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Grey Knights #1-3
Grey Knights: The Omnibus
Great omnibus edition collects three novels in a popular series. Author Ben Counter is one of the Black Library's most popular SF authors. Stories featuring Space Marines, genetically-engineered warriors of the far future, are BL's strongest-selling titles. Author will be making convention appearances in spring/summer 2008. Omnibus edition collecting the novels, Grey Knights, Dark Adeptus and Hammer of Daemons from the popular Warhammer 40,000 Grey Knights series.
768 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2014
283 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
About the author
Ben Counter
158 books211 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 - 30 of 41 reviews
September 15, 2013
You know how sometimes, what you really want is some Kentucky Fried Chicken, but someone (naming no names, but this would be your children) want to steal your chicken from you once you've purchased it, and even though the Colonel's cole slaw may be what God sent to the Israelites when they got peckish you want the freaking chicken and biscuits dammit so you take advantage of the fact that you're older, taller, and less inhibited in what you eat by hiding a breast or two and some biscuits in tupperware in the back of the fridge so you can sneak down at midnight and eat your sweet sweet lucre despite the indigestion you'll have as your intestines launch a major uprising in four hours?
The Grey Knights Ombibus is the last biscuit, the sweetest one, the one with the best of the chicken grease leached into it, the one your wife saw and meant to steal from you but she was too tired and fell asleep while breastfeeding and screw her if she can't move fast enough just this one time and anyway she'd ruin it by putting jelly on it. You don't let anyone see you while you consume it, you don't proudly stand up and tell the world you ate that biscuit and luxuriated in its starchy chickeny bready meaty flavor, you sure as heck wash your own shirt after part of it oozes off and slides down your chest because there will be lots of awkward questions asked if your wife sees the shirt with that stain you spent time sucking.
But you enjoy it even so.
This is not great art. It is not good art. Honestly, it is not art. It's entirely enjoyable pulp, bound and created as if it's aware of what it is and dares you to mock it for it, if a book can be said to have attitude. It's the story of a psychopath in a world gone mad who lives to worship a corpse so that he will have the power to fight demons and men who have given themselves over to demons. It's the story of a dying universe with crazy and diseased and impoverished people fighting back a fall into chaos and destruction that is basically inevitable.
It is so much fun.
Despite some efforts by otherwise decent authors in the 1980s, none of us like demons, so there's a lot of fun to be had here as the protagonist and his merry band of fellow lunatics go on shooting, flaming, smashing, and slicing their way through demons. The Warhammer 40,000 universe, if you're geeky enough to have lived it on tables in the backs of gaming stores and in the crowded rooms of less reputable gaming conventions, is made very much alive here.
That's a plus for geeks, and a serious turnoff for people who have well-adjusted or at least normal lives.
The Omnibus in total is actually three books (as with so many such compendia, it is misnamed, but let's take our adulterated language as is and run with it) that tell the story of Alaric, a man taken at a young age and surgically and genetically altered into a nigh-unstoppable killing machine whose whole mission in life is to kill the Hell out of demons in a war mankind will ultimately lose. Over the course of the stories, his faith in himself, his mission, his living deity, and the ability of his armor to handle his excrement are tested in increasingly strained circumstances. He does bad things for good causes because the Warhammer 40,000 world is predicated on the idea that pacifists can't be saints but vicious marauders with Panzer tanks wrapped around their chests can be.
It is first-rate pulp fiction filled with characters who in a sane world would be executed on sight.
Let me sum it up this way: There are three kinds of people who read books on airplanes.
The first kind want to be seen reading important, well-respected things, or worse, think a confined tube in which everyone is coughing on you is a great place to do this and who are clearly philistines of the first order.
The second kind read books ending in "Shades of Grey" and don't realize that by pulling that book out on an airplane have justly volunteered to end up on a NSA watchlist and, in the fullness of time, the wrong end of a Library of Congress death squad.
The third kind read wonderful garbage and could not care less what strangers and NSA trackers think about them. They tend to have fun, have better love lives, and also tend to be smarter and more attractive to members of both sexes.
If you're in that third category, buy this book, read it, and walk on through the storm, head high.
The Grey Knights Ombibus is the last biscuit, the sweetest one, the one with the best of the chicken grease leached into it, the one your wife saw and meant to steal from you but she was too tired and fell asleep while breastfeeding and screw her if she can't move fast enough just this one time and anyway she'd ruin it by putting jelly on it. You don't let anyone see you while you consume it, you don't proudly stand up and tell the world you ate that biscuit and luxuriated in its starchy chickeny bready meaty flavor, you sure as heck wash your own shirt after part of it oozes off and slides down your chest because there will be lots of awkward questions asked if your wife sees the shirt with that stain you spent time sucking.
But you enjoy it even so.
This is not great art. It is not good art. Honestly, it is not art. It's entirely enjoyable pulp, bound and created as if it's aware of what it is and dares you to mock it for it, if a book can be said to have attitude. It's the story of a psychopath in a world gone mad who lives to worship a corpse so that he will have the power to fight demons and men who have given themselves over to demons. It's the story of a dying universe with crazy and diseased and impoverished people fighting back a fall into chaos and destruction that is basically inevitable.
It is so much fun.
Despite some efforts by otherwise decent authors in the 1980s, none of us like demons, so there's a lot of fun to be had here as the protagonist and his merry band of fellow lunatics go on shooting, flaming, smashing, and slicing their way through demons. The Warhammer 40,000 universe, if you're geeky enough to have lived it on tables in the backs of gaming stores and in the crowded rooms of less reputable gaming conventions, is made very much alive here.
That's a plus for geeks, and a serious turnoff for people who have well-adjusted or at least normal lives.
The Omnibus in total is actually three books (as with so many such compendia, it is misnamed, but let's take our adulterated language as is and run with it) that tell the story of Alaric, a man taken at a young age and surgically and genetically altered into a nigh-unstoppable killing machine whose whole mission in life is to kill the Hell out of demons in a war mankind will ultimately lose. Over the course of the stories, his faith in himself, his mission, his living deity, and the ability of his armor to handle his excrement are tested in increasingly strained circumstances. He does bad things for good causes because the Warhammer 40,000 world is predicated on the idea that pacifists can't be saints but vicious marauders with Panzer tanks wrapped around their chests can be.
It is first-rate pulp fiction filled with characters who in a sane world would be executed on sight.
Let me sum it up this way: There are three kinds of people who read books on airplanes.
The first kind want to be seen reading important, well-respected things, or worse, think a confined tube in which everyone is coughing on you is a great place to do this and who are clearly philistines of the first order.
The second kind read books ending in "Shades of Grey" and don't realize that by pulling that book out on an airplane have justly volunteered to end up on a NSA watchlist and, in the fullness of time, the wrong end of a Library of Congress death squad.
