Book Review: Bringers of Death - edited by Christian Dunn & Marc Gascoigne

Synopsis

In the grim darkness of the far future, mankind teeters on the very brink of destruction. The galaxy spanning Imperium is under threat on all sides by a multitude of alien races and from within by the insidious forces of Chaos. Constant war is humanity's only chance of survival and standing at the forefront are the Space Marines - genetically engineered warriors, and the massed ranks of the Imperial Guard, each willing to lay down their lives for mankind’s survival.Brimming with action packed tales of bloodshed, heroism and courage . Bringers of Death throws you headlong onto the desperate battlefields of the 41st millennium.

Contents

Even Unto Death - Mike Lee 26

Red Reward - Mitchel Scanlon 30

Menshad Korum - CS Goto 36
Xenocide - Simon Jowett 124

13 Sector - Sandy Mitchell 28

This first story given to us by Mike Lee, the writer behind Malus Darkblade series, is of Space Wolf Scouts on an Ork occupied world. The plot is plagued by too-convenient devices toadvance the tale, and the Orks are written as boring, brainless antagonists manipulated by dark eldars. Interesting plot but I didn't like it. On the other hand I love Malus Darkblade serie.

"Red Reward" written by Mitchel Scanlon, is a story that continues where "15 Hours" left of or began. In the story nothing is said about it. Either way, "15 Hours" is one of my favorite WH40K book, and I was glad to take another look at the doomed planet of Broucheroc. The endless war, the violence and the grit really come through in a story that, by itself, might come off as creatively weak. The atmosphere is the most important part of the story. I really hope to see one more book or story about that planet by Scanlon.

C.S. Goto seems to champion the Xeno-tale for the Black Library and his offering here, Menshad Korum, is no different, using Eldar as its main characters. Unfortunately, though he provides a very interesting concept for his tale, its execution leaves something to be desired. He works a little too hard to integrate named characters from the wargame into the tale, and his action sequences push beyond "suspension of disbelief." The year after this story was release he wrote a book about Eldar called Eldar Prophecy and one story about eldars in another anthology. It was the most confusing story to me. Maybe I don't know much of eldar race or their actions. Either way it was good.

The longest tale, Xenocide by Simon Jowett, is a well crafted yarn dealing with an Orkish invasion of an early-gunpowder era world (one quite similar in devolved technology to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, but otherwise unconnected). The characters are engaging and cunningly combine many disparate elements of the 40K background. Both the primary and secondary climaxes are unexpected and enjoyable. By the end, we learn that the salvation that some look for can condemn us just as easily. A challenging and ultimately sad story. It's a suitable centerpiece for the anthology.

If Xenocide was one of the saddest story this one was the opposite. It brings back Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphas Cain in a story called, Sector 13. The short story is actually better than some of his longer works (it brings back memories of second book), ,presenting Commissar Cain at his worst, which is at his best and most humorous for the reader. It's a fitting, almost light-hearted, ending for an otherwise dark collection of tales.

Althought I prefer the warhammer world rather than warhammer40k but from time to time I like to travel to 40k. After all I have them all. Probably the next book from warhammer 40k to be devour is Brothers of the Snake from Abnett.

Book Review: Death World - Steve Lyons

Book - Death World

Author - Steve Lyons

Pages - 256

Publisher - Black Library

The Catachan jungle fighters of the Imperial Guard are an elite regiment, that specializes in destroying the Emperor’s foes on the most dangerous worlds of the Imperium. Their training is really put to the test when a squad is sent to the death world of Rogar III in response to an ork incursion. But as well as dealing with the green-skinned orks they must do battle with the planet itself and the mysterious figures that stalk them across the deadly terrain.

When I received this book on december I had to read it immediately. I had read Fifteen Hours and love it and read it in less than 2 days. I was not mistaken and again I read it swiftly enjoeyed every bit. (Now I know that I love the Imperial Guard more than Space Marines).

I sympathised with almost all the characters and I loved to read about Sly Marbo (changing the words makes Rambo, didn't thought about it until reading the book)

It begins with a platoon of Catachan that are in a mission that has nothing out of extraordinary. They just want to kill some orcs. If the main phrase in the book is "What you call hell, they call home!" then they got what they wanted.

The planet around them it remind them of home but it was different in several ways. It changed and attacked them. It evolved defending itself from outsiders (orcs and IG). The group itself was eleven catachans plus the commisar and his retinue of one man. Then there was Marbo. As soon as they start the voyage they knew this was not an ordinary mission. There was something wrong. The main character is called Lorenzo. And Lorenzo is beggining is career and as all of Catachan soldiers wants to prove is valour and make a name of his own. If he can't do it he will never be remember in Catachan and will die in shame. So in every oppurtonity he tries to do it but in vain. I like the book because of the enviroment and the evolution of nature. The various attacks and the dead of several Catachan soldiers. I like that. (In my personal feelings I hope our Mother Nature one days rise and kills the vampires that suck her blood, well I mean humans). In the end was a very interesting book and it draws a person into the world and mind of the Catachans.

In the end there are one question remaining (the question about what happened to Baxtree and Lorenzo "Long Run" doesn't count) is why that particular enviroment needed the evolution step. And what happened to the world?

Well I am waiting for the next book IG , Rebel Winter by Steve Parker and Desert Raiders by Lucien Soulban.

I have a reclamation if you understand this way.. Why do the IG books only have 256 pages? I'm sad. Well I hope they continue with other Regiments.

- Armageddon Steel Legion

- Attilan Rough Riders

- Death Korps of Krieg

- Mordian Iron Guard

and others...

Book Review: The Eyes of the Dragon - Stephen King

Stephen King - The eyes of the DragonPages : 380

This was my first completed book from Stephen King. I had bought it because was a different book from Stephen King and it was set in the world of THe Dark Tower. Yes I come to know that Flagg (one of the main characters) is a important character in the dark tower series.

(Taken from wikipedia)

The Eyes of the Dragon takes place entirely within the realm of Delain. It is told from the perspective of an unnamed story-teller, who speaks casually and frankly to the reader, frequently adding his own commentary on character's motivations and the like.

The opening concerns itself with establishing five characters: King Roland, Queen Sasha, Prince Peter, Prince Thomas, and the wizard and royal adviser, Flagg. Flagg has been covertly attempting to assassinate Queen Sasha (who is more intelligent than her husband, well loved by the people of Delain, and therefore more of a threat) for some time; he finally succeeds by bribing the Queen's midwife to slit an unidentified vein open while Sasha gives birth to Thomas. Outwardly, it appears that the force of giving birth to Thomas caused Sasha to bleed to death.

Peter and Thomas develop into almost entirely opposite people. Peter is smart, honest, handsome, and in spite of his youth, has already gained the respect and admiration of many people. Thomas is chunky, clumsy, and just intelligent enough to hate himself for his shortcomings. The narrator describes Thomas as often sad and confused, "not a bad boy". Possibly to contrast their personalities, the story-teller describes how Peter once rescued a horse with a broken leg from being killed, carefully nursed it back to health, and kept it as his personal steed. A bit later, the story-teller describes how Thomas once carved a small boat as a present for his father. Roland ignores the gift almost entirely, in favor of lecturing Thomas on how well Peter had done at archery that day. When Thomas sees how little Roland cares about the gift he hobbles out of the castle and has a fit of vomiting and weeping. He then sees a mangy, sick dog, which he stones to death in a fit of rage.

As time passed, and Peter grew older, it became more obvious to Flagg that the crown Prince was a far greater threat to his position as royal wizard than even Sasha was. It would be too dangerous to simply leave him to become King — yet Roland loved him so dearly that if Flagg tried to kill the Prince it was likely the King would find out who would be responsible for assassinating Peter. Flagg then hits upon an even more devious plan: assassinate Roland, and frame Peter for the murder.

