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Space Marine Battles #15
The World Engine
A planet-sized super weapon, the World Engine must be stopped before it destroys all in its path. A full Space Marine Chapter is given the seemingly impossible task of destroying it.
For months, the necron World Engine has blazed a trail across the Vidar sector, destroying planets and devastating every fleet sent to destroy it. Now, the Astral Knights Space Marine Chapter enact a daring plan to get to the heart of the mighty edifice and bring it to an end. Crashing their battle-barge into the World Engine, they land upon its surface, seeking its heart. Confronted by sinister necrons, the fate of the Astral Knights hangs in the balance, along with the lives of untold billions...
For months, the necron World Engine has blazed a trail across the Vidar sector, destroying planets and devastating every fleet sent to destroy it. Now, the Astral Knights Space Marine Chapter enact a daring plan to get to the heart of the mighty edifice and bring it to an end. Crashing their battle-barge into the World Engine, they land upon its surface, seeking its heart. Confronted by sinister necrons, the fate of the Astral Knights hangs in the balance, along with the lives of untold billions...
368 pages, Paperback
First published December 26, 2014
29 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
About the author
Ben Counter
170 books213 followersBen Counter, as well as making several contributions to Inferno magazine, has written the Soul Drinkers and Grey Knights series and two Horus Heresy novels for the Black Library. He is an ancient history graduate and avid miniature painter with a bronze demon under his belt.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 6, 2020
It was awesome and very faced paced, but if you hate the Imperium then you will not like the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2022
A story about a lost chapter of the Space Marines but more so a fleshing out of the Necrons as a race.
This is a Warhammer 40K book (The Black Library) and reads exactly like one and if you haven't read one, think grim, dark, and over the top.This is Number 15 of the Space Marines books but I read this completely out of sequence and it mattered not at all.
This was a fun book but by no means transcends its genre, you know what you are going to get when you read it and you get exactly that.
This is a Warhammer 40K book (The Black Library) and reads exactly like one and if you haven't read one, think grim, dark, and over the top.This is Number 15 of the Space Marines books but I read this completely out of sequence and it mattered not at all.
This was a fun book but by no means transcends its genre, you know what you are going to get when you read it and you get exactly that.
April 11, 2024
Love this. The Astral Knights are such an interesting chapter of Space Marines. It's a shame they basically get annihilated. But this whole book from the beginning to the end is an absolutely gripping tale and I LOVED it. Nothing like Space Marines and Necrons duking it out with a whole lot of brutality and chivalry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2017
Disappointing. I normally like Ben Counter's 40K novels for the sheer bloody carnage from start to finish, but this one wasn't up to the usual standards. Too many interchangeable characters, too many confusing interludes and not enough scenes of desperate Marines fighting an unstoppable Necron horde.
June 19, 2023
Interesting structure, why all the memories found in a single body finally revealed in the end to make a quite meaningful ending while uniting the prior chapters in a reasonable manner. Brutality of inquisition at the cost of health and even death of its agents is reconciled with the effort to persist the last legacy of a space marine chapter with the heavy burden to pay its long-owned debts by sacrifice. Exquisite structure to fit penitent history, heroic battle, aftermath in a single book.
April 13, 2018
Overall, it was quite a nice read. You get some insight from a "lost" Space marine chapter and the juicy bits from their martyred expedition. Like that we got some good description and imagery of what a Necron "society" looks like.
August 16, 2018
Gave up by page 28. It is so deep that it left no room for me to understand. I found myself trailing off, putting it off, and putting it down. I cannot get into this. I can't get past the great wall that is the lore, I am headbutting the lore trying to make room to learn.
January 1, 2022
An interesting story idea. Sometimes hard to follow the story line.
May 11, 2022
a bit of a slow start to be honest, but then the rest doesnt disappoint!
August 2, 2022
Quite fun.
July 16, 2023
We are humankind, and our gift is extinction.
October 28, 2025
The destruction of a whole chapter of Astral Knights to destroy the World Engine.
June 11, 2015
Many Space Marine companies have assembled to take on the World Engine, but their mighty fleet can't get close enough to engage... Only one ship can: the Astral Knights' one-of-a-kind battle barge Tempestus, after evacuating marines from other chapters, crashes into the World Engine and disgorges the entire Astral Knights chapter from the wreckage. Soon Necrons are everywhere and it's time to die! What is the secret behind the World Engine? Why are the Astral Knights willing to commit suicide to stop it?
Weirdly for a book about space marines, the main character isn't a space marine at all! Kalliam Helvetar is a faceless, nameless servant to Lord Inquisitor Quilven Rhaye, an overbearing shitstain unfortunately granted an Inquisitorial Rosette. The devotion and courage she brings to her duty puts us all the shame; dress her in the bright blue of the Ultramarines and no one would blink. Through her eyes, we see the Astral Knights as they meet their final fate.