The third kind read wonderful garbage and could not care less what strangers and NSA trackers think about them. They tend to have fun, have better love lives, and also tend to be smarter and more attractive to members of both sexes.
If you're in that third category, buy this book, read it, and walk on through the storm, head high.
December 12, 2014
A collection of three novels about (checks title) the Grey Knights, W40's super elite anti-demon hunters, and as close as the setting comes to good guys. Contained within are three novels:
Grey Knights - This is a good start; the book kicks off with a battle where an isolated group of Grey Knights mounts a almost hopeless assault on a evil, naughty demon who's sealed for a thousand years, with the story picking up as some naughty, evil Chaos chumps attempt to summon him back into real space. The 13th Black Crusade is going on in the backround (as it is for the entire omnibus, actually), meaning that our heroes are working on as close to a shoestring budget as 8 foot tall psychic genetically modified guys in powered armor can be. Since our heroes work as the Inquisition anti-demon branch and inquisitors need to be super suspicious, there's also a health dose of paranoia, although I'm not sure I exactly followed one character's redemption late in the book. Solid, slightly above average stuff.
Dark Adeptus - This is my favorite novel in the omnibus. It kicks off with an entire planet screaming out of the Warp, and our heroes go to investigate, saddled with suspicious allies who they don't entirely trust, and vice versa. This aspect really makes the book stand out, with our heroes fighting not just against the entire possessed world, but keeping an eye on their companions, who they suspect are there to steal some ancient, highly valuable technology. It does take a little while to get going, but once the characters make it into the more interesting parts of the planet (basically a corrupted super-server), this is the best material in the whole collection.
Hammer of Daemons - Unfortunately the omnibus goes out with a real slog; Our hero is captured in the first ten pages and spends the rest of the book trying to escape a demon planet dedicated to Khorne, the least interesting Chaos god, whose gimmick is that he's real angry and loves blood. While it's interesting seeing our hero taken out of his Grey Knight comfort zone, a lot of the book is portent-filled dreams and symbolic demon possession attempts, and this gets old real quick. I appreciate the author trying something new after the previous two novels, but it didn't quite work in this case.
All in all, this falls squarely into the large pile of good, not great, W40k fiction out there; two good and one okay novels for the price of a single paperback is hard to pass up.
Grey Knights - This is a good start; the book kicks off with a battle where an isolated group of Grey Knights mounts a almost hopeless assault on a evil, naughty demon who's sealed for a thousand years, with the story picking up as some naughty, evil Chaos chumps attempt to summon him back into real space. The 13th Black Crusade is going on in the backround (as it is for the entire omnibus, actually), meaning that our heroes are working on as close to a shoestring budget as 8 foot tall psychic genetically modified guys in powered armor can be. Since our heroes work as the Inquisition anti-demon branch and inquisitors need to be super suspicious, there's also a health dose of paranoia, although I'm not sure I exactly followed one character's redemption late in the book. Solid, slightly above average stuff.
Dark Adeptus - This is my favorite novel in the omnibus. It kicks off with an entire planet screaming out of the Warp, and our heroes go to investigate, saddled with suspicious allies who they don't entirely trust, and vice versa. This aspect really makes the book stand out, with our heroes fighting not just against the entire possessed world, but keeping an eye on their companions, who they suspect are there to steal some ancient, highly valuable technology. It does take a little while to get going, but once the characters make it into the more interesting parts of the planet (basically a corrupted super-server), this is the best material in the whole collection.
Hammer of Daemons - Unfortunately the omnibus goes out with a real slog; Our hero is captured in the first ten pages and spends the rest of the book trying to escape a demon planet dedicated to Khorne, the least interesting Chaos god, whose gimmick is that he's real angry and loves blood. While it's interesting seeing our hero taken out of his Grey Knight comfort zone, a lot of the book is portent-filled dreams and symbolic demon possession attempts, and this gets old real quick. I appreciate the author trying something new after the previous two novels, but it didn't quite work in this case.
All in all, this falls squarely into the large pile of good, not great, W40k fiction out there; two good and one okay novels for the price of a single paperback is hard to pass up.
June 9, 2013
Omnibus collecting three Grey Knights stories. The setting is the Warhammer 40.000 universe, and the Grey Knights are Space Marines that are employed to hunt down daemons. The three stories follow the main protagonist, Alaric, in a fight to track down and destroy a daemon, on a quest to stop a daemon on a warp-infested planet (those who know Warhammer will understand), and as a captive turned gladiator for Chaos. In general Warhammer books work fine, as long as you can accept the inherent silliness of the universe and don’t stop and think too much. That didn’t work for me on this one. The first book was OK, but the second book was just weird (biological-technological hybridization and Chaos infested techpriest-heresy – it made my head hurt), and the third one plain silly. The start was promising enough (in a mediocre but OK Warhammer way), but it went downhill from there. If you don’t care about the more extreme Warhammer silliness, perhaps it’s something for you. The best I can say is that I managed to finish it.
September 30, 2021
This omnibus follows the career of Justicar Alaric - an especially intelligent and innovative member of the Grey Knights. Weapons of The Inquisition and faithful servants to the Emperor - Grey Knights are compelled to vanquish chaos, establish order, and hunt demons.
Traveling through a merciless universe where unimaginable horrors creep across the surface of corrupted planets - each novel unfolds gory action packed scifi that explores some of the most punishing depredations visited upon humankind.
The Grey Knights are beacons of hope & faith to the people, but to the demons they face they are merciless killers and bloodthirsty philosopher-soldiers. Incredibly fun and satisfying - I recommend this omnibus to any 40k fan thirsting for glory and chaos in equal measure.
Traveling through a merciless universe where unimaginable horrors creep across the surface of corrupted planets - each novel unfolds gory action packed scifi that explores some of the most punishing depredations visited upon humankind.
The Grey Knights are beacons of hope & faith to the people, but to the demons they face they are merciless killers and bloodthirsty philosopher-soldiers. Incredibly fun and satisfying - I recommend this omnibus to any 40k fan thirsting for glory and chaos in equal measure.
July 23, 2025
I started this years ago and finally got around to finishing it. I am not a fan of sci-fi. This book is incredibly well written and I highly recommend it if anyone is looking for a dark sci-fi book to read.
January 3, 2018
Good start, questionable end
As a reader relatively new to Warhammer 40k, i was particularly eager to read up on the grey knights. I must say that the first book is the best of the lot. Its inventive, has a good plot and the final twist is nothing to sneeze at. The second book is a little bit of a letdown compared to the first, but it does have its merit. The third one felt like it could have been written in any universe. My biggest gripe is that none of the grey knights is even a bit memorable aside from Alaric. As if they weren't even there. Also, the third book is heavily related to Khorne and his followers, but the rules of the deity are heavily bent to make certain plot points work, even cringeworthy in some cases. Nonetheless, its a good starting point for learning about the grey knights.
