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Space Marine Battles #1
Rynn's World
One of the most famous events in Warhammer 40,000 history is explored in depth. See the fall and rise of the Crimson Fists as they battle orks on their home world.
When the ork hordes of Warlord Snagrod lay waste to the planet of Badlanding and wipe out the Crimson Fists sent to stop them, Chapter Master Kantor prepare a hasty line of defence on the Fists home planet of Rynn's World. Tragedy strikes when an errant missile destroys the Space Marine's Chapter monastery, killing most of their warriors. With a handful of Crimson Fists left, Kantor must fight the campaign of his life, to defeat Snagrod's orks and prevent his Chapter's annihilation.
When the ork hordes of Warlord Snagrod lay waste to the planet of Badlanding and wipe out the Crimson Fists sent to stop them, Chapter Master Kantor prepare a hasty line of defence on the Fists home planet of Rynn's World. Tragedy strikes when an errant missile destroys the Space Marine's Chapter monastery, killing most of their warriors. With a handful of Crimson Fists left, Kantor must fight the campaign of his life, to defeat Snagrod's orks and prevent his Chapter's annihilation.
544 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
52 people are currently reading
1090 people want to read
About the author
Steve Parker
38 books75 followersOriginally hailing from the rainswept land of the Picts, Steve Parker now sleeps, eats, trains and writes in Tokyo, Japan.
His novels have been published in four languages and include Rebel Winter, Gunheads, Rynn's World, and Deathwatch, with a fifth novel to follow very soon.
Short works (most now available via Amazon Kindle) include:
Stray Dog Swordsman on Redemption Road
Starfish
The Falls of Marakross
Mercy Run
The Citadel
Headhunted
Exhumed
Survivor
Culling the Horde
Pedro Kantor: The Vengeful Fist
His novels have been published in four languages and include Rebel Winter, Gunheads, Rynn's World, and Deathwatch, with a fifth novel to follow very soon.
Short works (most now available via Amazon Kindle) include:
Stray Dog Swordsman on Redemption Road
Starfish
The Falls of Marakross
Mercy Run
The Citadel
Headhunted
Exhumed
Survivor
Culling the Horde
Pedro Kantor: The Vengeful Fist
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
August 24, 2020
A very satisfying Space Marines adventure. Having just read the Night Lords Trilogy, it is quite a change to jump in with the Crimson Fists here. Certainly a different perspective of this far distant future, but just as exciting and fulfilling for military sci-fi fans. Now on to the next Battle novel, which is by ADB, the same author as the Night Lords trilogy and I’m expecting more of the same good writing and action. I’m definitely a fan of this WH40K universe!
June 11, 2016
I love it! This is my go to to turn off and get my warfare!
May 27, 2020
Instead of Rynn's World, the first half of this novel could have been called Murphy's Law, because everything that could have gone wrong, did. Good build up in the beginning with a decent amount of time spent with various characters before the shit starts hitting the fan and non-stop action from about 40% on. Aside from this being an entire planet under siege, I felt like the most exciting stuff was the individual, one-on-one fighting, most of which happened towards the ending. There is one cheer-out-loud surprise at the end that the author did a really good job of setting up that turned my frown upside down. My only gripe is there were a few characters and story lines introduced that seemed to be totally abandoned by the end of the book. Not sure if future volumes covers that stuff but it was extremely noticeable for its absence, at least for me. Four solid stars and worth the price of admission.
June 7, 2010
So I finished Rynn's World last night. Wow, what a book. Steve Parker did a really good job with this book. From reading a lot of the fluff from the 40k book and other sources, I knew that the Crimson Fists were gunna get jacked up in this book, but Parker did an excellent job of fleshing it out.
I have really been impressed lately with the action "scenes" in a lot of BL books (40k and Fantasy), and this book is just as good. The battles were pretty epic, even when it was just a skirmish. The only thing I was disappointed with was the fact that the space battle was glossed over, but this was a pretty beefy book, so a chapter or two of space battle missing isn't too bad.
My major pet peeve of having too many plots and characters going on at one time was thankfully absent in this book. There were quite a few characters, but they mostly revolved around different parts of two major plots. For me this was good because I got a bit of the "oh my god this is good, I can't wait to get back to it in the next chapter," but I didn't get the, "OK, now I have to remember what this character was doing 200 pages, and 15 sub-plots ago."
Another thing that was thankfully missing was the "uber-evil imperial guy" that is just there to make the lives of the major characters more of a PITA. There was one dude in the story that I thought was going to shape up into one of those characters, but it didn't turn out that way. Thank you Mr. Parker!
With prior knowledge of that fact that the Crimson Fists were going to get mauled in this book, it made me hesitant to cheer for characters, but I knew that many of them were gunna be blowed up, and this was the case. I actually think this was a good thing in the book because every time a new and interesting character was introduce, I was like, "Oh no! I hope he doesn't die!" Another thing I liked was that Mr. Parker did in fact kill off some of those likeable characters you were just getting to know. It made it feel real. It made it feel as if the Crimson Fists were well and truly boned.
A couple of the things I didn't like about the book were the distain that many of the Space Marines felt towards the humans that they were fighting for. There are some circumstances that do come up in the book that explain it, but it was the differences between that different Astartes that really made me stop and blink before continuing.
The last thing that sorta stuck in my craw was the fact that we saw Space Marines in this book had a stat line that was roughly, in my opinion, BS 7 WS 7 S8 T8 W10 I6 A8 Ld 11 Sv 1+. Regular tactical marines were ambushed by Orks and killed every ork without taking a casualty, there were fights were you would think SOMEONE is gunna bite it, but no one does. Now I understand why this is written this way. It's a Space Marines novel, so we want them to be heroic. We want them to stand against the Green Tide and never give up, but there were a couple of occasions where it was a bit unbelievable, even for Space Marines.
Overall this was an excellent book. I would encourage anyone to read it.
I have really been impressed lately with the action "scenes" in a lot of BL books (40k and Fantasy), and this book is just as good. The battles were pretty epic, even when it was just a skirmish. The only thing I was disappointed with was the fact that the space battle was glossed over, but this was a pretty beefy book, so a chapter or two of space battle missing isn't too bad.
My major pet peeve of having too many plots and characters going on at one time was thankfully absent in this book. There were quite a few characters, but they mostly revolved around different parts of two major plots. For me this was good because I got a bit of the "oh my god this is good, I can't wait to get back to it in the next chapter," but I didn't get the, "OK, now I have to remember what this character was doing 200 pages, and 15 sub-plots ago."
Another thing that was thankfully missing was the "uber-evil imperial guy" that is just there to make the lives of the major characters more of a PITA. There was one dude in the story that I thought was going to shape up into one of those characters, but it didn't turn out that way. Thank you Mr. Parker!
With prior knowledge of that fact that the Crimson Fists were going to get mauled in this book, it made me hesitant to cheer for characters, but I knew that many of them were gunna be blowed up, and this was the case. I actually think this was a good thing in the book because every time a new and interesting character was introduce, I was like, "Oh no! I hope he doesn't die!" Another thing I liked was that Mr. Parker did in fact kill off some of those likeable characters you were just getting to know. It made it feel real. It made it feel as if the Crimson Fists were well and truly boned.
A couple of the things I didn't like about the book were the distain that many of the Space Marines felt towards the humans that they were fighting for. There are some circumstances that do come up in the book that explain it, but it was the differences between that different Astartes that really made me stop and blink before continuing.
The last thing that sorta stuck in my craw was the fact that we saw Space Marines in this book had a stat line that was roughly, in my opinion, BS 7 WS 7 S8 T8 W10 I6 A8 Ld 11 Sv 1+. Regular tactical marines were ambushed by Orks and killed every ork without taking a casualty, there were fights were you would think SOMEONE is gunna bite it, but no one does. Now I understand why this is written this way. It's a Space Marines novel, so we want them to be heroic. We want them to stand against the Green Tide and never give up, but there were a couple of occasions where it was a bit unbelievable, even for Space Marines.
Overall this was an excellent book. I would encourage anyone to read it.
January 24, 2025
Rynn's World is nothing extraordinary, it wasn't challenging or complex, it wasn't deep or overly concerned with presenting a particular message or theme, but I've got to say something pretty important here... it was fun.
This 40k book made for a great romp; there was lots of action and military moves and team-based tactics. And yes, lots of Astartes with smoking Bolters and bloody Power Fists in motion.
Here we saw the legion known as the Crimson Fists fighting a huge army of invading Orks on the titular planet of Rynn's World - and while the chosen Space Marine chapter got plenty of great characters, and we came to know a few of the humans and "locals" as well, we weren't given the opportunity to really see or learn about the Orks as a species, and outside of a couple of particularly nasty or just difficult to kill boss types, they weren't given any kind of character either.
It's possible this is Heretical of me (and may the Emperor forgive me if so) but I was hoping I'd learn a bit more about Ork society or culture, their origins, their abilities and tactics and weapon craft. We only ever really saw them as a horde here, and it admittedly suited the story fine, but I wish I had slightly more context for the book's enemy faction, as someone who hasn't played them on Tabletop or read their Codex.
Either way, my smaller gripes aside, I still had fun with this story. I'd recommend it for 40k fans (obviously) but also to those looking for squad-based ground combat, military sci-fi. It definitely ticks all of those boxes too.
3.5 stars
This 40k book made for a great romp; there was lots of action and military moves and team-based tactics. And yes, lots of Astartes with smoking Bolters and bloody Power Fists in motion.
Here we saw the legion known as the Crimson Fists fighting a huge army of invading Orks on the titular planet of Rynn's World - and while the chosen Space Marine chapter got plenty of great characters, and we came to know a few of the humans and "locals" as well, we weren't given the opportunity to really see or learn about the Orks as a species, and outside of a couple of particularly nasty or just difficult to kill boss types, they weren't given any kind of character either.
It's possible this is Heretical of me (and may the Emperor forgive me if so) but I was hoping I'd learn a bit more about Ork society or culture, their origins, their abilities and tactics and weapon craft. We only ever really saw them as a horde here, and it admittedly suited the story fine, but I wish I had slightly more context for the book's enemy faction, as someone who hasn't played them on Tabletop or read their Codex.
Either way, my smaller gripes aside, I still had fun with this story. I'd recommend it for 40k fans (obviously) but also to those looking for squad-based ground combat, military sci-fi. It definitely ticks all of those boxes too.
3.5 stars
April 8, 2018
The very first Space Marine Battles novel, published back in 2010, this kicked the series off in style with an action-packed story of Crimson Fists battling a vast ork invasion. Despite the apparent folly of attacking a Space Marine home world, the Arch-Arsonist Snagrod’s unusual tactics surprise the Crimson Fists, resulting in huge numbers of orks landing onto Rynn’s World. When a million-to-one accident sees the Fists’ ancient and treasured fortress-monastery destroyed and the majority of their warriors slain, a determined defence turns into a desperate fight for the survival of the Chapter itself.
It’s not a truly in-depth exploration of the Crimson Fists as a Chapter, as that’s not really the purpose of the book (or this series), but it does take in a little of their ritual and philosophy, and gives them plenty of character. Seeing Space Marines with their backs against the metaphorical wall might not be to everyone’s tastes, but there should be enough here for any 40k fan to enjoy. Come for the brutal action and satisfying plot, but stay for the surprisingly relatable and interesting characters – and chances are you’ll want to read more about the Crimson Fists after this.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/04/...
It’s not a truly in-depth exploration of the Crimson Fists as a Chapter, as that’s not really the purpose of the book (or this series), but it does take in a little of their ritual and philosophy, and gives them plenty of character. Seeing Space Marines with their backs against the metaphorical wall might not be to everyone’s tastes, but there should be enough here for any 40k fan to enjoy. Come for the brutal action and satisfying plot, but stay for the surprisingly relatable and interesting characters – and chances are you’ll want to read more about the Crimson Fists after this.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/04/...
January 23, 2019
This book was one of the better Space Marine books that I’ve read. If I didn’t know the background in advance I would have been more ‘on the edge of my seat’. I was more invested in the characters and what they went through in this book than in some other Space Marine books.
Recommended to anyone that likes action.
Recommended to anyone that likes action.
November 26, 2024
Was great to see a book about a second founding chapter, the crimson fist. I really enjoyed the attention to detail the author gave of the crimson fist at their base camp and how they act. Also I really like the way the orks were written in this, a lot of warhammer authors seam to write orks in a some what silly way...in this book the orks are quite dark, gruesome and very tough.
