Book Review 217 // Angels of Caliban by Gav Thorpe

I make it no secret that this book is possibly the trifecta of all the things I love about the Horus Heresy. We have Night Lords (1) vs Dark Angels (2) all written by Gav Thorpe (3). To say I am excited is downplaying it. Let's dive in.

Title: Angels of Caliban The Horus Heresy #38

Author: Gav Thorpe

Blurb: With the Dark Angels spread across a hundred systems, primarch Lion El’Jonson stands as Lord Protector of Ultramar – though his true motives are known to few indeed, and old rivalries on the home world threaten to tear the Legion in half. But when word comes of the Night Lords’ attack on Sotha, the Lion’s brutal actions bring Imperium Secundus once again to the brink of civil war. Not even the most fearsome warriors of the Dreadwing, nor any arcane secret of the Order, can guarantee victory if he sets himself against his loyal brothers.

Format: 328 pages, Kindle.

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Review

Got to say that was a great read. It had everything I love about this era of lore. We even got the origin story of the "Fallen" finally! And the Zahariel arc was shocking and deserving of a chef's kiss! Luther is going strength to strength in my opinion, such a great character! But that's not all.

Gav Thorpe has once again delivered an amazing Dark Angel story. But not only that he has managed to handle four different primarchs in this tale at once. It has a real War of Roses vibe about it with political intrigue and grudges starting to form. The three main Primarchs really are growing into their own arcs, with Guilliman becoming a political powerhouse/master manipulator (Depending on viewpoint), Sanguinius becoming more brooding and doubtful about the future and his role within it, then of course the Lion, warden, protector, want a be king. There is something very Macbeth about him and I can so easily imagine him attempting a coup! Then of course we have Kurze, completely broken by the civil war, seeking a death he knows he can't find but still he seeks it! The way he talks on trial is so good, in a galaxy of madness the mad man is the only sane voice. I love it!

Overall an excellent novel packed full with lore to keep a Dark Angels fan happy for life. Plenty of twists delivered and questions left unanswered. I can true feel that the story line is progressing and that the Siege of Terra is closing in. Excited for what is to come and sad to know it is ending.

Book Review 211 // Tomb of the Necrons by Cavan Scott

It's with a heavy heart that we say farewell to the Warhammer Adventures series. The last book is now complete, and I do feel a hole has been left that may not be filled easily.

Title: Tomb of the Necron (Warped Galaxies #6)

Author: Cavan Scott

Blurb: Book 6 in the Warped Galaxies Series. Fantastic Sci-Fi books for children aged 9-12.

Guided by the vision of a mysterious psyker, Zelia finally finds her mother on a distant world, far from Terra. But even now, are the friends really safe while they carry the ancient relic that led to the destruction of Talen’s home planet? A family is reunited, but a world will be ripped apart as the unstoppable Necrons close in on their prize. Warped Galaxies reaches its exciting conclusion as loyalties are tested, destinies are set and the Space Marines arrive in force!

Format: 272 pages, Paperback

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Review

It feels like a closing of a chapter holding this last Cavan Scott title in my hand. When first announced it caused an uproar from a certain aspect of the community, I am glad they shut up for the most part and that Games Workshop gave the series time to grow. It has also been a joy to read these to my kids, who are growing more and more intrigued by Dad's toys. Now to the story itself.

The tale starts with the group visiting an unsanctioned psyker, who after absorbing some of Zelia's life force divulges the where about of the Emperor's Seat, and the location of Zelia's mother and other refugees from book 1. Soon it becomes clear that the Necrons have had agents seeded on this world and a dramatic finale finishes off the season (I can't say too much as I don't wish to ruin the plot).

Most major series plot points are completed and closed and sadly a few never truly deliver their worth. The kids themselves have faced down the worst foes of Mankind and learnt that maybe the Imperium is the worst of them all. Though it seems like most of these issues are completely forgotten about in this final tale, could be a good example of Systematic brainwashing. The epic conclusion sees the arrival of the Space Marines to save the day and kick Necron's tinny arses. Whilst everything else is wrapped up nicely into a fitting conclusion. The kids all go their separate ways in a manner that makes perfect sense and I am left feeling content with the story. I also feel the tale has been left a little open to allow for further adventures maybe?

It is a very good attempt at exploring the 40k verse for a younger audience and I can truly see myself re-reading these in a year or two. Quick, fun and lighthearted would be my final description of the series. Go in open-minded and you shouldn't be disappointed.

Now I just need to find Secrets of the Tau and War of the Orks as physical books and I will then be happy!

Book Review 173 // Scions of the Emperor by Black Library Part 2

Continuing last week's review as we complete Part two of Scions of the Emperor. The Scions of the Emperor is a Horus Heresy Primarch anthology, showcasing a variety of Primarchs and some short stories about them.

Title: Scions of the Emperor (The Horus Heresy: Primarchs #Anthology)

Authors: David Guymer, David Annandale, Guy Haley, Ian St. Martin, Gav Thorpe, Darius Hinks, James Swallow & Chris Wraight.