As a reader relatively new to Warhammer 40k, i was particularly eager to read up on the grey knights. I must say that the first book is the best of the lot. Its inventive, has a good plot and the final twist is nothing to sneeze at. The second book is a little bit of a letdown compared to the first, but it does have its merit. The third one felt like it could have been written in any universe. My biggest gripe is that none of the grey knights is even a bit memorable aside from Alaric. As if they weren't even there. Also, the third book is heavily related to Khorne and his followers, but the rules of the deity are heavily bent to make certain plot points work, even cringeworthy in some cases. Nonetheless, its a good starting point for learning about the grey knights.
July 16, 2015
When most people think of Warhammer 40,000 they imagine it’s trademark power armor clad, genetically engineered, super human, bad-asses the Space Marines. I was introduced to Black Library’s thrilling series of 40K novels via another fascinating character type though, the agents of the Imperial Inquisition. If the Space Marines are the Supermen of 40K characters than the Inquisition are sort of the Batmen– well a mixture between Batman, James Bond, and the hunters of “Supernatural” if they existed in a high tech setting. So they’re morally gray, very human bad-asses that can embark upon a variety of stories. I loved that about them. That human quality was what kept me from reading Space Marine stories for awhile.
That was my loss. Having recently read the first five entries in the Horus Heresy series and the stories that make up Nick Kyme’s “Salamander” omnibus I now see that the genetically enhanced soldiers of the Adeptus Astartes can be fascinating characters in their own right. So I was very intrigued by Ben Counter’s “Grey Knights Omnibus” which combines Space Marines with the Inquisition since the titular characters serve as the Chamber Militant, or private army of the Ordo Malleus, the branch of the Inquisition charged with hunting demons. Adding to my excitement was the fact that Counter penned probably my favorite entry in the Horus Heresy books I’ve read so far “Galaxy in Flames,” the series third book. Having now finished the three books that make up the “Grey Knights Omnibus”: “Grey Knights,” “Dark Adeptus,” and “Hammer of Demons” I’m happy to say the book was even better than I expected it to be. I loved all three books, especially “Hammer of Demons!’
Like any great Warhammer 40K novel the books that make up the “Grey Knights”omnibus feature a lot of action and Counter is great at staging a variety of different action scenes. We get hostage stand offs in massive high tech office buildings that have been taken over by demon worshipping cults, a massive melee battle between power armor clad Grey Knights and the medieval warriors of a feudal planet, cat and mouse pursuit involving techno-demons and sinister bio-mechanical warriors, a finale to the second novel that has to be read to believed (I’m not spoiling it here!), and a whole series of really cool hand-to-hand and insane large scale battles in the third novel. Counter expertly stages these scenes. The pace of them is fun and exciting and you feel their impact.
As a bonus you also get some really cool scenes of space ship combat. You don’t often get outer space combat in 40K novels Ben Counterwhere much of the action takes place on the ground, but the “Grey Knights Omnibus” featured some exciting space battles that came about organically and added some tension and excitement to the larger narratives.
There was so much diverse action in the Omnibus because in each book Counter told three very different types of stories. The first book in the series “Grey Knights” was the type of story you initially think about when you’d imagine a group of demon hunting Space Marines affiliated with the Inquisition. In it Justicar Alaric and the fellow members of his Grey Knights squad are tasked with aiding an Inquisitor investigating a prophecy about a powerful demon prince escaping his prison in the otherworldly dimension known as the Warp. “Dark Adeptus” is sort of a “behind enemy lines” style story where the world of the Grey Knights collides with the world of Warhammer 40K’s mysterious tech priests, the Adeptus Mechanicus. It follows Alaric, the other Grey Knights from his squad that survived the first book, some members of the Inquisition, and an expedition of tech priests as they explore a mysterious Forge World, the technological centers of the Imperium of Man, that has suddenly reappeared after vanishing over a century ago. Then the final book “Hammer of Demons” finds Alaric trapped on a hellish demon world; an entire planet dedicated to the worship of the murderous Chaos God, Khorne.
I loved that Counter gave us three distinct stories. It gave the book a nice variety and it also added towards what’s become one of my favorite aspects of Warhammer 40K novels; the travelogue feel to them. It feels like authors of Black Library’s 40K books really strive to give the planets where their stories take place unique feels. In “Grey Knights” Counter took readers to several very different and distinct worlds. In the latter two novels the author took the chance to explore in depth two strange and inhospitable planets. So setting was very much a big part of these novels for me and really added to the larger stories Counter was telling.
Action and setting are fun elements of course, but they don’t necessarily make for good stories. Good characters are key for good stories and in his “Grety Knights Omnibus” Counter presents us with a fantastic lead character in the form of Justicar Alaric. Over the course of the three tales you really get to see Alaric grow and change. It was fun and exciting to watch and it was not unlike what Dan Abnett did with his protagonist in his amazing “Eisenhorn” trilogy of novels, which were my introduction to Black Library’s “Warhammer 40,000” fiction line. Part of what made Alaric’s journey so fun was watching him deal with the complications and difficult choices that come with fighting demons and seeing how that affected his faith in the God Emperor of Mankind (An almost deity like figure that the humans and many Space Marines of 40K revere and in some cases outright worship) and his duty to humanity.
You really get to see that in “Hammer of Demons” which in some ways was a difficult book to read because I was really invested in Alaric as a character by that time. Ultimately though “Hammer of Demons” was the best of the three books in the Omnibus though and one of the best 40K books I’ve ever read. Again, I don’t want to spoil much, but the book’s setting of a world conquered by demons means Alaric undergoes an epic journey that challenges his faith and devotion to duty and forces him to grow as a person. It’s thrilling and powerful stuff and featured some real moving quotes about hope and humanity.
Alaric wasn’t the only interesting character in “The Grey Knights Omnibus” either. Over the course of the three novels you meet some complex heroes and vile villains. My favorites were Inquisitor Ligea, Alaric’s battle brother Dvorn, Interrogator Hawkespur, and the demonic Duke Venalitor who I really hated.
So if you’re a fan of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, or are looking for a good place to get acquainted with it for the first time, pick up the “Grey Knights Omnibus.” It’s a hell of a read that’s fun, exciting, poignant and powerful. It left me wanting more from both Ben Counter and the titular demon hunters of the Ordo Malleus.
That was my loss. Having recently read the first five entries in the Horus Heresy series and the stories that make up Nick Kyme’s “Salamander” omnibus I now see that the genetically enhanced soldiers of the Adeptus Astartes can be fascinating characters in their own right. So I was very intrigued by Ben Counter’s “Grey Knights Omnibus” which combines Space Marines with the Inquisition since the titular characters serve as the Chamber Militant, or private army of the Ordo Malleus, the branch of the Inquisition charged with hunting demons. Adding to my excitement was the fact that Counter penned probably my favorite entry in the Horus Heresy books I’ve read so far “Galaxy in Flames,” the series third book. Having now finished the three books that make up the “Grey Knights Omnibus”: “Grey Knights,” “Dark Adeptus,” and “Hammer of Demons” I’m happy to say the book was even better than I expected it to be. I loved all three books, especially “Hammer of Demons!’
