Denzark
08-06-2012, 02:50 AM
Good Morning
Herewith a short review of Fear to Tread, James Swallow's first look at the Blood Angels in the HH.
Plot
Using the lure of a xenos race who earnt the BA's emnity during the crusade, Erebus and a Keeper of Secrets plan to draw the BA to worlds they previously brought to compliance. Now a Daemon world, what they see there will turn them and Sanguinius to the Dark Forces, using the Red Thirst as catalyst. However, Horus has a different plan. Unbeknownst to Erebus and the KoS, he has done a deal with a Bloodthirster to offer him Sanguinius' skull; this will result in the BA turning in their rage, but Sanguinius, who Horus sees as a threat for leadership of Chaos, will die. Brucie Bonus! Horus also promises to help solve the Red Thirst Also included are a treacherous Word Bearers Acolyte, a squad of Space Wolves watching for treachery and a pariah.
This is actually rather quite good, although leaves inconsistencies for me which I will talk about later. It does fit well in its niche of the HH, and progresses the whole tale along nicely, as well as being a cracking good read in its own right.
8/10
Characterisation
To date, I have found the Primarchs a bit wet. All the Traitors have been portrayed as tragic, and the Imps as naive. (Whether this is supposed to be the classical Greek style of your hero having one fatal flaw I don't know but I suspect this is unintentional). Well Sanguinius is absolutely bad-***. He does not bemoan his lot, his only flaw is his devotion to standard humans. The interplay between the Greater Daemons of Khorne and Slaanesh is spot on and you can almost imagine the BT wanting to ignore the plan and dispatch the KoS for being a weak witch pleasure creature. The legionnaires are the usual mix of bit part actors in a bolter-porn show, although Erebus finally gets his come-uppance. Actually Horus in this is portrayed as pure evil all the way through and this I like.
7/10
Writing
James Swallow is good with a pen. In some previous books I can't see in my head what the authors are on about, especially when describing things daemonic or warp in nature. in this his prose is measured, not over the top, and excellently descriptive. I particularly like his description of the Blood Angels Fleet, and the strangeness of the Signum Daemon world. Well written, not OTT. Possibly a little heavy on the obligatory 'meat-stink' of daemons buut hey, whay can you do?
8/10
Inconsistencies/suspension of disbelief
I like sense in my GW fluff - no retconning, good continuity, nothing unlikely (1 loyalist killing 23 Traitors etc). There is not much in this book. However there are a couple glaring for me.
1. The Sigillite sends a squad of Space Wolves to act and 'sanction' Sanguinius if the are any Magnus-esque breaches of the Nikaen Decree. However they bring a Rune Priest! In the ned they get eaten by Blood Angels in the midst of Red Thirst. WTF?
2. The Red Tear, the Blood Angels Battle Barge, is made to crash on the Daemon World. Sufficient BA forces survive to turn it into a giant fortification and base from which to win. They then fix it and take it off like they had some intergalactic AA on hand. Hang on, he said it was built in space and never meant for atmosphere. How does something like that get to escape velocity?
3. The big inconsistency for me links to 1) above. The Sigillite is looking for Psychic problems. Sanguinius is told by the Greater Daemons that his mutation and the Red Thirst was caused by the interference of the Chaos Gods when in the capsule and stolen from the Emp. He is saved by a group of BA Librarians getting back together to ignore the Nikaen decree and get him from the spirit plane. this all being the case, when he goes back to the Palace later, to fight the good fight, how the hell is he not viewed suspiciously?
Sigillite: Hey Sang, you took your time geting here. Battle Barge looks a mess, looks like you crashed into a planet!
Sang: Yeah but no but yeah but no but anyway I ain't done nothing or nothing and I ain't got no psykers what do you take me for, thick? And these ain't my wings they're just feathery arms. And my boys aint got no psycho blood lust etc etc.
I just don't get how he would get away without any censure at all. Hopefully this will be explained though.
7/10
Summing up
All in all, well written, a good story, with not too much incredulous stuff in it. I rate this as the best full length book from a loyalist perspective; its nice to see the BA get their time in the big picture at last.
