Battle for the Abyss

[Ragnarfan_12]

Soooo this might get a lotta heat but oh well i keep reading everywhere about the hate for Bfta and i dont understand why... i personally really enjoyed it.... can someone explain why its so bad?

[shadowhawk2008]

Because, speaking from hindsight, it adds very little to the HH narrative going on. It has uninspiring portrayals of several main characters, such as the Ultramarines and the Space Wolves, and it is almost like a side-show. The events that happen therein have zero repercussions elsewhere. At least, I can't think of any such mentions. Know No Fear, which I expected to at least mention this, says nothing that I recall.

There are only two goods things about the novel: Skraal, and Imhotep. And the scene where the Imperial spacefighter crews are betrayed and suborned. That's really it.

[Sqallum]

As the shadowhawk 2008 said, the character of the UM is appaling. Conpare it to Helsreach and you will see what I mean. It adds nothing to the HH series. Furthermore, the author spends far too much time on irrelevant details. This means the plot is slow and sludgey. Also, the plot is just ridiclous. How less than 6 SM can kill dozens and dozens of Word Bearers.... with complete ease is just bad comedy. The leader, Zadkiel is a complete idiot. He is somehow surprised when he finds out that the UM have launched a suicidal counterattack at the main reactors, like no-one would do that to save their brothers and homeworld.

The Battle For The Abyss is simply quite boring.

Galaxy In Flames is very good, just to mention as I do like Ben Counter's other work. BFTA is just quite bad.

Skraal and Imohotep are cool though

[FlashGordon]

I wont agree to that it is one of the worst BL publications out there(like Nemesis) but is Ben counters low point book. I enjoyed it though and i think alot of people didn't like it mostly because there was no Primarch goodness in it.

[shadowhawk2008]

Everybody I know of personally, hates because of how terrible a characterisation is done of the Ultramarines and the Space Wolves. Not to mention, the improbability of some of the events therein.

[Ragnarfan_12]

yea it was kinda strange how it wasnt even mentioned in know no fear if you thnik about the book to much and how impossible it is what the charcters do then yea i can see how its not that great but at face value i enjoyed it it started off slow but the second half of the book was great

[shadowhawk2008]

Truth be told, I found it rather curious that we get absolutely no mention of events therein for Know No Fear and Aurelian. It definitely wasn't in the former and I'm pretty sure it wasn't in the latter either. It's as if everybody is trying to distance themselves from BotF which I think is the incorrect approach to take. Whatever.

[Lupe]

Technically, BftA is taking place (at least) at the same time as the events in Know no Fear and later than those in Aurelian. Since both these two books follow the protagonist characters' perspective throughout their entire duration, the Ultramarines would have absolutely no idea that there's also supposed to be a huge capital scale ship heading towards Calth to blow up it sun, and Lorgar would have far more pressing issues

I think my brother Fulgrim might be dead, because someone's hitchhiking his body

than to mentally review the minute details for the Calth attack, considering how long that's been in the works...

However, the events of BftA are mentioned in Mechanicum and Nemesis at the very least (maybe even more books, can't recall)...

[Ragnarfan_12]

well i understand how the UM couldnt possibly know but im pretty sure the ship was supposed to be used to start the attack wasnt it? if i was a word bearer id be like oh ummm well thats kinda strange... lol

[shadowhawk2008]

I haven't read it in almost a year and a half but IIRC, it was to be targeted at Macragge itself and not Calth? Because I remember that Zadkiel watched tactical projections of smashing open Macragge with its own moon.

[Ragnarfan_12]

wasnt it used to blow up one of the planets so that the asteriods and debris destoryed the UM fleet and those gathered on calth?

[Lord Lorne Walkier]

There was mention of Skrall in the Outcast Dead. Other then this obscure mention i have seen no other tie in in any book. I hope this changes, as i like BftA.

[Lupe]

There was also some dude who got assassinated in Nemesis, for suspected ties with the construction of the Abyss, and a passing mention of the Furious Abyss being still in construction in the early chapters of Mechanicum

That's all I could find, skimming through the books after key words.

[Ragnarfan_12]

so overall it really didnt contribute to the story line of the HH but i still enjoyed the book lol