February 11, 2019
ugh. where to begin. Lets start with saying i have been playing warhammer since the rogue trader book that featured the orignal "battle at the farm" scenario came out. So to say that i am a fan of teh crimson fists from way back is an understatement. Im familiar with the battle at the farm and the second scenario which was the battle at jadeberry hill and the underpass. i know warhammer, i know its fluff.
but lets start first with technical issues.
there was no reason this book needed to be 500 plus pages. The whole subplot about the governor being hot to trot about pedro kantor is a waste of time. nothing comes of it so why have it. Clearly the author is not familiar with the concept of checkovs gun. So much time is wasted on characters that do nothing. I mean its cool to read about pedros senechal and all, but the character, like the governors subplot, does nothing to advance the plot or offer insight into characters that is not already given elsewhere by other characters or ham handedly spelled out directly by the author.
the author uses the same description over and over. three characters all look over a wall or mountain range or something and think the exact same thing about clouds of smoke using the exact same descirption.
or when the author does this: Alleissio said " im getting out of teh land raider;" and he did.
really? and that happened at least twice in the book. Dude show not tell.
in regards to length the type face in the book wasnt helping either. it was set at "i just learned to read books without pictures" scale so the words were larger on the page.. stretching the book out.
also. The author really liked sentence fragments. most of the sentences arent too long, only a few words
the space marines act at times like i imagine the author must act-insecure muscle heads(reading his bio i can only imagine what a "manly man" he must see himself and reflections of this show up in the book) there is a scene in the book where they esentially talk shit about the civlians and the things they say are so petty and shitty. but they are the kind of things a MRA would think were manly and inpsiring tough guy talk)
Depending on the tension he needed to add the orks are either totally pussies to be slaughtered hundreds at a time by 5-10 marines or too much for 16 marines to deal with, even though at no point are the marines ever in any serious danger.. just bad writing all around
now to the fluff issues.
1. the battle at the farm scenario has teh marines HOLDING not attacking the farm. there are no civilians. Which is another bit of shitty writing. There is enough tension in the fact that there only(as far as kantor knows) 16 marines alive and he needs to do his best to keep them that way, that you dont need to add the family being killed by orks and the refugees(who again serve no real purpose to the story and advance the plot in no way other than to add false tension)
indeed if they wanted to expand on it, then why not have Thrugg and Hrruk the two ork commanders in on the action. The original scenario for the battle at the farm as way better than what was in the books and i am so disappointed in that(since it was all i really cared about in the first place.)
2 orks dont have green blood and orks dont eat people. they eat fungus. oh sure back in the day when 40k was known as rogue trader orks ate people, but this isnt a call back to that. its just sloppy writing.
3. would the space marines and imperials really call a waaagh a waaagh? it was hard not to giggle abit when reading the parts in the strategy councils and all these super serious guys are talking about a "waagh" and i cant help but read them just yelling that word(as it is meant to be) its an ork word not a human word and it seems maybe the humans should have a better word for it.
im sure if you have never read anything else or are a fan boy of 40k that youll over look the terrible writing, the bad fluff and other faults you might like it. personally it was work to finish it and i could have just read the fan wikis on the crimson fists and gotten the same from that
but lets start first with technical issues.
there was no reason this book needed to be 500 plus pages. The whole subplot about the governor being hot to trot about pedro kantor is a waste of time. nothing comes of it so why have it. Clearly the author is not familiar with the concept of checkovs gun. So much time is wasted on characters that do nothing. I mean its cool to read about pedros senechal and all, but the character, like the governors subplot, does nothing to advance the plot or offer insight into characters that is not already given elsewhere by other characters or ham handedly spelled out directly by the author.
the author uses the same description over and over. three characters all look over a wall or mountain range or something and think the exact same thing about clouds of smoke using the exact same descirption.
or when the author does this: Alleissio said " im getting out of teh land raider;" and he did.
really? and that happened at least twice in the book. Dude show not tell.
in regards to length the type face in the book wasnt helping either. it was set at "i just learned to read books without pictures" scale so the words were larger on the page.. stretching the book out.
also. The author really liked sentence fragments. most of the sentences arent too long, only a few words
the space marines act at times like i imagine the author must act-insecure muscle heads(reading his bio i can only imagine what a "manly man" he must see himself and reflections of this show up in the book) there is a scene in the book where they esentially talk shit about the civlians and the things they say are so petty and shitty. but they are the kind of things a MRA would think were manly and inpsiring tough guy talk)
Depending on the tension he needed to add the orks are either totally pussies to be slaughtered hundreds at a time by 5-10 marines or too much for 16 marines to deal with, even though at no point are the marines ever in any serious danger.. just bad writing all around
now to the fluff issues.
1. the battle at the farm scenario has teh marines HOLDING not attacking the farm. there are no civilians. Which is another bit of shitty writing. There is enough tension in the fact that there only(as far as kantor knows) 16 marines alive and he needs to do his best to keep them that way, that you dont need to add the family being killed by orks and the refugees(who again serve no real purpose to the story and advance the plot in no way other than to add false tension)
indeed if they wanted to expand on it, then why not have Thrugg and Hrruk the two ork commanders in on the action. The original scenario for the battle at the farm as way better than what was in the books and i am so disappointed in that(since it was all i really cared about in the first place.)
2 orks dont have green blood and orks dont eat people. they eat fungus. oh sure back in the day when 40k was known as rogue trader orks ate people, but this isnt a call back to that. its just sloppy writing.
3. would the space marines and imperials really call a waaagh a waaagh? it was hard not to giggle abit when reading the parts in the strategy councils and all these super serious guys are talking about a "waagh" and i cant help but read them just yelling that word(as it is meant to be) its an ork word not a human word and it seems maybe the humans should have a better word for it.
im sure if you have never read anything else or are a fan boy of 40k that youll over look the terrible writing, the bad fluff and other faults you might like it. personally it was work to finish it and i could have just read the fan wikis on the crimson fists and gotten the same from that
September 13, 2021
Great action. Indifferent & cold marine action which I find fitting for Astartes. With savage & threatening Orks (no comic relief). Great 40k reading. Just wish it wasn’t as long.
August 15, 2025
Este libro es el ejemplo perfecto de muchas de las virtudes y cosas que me encantan del universo de Warhammer 40k, al mismo tiempo que también sirve como ejemplo de algunos de sus principales defectos.
Lo mejor de esta novela son sin duda sus protagonistas: el capítulo de los Puños Carmesíes (Crimson Fist). De entre todos los marines espaciales leales al Imperium, encuentro a los Puños cómo uno de los que tiene una mayor personalidad propia dentro de este universo. Son una rara avis, un capítulo con un lore y un trasfonfo chulísimo (claramente inspirados en varios aspectos por el mundo Hispánico), pero que en la actualidad es más un capítulo "secundario" que ni de lejos cuenta con el mismo protagonismo que el resto de los niños favoritos de GW. Honestamente, creo que esto obra a favor de la novela: es refrescante leer una historia sobre Marines Espaciales que no esté protagonizada por los Templarios Negros, Ángeles Sangrientos/Oscuros o los Ultramarines. Los dos Puños Carmesíes protagonistas de la novela, Pedro Kantor y Alessio Cortez, son dos de los marines espaciales más carismáticos que me he encontrado en mucho tiempo en una novela de 40k. Ambos son una clara contraparte del otro, tienen una dinámica genial y siempre pasa algo memorable cuando alguno de los dos es el foco de la acción.
Y hablando de acción, este es sin duda uno de los puntos fuertes de esta novela. En esencia estamos ante uno de los clásicos de Warhammer 40k: un planeta imperial es atacado por un WAHGHHH orko y los protagonistas deben aguantar el embate enemigo hasta que lleguen los refuerzos. Si piensas que una novela en la que la trama puede resumirse como "un asedio muy largo" es aburrida debo responderte que en absoluto. Hay un montón de momentos en los que los protagonistas se ven obligados a pasar al ataque y es ahí dónde Steve Parker sobresale. La acción es buena, los enfrentamientos son crudos y los personajes secundarios mueren en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Disfruto cuando un autor introduce táctica y realismo en sus escenas de acción, y Parker es uno de esos. En ningún momento dudas de que los protagonistas sean marines espaciales con cientos de años de experiencia y entrenamiento porque se comportan cómo tal. Hay un gran nivel de entendimiento de cómo funciona la lógica de este universo y de cómo presentarlo bien a los fans en esta novela. Si eres un fan de los marines espaciales, vas a encontrar muchas cosas aquí que te van a gustar.
Por desgracia, a mis ojos hay un punto muy negativo de esta novela. Tal vez sea algo que a otra gente no le moleste en absoluto, pero a mí me ha molestado mientras leía. Warhammer es en esencia un universo de fantasía/ciencia ficción oscura, lo que implica que en la gran mayoría de las ocasiones las cosas no salen bien, muere mucha (MUCHA) gente y los protagonistas se encuntran frenta a situaciones desesperadas. Ahora bien, en esta novela las cosas salen mal por sistema, hasta límites que rompen la incredulidad. Hay momentos concretos del libro dónde no siento que esté leyendo una historia, sino que estoy siendo testigo de cómo el autor tira un dardo hacia una ruleta para decidir en que nueva situación límite va a poner a los protagonistas. Estas situaciones por lo general no tienen una gran justificación o son tan improbables estadísticamente que se sienten sacadas de la absoluta nada. Warhammer 40 k no es un universo para tomárselo en serio, pero si presentas una historia bélica con mucho rigor en unos aspectos y de forma tan laxa en otros pues al final hay momentos que son un churro. Me sabe mal decir esto sobre este libro, porque hay gran cantidad de cosas que me han gustado. Si estás leyendo esto dudando sobre si leerlo o no, mi consejo es que lo hagas, porque si has llegado hasta aquí significa que te gusta 40k y te va a gustar lo que encuentres en este libro. Ahora bien, entiende que esta no es la mejor novela sobre marines espaciales, es un produto muy bueno pero con un potencial para ser mejor de lo que ha terminado siendo.
TL,DR: Una de las batallas más icónicas de los marines espaciales, pero que a veces presenta situaciones un tanto ridículas. Merece la pena leer si eres fan y buscas leer algo acerca de un capítulo de marines diferente. Si buscas algo que cambie tu forma de ver este universo aquí no lo vas a encontrar, pero te vas a entretener y vas a disfrutar de los acontecimientos.
Lo mejor de esta novela son sin duda sus protagonistas: el capítulo de los Puños Carmesíes (Crimson Fist). De entre todos los marines espaciales leales al Imperium, encuentro a los Puños cómo uno de los que tiene una mayor personalidad propia dentro de este universo. Son una rara avis, un capítulo con un lore y un trasfonfo chulísimo (claramente inspirados en varios aspectos por el mundo Hispánico), pero que en la actualidad es más un capítulo "secundario" que ni de lejos cuenta con el mismo protagonismo que el resto de los niños favoritos de GW. Honestamente, creo que esto obra a favor de la novela: es refrescante leer una historia sobre Marines Espaciales que no esté protagonizada por los Templarios Negros, Ángeles Sangrientos/Oscuros o los Ultramarines. Los dos Puños Carmesíes protagonistas de la novela, Pedro Kantor y Alessio Cortez, son dos de los marines espaciales más carismáticos que me he encontrado en mucho tiempo en una novela de 40k. Ambos son una clara contraparte del otro, tienen una dinámica genial y siempre pasa algo memorable cuando alguno de los dos es el foco de la acción.
Y hablando de acción, este es sin duda uno de los puntos fuertes de esta novela. En esencia estamos ante uno de los clásicos de Warhammer 40k: un planeta imperial es atacado por un WAHGHHH orko y los protagonistas deben aguantar el embate enemigo hasta que lleguen los refuerzos. Si piensas que una novela en la que la trama puede resumirse como "un asedio muy largo" es aburrida debo responderte que en absoluto. Hay un montón de momentos en los que los protagonistas se ven obligados a pasar al ataque y es ahí dónde Steve Parker sobresale. La acción es buena, los enfrentamientos son crudos y los personajes secundarios mueren en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Disfruto cuando un autor introduce táctica y realismo en sus escenas de acción, y Parker es uno de esos. En ningún momento dudas de que los protagonistas sean marines espaciales con cientos de años de experiencia y entrenamiento porque se comportan cómo tal. Hay un gran nivel de entendimiento de cómo funciona la lógica de este universo y de cómo presentarlo bien a los fans en esta novela. Si eres un fan de los marines espaciales, vas a encontrar muchas cosas aquí que te van a gustar.
Por desgracia, a mis ojos hay un punto muy negativo de esta novela. Tal vez sea algo que a otra gente no le moleste en absoluto, pero a mí me ha molestado mientras leía. Warhammer es en esencia un universo de fantasía/ciencia ficción oscura, lo que implica que en la gran mayoría de las ocasiones las cosas no salen bien, muere mucha (MUCHA) gente y los protagonistas se encuntran frenta a situaciones desesperadas. Ahora bien, en esta novela las cosas salen mal por sistema, hasta límites que rompen la incredulidad. Hay momentos concretos del libro dónde no siento que esté leyendo una historia, sino que estoy siendo testigo de cómo el autor tira un dardo hacia una ruleta para decidir en que nueva situación límite va a poner a los protagonistas. Estas situaciones por lo general no tienen una gran justificación o son tan improbables estadísticamente que se sienten sacadas de la absoluta nada. Warhammer 40 k no es un universo para tomárselo en serio, pero si presentas una historia bélica con mucho rigor en unos aspectos y de forma tan laxa en otros pues al final hay momentos que son un churro. Me sabe mal decir esto sobre este libro, porque hay gran cantidad de cosas que me han gustado. Si estás leyendo esto dudando sobre si leerlo o no, mi consejo es que lo hagas, porque si has llegado hasta aquí significa que te gusta 40k y te va a gustar lo que encuentres en este libro. Ahora bien, entiende que esta no es la mejor novela sobre marines espaciales, es un produto muy bueno pero con un potencial para ser mejor de lo que ha terminado siendo.