The scheme succeeds entirely. Roland's wine is poisoned, Roland drinks it and dies in three days, Roland's youngest son watches in horror as he drank the poison. Peter is blamed for it, and is locked up in the enormous tower, called the Needle, in the center of the city. Thomas is then crowned King, although he is only twelve years old; due to his youth and his fearful inexperience, he allows Flagg enormous amounts of power, as his chief advisor. However, Flagg has overlooked two flaws in his plans. Someone saw Flagg pass on the glass of poisoned wine to Roland. And Peter has made two requests for things he wants in his cell: his mother's dollhouse, and a napkin with every meal.

Peter takes 5 threads from each napkin and with the help of a working loom from the dollhouse weaves them into a rope. The rope breaks when Peter tries to climb down, but he is rescued by Ben and Naomi. The three rush to get the bow and arrow Roland used to slay the dragon but Flagg catches up with them and is about to kill them when Thomas reveals himself and the fact that he watched Flagg poison Roland. Flagg is shot and gets away.

Review

I have read dozens of fantasy books and this one is the one I least enjoyed. First I don't care much about the narrator. I don't like when narrators give their own expressions and views. It is horrible. Then all characters are one view only. They are like that and that is final. The only one which isn't too much like that is Thomas. The plot was simple but it teach the readers something. Even small things are important. Napkins are the key for this story. Who would had thought it? Well I have others books from Stephen King but probably won't read it in the near future. I have the complete set from the dark tower but I want to read the Stand as well. Let us see what it brings to us.

Book Review: Necromancer - Jonathan Green

Title - Necromancer

Author - Jonathan Green

Pages - 256

Book DescriptionThe fall from grace of a physician who becomes a necromancer in an effort to raise the dead in order to fulfil his own megalomania and finds the true nature of terror.

Necromancer deals with an interesting story of the ways of the necromancer.It starts has Father Ludwink a priest of Moor of 55 years old that comes into a cell where he was summon by another Brother of the order, Brother Matteus Oswald. The priests of Moor have the duty to easy the burden and make the passage from this life to the other more easily.The priests of Moor are used to be the confessors of the near-death. Even if that is not their work. Brother Matteus Oswald begins to told his story and begins telling his real name, his profression and his age. Deiter Heydrich a necromancer with 213 years.The story he is about to tell begins with his coming to the town of Bögenhafen to study the arts of physician. There he meet his roomate Erich Karlsen an student with several complains with the teaching methods of the Doktors. In school he befriends Leopold Hanser. He then becomes the personal pupil of the Headmaster Doktor/Professor Theodrus.He then learn about the Tale of the Corpse Taker. And after some several occurrences he becomes interesting in the art of necromancy but not with the vile person he thinks of it. He wants to make people live longer, probably never die. He find a doktor The plague comes to the town and allows him and his friend Erich to learn more with dead corpses. Heydrich talk to a madman who seems to know about necromancy and lives in fear that the necromancer will come for him. Afterwards the templars are summon to the town to take care of this problem of body snatchers and they think Heydrich is behind this. But there is a turn of events and the madman is convicted for heresy. The friend of Heydrich founds him and Erich doing some experiments and Heydrich kills him and make experiments on him. The loving sister that Heydrich loved so much passed away, and Heydrich comes to a dilemma of raising her or not. But in the end he couldn't do it.Meanwhile Doktor Drakus, who is the man behind the plague and the necromancy practice, and the man Heydrich and Erich had spied before, reveals himself that he from time to time, change bodies with an healthier person. He tries to do it on Heydrich but is unsuccessful. In the end we return to the confession where the father Oswald is taken aback from all events. In the end the real reason Heydrich was doing this was to take the father body and so he did.

About this book.. Well this was a different type of book. It had that sence of doom and gothic tales that we are accoustumed in warhammer but it was it. There was little or no action, not that it can't be good. It can. But I think the book should had something more. If I didn't know I would say that this was the first book of a series. Because the question is made. What happen to him in that 200 years. Well on the end I must say that It was the book I liked less in all warhammer fantasy set. But If you like a story where you can see a character development and the beggining of the necromancers I would advice it.

Book Review: Mark of Chaos - Anthony Reynolds

Book - Mark of Chaos

Author - Anthony Reynolds

Publisher - Black Library

Pages - 416

Book DescriptionAs the forces of Chaos sweep down from the north to threaten the civilised lands of the human Empire, a young Empire commander must prove his honour by tracking down and destroying the enemy leader. Epic fantasy set against a backdrop of war on a grand scale.

Review

Mark of Chaos written by Anthony Reynolds based upon the game with the same title.The story flows nicely and it's divided by the main view of the two characters. Stefan von Kessel a captain of Ostermark and Hroth a champion of Khorne.The story begins after the defeat of Warlord Asavar Kul at the hands of the emperor Magnus Pious. The invasion force was scattered and most of tribes destroyed. But several tribes of the Norscan, Kurgan and the Hung wandered through the lands of Kislev and within the empire. In the beggining of the book we see an attack by Hroth, a Khazag in a village of the Empire. After murdering all the residents he made a duel with another champion of Tzeench which he defeats. After each duel the followers of the loser will join the winner. That is the way of the Norse.After the defeat appears Sudobaal, a sharman that is searching the sword of Asavar Kul. Hroth is his champion. After that they move north and arrive at the shores and there they are received another champion of Khorne, Ullkjar, which is defeated by Hroth. As Hroth is kiling his enemy, Sudobaal intervene and he is spared. Instead Hroth kills several of Ulkjar's men.Meanwhile Stefan von Kessel was defending the northern borders. After a bad decision by the Count of Ostermark, Gruber, that refused to sent troops to the north, Stefan made a choice of withdrawing from the norther border. Gruber was mad but did nothing. Afterwards it appears Reiksmarshall Wolfgange Trenkenhoff that leads his army and Stefan army to the north to help the elves entrechened there. After an succefull attack they attack the fort and save the elves. There they meet the elf mage Aurelion and Khalanos and his dragon. Reiksmarshall have to move south and gives Stefan the command of his army to sail, with the elves, to the island where the artifact the Chaos hosts desire.Meanwhile a scout of Stefan arrives with a letter that confirms his innocence and his grandfather and the treachery of the Count Gruber and his alliance with the dark powers of Nurgle.Stefan drives south with his army leaving the elves alone. Afterwards he meets a hero of the Great War, the warrior-priest Gunthar. Then he drives his army to meet his enemy. Two Ostermark armies clash and knowing of his fate Gruber reveals himself and invokes the army of Nurgle which attack both of armies.Meanwhile Wilhelem the cold-hearted scout complete his quest to arrest Gruber in the middle of the fray and Stefan kills him with a magic-sword entrusted by Gunthar. After killing most of the plaguebearers the plague demom was killed by Gunthar.Meanwhile Hroth arrives at the island as the elves attack him. He leaves his hosts behind and with Sudobaal he goes to a cave where Hroth shows his treachery finally and strikes the sharman. He then enters the portal where he meets and bests Asavar Kul retriving his sword, the slayer of kings and Khorne makes him a demon Prince. Exiting the realm of chaos and in the cave he makes Sudobal his pawn. He leaves then the cave and join the battle on the beach where he slays most of the elfic horde and then battle and kills Khalanos and kills his dragon.After the killing against Gruber and his fiends of Nurgle his moves his armies to Talabheim where Hroth is going to attack.Olaf the Berserker and a thousand warriors strike Teclis the elf-mage. They all die. Making defenses in Talabheim with the surviving warriors of the previous war, and boosted by milita and the reaming soldiers of Talabheim, Stefan prepare for war. The attack come in several waves until the the daemon prince attacks. In the end, we might expect for stefan to kill the daemon prince, what would be very unrealistic but in the end the daemon prince is hunt down by the wrath of Sigmar.

I think in overal it was a page turning book. It was never slow and made you want to continue all night on. But there are several things that made me think.. the main question is the final battle why weren't the previous 200 knights of the household march forward to defend their city? They were waiting to be overrun? I didn't understood that tactic, but is minimal. But 200 knights as household guard? Strange. How expensive that would be.

I am looking forward for the next two books from him. Dark Apostle and Empire in Chaos.