Void King by Marc Collins

[Kelborn]

Realized that we also didn't have a related thread to this novel, as well. Have we become lazy at discussing? oO

 

So, for those who were able to snatch a copy, did you read it already? How is it? Yay or nay?

 

Gonna look for posts in the Upcoming Stuff thread, as well, to sort things out.

 

Personally, I'm very intrigued by it. Considering to get either VK or the Rogue Trader omnibus in ebook format as I'm currently head first into FFGs old roleplay sourcebooks and enjoying "mortal" stories way more now than I used to. Somehow, Marines are lacking these days....or it's just my personal interests have changed throughout the years, whatever.

 

Void King...share your thoughts! :)

[DarkChaplain]

I don't think it's laziness about discussing books, and more a problem with availability and BL's sudden, short-notice barrages of releases.

 

Personally, I'm not sure I care so much about Rogue Traders and space battles that it's a priority read for me, but Marc Collins is a good writer and I might get to it eventually. If it plays more on politics between Rogue Traders than action and space battles, that'd bump it up for me for sure.

[Lord Nord in Gravis Armour]

I already gave my impressions on this and Harrowmaster in the "Rate What You Read" thread. My main criticisms of Void King remain as they were a couple weeks ago - I really enjoyed most of the characters and their interactions, but I actually felt the story suffered in attempting to present a mystery within the 40K universe - of COURSE it was going to be [REDACTED] behind it all. And of course things were left in a state that wasn't exactly a resolution, attempting to walk the tightrope between a cliffhanger and something that readers wouldn't later complain about if a sequel isn't greenlit.

[Knockagh]

I’m about half way. Good enough read so far. Enjoying it

[malika666]

So any interesting spoilers? Is this something worth a read if you're into BFG for example?

[theSpirea]

Finished it and it was disappointing. The book is split into three acts. The first one was the best. It focuses on characters, individual Rogue Traders dynasties, politicking, etc. It's full of clichés and it's predictable but still enjoyable. Not just the first act, basically the whole plot is so obvious I hope it was intentional.

The second act is pure bolter porn. I hoped BL was over that but I guess there are still people who enjoy it.

The last act was a lighter on action but it was wrapping up the predictable plot and as mentioned Lord Nord, ends on a cliffhanger.

 

I like Marc's writing and I feel bad giving it 5/10 but I struggle to find positive things to say about it.

[Knockagh]

Agree with Spirea here. Opening was great the rest was a bit if a drag. 
Not sure why you would write a rogue trader book and put in so much fighting. Bad middle and end spoilt an excellent set up.

[Roomsky]

Marc Collins' Favourite Word is "Avariciously" - Marc Collins (Audiobook)

 

Void King! This book is just okay!

 

As others have said, the first third of this novel is really strong and then it sort of devolves into combat porn. But hey, love that first third. Much of it is cliché, but cliches exist for a reason. There's very solid character building going on here, and it definitely made the latter sections less tedious. I especially liked the Fenrisians, which surprised me because I don't like Space Wolves at all.

 

The big issue with the remaining two thirds is not so much that they're combat porn (though that is frustrating) but that they don't really fit together, IMO. The middle portion is fine enough and has a lot of character moments I really enjoyed, but once the third act twist comes along this first enemy is basically forgotten. If the first two thirds built up to this third more convincingly, it would have been fine, and if the third act had built upon what was in the second, it would also have been fine, but instead of a 1-2-3 it reads like a 1-3-3. It's a blunder I was surprised by considering Grim Repast and Helbrecht generally had good structure. This sort of reads like what the first two books in the series should have looked like, but is compressed into one (which still ends with setup for sequels.)

 

I also want to criticize that the fightan in this book is mostly infantry stuff. If your book's all about Rogue Traders, I would have expected at least one of the two major antagonists to be blown out of the void Wrath of Khan style in their climactic moments instead of the in-person affairs both received. If this gets a sequel (and for all my issues, I hope it does) give us some more ship stuff Mr. Collins!

 

I do want to shout out something I think Collins does exceptionally well, though. The guy really gets what living as a squishy human in 40k must feel like. Morality is backwards, everyone's priorities are upside-down, ritual and artifice are built into everything about life for the rich and poor alike. For those first two thirds I just kept doing a mental fist-pump for every Imperial idiosyncrasy on display.

 

In summation - good characters, good world building and prose, messy MESSY plot that peters out the further in you get. I enjoyed it okay but it feels like a lot of missed potential.

 

6/10 - You passed