The Killing Ground (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) [Hardcover]

Graham McNeill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 8, 2008 | Series: Warhammer 40,000 Novels (Book 4)

In the nightmare world of Warhammer 40,000, no servants of the Imperium are more dedicated than the Ultramarines, who follow the teachings of the legendary Codex Astartes to the letter. Having escaped from the Eye of Terror, Uriel Ventris and Pasanius now face an epic journey through a hostile universe in their quest to get home to Ultramar to safety and redemption. The Ultramaries are back in this storming new novel from Graham Mcneill, author of the "Ultramarines Omnibus".

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hailing from Scotland, Graham McNeill narrowly escaped a career in Surveying to join Games Workshop, where he worked for six years as a game developer. As well as fourteen novels, Graham has written a host of sf and fantasy short stories. He lives in Nottingham, UK. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Games Workshop; First Edition edition (July 8, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844165620
• ISBN-13: 978-1844165629
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #874,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hailing from Scotland, Graham McNeill narrowly escaped a career in Surveyinh to join Games Workshop, where he worked for six years as a games developer. In addition to many novels, including False Gods, Fulgrim and Mechanicum for the prestigious Hoeus Hersey series, Graham has written a host of sf and fantasy short stories. He lives in Nottingham, UK.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes the ghosts of the past won't let you go..., July 11, 2008

By 

Detra Fitch (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Killing Ground (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) (Hardcover)

Two Ultramarines, Pasanius Lysane and Uriel Ventris, have escaped from the Eye of Terror. They well know that no one comes back from there unchanged and they have no idea if they will even be welcomed back by their brothers. After all, they had fought alongside renegade Space Marines, made a pact with cannibal mutants, and even freed a daemon creature. It may not matter that each decision had been made with the best intentions or for the right reasons. The pair, along with some of their mutant allies (the Unfleshed), travel homeward within one of the Iron Men's vile, daemonic machines. Upon arriving, the Unfleshed hide in the mountains until such time the Ultramarines may figure out what planet (and year) they are on and explain the mutants to any locals.

The planet is named Salinas. A designated army of conquest has claimed the world as theirs. Yet after fighting in some of the most horrific war zones in the galaxy year after year and killing countless enemies, they find themselves unable to simply turn off the instincts that had kept them alive. Needless to say, the conquered locals hate their new leaders even after ten years. Everyone remembers the massacre of innocents in the city Khaturian a decade ago. It is referred to as the Killing Ground. A rebel group calling themselves the "Sons of Salinas" still fight against the new ruling government. Eradication of the rebel group is proving difficult and the possibility of a traitor is high.

When the infernal conveyance delivering the Ultramarines and the Unfleshed ripped its way through to Salinas and then tore a hole back through the gates of the Empyrean, a lot of energy came through too. The walls that separate Salinas from the warp were worn very thin and something that feeds on death and bloodshed had been attracted to the Killing Ground. The souls of those who died in Khaturian were now massing. They now had a very real, very dangerous wellspring of power to draw upon. And they hunger for vengeance.

Pasanius and Uriel must battle terrible powers and somehow keep an oath to the Unfleshed until their brothers can come for them. Only then will they be able to get home to Ultramar and redemption.

***** "The bar was crowded and the summering air of resentment that filled its smoky depths was like a current running through Hanno Merbal's body. He could sense the hatred of what he represented in every muttered syllable, every furtive glance and every hostile stare. He lifted the glass before him and knocked the harsh spirit back in one gulp." (Used with permission of the publisher, USA branch.)

By simply reading those first three sentences of this story I knew it would be awesome. An author who is able to put such a detailed description of angst within a few simple sentences KNOWS his stuff. From the beginning to the end I found myself compelled forward and into many forms of battles (mental and physical). By the time I finished the story I found myself wondering if the author, Graham McNeill, actually had talent oozing from his pores. The story is so well written that I could almost feel the heat and smell the carnage. The ending left me with the feeling of euphoria, yet a sense of loss too. I only hope there will be more Ultramarine stories in the future. *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great dark 40k fiction, July 25, 2008

By 

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

This review is from: The Killing Ground (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) (Hardcover)

Continuing the storyline of Graham McNeil, we find ourselves once again following Pasanius and Uriel Ventris, Ultramarines banished from their Chapter and sent on a Death Oath. But their oath has been completed, and miraculously, they survived to escape. After finding themselves on an Imperial world that was conquered and colonized by a brutal and ruthless former Imperial Guard regiment, the two Space Marines must try to find a way back to Ultramar, while surviving the attentions of a bitter insurrection as well as disquieting psyker activity.

McNeil manages to bring Uriel and Pasanius out of the standard cliche one-dimensional super soldier character, and makes them evotive and recognizable as still being human, which is a failing of many novels based around the Astartes. The scenery and detail expressed in his characters, as well as the heartbreaking story of the titular Killing Ground and the fate of the Unfleshed is gruesome and caustic, just the flavor for the Warhammer universe. Also appearing are the Grey Knights, who also manage to break free of the even more restrictive cliche character of one-dimensional super soldier secret police officer. The monsters, both human and not, all manage to evoke a distaste even through the page, and its hard not to relish the fate of the villian of the piece.

McNeils storyline drags briefly from time to time, somewhat hindered by the political backstory and the insurrection portion of the tale, but has a steady stream of combat and action, as well as new scenes and iconography, including the memorable Inquisitorial Trial. While I'll always be more sold on Caiphas Cain and Ibram Gaunt, Uriel Ventris definitely sweeps aside all previous Marine characters.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Return to form...nearly, March 11, 2009

By 

Christopher Allen (Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Killing Ground (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) (Hardcover)

It is tempting to call Killing Ground a return to form for Graham

MacNeill, and not just because it is so much better than Black Sky,

Dead Sun: it also evokes the forty-first millennium convincingly,

especially what being a superhuman space marine would be like in it,

like the first two novels in the series; and like them it is a compelling page turner. And like them and Storm of Iron, when MacNeill wants to go metaphysical, he does a terrific job of showing what living in a world so close to the weird and horrific made manifest might be

like.

It really isn't a true return to form, however, because unlike

Nightbringer, his first and best effort, Killing Ground isn't a

complete novel--and not just because it is the most obviously

serialized of his efforts, impossible to enjoy on it's own, though it

is that absolutely--but because the 'real' story of it only commences

in the last quarter of the novel, and with only the most cursory of

setup in the preceding three-quarters. The whole book feels

incomplete, and very awkwardly paced--just a continuing series of

chapter-adventures about our heroes, not a stand-alone novel.

That said, once things gain traction, the fitful setup seems worth it:

it is enjoyable to follow the journey of heroes Ultramarine Captain

Uriel Ventris and his loyal sergeant Pasanius, who remain both

convincingly superhuman throughout and yet eminently 'human' enough to

emapthize and identify with (lacking one, the other or both being

consistent flaws in Black Library novels); all the questions about the

world our heroes are introduced to get answered, most satisfyingly;

and the book's real strength, the introduction late in the proceedings

of a major Imperial institution and a compelling character to give it

a face, is handled with the skill and insight into the background of

the 40Kverse that only Abnett excels MacNeill at, when he is at his

best.

There *is* the issue of what subtext MacNeill is attempting to address

in Killing Ground: especially late in the novel, he puts words in some

characters' mouths that seem to clearly be commenting on real world

events, moreso than the instory conduct of some of MacNeill's unsavory

Guard characters in the book. It is awkwardly handled, whichever side

of those events one may fall on; reviewers who like to diminish genre

work, especially work derived from other media, as 'non-literary' will

find plenty of fodder for their viewpoint in this clumsily-handled bit of authorship. MacNeill is entitled to the strength of his convictions,

any writer is--one just wishes if he were going to do this, he'd've

done so with more artistry.

Killing Ground will not join Nightbringer as one of the two or three

introductory novels I hand to prospective hobbyists wanting to know

more about Warhammer 40,000, but for those already hooked and

especially fans of the previous Ultramarines 4th Company adventures,

it is a fine tale, and especially worthwhile in evoking the Imperium,

the Guard, the metaphysical threat of the Warp and one of it's front

line Imperial forces of resistance. I would read further adventures of

Captain Ventris--and would *very* much look forward to a stand-alone

adventure about the character Ventris engages, at this book's climax.

+++