Execution Hour (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) [Mass Market Paperback]

Gordon Rennie (Author)

Book Description

Series: Warhammer 40,000 Novels | Publication Date: April 1, 2004

Science fiction novel set in Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 universe.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Games Workshop (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074341165X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743411653
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,382,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ...til her Daddy takes the starhawk away..., April 9, 2002

By 

Stephen E. Trask (Mechanicsburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Execution Hour (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

One might argue that there is nothing new in the Warhammer 40k universe. Taken individually, each facet of the mytho can be traced to another sf or fantasy writer. Heinlein, Herbert, Asimov and other legends have all made contributions. Nope, nothing all that new.

So what! This initially mismatched collection of classic sci-fi, fantasy and alt history adds up to an extremely interesting universe. Then you remember that the whole thing was the result of a miniatures wargame. Pretty darn impressive when you view it that way.

Execution Hour is a fine effort to examine some varied aspects of the 40k universe. More precisely, it ties the relatively recent Battlefleet Gothic game to its venerable ancestor, War Hammer 40k.

Gordon Rennie gives us good characters, nice plot, fine exposition of various technical, social, metaphysical and psychological aspects of the universe. Against the broad canvas of a massive invasion by the seemingly irresistable forces of Chaos, the workings of a heretofore neglected segment of the great military machine of the Imperium, its Navy, are illustrated in detail.

Certainly, there are some sections which will leave the 40k neophyte scratching his or her head, but you don't need to be able to discriminate between an Adeptus and an Arcanus to enjoy the action and plot in this well crafted novel.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Tale of the Gothic Sector, April 21, 2002

By 

dpcordeiro (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Execution Hour (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is great! A must for WH 40K and BattleFleet Gothic fans. This is a wonderful full length story of Gordon Rennie's characters Captain Leoten Semper and Flag Lieutenant Ulanti aboard the Lord Solar Macharius (an Imperial Cruiser). Though things are different from the book in terms of damage caused, the descriptions are excellent and are brought to life (as real as it can be). I couldn't stop reading this after I bought it. The story is consistent for the most part and displays it from both sides of the conflict. A novel well worth the price, time, and effort.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reading for Battlefleet Gothic players, November 7, 2001

By 

T W Li (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Execution Hour (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

Battlefleet Gothic is a spaceship wargame set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, making use of miniature model ships to simulate sweeping battles fought over the vast expanse of the galaxy. It is an attractive tabletop game offering a high degree of playability and excitement, and lots of colorful action.
Execution Hour vividly portrays the dramatic ship-to-ship battles and savage hand-to-hand fighting in the game setting. The writing conveys the sense of doom among the desperate defenders of the invaded world perfectly.
A minor criticism may be that the Chaos warships are too fragile in the story. Players of the Battlefleet Gothic game will know that Imperial torpedoes, attack crafts and gunfire are hardly so devastating, and Imperial ships are just a bit so sluggish in action. Ship-to-ship fight is often a rather inconclusive draw, and not so much of brilliant victory after victory as depicted in the book.
Nonetheless, the novel provides very good entertainment value to the game enthusiasts, and is probably one of the best among the Warhammer tie-in novels.