The Siege of Terra: Sons of the Selenar

[Izlude]

Pre-ordered mine later so luckily didn’t sell out like a normal LE siege of terra book. I am looking forward to this one, I love Sharrowkyn...I know he is a love-hate guy...but damn it the loyalists needs a badarse.

 

As for novellas, Cybernetica was indeed the worse in my mind...had so much potential and I love mars stuff but came off as a cheap video game with a final boss to boot!

 

The Purge and Aurelian were epic reads in my mind. Focused and just a great read (have read several times

over the years).

[Never_born]

In case you fancy finding out a bit more about what to expect in Sons of the Selenar:

 

RAPID FIRE: Graham McNeill Talks Sons of the Selenar

 

I couldn't afford/justify the LE, but I'm looking forward to picking it up when the standard editions land.

[Knockagh]

I haven’t read Kryptos but I’ve read the rest and they are far from my favourites in the HH series but then I’m not a Graham McNeill fan at all. I’m guessing this will be a shoot em up bolter porn book. Hopefully not, the series has been splendid so far so I’m expecting a disappointment some time soon. I’m nearly done with first wall and it’s been 3 brilliant stories in my opinion.

[Lucerne]

I have no positive expectations for McNeil's Heresy work after the dumpster fire that was Seventh Serpent- so he can't help but exceed them or at worst live down to expectations.

 

Please let Sharrowsue finally be put down in this one.

Edited January 12, 2020 by Lucerne

[aa.logan]

I FEEL THE NEED TO SHOUT THAT I REALLY ENJOYED THE SEVENTH SERPENT.

 

And most of the other individually published novellas, especially Aurelian, The Purge, Wolf King and the anthology ones. Not Prometian Sun though; I’m not a total freak.

[Izlude]

Pre-ordered mine later so luckily didn’t sell out like a normal LE siege of terra book. I am looking forward to this one, I love Sharrowkyn...I know he is a love-hate guy...but damn it the loyalists needs a badarse.

 

As for novellas, Cybernetica was indeed the worse in my mind...had so much potential and I love mars stuff but came off as a cheap video game with a final boss to boot!

 

The Purge and Aurelian were epic reads in my mind. Focused and just a great read (have read several times

over the years).

[Mechanicus Tech-Support]

I'm torn, I like the leather bound LE look but I don't feel as much a need to get this as the main books. Haven't really followed the particular story arc that lead to this...it would look nice among the rest of the LE's though. Argh maybe if by some miracle it's still available by Thursday payday I'll get it 

[I_Am_IronSam]

Ug got the email today from BL, not sure what held it up... Guess I am paying eBay prices... :( 

 

No warning is really annoying, I guess now I have to set an alarm every Saturday to make sure I don't miss book 4 LE

[G_R_H]

This happened to me with Last Wall, gutted. I have not yet dragged myself to being fleeced by ebay sellers.. buts it’s a comin’

[Knockagh]

I’m feeling great sympathy for folks who wanted this and missed it. It’s miserable to be a collector and miss these releases. Wish I could help.

Once again the number of theses on eBay is ridiculous. The continuing stupidly low print runs are frustrating for all.

[b1soul]

On Brotherhood of the Storm...

 

I believe it's up there with the likes of Legion, Prospero Burns, or First Heretic as one of the best character studies of a 30K legion (though it should be read with Scars).

 

Very impressive work on a (virtually) untouched faction back in 2012, and really sets up the HH WS arc nicely.

[G_R_H]

I didn’t really care for the White Scars until Brotherhood of the Storm, but that and then consecutive boos raised them up in my ‘favourites’ list.

 

It’s funny how books can improve your ideas on legions. For instance I used to love the Raven Guard, but I’m now just a fan. Alpha Legion I think are better than what people in universe and out think(but who really knows). And Iron Hands...... without spoilers, but after the events surrounding Meduson. Fuming.

[Biscuittzz]

I didn’t really care for the White Scars until Brotherhood of the Storm, but that and then consecutive boos raised them up in my ‘favourites’ list.

