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Space Marine Battles #6
Battle of the Fang
It is M32, a thousand years after the Horus Heresy. The Scouring is over and the Imperium at the height of its post-Crusade power. When Magnus the Red is tracked down to Gangava Prime, the Space Wolves hasten to engage the daemon primarch. Even as Great Wolf Harek Ironhelm closes on his ancient enemy, the Fang on the Space Wolves home world is besieged by a massive force of Thousand Sons. A desperate battle ensues as the skeleton forces of Wolf Lord Asvald Greylock attempt to hold back the attacking hosts before the last of his meagre defences gives in. Though a single Scout ship survives to summon Great Wolf Harek Ironhelm back to Fenris, none of the defenders truly realise the full scale the horror that awaits them nor what the Battle for the Fang will cost them all.
501 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2011
53 people are currently reading
822 people want to read
About the author
Chris Wraight
218 books380 followersChris Wraight is a British author of fantasy and science fiction.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 75 reviews
December 26, 2015
I read the Horus Heresy books as they come out and I can honestly say there isn't one that I haven't enjoyed. When the Space Wolf Chapter landed on Prospero, home of the Thousand Sons Chapter, any reader knew the ending of this tail. Primarch versus Primarch, and one falls. But Magnus the Red fell and yet didn't die, but became something else, that exists in the warp and in reality. This book is the revenge of the Thousand Sons, as they stage an assault when the Space Wolves are drawn away, leaving only an ancillary group, 10% of the Chapter to guard the Fang. The Thousand Sons arrive in force and the battle begins.
This book was a ride from the first page turn. It is thick with bloodshed, loss and triumph. It kept me flipping pages long after I should have gone to sleep. It's that good, folks! Read this one, but know that you won't know the whole story of why this happens unless you have read the Horus Heresy novel, Prospero Burns.
Danny
This book was a ride from the first page turn. It is thick with bloodshed, loss and triumph. It kept me flipping pages long after I should have gone to sleep. It's that good, folks! Read this one, but know that you won't know the whole story of why this happens unless you have read the Horus Heresy novel, Prospero Burns.
Danny
January 2, 2023
The continuum of Space Wolves portrayals runs from Space Vikings to Space Furries, with Battle of the Fang unfortunately tending towards the latter:
Then the amber-eyed wolf within him howled, not with battle-lust or glory, but with the horror of grief.
It's also not a great 'Battle' book in terms of being that interesting a fight. It's a siege, and a boring one at that.
But... ...it is still good.
Evil Reigns
The bad guys have a plan, execute that plan... ...and win. We can quibble over the Space Wolves continuing to exist literally 10,000 years after the events of the book, but Battle of the Fang kicks to the curb plans of Successor chapters encircling the Eye of Terror.
But most importantly, what a force Magnus is. What a creature of evil he is (faint of heart avoid the below):
His idea, his execution, his win. He hurts the protagonists with the wretched Wolf Brothers, is irredeemably selfish, and is brutal on the battlefield. Battle of the Fang is about what a Primarch can do to their lessers. They are the superheroes thundering around, their oversized feelings given life via their oversized abilities.
Does Chaos having glistening teeth of evil risk a sort of Manichaeism in the story universe? Maybe, but the Space Wolves are hardly portrayed as saintly. The dualism I find interesting is the father/daughter combo of Morek and Freija - one doomed by curiosity, one finding safety in ignorance.
You said you would strive to improve yourself, he replied. Start now. Cease your questions. That knowledge is not for you.
Freija broke into another weary smile. ‘You are right,’ she said. ‘I have offended you again. I will leave.’
Multiplicity
The multiple POVs drift in and out of the plot, more serving them than being in-depth character... ...but the pastiches are pretty memorable. "Blackwing" is interesting as different from the conventional Space Wolf and makes mistakes, but is clever in how he achieves his goal. The aforementioned yin and yang of Morek and Freija. And, of course, Bjorn The Fell-Handed.
You know nothing of anger, Traitor, boomed Bjorn, lumbering from the wreckage of the hangar wall and punching another flurry of plasma bolts from his arm-cannon. This is anger. This is hate.
As for The Thousand Sons, well, they exist. There are some musings about their decline, and I do think it is an interesting concept that neither side are truly the Legions of the Horus Heresy. There's a couple of misses though: who really cares about "The Change" in Aphael, as he just ends up as a vessel for Magnus irregardless. Temekh is there for exposition in the form of whinging.
He’d wept over the destruction of Tizca, but that did nothing to fuel his sense of revenge. By contrast, Aphael’s eagerness felt vulgar and empty. We have lost our taste.
Battle of the Fang is a wobbly, ricketedly book, with elements that elevate it rather than its whole.
Then the amber-eyed wolf within him howled, not with battle-lust or glory, but with the horror of grief.
It's also not a great 'Battle' book in terms of being that interesting a fight. It's a siege, and a boring one at that.
But... ...it is still good.
Evil Reigns
The bad guys have a plan, execute that plan... ...and win. We can quibble over the Space Wolves continuing to exist literally 10,000 years after the events of the book, but Battle of the Fang kicks to the curb plans of Successor chapters encircling the Eye of Terror.
But most importantly, what a force Magnus is. What a creature of evil he is (faint of heart avoid the below):
His idea, his execution, his win. He hurts the protagonists with the wretched Wolf Brothers, is irredeemably selfish, and is brutal on the battlefield. Battle of the Fang is about what a Primarch can do to their lessers. They are the superheroes thundering around, their oversized feelings given life via their oversized abilities.
