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Space Marine Battles #20
Slaughter at Giant's Coffin
Devastated by the tyranids, remnants of the Scythes of the Emperor Chapter gather at a Chapter outpost to regroup. But the relentless menace of the hive fleets is close, and the battered Space Marines must rally for what might be their final stand…
Mere days after the loss of their home world Sotha, the Scythes of the Emperor stagger to the Chapter outpost at Miral Prime to lick their wounds and formulate a campaign of vengeance against the tyranids of Hive Fleet Kraken. Devastated and leaderless, these Space Marines now look to their only surviving officer, the reluctant Captain Thracian, for guidance. But the psychic shadow of the xenos is growing in the warp once more, and the bastion atop the Giant’s Coffin mesa may yet become the site of a most ignoble last stand...
It's something quite unusual – a story about battered and bloodied Space Marines on the back foot. Their world lost, their command structure demolished, can they hold themselves together in the face of utterly destructive aliens?
Mere days after the loss of their home world Sotha, the Scythes of the Emperor stagger to the Chapter outpost at Miral Prime to lick their wounds and formulate a campaign of vengeance against the tyranids of Hive Fleet Kraken. Devastated and leaderless, these Space Marines now look to their only surviving officer, the reluctant Captain Thracian, for guidance. But the psychic shadow of the xenos is growing in the warp once more, and the bastion atop the Giant’s Coffin mesa may yet become the site of a most ignoble last stand...
It's something quite unusual – a story about battered and bloodied Space Marines on the back foot. Their world lost, their command structure demolished, can they hold themselves together in the face of utterly destructive aliens?
- Genres40kScience Fiction
Hardcover
Published February 1, 2017
About the author
L.J. Goulding
66 books44 followersL. J. Goulding is a British novelist, scriptwriter and editor, living and working in Los Angeles, California. His credits include 'League of Legends: Realms of Runeterra', the Black Library audio dramas 'Malcador: First Lord of the Imperium', 'The Heart of the Pharos', 'Scythes of the Emperor: Daedalus', and 'Mortarion's Heart', the novel 'Slaughter at Giant's Coffin', and many short stories for publishers in the UK and US.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 2, 2018
Scythes of the Emperor... The result of sticking farmers with needles full of total badassery, apparently?
Slaughter at Giants coffin is an interesting book that picks up right after the events of The Aegidan Oath.... Which as far I know is only available via E-book format. In other words, like many people who are going to pick up this novel I have not read it and have been chucked straight into the deep end of the pool as a result.... Except the water is full of flesh eating aliens.
Despite the constant feel of coming late the party this book contains some surprisingly interesting elements. The first being its connection to the Horus Heresy series and the Unremembered Empire, the second being that of cultural clashes, new generations Vs old. This tale takes place soon after the invasion of the Scythes home-world, whereby the Scythes must replenish their numbers on a new world. This would be a good idea in theory but it does not take long for the old Scythes to begin resenting their younger initiates; due to fear and change. Its an unusual spin on a Astartes Chapter that never feels too ham-fisted, chuck in some good old fashioned conspiracy theory and alien invasion on the side and you've got yourself and interesting book..... Its just a shame the narrative does little to make new readers feel at home.
a 4 out of 5
Slaughter at Giants coffin is an interesting book that picks up right after the events of The Aegidan Oath.... Which as far I know is only available via E-book format. In other words, like many people who are going to pick up this novel I have not read it and have been chucked straight into the deep end of the pool as a result.... Except the water is full of flesh eating aliens.
Despite the constant feel of coming late the party this book contains some surprisingly interesting elements. The first being its connection to the Horus Heresy series and the Unremembered Empire, the second being that of cultural clashes, new generations Vs old. This tale takes place soon after the invasion of the Scythes home-world, whereby the Scythes must replenish their numbers on a new world. This would be a good idea in theory but it does not take long for the old Scythes to begin resenting their younger initiates; due to fear and change. Its an unusual spin on a Astartes Chapter that never feels too ham-fisted, chuck in some good old fashioned conspiracy theory and alien invasion on the side and you've got yourself and interesting book..... Its just a shame the narrative does little to make new readers feel at home.
a 4 out of 5
June 10, 2023
The fall of a world and the last stand of a chapter.
Well, this was an interesting yet mixed read. After coming from The Devastation of Baal, I felt like reading a little more about the tyranid battles and how the astartes defend themselves against such a threat. The Scythes of the Emperor are an interesting chapter with a dark history that, in current times, is shrouded in shame.
Slaughter at Giant's Coffin is a fun book with some interesting characters and a variety of scenarios that reveal some interesting bits of lore, yet, at the same time, feels rushed, amateurish and lacks some of the impact that other books in similar theme have. For one, despite being a tyranid-focused book, it fails to truly capture the dread and utter devastation a tyranid attack brings, especially in the planet-siege side of things.
On the other hand, the characterization of the chapter members, as well as the subplot of the story, is one that's really gripping and has its cool moments that wish you learn more... but you never actually do. The novel ends in quite rushing manner and it hints to some sequel, but as far as I know, we never got that one.
On the other hand, it is a short book, at around 200+ pages, I ate this thing in two days, and despite its cons, as a 40k fan, it's a good, solid read.
Well, this was an interesting yet mixed read. After coming from The Devastation of Baal, I felt like reading a little more about the tyranid battles and how the astartes defend themselves against such a threat. The Scythes of the Emperor are an interesting chapter with a dark history that, in current times, is shrouded in shame.
Slaughter at Giant's Coffin is a fun book with some interesting characters and a variety of scenarios that reveal some interesting bits of lore, yet, at the same time, feels rushed, amateurish and lacks some of the impact that other books in similar theme have. For one, despite being a tyranid-focused book, it fails to truly capture the dread and utter devastation a tyranid attack brings, especially in the planet-siege side of things.
On the other hand, the characterization of the chapter members, as well as the subplot of the story, is one that's really gripping and has its cool moments that wish you learn more... but you never actually do. The novel ends in quite rushing manner and it hints to some sequel, but as far as I know, we never got that one.
On the other hand, it is a short book, at around 200+ pages, I ate this thing in two days, and despite its cons, as a 40k fan, it's a good, solid read.
January 26, 2021
Meh, not good not bad, just meh.
The characters did not act like Space Marines first of all. They act like humans, not superhumans. Crying out in sadness, a marine trashes his bedroom in anger like a teenager and the same marine shoots his wall with a bolt pistol because he's sad and angry.
The marine biology didn't work right either. A character runs up a hill and then stops to catch his breath, with his hearts pumping and lungs heaving. A marine does not run out of breath that quickly. The action was underwhelming and Chapter Master Thorcyra was just stupid.
There's a lot more wrong with this book but tbh it was so dull I don't really feel the need to go on.
The characters did not act like Space Marines first of all. They act like humans, not superhumans. Crying out in sadness, a marine trashes his bedroom in anger like a teenager and the same marine shoots his wall with a bolt pistol because he's sad and angry.
The marine biology didn't work right either. A character runs up a hill and then stops to catch his breath, with his hearts pumping and lungs heaving. A marine does not run out of breath that quickly. The action was underwhelming and Chapter Master Thorcyra was just stupid.
There's a lot more wrong with this book but tbh it was so dull I don't really feel the need to go on.
April 10, 2023
Quite fun.
February 19, 2017
LJ Goulding’s first full Black Library novel and the first ever novel focusing on the Scythes of the Emperor, this focuses on a single action…the Scythes’ defence of the Giant’s Coffin bastion, on Miral Prime. Having lost their homeworld of Sotha to Hive Fleet Kraken, the battered remnants of the Scythes regroup in the Miral system, where the returning Chapter Master Thorcyra plans to rebuild the chapter.
There’s a strong sense of mystery underpinning this story, which might leave some readers feeling unsatisfied, but helps give it a sense of scale as befits the wider tragedy. Some might take umbrage at the perceived incompletion of the story, but this does in fact do what it sets out to – it tells the story of the battle in question.
Read the full review at https://trackofwords.wordpress.com/20...
There’s a strong sense of mystery underpinning this story, which might leave some readers feeling unsatisfied, but helps give it a sense of scale as befits the wider tragedy. Some might take umbrage at the perceived incompletion of the story, but this does in fact do what it sets out to – it tells the story of the battle in question.
Read the full review at https://trackofwords.wordpress.com/20...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews