Our Martyred Lady

[Sete]

I never read hand of darkness or eye of the night, but I don't think it addresses it. But it addresses gathering storm events.

I loved the audio book and it sets certain things in stone in the setting. Faith and Hope affecting the warp is a thing. The Emperor answering prayers is a thing. Greyfax and Celestine tension is delicious. Black Templars are around to kick ass. Gives a bit of insight on the companions of the Emperor Custodes aswell. And some get permanently damaged by exposition to the Emperor psychic might. They change guard every 100 years.

I would recommend it just for the background it adds to the setting.

[Sete]

Just finished it. Loved it.

Second audio book I ever heard.

There is interviews with the voice actors aswell.

[Plasmablasts]

Is this just in audio format or is (or will be) it in print?

[Sete]

Is this just in audio format or is (or will be) it in print?

As of now audio only. Don't know if there will be a print version. But I would buy it.

[DarkChaplain]

Is this just in audio format or is (or will be) it in print?

 

Don't count on these getting print editions anytime soon. These are specifically created for full-cast audio experiences. Sound effects and musical accompaniment as well as the various actors involved replace almost all the usual exposition you'd find in a prose story. Most recent audio dramas have even ditched narrators almost entirely, although Realmslayer hadn't. This is the way it was meant to be experienced, and any prose conversion will fail to measure up, and even to make the attempt, the author would need to go back and basically write a novella's worth of padding and exposition back in. Audio dramas get away with implying much about atmosphere and environment while focusing heavily on the acting and dialogue, but it also means that, as a written work, they'd be incomplete. Black Library's productions have made leaps and bounds over recent years, and these boxed sets are the culmination of that quality.

 

Frankly, the only reason to skip out on these big 4-disc productions would be the pricetag - something you can significantly reduce via an audible subscription and either spending your credit or buying it with your membership discount. Well, that and being literally deaf.

[Panzer]

I never read hand of darkness or eye of the night, but I don't think it addresses it. But it addresses gathering storm events.

I loved the audio book and it sets certain things in stone in the setting. Faith and Hope affecting the warp is a thing. The Emperor answering prayers is a thing. Greyfax and Celestine tension is delicious. Black Templars are around to kick ass. Gives a bit of insight on the companions of the Emperor Custodes aswell. And some get permanently damaged by exposition to the Emperor psychic might. They change guard every 100 years.

I would recommend it just for the background it adds to the setting.

Well, you just sold me on it. Damn you. :D

[Sete]

 

I never read hand of darkness or eye of the night, but I don't think it addresses it. But it addresses gathering storm events.

I loved the audio book and it sets certain things in stone in the setting. Faith and Hope affecting the warp is a thing. The Emperor answering prayers is a thing. Greyfax and Celestine tension is delicious. Black Templars are around to kick ass. Gives a bit of insight on the companions of the Emperor Custodes aswell. And some get permanently damaged by exposition to the Emperor psychic might. They change guard every 100 years.

I would recommend it just for the background it adds to the setting.

Well, you just sold me on it. Damn you.

 

Seriously is pretty good. it focus mostly on greyfax and celestine and a companion. BT mostly provide the muscle for the battle parts. No narrator.

[Plasmablasts]

 

 

Is this just in audio format or is (or will be) it in print?

Don't count on these getting print editions anytime soon. These are specifically created for full-cast audio experiences. Sound effects and musical accompaniment as well as the various actors involved replace almost all the usual exposition you'd find in a prose story. Most recent audio dramas have even ditched narrators almost entirely, although Realmslayer hadn't. This is the way it was meant to be experienced, and any prose conversion will fail to measure up, and even to make the attempt, the author would need to go back and basically write a novella's worth of padding and exposition back in. Audio dramas get away with implying much about atmosphere and environment while focusing heavily on the acting and dialogue, but it also means that, as a written work, they'd be incomplete. Black Library's productions have made leaps and bounds over recent years, and these boxed sets are the culmination of that quality.

 

Frankly, the only reason to skip out on these big 4-disc productions would be the pricetag - something you can significantly reduce via an audible subscription and either spending your credit or buying it with your membership discount. Well, that and being literally deaf.

Thanks. Sounds good and I would be interested in the audio. It’s just currently easier to sit down with a book than find an opportunity to listen to audiobooks.

