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Michael Lee (1) (1962–)

Auteur van The World of Darkness

Voor andere auteurs genaamd Michael Lee, zie de verduidelijkingspagina.

36+ Werken 1,916 Leden 28 Besprekingen

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Fotografie: Mike Lee

Werken van Michael Lee

The World of Darkness (2004) 513 exemplaren
Fallen Angels (2009) 317 exemplaren
The Daemon's Curse (2005) — Auteur — 108 exemplaren
Nagash the Sorcerer (2008) 90 exemplaren
Warpsword (1900) — Auteur — 82 exemplaren
Lord of Ruin (2006) — Auteur — 72 exemplaren
Bloodstorm (2005) — Auteur — 70 exemplaren
Reaper of Souls (2006) — Auteur — 66 exemplaren
Nagash the Unbroken (2010) 65 exemplaren
Nagash Immortal (2011) 47 exemplaren
Demon Players Guide (2003) 44 exemplaren
Demon Storytellers Companion (2002) 41 exemplaren
The Rise of Nagash (2012) 40 exemplaren

Gerelateerde werken

Vampire: The Requiem (2004) 374 exemplaren
Tales of Heresy (2009) — Medewerker — 347 exemplaren
Wings of Fire (2010) — Ontwerper, sommige edities177 exemplaren
Creature Collection (2000) — Auteur — 158 exemplaren
Bringers of Death (2005) — Medewerker — 47 exemplaren
Forbidden Acts (1995) — Medewerker — 43 exemplaren
Tales From the Dark Millennium (2006) — Medewerker — 43 exemplaren
There Is Only War (Warhammer 40,000) (2013) — Medewerker — 19 exemplaren
Invasion! (2007) — Medewerker — 18 exemplaren
Astra Militarum eBundle (Warhammer 40,000) (2014) — Medewerker — 1 exemplaar
Classics Collection II: A Warhammer eBundle (2023) — Medewerker — 1 exemplaar

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I read this as the opening story of Horus Heresy Omnibus Project reading guide Omnibus III: The Burning of Prospero
(https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus/iii-the-burning-of-prospero) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the series.

The Wolf at the Door is effectively the introduction of the Space Wolves to the Horus Heresy, or at least a more honourable and chronological introduction, as there was a wizard-hating space viking in Battle for the Stereotypes, wisely seeking to give them the spotlight and the opportunity to show how neighbourly and beneficent the Vlka Fenryka can be, offering a meaty paw in friendship, as well as how exacting and ruthless they can be when they need to. Something it's good to have established with a main event on the horizon that keeps popping off over 10,000 years later!

The Space Wolves come to yolk a lost world of humanity to the Imperium of Man. Weathering an impressive amount of derision and disrespect, the Sons of Russ learn the planet has a Drukhari problem. Hoping it will help their cause and not needing any excuse to murder anything not human, the Space Wolves engage in a drawn out and sneaky operation, while ignoring the call for the whole Legion to muster and the protestations of some of the Wolf Brothers about the chances of things going well with how rude they have been. The Wolves of Fenris gain some unlikely allies, Dark Eldar get punched, and they return to negotiations.

Like I said before, I can really see what Lee was going for any the importance of a story like this coming before the whole a Burning of Prospero arc, but being willing to turn the other cheek, give second chances, and endeavouring to do the right thing does not a personality make. Likewise, nothing beyond talking about and understanding raiding really marked the Wolf Lord as a Wolf Brother, beyond the rather interesting lore dump at the beginning. There's a lot of gesturing at something, but, unfortunately, it is more going through the dramatic motions than actually engaging meaningfully. It's uncanny valley dissonance the potential here that makes this as unsatisfying as I found it.

I feel like the past year of intense reading and the ludicrous ferocity of my consuming the Horus Heresy in the last month or so have ever so slowly given me some perspective on ratings. I still think asigning a number to how good an art is really is absurd, but I get that it helps people make choices and that's what all these platforms run on. I still don't do decimal marks, but I do acknowledge that, for me personally, the width and breadth of a three makes it the largest or at least broadest rating. Basically, I'm saying this came very close to getting a four, especially with the end, but ultimately fell short because some good action, especially with Jonathan Keeble embracing his Wulfen within, the novelty of seeing the Drukhari for, I believe, the first time, at least in release order, if I remember correctly (it's very confusing chronologically, but immensely satisfying narratively engaging with this series through the omnibussies), and clearly having a dramatic intent, aren't enough when there's a lot of wasteland of unnecessary bloat in this novella squeezing into its old short story clothes, and most importantly, it didn't make me care about anyone in the story.

After recently reading Betrayal at Calth, The Honoured by Rob Sanders and The Unburdened by David Annandale, and now this, I feel like I have my needs and expectations for Horus Heresy stories nailed down, though the parameters are a little different depending on the form and medium. I dream of everything being as good or better than The Unburdened, with the emotional weight, depth or character, personal tragedy, rooting in the wider Heresy, weird and cool Warhammer galaxy details, and good combat, The Wolf at the Door is pretty much the bar of my expectations, it has elements of these, some better than others, but ultimately was too dry and unengaging for long swathes...and rather shallow bolter porn, while it can be run and absolutely has its place, I don't think that place is in this series, or at least not unaccompanied by an emotional weight and tragedy to make the action feel meaningful.

(I really don't want to shit on Sanders and I'm just really hyperfixating with my ADHD and autism all over the place at the moment. I'm going to do my best not to bring up The Honoured again. The first two chapters were great!)
… (meer)
 
Gemarkeerd
RatGrrrl | Feb 7, 2024 |
Good start but it really fell away in the second half. Too many tedious action sequences and the writing wasn't sharp like Abnett usually is.
 
Gemarkeerd
rich255 | 2 andere besprekingen | Feb 6, 2024 |
Some good bits here, but lots of filler. Plus there's loads of stuff that never gets followed up as far as I can tell. Strange considering how much extra GW have wrung out of the HH, so many crap novels about nothing, whereas here is a subplot that could have been developed and wasn't. The vaguaries of the GW machine!
 
Gemarkeerd
elahrairah | 5 andere besprekingen | Nov 2, 2023 |
Asesino, traidor, guerrero incomparable. Sin embargo, de acuerdo con los criterios de los elfos oscuros, Malus Darkblade aún tiene mucho que demostrar. Poseído por el inmundo demonio Tz’arkan, sólo dispone de un año para encontrar cinco artefactos mágicos, o su alma estará condenada. Con el fin de recuperar el Ídolo de Kolkuth, Malus tendrá que recurrir a toda su astucia e ingenio para sobrevivir a un laberinto mágico y derrotar a su temible guardián.
 
Gemarkeerd
Natt90 | Mar 28, 2023 |

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Statistieken

Werken
36
Ook door
12
Leden
1,916
Populariteit
#13,433
Waardering
½ 3.7
Besprekingen
28
ISBNs
131
Talen
8

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