Know No Fear discussion – Teasers and Spoilers

[FlashGordon]

Kor Phearon didn't however... he just knocked him back a few times with very powerful Chaos sorcery. It was to show how powerful the Word Bearers had become and how much Guilliman could never see such a change coming

The point still stands: He could have without problem. Ridiculous way to show how "uberpowerfull" the Word Bearers are(considering they somehow became the largest legion, why not the most uber also?).

[FlashGordon]

Yeah, agreed. One of the (comparatively few) things I did like about this book was how it showed that by means of sorcery, the Word Bearers are a threat... so much so that a "normal" Astartes has got a fair-to-middling chance of taking on a Primarch. The WBs have damned their eternal souls, but they've done so in exchange for very real temporal power.

Guilliman was unprepared for this and took a bit of a kicking as a result - but he survived it, in part due to Kor Phaeron's (IMO not at all well written) decision not to kill him, instead attempting (in IMO a very ham-fisted and not particularly convincing way) to convert him.

A very stupid way to show that a sorcerer apparantly can kill a primarch without effort. Still ruined the ending.


(sorry don't know how to double quote)

[Xisor]

Flash:

I don't think Kor Phaeron is just 'a sorcerer', or that its intent was to show "any old sorcerer can kill a primarch without effort".

Hell, it goes to some length to show this being Kor Phaeron pushing everything, being everything. He's the definitive sorcerer. He's hanging on the coat-tails of whatever Lorgar's been learning: there simply hasn't been anything like this. Then again, a man in cahoots with daemons pretty much killed Horus, so...

For my part on it, I think it could've been better explored and the conversion-conversation actually dealt with. I don't think it ruined the ending though, I thought it's close to perfect. Kor Phaeron. Finally, he's something more interesting than "Old Angry Priest in Terminator Armour".

I liked it. I'd have loved it if we'd seen more, but we didn't so it's only a brief glimpse of something wonderfully...impressive.

[Scribe of Khorne]

I thought this was quite an enjoyable read. I completed it in 2 sittings.

I thought the pace was very well done (breakneck even!), I liked the Mechanicus characters as I often seem to (loved that they were called Servers, when you consider the role they filled) thought the Ultra's where well done for the most part, liked how the Primarchs where portrayed, and it left enough trail's to be followed to set up further books.

I really thought that the comparisons between legions where very well done, and where far better then in Prospero Burns which was my major beef with that offering. After the first read, I cant really say I found much to hate/dislike and thought it was quite well done.

[Evil Hypnotist]

Have barely put this down since I started reading it, which is very unusual for me and Abnett novels. I'm loving how certain things from previously in the series are cropping up and the description of the first collision was amazing, especially after a dozen pages you realise everything described has happened in less than a second!

[BobtheInquisitor]

I'm only 100 pages in, but I think it's safe to say Dan's back.

BTW, did the opening set up remind anyone else of this?

[Colonel Kolm]

i honestly thought it was one of the best HH books in a while. to be fair i'm partial towards dan's works but still honestly i really enjoyed it and think it was an extremely well done book

[reds8n]

The point still stands: He could have without problem. Ridiculous way to show how "uberpowerfull" the Word Bearers are(considering they somehow became the largest legion, why not the most uber also?).

I think perhaps that you're underestimating the toll the day had taken on Guilliman prior to this happening perhaps ?

I enjoyed the whole book immensely, can't wait for any follow ups.

[Count Zero]

I have to say i really enjoyed this book, yes it wasn't perfect and certain things were left undercooked like the dreadnought. but mainly i really like the way the Ultras were represented, 30K Ultras are much better than 40k Ultras it would seem.

Loved the line from Remus (i think) about what happens when you leave an Ultramarine alive. Made me think of a certain line from Walter in the Big Lebouski

[Mr.Sparkle]

Just finished KNF and got to say, really enjoyed it. Previous HH books I have enjoyed most have normally been the slower paced efforts, but this gripped me from the start.

I do have a question though and if anyone can help it would be great. Its only a throway line in the book, but when Erebus is listing deamon names of those who have been summoned, he mentions Tarik reborn, he who is now Tormaggedon. Is there any other info about this? seems far far too close to Tarik Torgaddon to not be deliberate.

[Phunting]

As I think was pointed out on another thread, the Collected Visions book had a picture of a very Chaos-ified 'Tarik Torgaddon', which meant it came as some surprise that he didn't end up falling in the original novels. I can only presume that we're going to see his character resurrected and fallen to Chaos in upcoming books to square this circle.

[shadowhawk2008]

There is apparently a ship named "Tormageddon Monstrus Rex" or something similar in one of the newer Gaunt novels. So it appears to be a callback by Dan to that, tying in Tarik. More so since Erebus uses Tarik's gene-seed to create Tormageddon the Daemon.

[stormblade]

Yep, he (or rather it) playes a small part in Savation's Reach and will probably be in the next book as well.

[=Angel=]

Any thoughts on the catherics?
I had assumed it was just watered down space Catholicism but if ol is that old, presumably it's older or newer?
IIRC there was another catheric remembrancer ...

[RexNemorensis]

It alludes both to the medieval Cathars, a heretic Christian sect, and the Catholics we know. The Cathars had a reputation of mysticism and ardent faith, including self sacrifice.

[m1acca1551]

I have enjoyed this book more for its fast pace, unique wrting style and because it humanised the most starchy SM chapter to a point where i realky would hesitate to play an ultramarines army in 40k.

dan again works his magic.

[shadowhawk2008]

Surely you mean the legion? The legion is very, very different from the chapter

[BlackLegion]

Im perpetual surprised and dissapointed how stupitly big things (Titans/Spaceships) are destroyed stupidly fast once the shields are down.

[Lupe]

Im perpetual surprised and dissapointed how stupitly big things (Titans/Spaceships) are destroyed stupidly fast once the shields are down.

I'm not. I'd be surprised otherwise. Given the kind of weaponry used by Titans and Spaceships, there's only so much damage their structural integrity can take. Remember, these things are, for the larger part, hollow on the inside, and filled with rather important sensitive technology (life support, engines, etc). They're not solid, dense objects that you can just hit repeatedly and still retain their core integrity, despite losing chunks and flakes of material with each impact....

[BlackLegion]

Well in Epic: Armageddon and Battlefleet Gothic and Wh40k Apocalypse the shields absorb far less damage than the Titan's/Spaceship's Damage Capacity.