SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Warhammer 40K: Imperial Guard Omnibus: Hammer of the Emperor - Lyons, Parker, Soulban

Release Date: 03/03/11

BOOK BLURB:

Across the war-torn galaxy, the Imperial Guard are a bastion against the enemies of mankind. From the punishing heat of Tallarn's deserts to the bonechilling tundras of Valhalla, these are soldiers who give their lives in the Emperor's name. Whether shoulder to shoulder or crushing their enemies in vast machines of war, they are unwavering in their devotion to duty. On a thousand stars, they repel the forces of Chaos and the foul xenos in an eternal conflict. This omnibus collects three tales of savage warfare and heroism in the frontline.


REVIEW:

There’s nothing more heroic in the 40K universe than the common man, his fear is higher along with need to run for his own mortality but to me it makes his deeds more heroic than that of the modified superhuman astartes. Brought together here are three Imperial Guard titles that will take you to all environments alongside extremes.

Whilst I personally didn’t rate one of the three books highly, the other two more than made up for it. The writing is snappy, the dialogue war torn and harsh with the prose sticking to the action thick and fast. All in it’s a good bit of fun and gives the reader something different to the norm especially when their troops take to the battlefield and the readers get a chance to slog it through the dangers as if they were there. Great stuff.

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Rynn's World - Steve Parker

BOOK BLURB:

When the ork hordes of Warlord Snagrod lay waste to the planet of Badlanding and wipe out the Crimson Fists sent to stop them, Chapter Master Kantor prepare a hasty line of defence on the Fists home planet of Rynn's World. Tragedy strikes when an errant missile destroys the Space Marine's Chapter monastery and most of their warriors. With a handful of Crimson Fists left, Kantor must fight the campaign of his life, to defeat Snagrod's orks and prevent his Chapter's annihilation.


REVIEW:

With many a Marine fighting to save a world within their area of space, it’s not often that you see the sheer desperation on the scale of chaos presented within. Here the chapter fight to save their own home world where even a victory comes at a massive cost yet to lose means an even greater loss to the survival of those who live under the guiding light of the God Emperor.

Beautifully written, the sheer desperation comes through as each Marine looks within himself to give his best for his chapter and each sacrifice comes at great personal loss to not only the brotherhood as a whole but to the reader. Heroes are never needed more in this dark offering and the sheer scale shines through. I just hope that the other titles in this series are as hard hitting as the Black Library goes from strength to strength.