Which Authors portrayals of the Adeptus Astartes are the most in-depth?

[Lord_Crull]

I think Gav Thorpe and A D-B ‘’get’’ Astartes, in how they act and think. Same for Abnett. The rest of the Black Library authors get it to varying degrees. Of course some of this matters on different Chapters.

For example, Graham McNeill does not write very good Ultramarines at all, portraying them as a bunch of hidebound idiots, a massive disservice to the chapter IMO. A D-B’s short descriptions of the Marines Errant was a better description of a Codex Chapter than McNeill did in six novels. William King’s Space Wolves are vastly superior to Lee Lightner’s and A D-B’s Flesh Tearers are IMO superior to James Swallow’s depiction of them.

[Scribe of Khorne]

Wait, theres a book on Flesh Tearers?

[Lord_Crull]

Wait, theres a book on Flesh Tearers?

No, a short story in Legends of the Space Marines.

I find that A D-B has a pleasant tendency to blow other interpretations of Chapters out of the water in a single short story where other authors fail to do in entire trilogies.

I mean, his single short story about the Pre-Heresy Dark Angels was much better received in Dark Angel-centric forums than the duologue featuring the Pre-Heresy Dark Angels in the Horus Heresy series.

His depiction of a Codex Chapter in Blood Reaver, for all of a dozen pages was better than what McNeill put out about six novels about a bunch of hidebound and restrictive fools who need a single free-thinking character to show them the right way.

His depcitionfo the Flesh Tearers in ‘’At Gaius Point’’ was more engaging than James Sallwos’s depiction of them in his Blood Angels series as side characters.

[Scribe of Khorne]

Now I must track that book down, thanks!

[Xisor]

LC: Let's not forget his Salamander in Helsreach either.

[Lord_Crull]

LC: Let's not forget his Salamander in Helsreach either.

Yes, I did like that quite well, although I really don’t have much of an issue with Kyme’s Salamander series myself.

[The Sigil]

Sanders' book Atlas Infernal is good as it features some pleasing Astartes portrayals, notably a significant techmarine as a supporting character. And, actually, some Marines getting beaten in 'arguable' circumstance. (IMO I very much liked this book's portrayal of the Marines: superb, but not invincible, even at their highest height.)

^This.

AI is a brilliant book in itself, but the depiction of Torqhuil was enough to make me enjoy space marines again. Better yet, he's a Relictor (a chapter that deserves some love).

Blatant self promo time: Big review of AI at my site below, and I will also have a Q&A I did with Rob Sanders published there sometime soon.

[New Cult King]

ADB, without a doubt in my mind, writes them how I want them to be.

Haven't gotten around to reading Helsreach? Whichever the loyalist one is. But his Chaos Marines are second to none.

Big Gav Thorpe does a great job as well, in my opinion.

[Cryptic]

this should be a poll to see the unanimous A-D-B supporters.

[lovelessmerc]

As im sure some of you know i am not very fond of ADB, and think the hype on his work is overblowen, Dan and Counter with there snakes, wolves, and luna wolves is much better on a whole, ADB tho has this flow and tilt to his charecters* that almost humanizes them, i felt emotions that i shouldnt when reading of logars fall, pity and sadness. Or of talos, pity and disgust. like a fellow member said ADB does a great dialouge, his battle scences lack, as simple as that. Dan and Counter... thats there strong points with Dan still surpasing ADB in dialouge and development, Counter in just action. Theres some new comers with one or two books that i would wager on surpassing all three. Dan, ADB, Counter.-final.

[Antreus]

You guys are all forgetting Rob Sanders! He's fantastic with marines and a great author to boot. Gets my vote.

[Lupe]

Aaron is without a doubt the winner here.

I will, however, say that Chris Wraight and Rob Sanders also did outstanding work with their Astartes in the Battles of the Space Marines books so far. Rob's depiction of Zachariah Kersh is simply brilliant, and Chris has also managed to strike that fine balance between superhuman and relate-able twice, with the Space Wolves and Iron Hands....

Honorable mentions should go to Simon Spurrier and Ian Watson, as well, for their now classic Lord of the Night and Space Marine, respectively...

[Freak Ona Leash]

Lexandro D'Arquebus would make a wonderful Emperor's Child, if he wasn't an Imperial Fist

I think ADB does a great job of marking the difference between 40k loyalist Mariness and 30k Marines of all types. The 40k fellows are considerably more indoctrinated, much more like the warrior-monk arcehtype while the 30k Marines are...Sevatar. I'd say Sanders does the best job of getting the "feeling" of 40k down. Which s to say, he writes batshit insane things really well.

[Asrai Syrion]

For me it has to be ADB for the Grey Knights in Emperors gift

Book of the year for me without fail

[budman]

Henry Zhou is the name.

Yeah... What the hell happened to that guy? 3 very stong books, the third Blood Gorgons was awesome...

[DeeKay]

Yeah... What the hell happened to that guy? 3 very stong books, the third Blood Gorgons was awesome...

I'm not sure if this is 100% accurate, but when I asked about HH books a while ago, I heard that Zhou's "disappearance" had something to do with plagarism.

Have to throw my lot in with ADB. He manages to write some brilliant scenes and, some might disagree, even manages to make completely cruel and nasty protagonists into something you can understand, if not sympathize with. Must admit that I'm not keen on McNiell's work, though.

With Regards,
Dan.

[MajorWesJanson]

The portrayal of the Astartes in The Emperor's Finest by Sandy Mitchell is surprisingly good.

[ArgelTal]

Aaron. No question. His portrayal of Astartes in every single thing he has written has been absolutely spot on. So far he has nailed Word Bearers, World Eaters and Dark Angels (30k), Night Lords (40k & 30k), Grey Knights, Space Wolves, Black Templars, Black Legion and Death Guard (40k).

Dan comes a VERY close second, though I prefer his 'human' stuff if I'm honest, but Horus Rising is still the best HH novel for my money, and Prospero Burns was pretty ******** sweet too.

Graham - his 30K stuff tends to be VERY good. I don't get on with his UM stuff that much - tends to be overwritten and stodgy IMHO.