Dark Disciple (Warhammer 40000 Word Bearers 2) [Paperback]

Anthony Reynolds (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Black Library (December 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844166651
• ISBN-13: 978-1844166657
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,970,002 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still great, but lacking something this time, December 5, 2008

By 

Brian Long "Brian" (Ogden, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Dark Disciple (Warhammer 40,000 Novels: Chaos Space Marines) (Mass Market Paperback)

Dark Disciple is the continuation of the stroyline that began with Dark Apostle. Marduk, now acting head of a Host of Word Bearers Chaos Space Marines, travels to a planet on the fringe of a tyranid invasion, to discover the secret to operating the xenos device discovered at the end of the first novel, that could well spell the doom of the Imperium.

Dark Disciple still has the dark, sickly feel that Dark Apostle did, but the storyline focuses solely on the Marines. One of the things that made Dark Apostle a smash was the sideline involving a lone Adeptus Arbite that was enslaved by Chaos, and chronicled his descent into madness, there is no character you can really get behind in this. The same sort of progressive corruption is present in Darioq, a tech-magis captured by Marduk, but its hard to root for a character that speaks like a computer.

The combat is once again well laid out, and helps impose the feel that Marines are gods among men. While the tabletop game would have you believe that Marines are equivalent to twice or thrice their number of Guard, the Word Bearers go through whole companies like they're sheep. Theres also a third party that is introduced very nicely, and sets the stage for some well handled three way combat engagements.

Disciple is still a great storyline, but like any sequel, its hard to recapture that particular spark that made the first novel so memorable.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than Dark Apostle., July 8, 2009

By 

Detra Fitch "Always hunting good books." (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Disciple (Warhammer 40,000 Novels: Chaos Space Marines) (Mass Market Paperback)

Marduk, aspiring Dark Apostle of the XVII Legion of the Word Bearers, has an ancient and deadly artefact in his possession. However, its secrets remain locked within itself. He and his Chaos Space Marines travel to the ice moon called Perdus Skylla. The moon is being evacuated of it Imperial people. Three days is estimated before the xenos fleet makes planetfall. The Imperials cannot evacuate all in time, but as many people as possible are to be rescued before the dreaded command, Exterminatus, is ordered. Somewhere on Perdus Skylla is an Adeptus Mechanicus with eight hundred years of knowledge hidden within her mind, knowledge that Marduk requires to unlock the artefact's dark powers.

As Marduk and his brethren search the moon, the Dark Apostle must keep wary eyes upon Kol Badar, the Host's Coryphaus, who hates Marduk with every bit of his black soul. Marduk had killed Kol Badar's blood brother and he refuses to rest until Marduk is made to pay for it.

All does not go well on Perdus Skylla for anyone. Their Imperial enemies not only deal with a timely evacuation, but also with the dark eldar who are already on the moon claiming bodies and souls. The traitor marines will not only have to find their target, but also get themselves and the gained knowledge through Eldar and Imperial forces before the xenos fleet arrives and the moon is destroyed.

***** FIVE STARS! Though this is a sequel, you do not have to read Dark Apostle in order to fully understand and enjoy this story. This book begins and ends with one mission involving Marduk and his traitor marines. I found myself totally enthralled with Burias-Drak'shal, the Icon Bearer who is daemon possessed. I would very much like to read more about that character. I can only hope the author, Anthony Reynolds, is sitting at his computer, within his darkened cave, and creating another Marduk novel.

From beginning to end readers will overload on battles and dark mayhem. There are no pauses in the action and no time for you to catch your breath as you are swept from one bloody scene to the next. A terrific addition to the darker side of the W40K universe. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars generic black library read, June 7, 2010

By 

cerebalpaulsy (lynchburg, va) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dark Disciple (Warhammer 40,000 Novels: Chaos Space Marines) (Mass Market Paperback)

this story is pretty good. the writing is cliche in its use of typical warhammer descriptors. enough about patrician's features and cloying this and that. i swear i saw a single sentence with two uses of the word "cloying" in it! enough with the gruesome details of evisceration and the myriad of ways a skull can get crushed. all the gore seems forced, like filler to take up empty pages. i would guess that a different editor tackled this book. the first book was well done, this one not so much. the story was pretty good though. there was too much going on and some of the story was lacking, under-developed. the 'nid invasion was nothing more than a ticking clock's time restraints on the narrative. there was some spacehulk type action that brought back pleasant board game memories though. this book could have used the polish of a good editor and it would have cleaned up very nicely.