[Horus Heresy Review] Deliverance Lost - Gav Thorpe

[wittdooley]

Well, it's been a while since I've reviewed a book, but here we go. Deliverance Lost by Gav Thorpe, the lastest (if you dont count No Know Fear) entry to the Horus Heresy saga. I have to say, I was left pretty cold by this one. I really wanted to like it, but there was plenty that prevented joy from happening. Here's the gist:

Deliverance Lost Review (http://queencityguard.com/index.php/2012/02/06/horus-heresy-review-deliverance-lost-gav-thorpe/)

Would love to get some commentary from those of you that have read it also. Am I simply off base and expecting too much, or did ya'll have the same sense of emptiness reading it I did?

Please, discuss!

[energongoodie]

I genuinely loved this book. It had so much in there for me to enjoy.



***SPOLIER ALERT***





Lots of Primarch action, lots of Alpha Legion action. You know what's coming with the Raven Guard gene seed disaster but I like their modern take on it and I kept hoping they'd figure away out of it (some how). I'm very interested in how this will play out for the Alpha Legion in future stories.
It's right up there for me as one of the top stories in the series.
Sorry to disagree Wittdooley.

[isotope99]

Agree with you in principle though my overall review isn't quite as harsh.

There are too many story threads without a really good overarching narrative.

It definitely falls into the history category, by which I mean its main attraction is backstory for the raven guard rasther than a good story in its own right.

I'd also say that Raven's flight is pretty much required reading (or listening) to get full value from the first sections. To a lesser extent so is Legion to understand what's going on with the Alpha legion.

Things I liked:

Alpha legion infiltration, I found this fairly believeable because of its unlikelihood
Corax character, you can feel his desperation to prove himself still relevant and the lengths he'll go to to achieve his legion's rebirth
Corax origins story, these are usially fun and his rebellion is pretty cool, as is the idea that many of them were kids at the time and now in old age.
Some of the space stuff like the Raven guard stealth shields
No quick fix ending


Things I didn't like:

The Emperor's whacky labyrinth thing :confused:
Instant space marine, just add water and leave overnight ;)
Hanging threads that don't really go anywhere
Some of the Alpha legion red herrings were a little unsubtle

[Gotthammer]

I also must disagree - I'd give it an 8 or 9 out of 10.

The unfinished plot lines is somewhat emblematic of the HH series now, most of the books do it in some form or another. None of the Raven Guard had any cause to suspect the nature of the treachery in their ranks, so I don't see why they would take the information that does tip them off (how did he know that? etc) as anything but an oddity at the time. Similarly I don't see how Corax having psychic abilities would mean he could sniff out traitors any better than anyone else.

But, I can see why not everyone would like it, so I understand your points.

[wittdooley]

None of the Raven Guard had any cause to suspect the nature of the treachery in their ranks, so I don't see why they would take the information that does tip them off (how did he know that? etc) as anything but an oddity at the time.

I was right with you until the very end when:

Agapito basically says "yeah, I knew this stuff was going on, but for some reason I did nothing about it. I knew one of you wasn't what you seemed when you talked about the Phalanx in the first part of the story." I'm actually okay with Corax not noticing (he was pretty preoccupied) but the latter part really just drove me nuts. I'd actually have preferred if Agapito was one of the Infiltrators. But instead, Solaro (who we barely hear anything about the entire story) is. Was a big let down to me.

There's a really good chance I'm being overly harsh; the problem that I'm having is that, when placed next to the previous 4 books, Deliverance simply pales, and does so by a large amount. And seriously, Valerius' coping with his vision is simply forgotten about. Why? Branne says they'll discuss it, and then they never do. I mean, that seemed like a pretty important plot thread to me that is simply left hanging.

@Iso -- I liked much of the same that you did. I Probably undersell how much I like Corax as a character in the review. I like his flashbacks probably the most of any Primarch we've seen. I really liked the opening salvo and Corax's big Warp Eff you. That was sweet. I think the rest of the hanging plot threads just nagged at me way too much that, by the end, as I said, I simply wanted it to be over.

[seaglen]

I really really liked how the override code was "peta orpheus epsilon". heh.

I thought the book was very entertaining, the labirynth i liked as it showed a primarch's mind put to the test.
As for the plot threads, i was also dissapointed at valerius' unfinished story.

also, did the book give the impression that corax can turn invisible? i knew that GW have said that amongst the primarchs, invisibility is a trait, but i didnt realise that was specifically corax...

[wittdooley]

I really really liked how the override code was "peta orpheus epsilon". heh.

I thought the book was very entertaining, the labirynth i liked as it showed a primarch's mind put to the test.
As for the plot threads, i was also dissapointed at valerius' unfinished story.

also, did the book give the impression that corax can turn invisible? i knew that GW have said that amongst the primarchs, invisibility is a trait, but i didnt realise that was specifically corax...

You know, I don't know that it's he can be invisible. I think he can psychically will others not to see him. We see it a few times in the flashback portions, and we also see it when he cuts up the Emperor's Children at the end. At the end I sorta of envisioned him coming out of the nothingness, predator style, with just his lightning claws and whip appearing first.

Anyways, I think my 4 is probably a bit too harsh. It isn't the worst in the series. But the problem is that it follows such high quality books that it looks bad by comparison. So far, No Know Fear isn't doing it any chores either. I actually REALLY like Corax, which is perhaps part of the reason I was so dismayed at how Deliverance Lost played out.

[Gotthammer]

I was right with you until the very end when:


I can see that, but it took it as knowing something was up, but not exacltly what, so he wasn't sure of himself or if he was just being paranoid.

I certainly agree that Corax is one of the best written Primarchs, and it's one of the best portrayals of the Emperor so far (I liked how he seems faintly embarrased at everyone falling to their knees and weeping :D ).

[Levitas]

Coraxs invisibility is covered loosely in the audio book 'Ravens Flight'. It's implied its a psychic power but isnt clear as to if he physically goes invisible or prevents people form seeing him. Either way he is one with the shadows.

As a huge Raven Guard fan, I couldn't help but feel they were light weight in comparison to the wolves in Prospero Burns. Corax feels bland and inconsistent and his officers are easily forgettable and interchangeable. Which is a shame as the story is decent and has momentum. It just jars with the better books in the series like Legion and the 1st three.

[calltoarms]

Sadly,and I posted this a moment ago in a different thread, many of Thorpe's books make me feel empty. He just isn't as solid, in my humble opinion, as some of their newer authors.