Like any great Warhammer 40K novel the books that make up the “Grey Knights”omnibus feature a lot of action and Counter is great at staging a variety of different action scenes. We get hostage stand offs in massive high tech office buildings that have been taken over by demon worshipping cults, a massive melee battle between power armor clad Grey Knights and the medieval warriors of a feudal planet, cat and mouse pursuit involving techno-demons and sinister bio-mechanical warriors, a finale to the second novel that has to be read to believed (I’m not spoiling it here!), and a whole series of really cool hand-to-hand and insane large scale battles in the third novel. Counter expertly stages these scenes. The pace of them is fun and exciting and you feel their impact.
As a bonus you also get some really cool scenes of space ship combat. You don’t often get outer space combat in 40K novels Ben Counterwhere much of the action takes place on the ground, but the “Grey Knights Omnibus” featured some exciting space battles that came about organically and added some tension and excitement to the larger narratives.
There was so much diverse action in the Omnibus because in each book Counter told three very different types of stories. The first book in the series “Grey Knights” was the type of story you initially think about when you’d imagine a group of demon hunting Space Marines affiliated with the Inquisition. In it Justicar Alaric and the fellow members of his Grey Knights squad are tasked with aiding an Inquisitor investigating a prophecy about a powerful demon prince escaping his prison in the otherworldly dimension known as the Warp. “Dark Adeptus” is sort of a “behind enemy lines” style story where the world of the Grey Knights collides with the world of Warhammer 40K’s mysterious tech priests, the Adeptus Mechanicus. It follows Alaric, the other Grey Knights from his squad that survived the first book, some members of the Inquisition, and an expedition of tech priests as they explore a mysterious Forge World, the technological centers of the Imperium of Man, that has suddenly reappeared after vanishing over a century ago. Then the final book “Hammer of Demons” finds Alaric trapped on a hellish demon world; an entire planet dedicated to the worship of the murderous Chaos God, Khorne.
I loved that Counter gave us three distinct stories. It gave the book a nice variety and it also added towards what’s become one of my favorite aspects of Warhammer 40K novels; the travelogue feel to them. It feels like authors of Black Library’s 40K books really strive to give the planets where their stories take place unique feels. In “Grey Knights” Counter took readers to several very different and distinct worlds. In the latter two novels the author took the chance to explore in depth two strange and inhospitable planets. So setting was very much a big part of these novels for me and really added to the larger stories Counter was telling.
Action and setting are fun elements of course, but they don’t necessarily make for good stories. Good characters are key for good stories and in his “Grety Knights Omnibus” Counter presents us with a fantastic lead character in the form of Justicar Alaric. Over the course of the three tales you really get to see Alaric grow and change. It was fun and exciting to watch and it was not unlike what Dan Abnett did with his protagonist in his amazing “Eisenhorn” trilogy of novels, which were my introduction to Black Library’s “Warhammer 40,000” fiction line. Part of what made Alaric’s journey so fun was watching him deal with the complications and difficult choices that come with fighting demons and seeing how that affected his faith in the God Emperor of Mankind (An almost deity like figure that the humans and many Space Marines of 40K revere and in some cases outright worship) and his duty to humanity.
You really get to see that in “Hammer of Demons” which in some ways was a difficult book to read because I was really invested in Alaric as a character by that time. Ultimately though “Hammer of Demons” was the best of the three books in the Omnibus though and one of the best 40K books I’ve ever read. Again, I don’t want to spoil much, but the book’s setting of a world conquered by demons means Alaric undergoes an epic journey that challenges his faith and devotion to duty and forces him to grow as a person. It’s thrilling and powerful stuff and featured some real moving quotes about hope and humanity.
Alaric wasn’t the only interesting character in “The Grey Knights Omnibus” either. Over the course of the three novels you meet some complex heroes and vile villains. My favorites were Inquisitor Ligea, Alaric’s battle brother Dvorn, Interrogator Hawkespur, and the demonic Duke Venalitor who I really hated.
So if you’re a fan of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, or are looking for a good place to get acquainted with it for the first time, pick up the “Grey Knights Omnibus.” It’s a hell of a read that’s fun, exciting, poignant and powerful. It left me wanting more from both Ben Counter and the titular demon hunters of the Ordo Malleus.
September 15, 2021
All in all, not a bad omnibus. The second book, Dark Adeptus, was a little redundant and non-sensical, but the first book and the last one, although quite different in tone, were my favorites.
One thing needs to be said, though. The first novel has the worst prologue I've ever read, which almost made me give up on reading this book. Full of named characters in a battle of over 20 pages where you don't even know who's living and who's dying and why you should care about them. Not all the book is like this, and eventually, we get to know our main characters. I would skip the first chapters if I have to reread the book.
There is a bit of everything in the novels of this omnibus. Action, drama, intrigue, mystery, blood, gore, robots, space marines, inquisition, you name it. The first one, Grey Knights, deals with the plot of a demon lord to return in real space and it was quite a good read (except prologue) in discovering new things about the Grey Knights and how intelligent chaos entities operate.
The second book, Dark Adeptus, is about a world of Adeptus Mechanics corrupted by chaos and has some weird data demons threatening all life. I couldn't get around the fact that data can physically harm people and also is being physically harmed by weapons. Do you know what data is?
The third novel, Hammer of Daemons, is a sort of perverted gladiator story in a chaos-infested world, populated by mutants and weird creatures, that sometimes are so silly I think they should belong in a kid's show. That is after they start ripping men in half and we have to read explicit descriptions of gore and blood. Also, rivers made of blood. Blood everywhere. And more blood.
One thing needs to be said, though. The first novel has the worst prologue I've ever read, which almost made me give up on reading this book. Full of named characters in a battle of over 20 pages where you don't even know who's living and who's dying and why you should care about them. Not all the book is like this, and eventually, we get to know our main characters. I would skip the first chapters if I have to reread the book.
There is a bit of everything in the novels of this omnibus. Action, drama, intrigue, mystery, blood, gore, robots, space marines, inquisition, you name it. The first one, Grey Knights, deals with the plot of a demon lord to return in real space and it was quite a good read (except prologue) in discovering new things about the Grey Knights and how intelligent chaos entities operate.
The second book, Dark Adeptus, is about a world of Adeptus Mechanics corrupted by chaos and has some weird data demons threatening all life. I couldn't get around the fact that data can physically harm people and also is being physically harmed by weapons. Do you know what data is?
The third novel, Hammer of Daemons, is a sort of perverted gladiator story in a chaos-infested world, populated by mutants and weird creatures, that sometimes are so silly I think they should belong in a kid's show. That is after they start ripping men in half and we have to read explicit descriptions of gore and blood. Also, rivers made of blood. Blood everywhere. And more blood.
