Rate what you Read, or the fight against Necromancy

[The Scorpion]

On 3/8/2024 at 5:35 PM, Roomsky said:

 

It has a very strong introductory section which it then effectively throws out the window to give us the usual band of generic Sororitas, at which point it sort of turned into white noise for me. The Savlar are honestly more compelling than anything the Sisters get up to, which is a shame but not too unexpected. Hill's writing style is at its best when he's writing Guardsmen.

Fingers crossed for the Morvenn Vahl book to be good. I know that there is a short story out, but I haven't gotten around to read it yet.

[grailkeeper]

 

 

Dan Abnett talks about Titanicus.

[grailkeeper]

7 hours ago, grailkeeper said:

 

Dan Abnett talks about Titanicus.

 

Turns out he's not in it. I thought he was going to be.

[JustinDHill]

i've just watched it... this is the one! ;-) 

 

Some great stuff here, especially on his writing process. 

 

 

[grailkeeper]

Cool. Thanks seems like he is writing a book with a big setting. Interceptor city?

[The Scorpion]

The Unburdened - David Annandale

The darker side of the coin to "The Honoured"... which I haven't read. A novella dealing with the Underworld War, from the perspective of the Word Bearers. This is the underworld war at it's purest: small skirmishes with supplies, the looming idea in the background that this fight won't decide the fate of the Heresy (as we know, it goes long into the Scouring), clashes that are bitterly fought but have small importance.
And yet, this novella caught my eye due to several things.
It 'gets' the Word Bearers. Annadale brings to the fore many of the themes introduced to them by ADB and brings his own spin to them in the form of Kurtha Sedd, a Dark Apostle in a quest to become "unburneded" by regret, doubt, and as we later come to see... morality. For even the brutal fascist morality of the Imperium carries a weight of debt, of purpose, of duty to a certain idea of humanity. And it is such a heavy weight. Kurtha Sedd's quest is one of transcending that morality. Of transcending any morality. Of becoming truly Unburdened.
The creeping sense of darkness and madness in the subterranean labyrinth of Calth gives it a flair that I'm only used to see on more strange Warhammer stories, such as the Dark Coil, the later Siege Books, or Chris Wraight's most recent Sea of Souls. The warp is abstract and unfathomable here, more free than it was in even The First Heretic or Betrayer.
The atmosphere is of suffocation though. It is set in claustrophobic spaces, and the protagonists turn in circles both physically and spiritually. Kurtha Sedd's Fifth Company ends multiple times in the same places by the designs of fate, whereas the Chaplain himself tries pointlessly to delay said designs every turn. This is a good match for the theme of endless disorienting combat the Underworld War is know for, but some readers might feel it is too heavy a burden.
Still, I loved it. I expected far worse, especially since I had heard that Annadale's other horror-adjacent book in the Heresy, Damnation of Pythos, was not well received. Though I may be biased, because I am a Word Bearers stan who think they are the most interesting faction in all of 40k.
 

To Taste
 

Arbitrary Numerical Rating: 7/10 but it goes up to a 9.5/10 for Word Bearer or Demon Diehards.

[Roomsky]

The Unburdened is such an odd duck for featuring Kurtha Sedd, a one-off and shallow villain Uriel Ventris* kills in an audio drama/short story. It paints a pretty good portrait of the more traditionally "evil" (as opposed to the delusions of nobility sort) Word Bearer's psychology though, and I appreciate the effort despite it being a kind of wasted effort. The quality of Annandale's stories is inversely proportional to the amount of action, and I thought it had an okay balance. Pythos remains my favourite of Annandale's Heresy work, despite its reputation!

 

You almost certainly don't have to bother with The Honoured, it is much worse.

 

*Actually Aeonid Thiel, thank you Morovir.

Edited April 6 by Roomsky

[DarkChaplain]

I was going to say the same: The Honoured was terrible. Technically it's the one you're supposed to start the duology with since it provides a bit of framework, but hells, it's just utterly dull and uninspired. That was a tie-in short novel I felt was really just phoned in.

 

And then The Unburdened brought out its themes and actually did something interesting. When Annandale has the room to explore the themes he wants in his books, I usually enjoy them a whole lot. Heck, I'm still in the "the Guilliman Primarchs novel was actually an interesting read"-camp. Problems arise when the action takes over and pushes his thematic work aside.

 

...but yeah, The Honoured has none of that.

 

And I want justice for Kurtha Sedd. Kyme's Aeonid Thiel robbed us.

[JustinDHill]

10 hours ago, grailkeeper said:

Cool. Thanks seems like he is writing a book with a big setting. Interceptor city?

He talks quite extensively at the beginning of this one about what he's writing at the moment, and why. 

 

 

[The Scorpion]

21 hours ago, Roomsky said:

The Unburdened is such an odd duck for featuring Kurtha Sedd, a one-off and shallow villain Uriel Ventris kills in an audio drama/short story. 

 

You almost certainly don't have to bother with The Honoured, it is much worse.

Wait WHAT? I thought Kurtha Sedd was created for the Betrayal at Calth launch and was forgotten since. I had no idea that he appeared on Uriel Ventris stories.

 

15 hours ago, DarkChaplain said:

I was going to say the same: The Honoured was terrible. Technically it's the one you're supposed to start the duology with since it provides a bit of framework, but hells, it's just utterly dull and uninspired. That was a tie-in short novel I felt was really just phoned in.

 

And then The Unburdened brought out its themes and actually did something interesting. When Annandale has the room to explore the themes he wants in his books, I usually enjoy them a whole lot. Heck, I'm still in the "the Guilliman Primarchs novel was actually an interesting read"-camp. Problems arise when the action takes over and pushes his thematic work aside.

 

...but yeah, The Honoured has none of that.

I skimmed trough The Honoured and noticed that certain things and key events happen from different POVs, but yeah, it failed to grab my attention.

Still can't believe Kurtha Sedd is not originary to Betrayal at Calth.

[Morovir]

Not Uriel Ventris, Aeonid Thiel. He appeared in the audio drama Censure by Nick Kyme.

[lansalt]

Over the years BL has released forgettable tie-ins to new GW kits and box sets, but sometimes they're little gems, like The Unburdened (Which is pretty much BaC: the novel). Another good one that comes to mind is Blood Rite by Rachel Harrison, about the Space Marine Heroes BA terminators.

[The Scorpion]

1 hour ago, lansalt said:

Over the years BL has released forgettable tie-ins to new GW kits and box sets, but sometimes they're little gems, like The Unburdened (Which is pretty much BaC: the novel). Another good one that comes to mind is Blood Rite by Rachel Harrison, about the Space Marine Heroes BA terminators.

I'll be sure to check it out.
This is why this thread is here for isn't it? To rescue the old gems so that may not be buried under the tide of hype

Edited April 5 by The Scorpion

[Felix Antipodes]

 

18 hours ago, JustinDHill said:

He talks quite extensively at the beginning of this one about what he's writing at the moment, and why. 

 

 

 

Great interview with Dan.  Thank you for the link.

The info about what he is currently up to at the beginning was more info than we have received from GW/BL itself,  Look forward to whatever is being released later this year, but the best thing I got from it was that BL is still commissioning books.  Now I’m intrigued by what Dan considers a left field direction…

[Firedrake Cordova]

The Bookkeeper's Skull by Justin Hill (audiobook)

 

The book centres around one of the sons of the chief enforcer on the the world of Potence, as he is inducted into the enforcers and sent out on his first mission. The story deals with the struggles within aristocratic households, their attitude towards the lower classes, and the tools used to keep the "serfs" in line, including hereditary punishment and executions. It contains scenes of torture, and execution, and can get a bit grizzly in places. 

 

Whilst it falls within the "horror" line, it reads more like a particularly dark entry in the "crime" series than a true horror novel, although the main character's "clown" being a lobotomised and "servitorised" criminal is somewhat unsettling.

 

The narration is generally excellent, although there are a couple of places where a character's voice bleeds into a sentence of narration, and there are a couple of production issues involving volume equalisation.

 

Overall, if the story looks like it will interest you, it's highly recommended.

[63-19]

21:14 in the titanicus interview is perfection. I think I could see the B&C logo in his eyes when he was talking.

Edited April 7 by 63-19

[DukeLeto69]

On 4/6/2024 at 2:54 AM, Felix Antipodes said:

 

 

Great interview with Dan.  Thank you for the link.

The info about what he is currently up to at the beginning was more info than we have received from GW/BL itself,  Look forward to whatever is being released later this year, but the best thing I got from it was that BL is still commissioning books.  Now I’m intrigued by what Dan considers a left field direction…

The first few minutes were great as a teaser. My take away…

 

1. He wrote Pandaemonium last year (he indicated it was not HH but connected which to me signals Pandaemonium even though he did not say that) and he is now checking the manuscript again as it comes out this year. Yay!

 

2. His new editor wanted him to work on something different next and not GG, Eisenhorn, as he can do those any time. The editor suggested something and he thought about it and said “yes if I can approach it like this” and he got the go ahead.

 

Now I think this was in relation to two projects this year (not including Pandaemonium) so I am going to speculate (wishlist):

 

a) WH Crime/WH Horror - because he talked about it focusing on ordinary people not gods and demigods etc.

 

b) Votann because he referenced looking at a very different aspect of the huge 40k universe.

 

I could be totally wrong of course!

