thedeadwoods's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
midrel's review against another edition
4.0
Quirky but thoroughly enjoyable book. The constant present tense was odd, but quickly adjusted to. More jarring and in some ways damning was the heavy telling as opposed to showing when it came to the characters' thoughts.
The premise of the story is really simple, as another reviewer notes. It's basically about rooting out traitors in the rank, but the execution of said simplicity is where this book really shines: There are interesting characters, fluid action, and enough propelling intrigue and neat writing to keep me turning pages over and over, always on the edge as to what would come next.
There were also some few scattered moments that made me groan a bit because they felt a bit too hammy or artificial. The first that comes to mind is when Wyck is thinking about how it is impossible to escape the judgement of a commissar like Severina Raines. On its face there's nothing wrong with it, just the way it is written really reads a bit clichéd and awkward and while doing no favours to the main character.
Overall, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys the setting or military fantasy in general.
The premise of the story is really simple, as another reviewer notes. It's basically about rooting out traitors in the rank, but the execution of said simplicity is where this book really shines: There are interesting characters, fluid action, and enough propelling intrigue and neat writing to keep me turning pages over and over, always on the edge as to what would come next.
There were also some few scattered moments that made me groan a bit because they felt a bit too hammy or artificial. The first that comes to mind is when Wyck is thinking about how it is impossible to escape the judgement of a commissar like Severina Raines. On its face there's nothing wrong with it, just the way it is written really reads a bit clichéd and awkward and while doing no favours to the main character.
Overall, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys the setting or military fantasy in general.
jlaney's review against another edition
5.0
At somewhere between 20 and 30% I was ready to give up on this. Present tense isn't my favorite, and everyone seemed very two dimensional. The tense slowly grew on me, the characters developed a bit, and, though Raine still seems almost lacking any emotion beyond determination (though I realise to some extent you have to be outwardly emotionless to be a commissar), by 60 - 70% I was in love with it. The fighting is good, but so is the intrigue, dialogue, and inner thoughts.
Spoiler
Also, somehow I have a crush on Andren Fel.trackofwords's review against another edition
5.0
Rachel Harrison’s debut Black Library novel, this follows on from several excellent short stories and features Commissar Severina Raine serving with the 11th Antari Rifles as part of the decades-long Bale Stars Crusade. As Raine and the Antari grind their way to hard-fought victories over the chaos cult known as the Sighted, the stress of constant attritional warfare starts to show – even on the resolute Commissar. With the Sighted changing tactics and darkness forming within the Crusade, Raine knows that her faith and determination will be tested like never before as she wrestles with the implications of her past and the dangers of the present.
It goes above and beyond expectations, delivering a complex, characterful, brilliantly plotted and beautifully written narrative that does everything a 40k story should do and then some. It’s a big old book (380+ pages in hardback) and the dialogue does occasionally dip into a slightly over-formal style, but any minor niggles are quickly forgotten amidst the compelling drama unfolding as Harrison explores this fascinating little corner of the 40k universe.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/03/29/honourbound-rachel-harrison/
It goes above and beyond expectations, delivering a complex, characterful, brilliantly plotted and beautifully written narrative that does everything a 40k story should do and then some. It’s a big old book (380+ pages in hardback) and the dialogue does occasionally dip into a slightly over-formal style, but any minor niggles are quickly forgotten amidst the compelling drama unfolding as Harrison explores this fascinating little corner of the 40k universe.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/03/29/honourbound-rachel-harrison/
commissarmatt's review against another edition
2.0
probably the most meh-worthy black library book I've read in some time.
manthespace's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
talian1201's review against another edition
Loved the character Raine. She was my favorite of all the characters in the book. I also liked Wyck. I wish that more could have been told about the Sighted and the Bale Stars. I hope this happens if there is another novel with the same characters. I liked the history that was given for Raine and her sister., and how the author showed that not all demons are external. Some reside in one's mind.
recursivehaiku's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good book.
It suffers from the fact that it is somewhat similar in setting to Dan Abnett's
Gaunt's Ghosts series.
It has potential to grow into a decent series.
But there is definitely room for improvement.
The good:
-The main character. Severina Rain is not a mindless fanatic but at the same time she still is a Comissar.
-The suspense. It's a nice enough plot and you actually want to know what or who is to blame.
The bad:
-Just another 40k story. There is nothing new or fresh about this story. Grimdark, heretics, chaos, imperium, a few blams.
It suffers from the fact that it is somewhat similar in setting to Dan Abnett's
Gaunt's Ghosts series.
It has potential to grow into a decent series.
But there is definitely room for improvement.
The good:
-The main character. Severina Rain is not a mindless fanatic but at the same time she still is a Comissar.
-The suspense. It's a nice enough plot and you actually want to know what or who is to blame.
The bad:
-Just another 40k story. There is nothing new or fresh about this story. Grimdark, heretics, chaos, imperium, a few blams.
j_whatham's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
nooker's review against another edition
3.0
Found this hard to follow. The fast shifting between scenes made it seem rather confused.