out of pride and vanity. 
          And thus that leads us to the greatest tragedy of the Iron Warriors. It wasn't the perfidious influence of Chaos or anything that broke them. Just years and century of thankless grinding and a perfect storm of cultural circumstances. It's at least a little heart-breaking to see the Perturabo from Magnus, where he seems confident and wise and the Great Crusade is a fresh thing to believe in for him, and to compare that to the Perturabo by the end of this novel.
Score
Guy Haley did tried to make a whole and believable Lord of Iron personality from all the previous shards which were left by his predecessors. 
And for that only he deserves respect and fans appreciation. 
       But in general, as I said before - he was able to create a vengeful, spiteful curmudgeon, who he sees himself very differently, as a misunderstood genius.
       I will rate it as 3,5 out of 5 stars (through I was going to give it 3 due to really hard road while reading it) - cause hrud, last chapters dialogs and Perturabo egocentric horribly direct bluntness saved the story for me. 
       I think if Guy Haley was able to least partly save Lord of Iron 'depiction', he would be one of the best candidates to write a Mortarion Primarch novella.

[JH79]

I want AD-B, Abnett, French or Wraight to handle Sanguinius.

This. ADB for Sanguinius, all day, every day.

 

I think one of the opportunities of the Primarchs series is to give different authors a chance to write Primarchs from Legions they may not have touched upon before... will be interesting to see who gets Vulkan.

[HeritorA]

 

I want AD-B, Abnett, French or Wraight to handle Sanguinius.

This. ADB for Sanguinius, all day, every day.

 

I think one of the opportunities of the Primarchs series is to give different authors a chance to write Primarchs from Legions they may not have touched upon before... will be interesting to see who gets Vulkan.

 

1)  A D-B is not the right choice for Sanguinius. Could you extrapolate a little why do you think he would be able to do justice by Sangy?

2) The less touched stuff the better - author could use it's own imagination.

3) Anyone except Kyme please

[Dagoth Ur]

 

 

I want AD-B, Abnett, French or Wraight to handle Sanguinius.

This. ADB for Sanguinius, all day, every day.

 

I think one of the opportunities of the Primarchs series is to give different authors a chance to write Primarchs from Legions they may not have touched upon before... will be interesting to see who gets Vulkan.

 

1)  A D-B is not the right choice for Sanguinius, in my opinion. Could you extrapolate a little why do you think he would be able to do justice by Sangy?

2) The less touched stuff the better - author could use it's own imagination.

3) Anyone except Kyme please

 

 

FTFY

 

Heavily disagree on ADB being the wrong choice for Sanguinius. He has shown that he can write very flawed, melancholic and layered characters with Argel Tal, Khârn, Khayon and even Angron and Zephon. I believe that ADB would be just the right person to deepen what little we already have about Sanguinius and explore how he was before the heresy, while he was still close to Horus. A few snippets of Sanguinius on Baal would be good, with about 2/3 of the rest dealing with legion culture/some notable war where sanguinius was present/The first upcoming of the red thirst in the legion or whatever else one could take. Maybe even deal with the idea that among all his brethren, Sanguinius is certainly the one who could be considered a "mutant", due to his physical appearence. Also, he has always struck me as a very melancholic yet hopeful being, though I can't exactly pinpoint why. There are certainly many thinks speaking for ADB, can't imagine a single one that speaks against him. Maybe you could explain why he is not the right choice?

 

About Kyme I'd go even farther, don't let him touch anything BL related anymore. Can't remember if I have ever read anything by him that I enjoyed, then again, his salamanders work is the only stuff of his that I have read, I believe.

[HeritorA]

 

 

 

I want AD-B, Abnett, French or Wraight to handle Sanguinius.

This. ADB for Sanguinius, all day, every day.

 

I think one of the opportunities of the Primarchs series is to give different authors a chance to write Primarchs from Legions they may not have touched upon before... will be interesting to see who gets Vulkan.

 

1)  A D-B is not the right choice for Sanguinius, in my opinion. Could you extrapolate a little why do you think he would be able to do justice by Sangy?

2) The less touched stuff the better - author could use it's own imagination.