Description: A fantastic collection of Horus Heresy Primarch short stories. A must-have for all fans of Horus Heresy

Titles in this review:

The Conqueror's Truth by Gav Thorpe

Brought aboard the Nightfall, the remembrancer Ares desires to witness the glory of the Great Crusade. The primarch of the Night Lords, Konrad Curze, grants her request, sending her as a witness to compliance of his Legion first hand, but in so doing reveals a dark and inconvenient truth.

The Sinew of War by Darius Hinks

After having crushed a rebellion in Illyria, a young Roboute Guilliman returns to the capital of Macragge City to be reunited with his father, Konor, only to discover insurrection and unrest running rampant.

The Chamber at the End of Memory by James Swallow

As the Siege of Terra nears, Rogal Dorn uncovers a series of bizarre deaths within the inner walls of the Palace. To find the truth and be faced with no other choice, the primarch must defy the edict of Nikaea and return his Librarius to service, but what he discovers will shake him to his very core.

First Legion by Chris Wraight

Locked amid the Rangdan Xenocides, the Dark Angels of the First Legion are contacted by a mysterious warship under the command of Alpharius. When the stranger begins to ask questions about the campaign, he is summoned to the presence of the Lion himself for judgement. (less)

Buy a  Copy: Amazon CA

Style: Kindle 182 pages

Review

Here we go into the second half of this series, the first half was rather enjoyable, so I was entering this half full of excitement. First, The Conqueror's Truth by Gav Thorpe. This story was a unique take on the Horus Heresy/Crusade war stories as it takes on the adventure of a remembrance who strangely requests to witness the war through the eyes of the Night Lords! Of course, this is a dark story and soon has the remembrancer questioning his life choices. Great start. Then we get a Guilliman story titled The Sinew of War by Darius Hinks. This is a rare story that made me like Guilliman (ha). It showcases the actions that led to him becoming sole regent of Ultmar and did a great job of highlighting the political intrigue of his adopted world, a fascinating story with a nice little twist within it.

We have now reached the most extended two stories of the book at a shocking 20+ pages each. The first is The Chamber at the End of Memory by James Swallow. We join Rogal Dorn while he rebuilds the Imperial Palace into a fortress. As more material is needed, Rogal starts to teardown a zone he was warned away from by the Sigillite. Of course, Rogal ignores him and discovers a chamber guarded by weapons of extreme power. Turns out this door holds the secrets to the 2nd and 11th Legions, but before Dorn can enter, the Sigillite arrives. A lot is hinted in this story; it would seem Guilliman and Dorn were involved in the dissolving of these legions and chose to have their memories altered to allow the sons of those primarchs to exist elsewhere (heavily hinted to be part of the Ultramarines). Dorn also believed that if they survived, they would have sided with Horus, so we have to assume at the very least they were anti-Emperor or, at worst, pawns to the Chaos Gods. As you can tell, this was an exciting story for me, and I rather enjoyed it.

The final story is by Chris Wraight and titled First Legion. It is, of course, about the Dark Angels. During their conflicts with the Rangdan, Lion El'Jonson's forces were depleted. When a mysterious ally comes to help, we discover that the Primarch's having been scheming with each other since the beginning. It is interesting to see the Alpha Legion in action and how they play up to El'Johnson's ego; it is also interesting to hear mention of the Ultramarines numbers growing, as this is definitely linked to the previous story. Finally, it is funny how El'Johnson thought the Warmaster title was either going to him or Guilliman; it seems like Horus was never considered.

A solid book, The Chamber at the End of Memory was the standout tale for this half. Overall I think The Verdict of the Scythe by David Annandale is the ultimate winner. Would love to hear your thoughts on the stories. Which was your favourite?

Book Review 166 // Silver Skulls: Portents by S.P. Cawkwell

Today is a title I didn't expect to review. I firstly didn't know it even existed, and secondly didn't ever expect to find it at a thrift store. This book was highly intriguing as I knew very little about the Silver Skulls Space Marines. I am definitely excited to learn more.

Book Title: Silver Skulls: Portents

Author: Sarah Cawkwell

Page Count: 362

Fluff: Combating an insurrection backed by the Traitor Legions, the Silver Skulls may be manipulated by the very powers they fight against...

They may be Ultramarines successors, but they're certainly not Codex-compliant... and the Inquisition wants to know why. How the Silver Skulls work and why it might just be their downfall is explored, with a series of shocking twists that will ensure that you never look at the silver-armoured Space Marines in the same way again.

The Silver Skulls Space Marine Chapter deployed on the world of Valoria Quintus to combat an insurrection backed by the dread forces of the Traitor Legions. Sent there by the visions of their Prognosticars, the mysterious psykers whose premonitions decree the path forged by the Chapter and the wars they wage, they expect victory to be swift and easy. But they have not reckoned with their own allies, the servants of the Inquisition who are interested in the Prognosticars, their importance within the Chapter and the possibility that the Silver Skulls may be being manipulated by the very powers they fight against...