 

It’s funny how books can improve your ideas on legions. For instance I used to love the Raven Guard, but I’m now just a fan. Alpha Legion I think are better than what people in universe and out think(but who really knows). And Iron Hands...... without spoilers, but after the events surrounding Meduson. Fuming.

 

Come on over to the RG sub forum, this is known as the "Thorpe Effect'. Highly recommend the Corax Primarchs book.

[G_R_H]

I did enjoy that, but hey have lost some of their mystique for me now. Same with the Dark Angels, I feel 40k DA’s are much more on the pulse than 30k DA’s, and Lutheran DA’s more switched into the Johnson DA’s.

 

I think most of the turned Legions get a good crack of the whip, but Emperors Children do seem to be getting a bit repetitive.

[b1soul]

At one point, I really like the aesthetic and concept of the DA. Tried some of the books/stories available and quickly lost interest. Would really appreciate a novel about DA not focusing on their secret shame and not written by Thorpe.

[Fire Golem]

At one point, I really like the aesthetic and concept of the DA. Tried some of the books/stories available and quickly lost interest. Would really appreciate a novel about DA not focusing on their secret shame and not written by Thorpe.

That’s partly why I’m looking forward to HH 9 Crusade so much. The Dark Angels look awesome and I like them in theory, but they’ve not had a great showing in the novels (although Angels of Caliban wasn’t too bad).

[G_R_H]

They come across as the best legion, what others aspire too. Maybe not being the most ferocious, or having a special trait. But being mighty, unmovable. Their armour and rites and history should bring a level of authority or aurora to the mention of them in universe or books, but they never get that in my opinion. I felt it once in I think the short story Savage Weapons(?) the rest of the time they feel like imperial troopers to me, and that’s a crying shame.

[Fedor]

The Dark Angels outside of the fallen storyline are one of the most outright fantasy transplant Legions, unless you're doing pre primarch discovery stories, it must be challenging to write a story on them outside of the fallen intrique and not slip into them just being a generic marine chapter full of Knights of the Round Table cliches.

 

That said, i think i've enjoyed their HH showings more than many and Angels of Darkness is an older classic. Not read much of the more recent 40k books. There's a decently sized fanbase of theirs on reddit that seem to want the Lion to be the best fighter, the best general, immune to chaos blah blah that does annoy me though. If Guymer gives a reasonably critical look at him in the upcoming book, there's going to be a lot of salt.

[Knockagh]

Can’t wait for crusade. I love the DA but have always disliked most of their models. I liked the squad with the gowns or cloaks. They were cool the rest are way OTT.

@b1soul what did you dislike about Thorpes trilogy?

[Robbienw]

I got my copy this morning, and have done a quick skim read, this is what i got from it.  I don't have time to fully read it yet, so don't have any further information than this:

 

The sisypheum crew extricate a selenar cults mcguffin from Luna (just about) from under the noses of the Sons of Horus.

Its called the Magna Mater and contains the prime information on space marine genetics. Remember the selenar were defeated by the emperors forces, but he let them live so he could use their superior genetic knowledge to mass produce space marines for the coming crusade.

Most of them die in the attempt, save for waylaid and sharrokyn. They escape on the wrecked Sisypheum. Both Wayland and Sharrokynare dying of their wounds.

Wayland takes the sisypheum out of the system to lead their pursuers away.

Sharrokyn is dropped off at an abandond station, to hide the Magna Mater in the darkness so the traitors can't ever use it.

He is going into a sus-an coma on the station in an attempt to heal his wounds over a long period (he may still die), and as he is going into the coma he sees the nameplate of the station he is at hiding in.

It is called Sangprimus Portum.

Presumably it is found by guilliman and co when they reach the solar system (the Sangprimus Portem was given to Cawl by Gulliman). And they name it after where it was found.

Yes that is the name of the mcguffin that Belisarius Cawl uses to produce the Primaris Marines. Yes, that is right, without Sharrokyn and co there may have been either no primaris marines, or the primaris marines would have been on the traitor side :lol: :lol: :lol:

I thing its highly likely, given how talented with genetics the Selenar Cults were, the Portem contained improvements made to the Space Marine source genetics by the Selenar, and Cawl may have just used these rather than inventing them himself.

