Search
 Advanced SearchView Cart   Checkout   
 Location:  Home » Books » Look Inside! » Mechanicum (Horus Heresy)January 7, 2009  
Home and Garden
Garden
Books
Tools

Related to Home and Garden
• Look Inside!
Special Features
• General
Fiction
• General AAS
Fiction
• General AAS
Fantasy
• General AAS
Science Fiction
• English
Language (feature_browse-bin)
• Paperback
Format (binding_browse-bin)
• Regular Size
Font Size (format_browse-bin)

Mechanicum (Horus Heresy)
Mechanicum (Horus Heresy)
enlarge
List Price: £6.99
Buy New: £3.04
You Save: £3.95 (57%)
Buy New/Used from £3.04

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars(based on 9 reviews)
Sales Rank: 340
Category: Book

Author: Graham Mcneill
Publisher: Black Library
Studio: Black Library
Manufacturer: Black Library
Label: Black Library
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown)
Media: Paperback
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2

ISBN: 1844166643
EAN: 9781844166640
ASIN: 1844166643

Publication Date: December 1, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days

Similar Items:

  • Horus Heresy: Battle for the Abyss (Warhammer 40,000: The Horus Heresy)
  • Tales of Heresy (Horus Heresy)
  • Legion (Horus Heresy)
  • Titanicus (Warhammer 40000)
  • Cains Last Stand (Ciaphas Cain)

Customer Reviews:   Read 4 more reviews...

3 out of 5 stars is different really better?   January 4, 2009
Having read the numerous positive reviews of mechanicum so far, i feel i should put in my 2 cents. This book was sat on my shelf for about a month before i finally picked it up, which is not something which often happens with horus heresy books as i am always very eager to get straight into them.

I have to admit that for the first 100 or so pages i was actually disappointed with mechanicum. I will say the imagery is great, especially if you are a fan of games workhop from their glory days of 'space marine' and 'titan legions' games, as well as the more modern 'epic 40k'. If you have never played or seen these games it might be difficult to envision yourself the war machines of the adeptus mechanicum - mainly the knights and the titans. I feel it is expected of the reader to just instantly know these things. On the other hand if you do know these things it is a great moment reliving those good old days.

Another complaint of mine is the two-dimensional-ness of the characters. They are all flat as pancakes. They have really great visual descriptions, but not really any inner thoughts that arent super-cliched. The problem is the templates were there for some great characters to develop, it just never happened. Another small niggle, which is one i carry through all the heresy books, is the problem of throwing too many characters into the story too quickly, and many of the having similar names. There is a reason there is a reference chart in the front.

On the positive side, this book actually does push the timeline forward a bit. Everyone has now accepted the heresy and are choosing sides. Unfortunately it is not really put forward how much of an effect losing mars would have on the outcome of the war other than the loss of supplies for the legions. The fact that having a traitor base within minutes of earth was never discussed.

Other than the mainly boring characters the story is well written and action packed. There are no pointless sections where nothing happens. It is an edge of the seat book where you really ont know if the heroes will live or die.

There is also a nice little map of mars in the front.

Not the greatest book ever, and still not really reaching the standards that the start of the series set, but a worthy read for anyone who is a fan of sci-fi. This is a lot more than the usual 40k universe.



4 out of 5 stars Only 1 Star short of glory   December 22, 2008
Mechanicum. A few spoilers. Sorry!

The back blurb promises the genesis of the dark mechanicum. All we get is an idea based on 'knowledge is power', and "the bad guy" wanted more knowledge than others. I agree with another review that says some of the characters in the series switch sides a little too easily, but I can see the argument in this case. He traded loyalty for knowledge (which is the driving force behind the Mech, lets not forget) so its a believable swap. But Adept Zeth got access to all knowledge through her loyalty (morality tale) so how come the leader of the Mech didn;t know this was available?

But thats more of a side line to my main gripe (albeit a small one) with this HH.

WE ONLY MET ON DAM GOD MACHINE AND IT WAS A TRAITOR MACHINE AT THAT!

Warhounds, reavers and knights are all very well, but are we really to believe that with all the mistrust in the Mech and the history of in-fighting and almost-war, the only Legio that didn't send all its God Machines (Imperator) off world was Mortis? When they face off against their (supposedly) most bitter rivals over a comparatively small plain?

Come on guys! Give your older readers just a little more credit?

I know the last part (Zeth's sacrifice which destroyed the Imperator) made it all the more read-able and the noble sacrifice of the knights and reavers that remained loyal is made all the more poignant by the futility of their last fight, but even so, if I was facing off against an old rival and I had 200 years experience of commanding the walking machines of the Legios, I would make sure i could match said rival gun for gun. End of story.


Apart from that great book, couldn't put it down, hammered through it in three days and re-read it a week later.



4 out of 5 stars Not at all bad!   December 20, 2008
A generally good HH book. Following some disappointments.. (namely BFTA and Descent of Angels) it was a decent book.

And to other reviews who say that the storyline is silly.. because of the 'Dragon' - it refers to The C'tan - the Void Dragon, not actual dragons...! so theres no reason to shun the storyline because of something which is an established part of 40k lore.!



3 out of 5 stars Pretty average really   December 16, 2008
  0 out of 2 found this review helpful

This could have been a lot better, I mean hidden Dragons......

Seems Like the Heresy saga is running out of steam, I hope they don't screw up the capitulation of Prospero.



5 out of 5 stars At last the series is back on track.   December 15, 2008
Thank the Emperor for this latest book the Mechanicum. This book really does capture the imagination with Characters you can buy into a real feel for the weird and wonderful identity of Mars and its inhabitants.

And finally the best part ........ The Legio Titanicus walk!

Bring on the next book is what I say although i'm going to be pacing up and down when we have to wait until April.

Well done to Graham Mcneill for getting this series back on track


In association with Rustic Stone House Signs & House Plaques