Review

This story is all about the Silver Skulls and continues on plot seeds created in the Gildar Rift story. We have our main character Sergeant Gileas Ur'ten upfront and centre, and through him, we discover the culture and background of the Chapter.

The main plot is about the Silver Skulls having caught the eye of the Ordo Hereticus. They are now under investigation for heresy due to their reliance on the Librarians of the Chapter. To this end, an Inquisitor is sent to the Silver Skull's homeworld of Varsavia to seek out the proof to condemn this Chapter. They are called upon to wage war on a planet taken over by the Thousand Sons during this time. This was a significant part of the story, and I really enjoyed it. The Thousand Sons seemed deadly, while the flow of battle was well-paced and written.

Another aspect of the book that was rather interesting was the tribal/racial animosity of the people of Varsavia that seeps into the Silver Skulls Chapter. It would seem there is a North-South divide with the Northern tribe's men believing themselves to be better and nobler than the "feral" Southerners. This is unique and shows that a Chapter isn't necessarily a brotherhood and full of prejudices.

These twists made this novel such a joy. I rapidly consumed this novel and really enjoyed it; I am interested in finding more from this author and more Silver Skull novels.

Do you want to read this novel? Please use this link to purchase through Amazon and get me a kickback (hahaha): Kindle Edition.

Book Review 145 // Attack of the Necron by Cavan Scott

Bit of a strange book this week, I've been noticing my oldest taking more and more interest in my hobbies, and though still too young for most aspects of the games I am trying to prepare to introduce her to 40k. So with this in mind, I purchased Attack of Necron, a children-friendly book set within the world of 40k. This is an easy read and comes with pictures!

Title: Attack of the Necron (Warped Galaxies #1)

Author: Cavan Scott

Illustrator: Cole Marchetti/ Magnus Noren

Fluff:

Brave champions and the forces of the Imperium battle alien beasts and mechanical tyrants across the gulf of space.

On the hive world of Targian, Zelia Lor helps her mother search for ancient tech, digging up treasures of the past on the wind-blown plains. They are happy. They are safe. All that changes when the Necrons attack. Without warning, a host of robotic ships appear in the skies above Targian and rip the planet apart. Separated from her mother, Zelia must escape the doomed world, her only hope a scrambled transmission promising safety at a mysterious place known only as the Emperor’s Seat. Launched in an escape pod, she crashes on an icy wasteland far, far from home. But Zelia is not alone. She is joined by a rag-tag group of survivors – the street-tough Juve Talen, gadget-obsessed Martian boy Mekki and super-intelligent alien-ape, Fleapit.

Get a copy via my Amazon link: Attack of the Necron

Type: Paperback

Page Count: 212 pages

The story follows Zelia as she is forced to flee off-world after her mum's research team sets off an awakening of Necrons. As she flees the planet she is joined by her mum's assistant Mekki and youth from Mars, and Talen, a street rough and ready Juve who helps them escape the planet. Into this mix throw in some Space Marines, Necrons and the tech-savvy Fleapit.

The story moves fast, which is unsurprising considering it's a kid's book. It is also extremely easy to read and at 200 pages with drawings, it all goes by quick. I could complain that it is too short, the characters deserved more development, but it's a fucking kids book, it doesn't need that. But the action is exciting, the characters unique and overall a fun little read.

Having now completed it, I know I am happy to share this with the young one, and will be buying the follow-up books soon.

I hope you enjoyed the review and will grab a copy yourself. As always, I thank you for reading. I hope you will take a moment to use one of the links, and help support the blog. Thank you.

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Audio Review 31 // Garro: Ashes of Fealty and Shield of Lies by James Swallow

Today is a double feature kind of day! As you know, I've been hitting the Garro series hard. I have so far been loving it. But all good things come to an end. I have these two audio dramas left, plus one short story. I will be sad to see the end of the Garro tales for now, but it has been a blast.

Garro: Ashes of Fealty

After bringing warning of Horus’s treachery to Terra, Nathaniel Garro bade a solemn farewell to his Death Guard brethren and was set upon a more noble path than he ever could have imagined for himself. Now, an old comrade returns - Meric Voyen, once an Apothecary of the XIVth Legion, carrying a deadly cargo within the boundaries of the Solar System. Knowing only too well that to underestimate the powers of the warp is to fall prey to their corrupting influence, Garro must decide if any good can come of Voyen’s mission... and whether or not it is already too late to act against it.

Two old friends, now enemies, meet over a mysterious casket in this clash of ideals. Apothecary Meric Voyen challenges the mission of Knight Errant Nathaniel Garro. The tension mounts as the story head to a climactic ending. And what lurks in the casket is as disgusting as it’s frightening…

Performed by: Jonathan Keeble and Toby Longworth

Running time: 18 minutes

Was taken back by the shortness of this tale. At 18 minutes, how much action can you get in? The answer is a lot. I would highly recommend not just diving in, you need some background info for this tale, at the very least read the Flight of the Eisenstein. Garro having returned to Luna is reunited with one of his former Battle Brothers, whose fate we have never learnt (guessing they are stuck on Luna, untrusted, prisoners).

As mentioned Garro is reunited with Meric Voyen the Apothecary from Garro's old Death Guard command squad. We learn that the Heresy has been so kind to him and in an attempt to be of use, Meric Voyen has gone down a dark misguided path.

A very interesting audio drama and I hope we get to revisit the survivors again at some point.

Garro: Shield of Lies

While the war rages on across the galaxy, for many on the Throneworld of Terra it exists only in rumour and hearsay. But in the course of her daily duties, humble adept Katanoh Tallery discovers evidence of a conspiracy within the Administratum - surely, this can only be the precursor to a traitor attack on the Solar System itself! Fleeing into the shadows, she soon finds herself at the mercy of the mysterious Knight Errant Nathaniel Garro. Will this stalwart defender of mankind be her saviour or her executioner?

Performed by: Jonathan Keeble and Toby Longworth

Running time: 2hrs. and 6mins.

We go from the shortest tale to one of the longest. From the moment it starts to the final words the effects have improved so much. The voice acting is amazing, the sound effects absorb you into the story and the story was rather intense. The main character Katanoh Tallery has discovered a terrible secret, someone is cooking the books and moving material to a secret base. Unfortunately for her she doesn't know who to trust and ends up on the run. As she is chased through the city a grey armoured Space Marine comes to her and she must trust him to survive.

Garro seems changed in this book, back to having doubts as to who to trust and who is in the right. It seems like everyone is up to something suspicious and no one can be trusted and this is a Galaxy Garro is coming to hate. The story ends with some big reveals aka the Grey Knights.

Overall another solid tale, I am sad to start the last book but I feel that I must!

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Kindle Edition: Garro

Audible: Ashes of Fealty and Shield of Lies

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Audio Review 29 // Garro: Sword of Truth by James Swallow

Racing through the Garro adventures with us now on story number three. Garro: Sword of Truth.

Nathaniel Garro, knight errant and agent of the Sigillite, returns from the battlefields of Calth to find a new mission already waiting for him – a ragged fleet of Space Marines from several Legions lingers at the edge of the Terran system. With the presence of World Eaters and Emperor’s Children causing concern among the loyalist defenders and drawing a grim parallel with his own frantic flight, Garro must look beneath the obvious if he is to determine friend from foe...

This tale sits between Oath of Moment and Legion of One so I have listened to them out of order, which for me led to spoilers. There is a lot to enjoy with this tale, up first it is a longer tale (over two hours) giving Swallow more time to build out the story. The characters are a lot more varied in backgrounds and legions, with us seeing Deathguard, World Eaters, Ultramarines, Emperor Children and White Scars.

This is a very character-driven story. With Garro having freshly returned to Luna with Rubio, they are both soon called back into action. In the outskirts of the Solar System, a fleet of ships has appeared seeking refuge in the wake of the civil war. The only problem is the ships are made up of the traitorous legions, it is up to Garro and his friends to decide if they are loyal to traitors.

Overall a great story, full of action, intrigue and twists. The whole who you can trust narrative is greatly acted out by the writing of Swallow and I highly recommend purchasing it. If you are new to the series go back and listen to Oath of Moment first.

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Audible: Garro: Sword of Truth

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Audio Review 28 // Garro: Legion of One by James Swallow

Look at me, I managed to continue a series for once. If you didn't see last week's review click here. Let's do a quick refresh. In story one: we joined Garro as he travelled to Calth in search of an Ultramarine, whilst searching Garro ends up assisting in a battle against the traitorous Word Bearers. This was a great intro and I am hoping the stories continue to be of this high quality. Let us dive in and see what the commercial fluff has to say.

Nathaniel Garro continues his mysterious mission in the latest Horus Heresy audio drama.

Nathaniel Garro, loyalist Death Guard, and hero of The Flight of the Eisenstein has found a new calling in his service to the Emperor. Surrounded by a cloak of secrecy, Garro travels the galaxy in pursuit of his new goal. His quest will lead him to the heart of the most destructive warzones and reveal a secret that will change the course of the Horus Heresy itself.

Legion of One was once again read and acted by Toby Longsworth and was so enthralling. We join Garro and Rubio from the first tale, Oath of Moment, travelling with Macer Varren of the World Eaters. The trio is travelling to the Istavaan system in search of another Space Marine, one who has fallen far and taken on the name Cerebrus. Throughout the story, we get to experience some of Garro's own ghosts of the past and his regrets of the Istavaan massacre. As the trio searches through the ruins of a gutted city, the trio is surprised to discover humans have somehow survived the battle and fallout. The ragtag survivors inform Garro of a Beast that hunts them at night and wishing to protect the people Garro and team go off to confront the Beast.

Comically Garro chooses to leave Varren defending the survivors (a task not suited to a World Eater), whilst he and Rubio explore the Beast's lair. Soon the pair are ambushed by the beast and in the following combat, a krak grenade is used to collapse a building upon them. Varren in a state of shock is left alone to face the creature and is only saved when a remerging Rubio drives off Cerberus with a psi-attack. With Garro recovered the trio realizes that Cerberus is the goal of their mission and though in the grip of madness it is plain to see he is still loyal to the Emperor.

Then the story takes a bit of a plot twist, the dead refugees rise as plague zombies of Nurgle each marked with a triple pox mark. With the trap sprung, Garro now understands why Cerberus was killing the refugees. Soon the Marines are outnumbered and fighting for their lives, it is only by the timely reappearance of Cerberus that they are saved. But the action doesn't end there, with the last zombie dead Cerberus turns on Garro and blades clash once more. It is during this battle that the big reveal happens but no spoilers of that, you will have to listen for yourself.

The new character Varren is really interesting, he comes across as an intelligent and likeable World Eater rather than just a blood-thirsty killer. It's like the early versions of Kharn, a warrior with noble attributes and controlled restraint. This is how I would have liked the World Eaters to have been portrayed in general, only becoming blood-thirsty once combat is joined. A claim outer shell with an inner boiling rage.

This was a great follow-up tale, well written and amazingly read/performed and it helps move along the story in an interesting way. I can't wait to get into the next story Sword of Truth soon. As always cheers for checking in and feel free to sign up to get notifications and use any of these links to support me.

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Audio Review 27 // Garro: Oath of Moment by James Swallow

I must have been a good person in a previous life! As Ontario ends another lockdown I have been gifted with some short audio dramas from Black Library. Amongst the collection, there seem to be a few Garro stories. So I am thinking this should keep me blogging for a bit.

Up first Garro: Oath of Moment by James Swallow.

In surviving the horrors onboard the Eisenstein, Nathaniel Garro proved his courage and absolute loyalty to the Emperor. On his return to Terra, Garro is despatched on a mission of even greater importance – a mission given to him by Malcador the Sigillite himself. He soon finds himself back amongst the stars and on the fields of battle, thrust into a warzone where the Ultramarines are purported to be battling a greenskin invasion. Once again Garro must fight for survival, but now he also fights to achieve a higher purpose...

Here we are the first in a series of Garro spin-offs. The series has actually been collected into a novel, but getting to listen to it as an audio drama seems so much more fun. I've seen a few reviews before of this title and it is described by many as the prologue to the series. Let's be clear it is only an hour-long so I don't expect world-building within this title.

The story drops us into the aftermath of the Battle for Calth. The surviving Ultramarines are attempting to regroup and hold Calth following a devastating assault by the traitorous Word Bearers. We join a group of Ultramarines who are holding the main route to one of the cities, they are horrendously outnumbered and on the verge of being overrun. Into this fatalist scenario, drops Garro, his mission to recruit an ex-librarian space marine.

The story has to move quickly due to the lack of time given to it and I feel they do well within this. The entire story is action-packed from the get-go, with great sound effects and dialogue throughout. You can't help but be drawn in, now at least by the end of this novel Garro is no longer alone. I am excited to see where the stories go.

As always thanks for reading and let me know your thoughts on the series. I hope you will use the links below to Amazon.ca any purchases made will support the blog. Thanks in advance.

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Comic Review 128 // Warhammer 40,000 Marneus Calgar Issue 5

Boom! The series is complete, we have now hit issue 5 of the series and the end of the story arc. Having headed back to where it all began, Marneus Calgar arrives on the moon where his best friend died and his companions turned to Chaos. Here he discovers that the forces of chaos are trying to unbury a fallen Wordbearers Spacecraft and repair the destroyed Khorne shrine located in the region.

Of course, Marneus can't let this happen. Hugely outnumbered Marneus heads to the tunnels to help narrow the numbers of attackers. The rest of the issue cleanly wraps up the story with a bow and we are left not wanting or needing more.

The series as a whole was an okay introduction to the 40k verse. It is designed to interest new people in the 40k game system and I can see it working for sure. It was fun to read Blood for the Blood God and Skulls for the Skull Throne. It seems silly but made me smile so was worth the price of admission. Another highlight was Marneus Calgar declaring that "Space Marines do not run, they withdraw", this gentle humour helps to breakdown the grimdark and keep the story light, compared to all the violence and blood happening on every other page.

It will be intriguing to see what the next topic for marvel will be, I would love to see Orks making an appearance. Let me know who you want to see in the comments below.

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Comic Review 126 // Warhammer 40,000 Marneus Calgar Issue 4

Feels like we have been away from the Calgar series for ages! The last review was back in December, well it would seem Marvel is over their break and the issues are coming in fast. Here we are the second to last issue of the newly launched Marvel/Games Workshop Collaboration.

