I used to like the warhammer stuff, both the fantasy stuff and the 40k stuff, when I was a kid.  Back then it was the case of it being too expensive, and now its the case of too little time I guess!

 

I was thinking about getting into the books, that or the books on the starwars universe.  Wouldn't know where to start with either though.

 

if you get off on WH40k there is a mmorpg based on the game coming along in the next 12 months or so.  one of the guys in my eve corp is in some kind of testing for it now and he says it's great fun.

If the setting was all hopeful, it would be like Star Wars and would be very cartoony. The dark undertones are what make it palatable to me in my old (not very) age. Without the fiction and associated fluff, the concept would be far too sugary for my taste.

The Imperium, viewed from a certain distance, is a genocidal, xenophobic, corrupt and reactionary dictatorship. And they're the good guys.

If the setting was all hopeful, it would be like Star Wars and would be very cartoony. The dark undertones are what make it palatable to me in my old (not very) age. Without the fiction and associated fluff, the concept would be far too sugary for my taste.

The Imperium, viewed from a certain distance, is a genocidal, xenophobic, corrupt and reactionary dictatorship. And they're the good guys.

What I like best about british SciFi is that they have managed to produce some very thoughtful, interesting, and inspiring series on extremely limited budgets.

 

I just hope that the bigger budgets they are now getting do not end up destroying them.

At best they are hopelesly naive, more likely they're one of those cults that looks nice on the surface but somewhat callous to people who raise objections, at worst they're a front for the ruinous powers.

Yeah, the second Tau codex had a bit of an "edge" to them compared to the Star Trek image portrayed in the first one.  They don't seem to be above the occasional massacre.

 

I'm currently reading the Ravenor series by Dan Abnett.  I'm getting little done at home lately.

 

40k/FB is definately a time and money sink.  I haven't build any WWII aircraft models in 4 years.  I've probably spent more on this than guns and R/C airplanes combined, even counting the 1866 Springfield I bought last year.  This wouldn't have such a hold on me if the setting and fiction behind it wasn't so compelling.

 

Of course, having a short attention span, I've got several different armies in the works, in various stages.  The effect of this is that none of them (except the necrons) is particularly large yet.  He who works on everything works on nothing, I guess.

 

I'm looking forward to Uriel Ventris' return this summer in Graham McNeill's next Ultramarines novel.

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Abnett's books are good but lack a certain darkness. The common people of the Imperium know far too much about the nature of the universe that they inhabit.

I've just been re-reading Ian Watson's "Inquisition War" books. So very, very dark.

Do you think so?  The authors that write within this universe dont seem to be that consistent with regards to what the general populace know about the various "Xenos" races or the nature of the "Great" chaos powers.  I think it was you who described the "Gaunts Ghosts" series as basically 'Sharpe" with lasrifles.  Thats a pretty good analogy.  I agree that Abnett isnt the darkest of the authors however the last few Gaunts Books dealing with the Chaos occupation of Gereon and the liberation effort were pretty dark in parts.  I also like the fact that Abnett will kill off characters that you have become familiar with.  I think "The Armour of Contempt" showed the Imperial Guard in full "Just keep throwing men at the enemy until succes is obtained" mode.

In response to Yimmys earlier comment I would reccommend the "Gaunts Ghosts" series as a good way to "Get Into" the fiction of this universe.  You can get the various story arcs in complete volumes now, well at least here in the US you can.

It definitely contrasts with the Ciaphas Cain books, which are a bit more tounge-in-cheek.

Dark Apostle is another good Imperial Guard grinder.

 

Faith and Fire is probably one I won't read again.  I found myself rooting for the heavy by the time I reached the end.

On the other hand, things happen in many of Abnett's books that would warrant exterminatus. If you compare the recent slew of books to some of the short stories or the older novels ("Deathwing", and especially "The Inquisition War" series.) the older books are much darker. I can concede that Gereon could be considered a special case, but really I would expect any Guard Regiment involved would be killed off as soon as possible, given the level of daemonic incursion. The population would be interned by the Inquisition

Yes, "Sharpe with Lasrifles" was one of mine.

Although it has veered away from that over time. Possibly now it's more like Band of Brothers, but that doesn't quite cover it.