Customer Reviews

Angels of Darkness (Warhammer 40,000 Novels: Space Marine Battles)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

A surprisingly cerebral and complexly crafted story from an author whose other offerings tend to entertain primarily through fast-paced, graphic action scenes rather than by way of thoughtful character development and mature dialogue. This book is much slower and deliberate than its predecessors but is far richer for it.

The book primarily centers around the interrogation of a captured "Fallen Angel" traitor by his erstwhile brothers in arms, the loyalist space marines of the Dark Angels chapter. For the first time that I'm aware of, the long hidden secret which torments the Dark Angels chapter is revealed and afficionados of the Warhammer 40K universe are treated to an in-depth examination of the tragic schism which nearly destroyed the Dark Angels during the height of the Horus Heresy.

Far too often, chaos space marines and other foes of the Imperium are portrayed as mindless lunatics hellbent on destruction. Not so here. Thorpe's "antagonist" is lucid, articulate and just as convinced of the righteousness of his cause as are the Dark Angels of theirs. Through such a character, Thorpe admirably manages to capture all of the depth and nuance that the 40K setting has to offer. Highly recommended for all Dark Angel devotees and anyone who finds the backdrop of the 40K universe as entertaining and compelling as the game itself.

Cast forward in time 10,000 years, force commander Astelan of the Dark Angels has been branded a heretic and condemned to death by torture. Switching back and forth between Astelan and his torturer, chaplain-inquisitor Boreas, this novel describes the history of the Dark Angels chapter back to the days before the Primarchs were rediscovered. The events taking place in Angels of Darkness are of secondary importance. What is interesting here is the conflicting points of view of the two main characters, Astelan and Boreas, as they argue in the interrogation chamber. These two marines showcase the change in attitude and psychology of the Dark Angels following the cataclysmic Horus Heresy. Also revealed is the terrible secret which the Dark Angels chapter has kept hidden from the Imperium for 10,000 years. The story keeps good pace, and delivers its intrigue at a measured rate which keeps things interesting.
This is a good book for 40k fans who are looking for a decent story with great background information. BUT if you haven't read all of Dan Abnett's books, definitely go read those first. The Eisenhorn trilogy and Gaunt's Ghosts series are the Black Library's best stuff! In comparison, Angels of Darkness is a bit clunky, and the space marines act like emotionally-disturbed teenage boys.

I picked up this book as I have been a fan of 40K and the mythos of the Dark Angels since Rogue Trader days. Once I heard about this book in 2003, it was out of print. I picked up this book as soon as I found that it was once again available. For most of the book, I found it a page turner and finished it in approx. 2-3 days

The book is broken down into chapters, called Tales, surrounding the two main protagonists: Astelan: a captured Fallen and Boreas: an Interrogator Chaplain. At first I was skeptical of and annoyed by this layout, but having just finished the book, it makes total sense as both of the Tales evolve parallel. The building of the characters appears slow, but the material to be gleaned from each 'Tale' is subtle... and as you read this you may find yourself on the path of Heresy. ;)

Gav Thorpe appears to have a firm grasp of the 40K universe and is able to portray it quite adequately and appears to be an average writer with a few flaws in story flow and character persona. Most of the battles are somewhat mediocre while some shine. The Interrogation sequences are quite interesting as they tell the tale and fill in gaps in the Dark Angels mythos.
There are however some editorial errors I have found:
^ On Pg. 46, A young Initiate, Sanis was killed, but mysteriously reappears on Pg. 55.
^ Pg. 81, Boreas questions his own statement regarding 'whining priests' on Tharsis; I believe this should be Astelan's statement Boreas was questioning.
^ Pg. 192; Boreas makes a personal comment regarding Luther; this I believe should be Astelan speaking.

Overall, Gav has done the Dark Angels justice in this book; it is solid Dark Angels material and captures the depressing and desperate feeling of the 40K universe quite well. This book should be required reading for Dark Angels aficionados as it provides details, persona and background essential to understanding them. However, those not interested in the Dark Angels chapter or looking for grand battle scenes can skip this book as it solely deals with them and has a limited scope in the 40K Universe.

This is a good deal of background info on the schism within the Dark Angel chapter.. once again, playing on man's own foibles and weaknesses, even in the revered Space Marines. There is a good job of showing the story from the point of view of interrogator (loyalist) and chapter master (traitor) and how they vie back and forth over who has committed the most treachery...The sequence of events is fairly clear; it seems that the Dark Angel's Primarch, Lion El Johnson (never understood this name..), places Luther (his second in command) and a large contingent of space marines on Caliban (their homeworld) to raise new recruits. Feelings of slight and disdain creep into Luther while the Primarch carries on the campaign during the Horus Heresy.. Without giving too much away, I will say again that Mr. Abnett has done an excellent job of character development and his way of weaving the Dark Angel's division and then search for the "Fallen" is both interesting and revealing, with the very end of story a brooding foreboding for this space marine chapter even in the present (well, their "present").

Though this book is a bit slow, I did enjoy it. It is a fascinating glimpse into the almost mythological times of the Empire's founding and the tale of one man from that time period who returns to the 41st century to carry on his Lutherite campaign to cleanse the Empire of corruption --- thus being branded heretic by his contemporaries. Though low on action (until the end), it is heavy on brooding atmospherics and raises the question, is Astelan a heretic or the last true follower of the Emperor?

If your a fan of the Dark Angels or even the pre heresy -hours heresy period then this is a must read. If your a fan of the 40k universe then your in for quite a treat as Gav Thorpe has written a riveting book. Loved it and could not put it down . It really expands the story of the fallen and the hours heresy and leaves you wondering if what you thought knew of those times is actually the truth . Amazing stuff.

Its a good read, great for background info on the Dark Angels Chapter of Space Marines in Warhammer 40k.

A tale that spans different times in the life of an Interrogator-Chaplain of the Dark Angels chapter. The book jumps back and forth between two distinct times -- early on in Boreas's career, and to the "present day". In the present day Boreas has been stationed on a backwater planet, isolated from the bulk of his chapter. Routine life changes drastically when it becomes apparent that things are not all that they seem. Boreas suddenly finds renewed purpose and vigor when rumours of the Great Enemy begin to surface.

I'm not too much of a fan of Gav Thorpe's writing, having read some of The Last Chancers material. Despite that fact, I enjoyed this book. The book is a slow read, for the most part, as it departs from the usual barbarism and butchery usually associated with Space Marine style Warhammer 40k novels. Do not be confused -- this book centers around the Dark Angels chapter, but in my opinion is more about the universe of Warhammer 40k and the crumbling decline of the Imperium.

For a portion of the book it will be clear who is who -- who the antagonist is, and who our protagonist is. The line between the two begin to muddy and gray as the book goes on. The ending of the book is rather thought provoking and for people who like to deeply consider the implications and ramifications of the history of the Warhammer 40k universe it will be delicious and full of flavor. The conclusion of the book, and the sum of its events, certainly do present an unexpected angle on what most Warhammer 40k fans know about the progression of the universe.

It took me a while to understand that every other chapter of this novel was reflective in nature, but even the references to the memories the Chaplain had did very little to shed light on the heinous crime(s) committed by the Fallen. Now this may have been intentionally vague. I really had my hopes set on some specifics being given about the Lutherites and their fall from grace, and the novel did very little to elaborate on that history. Overall, I liked the book and would recommend it to any avid fan of the 40k universe or someone that follows the Dark Angels primarily. I especially liked the implied role of Cypher in the story.

When one first steps into the Warhammer universe, there is essentially a fog of war. Who and what are these creatures? What is their history? How do they live, grow, fight? Where do they live? Who is who?

In a burgeoning fantasy world, subject to many hands (i.e. minds), someone has to take the laboring oar and write the history. I think Gav Thorpe and Graham McNeill were given those assignments. Angels of Darkness is an essential book to anyone who wants to understand Space Marines. Yes, it is a bit preachy and the Space Marines sometimes pontificate like dime store altar boys but all in all the book is worth the effort if-you are interested in Warhammer. If not, I cannot imagine this book being for you.

With that said, I would like to defend the narrative structure of the book. I thought the two marines juxtaposed against one another was an effective generative device to delve deeply into the psyche of the ageless marines, the history of the warhammer universe, and the psychological chaos of the universe.

If you read the work closely you will find it chock-a-block with arcane details that are essential to rabid Warhammer fans.

Final note to the publishers. This book should be in print.