Gildar Rift review

Ok, I gave the Space Marine Battle Novels another chance. After Fall of Damnos I was a bit skeptical if I would read another. Well, I decided to pick up The Gildar Rift to see what it was all about. It looked to feature Huron Blackheart and I found that exciting. I like his back story and his model I am fond of as well. The downside was that this was written by another unknown Black Library author. Knowing this made for a double edged sword type of scenario.

This book features the Silver Skulls and their life in the Gildar Rift, a system of asteroids, space junk, crummy planets and promethium refineries. This chapter is pretty unknown to the 40K universe which allows for a chance to define what they are all about. What I was given was a chapter that lives and patrols this system to keep the promethium flowing. They are also a chapter of dwindling numbers. Finally, they have some silly mash-up of Chaplains and Librarians. They are called Prognosticators and they serve both roles for the Silver Skulls. Well, they are really just psykers because all they do is some boring divination. They came off like Astartes Farseers if anything. The Silver Skulls don’t do diddly without the word of the Prognosticators. That was a bit lame, but hey at least it was something new-ish. That is all you really get about these guys. They are some amalgam of barbarian tribes that have become Astartes. Their combat doctrine and tactics are the usual flair. They have tattoos to show how badass they really are. Their thing is the really just rune and tarot card reading Chapbraians or Libraplains.

Then there are the Astral Claws that arrive to cause problems. However, they were nothing but the faceless stereotypical Chaos Marines. They die in droves, say virtually nothing, get killed when their boss is angry, seem to have little to no skill for Marines and are kind of just different colored Star Wars Storm Troopers with bad attitudes. A shame as they could have done a ton with these guys. They are made of original Astral Claws and various other Marines that have left their chapters. I was treats to a traitor Space Wolf priest, but that was really it. There was no real mention of any other chapters besides him and the pure Astral Claws. That seemed like a waste to me.

The plot, well that revolves around the Silver Skulls trying to make some failed recruit into a quasi-Princeps for a space ship, sorry a battle barge. There is also a bit of boring trials and tribulations of the Marines too. This was really just a bit of lame filler. Then, the Astral Claws show up to raid the system for stuff and to recruit some Silver Skulls to their ranks. After that it become a series of battles one of which is an ok space battle and then some completely forgettable land based and boarding actions.

Oh yeah, Huron shows up to prove he is a badass too. However, he comes off as a bit of a drooling crazy than a bad ass. This is disheartening after they describe him as this tactical genius. Instead he acts like every other crazy Chaos Marine. His cool Hymandra based abilities are never mentioned and instead he is just angry and a bit of a drooler. He wants supplies and recruits and really seems to get neither. He is also a tiny fraction of the novel. This is once again lame as he is depicted on the damn cover! You would think he would be a bit more prominent in the story.

There are a few problems with this novel. It introduces characters and plot points that are better than the main story. There are sub plots that are supposed to drive interest that just do not. The few good bits of story are wasted or resolved with minimal effort. What are the lasting effects of a Astartes without a progenoid gland. Where does someone like this fit within a chapter? What is the Corpsemaster really doing? Why bring up grabbing and turning loyal Marines and then fail to have it happen. Having a good guy go bad would have been interesting. Why were the Silver Skulls trying to make a failed recruit into a living conduit for a ship? Well…because they could I guess? Why did Huron show up to raid and grab recruits just to really do neither? Why are all Chaos Marines just horrible henchmen stereotypes?

Sadly, this is another forgettable Space Marine Battle Novel. Sure I did get an author’s take on a virtually unknown (and easy paint scheme) Marine chapter, but it wasn’t much and not terribly original. As a fan of Huron I was left annoyed and wanting. As a fan of 40K fiction I was unimpressed. This makes it 1-3 with these books. That is great for a baseball batting average, but not so much for wanting to read more of these. I guess if it isn’t written by an author I know and like, I should stay away from them. However, if I don’t give the occasional new writer a chance I might miss out on something good right? The double edged sword scenario strikes again!