[40k Review] Dead Men Walking

[wittdooley]

Been a while since I wrote a review. I know the book isn't that new, but I hope you enjoy anyways!

http://tinyurl.com/4ccpbyb

Also, I'd love some input on whether or not people actually follow the link to read the review. I no longer directly post them here for a reason that, if anyone is curious, I will elaborate on.

Cheers.

[Grailkeeper]

A very good review. Most reviews tend to be OMG this book is the bestest (worstest) espiecally when the cultist was all like " i love chaos"

One thing I'd like in a review in reviews of black library books in general, (this comment isn't aimed at you in particular), is a comparison with non black library books. For me a 7 star black library book would be about a 5 for normal books. I don't think black library books are all that great, but I'll read any I can lay my hands on because I love the 40k setting

[wittdooley]

That's a great idea. I'll start doing that. Thanks for the feedback!

[FTE-Charge!!!]

Great review, nice to see some in depth literary critique in a 40k book review.

As far as the Necrons were concerned; did Lyons portray them purely as scary machines, or lean the other way towards living metal star god creations? (kind of the current fluff battle atm, if you get me)

[wittdooley]

Great review, nice to see some in depth literary critique in a 40k book review.

As far as the Necrons were concerned; did Lyons portray them purely as scary machines, or lean the other way towards living metal star god creations? (kind of the current fluff battle atm, if you get me)


There is certainly some living metal stuff going on, but moreso when a Lord pops out of the tomb with a resurrection orb. He portrays them as very robotic... they ignore things that aren't threats to them, they tactically deploy their stuff, etc. He also handles their phasing in and out of battle really well.

I really liked that, beyond the warriors and the quizzical, "that must be their lord," he didn't use any necron codex names in the book. We knew the flayed ones were flayed ones because he described their long knives for fingers and the fact that they were skinning their victims.

Thanks again. I try and make the reviews for the "normal" 40k books like your average review. I think you should go into some literary merit, but again, with the "normal" ones, I don't go too far. I really like to go in-depth with the HH books, as I really believe that they are the BL's 'moving towards literature' line; they explore a lot of themes that the "classic" literature does, and quite simply, the last four have had a lot of depth to them. So you'll see that in the future as well.

[Occam]

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

This is the first 40k novel that I've read and I give it 4/5 stars.

The novel is a clear piece of genius and shows that good story can make even the most mundane topics ones of interest and importance. There is a real hazard of caricature here in the factions, the characters and even the setting, but the author avoids it completely. I don't think that Lyons thought of making the Death Korp. of Krieg the main characters for a second because the themes from this novel are pretty clear from the beginning. I find the situation presented here as deeply reminiscent of the old Asian parable of the main being cornered by two tigers while clinging to a branch on a cliff, but eats the strawberry on the branch and finds it to be the best thing he ever tasted.

I also find strong elements echoed in such films as "Cast Away" where the main characters, the niece, Arex, and the mine supervisor, Gunthar, find that at some point, when life becomes meaningless to them, they lose all hope, they find they just have to keep on breathing and keep going; "Who knows what the tide will bring in"?

It's never the best of circumstances that really shows who someone is: it's only the worst when one's true character is revealed. Arex is interesting, but my attention is drawn more towards Gunthar Soreson and how he develops. "Bookending" the novel with him is a great touch, especially given his character, but I challenge the reader to decide for themselves whether or not Gunthar is a "hero," by his definition or anyone else. I still haven't quite figured it out yet, but I like how Lyons keeps me thinking about it--that's the sign of a true master.
The ending is truly powerful.

[[SUPER SPOILER ALERT]]
Another key moment that I like in the story is how powerfully anti-climactic the final battle with the Necrons is. It ends with Gunthar being unable to use the atomic mine, seeing that juxtapositioned with the Necrons suddenly coming back to life, the Imperial Guard and Planetary Defense Force retreating and then to have Gunthar ask a Krieg agent "What's do we do now, how do we fight?" and the agent with "We don't, the necrons won" made me do a double take on the page.