April 30, 2020
I had this book sitting on my shelf for a few years. I had acquired it from a local used book store that has long since gone out of business. The Grey Knights chapter of Space Marines have always intrigued me, from the moment I first set eyes on them the "Warhammer 40,000 Squad Command Tactics" game.
There are certain expectations for whenever I read a 40K novel. I'm not reading this to be edified. I am not expecting a grandiose narrative, or social commentary. I am expecting a pulpy, sci-fi/fantasy action novel packed with lots of action. This book absolutely delivers!
The beginning of the novel is in typical Warhammer fashion, as we get a detailed description of a daemon world filled with a field of Chaos cultists, crucified and fused to trees in order to commune with their daemon overlord. Great, just what I was expecting!
From then on the novel is a wild ride from the perspective of Justicar Alaric, recently promoted to his position(basically a squad leader). Alaric isn't like other Space Marines, and displays imagination and aptitude, something especially unique coming from his incredibly rigid and dogmatic chapter of Marines. They hunt daemons afterall.
I always quite enjoy Space Marine stories when the marines themselves aren't just blank characters and have their own insecurities and quirks. Its the best way to make these superhuman characters relatable. The Grey Knights are believed to be incorruptible, yet by the end of the story we wonder, like Alaric himself, what he has become. In order to achieve victory against the myriad of foes he faces, Alaric has had to do things atypical of an Imperial marine. He's communed with daemons, worked with aliens, and even used the powers of Chaos against themselves.
There were several likable side cahracters, that in retrospect I should've seen their fates, but I grew attached to. This is a Warhammer novel after-all; there's no happy endings in the grimdarkness of the 41st millennium.
There are certain expectations for whenever I read a 40K novel. I'm not reading this to be edified. I am not expecting a grandiose narrative, or social commentary. I am expecting a pulpy, sci-fi/fantasy action novel packed with lots of action. This book absolutely delivers!
The beginning of the novel is in typical Warhammer fashion, as we get a detailed description of a daemon world filled with a field of Chaos cultists, crucified and fused to trees in order to commune with their daemon overlord. Great, just what I was expecting!
From then on the novel is a wild ride from the perspective of Justicar Alaric, recently promoted to his position(basically a squad leader). Alaric isn't like other Space Marines, and displays imagination and aptitude, something especially unique coming from his incredibly rigid and dogmatic chapter of Marines. They hunt daemons afterall.
I always quite enjoy Space Marine stories when the marines themselves aren't just blank characters and have their own insecurities and quirks. Its the best way to make these superhuman characters relatable. The Grey Knights are believed to be incorruptible, yet by the end of the story we wonder, like Alaric himself, what he has become. In order to achieve victory against the myriad of foes he faces, Alaric has had to do things atypical of an Imperial marine. He's communed with daemons, worked with aliens, and even used the powers of Chaos against themselves.
There were several likable side cahracters, that in retrospect I should've seen their fates, but I grew attached to. This is a Warhammer novel after-all; there's no happy endings in the grimdarkness of the 41st millennium.
January 15, 2024
An excellent novel (novels really, as the Omnibus is three novels in one book) set in the Warhammer 40k universe. The books do an excellent job at showcasing the war-torn universe of 40k, as well as its "grimdark" nature.
I've always had the point of view (from the table-top game) that the Grey Knight were a boring faction, simply being "moar Space Marine" than the average space marine. The author does make this a point of the books though - the Grey Knights are hidebound and similar but individual differences are there and the main character's notability is that he is possessed of more imagination and though than the average Grey Knight.
Each novel has a "twist" of sorts, but they aren't out of nowhere. While I didn't see any of them ahead of time, the clues were there. Fair-played.
In accordance with the setting, many characters mercilessly die in the pages. Some that I thought had died later turn out to have survived but it's always well-done. Little sparks of hope in the pages. Shout-outs to the survivors - Xiang, Hawkspur, Nyxos,Dvorn, and of course, Alaric. I plan to check out if any of them show up in later books.
Chaos betrays everyone in the end.
I've always had the point of view (from the table-top game) that the Grey Knight were a boring faction, simply being "moar Space Marine" than the average space marine. The author does make this a point of the books though - the Grey Knights are hidebound and similar but individual differences are there and the main character's notability is that he is possessed of more imagination and though than the average Grey Knight.
Each novel has a "twist" of sorts, but they aren't out of nowhere. While I didn't see any of them ahead of time, the clues were there. Fair-played.
In accordance with the setting, many characters mercilessly die in the pages. Some that I thought had died later turn out to have survived but it's always well-done. Little sparks of hope in the pages. Shout-outs to the survivors - Xiang, Hawkspur, Nyxos,Dvorn, and of course, Alaric. I plan to check out if any of them show up in later books.
Chaos betrays everyone in the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2025
Actual rating would be 3½ stars. The books were enjoyable and a fast read given the size of the omnibus. I couldn't help feeling, however, as if something were missing. The books were competently written; I liked the action and plotting. But I never embraced Justicar Alaric, the protagonist, the way I did Talos and First Claw, reprehensible as they may be, from the Night Lords Omnibus. It's weird that the Grey Knight with his unshakeable faith should seem much less human in his characterization than the Night Lords.
Edit: Wanted to add that I noticed many errors in the text, including one egregious instance where the wrong person is named doing something. I know the Black Library is not a moneymaker for Games Workshop (if what I read is true), but I wish they would spend a little more on editorial so that the books are at the standard of other mainstream trade fiction.
Edit: Wanted to add that I noticed many errors in the text, including one egregious instance where the wrong person is named doing something. I know the Black Library is not a moneymaker for Games Workshop (if what I read is true), but I wish they would spend a little more on editorial so that the books are at the standard of other mainstream trade fiction.
November 21, 2024
Just reread this Omnibus after reading the single books with quiet some time inbetween. Really had a blast with the first and third book of series. Dark Mechanicus still is a decent read but I wouldn't rate it more than 3.5 of 5 - Daemonhammer gets a solid 4 of 5 and the first Book of the Omnibus Greyknights is a solid 5 of 5 - one of the best books in the universe and so far my favorite Ben Counter book (haven't read Daemonworld yet though).
August 7, 2021
Having not read any Black Library books for a few years, I found this one to be very enjoyable. I find a lot of the BL stuff to be written in the style of a futuristic H.P. Lovecraft, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
December 3, 2021
Collection of grey knight Alarics exploits
grey knight Alarics exploits range across the imperium as he and his team mates battle the chaos powers and how he overcomes adversity to do so
grey knight Alarics exploits range across the imperium as he and his team mates battle the chaos powers and how he overcomes adversity to do so
May 5, 2017
Awesome series. Loved it.
June 13, 2019
Two stars for story which is straight up action. Four stars for world building.