Overall
7.5/10
Herewith a short review of Fear to Tread, James Swallow's first look at the Blood Angels in the HH.
Plot
Using the lure of a xenos race who earnt the BA's emnity during the crusade, Erebus and a Keeper of Secrets plan to draw the BA to worlds they previously brought to compliance. Now a Daemon world, what they see there will turn them and Sanguinius to the Dark Forces, using the Red Thirst as catalyst. However, Horus has a different plan. Unbeknownst to Erebus and the KoS, he has done a deal with a Bloodthirster to offer him Sanguinius' skull; this will result in the BA turning in their rage, but Sanguinius, who Horus sees as a threat for leadership of Chaos, will die. Brucie Bonus! Horus also promises to help solve the Red Thirst Also included are a treacherous Word Bearers Acolyte, a squad of Space Wolves watching for treachery and a pariah.
This is actually rather quite good, although leaves inconsistencies for me which I will talk about later. It does fit well in its niche of the HH, and progresses the whole tale along nicely, as well as being a cracking good read in its own right.
8/10
Characterisation
To date, I have found the Primarchs a bit wet. All the Traitors have been portrayed as tragic, and the Imps as naive. (Whether this is supposed to be the classical Greek style of your hero having one fatal flaw I don't know but I suspect this is unintentional). Well Sanguinius is absolutely bad-***. He does not bemoan his lot, his only flaw is his devotion to standard humans. The interplay between the Greater Daemons of Khorne and Slaanesh is spot on and you can almost imagine the BT wanting to ignore the plan and dispatch the KoS for being a weak witch pleasure creature. The legionnaires are the usual mix of bit part actors in a bolter-porn show, although Erebus finally gets his come-uppance. Actually Horus in this is portrayed as pure evil all the way through and this I like.
7/10
Writing
James Swallow is good with a pen. In some previous books I can't see in my head what the authors are on about, especially when describing things daemonic or warp in nature. in this his prose is measured, not over the top, and excellently descriptive. I particularly like his description of the Blood Angels Fleet, and the strangeness of the Signum Daemon world. Well written, not OTT. Possibly a little heavy on the obligatory 'meat-stink' of daemons buut hey, whay can you do?
8/10
Inconsistencies/suspension of disbelief
I like sense in my GW fluff - no retconning, good continuity, nothing unlikely (1 loyalist killing 23 Traitors etc). There is not much in this book. However there are a couple glaring for me.
1. The Sigillite sends a squad of Space Wolves to act and 'sanction' Sanguinius if the are any Magnus-esque breaches of the Nikaen Decree. However they bring a Rune Priest! In the ned they get eaten by Blood Angels in the midst of Red Thirst. WTF?
2. The Red Tear, the Blood Angels Battle Barge, is made to crash on the Daemon World. Sufficient BA forces survive to turn it into a giant fortification and base from which to win. They then fix it and take it off like they had some intergalactic AA on hand. Hang on, he said it was built in space and never meant for atmosphere. How does something like that get to escape velocity?
3. The big inconsistency for me links to 1) above. The Sigillite is looking for Psychic problems. Sanguinius is told by the Greater Daemons that his mutation and the Red Thirst was caused by the interference of the Chaos Gods when in the capsule and stolen from the Emp. He is saved by a group of BA Librarians getting back together to ignore the Nikaen decree and get him from the spirit plane. this all being the case, when he goes back to the Palace later, to fight the good fight, how the hell is he not viewed suspiciously?
Sigillite: Hey Sang, you took your time geting here. Battle Barge looks a mess, looks like you crashed into a planet!
Sang: Yeah but no but yeah but no but anyway I ain't done nothing or nothing and I ain't got no psykers what do you take me for, thick? And these ain't my wings they're just feathery arms. And my boys aint got no psycho blood lust etc etc.
I just don't get how he would get away without any censure at all. Hopefully this will be explained though.
7/10
Summing up
All in all, well written, a good story, with not too much incredulous stuff in it. I rate this as the best full length book from a loyalist perspective; its nice to see the BA get their time in the big picture at last.
Overall
7.5/10