[[spoilers end]]

The pros: phenomenal story telling with the avoidance of using 40k game jargon [He's using a rez orb! He's driving a Medusa!] make this strong. Using the lower case "n" in "Necrons" was a subtle touch in mystifying them to the reader via the characters points of view. Each character has a moment to shine in this book and I especially enjoyed that.
The existential moments were nice touches as well.

The big cons are few. I would have loved to have seen Gunthar used a bit more as he was particularly interesting and I felt that Arex was gone a bit too long, but it still was still good because of the pacing in setting up the conflict on a planetary scale and the institutions at work is fascinating in the 40k setting. The biggest issue for me, personally, was the weak parts at the end of the 2nd act and the beginning of the third:
[spoilers again!]

I guess I can see the Necrons not bothering wasting Arex and her companion as they run into the tomb complex and the Necrons not bothering to waste them or not knowing they are there to be "out there." I guess I can see the Necrons knowing and being indifferent given on who and what the reigning tomb lords could be but it still comes across as really out of character for the Necrons. It does, however, serve to move the theme and meta-plot forward, which is more important as I'm not quite sure how it could have been done otherwise.

To quote Roger Ebert "It's powerful and compelling, it moves and I liked it. Thumbs up from me, Gene."

[GrenAcid]

Nice review, Im thinking about buying this book, sounds interesting unlike most IG books(save for Taint IG)

[wittdooley]

Which IG books have you read?

I'm relatively new to them, but I thought 15 hours was interesting because of the way the story was framed. I also thought redemption corps was okay...nothing great--I think I reviewed it on here--but it wasn't awful.

I just picked up my first Ciaphas Cain book, so we'll see how that goes.

[Alpha Omega Protocol]

Does anyone know when Dead Men Walking took place in the timeline or is it just a random battle that has no date for it?

[Fellend]

Great review, you inspired me to actually buy the book... now to find a way to get it sent to Japan...

[GrenAcid]

Mostly I was speaking about "Ice gurad"(Im not sure its correct name), and I dont like Cain, biggest problem in IG books for me is that akward moment when you read about las-gun shoots bounceing of CSm power armour and 10 pages later same lasgun kill them like flies(it happened in Gaunt books to but action was better so I dont mind).

Im still waitin for decent CSM book.

[FTE-Charge!!!]

Read this book bc of your review....

It was great! What a refreshing take on a 40k novel. Thanks for the review!

[wittdooley]

Does anyone know when Dead Men Walking took place in the timeline or is it just a random battle that has no date for it?

It's hard to tell with any of the Guard books, it seems. There's no real indication of date in this novel at all, so the best answer I can give is "the 40,000 millenium." Helpful, eh?

Thanks Felland & FTE... I've been behind in my reading, but I'll have an Age of Darkness Review posted shortly.

[Grailkeeper]

Ciaphas Cain is (very briefly) mentioned as being a semi saint like figure... so sometime after ciaphas cain then

[Alpha Omega Protocol]

It's hard to tell with any of the Guard books, it seems. There's no real indication of date in this novel at all, so the best answer I can give is "the 40,000 millenium." Helpful, eh?

Thanks Felland & FTE... I've been behind in my reading, but I'll have an Age of Darkness Review posted shortly.

Yeah I've noticed that a lot of the BL war40k books don't have dates. :( Only reason I asked was because I wanted to see if the events of dead men walking was within the time frame of a fanfiction I'm planning to write.


Ciaphas Cain is (very briefly) mentioned as being a semi saint like figure... so sometime after ciaphas cain then

There is a Book of Cain, and Cain is considered a prophet of the God Emperor. "It may be interesting to note that there is a small sect in Tallarn regiments, who consider Cain as a physical conduit of the Emperor's divine will. There is even a book dedicated to Cain, called the "Book of Cain"." - http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Ciaphas_Cain

It is also stated in his books a few times that there is a Book of Cain which would annoy Cain to no end if he knew about it. "The Traitor's Hand"

[Corvus-Master-of-The-4th]

Im still waitin for decent CSM book.

Have you read the Word Bearers books by Anthony Reynolds? (I think thats the author)

[wittdooley]

Im still waitin for decent CSM book.

Read Soul Hunter by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. The wait is over.