[Sete]

As a fan of proper books it took me a few minutes to focus on on the dialogue. But after I got used to it it was a pleasant experience. It's a bit long and I made a few pauses, but it was great. I'm no critic or reviewer but I really enjoyed the voice acting. Except the Custodes and astartes, always expected deeper and booming voices lol.

[Panzer]

I usually like books better as well but it's just so nice to listen to audiobooks on your way to/from work and walking through the city.

[DarkChaplain]

It helps that Realmslayer at least was written semi-episodic, with each of the four discs continuing on sometime after the previous, but presenting a sort of short story of its own. Made it easy enough to take a break between CDs, or listening to one each night when getting ready to sleep. It was still a coherent story as a whole, obviously, but not in the same way most novels are presented, especially in audiobook formats.

I'd expect Our Martyred Lady to follow similar structure, since it's the counterpart to Realmslayer for 40k.

[Sete]

Yes it has breaks and 4 parts, around 1 hour each and 1 hour interviews.

[Panzer]

Looking forward to Our Martyred Lady now.

[DarkChaplain]

It hit Audible now! Just spent my credit. This is gonna be good.

[Marshal Vespasian]

So this audible thing is pretty cool.

 

I'm at 3/5 chapters right now. It feels a bit like everyone is just there to give grayfax some Idiots to yell at.

[Panzer]

I honestly didn't like Greyfax after Gathering Storm etc. but listening to this I feel for her lol

[DarkChaplain]

I'm on part four now, and been loving it. Ramon Tikaram pulls off a fantastic Custodian here, as expected, and the cast in general does great work. The relatively high focus on character drama and politics over sound effect heavy action sequences certainly helps, too.

[Nashnir]

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is dial-up.

 

The only parts I didn't really enjoy were the constant sniping almost each and every character would do to get in the last word.

After some time it gets repetitive and unoriginal. I mean in which professional setting; even fictional, can anyone get anything done with almost every single character berating or trying to up each other? It is not even subtle.

I honestly loved the moment when the Custodes' Companion representative straight up says *paraphrasing*: That their childish goading will not bait him.

 

Yet to finish the audiobook.

[DarkChaplain]

I'd recommend finishing it, as your complaint is very much a subject in and of itself within the story, especially between Greyfax and Celestine.

[Marshal Valkenhayn]

I'd give it a six out of ten.

 

 

Cons:

 

The Dialogue was meh. Too much bickering and quipping. The Custodes and Astartes also didn't speak with the gravitas of people hundreds or thousands of years old. In fact, the only person I felt they did justice on this front was Celestine, but half of what she says comes in speach format, which lost its luster after the second or third one.

 

Characterizations were all over the place, and most of their potential was wasted. The Custodes could have been replaced by an R2D2 style robot with a map projector on its head and I wouldn't have noticed a difference. Greyfax is apparently a useless gripy twat in every regard that isn't psychic powers. If she can't tie her shoes without using mind bullets, she'll be going barefoot. Again, the only character that I felt they did justice to was Celestine herself.

 

The voice acting was middling. Astartes and Custodes both need to be pitched down, and the Templar should have been a bit rougher and threatening, while the custodes remained aloof and cultured. During some of the high drama moments I did get Celestine and Greyfax confused, but otherwise they're voices are very distinct.

 

The plot was a mess. If the intent was to underline how pointless everything is, and how much of 40K life revolves around getting lead by the nose from point to point while having no idea what you're doing, then it's perfect. However, if they wanted their characters to seem clever and figure things out on their own, they certainly missed the mark. I won't spoil anything, but the ending was also pretty eye rolly for me.

 

 

Pros:

 

I bought this book because it had Black Templar in it, but I left it with a new found respect for Celestine. They do a very good job outlining what makes her such a fun character. As this is a book about her, and she is the best part of it, I have a hard time calling it anything less than a success.

 

Lore. There are a few lore snippets scattered throughout this book that were fun to see. Details about how the Custodes operate, an outside opinion on the Primaris Marines, confirmations that Big E is still active in guiding the Imperium. I enjoyed getting glimpses into all of that.

 

Sisters of Battle have a good showing here.

 

 

TLDR: If you like Celestine and want to listen to her be the bad ass glowy saint she is, or are a lore completionist, this is your book. Otherwise it's probably not worth buying.

[Nashnir]

Just completed the book.

 

This is my perspective but I feel not a single character in the story was used satisfactorily.

 

I will definitely come back to this one just to see if my opinion changes later or to see if I just hadn't framed my expectations correctly.