Wrath Of Iron?

[Sqallum]

Hi, I am thinking of buyiing this book. Does anyone here have a review on this book?
Thank you

[Xisor]

I don't have an in-depth review, I'm afraid, other than to say I was very pleased with it. Very intriguing look at the Iron Hands, not too controversial, but never appropriate for them. It's a cracking read, has a lot of varied perspectives on them.

If I had one criticism of it, I'd say that Chris Wraight was a little too 'on the nose' with some of the ideas he was presenting, but ultimately it's an excellent 40k novel. Bleak though, but if you know much of the Iron Hands generally, that's hardly a surprise!

I strongly recommend it if you're even vaguely interested.

[CaptainSenioris]

I just finished the book, hopped on here to see if there was any discussion about it. I also really enjoyed it!

I agree with Xisor that it's bleak, it does need to be though, it really hammers the point home. Definitely think Chris Wraight has nailed modern Iron Hands('Flesh' Short story included), would be curious to see his HH perspective at some point in the future.

[Sqallum]

Than you guys. I have PH Iron Hands, so hope I'll like it!

[shadowhawk2008]

Wrath of Iron mimics what made Battle of the Fang so good - a variety of character viewpoints from different stations and ranks telling the same story. But, it fails in one thing: it doesn't show much of the Iron Hands themselves. We see too much of the Iron Hands through the POVs of other characters or discussions between those characters. And given that this is a Space Marine Battles novel, that is a curious decision. Don't get me wrong, I liked the novel overall: the action was great, the exposition was great, the twists and turns were great and there were some really evocative scenes in it, but it still failed to deliver on what the promise of it was: an in-depth look into the Iron Hands. And when I talk about that promise, I don't mean how the novel was marketed or anything, but coming straight from Chris himself as I'd talked about this very topic with him at GDUK last year. That really is my gripe with the novel: we needed to see a lot more of the Iron Hands than we did because of the nature of the brand. Take away the title "Space Marine Battles" and the novel is pretty much a perfect one.

[stormblade]

Take away the title "Space Marine Battles" and the novel is pretty much a perfect one.

I'm just gonna take this as another plus.

[Sqallum]

Yeah. Thanks guys I ordered it today.

[Steve54]

I just finished the book, hopped on here to see if there was any discussion about it. I also really enjoyed it!

I agree with Xisor that it's bleak, it does need to be though, it really hammers the point home. Definitely think Chris Wraight has nailed modern Iron Hands('Flesh' Short story included), would be curious to see his HH perspective at some point in the future.

Agreed I'd far rather he did some HH iron hands than let Nick Kyme continue to ruin them with his drivel

[Apfeljunge]

Oh man, just finished it. Just as good as battle of the Fang imo. I very much look forward to Chris' first Heresy novel.
it was also just as Grimdark as Dead Men Walking, for the normal humans even darker perhaps. This alone makes this book stand out because many 40k stories, despite the dark tone of the setting, do not convey this sufficiently imo.

Still too many heroes who win against the odds.
Of course I don't want every book to be this way but I think we need more endings like the ones in Fulgrim, Dead Men Walking, Shira Calpurnia Trilogy or even Void Stalker (minus the epilogue which was awesome but not Grimdark).

[Nazguire]

Agreed I'd far rather he did some HH iron hands than let Nick Kyme continue to ruin them with his drivel

Oh man yes. Why is Kyme allowed near the HH franchise at this point in his career? It should be reserved for the truly good authors that BL has like ADB, Abnett, Wraight, Sanders, etc. The Iron Hands have such a potentially deep and dark character development throughout the Heresy, and it would be a shame to see it wasted.

[Steve54]

Oh man yes. Why is Kyme allowed near the HH franchise at this point in his career? It should be reserved for the truly good authors that BL has like ADB, Abnett, Wraight, Sanders, etc. The Iron Hands have such a potentially deep and dark character development throughout the Heresy, and it would be a shame to see it wasted.