TL,DR: Una de las batallas más icónicas de los marines espaciales, pero que a veces presenta situaciones un tanto ridículas. Merece la pena leer si eres fan y buscas leer algo acerca de un capítulo de marines diferente. Si buscas algo que cambie tu forma de ver este universo aquí no lo vas a encontrar, pero te vas a entretener y vas a disfrutar de los acontecimientos.
September 15, 2022
Decently executed and chaotic.
The first novel in the iconic Space Marine Battles series. This novel is told from the point of view of the Crimson Fists, defending the planet of Rynns from an invasion of Orks, all in a rather tragic, unexpected and disastrous way. It reminds me a bit of The Beast Arises, mainly because of the levels of strategy used by the Orks.
The novel has a somewhat slow but solidified beginning that makes us experience the lives of the space marines, their rituals, their beliefs and, in general, their opinions towards inferior subjects, such as the simple noble humans residing on the planet. The talks, the dialogue between the astartes, as well as the way they carry out their traditions and thinking, is fascinating. This novel gives us a good taste of that flavor, taking us into the fortress-monastery in a very personal way.
The best part of the novel, for me, is definitely near the middle, when things go wrong and everything goes to hell. And as other comments have said, boy, do they go to hell! This novel gets hard, tragic and bloody. Without a doubt the best moments are the interactions between the astartes and the ordinary humans, trying to survive, desperate in the face of the massive ork invasion. There are beautiful, precious moments that show us the delicacy of the corps, while the superior Space Marines waver between morality and propriety, deciding whether to make the sacrifice for those they swore to defend, or for their own brethren.
Past that, the novel becomes pure bolter-porn, and while it's not bad, it loses a bit of its impact and becomes generic.
All in all, an entertaining read. Too bad it didn't manage to maintain the same emotional weight as the beginning, and didn't expand on other characters (particularly the nobles, who, I feel, are just there to fill in) that needed a bit more narrative.
The first novel in the iconic Space Marine Battles series. This novel is told from the point of view of the Crimson Fists, defending the planet of Rynns from an invasion of Orks, all in a rather tragic, unexpected and disastrous way. It reminds me a bit of The Beast Arises, mainly because of the levels of strategy used by the Orks.
The novel has a somewhat slow but solidified beginning that makes us experience the lives of the space marines, their rituals, their beliefs and, in general, their opinions towards inferior subjects, such as the simple noble humans residing on the planet. The talks, the dialogue between the astartes, as well as the way they carry out their traditions and thinking, is fascinating. This novel gives us a good taste of that flavor, taking us into the fortress-monastery in a very personal way.
The best part of the novel, for me, is definitely near the middle, when things go wrong and everything goes to hell. And as other comments have said, boy, do they go to hell! This novel gets hard, tragic and bloody. Without a doubt the best moments are the interactions between the astartes and the ordinary humans, trying to survive, desperate in the face of the massive ork invasion. There are beautiful, precious moments that show us the delicacy of the corps, while the superior Space Marines waver between morality and propriety, deciding whether to make the sacrifice for those they swore to defend, or for their own brethren.
Past that, the novel becomes pure bolter-porn, and while it's not bad, it loses a bit of its impact and becomes generic.
All in all, an entertaining read. Too bad it didn't manage to maintain the same emotional weight as the beginning, and didn't expand on other characters (particularly the nobles, who, I feel, are just there to fill in) that needed a bit more narrative.
February 16, 2012
Shadowhawk reviews the first Space Marine Battles novel as Steve Parker tackles the Orks once again, pitting them against the proud Crimson Fists.
“Steve Parker delivers an interesting look into the Crimson Fists that makes you hunger for more.” ~ The Founding Fields
There are few forces in the Warhammer 40,000 universe that can really humble an entire chapter of Space Marines. Hive Fleet Behemoth against the Ultramarines is one case. The Necrons against the Emperor’s Swords is another. There are quite a few others. But I have to say that among the most tragic I have ever read has been the case of the Crimson Fists against the Orks of Waaagh! Snagrod.
Steve’s portrayal of the Crimson Fists really strikes a chord with me. Essentially, he has fused the best of the Salamanders, the Blood Angels and of course, the Imperial Fists. The Crimson Fists are humane, they are noble and they are stubborn. But they are just as eager for war as any of their brothers or their cousins. And of course, that is where their pride fails them.
That portrayal of the Crimson Fists is at the heart of the novel and Steve does a good job of showing us how an entire chapter can be humbled by one of the most inane things, a fluke accident at that, and what startling revelations it is forced to confront. Pride has always been a weakness of all Space Marine chapters, no matter how glorious their history, and it is this weakness that once again manifests here. Steve constantly reinforces home this theme in the novel. To (very roughly) paraphrase Chapter Master Dante of the Blood Angels, resting on one’s laurels is the greatest sin in the eyes of the Emperor.
The opening chapters of the novel provide a rather unique insight into the chapter psyche as the Crimson Fists prepare to celebrate their centennial Day of Founding and we have some rather stirring scenes of Pedro Kantor giving an inspirational speech to his brothers. The scenes are quite atmospheric and they really draw you in. We also meet Captain Alessio Cortez, one of the most celebrated Captains of the chapter and one of Kantor’s closest friends. The novel is primarily about the trials faced by these two once everything around them goes to hell and their battle of wills against each other as they both have different views on how to deal with the invaders.
And that’s where the issue of pride comes in really, all the more important for the Crimson Fists since they have had a long and glorious history of service to the Imperium and they are Second Founding. Reading the verbal battles between Cortez and Kantor is definitely one of the highlights in the novel.
Another aspect of the novel that combined to make it a great one is the relationship between the Crimson Fists and the people of Badlanding, who revere them as demi-gods. Steve has managed the balance quite well and I think it works very well in order to show how the more humane, as in less reticent, chapters deal with the people of their homeworld. This balance is played out in the interactions between the Crimson Fists and their people as well as between the chapter’s officers as well throughout the novel. Small things like this really add to the greater whole, making it more than the just the sum of its parts.
