IG/AM Fiction

[Petitioner's City]

Desert Raiders. That book is absolutely legit.

 

Very interesting author. Also Saudi-Texan-Canadian! That's very unusual for 40K. 

[A D-B]

 

Desert Raiders. That book is absolutely legit.

 

Very interesting author. Also Saudi-Texan-Canadian! That's very unusual for 40K. 

 

 

Yeah, Lucien Soulban is an absolute gem of a guy.

[cheywood]

His Twitter bio lists some great games he's been a writer on as well. Far Cry especially has fantastic villains as I'm sure many on this forum know.

 

To stay on topic, Firecaste and Commissar would probably be my top two for standalone novels, while Gaunt's Ghosts is my pick for a series. I hope Cadia Stands is a sign that BL is getting back into IG a little more, but if wishes were horses...

[Brother Captain Kezef]

I think the Gaunt's Ghosts series, I'll probably be hanged for this, are overrated. I am a huge fan of Dan Abnet but the series wore quite thin and went off the reservation after Sabbat Martyr.

[Qkhitai]

I think the Gaunt's Ghosts series, I'll probably be hanged for this, are overrated. I am a huge fan of Dan Abnet but the series wore quite thin and went off the reservation after Sabbat Martyr.

 

I would largely agree actually. With such a long series it obviously has its ups and downs, and whilst overall I think it's a fun read, his other writing (Eisenhorn/Ravenor/Horus Rising) eclipses it in terms of being good literature. Although the Ghosts series is commendable for its imagination, world building and general creativity still, but yes, a little overrated. But given the context here, are there many other Guard novels that top them? I've read a fair few of the stand alone books, and a good chunk of the Cain series, but I'd probably still say Ghosts is better.

[Phoebus]

To each their own, I suppose; if anything, I feel the storyline has only become more cohesive and powerful as it has professed. Edited September 29, 2017 by Phoebus

[Qkhitai]

Well for example, I just finished Blood Pact the other day. It was a fun read, with great characters, a good setting and an engaging story, but it wasn't particularly well written. The sub-plots were a bit all over the place, a lot of the plot threads were either left unresolved or just resolved poorly, and the overall quality of the prose was just a bit lacking. I'd rate it highly if we're talking just about Guard fiction, but if someone tried to tell me that it was one of the best 40k novels, I'd definitely raise an eyebrow.

[Ascanius]

 

 

Desert Raiders. That book is absolutely legit.

 

Very interesting author. Also Saudi-Texan-Canadian! That's very unusual for 40K. 

 

Yeah, Lucien Soulban is an absolute gem of a guy.

 

I only read it once, but I seem to recall enjoying his Vampire: the Requiem novel Blood In, Blood Out. Off-topic, of course, but it's interesting to find the places where Black Library authors cross over with tie-in fiction for other game settings.

[Knockagh]

We have been starved of good guard books for years, seems the big hitters don't want to play with guard. Heresy books seriously missed out on not having a 'guard' perspective novel.

 

Taking the obvious out (Ghosts, double eagle, guy haleys baneblade and shadowsword, last chancers, double eagle and the wonderful commissar Cain) I would add Mr Henry Zou Andrew his short lived career. His two books burn brightly and sadly....

[DarkChaplain]

Fehervari all the way. Between Fire Caste and Genestealer Cults (to be reprinted as Cult of the Spiral Dawn next year), you get a fantastic look at Guard in all the worst situations.

[Lord Marshal]

I think the Gaunt's Ghosts series, I'll probably be hanged for this, are overrated. I am a huge fan of Dan Abnet but the series wore quite thin and went off the reservation after Sabbat Martyr.

 

You'd only be hanged if you said A-D-B was overrated I think. Disliking Abnett's work seems to be the new hip and trendy thing to do around here... I mean, people are entitled to their opinions but recently it's felt a lot like "yeah well, uh, -I- didn't like his stuff because like, yeah, he's just bad." Not accusing you of that of course, I'm just rambling.

 

But I think Gaunt's Ghosts is a weird series. Overall it's excellent, but there's some really weak moments and whole books that drag it down. Ghostmaker took me an age to get through, it's definitely the weakest of the series, but then it's immediately followed by Necropolis and that injected a whole needle worth of excitement in me as a reader and desire to continue forward with the series. Overrated though? Ehh. I could see an argument for it 'back in the day', but these days I see as much criticism for it as I do praise.

Edited October 1, 2017 by Lord Marshal

[cheywood]

I've noticed that as well. Maybe it's the new bandwagon or maybe people have just taken off the rose-tinted googles. Perhaps a bit of both?

 

I think GG illustrates both the issues with writing a long-running series and how to create a great story despite them. Inevitably the author's viewpoints are going to change a little, their enthusiasm will wax and wane, other projects will enter their life, children or health problems or a chance to teach SCUBA diving in Fiji will come up, and with a shared universe comes potential changes in tone and lore. Abnett has, for the most part, managed to craft a consistent story over the past nearly two decades despite encountering many of those challenges. The Ghosts certainly puttered around on the outskirts of the Crusade for a while, and some of their standalone stories aren't all that memorable as a result, but Salvation's Reach and now Warmaster seem to have them on a new path towards the center of the action.

 

The early books being published as serials explains why they don't compare as well as Necromunda in my mind.

Edited October 1, 2017 by cheywood

[Petitioner's City]

Id say Salvation's Reach, for example, is a beautiful novel, with a brilliant attention and focus to the *life* of a regiment. It was so mature, the concerns of an older author, as with Pariah. It felt like how Pratchett's concerns became more mature, yet broader and more concerned with society at large through micro studies.

[Knockagh]

Gaunts Ghosts are in no way overrated. They have stood the test of time and have a loyal following for a reason. They are great books with likeable characters who sadly die.....which weirdly makes them better.

 

Yes there are some better than others but in a series this size views will differ. But come on you must admit as a series, a big long running series, the books are awesome.

[HeritorA]

Id say Salvation's Reach, for example, is a beautiful novel, with a brilliant attention and focus to the *life* of a regiment. It was so mature, the concerns of an older author, as with Pariah. It felt like how Pratchett's concerns became more mature, yet broader and more concerned with society at large through micro studies.

True. One of the reasons I can't wait to read 'Warmaster'.

 

Fehervari all the way. Between Fire Caste and Genestealer Cults (to be reprinted as Cult of the Spiral Dawn next year), you get a fantastic look at Guard in all the worst situations.

Indeed. Probably the only IG novel on the same scale of grimdark, depression and grit is the good old '15 hours'.