Also, an interesting point in the book, the Sisypheum is saved from destruction at one point in the escape by the Photep (Magnuses flagship). So without Magnus intervening, their would also have been no Primaris marines. Interesting stuff.

[aa.logan]

After a slightly battered copy of the Solar War I no longer trust the post, so collect from store instead. I only got my dispatch notice this morning though, and a (thankfully not really needed) emergency vets appointment prevented me from seeing if it was in this morning.

 

Anyone else got an equally late dispatch email?

[Morovir]

I only got my dispatch note this morning, but it was in store for me to pick up anyway, so I don't think there's anything to be worried about.

[Knockagh]

Mines arrived, never got a dispatch email at all. Expensive little number for what it is. No map, no portraits at the back, small book and only £10 less than the full works. Still, it looks good on shelf so not complaining.

Anyone else notice the coloured eyes on the busts? What’s with that, first I’ve noticed that’s happened in. Looks stupid (am complaining!)

[drooling blood]

I got my copy this morning, and have done a quick skim read, this is what i got from it.  I don't have time to fully read it yet, so don't have any further information than this:

 

The sisypheum crew extricate a selenar cults mcguffin from Luna (just about) from under the noses of the Sons of Horus.

 

Its called the Magna Mater and contains the prime information on space marine genetics. Remember the selenar were defeated by the emperors forces, but he let them live so he could use their superior genetic knowledge to mass produce space marines for the coming crusade.

 

Most of them die in the attempt, save for waylaid and sharrokyn. They escape on the wrecked Sisypheum. Both Wayland and Sharrokynare dying of their wounds.

 

Wayland takes the sisypheum out of the system to lead their pursuers away.

 

Sharrokyn is dropped off at an abandond station, to hide the Magna Mater in the darkness so the traitors can't ever use it.

 

He is going into a sus-an coma on the station in an attempt to heal his wounds over a long period (he may still die), and as he is going into the coma he sees the nameplate of the station he is at hiding in.

 

It is called Sangprimus Portum.

 

Presumably it is found by guilliman and co when they reach the solar system (the Sangprimus Portem was given to Cawl by Gulliman). And they name it after where it was found.

 

Yes that is the name of the mcguffin that Belisarius Cawl uses to produce the Primaris Marines. Yes, that is right, without Sharrokyn and co there may have been either no primaris marines, or the primaris marines would have been on the traitor side

 

I thing its highly likely, given how talented with genetics the Selenar Cults were, the Portem contained improvements made to the Space Marine source genetics by the Selenar, and Cawl may have just used these rather than inventing them himself.

 

Also, an interesting point in the book, the Sisypheum is saved from destruction at one point in the escape by the Photep (Magnuses flagship). So without Magnus intervening, their would also have been no Primaris marines. Interesting stuff.

 

Wayland..... really

was there a yutani.... sigh

Can tell Thorpe, dont care anymore. Hes pissing all over what evers left.

Sad state of affairs. Thorpe. Kyme. The last couple of terra books.

They obviously didint learn anything from the beast series.

Which i thought was practice for the battle of terra.

But i think theyre thinking about how they can extend it.

[DarkChaplain]

Careful, it's not a Thorpe novella. It's McNeill.

 

Sabik Wayland's been around since 2012, and isn't exactly a rare name in the first place - both as given and surname. Heck, McNeill could've even named him after a 2008 display server protocol for unix, considering he first popped up in Kryptos, and he's an Iron Hand.

 

As for the Siege, it seems to snap together well enough so far, far better than the Beast, and they're not writing in tandem, but in succession, while sharing notes. We also always knew they were keeping the door open for novellas and short stories (heck, there've been two prequel novellas before the first one was even out), and it's a good thing too as this way, threads like the Sysypheum crew could easily be tied up while addressing minor plotpoints from the main series, without leaving things up in the air later, or forcing them into the main novels.