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

William King (Author), Marc Gascoigne (Editor)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Black Library (November 18, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1844160211
• ISBN-13: 978-1844160211
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,050,532 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars KING nails another slam fire Space Wolf adventure..., September 30, 2005

By 

Ironwolfe (edge of the universe) - See all my reviews

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

I had never read a Warhammer 40,000 novel until I decided to try William King's Space Wolf, the first book in this series.
If you're not familiar with the Warhammer 40,000 universe, it sums up like this: In the distant future, the daemonic enemies of all mankind are only kept from destroying the human empire by the omnipotent will of the the crippled God-Emperor and his bravest heroes: the Space Marines, the Imperial Guard and the Inquisition. In this future there is only war, and mankind mainitains the upper hand through constant vigilance and courage.
KING's Space Wolf series follows the journey of Ragnar Blackmane(Thunderfist) as he grows from a primitive barbarian warrior unaware of any thing beyonds the needs of his island clan to his indoctrination and adventures as a Space Marine of the Space Wolves Chapter. These books serves as a great introduction to the Warhammer 40k universe.
Wolfblade follows and the all but banished Ragnar as he is sent to Terra(Earth) to protect the Navigator house Belisarius that is allied to the Space Wolves chapter. Filled with self-doubt over using and losing the sacred artifact known as the Spear of Russ, Ragnar thinks he's been sent here as punishment. What he didn't expect was a world of intrigue and covert warfare deadlier than anything he'd experienced on the the far away battlefields with his Space Marine chapter. Outnumbered, outgunned, and outmaneuvered, Ragnar and the small band of brother Space Wolves that act as the Belisarius personal bodyguard are all that stand between his navigator allies and an insidious plot that could destroy the balance of power between the navigator houses and thereby cripple the Empire's ability to travel through the Warp.
Once again King weaves all of the well-known cliches and plot twists into a majestic tapestry that somehow sweeps the reader along in spite of himself.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wolfblade--An end to the saga?, December 3, 2003

By 

James L. Woodman MD (Middle of Nowhere, Minnesota) - See all my reviews

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

I really think i might actually poo myself. King has outdone himself (and thats saying something if you've read any of his previous space wolves novels), this book is excellently paced, had a great ending, and was exactly what i wanted from the author: a brilliant sci-fi story. This book has such intricate plot details and twists, i couldn't put it down. I was truly disappointed when it was over, i wanted MORE!!!!

The setting is that Ragnar lost the Spear of Russ, an important relic in Space Wolves history, and as a punishment, he is sent to Terra to fulfill a pre-imperium pact with the navigator house Belisarius, becoming a Wolfblade (who protect and serve the navigators of Belisarius). The secondary characters are other Space Wolves and a few navigators, all of whom are richly illustrated through the descriptions and dialogue, from regular, racious banter to battle narrative. I really must comment on the way he illustrated the setting of the Belisarius palace, it brought the place to life

In conclusion: GET THIS BOOK. You wont be able to put it down. Really, if you're looking for a great story and can't get enough of Space Marines, as the way I am, definately buy this book.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ragnar continues to impress, May 28, 2007

By 

B. A. James "General Paladi" (Topeka, KS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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

William King has done a superb job with the Ragnar series. The characters in the books are well thought out and each show their own personality. King really works hard to bring sense to the Space Wolves and the Adeptus Astartes. Other authors would just show space marines as mindless killing machines, but some authors like King really show the inner working of the Marines and that like all of us even though they have been indoctrinated into the life of a warrior they each have a complex inner dialogue and feeling.

This book branches out from those in the omnibus as it leads Ragnar away from his bretheren in the first 3 books, and picks up his life after losing the Spear of Russ. The book takes place on Terra and the treacherous things that take place in the center of the Imperium. It is filled with new Space Wolf characters who have a decidedly different attitude than those populating the first set, but the reader will not be dissapointed.