THE MAKING OF A SPACE MARINE! Young MARNEUS CALGAR has passed his Space Marine Aspirant testing...but that means the real trial is only just beginning! As Marneus undergoes the rigorous training, excruciating organ implantation and strenuous physical augmentation, he will have to prove that, against all odds, he has what it takes! And in the 41st Millennium, the assault on CALGAR ESTATES reaches a deadly climax!

Titled - Making the Marine, the cover artwork shows Marneus becoming a fully fledge Space Marine. I have high hopes for this issue, so let us jump in.

Starting soon after the ending of issue three, we head to the Calgar Estate which is now in the full throws of open warfare. Marneus is leading the charge and crushing all foes before him, it is during this battle that we get a flashback. During this Marneus meets the other aspirants and begins his training, we follow the trails and see the number of aspirants wither away, soon only Marneus is left standing and heads off to join the Ultramarines. We then get to experience his time as a scout, this section I really enjoyed and truly wish they had spent more time on this period but sadly it was not meant to be.

The issue finishes with Marneus heading to the possible location of the chaos forces. His craft is shot down and when he appears from the downed craft he is surrounded by the forces of Chaos and some old friends seem to be apart of the party.

Only one issue left and I am not sure what can happen in that issue. The highlight of this issue was the scout section, whilst the lowlight was Marneus just single punching a Dreadnought off a building. That whole scene needed to be more epic. I am also left a bit meh by the final revel, it wasn't needed to be honest.

Come back next week for the final issue in the series.

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Comic Review 115 // Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar Issue 3

Well, well, looks like we have hit issue three of the five-part series titled Marneus Calgar. In my mind, we are now halfway through the series, the story has been set, the opening is finished, and a goal for the series needs to be set.

But first, let us get some bookkeeping out of the way, I would love a follow, plus a comment below, just to let me know I am not alone. If you haven't read either Issue one or Issue two reviews, you now have the links (your welcome).

Right with that crap done. Time to review issue three.

At the end of issue two, we discovered that the moon is in fact home to a chaos shrine devoted to Khorne the Chaos God of Skulls, blood, war and rock music. We also had a plot twist completely unexpected of Marneus being killed off, and his servant/friend - Tacitan, taking his name to honour the fallen friend. But now Tacitan is stuck in a cave to fight the followers of Khorne alone. Whilst, in the modern story arc, Marneus is preparing to fortify the Calgar estate and face off against the forces of the Despoiler.

Issue three, where to begin. I personally enjoyed it. It's still full of gore and violence, there is still a back and forth in the timelines, and there is still an annoying tech-priest sidekick (why is he in the story?). Starting with the modern story arc; Marneus leads his demi company into battle against the largest chaos cultist faction on the planet. This was a great few pages, getting to see a 40k agriculture machine was impressive, then watching Marneus pulp cultists is terrific and finally, Marneus reaches the control room his call for aid was priceless (how can you control anything with giant fists?). We then discover Marneus had purposefully announced the fact that the Calgar estate was unguarded, to tempt all the forces of Chaos to that one point so he could utterly crush it! This arc then finishes with the forces of the Ultramarines arrayed for war (just needed epic music in the background - drop a suggestion below, I'm thinking Bad Boys).

Now the important arc, the origin story set in the past. We pick up from the soul-destroying death of the original Marneus Calgar (RIP). Now alone, the young Tacitan has to start making some hard choices and seeing how much of the training stuck. After managing to lure the blood god's cultists out of the cave and killing a couple, Tacitan heads back in and sends off an emergency broadcast for help. Knowing nowhere is safe, Tacitan grabs some explosives and heads to the blood shrine. Now, of course, the cultist's leader expected this and attacks Tacitan. As all seems lost, a Space Marine Sergeant with a glowing power sword enters the fray and rescues Tacitan. Throughout the combat, bodies explode, blood follows and the shrine activates, opening a warp rift and ending that section for this issue.

With both timelines now complete, the issue is finished. Pros for me include fun art, gore, the wider experience of the 40k verse. Whilst cons continue to be a safe story, a bit dull and a stupid tech-priest.

I would love to read your thoughts. Have you tried this comic series? Do you enjoy Ultramarines? Who else deserves a comic series? For my own preference, I would love to see a Yriel series, with him as a Corsair lord. Let me know in the comments. If you wish to support the blog hit subscribe or use one of the following links:

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Comic Review 111 // Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar Issue 2

It's been two weeks since issue 1 of Marneus Calgar (Check this link) and I am actually excited to see what issue two gives us. Straight away the cover is so much more exciting than the original one, showcasing Marneus front and centre carving his way through some filthy traitors. It even has a cherub!

Genres: Sci-Fi

Publisher: Marvel

Writer: Kieron Gillen

Artist: Jacen Burrows

Publication date: November 2020 (Not sure of the official date).

Unsurprisingly issue one set up the story nicely for us. We are in the Ultmar system on a world called Nova Thulium. The actual birthplace of Marneus, now under siege by Black Legions following the opening of the warp storms. Whilst set in the present timeline we are also treated to some pre-space marine flashbacks as Marneus relives his childhood memories. The last issue finished with Marneus's troops slaughtering their foes on the planet, whilst in flashbacks younger Marneus was starting his training to be able to become a marine and with his friends was left facing off against an Ambull!

Okay, first issue NO Ambull! WTF Marvel, you just breeze past such a cool thing, shame on you. On a more positive note, we do get to visit the Calgar Estates as Marneus travels home to fortify the estate to aid in the battle against the Black Legion. It is like an over top roman castle, fall of statues of the Chapter Master and other family members who have gone on to become space marines. The main focus of this issue is the flashbacks and I warn you now MASSIVE SPOILER!

Still, reading? Spoiler incoming...

The training is brutal and we start to witness the once-friendly group split in two. Severan and Kato, gain strength and aggression not matched by Marneus and Tacitan, and Crixus continues to push Marneus and Tacitan hard. One night Marneus and Tacitan discover the boys gone and realize they have travelled into the forbidden caves. Following their tracks, the young boys discover a terrible secret. Crixus is, in fact, a follower of the Blood God and discovered a shrine in the caves, where he sends young recruits to spill blood. Soon the battle is joined and the two lads give a good account of themselves against the other boys, that is until Crixus stabs Marnues through the back and into his heart. Tacitan fearing for his friend grabs Marneus and the pair plunge into a chasm. Fall into an underground lake Tactin watches Marneus die!

Yep, Marneus is dead. Tacitan decides to honour his friend by taking on his name and seeking vengeance. Here ends the flashback. The story ends in the current timeline with the now Marneus staring at the statue of his dead friend.

What a great plot twist! I wasn't expecting to discover. Personally, I loved it, but there are definitely going to be some fanboy rages on the internet so watch out!

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Comic Review 108 // Warhammer 40,000: Marneus Calgar Issue 1

What happens when you combine one of the biggest wargames franchises with one of the biggest comic book franchises? The answer is right here, so you best keep reading. As always please take the time to hit subscribe to support my blog it means a lot.

So earlier this year, sometime during the early phase of COVID, Games Workshop teased that Marvel was creating a Warhammer 40,000 comic. The theme of the first series is the poster boy himself Marneus Calgar and the Ultramarines. So the hype train ready to leave the station I am hopping on board and seeing where this adventure will take me.

Genres: Sci-Fi

Publisher: Marvel

Writer: Kieron Gillen

Artist: Jacen Burrows

Publication date: October 14, 2020

Fluff: In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war…The saga of WARHAMMER 40,000 comes to Marvel Comics! MARNEUS CALGAR, the legendary Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, leads his elite Space Marines against humanity’s greatest threats in a galaxy engulfed in endless war. Kieron Gillen (UNCANNY X MEN, JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY, The Wicked + The Divine) spearheads the initiative with this introductory miniseries, illustrated by Jacen Burrows (PUNISHER: SOVIET, MOON KNIGHT, Crossed)--and we’re just getting started! Now, witness Marneus Calgar’s never-before-told origin story, from his beginnings on Nova Thulium, to his campaigns in the Black Crusades, and to the unfolding mystery of the BLACK ALTAR, as a deadly threat from his past reemerges to threaten the present of the Ultramar system. This all-new tale is essential reading for 40K aficionados, as well as the perfect primer to the world of WARHAMMER 40,000 for those new to the universe. See the Ultramarines in glorious combat, the strife between the worlds of the Imperium, and witness the larger than life characters who preside over it all! This is but the first foray into the larger darkness that is to come from Warhammer and Marvel Comics. Be prepared.

Well it sounds good so far, the cover is what I've come to expect from franchises, meaning it clean and kid-friendly, no grimdark to be found here. Marneus is front and centre blazing away at some unseen foe and the colour palette is bright enough to be eye-catching, so far okay feelings.

Some great full-page images greet us and get the story moving. Set after the 13th Black Crusade the Imperium is battered and bruised. Marneus is overseeing the restoration of Nova Thulium, an agri-world in the Macragge System, which is seemingly having a heretic problem. We also discover in these opening pages that this is the birth world of Marneus himself! Here begins the first flashback.

In our flashback, we have a young Marneus child of an aristocrat training with his childhood friends in the hopes of becoming a Space Marine. His parents wanted this to become a reality and so have hired a tutor to train the young Marneus. Wishing his friends to have the same opportunities and training, Marneus has spent his inheritance in ensuring they are apart of his training too. Soon the four youths are shipping off to a frozen moon above Nova Thulium - their first challenge is to cross the frozen valley and survive the Ambulls that are native to the moon!

Back in the current timeline, the story moves to the same moon. Here we find two tech adepts discussing rebuilding before being ambushed by two traitorous Black Legion Space Marines who are seeking to ambush and kill Marneus.