Does Chaos having glistening teeth of evil risk a sort of Manichaeism in the story universe? Maybe, but the Space Wolves are hardly portrayed as saintly. The dualism I find interesting is the father/daughter combo of Morek and Freija - one doomed by curiosity, one finding safety in ignorance.
You said you would strive to improve yourself, he replied. Start now. Cease your questions. That knowledge is not for you.
Freija broke into another weary smile. ‘You are right,’ she said. ‘I have offended you again. I will leave.’
Multiplicity
The multiple POVs drift in and out of the plot, more serving them than being in-depth character... ...but the pastiches are pretty memorable. "Blackwing" is interesting as different from the conventional Space Wolf and makes mistakes, but is clever in how he achieves his goal. The aforementioned yin and yang of Morek and Freija. And, of course, Bjorn The Fell-Handed.
You know nothing of anger, Traitor, boomed Bjorn, lumbering from the wreckage of the hangar wall and punching another flurry of plasma bolts from his arm-cannon. This is anger. This is hate.
As for The Thousand Sons, well, they exist. There are some musings about their decline, and I do think it is an interesting concept that neither side are truly the Legions of the Horus Heresy. There's a couple of misses though: who really cares about "The Change" in Aphael, as he just ends up as a vessel for Magnus irregardless. Temekh is there for exposition in the form of whinging.
He’d wept over the destruction of Tizca, but that did nothing to fuel his sense of revenge. By contrast, Aphael’s eagerness felt vulgar and empty. We have lost our taste.
Battle of the Fang is a wobbly, ricketedly book, with elements that elevate it rather than its whole.
February 16, 2024
February 2024 first time read as additional materials after completing the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project - Omnibus III The Burning of Prospero (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy saga and just how much Prospero Burns by Dan Abnett demonstrated just how transcendent a story set in the Warhammer 40K universe can be, as well that book making me fall in love with the Vlka Fenryka.
I really don't know how I feel about this one. I'm simultaneously really rather impressed, left cold and disappointed, and eternally tired with the way women are written and discussed by so many Black Library books.
In a vacuum and as a book labelled "Space Marine Battles" it's really good and extremely competent at doing its job. It's certainly on the higher quality end of Black Library books, if a long way from the vaunted heights of the Inner Circle of greatness some of these books rise to. But, this being billed as the A Thousand Sons/ Prospero Burns round two and making use of narrative, emotional weight, pathos, and tragedy already baked into this storyline? Yeah, nah. Not so much.
(The next couple of paragraphs are excessively nerdy and autistic. They are for me more than anyonenelze, so please feel free to ignore)
This is a Warhammer 40K novel released under the Space Marine Battles banner in 2011, six months after the release of Prospero Burns and fifteen months after A Thousand Sons. This certainly makes it seem like something Black Library wanted to release to the slavering Skjalds and Magi possessed by Heresy-mania.
Unlike most 40K books, which generally take place in M41 'in the 41st millennium there is only war', this is actually set in M32, most likely towards the end of the millennium as its seems the Scouring, implementation of the Codex Astartes, and the Founding of Successor chapters are already in effect. In the same way the M30-M31's Great Crusade is considered 'Pre-Heresy', this is very much in the relatively recent 'Post Heresy' era.
*lots of things in the galaxy are functionally immortal, beyond being killed to death, and there are a variety of folx still around in 'present day' 40K that were very much doing their thing before and during the Horus Heresy, ten thousand years before.
I'm not sure how there numbers and dates make me feel, but this being written around the same time as Prospero Burns with the Horus Heresy in full swing (and clearly tying into it) and being as far as I'm aware one of the first to explore this time period (at least within popular canon, especially for the time) perhaps increases my disappointment, maybe. It certainly makes contrasting them to the Horus Heresy Space Wolves and Thousand Sons books seem more explicit and obvious.
(I have one eye sacrificed to the sleeping gods and I can barely keep the other one open, so I'm going to have to finish this review another time.
I really don't know how I feel about this one. I'm simultaneously really rather impressed, left cold and disappointed, and eternally tired with the way women are written and discussed by so many Black Library books.
In a vacuum and as a book labelled "Space Marine Battles" it's really good and extremely competent at doing its job. It's certainly on the higher quality end of Black Library books, if a long way from the vaunted heights of the Inner Circle of greatness some of these books rise to. But, this being billed as the A Thousand Sons/ Prospero Burns round two and making use of narrative, emotional weight, pathos, and tragedy already baked into this storyline? Yeah, nah. Not so much.
(The next couple of paragraphs are excessively nerdy and autistic. They are for me more than anyonenelze, so please feel free to ignore)
This is a Warhammer 40K novel released under the Space Marine Battles banner in 2011, six months after the release of Prospero Burns and fifteen months after A Thousand Sons. This certainly makes it seem like something Black Library wanted to release to the slavering Skjalds and Magi possessed by Heresy-mania.
Unlike most 40K books, which generally take place in M41 'in the 41st millennium there is only war', this is actually set in M32, most likely towards the end of the millennium as its seems the Scouring, implementation of the Codex Astartes, and the Founding of Successor chapters are already in effect. In the same way the M30-M31's Great Crusade is considered 'Pre-Heresy', this is very much in the relatively recent 'Post Heresy' era.
*lots of things in the galaxy are functionally immortal, beyond being killed to death, and there are a variety of folx still around in 'present day' 40K that were very much doing their thing before and during the Horus Heresy, ten thousand years before.
I'm not sure how there numbers and dates make me feel, but this being written around the same time as Prospero Burns with the Horus Heresy in full swing (and clearly tying into it) and being as far as I'm aware one of the first to explore this time period (at least within popular canon, especially for the time) perhaps increases my disappointment, maybe. It certainly makes contrasting them to the Horus Heresy Space Wolves and Thousand Sons books seem more explicit and obvious.