The only explanation I can see is his BL seniority as an editor - all other authors seem to have to prove themselves with a IG novel. Nothing he has written has been above average and mostly really poor - Damnos, the IH Primarch short and the salamander series are the worst BL novels in some years - since Goto and even then you could argue his main problem was a lack of 40k knowledge (which a competent editor would have corrected), whilst Kyme its dreadful writing, foreshadowing with a shovel and plots that a 12yr old would ridicule

[DDM]

In an attempt to bring this thread back on track, I enjoyed it. As others have said, it is a rather bleak book, presenting the Iron Hands as some of the more "grimdark" space marines. Action is good, with a fun cameo at the end of the book.
While it provided an interesting examination of the Iron Hands as a whole (methodology, psychology, what makes them tick [dohohohoho!]), we don't get much from the Iron Hand characters themselves. It all basically boiled down to how the Iron Hand in question currently felt about "machine=good, flesh=bad." A missed opportunity in my mind, and partially why it doesn't quite match up to my favorites in the series, such as Helsreach.

I did find it odd that:

a few daemonettes took down 3 Warhound titans?! That's a whole lotta rends

[shadowhawk2008]

The only explanation I can see is his BL seniority as an editor - all other authors seem to have to prove themselves with a IG novel. Nothing he has written has been above average and mostly really poor - Damnos, the IH Primarch short and the salamander series are the worst BL novels in some years - since Goto and even then you could argue his main problem was a lack of 40k knowledge (which a competent editor would have corrected), whilst Kyme its dreadful writing, foreshadowing with a shovel and plots that a 12yr old would ridicule

Nick Kyme has been writing 40k for a long time, and WHF even longer IIRC.

[Steve54]

Nick Kyme has been writing 40k for a long time, and WHF even longer IIRC.

Before his present salamander series he had 2 books published in 2006ish+the Assault on Black Reach novel more recently - which did nothing to show he can write. If anything that he has previous experience makes his recent rubbish even worse.

[Sqallum]

I really liked Wrath of Iron. A really well written book that delved brilliantly into the grimdark, metallic mind of the Iron Hands. And, finally, the Iron Hands have got revenge over the person I have hated the most throughout the entire Horus Heresy:

Julius Kaesoron.
I assume he hadn't quite ascended to immortality and is now dead, forever, just for my personal happiness.

A great book.

[Sqallum]

BTW guys, why all the Nick Kyme hate? Yes, the foreshadowing in Feat of Iron was a bit.....clumsy, and the charactereisation of the Iron Hands wasn't great I will reserve my judement till I read his Salamanders series, which I have read great reviews of : http://thefoundingfields.com/2011/09...bane-of-kings/

[Steve54]

I'd give more credence to Xisors review here http://www.warseer.com/forums/showth...-with-Nocturne rather than BL fanbois who are afraid to give BL novels a bad review as their worried they won't get pre-orders for reviews, talk to authors at gdays etc

That said Nocturne is a work of brilliance compared to Firedrake and the Fall of Damnos which were the two worst books I've ever read

[shadowhawk2008]

I'd give more credence to Xisors review here http://www.warseer.com/forums/showth...-with-Nocturne rather than BL fanbois who are afraid to give BL novels a bad review as their worried they won't get pre-orders for reviews, talk to authors at gdays etc

That said Nocturne is a work of brilliance compared to Firedrake and the Fall of Damnos which were the two worst books I've ever read

Somebody sounds jealous or just has a bad case of internet hate!!! Lighten up dude!

BTW guys, why all the Nick Kyme hate? Yes, the foreshadowing in Feat of Iron was a bit.....clumsy, and the charactereisation of the Iron Hands wasn't great I will reserve my judement till I read his Salamanders series, which I have read great reviews of : http://thefoundingfields.com/2011/09...bane-of-kings/

Its not really hate. Some people just don't like his work (always somebody out there as you can't please everybody) and they resort to a basic psychological mechanism when the subject comes up: this is the internet, I can be as mean as I want, who gives a damn?

[Steve54]

Jealous of what exactly? More like fed up of people flooding BL threads with fawning blind BL ass-kissing

[stormblade]

Oh no, people who read BL books and actually like them and write about it!

How dare they?!