The Black Legion

[MrBadweed]

All finished. It's good. It's so good. Thank you A D-B. Your are undoubtedly one of my two favourite BL writers, the two of you being quite a measure ahead of the rest of the pack. I have many questions and thoughts, but mostly I just want to thank you for keeping my 40K flame burning and being a primary contributor to keeping me engaged in and loving this setting and its lore

 

This, very much this. 

 

My heartfelt thanks for it.

[1ncarnadine]

I'm going through a much slower re-read already. I had some thoughts on Thagus Daravek that I was mulling over and thought I'd share:

 

So he has these big, impressive, but actually not quite functional vulture wings, right? At the start of the book it lends him a lot more stature and presence, and marks him out as clearly blessed by the Gods. They add to the sense of threat. By the end of the book we know a lot more about him, and it's even pointed out in the text that he tends to react instead of being proactive. If we take Khayon's words on how the Eye changes you, that it reflects your sins on your flesh, then it becomes really clear why he has vulture wings. He's a carrion feeder. Especially at the end, in a figurative sense, he does kind of swoop in on dying prey to pick over the carcasses.

 

I also wonder if he ever really had a chance to carry Drach'nyen, or if he was just part of a plan by the gods to light a fire under Abaddon's rear to pick up the sword. Hard to say and likely one of those questions for which there is no definitive answer.

[Robster The Lobster]

I will probably write a larger post Someday when I'm not on a mobile. But for now let's just say that it is an masterpiece of a book, and I heartily recommend it to people and perhaps smarter animals who have the capacity to understand words.

 

Oh, really liked Ashur-kai's part. It actually moved me, and it was definitely not something I expected of him.

[Sandlemad]

Oh, really liked Ashur-kai's part. It actually moved me, and it was definitely not something I expected of him.

 

It was pretty dang moving, yeah.

 

I was dreading an emotionally-draining confrontation between Khayon and his increasingly pitiful old master somewhere down the line so this was...better? Bittersweet, certainly, and perhaps not a life that Ashur-Kai would consciously choose but he's a living part of a prophecy or trans-temporal event now.

 

Based on what they were told - 'we have always served the Black Legion' - Khayon will have to see him again in the future, and be told again that their friendship is an irrelevancy. 

[Mellow]

Is Ashur-Kai someone important? I don't recall his name appearing in previous novels but to be fair I don't remember the names much.

[Balthamal]

Finished it. I need a second read through to properly take it all in but I can best sum up the majesty of this book with two quotes that encapsulate all the subtly and gravity that people feared wouldn't happen:

 

"Don't make me do this. Don't make me kill you"

 

And more fittingly:

 

"He wouldn't die. He just wouldn't die."

[Knockagh]

If anyone still wants one there's still a ton of Ltd Eds left. The ad said under a thousand so we'll say 999 :p

Yip definitely not the sell out predicted. No wonder though, why would you bother when everyone else gets it first!

Have to say I'm glad everyone is enjoying the book. Looking forward to getting it sometime. Just whenever Black Library, I'm not fussed.....

[Ascanius]

I thought it was excellent, Aaron. I just want to say that, specifically, I really love the choice to ground the first-person narration in a literal dictation of Khayon's story to the Inquisition.

[Space Truckin]

Ah!  Got the wife to order me a copy with her next Amazon order!

Her first response...well what about those other books you haven't finished yet?      I'm working on them honey...I just need a break from reading Ciaphas every now and then!

Anyways, free shipping on Prime.  Plus it's listed at 18.36 USD  vs.  27 on the Black Library website.

 

Sorry if this was posted a few pages back.  Trying to avoid any type of spoilerage.  :tu:

[Mellow]

"don't call me firefist!"

[HeritorA]

Thoughts:

One of best A D-B novels. And I haven't even finished it yet.

Just in 3 chapters he answered a lot of questions about CSM and Eye of Terror. Tons of epic quotes. And truly great character building. Especially for Daravek and Abaddon.

Daravek is the most proper Death Guardish character I ever read about.

[Balthamal]

Thoughts:

One of best A D-B novels. And I haven't even finished it yet.

Just in 3 chapters he answered a lot of questions about CSM and Eye of Terror. Tons of epic quotes. And truly great character building. Especially for Daravek and Abaddon.

Daravek is the most proper Death Guardish character I ever read about.

 

Wait till you read about his scythe later on. 

[Sandlemad]

Is Ashur-Kai someone important? I don't recall his name appearing in previous novels but to be fair I don't remember the names much.

 

Khayon's former mentor, the albino sorceror. The other TS from Talon of Horus.

[DarkChaplain]

I'm resigned to this thread reaching 60+ pages before I get to properly start Black Legion. Should've re-read Talon a while ago, but this release kinda snuck up on me.

[godking]

Great novel.

