jarichan's review
3.0
Das Interessante an dieser Novelle aus dem Warhammer 40K-Universum ist meiner Meinung nach, dass hier auch zivile Opfer erwähnt werden. In all den anderen Büchern, die ich bisher aus der Reihe gelesen habe, fanden immer nur die einzelnen Gruppierungen und Kriegsteilnehmer Erwähnung.
Auch die Beschreibungen der Panzerkämpfe haben mir sehr zugesagt. Denn die Panzer sind in dieser Geschichte die eigentlichen Hauptdarsteller. Und ja, diese Novelle ist sehr, sehr blutig. Die Menge an vergossenem Blut variiert von Buch zu Buch. Hier werden auf knapp 140 Seiten sehr viele Liter davon vergossen.
Was mir jedoch leider gefehlt hat, war das Tempo. Die Kampfszenen sind, zumindest in der Übersetzung, etwa gleich schnell getaktet wie die Gespräche oder Pausenszenen zwischen den Kämpfen. Das hat für mich leider nicht wirklich gepasst. Deshalb nur drei (eigentlich 3,5 Sterne) anstatt vier.
Auch die Beschreibungen der Panzerkämpfe haben mir sehr zugesagt. Denn die Panzer sind in dieser Geschichte die eigentlichen Hauptdarsteller. Und ja, diese Novelle ist sehr, sehr blutig. Die Menge an vergossenem Blut variiert von Buch zu Buch. Hier werden auf knapp 140 Seiten sehr viele Liter davon vergossen.
Was mir jedoch leider gefehlt hat, war das Tempo. Die Kampfszenen sind, zumindest in der Übersetzung, etwa gleich schnell getaktet wie die Gespräche oder Pausenszenen zwischen den Kämpfen. Das hat für mich leider nicht wirklich gepasst. Deshalb nur drei (eigentlich 3,5 Sterne) anstatt vier.
paulopaperbooksonly's review
3.0
If this was a 10 star review I would give it a seven. Since this is 5 star rating system I will give it
The story is set in the 13th Black Crusade. Cadia is fighting and burns and other chaos forces go to neighbour systems. In this case The Crimson Slaughter goes to Regallus planet and lay siege to it.
In this story we follow Heit after his Marauder being shot down. He is then "saved" by several Cadian Leman Russ tanks led by a Cadian woman that people call "Crown". We are introduced to some others plus some interesting Cadian rituals I didn't knew it existed. Maybe because Cadian has burn? Interesting.
The story is fast and dark - as I like them. I don't even tag as Grimdark because I expect almost all stories being dark. Here again, we understand that to a million worlds within the Imperium and the trillions of trillions of men and woman, a planet is nothing; millions dying are nothing but a comma in history. Yet as we are told these stories in a person POV it's messy and understading there are millions or billions of men and woman fighting and dying it's unmeasurable; unthinkable. It's like saying that there are more stars than all the grains of sand of all beaches in Earth. We can't even begin to comprehend.
One interesting thing here is that, people who are not accustomed to 40K don't really understand the way this works. I've read people complaining in a novel (not 40K) that the author had the audacity to kill several gay men in his story. People complain when the last female pov was dead in Game of Thrones. Well.. here everyone dies. Is that simple.
I will not be drawn into politics but thank the Lords of the Imperium.
But Leman Russ Transports... They exist? NEver heard but I don't play a lot 40K so...
The story is set in the 13th Black Crusade. Cadia is fighting and burns and other chaos forces go to neighbour systems. In this case The Crimson Slaughter goes to Regallus planet and lay siege to it.
In this story we follow Heit after his Marauder being shot down. He is then "saved" by several Cadian Leman Russ tanks led by a Cadian woman that people call "Crown". We are introduced to some others plus some interesting Cadian rituals I didn't knew it existed. Maybe because Cadian has burn? Interesting.
The story is fast and dark - as I like them. I don't even tag as Grimdark because I expect almost all stories being dark. Here again, we understand that to a million worlds within the Imperium and the trillions of trillions of men and woman, a planet is nothing; millions dying are nothing but a comma in history. Yet as we are told these stories in a person POV it's messy and understading there are millions or billions of men and woman fighting and dying it's unmeasurable; unthinkable. It's like saying that there are more stars than all the grains of sand of all beaches in Earth. We can't even begin to comprehend.
One interesting thing here is that, people who are not accustomed to 40K don't really understand the way this works. I've read people complaining in a novel (not 40K) that the author had the audacity to kill several gay men in his story. People complain when the last female pov was dead in Game of Thrones. Well.. here everyone dies. Is that simple.
I will not be drawn into politics but thank the Lords of the Imperium.
But Leman Russ Transports... They exist? NEver heard but I don't play a lot 40K so...
trackofwords's review
4.0
After his Marauder is downed, young Heit Lytviak finds salvation in the shape of the Cadian Leman Russ battle tank Imperial Son, joining as an impromptu and somewhat ill-disciplined gunner under the steely supervision of Lieutenant Knispel. Against the brutality of the Crimson Slaughter, however, the Cadians are cut off from their lines and forced onto the back foot.
In keeping with St. Martin’s style this is dark and gritty from the get-go, often brutally so, from the Crimson Slaughter’s creepy ways of placating the voices which plague them to some matter of fact descriptions of the often horrific results of a tank fighting against infantry. It’s very much not a happy story, in the vein of many a classic Black Library tale, so while there are heroics aplenty they err on the darker and more fatalistic side. Look elsewhere for a big picture depiction of the 13th Black Crusade, but as a tight-focus look at the grim realities of life for Imperial forces facing off against Chaos Space Marines, this is a short but powerful story.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/11/16/steel-daemon-ian-st-martin/
In keeping with St. Martin’s style this is dark and gritty from the get-go, often brutally so, from the Crimson Slaughter’s creepy ways of placating the voices which plague them to some matter of fact descriptions of the often horrific results of a tank fighting against infantry. It’s very much not a happy story, in the vein of many a classic Black Library tale, so while there are heroics aplenty they err on the darker and more fatalistic side. Look elsewhere for a big picture depiction of the 13th Black Crusade, but as a tight-focus look at the grim realities of life for Imperial forces facing off against Chaos Space Marines, this is a short but powerful story.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/11/16/steel-daemon-ian-st-martin/
More...