(I have one eye sacrificed to the sleeping gods and I can barely keep the other one open, so I'm going to have to finish this review another time.
September 9, 2011
This was the first Space Marine Battle book that I've read. I am a huge Thousand Sons fan and I expected a fair bit out of this story. I was happy to see that Wraight tied into a couple things that occured in the H.H. books that center on the original conflict between these two chapters.
There was a proper epic feel to this book, one that I really enjoyed. That being said, three months later I struggle to recall any specific part of the story. Nothing in it stuck in my mind except for a few points in it.
From what I have read from some of the other Space Marine books, the writing is better than a number of other authors. Wraight should be commended on his grasp of large scale combat, something a fair number of 40k authors struggle with.
In the end, a really good read, and I have recommended it to others.
There was a proper epic feel to this book, one that I really enjoyed. That being said, three months later I struggle to recall any specific part of the story. Nothing in it stuck in my mind except for a few points in it.
From what I have read from some of the other Space Marine books, the writing is better than a number of other authors. Wraight should be commended on his grasp of large scale combat, something a fair number of 40k authors struggle with.
In the end, a really good read, and I have recommended it to others.
October 11, 2019
6,75/10
No sé puede negar que es un libro entretenido y que ofrece lo que promete su título, una gran y épica batalla dentro del mundo de WH 40K. La acción, que es mucha, está bien narrada pero al ser esta una saga que narra momentos específicos, se nota y mucho la falta de contexto durante la historia.
Además de lo ya comentado, sigue el estilo narrativo del universo WH40K, es decir, narraciones ágiles en las que priman la sucesión de eventos, en vez de los propios eventos en sí.
Si te gusta este mundillo y la acción, es un libro disfrutable, pero en ningún caso creo que vaya a pasar al top de favoritos de nadie.
No sé puede negar que es un libro entretenido y que ofrece lo que promete su título, una gran y épica batalla dentro del mundo de WH 40K. La acción, que es mucha, está bien narrada pero al ser esta una saga que narra momentos específicos, se nota y mucho la falta de contexto durante la historia.
Además de lo ya comentado, sigue el estilo narrativo del universo WH40K, es decir, narraciones ágiles en las que priman la sucesión de eventos, en vez de los propios eventos en sí.
Si te gusta este mundillo y la acción, es un libro disfrutable, pero en ningún caso creo que vaya a pasar al top de favoritos de nadie.
August 12, 2021
The Thousand Sons take revenge on the Space Wolves in a riveting saga that sees Magnus return. This was enjoyably epic but suffers from a common writerly conceit of jumping POVs quite frequently, which I find drains the tension from the narrative. A few of the characters focused on feel extraneous.
August 7, 2012
Finally...FINALLY...a book that has redeemed the Space Marines Battle series. For six books I have trudged on through these stories...being beholden to them because of their AMAZING cover art for five of them. Now, that is not to say they are bad, they are not. Fall of Damnos was a lot of fun with some awesomely famous characters for fans of the Ultramarines series by McNeill. But man, one after another, they never seemed to be as fulfilling or as excellent as they could be...ESPECIALLY considering the authors.
Battle of the Fang may have been all the more awesome because of its almost direct sequel nature to Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns...It is 1000 years later and the Thousand Sons have rebuilt and returned to return the favor of home world destruction to their brothers..the Wolves.
How can you not love the return of Bjorn?? How can you not love the return of Magnus?? It was all pretty great stuff, and honestly the first in the Battles series that was a story I actually cared about.
I am happy that the SMB series has finally been justified, if not just enough to get me through the next four I have on my shelf at home. Luckily the series is not connected, nor in any order, so if you were going to read any of the Space Marine Battles books...I would highly recommend it is this one. AFTER you read those two Heresy novels that lead up to it.
Battle of the Fang may have been all the more awesome because of its almost direct sequel nature to Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns...It is 1000 years later and the Thousand Sons have rebuilt and returned to return the favor of home world destruction to their brothers..the Wolves.
How can you not love the return of Bjorn?? How can you not love the return of Magnus?? It was all pretty great stuff, and honestly the first in the Battles series that was a story I actually cared about.
I am happy that the SMB series has finally been justified, if not just enough to get me through the next four I have on my shelf at home. Luckily the series is not connected, nor in any order, so if you were going to read any of the Space Marine Battles books...I would highly recommend it is this one. AFTER you read those two Heresy novels that lead up to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2014
"For Russ! thundered Bjorn, the words amplified by his war-vox relays, drowning out all other sounds, rocking the walls of the chamber and cracking the stone under which he trod."
The Vlka Fenryka. The Sons of Russ. Easily my favorite of the loyalists, followed closely by the Dark Angels and Black Templars. With unparalleled ferocity, the Wolves of Fenris wage their wars.
Wraight has created an epic of epics, with every man/woman a hero in his/her own right. It takes some serious skill to write a 400 page novel about a single battle, and he nailed it. As with all of the 40k novels I've read, the ending is simply outstandingly epic.
Now to decide where to head next in the 40k universe...
The Vlka Fenryka. The Sons of Russ. Easily my favorite of the loyalists, followed closely by the Dark Angels and Black Templars. With unparalleled ferocity, the Wolves of Fenris wage their wars.
Wraight has created an epic of epics, with every man/woman a hero in his/her own right. It takes some serious skill to write a 400 page novel about a single battle, and he nailed it. As with all of the 40k novels I've read, the ending is simply outstandingly epic.
Now to decide where to head next in the 40k universe...
July 23, 2016
Entertaining continuation of the ret-conned more serious version of the Space Wolves. It handles one of the iconic moments in their history and is all the better for it.