3) Anyone except Kyme please

 

 

FTFY

 

Heavily disagree on ADB being the wrong choice for Sanguinius. He has shown that he can write very flawed, melancholic and layered characters with Argel Tal, Khârn, Khayon and even Angron and Zephon. I believe that ADB would be just the right person to deepen what little we already have about Sanguinius and explore how he was before the heresy, while he was still close to Horus. A few snippets of Sanguinius on Baal would be good, with about 2/3 of the rest dealing with legion culture/some notable war where sanguinius was present/The first upcoming of the red thirst in the legion or whatever else one could take. Maybe even deal with the idea that among all his brethren, Sanguinius is certainly the one who could be considered a "mutant", due to his physical appearence. Also, he has always struck me as a very melancholic yet hopeful being, though I can't exactly pinpoint why. There are certainly many thinks speaking for ADB, can't imagine a single one that speaks against him. Maybe you could explain why he is not the right choice?

 

About Kyme I'd go even farther, don't let him touch anything BL related anymore. Can't remember if I have ever read anything by him that I enjoyed, then again, his salamanders work is the only stuff of his that I have read, I believe.

 

I do agree with some logic - but through Sangy has a lot of doubts - he is not Tal, Khârn or Khayon in any way.

As for why he is not the right choice - he could right it and it would be good, but - his best work was focusing on 'struggling' side, the side of traitors. He could try to write Sangy, but something tells me that eventually it would become a copy of Ra from MoM.

 

Next - we have an example with Perturabo. Haley did tried to make him 'solid' as last. To take all the shards written different authors and create one solid character. But as I mentioned in my review - eventually he failed. Same would happen with Sanguinius if it would be written by Haley or Bowden.

 

Probably the best writers for Sanguinius right now are Wraight or 'gods forgive me' Smillie.

[Dagoth Ur]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I want AD-B, Abnett, French or Wraight to handle Sanguinius.

This. ADB for Sanguinius, all day, every day.

 

I think one of the opportunities of the Primarchs series is to give different authors a chance to write Primarchs from Legions they may not have touched upon before... will be interesting to see who gets Vulkan.

1) A D-B is not the right choice for Sanguinius, in my opinion. Could you extrapolate a little why do you think he would be able to do justice by Sangy?

2) The less touched stuff the better - author could use it's own imagination.

3) Anyone except Kyme please

FTFY

 

Heavily disagree on ADB being the wrong choice for Sanguinius. He has shown that he can write very flawed, melancholic and layered characters with Argel Tal, Khârn, Khayon and even Angron and Zephon. I believe that ADB would be just the right person to deepen what little we already have about Sanguinius and explore how he was before the heresy, while he was still close to Horus. A few snippets of Sanguinius on Baal would be good, with about 2/3 of the rest dealing with legion culture/some notable war where sanguinius was present/The first upcoming of the red thirst in the legion or whatever else one could take. Maybe even deal with the idea that among all his brethren, Sanguinius is certainly the one who could be considered a "mutant", due to his physical appearence. Also, he has always struck me as a very melancholic yet hopeful being, though I can't exactly pinpoint why. There are certainly many thinks speaking for ADB, can't imagine a single one that speaks against him. Maybe you could explain why he is not the right choice?

 

About Kyme I'd go even farther, don't let him touch anything BL related anymore. Can't remember if I have ever read anything by him that I enjoyed, then again, his salamanders work is the only stuff of his that I have read, I believe.

I do agree with some logic - but through Sangy has a lot of doubts - he is not Tal, Khârn or Khayon in any way.

As for why he is not the right choice - he could right it and it would be good, but - his best work was focusing on 'struggling' side, the side of traitors. He could try to write Sangy, but something tells me that eventually it would become a copy of Ra from MoM.

 

Next - we have an example with Perturabo. Haley did tried to make him 'solid' as last. To take all the shards written different authors and create one solid character. But as I mentioned in my review - eventually he failed. Same would happen with Sanguinius if it would be written by Haley or Bowden.

 

Probably the best writers for Sanguinius right now are Wraight or 'gods forgive me' Smillie.

I'd go so far and say that Sanguinius has the potential to have even more internal struggle than all of the mentioned characters. He is potentially a mutant that crusades for a lord and realm that abhorrs such beings, that advocates genocide and total extermination unless the mutant strain in question is sanctioned by the highest authorities (see navigators). His relation to the red thirst also offers potential for much self doubt. Imagine all of your sons inherit a gene of yours that might turn them mad and with each year passing ut gets worse and worse. Sanguinius sees his children suffer due to his own genes and he can't do anything about it. While he has not yet been portrayed with that many shades of doubt in depth, it is certainly something I would love to see.

 

About Perturabo and Haley we will have to agree to disagree in my eyes Haley has absolutely not failed with Perturabo but provided one of the best depictions possible for the Iron Lord;a heartless, grim, control obsessed monstrosity only capable of thinking in numbers and trying to shift blame where ever possible.

 

While I agree that Wraight would be up to the task too, I'd definitely prefer ADB myself and rather see Wraight write about Konrad Curze's saner periods or Ferrus Manus during the very early Great Crusade.

[JH79]

 

 

I want AD-B, Abnett, French or Wraight to handle Sanguinius.

This. ADB for Sanguinius, all day, every day.

 

I think one of the opportunities of the Primarchs series is to give different authors a chance to write Primarchs from Legions they may not have touched upon before... will be interesting to see who gets Vulkan.

 

1)  A D-B is not the right choice for Sanguinius. Could you extrapolate a little why do you think he would be able to do justice by Sangy?

2) The less touched stuff the better - author could use it's own imagination.

3) Anyone except Kyme please

Hmmmmmmm... what The Observer said

 

Seriously though I've spent some time mulling this over this afternoon, when i really should of been concentrating on my job (haha!) and I can't really put a finger on it other than he seems to be able to breath life, depth and realism into characters whether you like them or not. I absolutely despise Lorgar, his inability to stop suckling at the teat of outdated religious belief and the fact that he just couldn't quite get over having his precious little bottom spanked by daddy for being a complete and total tool! BUT, here's the thing, The First Heretic is easily one of the best Heresy titles to date and is written in such a way that as events unfold it's hard to envisage any other outcome for that wretched piece of filth. Then there's the action and drama... that moment where Ven calls Lorgar out all the while trying to signal Aquillon, Argel Tal's reaction post butchery... and what of Corax? Only his best fighting depiction in the entirety of the heresy against the Gal Vorback & Lorgar at Istvaan V!

 

We've had the 10 second teaser trailer during Aurelian... Chapter Six: The Ultimate Gate. Oh, my, god. Now let the man take pencil to parchment and write the living *cuss* out of that battle!

 

Oh and as for Kyme... i have a soft spot for his style and enjoy alot of his shorts, there's a time and a place for all things

[DarKnight]

Aside from AD-B being the best bar none in infusing individual culture into each Legion and Homeworld, I think his depiction of Sanguinius via Lorgar in Betrayer was the perfect lens into what the true heart of Sanguinius is. Most Primarchs had something that they could've gained from rebelling against the Emperor, why would the one (at least outwardly) affected by the warp/chaos stay loyal? 

[R_F_D]

It may be on his blog or it may be in a post on here; but doesn't AD-B want to do more Blood Angels?

 

I realise though that we are now way off topic, isn't there a general Primarchs thread?

[bluntblade]

The micro-portrait of Sangi in MoM would seem to support that.

[DarkChaplain]

So... Perturabo? It's a book.

[DarKnight]

Be glad to add commentary on it when it's released digitally.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

 

 

Do we know which Primarch is next? I remember seeing a beautiful cover of Fulgrim making the rounds. I assume we don't have a release order, do we?

 

 

Lorgar's next, by Gav Thorpe. Then I think it's Fulgrim by Josh Reynolds, and at some point I think we get Ferrus Manus but I can't remember who's supposed to be writing that one.

 

edit: David Guymer for Ferrus Manus, probably. I think Guy Haley mentioned on Combat Phase that he was doing Mortarion as his next Primarchs book, too, but that could just be tentative.

 

 

Thank you kindly for filling me in quite curious about the Ferrus Manus one...

 

David mentioned on Twitter that Ferrus Manus will probably be out around January - and that it should be "properly grim and dark"