For publicity's sake, book blurbs exaggerate, but not this time. The World Engine's path would take it to Terra and Mars, so the whole Imperium of Man really is threatened! As is distressingly usual, Ben Counter excels in scripting great characters, and their deaths leave a gaping hole that wouldn't hurt so much if telling this tale had been left to a less-capable writer. The loss of the Astral Knights isn't just the Imperium's loss; the rest of us have to muddle along w/out them.
Weirdly for a book about space marines, the main character isn't a space marine at all! Kalliam Helvetar is a faceless, nameless servant to Lord Inquisitor Quilven Rhaye, an overbearing shitstain unfortunately granted an Inquisitorial Rosette. The devotion and courage she brings to her duty puts us all the shame; dress her in the bright blue of the Ultramarines and no one would blink. Through her eyes, we see the Astral Knights as they meet their final fate.
For publicity's sake, book blurbs exaggerate, but not this time. The World Engine's path would take it to Terra and Mars, so the whole Imperium of Man really is threatened! As is distressingly usual, Ben Counter excels in scripting great characters, and their deaths leave a gaping hole that wouldn't hurt so much if telling this tale had been left to a less-capable writer. The loss of the Astral Knights isn't just the Imperium's loss; the rest of us have to muddle along w/out them.
February 4, 2015
This novel tells the story of the Astral Knights Chapter and their fight against the necrons on a planet/weapon known as The World Engine. Apparently, this is actually a novelization of a short story that appear in several of the older Space Marine codex books, so if you've read those, you've already got the plot.
Counter does a good, but not great, job of world building. His take on necrons is interesting, but it comes at the expense of what some would think are central characteristics of that race. For example, instead of trying to exterminate all life, these necrons are willing to enslave vast quantities of mortal races. Also, the concept of their regeneration and teleportation off the battlefield is heavily downplayed. On the flip side, you get an interesting and detailed take on the internal power struggles between different necron dynasties.
The weakest aspect of the book is definitely the dialogue. Most characters are barely developed and almost everyone could be easily interchangable. The plot is also predictable - you know from the beginning how the story will go, but Counter makes it interesting.
Counter does a good, but not great, job of world building. His take on necrons is interesting, but it comes at the expense of what some would think are central characteristics of that race. For example, instead of trying to exterminate all life, these necrons are willing to enslave vast quantities of mortal races. Also, the concept of their regeneration and teleportation off the battlefield is heavily downplayed. On the flip side, you get an interesting and detailed take on the internal power struggles between different necron dynasties.
The weakest aspect of the book is definitely the dialogue. Most characters are barely developed and almost everyone could be easily interchangable. The plot is also predictable - you know from the beginning how the story will go, but Counter makes it interesting.
April 3, 2015
The latest Space Marine Battles novel – The World Engine – is Ben Counter’s second in the series and promises to be about as epic a story as it’s possible to be. The titular World Engine is a mobile planet, a vast and apparently indestructible necron construct that has been marauding through Imperial space and devastating systems with impunity. With few options remaining, the entire Astral Knights chapter launches a suicidal assault, crashing their battle barge directly into the planet in a last ditch attempt to stop the World Engine. The Space Marine Battles series is built on the premise that the stories told are enjoyable, entertaining and fun, and with such a ridiculously over the top concept this should deliver all three in spades.
Read the rest of the review at https://trackofwords.wordpress.com/20...
Read the rest of the review at https://trackofwords.wordpress.com/20...
July 25, 2016
I generally like Black Library works that deal with Necrons, and this was no exception. It certainly cast a new(ish) and interesting light on the C'tan. Hints keep coming about the Dragon, and I hope they actually follow through with that storyline (even if it ends the current 40k universe).
The description of the Necron dynasties and their machinations, usurpations, and betrayals was kind of neat--definitely a change since GW introduced that more nuanced aspect of the Necrons. I think the Space Marine chapter (w/o armored vehicles) would have been crushed quicker on a Necron homeworld, but it didn't seem to overly drug out.
The description of the Necron dynasties and their machinations, usurpations, and betrayals was kind of neat--definitely a change since GW introduced that more nuanced aspect of the Necrons. I think the Space Marine chapter (w/o armored vehicles) would have been crushed quicker on a Necron homeworld, but it didn't seem to overly drug out.
March 29, 2016
This book is a slow starter as it has to introduce you to all its main characters individually, but the pay off is worth it, massive battles and detonations. Ben Counter writes a very easy to read style, which is good. It's the first and only novel about the Necrons that I've read, not sure the tabletop Necrons are that similar to those written, so I might find another to compare with. An enjoyable read though.
March 31, 2015
The Astral Knights Space Marine Chapter go on a suicide mission to destroy a Necron Death Star. The book is one long battle report with moments of contemplation. The book also hints at the age, history and influence of the Necron race. Excellent and fast paced read.
September 29, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews