Izlude Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 I figure I would start a thread on this one since there is one for Dreadwing. I have to say I really liked this one. As a UM fanboy, I have been disappointed with Annandale's other works such as Ruinstorm and Guilliman for the Primarch series. I have to give credit where credit is due but I thought this book was excellent. -Is very fast paced, gives a great sense of urgency that RG is trying to get to Terra as fast as he can. It is essentially divided into 3 mini arcs or a trident if you will with essentially a key UM character matching wits against a key IW character. -An excellent depiction of the IWs who are tasked with stalling RG as long as possible knowing this is the endgame for them. In typical IW fashion they are dour and taciturn but I really like the contrast between the three main IW characters...some of them dare I say entertaining hope... -Death: Wow...alot of people die! It gives you the scale of things to get to Terra and the sacrifices that has to be made. And for 5 bucks!?! I highly recommend this one, I will probably re-read later. It flowed very well and I enjoyed his characters. And also props for a unique use of a melta bomb...damn...that was rough. If he could have written his other stories like this, would make me a fan for sure. Maybe shorter stories are his strength? I feel some authors do well with ~100 page limits as opposed to ~300 pages. Maybe less rope to hang yourself with. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelborn Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 And now I'm going to give it a try. Thanks! ;) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5217681 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tymell Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 I liked this one quite a bit too. It kept the emphasis on the ticking clock Guilliman is up against, and I felt it gave a good showing of the Iron Warriors' tactics without making the Ultramarines seem like complete idiots (they were more hasty than they might've liked precisely because of that ticking clock). I did feel that some of the fighting dragged a bit; not terribly so, but there were times I was wanting it to press on. I think Annandale's character work is his stronger point. The Iron Warriors also steal the show for me, feeling more compelling than their loyalist foes. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5217705 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted December 18, 2018 Share Posted December 18, 2018 Im kinda mixed on it...I think the pacing is great, the jump sequences means it feels as tense as Guilliman's rush to Terra. That was great. The ending was so abrupt it kinda disrupted that frantic flow Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5217978 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knockagh Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 After spending all that money on the fancy limited edition I decided to bump this to the front of my reading queue. 5 chapters in and this book is beautiful. I read Aaron’s intro and am so glad he was convinced to go with writing it from a human perspective. Even writing about the isolated imperium, brilliant. I’m pretty sure given the reviews the rest of the books not going to be a let down. But so far this is a stunner. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5220807 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Loss Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 After spending all that money on the fancy limited edition I decided to bump this to the front of my reading queue. 5 chapters in and this book is beautiful. I read Aaron’s intro and am so glad he was convinced to go with writing it from a human perspective. Even writing about the isolated imperium, brilliant. I’m pretty sure given the reviews the rest of the books not going to be a let down. But so far this is a stunner. Wrong spear mate! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5220819 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob P Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 I figure I would start a thread on this one since there is one for Dreadwing. I have to say I really liked this one. As a UM fanboy, I have been disappointed with Annandale's other works such as Ruinstorm and Guilliman for the Primarch series. I have to give credit where credit is due but I thought this book was excellent. -Is very fast paced, gives a great sense of urgency that RG is trying to get to Terra as fast as he can. It is essentially divided into 3 mini arcs or a trident if you will with essentially a key UM character matching wits against a key IW character. -An excellent depiction of the IWs who are tasked with stalling RG as long as possible knowing this is the endgame for them. In typical IW fashion they are dour and taciturn but I really like the contrast between the three main IW characters...some of them dare I say entertaining hope... -Death: Wow...alot of people die! It gives you the scale of things to get to Terra and the sacrifices that has to be made. And for 5 bucks!?! I highly recommend this one, I will probably re-read later. It flowed very well and I enjoyed his characters. And also props for a unique use of a melta bomb...damn...that was rough. If he could have written his other stories like this, would make me a fan for sure. Maybe shorter stories are his strength? I feel some authors do well with ~100 page limits as opposed to ~300 pages. Maybe less rope to hang yourself with. Completely agree - especially about the length bit. Many of the recent Horus Heresy books have the 400 page word count and a lot less battle, but they still feel like they are bloated and could do with cutting down a bit more. This book impressed me in that it was largely a big fight (which would usually be a bore-fest), yet it was entertaining. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5291742 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manchu warlord Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 Aye, it was a nice read... so sad captain Hierax died. I like how Annandale developed the 22nd chapter from the Roboute Guilliman Primarchs book, to Ruinstorm and now in Spear of Ultramar. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5291772 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preliminary Bombardment Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 I really enjoyed this, as others have said the IW are really compelling as they are clearly underdogs in this scenario (Guilleman and Legion!) I also really liked the dialogue between legionnaires on each side of the divide, showing in many ways how the civil war robs them of certainty. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5291789 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manchu warlord Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 I am perplexed, as to how David Annadale - as clearly shows in this nice novella (and others) - can write a good story, with good characters and good pacings. Yet... in his novel, Vulkan: Lord of Drakes, he completely - in my opinion - makes the book terribly boring, with a bad story, no character development and nothing essential worth knowing about Vulkan at all. It's as if Annandale was lazy, and just wanted to complete the book ASAP, with the bare minial key elements to make the book, a WH30/40k book. Apologies, for being sorta off topic. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5291824 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indefragable Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 I would give it a solid "decent" rating. Not great, but by no means bad at all. What I liked: -compelling case for why and how a single company must "hold at all costs" against an entire :cuss -ing Legion led by a Primarch. This is the strongest part of it: it is actually an interesting and legit scenario as opposed to "the warp" (outside of within-parameter "normal" 40k setting). -solid decision-making and thought processes all-around. No one on either side really twirled mustaches or charged the guns "for honor" when there was a clearly marked "back door this way: great for flanking!" sign hanging next to the bunker. -going off ot the above, it was a great chess game scenario overall and the way it reads, you can really see the IW wargaming every scenario from the moment they got their assignment What I didn't like: -the idea that this is the only reason that RG + XIII didn't make it in time to Terra. I love the idea that this was one of many and things like this cumulatively added up to basically a minefield that RG had to get through. If it's just this one relatively minor situation, then that's :cuss Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5291826 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkimaskMohawk Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 In slaves to darkness, it's shown that the iron warriors are basically doing everything they can to stall guilliman. To me, it feels like pert dropped stalling force after stalling force behind him as they pushed to terra. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5291921 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarl Kjaran Coldheart Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 Yea, I thought this wasnt the only stalling force, just the story we got of one of the stalling forces. Its like trying to cross a room in the dark with legos scattered over the floor. Not every step is going to hit a lego, but enough are to slow your crossing. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5292279 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonreaper666 Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 In slaves to darkness, it's shown that the iron warriors are basically doing everything they can to stall guilliman. To me, it feels like pert dropped stalling force after stalling force behind him as they pushed to terra. The Ultramarines had to get more Astartes and Guardsmen just to make headway in just one planet fortified by the Iron Warriors. Considering that the Warsmith Perturabo put in command survives up to present day (and serves as one of Honsou's lieutenants) the Ultramarines and Allied Forces got stuck in the proverbial mud thanks to the Sons of Perturabo Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5294383 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkimaskMohawk Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 What? You need to add context to your posts, because even though were essentially agreeing I have no idea what you're actually saying. All I can tell is that you're not talking about this actual short story, because a) they didn't go out and get more guys and b) the warmisth definitively dies in it. Also, the only iron warrior lieutenant of honsou's I can readily think of is grendel, and afaik, he's never hit the rank of warsmith. In the heresy he's solidly a legionary and nothing more. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5294463 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morovir Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 He's referring to Soltarn Vull Bronn in Slaves to Darkness. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5294486 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkimaskMohawk Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 See? And was still never a warsmith. Also feel like every iron warrior character hangs out with honsou; if volk wasn't 100% French's he'd be there helping honsou too Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5294489 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonreaper666 Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 See? And was still never a warsmith. Also feel like every iron warrior character hangs out with honsou; if volk wasn't 100% French's he'd be there helping honsou too Volk is going to die at Terra, unlike Argel Tal. Noticing a trend of the first certain kind of Chaos Marine (Possessed, Noise, Berserker, etc.) dying in the Heresy (Erebus is the exception) To be fair, Honsou crippled the Ultramar Empire (supported by Raven Guard and Skitarii) with a very puny force and probably received several medals from Perturabo. Had Guilliman not awaken, the weakened Ultramarines would have been overwhelmed by the Black Legion. A reputation of unimaginable success means more would follow Honsou's banner which is very bad for Smurfs and Imperial Fists Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5294553 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkimaskMohawk Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Well to me, volk is already dead. There's way less emotional attachment to him as an obliterated; he's cool and all, but the character is gone. I do feel like he's going to get killed to hype something else up. As for honsou, he had something like 17000 guys when he left Huron, and had "tens of thousands" on calth alone, not to mention mkar's daemon army he could summon. They also have a star fort that morianna says is an equivalent to a Blackstone fortress. And he loses to lets see...550 ultramarines in the field, with a squad of raven guard and an unspecified amount of skitarri. It seems almost like he had an overwhelming force, and lost. The ultramarines lost just about 350 marines from this invasion, counting the 50 on the star fort. So he couldn't even get them past half strength (not crippled) with at least "tens of thousands" (not very puny) and lost pretty much everything (not unimaginable success). Pert sees either victory or defeat; there'd be no medals for honsou Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5294579 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonreaper666 Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Well to me, volk is already dead. There's way less emotional attachment to him as an obliterated; he's cool and all, but the character is gone. I do feel like he's going to get killed to hype something else up. As for honsou, he had something like 17000 guys when he left Huron, and had "tens of thousands" on calth alone, not to mention mkar's daemon army he could summon. They also have a star fort that morianna says is an equivalent to a Blackstone fortress. And he loses to lets see...550 ultramarines in the field, with a squad of raven guard and an unspecified amount of skitarri. It seems almost like he had an overwhelming force, and lost. The ultramarines lost just about 350 marines from this invasion, counting the 50 on the star fort. So he couldn't even get them past half strength (not crippled) with at least "tens of thousands" (not very puny) and lost pretty much everything (not unimaginable success). Pert sees either victory or defeat; there'd be no medals for honsou Honsou only had 5k Chaos Marines (most of which were not Veteran Iron Warriors) out of 17k 'soldiers' versus ALL OF ULTRAMAR (Millions of Guardsmen, Billions of Civilians AND the Imperial Navy! Plus support from the Inquisition and Mechanicus) Let's not forget that the LEGION OF THE DAMNED aided the Smurfs! Honsou's ships were in bad condition! (One ship only had its Main Cannon operational yet Honsou's fleet tore apart Imperial/Ultramarine ships as well as Orbital Defenses) Honsou wrecked Ultramar as much as Hive Fleet Behemoth (Unlike the Nids, Honsou's Daemons killed EVERYONE in planet Tarentus. Most of the civilians and guardsmen/pdf in Quintarn were killed as well) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5294608 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkimaskMohawk Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Well I never said how many marines honsou had, but according to you he had ten times the amount in the field than the ultramarines. And he obviously had more mortals after badab as chapter 10 of chapters due says he has "tens of thousands" following the black basilica on calth alone. There's no imperial navy assets mentioned that I can recall. The pdf are mostly non mentioned in the book as are civilian combatants. Certainly not their numbers either. And let's not forget honsou wasn't fighting literally every marine, skitarri and soldier in ultramar. Just the ones on the planets he chose to attack, the ones like tarentus which got ruined immediately. Honsou had a ramilies.... The thing moriana compared to a Blackstone. And he was on the offensive, in a multi star system empire, who's fleet assists are spread out (and only chapter strength outside of System monitors) He did wreck ultramar as hard as the nids, I agree. He killed specifically 347 marines with his vastly overwhelming amount of iron warriors, mortals and unlimited daemons. He didn't win; that's a loss for sure. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/352431-spear-of-ultramar/#findComment-5294758 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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