It is the 32nd Millenium and Magnus the Red is planning revenge for the razing of Prospero during the Horus Heresy. Typically, his plan is quite convoluted and the fighting is brutal and well described. Chris Wraight has established himself as one of the better 40K writers though perhaps not a on a level with Abnett and Dembski- Bowden. He maintains a strong sense of momentum and there are few if any lulls in the action (par for the course in Warhammer 40K novels).
Wraight creates credible characters and handles them well whilst maintaining the tension and writes the fighting well. A worthwhile read for any fan.
It is the 32nd Millenium and Magnus the Red is planning revenge for the razing of Prospero during the Horus Heresy. Typically, his plan is quite convoluted and the fighting is brutal and well described. Chris Wraight has established himself as one of the better 40K writers though perhaps not a on a level with Abnett and Dembski- Bowden. He maintains a strong sense of momentum and there are few if any lulls in the action (par for the course in Warhammer 40K novels).
Wraight creates credible characters and handles them well whilst maintaining the tension and writes the fighting well. A worthwhile read for any fan.
April 6, 2021
За Всеотца! За Русса! За Фенрис!
Hola Amigos!
Скажу сразу, что вторая прочитанная книга из цикла "Space Battles" меня порадовала.
В отличие от Хельсрича (рецензия https://www.livelib.ru/review/1991938...), с которым Битву за Клык нельзя не сравнивать.
В первую очередь нужно знать, что человеку, хотя бы в общих чертах не приобщенному к истории WH40k, чтение данного произведения дастся особенно тяжело. Конечно же для любой книги из сеттинга пригодятся некие общие знания, но в случае с Клыком это особенно важно.
Суть конфликта, приводящего к событиям книги, уходит корнями далеко во времена Ереси Хоруса и если читать оригинал желания нет, то стоит хотя бы кратко узнать об участии Магнуса Красного в событиях Ереси и о "сожжении" планеты Просперо.
Насчет завязки:
32е тысячелетие. Волчий орден ведет безрезультатные поиски Магнуса Красного, убийство которого стало для них главной целью, и наконец-то они приходят к желаемому результату. Волки обнаруживают присутствие примарха предателя, "недобитого" их генетическим отцом, в одной из бесконечного множества звездных систем.
И вот уже флот Фенриса в полной боевой готовности уносит основные силы ордена все дальше от родного мира. Позабыв об осторожности предводитель Волков оставляет планету беззащитной против хитрой ловушки Тысячи Сынов. Войска Магнуса Красного прибыли, дабы свершить свою месть, не только захватив родину волков, но и уничтожив их надежды на будущие.
Впрочем на страже Клыка ещё остались Волки. И пока жив хоть один из них, Фенрис выстоит.
Насчет повествования:
Сама книга является крепким и качественным "боевиком", хоть количество боевых сцен и достаточно скромное.
Ровное и логичное повествование не вызывает претензий, в отличие от спорного Хельсрича с его сомнительной "репортажной" манерой описания событий.
Битва за Клык описывается полноценно, как на глобальном стратегическом уровне, так и на уровне действующих лиц, играющих свои важные и не очень роли в происходящих событиях. Резкие скачки во времени и ненужные фрагменты (да да, это про Хельсрич) отсутствуют.
Сама история умудряется сохранять интригу и временами неплохо держит в напряжении.
Атмосферные описания присутствуют ровно в том количестве и качестве, чтобы сохранять баланс, не вытесняя на задний план происходящие в них события.
Насчет персонажей:
Местные персонажи пусть и не получают полноценного раскрытия, все же хорошо прописаны. Они узнаются, запоминаются (хоть специфичные имена и сбивают с толку), имеют свое место и роль в повествовании. Их истории уместно вписываются в происходящее, создавая и дополняя общую картину.
Никого нельзя назвать лишним (ещё камень в сторону Хельсрича с его бессмысленными историями жреца, штурмовика и докера).
Также повествование не забывает и показывать противоположную сторону конфликта. Тысяча сынов не остаются безликой массой неких захватчиков. Их цели обоснованы, а мотивы понятны.
Итог:
"Битва за Клык" являет собой отличный пример правильного произведения (в своем жанре, разумеется).
Цельная история изображается с разных сторон. Предводители обороны Фенриса, обычные Кровавые Когти, "смертные" бойцы на службе "небесных Воинов" и даже космодесантники предатели из Тысячи Сынов. Их истории уместны, а взгляды понятны. В результате чего, следить за происходящим становится действительно интересно.
Единственный минус книги кроется где-то в её принадлежности к циклу "Space Battles". А это значит, что произведение все-таки представляет собой скорее расширенный рассказ, чем полноценный роман.
Увеличить объем в два раза, хоть немного лучше раскрыть персонажей и добавить захватывающих эпизодов.
Вот рецепт, что мог бы сделать Битву за Клык не просто хорошим, а отличным произведением. Которое, впрочем, не вписалось бы в рамки данного цикла.
В любом случае могу посоветовать книгу к прочтению всем любителям Молота Войны и особенно фанатам Ордена Волков.
Фенрис хьолда!
8/10
Моя группа Вконтакте - https://vk.com/ashborndetv
Hola Amigos!
Скажу сразу, что вторая прочитанная книга из цикла "Space Battles" меня порадовала.
В отличие от Хельсрича (рецензия https://www.livelib.ru/review/1991938...), с которым Битву за Клык нельзя не сравнивать.
В первую очередь нужно знать, что человеку, хотя бы в общих чертах не приобщенному к истории WH40k, чтение данного произведения дастся особенно тяжело. Конечно же для любой книги из сеттинга пригодятся некие общие знания, но в случае с Клыком это особенно важно.