One major criticism I would level against the novel is that the Space Marines are too powerful. Their power level just does not compare to that of the Orks. I am unable to find a justification of why this should be the case. The fluke accident destroys nearly 70% of the chapter’s forces and while you do get some sense of how the Crimson Fists are ultimately humbled by Warlord Snagrod, the impact of that event just is not there.
Steve introduces the concept of the Ceres Protocol, wherein no Crimson Fist is allowed to risk his life in defense of the mortal forces and civilians, only in the defense of a battle-brother. There was quite a bit of potential for this concept to develop and really add to the novel, but it just fell flat since the Crimson Fists just proved to be indestructible in their revenge. Perhaps that is understandable to a degree but given that in the wider lore, the chapter came close to dissolution following the attack on Badlanding, you never actually get a sense of that being the case by the end of the novel. Not to mention that there was almost a willful disregard of said protocol a few times in the novel so with the purpose of this concept was quite lost on me. The novel would have worked out just as well if this had never been mentioned in the first place.
Other than that, the action scenes are rather well done and the campaign itself plays out rather nicely. Steve even managed to work in the Battle of the Farm, an original Rogue Trader-era scenario, into the novel which was a great addition. I just wish that we had gotten an actual titanic battle between the heroes of both sides for the action almost always involved orks being butchered or on the rank and file Crimson Fists themselves. That said, my favourite scene in the entire novel, after the early scene in the reclusiam, is through the eyes of a scout sergeant as he sees disaster unfold around him. Reading that particular chapter really hit home why a lot of chapters value obedience, protocol and the chain of command above all else. Job well done, Herr Parker.
The at-odds characterization of Pedro Kantor as the Chapter Master and Alessio Cortez as the often-errant Captain was another highlight of the novel. The scene I mention above plays a part in the interactions between these two and together these two portray all the attributes of the chapter I listed early on in the review. I was quite reminded of Chapter Master Tu’shan of the Salamanders when reading Kantor’s scenes while Cortez reminded of a rather headstrong Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist of the Space Wolf novels. The parallels across chapters are always there of course and there is always characterization that is similar too but I think this was a case of where this worked really well. Kudos.
With all that said, would I recommend the novel? Yes indeed, for as the first novel in the Space Marine Battles series, as well as the first Crimson Fists novel, Rynn’s World works really well. The criticisms I have against it are not related to the portrayal of the chapter itself and are issues that permeate the work of some other authors as well but that’s not important here. As a whole the novel works rather well and as long as the kinks are worked out in Steve’s approach, then all good. The best thing about the novel is that Steve really helps you get into the mindset of the chapter and makes you connect with it.
And therefore, I rate the novel a solid 7.5/10. I would definitely like to see more of Steve’s work now.
“Steve Parker delivers an interesting look into the Crimson Fists that makes you hunger for more.” ~ The Founding Fields
There are few forces in the Warhammer 40,000 universe that can really humble an entire chapter of Space Marines. Hive Fleet Behemoth against the Ultramarines is one case. The Necrons against the Emperor’s Swords is another. There are quite a few others. But I have to say that among the most tragic I have ever read has been the case of the Crimson Fists against the Orks of Waaagh! Snagrod.
Steve’s portrayal of the Crimson Fists really strikes a chord with me. Essentially, he has fused the best of the Salamanders, the Blood Angels and of course, the Imperial Fists. The Crimson Fists are humane, they are noble and they are stubborn. But they are just as eager for war as any of their brothers or their cousins. And of course, that is where their pride fails them.
That portrayal of the Crimson Fists is at the heart of the novel and Steve does a good job of showing us how an entire chapter can be humbled by one of the most inane things, a fluke accident at that, and what startling revelations it is forced to confront. Pride has always been a weakness of all Space Marine chapters, no matter how glorious their history, and it is this weakness that once again manifests here. Steve constantly reinforces home this theme in the novel. To (very roughly) paraphrase Chapter Master Dante of the Blood Angels, resting on one’s laurels is the greatest sin in the eyes of the Emperor.
The opening chapters of the novel provide a rather unique insight into the chapter psyche as the Crimson Fists prepare to celebrate their centennial Day of Founding and we have some rather stirring scenes of Pedro Kantor giving an inspirational speech to his brothers. The scenes are quite atmospheric and they really draw you in. We also meet Captain Alessio Cortez, one of the most celebrated Captains of the chapter and one of Kantor’s closest friends. The novel is primarily about the trials faced by these two once everything around them goes to hell and their battle of wills against each other as they both have different views on how to deal with the invaders.
And that’s where the issue of pride comes in really, all the more important for the Crimson Fists since they have had a long and glorious history of service to the Imperium and they are Second Founding. Reading the verbal battles between Cortez and Kantor is definitely one of the highlights in the novel.
Another aspect of the novel that combined to make it a great one is the relationship between the Crimson Fists and the people of Badlanding, who revere them as demi-gods. Steve has managed the balance quite well and I think it works very well in order to show how the more humane, as in less reticent, chapters deal with the people of their homeworld. This balance is played out in the interactions between the Crimson Fists and their people as well as between the chapter’s officers as well throughout the novel. Small things like this really add to the greater whole, making it more than the just the sum of its parts.
One major criticism I would level against the novel is that the Space Marines are too powerful. Their power level just does not compare to that of the Orks. I am unable to find a justification of why this should be the case. The fluke accident destroys nearly 70% of the chapter’s forces and while you do get some sense of how the Crimson Fists are ultimately humbled by Warlord Snagrod, the impact of that event just is not there.
Steve introduces the concept of the Ceres Protocol, wherein no Crimson Fist is allowed to risk his life in defense of the mortal forces and civilians, only in the defense of a battle-brother. There was quite a bit of potential for this concept to develop and really add to the novel, but it just fell flat since the Crimson Fists just proved to be indestructible in their revenge. Perhaps that is understandable to a degree but given that in the wider lore, the chapter came close to dissolution following the attack on Badlanding, you never actually get a sense of that being the case by the end of the novel. Not to mention that there was almost a willful disregard of said protocol a few times in the novel so with the purpose of this concept was quite lost on me. The novel would have worked out just as well if this had never been mentioned in the first place.
Other than that, the action scenes are rather well done and the campaign itself plays out rather nicely. Steve even managed to work in the Battle of the Farm, an original Rogue Trader-era scenario, into the novel which was a great addition. I just wish that we had gotten an actual titanic battle between the heroes of both sides for the action almost always involved orks being butchered or on the rank and file Crimson Fists themselves. That said, my favourite scene in the entire novel, after the early scene in the reclusiam, is through the eyes of a scout sergeant as he sees disaster unfold around him. Reading that particular chapter really hit home why a lot of chapters value obedience, protocol and the chain of command above all else. Job well done, Herr Parker.
The at-odds characterization of Pedro Kantor as the Chapter Master and Alessio Cortez as the often-errant Captain was another highlight of the novel. The scene I mention above plays a part in the interactions between these two and together these two portray all the attributes of the chapter I listed early on in the review. I was quite reminded of Chapter Master Tu’shan of the Salamanders when reading Kantor’s scenes while Cortez reminded of a rather headstrong Wolf Lord Berek Thunderfist of the Space Wolf novels. The parallels across chapters are always there of course and there is always characterization that is similar too but I think this was a case of where this worked really well. Kudos.
With all that said, would I recommend the novel? Yes indeed, for as the first novel in the Space Marine Battles series, as well as the first Crimson Fists novel, Rynn’s World works really well. The criticisms I have against it are not related to the portrayal of the chapter itself and are issues that permeate the work of some other authors as well but that’s not important here. As a whole the novel works rather well and as long as the kinks are worked out in Steve’s approach, then all good. The best thing about the novel is that Steve really helps you get into the mindset of the chapter and makes you connect with it.
And therefore, I rate the novel a solid 7.5/10. I would definitely like to see more of Steve’s work now.
November 10, 2020
Rynn's World in so many ways is the definitive "Bolter Porn" book of the sprawling Warhammer 40K literary world. No, that does not mean that it has the inherent quality of say "Know No Fear" but rather it stands as a novel that embodies the elements that have come to define that term. "Cracked Cermaite" "Spent Bolter Casings", and tons of heroic bloodshed lathered in viscera and gore. If it wasn't for the ever interesting and shockingly human Crimson Fists Space Marines Chapter taking center stage, this book would have easily lost much of it's identity. Parker does an admirable job of portraying the affection the citizens of Rynn have for the Chapter, their reverence and clear understanding of their protector's nobility and purpose. The Crimson Fists unlike other Astartes, Pedro Kantor especially are drawn with a greater humanity that truly helps shape them to be different than other Space Marine chapters. These elements, although relatively minor in the scope of the work, help to define it in surprising ways.
The overall pace of the novel is quite breathless, yet the ending for all of it's staged combat and action, falls short of any real intensity. This is still an enjoyable, and fun pulpy entry into the world of WH40K, and is absolutely a must read for fans of the Crimson Fists, and for those that want to see Space Marines with a bit of humanity left within them.
The overall pace of the novel is quite breathless, yet the ending for all of it's staged combat and action, falls short of any real intensity. This is still an enjoyable, and fun pulpy entry into the world of WH40K, and is absolutely a must read for fans of the Crimson Fists, and for those that want to see Space Marines with a bit of humanity left within them.
October 6, 2025
This book cemented my opinion that Space Marines don't make for interesting characters or stories. The range of emotions and motivations they are allowed to express range from excited to shoot something, sad they can't shoot something, angry they can't shoot something, frustrated that they can't shoot someone and contempt for humans. Any conflict between them is largely relegated to the how and when of shooting something.
Anything interesting, happens because of people and creatures around them. They're essentially the waffle maker at a brunch party. They do one thing, they do it well and have a similar emotional range and character arc.
Is it possible to tell an interesting story about someone who has no personal development, no interest in relationships and is solely focussed on their special interest? If they weren't giant murder machines is there any difference between and Terry the Train Spotter who never leaves his house unless it's to write down the number of a new train.
It's not a terrible book, I kept reading because I was hoping the humans would do something interesting. They didn't, Walter the Waffle Maker saved the day
Anything interesting, happens because of people and creatures around them. They're essentially the waffle maker at a brunch party. They do one thing, they do it well and have a similar emotional range and character arc.
Is it possible to tell an interesting story about someone who has no personal development, no interest in relationships and is solely focussed on their special interest? If they weren't giant murder machines is there any difference between and Terry the Train Spotter who never leaves his house unless it's to write down the number of a new train.
It's not a terrible book, I kept reading because I was hoping the humans would do something interesting. They didn't, Walter the Waffle Maker saved the day
September 11, 2021
A great crimson and bloody read, to which I'd equate to ADBowden's Helsreach in quality and scope. Very easy reading throughout with an interesting cast of characters and subplots throughout, a fine example of space marine battles compared to the others that were printed and churned out for the SMB book listings/ collection.
Would rate it highly for anyone looking for more action and gripping story with high stakes and even higher body counts or even for just a new-ish story to sink some hours into. On a personal note this was my introduction to the Fists and would say it's a good one for anyone else unlerned of the fists back story but the wikis and codexs are more than plentiful for these guys, will be looking forwards to its follow up - Traitor Gorge, my only regret is buying this version rather than the two combined !
Would rate it highly for anyone looking for more action and gripping story with high stakes and even higher body counts or even for just a new-ish story to sink some hours into. On a personal note this was my introduction to the Fists and would say it's a good one for anyone else unlerned of the fists back story but the wikis and codexs are more than plentiful for these guys, will be looking forwards to its follow up - Traitor Gorge, my only regret is buying this version rather than the two combined !
July 2, 2023
It's only appropriate that a novel marketed as the first of the 'Space Marine Battles' series should feature the most battly and brutal of Space Marine enemies; the Orks.
The Crimson Fists chapter of the Emperor's Finest find themselves in a fight for survival defending Rynn's World against the green tide, reminding us that a Space Marine may not fear death but they're absolutely terrified of dishonour or loss of identity. This leads to some moral wrangling and debate between charismatic and likable heroes, but this book is really all about the action scenes. These are bombastic, exciting and colourful, but thoughtful enough to keep the reader engaged throughout. The all-powerful Marines feel a lot more human when they're forced onto the back-foot. Overall a very strong example of action-oriented science fiction.
The Crimson Fists chapter of the Emperor's Finest find themselves in a fight for survival defending Rynn's World against the green tide, reminding us that a Space Marine may not fear death but they're absolutely terrified of dishonour or loss of identity. This leads to some moral wrangling and debate between charismatic and likable heroes, but this book is really all about the action scenes. These are bombastic, exciting and colourful, but thoughtful enough to keep the reader engaged throughout. The all-powerful Marines feel a lot more human when they're forced onto the back-foot. Overall a very strong example of action-oriented science fiction.
May 19, 2017
Solid 3.5
My first 40k novel and my second read through. I enjoyed the well written battle scenes and the perspective of the human element. These were the best bits.
-I thought the space marines were a little generic. I don't necessarily fault the author. The game system that created them leaves very little room for individuality.