Here endeth the first issue. To be honest, this was a lot better than I could have expected, artwork though kid-friendly was gory and awe-inspiring. The story seems to have a good plot and the flashbacks are a welcomed edition as we finally get to learn of Marneus and how he became the hero of 40K. I am excited to see where it goes from here,

Let me know your thoughts in the comments and thanks for reading.

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Book Review 74 // Warhammer 30,000 - Primarch: Roboute Guilliman by David Annandale

Been on quite the Judge Dredd trip of late so I am attempting to move away from that and back into the realm of Black Library. I was lucky of late and got my hands on a Humble Bundle e-book deal. In that collection sat Primarch: Roboute Guilliman by David Annandale.

Now the Ultramarines seem to sit in the love them or hate them category due to GW using them for everything. Personally I don't mind them and have on many occasion come close to building an army of them. I am genuinely excited to see how this book plays out.

Book Details

Title: Warhammer 30,000 - Primarch: Roboute Guilliman.

Author: David Annandale

Publisher: Black Library

Type: E-book

Page Count: 192

Commercial Fluff: Roboute Guilliman, the Battle King of Macragge, leads his Legion, the mighty Ultramarines, in conquest of the galaxy as part of his father's Great Crusade. Faced with an alien empire, all his dreams of a shining galaxy of peace threaten to fall into ruin...

Long before the coming of the Imperium, the realm of Ultramar was ruled by Roboute Guilliman, the last Battle King of Macragge. Even after learning of his true heritage as a primarch son of the Emperor of Mankind, he strove to expand his domain as efficiently and benevolently as possible, with the XIII Legion Ultramarines as his alone to command. Now, facing a rival empire on the ork-held world of Thoas, Guilliman must choose his weapons carefully – otherwise his dream of a brighter future could be lost forever.

It's the start of a brand new series of 18 books focusing on the greatest of heroes, the primarchs themselves. This volume kicks it all off with a tale of Roboute Guilliman at the height of his powers, leading his legion into battle at the apex of the Great Crusade.

Review

Straight up lets get passed the obs point...yes it is a book all about Guilliman. The point of this series is to give us a closer look into the Primarchs who tore the galaxy apart on the eve of unity. If you don't know about the Horus Heresy then read up on it first. If you don't want to do that (shame), then no worries all you need to know is that this is set in a time before that. When Guilliman and his sons marched for war under the banner of the Great Crusade!

The book though almost 200 pages in length is only split into nine chapters. Before you start each chapter we are given one of Guilliman's treaties. Of courses these little captions, hint at what is going to happen in the chapter so they are worth a read. It also allows us to delve into the mind of Guilliman as he expands his art of battle, using this to build his pre-cursor to what would become the codex of warfare for the Space Marine Chapters of 40k.

Out of most of the Primarchs I only know his tale from the 40k side. Having not let reached him in the Horus Heresy novels. All I really know is he is a great leader, political genius and the creator of the chapter system. I also know most of his brother primarchs find him annoying as he is almost too good at everything, especially empire building (which I believe gets him in trouble in the 30k story arc). But in this tale we have him as a true Primarch, a fighter, a leader and a killer. And who better for him to fight against than the xeno filth of the galaxy.....ORKS.

What surprises me is the link to Lorgar (his brother) and the Word Bearers. It is due to their feud that we get some of the most interesting sections and plots of the book. We see through Guilliman's eyes his pain at the behest of the Emperor to destroy Monarchia (a city built by Lorgar), in order to teach his wayward brother that the Emperor is not to be worshipped as a God. Because of this destruction we end up with a Guilliman seeking to prove the Ultramarines are builders and not destroyers. This is a theme that comes into play in the book, as rather than orbital cleansing the ork world as his brothers would, Guilliman instead makes planet fall in the hopes of preserving the world for a future colony.

The story itself is a simple one. The Ultramarines are busy getting rid of an ork empire on the edge of the Ultramar system (their homeworld). They are seemingly on the verge of completely removing this empire from the galaxy, when they discover an infested world that once held a human civilisation. Though the humans are long gone there history and architecture remains. And with the guilt of Monarchia still hanging over him, Guilliman decides to make land fall and fight the orks rather than destroying them and the ruined civilisation from space.

The great thing about this novel is Guilliman's interactions and his personality portrayal. You get to experience his way of battle, his leadership and how pragmatic he can truly be. We even see him disliked by some of his "sons" and have doubts over his decisions! This actually gives us a character who is realistically flawed and not as sure of his actions as we are lead to believe. He is truly a human in a godlike form (lol). What this does, is to showcase him as an individual that does care about what is left to be claimed once the fighting finishes.

I have to say no big revels, it is a pretty standard battle for the Space Marines aka Marines find orks, orks get their asses kicked. It is a great way to start the Primarch series with the next book being Leman Russ which I will have to purchase very soon. Down side to this is the urge to create a Ultramarine force! Maybe I can do a killteam?

As always drop me a comment and let me know your thoughts. Or better yet hit follow.