Rynn's World

[Therion]

Just finished reading it. Finally found a cheap used book. Nice big book. Liked the writing a lot. The author can even pull off super-marines without sounding unbelievable, unlike the author of another SMB book about ork siege. Reads a bit like something written by a war journalist.

The orks are a bit too subhuman, though. One thing that I noticed that the marines conveniently encounter no Killer Kans, no support weapons in ork mobs, no grenades, etc.
The Space Marines got butchered on Badlanding but somehow became almost completely invincible in the Rynn's World part.

[Xisor]

It's a perennial issue with a lot of SM fiction - authors very often struggle to represent the tactical and strategic problems folks face. That said, it then becomes quite enjoyable indeed when they do pull out something nice.

As you like Steve's writing - keep any eye out for a cheap copy of his Deathwatch novel too!

[Therion]

the tactical and strategic problems folks face

Could you elaborate on that topic?

It's a perennial issue with a lot of SM fiction - authors very often struggle to represent the tactical and strategic problems folks face. That said, it then becomes quite enjoyable indeed when they do pull out something nice.

I find that stuff annoying. Along with Abnett and his unwilingness to kill off fleshed out characters at random. It especially annoys me that he (Abnett) ignores that junior officer casualty ratios far exceed all other ranks. For example when storming the palace in Horus Rising. Mysteriously it's ordinary marines that get killed, not the squad leaders and other officers leading in combat. And of course they are all non-characters.

Also, I wish something would actually happen with Ceres Protocol. Like in abandoning lots of folks to die, using everyone as cannon fodder, while Marines stay safe, etc.

Liked the whole description of the chapter in the beginning and stuff, though. And duels. Very cool.

As you like Steve's writing - keep any eye out for a cheap copy of his Deathwatch novel too!

Does it have anything interesting?