40k Book Review: Mistress Baeda's Gift

     Despite the picture above, Mistress Baeda's Gift (Written by Braden Campbell and featured in the Fear the Alien anthology) has nothing to do with Orks.

     This short story features a Dark Eldar Archon who is lusting after a powerful woman and desperately wants her for himself. It is an interesting view into Dark Eldar romance and inter-gender relations among the high-ranking citizens of Commorragh.

     Being so short, it's very hard not to ruin it as any detail is important.

PROS:

• It's short, but the characters are authentic feeling and it feels concluded when it ends
• It presents an interesting perspective on Dark Eldar and 'Love'

CONS:

• It's short. It could have been a little longer and included more detail near the end concerning the actual emotions going on inside the heads of the characters. I didn't get as much of an insight into Dark Eldar 'Love' as I would have liked. It left me with one question: Was it really love, or just lust?

      In conclusion, Mistress Baeda's Gift raised the question of 'do Dark Eldar love?' but never really answered it concretely. It left me more thoughtful of the subject than before though, and that may have been the point.    

     Feel free to comment, I'm really interested in knowing what others thought about this one.

Thanks for reading!

-Symmaccus

40k Book Review: Path of the Renegade

     All I can say is wow. Path of the Renegade (by Andy Chambers) is the best 40k book I have ever read. Have you ever read a story in which there is a villain and a hero? Of course you have! Well this book takes an interesting twist because everyone is a villain: some are just more evil than others.

     This is one of those stories that you can't sit down. Centered in the dark city of Commorragh, it follows the tale of Dark Eldar conspirators trying to oust Asdrubael Vect, the current ruler of the city. Specifically, it follows two Kabals, a Wych Cult, and a rogue Haemonculus as they delve into dark and deadly secrets to bring themselves into power. The plot is filled with backstabbing, distrust, and an appreciation for pain that only the Dark Eldar could exhibit.

     I can't say too much else about it without ruining the plot, so I'll just get to the pros and cons. :}

PROS:

• Incredible setting in a massive and dark city
• Intense, conspiracy-centered plot
• Diverse and interesting characters
• Contains a Dark Eldar history lesson and tons of lore

CONS:

• This book NEEDS a sequel. There is a sense of completion at the end, but I'm dying to know what happens to several of the characters following the events in the book.

Also of note, this story has a short prequel/background story called Midnight on the Street of Knives (also by Andy Chambers) that is a must-read (in my opinion) before this book.

In summary, this book is an amazing insight into Dark Eldar society, culture, hierarchy, and mindset that isn't very common in the Imperium-centered 40k lore and I highly recommend this book to any fan of dark fiction  and/or Dark Eldar.

Again, thanks for reading!

-Symmaccus

40k Book Review: Imperial Glory

     Imperial Glory by Richard Williams tells the story of the weary veterans of the Brimlock Eleventh Imperial Guard as they near the end of their long campaign. Just when the Brimlock Eleventh thought they were off of the hook, they are sent to the jungle world of Voor in response to a distress call from the Planetary Governor concerning an Ork Rok that crashed down onto the planet's surface. The guardsmen expected to find dead Orks, but instead find themselves up against overwhelming numbers of feral Orks and an unwelcoming populace of anti-imperial colonists.

     The plot also features several internal power struggles within the regiment, but I won't ruin the excitement for you. :}

     To be honest, this best part of this story for me was the psychology of the veterans. Nearly all of the men presented have some form of erratic behavior or insanity developed over the course of their campaign. This book is as much a 40k story as it is an examination of the effects of warfare on the human mind and body.

     Also of note was a section of the book from the Ork perspective, including the life of an Ork from birth to Warboss. I hadn't expected this when I picked the book up (the book is titled Imperial Glory after all!), but it was a pleasant surprise and gave me a much better idea of Ork society and physiology.

PROS:

• Insight into the life of an Ork
• Colorful and interesting characters
• Focused and great plot

CONS:

• None really come to mind for this one.

     In summary, if you're looking for a good Imperial Guard book (or even Orks as there aren't many), I highly recommend this book.

     Next Tuesday I'll post a review for Path of the Renegade by Andy Chambers. 

Thanks for reading!

-Symmaccus

THE DROKAIN CAMPAIGN IS OVER

The regularly attending players have decided to end the Drokain Campaign prematurely, resulting in a draw between the Dark Eldar and the Orks.

Congratulations to everyone! It's Over!

Dead Men Walking: A Book Review

After reading another 40k book review (Blind Review by All Things Fett), I decided to try my hand at reviewing the last one I read.

Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons is a wonderful read. It tells the story of the Death Korps deployed on Hieronymous Theta, a doomed world that doesn't yet realize its fate. Soon after the Death Korps arrive, all hell breaks loose on the planet's surface as the Necron rise from their subterranean tombs to retake their planet.

The story starts slow, but really picks up the pace and is full of action and death. Literally every page leaves you wondering what will become of the characters fighting for the imperium.

Speaking of the characters, the people presented in this book are believable and fully fleshed out. From a Death Korps Commissar to a lowly citizen of the planet's thriving cities, every character is a breathing and thinking being.

Both factions in this book are presented in intricate detail. The Necron are exactly as they should be: death incarnate. Squads of soldiers are killed at a time by these mechanical monstrosities, leaving nothing but ash and dust. The Death Korps are relentless and fearless in the face of these terrors, fighting to the death to achieve their superiors' goals. This book is full of epic battles and surprising twists as the city slowly falls from a beautiful haven of humanity to a ruined city filled with lurking metallic murderers.

PROS:

• Lots of battle with visceral detail.
• Masterful portrayal of the Death Korps and the Necron.
• Loads of supense and several heroic sacrifices for the Imperium.

CONS:

• Personally, I didn't feel the book was over when the pages ran out, but that might be because I could have read this story for weeks!
• Also, there were a lot of perspective changes. While that doesn't bother me, I think it might confuse some people as the story tracks several smaller stories within it.

In summary, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Necron or the Imperial Guard (especially Death Korps). Even if you don't particularly like either faction, the book is still worth reading simply for the suspense and carnage of these two heartless armies facing off.

(Between this book and A Thousand Sons by Graham McNeill, I have a hard time picking a favorite 40k book!)

Again, the structure and inspiration for this review came from Blind Review by All Things Fett. Seriously, go give this review a read, I might go pick up the book now!

Thanks for reading, feel free to comment or ask questions!

Sym

P.S. - Let me know if there are any typos, had to type this up in a hurry!