 

I loved the "world building and information about living  in the Eye.

[Canadian_F_H]

I asked a while back but didn't catch the answer. What is the book preceeding black legion? Assuming it is the 2nd of a series (besides all the other HH novels)

[Marshal Loss]

I asked a while back but didn't catch the answer. What is the book preceeding black legion? Assuming it is the 2nd of a series (besides all the other HH novels)

 

The Talon of Horus.

[Kelborn]

It's the second of the Black Legion series. It's not part of the HH series.

 

First one being The Talon of Horus

http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/the-talon-of-horus-ebook.html

 

Second one being said Black Legion

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Home/black-legion.html

 

Hope hat helps.

 

*edit*

nargh...ninja'd ^^

[Canadian_F_H]

Perfect. Thanks

[JH79]

Finished it. I need a second read through to properly take it all in but I can best sum up the majesty of this book with two quotes that encapsulate all the subtly and gravity that people feared wouldn't happen:

 

"Don't make me do this. Don't make me kill you"

 

And more fittingly:

 

"He wouldn't die. He just wouldn't die."

So i'm keeping a seriously wide berth from this rapidly growing thread until i have this in my hands... but being the masochist that i am i cannot help but have a quick nose through and ignore all the spoiler tags... but this, oh my these two quotes gave me the chills!!

[HeritorA]

 

Thoughts:

One of best A D-B novels. And I haven't even finished it yet.

Just in 3 chapters he answered a lot of questions about CSM and Eye of Terror. Tons of epic quotes. And truly great character building. Especially for Daravek and Abaddon.

Daravek is the most proper Death Guardish character I ever read about.

 

Wait till you read about his scythe later on. 

 

Ahhh, can't wait

 

Also one of my friends have a bit different opinion - in which he is partly (and I say partly correct):

 

'The book is well written but two things caused my frustration and disappointment. Both have to do with me i guess. The book's name is Black Legion and, apparently, it is about the Black Legion but to be honest i was expecting a 70%-30% Black Legion- Black Templars book (and i was hoping for a 60%-40% Black Legion-Black Templars book :p ). The actual ratio is 99% Black Legion-0.2% Sigismund-0.8% Death Guard. The second has to do with the writing of mr ADB. I always enjoy his books during the first reading but i'm beginning to dislike some things lately. He gives a certain vitality and dynamism to his heroes but he is tryharding so much to achieve this-to make them almost real and alive- that ultimately, utterly fails (imo) to make a "realistic" representation of a Space Marine's personality and temperament. I mean all this casual talking, the jests and the jokes between them, some times feel so wrong and out of place....Take for example Wraight's White Scars...He managed to portray an introverted Legion that in truth overflows with positive energy and humor without degrading them (The Scars) to jokers. ADB's Astartes in this book are so basic and full of cliches.....The World Eater is angry and always eager for a fight, Fulgrim's son is a vainglorious supreme swordmaster, the Death guard is like this, the thousand son is like that and blah blah blah..Please guys read the book and then compare the characters with Eidolon in the Path of Heaven to understand what i mean. Chris Wraight-with Eidolon- managed to break every :cussing cliche about the Emperor's Children- and present a character that managed to evolve in so many ways, but still has the identity of his legion imprinted on his every action.'

[Mellow]

If you take the total number of posts by HeritorA and then take the total number of posts by HeritorA with the letters "ADB" in them. You will all find a surprising result!

 

(Yes, they're the same).

 

Anywho. The Novel was very good. For me the author always makes his books easy to read. I rarely find them a chore or tiresome to get through. Is a 3rd book in the series confirmed or hinted? I realise the author may wish to write more but has BL given the official nod for a release of several years time? (Impressions are that he tends to write slow ;) )

[HeritorA]

If you take the total number of posts by HeritorA and then take the total number of posts by HeritorA with the letters "ADB" in them. You will all find a surprising result!

 

(Yes, they're the same).

 

Anywho. The Novel was very good. For me the author always makes his books easy to read. I rarely find them a chore or tiresome to get through. Is a 3rd book in the series confirmed or hinted? I realise the author may wish to write more but has BL given the official nod for a release of several years time? (Impressions are that he tends to write slow )

 

Really?  In this thread - yeah, in Emperor's Spears - yeah. In other - not so. Pardon me - or was that a sarcastic attempt?

 

Novel is indeed good. Very good - well, that depends.

We always wanted a more 'personal' and investigated SM characters. A D-B provided us with it - but that point: 'The second has to do with the writing of mr ADB. I always enjoy his books during the first reading but i'm beginning to dislike some things lately. He gives a certain vitality and dynamism to his heroes but he is tryharding so much to achieve this-to make them almost real and alive- that ultimately, utterly fails (imo) to make a "realistic" representation of a Space Marine's personality and temperament. I mean all this casual talking, the jests and the jokes between them, some times feel so wrong and out of place....'

is actually correct. On the other hand - don't know how A D-B would have been able to show the 'beauty' of a SM psyche struggles without making them 'not exactly the SM type'.

What he did eventually - he create a living and breathing human characters with flows and issues. But that's not a 'generic' old school W40K Space Marine

[A D-B]

If you take the total number of posts by HeritorA and then take the total number of posts by HeritorA with the letters "ADB" in them. You will all find a surprising result!

 

Guys, just a personal request, but can we stop doing this? I've seen it a bunch of times over the last year+, and I keep trying to correct it, but it endlessly keeps a cycle going:

 

Heritor is nice about my work (sometimes in a mean or zealous way) > Heritor is called out for always being nice about my work > Heritor changes position shortly after and says the current work actually sucks > and so on, and so on. It happens a lot, and it's just poking the bear. Like, it's even a joke among some of the BL author stable at this point. I don't care if he's nice or nasty, it makes no difference to me, but baiting him into this eternal cycle is so freaking draining to have to read through. Please stop connecting the two of us; he talks about loads of other authors, too. Chris Wraight, especially.

 

ANYWAY!

 

Thanks for the reviews so far, guys and girls. The reception for this one has been beyond words, and I'm legit humbled. I don't want to go down the list one by one saying "Ta!" and "Thanks!" because that'd be tacky, but I 'm really grateful all of the insightful remarks so far, and I sincerely appreciate y'all taking the time to say you dug it. Some specifics follow, because I'm on my lunch break:

 

 

I thought it was excellent, Aaron. I just want to say that, specifically, I really love the choice to ground the first-person narration in a literal dictation of Khayon's story to the Inquisition.

 

I umm'd and ahh'd over whether that was the right choice for so freaking long at the start of the series, but I think you're right, it's really falling into place. I always wonder whether to make more or less of it as I'm writing (I tend to err towards making less of it) but I was really pleased with getting to include the...

...quotes from Sargon at the part-breaks...

 

...as they shine a completely new light about what's going on with the Inquisition in regards to the story.

 

 

I'm going through a much slower re-read already. I had some thoughts on Thagus Daravek that I was mulling over and thought I'd share:

 

So he has these big, impressive, but actually not quite functional vulture wings, right? At the start of the book it lends him a lot more stature and presence, and marks him out as clearly blessed by the Gods. They add to the sense of threat. By the end of the book we know a lot more about him, and it's even pointed out in the text that he tends to react instead of being proactive. If we take Khayon's words on how the Eye changes you, that it reflects your sins on your flesh, then it becomes really clear why he has vulture wings. He's a carrion feeder. Especially at the end, in a figurative sense, he does kind of swoop in on dying prey to pick over the carcasses.

 

You're very good at this. I wanted that aspect of...

 

...those two gods to shine through, rather than the usual "JUST AS PLANNED" and disease/decay. Like, not everyone blessed by Tzeentch or Nurgle (or any god, really) is going look the same, or interpret/manifest that divinity the same way. Everyone should have a different angle, even if only slightly. And when it ties into the book's theme, all the better.

 

On a similar note, I've still not gotten the chance to write in the crow/raven Lord of Change that I keep intending to get to, but... soon, soon, maybe.

 

 

Also, no idea how you get "would be the least likely person to be possessed" from his prior appearances. There are literally reams of other characters less likely to become possessed. Discounting all loyalists, pretty much any Night Lord or Iron Warrior that maintains the usual distrust for daemons and gods. The Exalted and others like him excluded, of course. In fact, I think it makes a bit of sense. The character in question is a prideful, hubristic warrior with exceptional skill in personal combat. But once he meets others who can best him, either through skill (Sigismund) or through ye olde hax (psykers or other possessed) he might start worrying about how he can maintain his edge. And so he stoops to the greatest PEDs ever invented: daemons.

 

Yeah. I can't see any real argument for Delvarus not being possessed - there are practically as many reasons for possession as there are Possessed themselves. Plus, as several people have said, and I've now said twice, it's not some ultra-surprising fate: his only canonical mention before this has been the "Delvarus Possessed Squad" card in the Horus Heresy artbooks (and the card game, obviously). It was always where he was going to end up.

 

And Sete, re: the battle-barge / Gloriana thing, that was after a talk with Alan. He wanted to expand the idea of Gloriana ships (I think the latest HH Big Black Rulebook has loads of them) and hammer home that it's not a specific class of ship at X metres with Y weapons - it's an honorific, too, and an indication of scale and presence and power as much as anything else. He mentioned the Crusader specifically as an example and I liked that, so I threw it in. It's still a battle-barge that gets massively pimped-out, but it's like getting a pawn to the other side of the chess board: It becomes a Queen.

[Sete]

Thanks for the insight.