Edited April 8 by DukeLeto69
Clarify point on Pandaemonium

[Felix Antipodes]

I like the idea of Dan tackling the Votann, mainly because they underused to date and because he is a ‘widescreen’ storyteller.  I’d also be happy with him visiting any of the currently under utilised imprints like Crime and/or Horror (hell even Necromunda) just because of the light such a big name would on them.

[theSpirea]

I wouldn't mind Abnett taking on Votann as long as he doesn't try to shove them into his abnett-verse.

[DukeLeto69]

7 minutes ago, theSpirea said:

I wouldn't mind Abnett taking on Votann as long as he doesn't try to shove them into his abnett-verse.

 

So if they showed up in a Gaunt’s Ghosts or Eisenhorn book you wouldn’t like it?

 

Saying that the interview said to me that the two projects he is working on this year are NOT connected to either of his ongoing series. Which is good.

[theSpirea]

3 hours ago, DukeLeto69 said:

 

So if they showed up in a Gaunt’s Ghosts or Eisenhorn book you wouldn’t like it?

 

Saying that the interview said to me that the two projects he is working on this year are NOT connected to either of his ongoing series. Which is good.

Not really, and it would also depend on how it would be incorporated (I would have to check the timeline to see if that would even be possible). I wasn't a big fan of Pariah for that exact reason. Too many characters know way too much about history and the heresy, even your average Joe. This is much better handled in the Crime imprint, where characters might use expressions like 'by nine devils,' but they don't even understand where that comes from. Abnett makes the universe feel too small.

[DukeLeto69]

5 hours ago, theSpirea said:

Not really, and it would also depend on how it would be incorporated (I would have to check the timeline to see if that would even be possible). I wasn't a big fan of Pariah for that exact reason. Too many characters know way too much about history and the heresy, even your average Joe. This is much better handled in the Crime imprint, where characters might use expressions like 'by nine devils,' but they don't even understand where that comes from. Abnett makes the universe feel too small.

ah but there is a reason why there is so much knowledge on that planet and why so much flotsam and jetsam has turned up there!!!!!

[The Scorpion]

 

Alright fellas, using the following criteria established by Roomsky when this thread first began, I'm going to give my review of this short story by Rob Sanders. For reminders, the ratings are:

 Must-Buy - should speak for itself

To taste - a book worthy of purchase, but it may be contentious or a little "out there" for some

Diehards only - You think fans of the faction or author might like this

Unreadable - should speak for itself

 

Let's get into it:

 

Soulfuel by Rob Sanders

Well, this was a neat little story. It was a Sisters story, but focused on the Black Ships and it's duties more than anything else. The setting is simple: Rogue Psyker is captured, Red Corsairs attempt to free it, Sisters must prevent it.
A cool boarding action ensues, which action-wise is nothing out of the ordinary, but it has some cool things of mention, such as lore insight on the functioning and unorthodox uses of the Black Ships.
The Heretic Astartes are depicted as a force to be reckoned with. In other power armor stories, CSM are almost little more than beefier cultists. Not so here, these are truly the Emperor's (fallen) Angels boarding the ship. Their armor can withstand bolt rounds and they themselves can inflict gruesome casualties on the Sisters and Stormtroopers. It's like being on the opposite end of the famous Astartes animation, and from an Imperial POV.
There is a neat showcase of how different warbands operate under the larger banner of a "legion", even in in this case it's the Red Corsairs and not one of the original traitor nine.
Still, solid story, but nothing out of the ordinary. It's a cool short read.

 

Arbitrary numerical rating: 7/10, To Taste 

 

Edited April 8 by The Scorpion
typos

[The Scorpion]

The Flesh Tithe by Miles A Drake:

Not having the cash at hand to purchase the new Iron Lords story, I settled for digging up this obscure short story instead, written back when 40k still had the badass logo.
This is a Death Spectres Story, but the Death Spectres take their time to show up. And it is truly a shame because the Death Spectres are kinda the whole appeal of this tale.
It is not a bad tale in and on itself, but you won't find here any themes that you cannot find somewhere else.
What you can find, are interesting nuggets of lore about the Death Spectres, their demeanor, and the wider Ghoul Stars, such as mentions of the minor Xenos that inhabit there.
I believe the protagonist is the same as the other Death Spectres vs Necrons story that Miles A Drake (What Wakes in the Dark), but I'd need confirmation.

 

Rating? Diehards Only - if you are interested in Death Spectres, Bone Kingdom Necrons, or Ghoul Stars lore, then it is certainly worth the read, but otherwise you likely won't find anything of particular interest.

Edited April 9 by The Scorpion
extra info

[Fedor]

The Unburdened is one of 30k's hidden gems, imo. That scene where he wanders into the church on Monarchia and massacres everyone is one of the Word Bearers most evocative.

 

Honoured was indeed entirely phoned-in by comparison, but the sgt. character with the indestructible terminator armour was hilarious. Not the vibe that Sanders was probably going for, but still.