Суть конфликта, приводящего к событиям книги, уходит корнями далеко во времена Ереси Хоруса и если читать оригинал желания нет, то стоит хотя бы кратко узнать об участии Магнуса Красного в событиях Ереси и о "сожжении" планеты Просперо.
Насчет завязки:
32е тысячелетие. Волчий орден ведет безрезультатные поиски Магнуса Красного, убийство которого стало для них главной целью, и наконец-то они приходят к желаемому результату. Волки обнаруживают присутствие примарха предателя, "недобитого" их генетическим отцом, в одной из бесконечного множества звездных систем.
И вот уже флот Фенриса в полной боевой готовности уносит основные силы ордена все дальше от родного мира. Позабыв об осторожности предводитель Волков оставляет планету беззащитной против хитрой ловушки Тысячи Сынов. Войска Магнуса Красного прибыли, дабы свершить свою месть, не только захватив родину волков, но и уничтожив их надежды на будущие.
Впрочем на страже Клыка ещё остались Волки. И пока жив хоть один из них, Фенрис выстоит.
Насчет повествования:
Сама книга является крепким и качественным "боевиком", хоть количество боевых сцен и достаточно скромное.
Ровное и логичное повествование не вызывает претензий, в отличие от спорного Хельсрича с его сомнительной "репортажной" манерой описания событий.
Битва за Клык описывается полноценно, как на глобальном стратегическом уровне, так и на уровне действующих лиц, играющих свои важные и не очень роли в происходящих событиях. Резкие скачки во времени и ненужные фрагменты (да да, это про Хельсрич) отсутствуют.
Сама история умудряется сохранять интригу и временами неплохо держит в напряжении.
Атмосферные описания присутствуют ровно в том количестве и качестве, чтобы сохранять баланс, не вытесняя на задний план происходящие в них события.
Насчет персонажей:
Местные персонажи пусть и не получают полноценного раскрытия, все же хорошо прописаны. Они узнаются, запоминаются (хоть специфичные имена и сбивают с толку), имеют свое место и роль в повествовании. Их истории уместно вписываются в происходящее, создавая и дополняя общую картину.
Никого нельзя назвать лишним (ещё камень в сторону Хельсрича с его бессмысленными историями жреца, штурмовика и докера).
Также повествование не забывает и показывать противоположную сторону конфликта. Тысяча сынов не остаются безликой массой неких захватчиков. Их цели обоснованы, а мотивы понятны.
Итог:
"Битва за Клык" являет собой отличный пример правильного произведения (в своем жанре, разумеется).
Цельная история изображается с разных сторон. Предводители обороны Фенриса, обычные Кровавые Когти, "смертные" бойцы на службе "небесных Воинов" и даже космодесантники предатели из Тысячи Сынов. Их истории уместны, а взгляды понятны. В результате чего, следить за происходящим становится действительно интересно.
Единственный минус книги кроется где-то в её принадлежности к циклу "Space Battles". А это значит, что произведение все-таки представляет собой скорее расширенный рассказ, чем полноценный роман.
Увеличить объем в два раза, хоть немного лучше раскрыть персонажей и добавить захватывающих эпизодов.
Вот рецепт, что мог бы сделать Битву за Клык не просто хорошим, а отличным произведением. Которое, впрочем, не вписалось бы в рамки данного цикла.
В любом случае могу посоветовать книгу к прочтению всем любителям Молота Войны и особенно фанатам Ордена Волков.
Фенрис хьолда!
8/10
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February 3, 2025
This was an excellent story, not just for its thrilling action but for the deep dive into Space Wolves lore. Beyond the key events of the battle, the novel expands our understanding of the Vlka Fenryka in ways that feel natural and immersive. It details everything from the organization of the Wolf Lords' space fleets, the internal structure of the Fang, the roles of kaerls (human soldiers), thralls (workers), and fleshmakers (medics) to the fact that "Space Wolves" is merely an outsider's name for them—they call themselves the Vlka Fenryka, the Wolves of Fenris. The Fang itself is given a level of description that makes it feel like a real, lived-in place, not just a fortress-monastery but a thriving world of its own.
The action sequences are another strong point. They are clear, well-paced, and exciting, with just enough description to add weight without bogging down the flow. The book also benefits from a multi-perspective narrative, showing the battle from different viewpoints, each shaped by the inner thoughts and biases of the characters. Compared to William King's Space Wolf series, this book strikes a better balance—it avoids over-exploring character psychology while still making them feel distinct and compelling.
If there’s one critique, it’s that the action scenes, while excellent, sometimes go on too long. It’s similar to the difference between The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films—the former was well-balanced, while the latter had too much action for its own good. While the combat never becomes unreadable, some sequences feel stretched out. This is a minor issue, though, and the book never loses its momentum.
In terms of setting, the novel takes place in M32 (circa 32,742), about a thousand years after the Horus Heresy. This is interesting because it places much of the lore in a transitional period—things could still change, but certain elements, like the fluidity of Great Company names and heraldry, allow for natural evolution over the millennia. At the same time, the book solidifies some key aspects of Space Wolves lore, particularly regarding their unstable geneseed and the risks of the Wulfen curse when away from Fenris for too long. This detail could have major implications for future stories, making the chapter’s reliance on Fenris more of a necessity than a choice.
Overall, Battle of the Fang is an engaging, well-written entry in the Space Wolves saga. It adds depth, history, and weight to the Vlka Fenryka without losing the brutal, action-packed pace that defines their stories. While the sheer amount of battle sequences might be overwhelming for some, the novel remains one of the best explorations of the Space Wolves' culture, history, and way of war. A must-read for any fan of the Chapter.
The action sequences are another strong point. They are clear, well-paced, and exciting, with just enough description to add weight without bogging down the flow. The book also benefits from a multi-perspective narrative, showing the battle from different viewpoints, each shaped by the inner thoughts and biases of the characters. Compared to William King's Space Wolf series, this book strikes a better balance—it avoids over-exploring character psychology while still making them feel distinct and compelling.
If there’s one critique, it’s that the action scenes, while excellent, sometimes go on too long. It’s similar to the difference between The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films—the former was well-balanced, while the latter had too much action for its own good. While the combat never becomes unreadable, some sequences feel stretched out. This is a minor issue, though, and the book never loses its momentum.
In terms of setting, the novel takes place in M32 (circa 32,742), about a thousand years after the Horus Heresy. This is interesting because it places much of the lore in a transitional period—things could still change, but certain elements, like the fluidity of Great Company names and heraldry, allow for natural evolution over the millennia. At the same time, the book solidifies some key aspects of Space Wolves lore, particularly regarding their unstable geneseed and the risks of the Wulfen curse when away from Fenris for too long. This detail could have major implications for future stories, making the chapter’s reliance on Fenris more of a necessity than a choice.
Overall, Battle of the Fang is an engaging, well-written entry in the Space Wolves saga. It adds depth, history, and weight to the Vlka Fenryka without losing the brutal, action-packed pace that defines their stories. While the sheer amount of battle sequences might be overwhelming for some, the novel remains one of the best explorations of the Space Wolves' culture, history, and way of war. A must-read for any fan of the Chapter.
March 16, 2025
He's one of the better Black Library authors. In fact I bought a bunch of his other stuff, based on the quality of the writing of this book alone.
That said, there's some flaws here. It can't decide if it's going to be distantly epic, or up close and personal and whipsaws between the two, not necessarily to great effect. There are, as usual in Warhammer books, TOO MANY CHARACTERS to keep track of (what happened to Hett, buddy? I loved that guy and he just...disappeared?) and there's buildup that just fizzles (I expected more of that one sorcerer and lone rubricae on the space wolf ship).
When it's up close and personal, it's fantastic. Aphael is a great character. Frejia and her father are great, if slightly underdeveloped for what he's trying to do with them. Redpelt is great, Rossek is great, Blackwing is fantastic. When these characters are allowed to shine, it's a great read and Wraight has great command of language that really makes these scenes come alive.
However, when pawing through pages and pages of 'here's the Thousand Sons plan and here's the 10000 foot view of the battle plan', which was the first third of the book, it was a drag. A serious drag. You can do exposition without pulling away from character.
This is one of the few Warhammer books I've read where the bad guys and good guys (take your pick) were equally interesting and equally well designed.
I picked it up because someone told me there were dreadnoughts in it (there are) and I think they oversold it a little bit. But still, dreadnoughts! Bjorn the Fell-Handed! Kicking all the ass! Can't really hate that.
My other beef is with Magnus. SPOILER
ANYHOO, it had a solid story, I wish it had stuck with the characters more, but the ones he had were all interesting and I honestly would have read an entire book from the POV of ANY of them. Definitely worth a read.
That said, there's some flaws here. It can't decide if it's going to be distantly epic, or up close and personal and whipsaws between the two, not necessarily to great effect. There are, as usual in Warhammer books, TOO MANY CHARACTERS to keep track of (what happened to Hett, buddy? I loved that guy and he just...disappeared?) and there's buildup that just fizzles (I expected more of that one sorcerer and lone rubricae on the space wolf ship).
When it's up close and personal, it's fantastic. Aphael is a great character. Frejia and her father are great, if slightly underdeveloped for what he's trying to do with them. Redpelt is great, Rossek is great, Blackwing is fantastic. When these characters are allowed to shine, it's a great read and Wraight has great command of language that really makes these scenes come alive.
However, when pawing through pages and pages of 'here's the Thousand Sons plan and here's the 10000 foot view of the battle plan', which was the first third of the book, it was a drag. A serious drag. You can do exposition without pulling away from character.
This is one of the few Warhammer books I've read where the bad guys and good guys (take your pick) were equally interesting and equally well designed.
I picked it up because someone told me there were dreadnoughts in it (there are) and I think they oversold it a little bit. But still, dreadnoughts! Bjorn the Fell-Handed! Kicking all the ass! Can't really hate that.
My other beef is with Magnus. SPOILER
ANYHOO, it had a solid story, I wish it had stuck with the characters more, but the ones he had were all interesting and I honestly would have read an entire book from the POV of ANY of them. Definitely worth a read.
April 3, 2022
La batalla del colmillo:
No esperaba demasiado de la este libro y al comenzar por lo menos la primera parte del libro me ha sido confuso, no esperaba que hubiera dos facciones de marines en juego. Por lo cual me ha sido confuso diferenciar las distintas escenas del libro de entre donde aparecen los “Mil Hijos” o los “Lobos Espaciales” pero a medida que se extiende el libro termina dejando las escenas más identificables (En él .mobi calculo que la separación de escenarios se perdió en el camino).
La historia que se nos termina contando sobre los “Lobos espaciales” me parece una cosa muy buena, no esperaba que fueran más que salvajes, pero han resultado ser ciertamente más avanzados e incluso puede que de los pocos capaces de generar el cambia que el imperio necesita para ser un lugar “un 2% más seguro”.
Por otra parte, el Magnus ese, parece bien construido, no se dedica a hacer una cosa a la vez como villano genérico (cosa que es) tiene un plan que necesita realizar con dos movimientos, separar al ejercito y retenerlo en otro lugar.
La verdad me ha entretenido, incluso ha resulto una duda existencial ¿Por qué los marines no usan casco al combatir? Por que tiene unas lentes que son horripilantes.
Y a modo de resumen de Warhammer tiene uno de los mejores párrafos creo yo:
“Ahora una nueva era amanece. La Era del Imperio, la llama. Las necesidades de la humanidad han cambiado. EN vez de veinte legiones ahora hay muchos cientos de capítulos. No hay primarcas que los guíen. En su lugar, los Adeptus Astartes luchan a imagen de sus padres genéticos, repitiendo las habilidades diseñadas para un futuro distinto. Así son las cosas ahora, una visión hecha realidad no por el Padre de Todas las Cosas, sino por uno de sus hijos. Los capítulos ya no marchan en filas de diez mil o más. Crean sucesores, retoños a los que rige la misma semilla genética para que el legado de su primarca se mantenga en las estrellas. Cuantos más sucesores, más grande será el legado. Los hijos de Guilliman son los ancestros de cientos, así como lo son los hijos de Dorn, y así es como el imperio cobra forma a su imagen y semejanza.”
No esperaba demasiado de la este libro y al comenzar por lo menos la primera parte del libro me ha sido confuso, no esperaba que hubiera dos facciones de marines en juego. Por lo cual me ha sido confuso diferenciar las distintas escenas del libro de entre donde aparecen los “Mil Hijos” o los “Lobos Espaciales” pero a medida que se extiende el libro termina dejando las escenas más identificables (En él .mobi calculo que la separación de escenarios se perdió en el camino).
La historia que se nos termina contando sobre los “Lobos espaciales” me parece una cosa muy buena, no esperaba que fueran más que salvajes, pero han resultado ser ciertamente más avanzados e incluso puede que de los pocos capaces de generar el cambia que el imperio necesita para ser un lugar “un 2% más seguro”.
Por otra parte, el Magnus ese, parece bien construido, no se dedica a hacer una cosa a la vez como villano genérico (cosa que es) tiene un plan que necesita realizar con dos movimientos, separar al ejercito y retenerlo en otro lugar.
La verdad me ha entretenido, incluso ha resulto una duda existencial ¿Por qué los marines no usan casco al combatir? Por que tiene unas lentes que son horripilantes.
Y a modo de resumen de Warhammer tiene uno de los mejores párrafos creo yo:
“Ahora una nueva era amanece. La Era del Imperio, la llama. Las necesidades de la humanidad han cambiado. EN vez de veinte legiones ahora hay muchos cientos de capítulos. No hay primarcas que los guíen. En su lugar, los Adeptus Astartes luchan a imagen de sus padres genéticos, repitiendo las habilidades diseñadas para un futuro distinto. Así son las cosas ahora, una visión hecha realidad no por el Padre de Todas las Cosas, sino por uno de sus hijos. Los capítulos ya no marchan en filas de diez mil o más. Crean sucesores, retoños a los que rige la misma semilla genética para que el legado de su primarca se mantenga en las estrellas. Cuantos más sucesores, más grande será el legado. Los hijos de Guilliman son los ancestros de cientos, así como lo son los hijos de Dorn, y así es como el imperio cobra forma a su imagen y semejanza.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2021
I swear, if I have to read a single more "Hjolda", the kindle will get it. Ahem.
All right, so the Thousand Sons assault the home base of perennial fan favourites, the Space Wolves while most of the Space Wolves chapter chases red herrings somewhere else. Given that this premise is pretty binary, you have to give the author credit for setting up a nice secondary goal, which allows both fans of the Wolves and fans of the Sons to be happy with the final resolution.
That said, this is basically the only thing in the book that works.
Due to the fact that the Wolves magic runes disable the Sons main weapon, their spellcasting, the battle quickly becomes an attrition siege without any relevant tactics. Since the Wolves are basically invincible in close combat, you'll do a lot of reading on how the Wolves kill every enemy in that specific combat, but lose juust enough people that the battle as a whole will go on. If you enjoy reading about unlikeable genetic supermen butchering and dismembering helpless normies, you'll get your fill here. I found it dreadfully boring.
The is exacerbated by the Wolves being in their "stone cold killers" instead or their "bro" incarnation, leaving essentially a single third-tier character as the only person whose fate interested me at all. Most of the non-high-command Space Wolves were so generic I was unable to distinguish them without reading back.
When a military fiction book fails both in its military and its "band of brothers" approach, there is usually no saving it. Add to that failing several sidestories that go on too long with not enough payoff, and this leaves a book that will only be of interest to hardcore fans or those that are not familiar with better-written military fiction.
All right, so the Thousand Sons assault the home base of perennial fan favourites, the Space Wolves while most of the Space Wolves chapter chases red herrings somewhere else. Given that this premise is pretty binary, you have to give the author credit for setting up a nice secondary goal, which allows both fans of the Wolves and fans of the Sons to be happy with the final resolution.
That said, this is basically the only thing in the book that works.
Due to the fact that the Wolves magic runes disable the Sons main weapon, their spellcasting, the battle quickly becomes an attrition siege without any relevant tactics. Since the Wolves are basically invincible in close combat, you'll do a lot of reading on how the Wolves kill every enemy in that specific combat, but lose juust enough people that the battle as a whole will go on. If you enjoy reading about unlikeable genetic supermen butchering and dismembering helpless normies, you'll get your fill here. I found it dreadfully boring.
The is exacerbated by the Wolves being in their "stone cold killers" instead or their "bro" incarnation, leaving essentially a single third-tier character as the only person whose fate interested me at all. Most of the non-high-command Space Wolves were so generic I was unable to distinguish them without reading back.
When a military fiction book fails both in its military and its "band of brothers" approach, there is usually no saving it. Add to that failing several sidestories that go on too long with not enough payoff, and this leaves a book that will only be of interest to hardcore fans or those that are not familiar with better-written military fiction.
April 17, 2024
After finding the three Jarnhamar Pack books entertaining but a little too action-oriented, the obvious next thing to try was, naturally, another Space Wolves book by the same author, this time explicitly marketed as one of the great 'Space Marine Battles'. Expectations duly set from the outset, it would be unfair of me to complain that this one offers little beyond mindless chopping of the enemies of the Imperium.
In truth, there's not all that much to complain about; the bad blood and philosophical differences between the Wolves and the Thousand Sons are legendary, so it absolutely makes thematic sense to write a book about them smashing each other to pieces. Setting the tale in a less-explored time period in-between the Horus Heresy and the 41st millennium means that few characters have plot armour and Wraight is free to explore folly and wisdom with a greater sense of jeapordy than is often the case with these books.
The focus on normal humans is welcome and it's great fun to spend time with Dreadnoughts; ancient warriors encased in walking, armoured and weaponised sarcophagi, awakened from hibernation and called to war in only the most dire of circumstances. Juxtaposing the a newly-incarnated Dreadnought awakened for the first time with his most ancient of colleagues is a clever device that adds insight and new perspectives to the story, but ultimately everything is building up to one big climactic fight and it takes just a little too long to get there. Lots of enjoyable sequences, but not as memorable as the oft-referenced Horus Heresy books setting these factions against each other.
In truth, there's not all that much to complain about; the bad blood and philosophical differences between the Wolves and the Thousand Sons are legendary, so it absolutely makes thematic sense to write a book about them smashing each other to pieces. Setting the tale in a less-explored time period in-between the Horus Heresy and the 41st millennium means that few characters have plot armour and Wraight is free to explore folly and wisdom with a greater sense of jeapordy than is often the case with these books.
The focus on normal humans is welcome and it's great fun to spend time with Dreadnoughts; ancient warriors encased in walking, armoured and weaponised sarcophagi, awakened from hibernation and called to war in only the most dire of circumstances. Juxtaposing the a newly-incarnated Dreadnought awakened for the first time with his most ancient of colleagues is a clever device that adds insight and new perspectives to the story, but ultimately everything is building up to one big climactic fight and it takes just a little too long to get there. Lots of enjoyable sequences, but not as memorable as the oft-referenced Horus Heresy books setting these factions against each other.
August 22, 2025
Funciona perfectamente como libro desengrasante para leer sin complejos, haciendo las delicias de todo conocedor del universo del Wh40k que quiera leer una ensalada de tortas bien servida. Si está dentro de tus gustos y te apetece un pastiche de tiros para leer sin pensar, tienes aquí material para gozar una semanita. No le pidáis personajes profundos o si quiera una trama interesante, que la cosa no va de eso.
Para más datos, la reseña completa aquí
https://meitnerio.blogspot.com/2022/0...
Para más datos, la reseña completa aquí
https://meitnerio.blogspot.com/2022/0...
September 22, 2025
This is why I always tell my students to keep copies of their research in various places in various formats. Something else ate the “dog’s” homework. I did enjoy the friendship between Frya and the dreadnaught. The writing was a bit and-then, and-then, but entertaining enough as audiobook while I was painting the pelts of my Wolves.
May 5, 2017
As a massive fan of both the Thousand Sons and Space Wolves I adored re-reading this book recently. It's still everything that I remember from years ago. Fast paced, epic clashes, and some brilliant cinematic sequences that blew my socks off. Get in people. Get in now.
5 out of 5 stars.
5 out of 5 stars.
September 25, 2018
Sooo much better than other space marine stories. The Wolves have so much more character (only the Dark Angels come close in the 'they're just cool!' stakes) than the other chapters. Very enjoyable read
December 11, 2024
Really enjoyable read
Never read about the space wolves before. I enjoyed this book. A real insight into their way of life and those who lived with them. Great lead characters great story
Never read about the space wolves before. I enjoyed this book. A real insight into their way of life and those who lived with them. Great lead characters great story
April 24, 2025
4.5/ 5 stars. Seriously amazing account of the Battle of the Fang, one of the most epic battles ever in the history of the Space Wolves as a whole, and definitely one of the best Warhammer 40k battle books. I immensely enjoy this one hands down.
June 9, 2017
I enjoy everything from wh40k, but in this particular book, I feel one side of the conflict had a bit too much plot armor. Other than that, it's a fine book.
August 2, 2020
DNF. Tried about 25% in, failed to catch my attention.
July 5, 2021
A delightfully straightforward and action-packed tale.
November 15, 2021
A fun read.
February 6, 2022
Found the writing style boring and convoluted. A disappointing depiction of what should have been a compelling battle.
May 10, 2023
When you finally get to the final encounter boy is it worth it. Literally chills at the final encounter. There are some moments is the book that are just different. The first being waking up Bjorn, Blackwing leadership on the failing star ship, and Ironhelm’s tenacity. These scenes are straight from a movie. There is a-lot of exposition but its a huge universe and a small book. Not a great place to start but a great place to be.
November 7, 2023
I like to see the thousand sons get wrecked. Even tough this was far from a one sided fight I enjoyed it. Still feel bad for Magnus.
December 28, 2023
Really enjoyed this, A Thousand Sons is one of my favourite Heresy novels, and Prospero Burns one of my least favourite; this spiritual successor is an action packed middle ground.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 75 reviews