February 26, 2020
Superb!
June 19, 2024
A fun read.
September 5, 2024
40K fun and Chaos!
Some times the battles are over described but overall an enjoyable read. Was great to read about the Khorne world.
Some times the battles are over described but overall an enjoyable read. Was great to read about the Khorne world.
January 28, 2012
Bear with me, this is going to be a "tell a tale of my life" before the actual review, but I believe it will explain the big impression this book had on me.
The Emperor Protects!
"A tale of my life"
For someone that hates miniature games, it is not a impediment to read good sci fi about them. I'm a huge fan of the world of Warhammer 40k, even before I knew it existed. All because I'm a faithful player of Warcraft (the RTS games, please) and Starcraft, which are, in a very close sense, a fan-warhammer-type-of-game.
So, when I thought Starcraft had a good story to write out in a book (and I know there are some novels), I discovered Warhammer 40K universe (I was familiar with Warhammer fantasy universe). Talking with some friends, I got my hands on this omnibus...
"Actual review"
For a old space sci-fi lover, it lacks one or two things. Then I'm glad I'm not a old space sci fi lover. ;)
Justicar Alaric is an Adeptus Astartes. Chapter: Grey Knights. Which mean they are big, badass and "good guys" of the story. Ben Counter takes us in a journey of what is a Grey Knight, what is his part on the eternal war going around in and out of the Imperium, and what is the meaning of being a daemon hunter. Alaric is a strange gifted Astartes. He have imagination. He have a character that is a bit different from almost all the other Grey Knights. That makes him special. That makes him dangerous.
The omnibus have three books on it:
Grey Knights: in this book you get to know the main characters and supporting lead characters. And you get to know what is a Grey Knight, what forces move them. They face, in this book, a Lovecraftian type of daemon, that is known by the Prince of the Thousand faces. And he have a old plan set in motion. For someone that, like me, warhammer 40k is a green, virgin, bitchy dimension, this was a great way to start. A touch of the Inquisition and its inside works, and a great deal of blood and daemon mess. One thing one learns fast reading this first book is: daemons here are not mindless red beasts with horns that scream at us. Oh no. They are more vicious and more powerful that a single mind can imagine. So Alaric is send to the Trail of St Elvissier, in the company of his squad, to prevent the ancient plan to occur. Siding with Ligea, a inquisitor of the highest style, they plunge with madness, hoping they can break the Chaos... for a while. (Adeptas Sororitas, rock! enough said)
Dark Adeptus: this one bring Alaric back from the Trail, bruised but alive, and send him and his squad to the claws of Adeptus Mechanicus. Or to the Dark Adeptus, if we are to stand correct. Ben Counter narrative is of such intensity of description (without, at any moment, being boring or dull or meaningless) that one can close its eyes and see the wonders and horrors of Chaeronia unfolding and literally biologically blooming in our minds. So even the Machine-God can go bananas. Or sort of. The flow of the book is amazing. And we get to see a Chaos Horus time fleet actually fighting. But back to the story, so Alaric, still a Justicar, goes to Chaeronia to find out what happened to the planet in its 100 years of absence of the real space. I'm sure none of them were expecting that The Castigator was what it was... This book brings us the Adeptus Mechanicus to the spotlight, giving the "haters-of-miniatures" a good and great view about another adeptus of the Imperium.
Hammer of Daemons: Reading this book without the other two, is a good thing. The narrative is good and one gets hooked from the 3 or 4 chapter to the end in a endless crescendo that only clashes in the two last pages. But if one have read the other two novels, this book is, in one word, awesome.
Alaric is thrown, head first, body second, spirit all forward, out of his comfort zone. I've learned to like Alaric and to understand him in the previous books, and in this one I was with him all the way.
What is the worse thing that can happen to a daemon hunter? Be caught by daemons. That is what happen. This book is the culmination of what makes a Grey Knight... a Grey Knight. This book is the affirmation of Alaric, as well as his fall. And rising. And fall again. And I guess you have to read the book to find out what happens to my favourite Grey Knight ever when he caught himself, trapped and slaved between his believes and his humanity in the blood world of Khrone (Blood god of Chaos) of Draakasi.
What to say?
If you like sci-fi, no matter if you play warhammer or not, and you want to have something new and refreshing (and dark, very very dark) to read, try this Omnibus.
Try Ben Counter narrative.
And ...
I'm the Hammer...
The Emperor Protects!
"A tale of my life"
For someone that hates miniature games, it is not a impediment to read good sci fi about them. I'm a huge fan of the world of Warhammer 40k, even before I knew it existed. All because I'm a faithful player of Warcraft (the RTS games, please) and Starcraft, which are, in a very close sense, a fan-warhammer-type-of-game.
So, when I thought Starcraft had a good story to write out in a book (and I know there are some novels), I discovered Warhammer 40K universe (I was familiar with Warhammer fantasy universe). Talking with some friends, I got my hands on this omnibus...
"Actual review"
For a old space sci-fi lover, it lacks one or two things. Then I'm glad I'm not a old space sci fi lover. ;)
Justicar Alaric is an Adeptus Astartes. Chapter: Grey Knights. Which mean they are big, badass and "good guys" of the story. Ben Counter takes us in a journey of what is a Grey Knight, what is his part on the eternal war going around in and out of the Imperium, and what is the meaning of being a daemon hunter. Alaric is a strange gifted Astartes. He have imagination. He have a character that is a bit different from almost all the other Grey Knights. That makes him special. That makes him dangerous.
The omnibus have three books on it:
Grey Knights: in this book you get to know the main characters and supporting lead characters. And you get to know what is a Grey Knight, what forces move them. They face, in this book, a Lovecraftian type of daemon, that is known by the Prince of the Thousand faces. And he have a old plan set in motion. For someone that, like me, warhammer 40k is a green, virgin, bitchy dimension, this was a great way to start. A touch of the Inquisition and its inside works, and a great deal of blood and daemon mess. One thing one learns fast reading this first book is: daemons here are not mindless red beasts with horns that scream at us. Oh no. They are more vicious and more powerful that a single mind can imagine. So Alaric is send to the Trail of St Elvissier, in the company of his squad, to prevent the ancient plan to occur. Siding with Ligea, a inquisitor of the highest style, they plunge with madness, hoping they can break the Chaos... for a while. (Adeptas Sororitas, rock! enough said)
Dark Adeptus: this one bring Alaric back from the Trail, bruised but alive, and send him and his squad to the claws of Adeptus Mechanicus. Or to the Dark Adeptus, if we are to stand correct. Ben Counter narrative is of such intensity of description (without, at any moment, being boring or dull or meaningless) that one can close its eyes and see the wonders and horrors of Chaeronia unfolding and literally biologically blooming in our minds. So even the Machine-God can go bananas. Or sort of. The flow of the book is amazing. And we get to see a Chaos Horus time fleet actually fighting. But back to the story, so Alaric, still a Justicar, goes to Chaeronia to find out what happened to the planet in its 100 years of absence of the real space. I'm sure none of them were expecting that The Castigator was what it was... This book brings us the Adeptus Mechanicus to the spotlight, giving the "haters-of-miniatures" a good and great view about another adeptus of the Imperium.
Hammer of Daemons: Reading this book without the other two, is a good thing. The narrative is good and one gets hooked from the 3 or 4 chapter to the end in a endless crescendo that only clashes in the two last pages. But if one have read the other two novels, this book is, in one word, awesome.
Alaric is thrown, head first, body second, spirit all forward, out of his comfort zone. I've learned to like Alaric and to understand him in the previous books, and in this one I was with him all the way.
What is the worse thing that can happen to a daemon hunter? Be caught by daemons. That is what happen. This book is the culmination of what makes a Grey Knight... a Grey Knight. This book is the affirmation of Alaric, as well as his fall. And rising. And fall again. And I guess you have to read the book to find out what happens to my favourite Grey Knight ever when he caught himself, trapped and slaved between his believes and his humanity in the blood world of Khrone (Blood god of Chaos) of Draakasi.
What to say?
If you like sci-fi, no matter if you play warhammer or not, and you want to have something new and refreshing (and dark, very very dark) to read, try this Omnibus.
Try Ben Counter narrative.
And ...
I'm the Hammer...
March 8, 2017
Bedre skrevet end forventet, 1. historie glimrende, men tabte lidt interessen for 2 og 3.
July 9, 2014
I see so much potential in the Warhammer 40,000 universe that I just want the novels to be good. I want them to be up there with Dune in their world building, character development and impressive prose.
I might be hoping for too much. Grey Knights is an alright read (I only finished the first of the three novels contained in this omnibus). The characters are nothing special, but they're not unforgivingly flawed either. The minor characters are actually the most interesting; ones that only pop up for a chapter or less. The protagonist (I've even forgotten his name) was a little bland, but he did the job and we mostly experienced the plot through him.
There was no great commentary on humanity here. It was a simple good-guys-after-a-really-bad-guy plot. There were no shocking twists. The battles were sufficient, but not memorable. There was no moment that I recall in the vein of "How cool was it when he did that thing!" He did things, but they weren't cool.
The author used a lot of exposition to tell us stuff. A lot. Instead of showing us by letting us experience characters experiencing it, we were told how thing happened. This is poor writing. Yes, it is difficult to tell complex back story by incorporating it smoothly into the actual story without breaking away and saying, "Oh, by the way, all this happened." But it is part of the art of writing.
My biggest gripe? That this was a Grey Knights novel. I didn't get much of a feel that these guys were overly different to regular Space Marines. I mean, aren't all Grey Knights psykers to some degree? That didn't really come through. And how is a force sword different to a power sword? They kind of seem the same according to this novel. The Knights as a collective were just as grey as their namesake. I didn't find individuals within the army, just a heap of blandness. That might be deliberate, but it was boring.
What made Grey Knights readable was the fact that I have read Gav Thorpe's The Purging of Kadillus. I think Thorpe's one achievement with that novel is that all subsequent novels that I read will struggle to be that bad.
Overall, only read Grey Knights if you're a die hard Grey Knight fan. If you're a Warhammer 40,000 fan, only give it a go if you're desperate. If you're a science fiction fan there is much better writing out there in the genre.
I might be hoping for too much. Grey Knights is an alright read (I only finished the first of the three novels contained in this omnibus). The characters are nothing special, but they're not unforgivingly flawed either. The minor characters are actually the most interesting; ones that only pop up for a chapter or less. The protagonist (I've even forgotten his name) was a little bland, but he did the job and we mostly experienced the plot through him.
There was no great commentary on humanity here. It was a simple good-guys-after-a-really-bad-guy plot. There were no shocking twists. The battles were sufficient, but not memorable. There was no moment that I recall in the vein of "How cool was it when he did that thing!" He did things, but they weren't cool.
The author used a lot of exposition to tell us stuff. A lot. Instead of showing us by letting us experience characters experiencing it, we were told how thing happened. This is poor writing. Yes, it is difficult to tell complex back story by incorporating it smoothly into the actual story without breaking away and saying, "Oh, by the way, all this happened." But it is part of the art of writing.
My biggest gripe? That this was a Grey Knights novel. I didn't get much of a feel that these guys were overly different to regular Space Marines. I mean, aren't all Grey Knights psykers to some degree? That didn't really come through. And how is a force sword different to a power sword? They kind of seem the same according to this novel. The Knights as a collective were just as grey as their namesake. I didn't find individuals within the army, just a heap of blandness. That might be deliberate, but it was boring.
What made Grey Knights readable was the fact that I have read Gav Thorpe's The Purging of Kadillus. I think Thorpe's one achievement with that novel is that all subsequent novels that I read will struggle to be that bad.
Overall, only read Grey Knights if you're a die hard Grey Knight fan. If you're a Warhammer 40,000 fan, only give it a go if you're desperate. If you're a science fiction fan there is much better writing out there in the genre.
July 16, 2012
As far as Warhammer 40k fluff material is concerned, this is some of the most interesting stuff I've read. Each book in this collection, on its own, is common fare for this genre, but as a whole they form an entertaining look at one of the smaller groups of Space Marines. The Imperium vs. Chaos conflict is what strikes me as the most interesting dichotomies of the WH40K universe, and here we have the most devout of the Empire's faithful, the Grey Knights - paladins of the distant future. Beneath the inundation and over-saturation of violence and gore one expects of WH40K, I found some moderately thought-provoking questions about the nature of faith, right versus wrong, so-on and so-forth, which was a pleasant surprise, as I expected mere action and worldbuilding fluff for the tabletop game.
The first book, Grey Knights, is like a simple Hollywood action blockbuster that establishes Justicar Alaric and the other Marines of his chapter, featuring a decent villain and some interesting supporting characters. The second book, Dark Adeptus, was perhaps the best; it expanded far beyond the Grey Knights-Chaos dichotomy to include the third party of the Mechanicus and its tech-priests, further expanding the quandaries of the galactic war. The final book, Hammer of Daemons, really takes Alaric through the wringer in ways no other Grey Knight has experienced, but ultimately any of the potential it had (which shines through around Chapter 15, during Alaric's psychic grappling with a demon and the hallucinations he endures) was dragged down by the constant reliance on eighties-style science-fiction arena combat and the shallow subplot of the wars between Khorne's servants on Drakaasi.
Again, I have to lower my standards and come at any WH40K book from a fairer perspective - they're not meant to be lofty works of art nor will they ever be seen as such. This collection, however, offers glimmers of the series' potential to do more than show xenophobic humans of the far future waging holy wars against alien species. And at least the action is between the Imperium's most pure warriors and the barbarous hordes of the Eye of Terror, the most compelling conflict in the series.
