Grey Knights (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) (ISBN 1844160874)

Newbie to the Warhammer 40k Universe:
This was the first Warhammer 40k book that I had ever read. I knew of the game, having played it, but I never read any of the books. I'm glad that I choose this one to read. I tend to be more interested in fantasy books rather then sci-fi, but this book has a nice neutrality about it. The story was strong and character development was nice. If for nothing else, the first chapter alone is wicked awesome. Highly recommend it to anyone looking to read some books in the Warhammer 40k universe.

Grey Knights:
This book is well written. This is a great read if you enjoy military science fiction. You do not have to be a Warhammer player to enjoy this book. The author does a great job of blending a military science fiction with a more ancient crusading order in a battle against demonic powers. The main characters a Grey Knight leader and a Imperium Inquisitor are well written and make this book hard to put down. The book also gives Grey Knight players a great understanding of the units they are playing and what campaigns they might fight in and likely tactics and other special abilities they might employ.

Grey Knights Eh?:
Was what I said when looking at this novel's interesting cover. It's been years since I've been an active Warhammer player. I was so far behind the quickly advancing storyline that I actually had no idea who the Grey Knights were or that they had a corresponding chapter in the tabletop game. However, all of that changed after I read Ben Counter's excellent "Grey Knights" the debut novel in a series detailing the exploits of Justicar Alaric and his fellow Grey Knights. As any Warhammer fan knows the Space Marines are rarely known for their personalities, in fact, the lack of individualism is prided in the ranks of these super soldiers. However Counter does a fantastic, and I do mean fantastic, job of showing the power and diligence of the Grey Knights while the personalities of each shines through in their actions. He has learned a lot from his great "Soul Drinkers" series and subsequently brought a few ideas with him, mainly that readers don't like 400 page novels about cardboard cutouts and that a little internal conflict goes a long way. Of course, he could've learned this from writing for more than a few days, but I just wanted to plug his other series. As stated previously this is the first in what is now a trilogy and this novel starts off with bang, well bang isn't the right word, it's more like a literal Wave of Mutilation. Yeah, if that doesn't prick up your ears I don't know what will. Not to give too much away but the turns and twists will keep you on your toes, especially when the traitor is revealed to all, even though the reader has known for quite some time. The Grey Knights themselves are as religious as any other chapter but this heir of mystery that surrounds them really draws the reader in and while you know Alaric will be something special, it is done is an extremely well paced and mature way. There's no flashing red arrow above his head that says "HERO!!" instead there are hundreds of small twinkling lights that gives the reader a reminder of his heroism but never blinds him with Alaric's nature as a protagonist. However, he is still the hero and thus the other Grey Knights tend to get lost in Alaric's deep personality and while this is a flaw it does not detract from the experience. Ok, so what about the action? It's great, I know I've been throwing that word around quite a bit, but really the battle scenes in this book are awesome and even the training sessions are worth reading. Every battle and especially the climatic final showdown are done with an air of taste while simultaneously keeping the glorious excess of the game and mythology. Counter writes with flare and thought in his debut and while not groundbreaking Sci-Fi it has its fair share of brilliant moments. It's not intellectual or mentally stimulating by any means, but "Grey Knights" is a ton of fun and a great read for those of you interested in the mythology of Warhammer (really, it's mandatory for you guys) and an enjoyable stand alone novel to anyone interested in Sci-Fi Warfare or a good story with great undertones. Counter has made a new fan and also rejuvinated said fan's interest in Warhammer all over again and with Abnett and McNeil is bringing great Sci-Fi to us on a constant basis. Great debut and a great series so far, pick it up, you won't regret it.

Grey Knights (Warhammer 40,000 Novels):
Grey Knights (Warhammer 40,000 Novels)The Ultramarines Omnibus (Warhammer 40,000 Omnibus)Galaxy in Flames (Horus Heresy) All delivered promptly, and in great condition. No problems to report.

A very good book.:
Grey Knights by Ben Counter is a very good book. The Grey Knights are daemon hunters and are a new space marine chapter. Ben Counter has again written a very exciting story that has lots of action and intrigue. He has also done a great job at developing the main characters into believable and personable people yet he does so in a clear and concise way. I recommend this book.