I've wanted to read this book for a long time but not had the chance purely because of how expensive it is to buy. But I found a link to read it online, well I was one happy camper haha. I wasn't disappointed whatsoever it's a seriously good book.
Here's a quick review on it I found:
'Space Marine is a rare novel that is set in the Warhammer 40k universe, written by Ian Watson. Space Marine is essentially a piece of history in the Warhammer 40k universe, but one that Games Workshop doesn't actually agree with, and was never re-printed. The novel itself no longer "fit's in" with the modern day interpretation of the Space Marines, but ironically is the best written novel about space marines to date.
Ian Watson is an incredibly talented writer, having won many Science Fiction awards, was an ideas guy for Stanley Kubrick and helped Stephen Speilburg write the screenplay for the epic film A.I.
The story begins on the Hive world Necromunda, where a young gang member, Lexandro raids the lower levels of the Hive-city, and encounters Biff, a member of a "scum" gang and Yeremi, a member of a tech gang.
All 3 boys eventually choose (for thier own reasons) to volunteer to join a raid against a rebel hive-city with the Planetary Defence Force. They are quickly plucked from the ranks to join the Imperial Fist chapter of Space Marines. They are taken to the Imperial Fist stronghold for training, a ruthless process that results in mind wipes for major infactions, and torturous pain for minor ones (mainly using a "pain glove").
Eventually trained as full Space Marines, they then have to face the terror of a Tyranid invasion, the ultimate creators of the Genestealers.
Space Marine is one of the first novels based upon the Warhammer 40k universe, published in 1993, and it is a very accurate representation of the Warhammer 40k universe at the time, before Games Workshop decided to re-write history a bit. As such it is a unique piece of history, one which I was lucky enough to buy new over 17 years ago.'
Well here's the link, it's only a 120 pages but it's brilliant. If you do read it or have read it let me know what you think/thought about it.
Enjoy!
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One of the first GW-related books I ever read, and still one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteA few bits of the background don't sit well, but these can be ignored considering it's so well damn written and the story so engrossing.
If you enjoyed the book, I recommend reading the Inquisition War trilogy. If you get to the 3rd of these, you'll recognise one of the characters from the above book :)
Thanks for the recommendation, I will definitely check them out if it's as good as this was.
ReplyDeleteAs sad as it is, there is a lot of books that will no longer see the light of day in 'today's' games-Workshop world from both 40K and fantasy.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading Eye of Terror, and it was that book that made me fall in love with Eldar Wraithguard. Then I found out the ghost warriors on the tabletop act nothing like the book version.
holy damn. just read the shit out of this. the last scene is incredible.
ReplyDeleteI'll second the recommendation for the Inquisition War. It's 40K with sex and Squats and conspiracy theories and unreliable narrators and literary allusions and things that actually make for a good book rather than a glorified battle report with some adolescent posturing stapled to either side of it.
ReplyDeleteLet me third the Inquisition War, as if a recommendation by Pacific and Von both isn't enough. It may seem very unfamiliar, uncomfortable even, to a reader with a grounding in current 40K only, but that's all the more reason to read it. Space Marine I still have fond memories of after all these years.
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