The first book, Grey Knights, is like a simple Hollywood action blockbuster that establishes Justicar Alaric and the other Marines of his chapter, featuring a decent villain and some interesting supporting characters. The second book, Dark Adeptus, was perhaps the best; it expanded far beyond the Grey Knights-Chaos dichotomy to include the third party of the Mechanicus and its tech-priests, further expanding the quandaries of the galactic war. The final book, Hammer of Daemons, really takes Alaric through the wringer in ways no other Grey Knight has experienced, but ultimately any of the potential it had (which shines through around Chapter 15, during Alaric's psychic grappling with a demon and the hallucinations he endures) was dragged down by the constant reliance on eighties-style science-fiction arena combat and the shallow subplot of the wars between Khorne's servants on Drakaasi.
Again, I have to lower my standards and come at any WH40K book from a fairer perspective - they're not meant to be lofty works of art nor will they ever be seen as such. This collection, however, offers glimmers of the series' potential to do more than show xenophobic humans of the far future waging holy wars against alien species. And at least the action is between the Imperium's most pure warriors and the barbarous hordes of the Eye of Terror, the most compelling conflict in the series.
August 12, 2012
"The Grey Knights are servants of the Ordo Malleus; imperious, incorruptible warriors whose very purpose is to seek out and destroy the most dangerous foes that humanity will ever face: daemons. Armed and armoured with the trappings of the daemonhunter, these stalwart Astartes bring death and destruction to the immortal denizens of the warp. Girded by faith, wielders of the nemesis force halberd, the Grey Knights step where others will not tread. Theirs is the hardest task, risking their immortal souls in pursuit of the hungry entities of Chaos, the Imperium’s arch foes. Without the Grey Knights, humanity would be but a feast on the sacrificial altar of darkness." <- that is a quote i found about them, its pretty much the only thing that can describe them
The grey knights omnibus is an amazing book that contains the 3 books in the grey knights series(Grey knight,Dark Adeptus and Hammer of Daemons).
In the trilogy Justicar Alaric is show as the main character. He is displayed as a courageous fighter that is willing to stand against all the beast of Chaos, and the armies of other alien races (Eldar,Necrons,Orks,Chaos S.M.).
So yea you see the power of the grey knight unleashed against these "terrible"(ELDAR FTW) powers that oppose mankind.
The trilogy is a wonderful series that anyone that digs warhammer 40k should read especially Stanna, and i would recommend to well all my friends that play or read warhammer.
The grey knights omnibus is an amazing book that contains the 3 books in the grey knights series(Grey knight,Dark Adeptus and Hammer of Daemons).
In the trilogy Justicar Alaric is show as the main character. He is displayed as a courageous fighter that is willing to stand against all the beast of Chaos, and the armies of other alien races (Eldar,Necrons,Orks,Chaos S.M.).
So yea you see the power of the grey knight unleashed against these "terrible"(ELDAR FTW) powers that oppose mankind.
The trilogy is a wonderful series that anyone that digs warhammer 40k should read especially Stanna, and i would recommend to well all my friends that play or read warhammer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2014
A novel that shows just how awesome the Grey Knights are, and MUST, be. A novel that should not be missed out on, especially when from Ben Counter.
The three books are all of different over-the-edge situations that the Grey Knights must handle in their everyday routine: .
The Grey Knights: they are immune to the taint of chaos, to a degree at least yes, a degree far further along the road than with anyone else. The more recent The Emperor's Gift by Aaron Dembski-Bowden tells of Grey Knights with an even more astounding genetic block against taint of chaos than in this novel. I began with the latter, and now completed this. A true 40K-lore fan should read both and more.
The three books are all of different over-the-edge situations that the Grey Knights must handle in their everyday routine: .
The Grey Knights: they are immune to the taint of chaos, to a degree at least yes, a degree far further along the road than with anyone else. The more recent The Emperor's Gift by Aaron Dembski-Bowden tells of Grey Knights with an even more astounding genetic block against taint of chaos than in this novel. I began with the latter, and now completed this. A true 40K-lore fan should read both and more.
November 6, 2010
The Grey Knights are like a fraternity dedicated not to getting girls drunk, but to fighting daemons. So I think they are awesome.
The protagonist, Alaric, can be considered to either be a very good Grey Knight, or a very bad one. It's not that he's a maverick or a rogue, but it's that he thinks outside the box. A Grey Knight's most potent weapon is not some fancy weapon or armor (although they have those too), but is his unwavering faith. They are troops who do not panic under fire, cannot be subverted, will not hesitate to pull the trigger...
Having a creative intuition is usually not a problem in most professions, but to have such faith necessitates some rigidity of thinking, and to the extent that Alaric doesn't actually think rigidly he's not a very good Grey Knight. But it can also be said that he's an exceptional Grey Knight, since he manages to prevail over some surprising situations due to his unconventional way of interpreting events and handling them. But I guess that's for the reader to discover and decide.
The protagonist, Alaric, can be considered to either be a very good Grey Knight, or a very bad one. It's not that he's a maverick or a rogue, but it's that he thinks outside the box. A Grey Knight's most potent weapon is not some fancy weapon or armor (although they have those too), but is his unwavering faith. They are troops who do not panic under fire, cannot be subverted, will not hesitate to pull the trigger...
Having a creative intuition is usually not a problem in most professions, but to have such faith necessitates some rigidity of thinking, and to the extent that Alaric doesn't actually think rigidly he's not a very good Grey Knight. But it can also be said that he's an exceptional Grey Knight, since he manages to prevail over some surprising situations due to his unconventional way of interpreting events and handling them. But I guess that's for the reader to discover and decide.
May 19, 2011
Hello my fellow readers, if you're not choosing to buy this book then you're making one of your biggest mistakes when it comes to sci-fi. This book has 3 heroic stories in it. If you're not a Warhammer fan but likes gore then you'll have a fun time reading this book. This reminds me why I should buy more series 'cause all of its epic battles and heroic protagonists. The Grey Knights are my favourite chapter of the space marines, not just because they cannot be corrupted but also because they have what it takes to fight humanity's greatest foes in the series, the daemons. So if I were you I'd get this book.
May 7, 2012
Finished two of the three books contained in this trilogy; I'm waiting a little while before reading the last one (fancying a change in genre). Thus far I've really enjoyed it though - larger than life characters that muster a surprising amount of depth.
May 1, 2012
The Grey Knights are my favorite chapter of the Space Marines. I like their purpose, the tip of the spear against Chaos. All the stories in the omnibus were very well written with what I thought was a good combination of action and suspense.
January 26, 2013
The first book I read about the Grey Knights chapter and this story did not disappoint.
The action is well written, with descriptive battles that let me almost believe I was the protagonist.
The action is well written, with descriptive battles that let me almost believe I was the protagonist.
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