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View Full Version : [Black Library Review]Rynn's World by Steve Parker



Vuron
02-08-2010, 09:48 PM
Rynn's World

Author: Steve Parker (Gunheads, Rebel Winter)

Starring/Perspective: Pedro Kantor, Captain Allesio Cortez, the entire Crimson Fists Chapter

Antagonists: Snagrod the Arsonist, Urzog Mag Kull, an entire Waaagh of orks

Locales: Rynn's World, Badlanding

Snarky synopsis: Vote for Pedro...the Space Marines Novel

This is the first of the "Space Marines Battles" novels from BL. The book is a larger format than the regular 40k paperbacks. It is about the size of a BL Omnibus. It is also longer than most BL novels at 536 pages. The book also features four pages of color maps in the center. The maps are average quality (think cheap d20 module) but give perspective for the battles the book describes.

The story concerns Snagrod's Waaagh and how it nearly decimated the Crimson Fists chapter. Anyone who has read the timeline in the recent Space Marine codex will have a good idea of what the book is about. The action is better than most BL novels and is nonstop. Parker does a good job of setting up the major battles. His first novel Rebel Winter was a promising Vostroyan novel that didn't really go anywhere. However his Gunheads was surprisingly good and mixed memorable characters with decent tank company battles.

The strength of the book are the two major characters - Pedro Kantor and Allesio Cortez. While not treading new ground for space marines the book is enjoyable. The major characters show two different heroes -- one that stands for good and the other that stands for lone wolf bravado. The rest of the characters are largely filler with a few notable exceptions. There is no "ork perspective" that I thought was a good choice. I didn't find any of the battles particularly memorable except towards the end. I also found it refreshing that the Crimson Fists were a noble chapter that stood for good - instead of the usual "we protect these people because we were made to" that is shoveled along by other authors.

In the end I am looking forward to the other Space Marine Battles Novels because I think with the larger format and page count we may get a decent series. While this doesn't approach the best of the Horus Heresy novels, it is better than the average (like Sons of Dorn) that BL puts out.

Overall: 3 Bolters out of 5

david5th
02-09-2010, 11:44 AM
Enjoyed it. Nice build up to the monastery disaster. Have to admit that i am looking forward to this more..

Wanted picture to be bigger, sorry.

pgarfunkle
02-10-2010, 01:00 PM
I finished reading the book today and enjoyed it throughout, I did notice a number of typos which was a shame. After finishing this novel I am looking forward to picking up further titles in the series advertised at the rear of the book. The hunt for voldorius appeals to me as if I remember correctly from codex space marines it should involve the White Scars in addition to the Raven Guard pictured on the cover art. I'm also looking forward to further titles and hope that they may include the second battle for Armageddon, featuring my favourite sons of the Emperor: the Blood Angels

david5th
02-10-2010, 02:25 PM
I finished reading the book today and enjoyed it throughout, I did notice a number of typos which was a shame.

Yeah, there were continuity mistakes in the book. i thought i has mis-read.

rkiviman
02-12-2010, 03:21 AM
It was an enjoyable book overall. Especially liked the way the story was developed with the camarderie between Cortez and Kantor!! Good job with seeing the marines through their eyes and they way they related to the general populace. Am currently reading Black Tide and so far it's great!!:)

pgarfunkle
02-12-2010, 05:37 AM
Am currently reading Black Tide and so far it's great!!:)

Yep I read that before Rynn's World and loved it too, now looking forward to more in the series

Gotthammer
02-12-2010, 11:06 AM
The story concerns Snagrod's Waaagh and how it nearly decimated the Crimson Fists chapter.

I think the Crimson Fists would have been happy if the Waaagh had only nearly killed one in ten of them ;)

david5th
02-12-2010, 11:16 AM
Am currently reading Black Tide and so far it's great!!:)

Read it, it's a brilliant book. I hope there are more Blood Angel novels on the way.