- It would have been refreshing to see the motivations for each character beyond the obvious hooks.
-It dawned on me about halfway through just how much this isn't an outsiders novel. It's likely if you don't follow 40k you will be completely lost at times. When you find yourself googling images of gargants, squiggs and what a Terminator suit looks like at 2:00 in the morning, you will see what I mean.
My first 40k novel and my second read through. I enjoyed the well written battle scenes and the perspective of the human element. These were the best bits.
-I thought the space marines were a little generic. I don't necessarily fault the author. The game system that created them leaves very little room for individuality.
- It would have been refreshing to see the motivations for each character beyond the obvious hooks.
-It dawned on me about halfway through just how much this isn't an outsiders novel. It's likely if you don't follow 40k you will be completely lost at times. When you find yourself googling images of gargants, squiggs and what a Terminator suit looks like at 2:00 in the morning, you will see what I mean.
August 30, 2023
What a delightful change of pace. The Crimson Fists come across as actual soldiers that understand the chain of command, rather than it being something to beat people with.
Compared to the Salamander Omnibus, the Crimson Fist Omnibus has a lot more promise. While Cortez skirts the line of his Chapter Master, he is at least aware of the strain he is putting on his commander and aims to avoid doing so.
But the humanity of Pedro Kantor and the Crimson Fists are on full display here, letting Space Marines be more than mindless soldiers that charge at the enemy. I really enjoyed seeing that side of them. Looking forward to seeing more of the Crinmson Fists as well as Steve Parker's writing.
Compared to the Salamander Omnibus, the Crimson Fist Omnibus has a lot more promise. While Cortez skirts the line of his Chapter Master, he is at least aware of the strain he is putting on his commander and aims to avoid doing so.
But the humanity of Pedro Kantor and the Crimson Fists are on full display here, letting Space Marines be more than mindless soldiers that charge at the enemy. I really enjoyed seeing that side of them. Looking forward to seeing more of the Crinmson Fists as well as Steve Parker's writing.
October 29, 2023
A brutal, blistering battle for an entire world, and for the survival of the Crimson Fists chapter.
Parker does a great job in both presenting the bleakness of the planet's prospects as well as the intense action of selected engagements and one-on-one combat.
Some aspects of the hierarchy and inequality of Rynn's World are explored initially, but soon forgotten. And the Orks are presented on the one hand as cartoonish one-dimensional villains and yet supposedly terrifying alien monsters on the other. Parker doesn't quite pull that off, hence the four stars instead of five.
Still, this is a truly epic and particularly brutal first entry in the Space Marines battles series. Will definitely be enjoyed by Warhammer 40,000 fans.
Parker does a great job in both presenting the bleakness of the planet's prospects as well as the intense action of selected engagements and one-on-one combat.
Some aspects of the hierarchy and inequality of Rynn's World are explored initially, but soon forgotten. And the Orks are presented on the one hand as cartoonish one-dimensional villains and yet supposedly terrifying alien monsters on the other. Parker doesn't quite pull that off, hence the four stars instead of five.
Still, this is a truly epic and particularly brutal first entry in the Space Marines battles series. Will definitely be enjoyed by Warhammer 40,000 fans.
January 19, 2025
I’m a simple man; if the book is competently written, has great acts of heroism, vivid visceral action then I will more often than not love it.
Reading 40K I’m not looking for the next War and Peace, I’m simply looking for a fun read that involves Space Marines being absolute badasses.
Something about Steve Parker’s books does exactly what I need from 40K books. His Deathwatch: Shadowbreaker book was an incredible action packed read, and this book left me feeling the same after; heart rate pumping, palms sweating, not knowing what’s going to happen or who is going to die. Incredible.
Pedro Kantor is a tough SoB and a hell of a Chapter Master.
Reading 40K I’m not looking for the next War and Peace, I’m simply looking for a fun read that involves Space Marines being absolute badasses.
Something about Steve Parker’s books does exactly what I need from 40K books. His Deathwatch: Shadowbreaker book was an incredible action packed read, and this book left me feeling the same after; heart rate pumping, palms sweating, not knowing what’s going to happen or who is going to die. Incredible.
Pedro Kantor is a tough SoB and a hell of a Chapter Master.
December 23, 2025
This was a great read about the battle for Rynn's World, home of the Crimson Fists chapter of the Space Marines. The odds against the protagonists felt truly overwhelming throughout. The world-building was superb, with tons of interesting information for someone who is familiar with the lore, but also not too weighty for a new reader to enjoy. I appreciated the sections about the Imperial forces and politicians who also fought in the battle.
November 5, 2018
Brothers, we are nearly out of ammo.
Goes over about a year and half in a constant state of siege warfare. Where everyday they lose men and materials to slow the eroding onslaught.
Finally runs dry after taking on the Waaagh warboss.
Other than that nit pick, and the escort moral dilemma that went nowhere after the quest complete, fun little space marine novel.
Goes over about a year and half in a constant state of siege warfare. Where everyday they lose men and materials to slow the eroding onslaught.
Finally runs dry after taking on the Waaagh warboss.
Other than that nit pick, and the escort moral dilemma that went nowhere after the quest complete, fun little space marine novel.
September 16, 2019
Shallow characters, not really a coherent storyline, inconsistencies and a lot of typos. But worst of all (to me), the rivers on the map of the campaign area do not conform to gravity. Nitpicking perhaps, but if you make a map, make sure it is believable!
May 1, 2023
Good tale of an ork siege of the Crimson Fist home world, but has a weak ending. Best Warhammer novel I've read so far in terms of descriptions of the orks, but it still didn't dive as deeply as I would have liked.
October 31, 2024
Buen libro de marines para pasar el rato la verdad, se esfuerzan mucho por humanizar a los marines usando su inhumanidad como concepto para desarrollarlos y eso me gusta muchísimo.
Las escenas de acción son una gozada y hasta los orkos tienen a veces el spotlight, bastante correcta.
Las escenas de acción son una gozada y hasta los orkos tienen a veces el spotlight, bastante correcta.
March 29, 2025
Really well thought out book but for me, by the time I got to part 3, I was just eager to get it done and find out what happens so I could move on. It’s the first 40K book I’ve completed. I enjoyed it but was fairly unsatisfied at the end of it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2018
I really enjoyed the book. I have been out of 40k lore for a while and this was a great book for getting me back in.
August 12, 2018
The Crimson Fists faces annilation from the orks who invaded their homeworld.
October 5, 2018
Bit of an edge of your seater for most of the book, the ending is one that many readers will appreciate and perhaps share a bit of the frustration felt by the Blood Fists.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews