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Space Marine Battles
Catechism of Hate
Limited edition novella:
Among the hallowed ranks of the Adeptus Astartes, few have attained such renown as Ortan Cassius – Ultramarines Chaplain and Master of Sanctity. Hero of the first Tyrannic War, his name is legend. When the hive fleets target the world of Styxia, Cassius leads the defence, marshalling the Ultramarines against the xenos monstrosities.
Among the hallowed ranks of the Adeptus Astartes, few have attained such renown as Ortan Cassius – Ultramarines Chaplain and Master of Sanctity. Hero of the first Tyrannic War, his name is legend. When the hive fleets target the world of Styxia, Cassius leads the defence, marshalling the Ultramarines against the xenos monstrosities.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 6, 2012
5 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Gav Thorpe
377 books580 followersGav spent 14 years as a developer for Games Workshop, and started writing novels and short stories in the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 when the Black Library imprint was launched in 1997.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 12, 2017
A fairly bare bones story.
There isn't much to say about Catechism Of Hate other than that the title of the novela is rather prophetic. The story itself is an OK and bare bones tale about the renown Ultramarines Chaplain; Cassius, as he leads a small expedition of warriors to defend a small planet.
Quite frankly I feel there are better characterizations of Cassius out there but prolific author Gav Thorp is able to maintain a semblance of likability to the Chaplain, albeit a fairly one noted one. If you want to read a bare bones story about Space Marines being space marines, with a sprinkled theme of devotion to ones duty and hatred for the enemies of mankind, then this is for you.
If you are looking for something with a little more depth or consequence, look elsewhere.
A 3 out of 5.
There isn't much to say about Catechism Of Hate other than that the title of the novela is rather prophetic. The story itself is an OK and bare bones tale about the renown Ultramarines Chaplain; Cassius, as he leads a small expedition of warriors to defend a small planet.
Quite frankly I feel there are better characterizations of Cassius out there but prolific author Gav Thorp is able to maintain a semblance of likability to the Chaplain, albeit a fairly one noted one. If you want to read a bare bones story about Space Marines being space marines, with a sprinkled theme of devotion to ones duty and hatred for the enemies of mankind, then this is for you.
If you are looking for something with a little more depth or consequence, look elsewhere.
A 3 out of 5.
February 12, 2024
One word review: Magnetic.
A real insight into the inner workings of the spiritual leaders of the Ultramarines and the way that even the Imperium’s favoured sons sometimes need browbeating into doing the “right” thing.
My only criticism (which is a stretch - I really enjoyed it!) would be to say I’d have liked it to be longer, which would have meant the author could’ve explored several themes more intricately.
Read in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down.
A real insight into the inner workings of the spiritual leaders of the Ultramarines and the way that even the Imperium’s favoured sons sometimes need browbeating into doing the “right” thing.
My only criticism (which is a stretch - I really enjoyed it!) would be to say I’d have liked it to be longer, which would have meant the author could’ve explored several themes more intricately.
Read in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down.
October 31, 2017
wasn't overly impressed. couldn't really connect to the story. Cassius as a chaplain is quite boring. wouldn't recommend it.
December 26, 2018
Quite a short book. Characters were a bit bland. Fight scenes were ok. Nothing to right home about. So if you want a quick read with not much of a story. Go for it
May 4, 2020
Calgar to Cassius, drop in on Styxia and fly the flag, oh and take 100 boys with you and try not to get them killed.
January 23, 2022
A fun read.
August 30, 2014
You can read the full review over at my blog (this was part of a double review with another novella):
http://sonsofcorax.wordpress.com/2014...
The Ultramarines are the premier Space Marine Chapter in Warhammer 40,000. Over the years, they have been built up as a Chapter that other Chapters aspire to be like, for they are the best example of everything a Chapter should be and could be. Sometimes that has been executed well, sometimes not, and often times the fandom has portrayed them as far too… vanilla, too boring because of their straightforward nature, whether in the lore or in the tabletop gaming rules. And designers and writers have often tried to change that around as well, to mixed success.
In 2012, if I recall correctly, Black Library launched its first Space Marine Battles novella, Catechism of Hate, which focused on one of the Ultramarines’ defining hero, Master of Sanctity Ortan Cassius, and the story focused on one of his missions against the Tyranids. And then late last year we had Spear of Macragge, which continued the story of the Second Company and its efforts to defeat the Necron legions on the world of Damnos as told in the Nick Kyme’s novel Fall of Damnos. Having just recently finished reading both novellas, I can say that they are both fantastic,and well worth the time spent reading them. They portray very different attitudes to war among the Ultramarines, and cover a broad range of characters, mixing some really great stories with really good execution.
When Catechism of Hate was launched, it was as a limited edition exclusive with a fancy cover, internal art and exclusive packaging. The general release didn’t come until almost two years after that point, and while it was certainly a novella I’d been looking forward to a great deal for a long time, I didn’t get around to reading it until yesterday (finished it just about an hour ago). The novella focuses on Chaplain Cassius as he leads a company-strength Ultramarines strike force against a Tyranid splinter fleet on the world of Styxia, and it shows how dedicated, determined, and relentless Cassius is in the pursuit of this objective. He detests the Tyranids with every fiber of his being, spawning a hate that can sometimes blind him to other things, and that’s what we get to see in this novella. Cassius’ obsession.
While I was expecting a very action-oriented story that wouldn’t focus so much on Cassius as a character, I knew that Gav Thorpe would still try to find a way in between. Because over the years, almost everything I’ve read from Gav has shown that he is great with characterisation. He can really get into the psychology of a character and lay it bare. Which is exactly what he does in this story. To be fair, I wouldn’t really call it a Space Marine Battles novella because that kind of implies that the action is the central theme. Well, it kind of is, but the character really stands out here.
Cassius is unique among the Ultramarines for several reasons, not the least of which is that he is one of the very few survivors of the invasion of Macragge by Hive Fleet Behemoth, the first Tyranid Hive attack on the Imperium proper. In the lore, he is portrayed as a near-psychopath in his pursuit of Tyranids, and Gav Thorpe does exactly that. He lets that side of Cassius bleed through in the story.
In the timeline of this novella, the Ultramarines can ill-afford serious losses, for they took a beating at Macragge all those years ago, a disaster that they are still attempting to recover from, and despite Chapter Master Marneus Calgar’s strict insistence, Cassius is willing to lay down the lives of his battle-brothers for the higher purpose, their duty to Mankind, to the Imperium and to the Emperor. Cassius is a devout and determined warrior, and throughout the novella, we really see what truly motivates his hatred against the Tyranids. You think you have an idea of it all, going in, but Gav still manages to pull out a few surprises, and the final twenty-five pages offer an excellent perspective on everything.
Catechism of Hate is easily one of my favourite Black Library novellas of all time, for all its characterisation and the amazing action, although most of the latter happens off-screen and we only get the big picture every now and then, which I think offered a nice change from the usual.
Rating: 9.5/10
http://sonsofcorax.wordpress.com/2014...
The Ultramarines are the premier Space Marine Chapter in Warhammer 40,000. Over the years, they have been built up as a Chapter that other Chapters aspire to be like, for they are the best example of everything a Chapter should be and could be. Sometimes that has been executed well, sometimes not, and often times the fandom has portrayed them as far too… vanilla, too boring because of their straightforward nature, whether in the lore or in the tabletop gaming rules. And designers and writers have often tried to change that around as well, to mixed success.
In 2012, if I recall correctly, Black Library launched its first Space Marine Battles novella, Catechism of Hate, which focused on one of the Ultramarines’ defining hero, Master of Sanctity Ortan Cassius, and the story focused on one of his missions against the Tyranids. And then late last year we had Spear of Macragge, which continued the story of the Second Company and its efforts to defeat the Necron legions on the world of Damnos as told in the Nick Kyme’s novel Fall of Damnos. Having just recently finished reading both novellas, I can say that they are both fantastic,and well worth the time spent reading them. They portray very different attitudes to war among the Ultramarines, and cover a broad range of characters, mixing some really great stories with really good execution.
When Catechism of Hate was launched, it was as a limited edition exclusive with a fancy cover, internal art and exclusive packaging. The general release didn’t come until almost two years after that point, and while it was certainly a novella I’d been looking forward to a great deal for a long time, I didn’t get around to reading it until yesterday (finished it just about an hour ago). The novella focuses on Chaplain Cassius as he leads a company-strength Ultramarines strike force against a Tyranid splinter fleet on the world of Styxia, and it shows how dedicated, determined, and relentless Cassius is in the pursuit of this objective. He detests the Tyranids with every fiber of his being, spawning a hate that can sometimes blind him to other things, and that’s what we get to see in this novella. Cassius’ obsession.
While I was expecting a very action-oriented story that wouldn’t focus so much on Cassius as a character, I knew that Gav Thorpe would still try to find a way in between. Because over the years, almost everything I’ve read from Gav has shown that he is great with characterisation. He can really get into the psychology of a character and lay it bare. Which is exactly what he does in this story. To be fair, I wouldn’t really call it a Space Marine Battles novella because that kind of implies that the action is the central theme. Well, it kind of is, but the character really stands out here.
Cassius is unique among the Ultramarines for several reasons, not the least of which is that he is one of the very few survivors of the invasion of Macragge by Hive Fleet Behemoth, the first Tyranid Hive attack on the Imperium proper. In the lore, he is portrayed as a near-psychopath in his pursuit of Tyranids, and Gav Thorpe does exactly that. He lets that side of Cassius bleed through in the story.
In the timeline of this novella, the Ultramarines can ill-afford serious losses, for they took a beating at Macragge all those years ago, a disaster that they are still attempting to recover from, and despite Chapter Master Marneus Calgar’s strict insistence, Cassius is willing to lay down the lives of his battle-brothers for the higher purpose, their duty to Mankind, to the Imperium and to the Emperor. Cassius is a devout and determined warrior, and throughout the novella, we really see what truly motivates his hatred against the Tyranids. You think you have an idea of it all, going in, but Gav still manages to pull out a few surprises, and the final twenty-five pages offer an excellent perspective on everything.
Catechism of Hate is easily one of my favourite Black Library novellas of all time, for all its characterisation and the amazing action, although most of the latter happens off-screen and we only get the big picture every now and then, which I think offered a nice change from the usual.
Rating: 9.5/10
May 10, 2014
Space Marine Battles books are tricky beasts. On the one hand they cover some of the coolest events in 40k history and give us the chance to see a range of different chapters in action, while on the other hand the authors writing the books are constrained by the nature of the series – they are after all, Space Marine battles, so they need to be based heavily around some pretty big scraps. The best of the bunch balance the action with a healthy dose of insight into the chapter(s) in question, and Catechism of Hate just about manages to achieve this balance.
For the full review visit http://trackofwords.wordpress.com/201...
For the full review visit http://trackofwords.wordpress.com/201...
September 16, 2014
One of the best Space Marine Battles books. The Ultramarines are up against the Tyranids on the world of Styxia, and severely outnumbered too, but they have no fear, no doubt, only resolve, and so they set about defending the planet. Very well written.
January 13, 2015
A space marine battle novel. Ultramarines versus Tyranids, arch-enemies meet in desperate battle. Visceral action, 40k goodness.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews