Priests of Mars: Forge of Mars: Warhammer 40,000, Book 1

Firstly, this book is the first in a trilogy - this isn't stated anywhere on the cover of my copy so I can understand the frustration of some reviewers.However, I came to it knowing the above and I have to say that it is a cracking read, with plenty of characters to get to know. Graham McNeill knows the Martian Priests inside out and is a fine storyteller and this book doesn't disappoint. Whilst I am a fan of the Space Marines and the Imperial Guard novels, it should be known that this is not an action packed Space Marine book, though action isn't lacking, this is a well thought out introductory story and I look forward to the next two. I am about to begin the second book - Lords of Mars.

I bought this book because I enjoy Black Library fiction and the Adeptus Mechanicus is my favorite faction. I expected to get a lot of insight into the internal workings of the Cult Mechanicus, and though the book contains some of this (such as exploring the workings of one of the legendary Ark Mechanicus), it was less focused on the 'Priests of Mars' than expected. Other factions (Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Titan Legions [more of a titan squad] and rogue traders are each given as much attention in the book as the Mechanicus, if not more. Still, the story is interesting, the characters well developed, and the writing is very good. Aside from not really being about the Mechanicus, my only other complaint is that the entire book consists of introducing the multiple plot lines and then slowly connecting them together as the plot approaches a mounting climax. The only thing is, the book stops abruptly, leaving lots of loose ends and, frankly, the end of the entire expedition anything but certain. I like when stories leave part of the ending up to the reader's imagination, but this goes a bit too far. It's like if the Lord of the Rings just ended halfway through the Two Towers and it was like, "Yeah, now for the war to save the world" and then Tolkien left us to decide what happened and to wonder if the characters ever met one another again. If there is a sequel, it would completely fix this, but I can find no evidence that this is planned.All in all, some valuable insights to the Mechanicus, interesting story, one of Graham McNeil's better written stories in my opinion, but a little unsatisfying at the end. I would recommend the paperback when it comes out or the eBook through BlackLibrary.com (kindle compatible). In my opinion the hardcover price is a bit much, but it was worth reading, especially if your a fan of the Cult Mechanicus.

This book is fantastic, it's real writing, not just endless bolter porn. I can't wait to get into book two, this is some of the best writing in 40K. Combat is relatively sparse, and when it occurs it involves characters you've learned to love over time, which makes the fighting so much interesting. I wish all 40K books were this well written.

I was a bit concerned initially, having seen reviews saying that the book ends abruptly and is not relevant too much to the titular Adeptus Mechanicus - but in my opinion those objections are unfounded. "Priests of Mars" is a high-stakes story with a diverse cast of characters hailing from the many castes of Warhammer 40k lore. Essentially a novel about voyage, but on a gigantic, ancient spaceship with conflicted factions aboard. Martian priests get their fair share of the plot but they don't dominate. A good stylistic choice, it enhances the worldbuilding and allows for multiple viewpoints to be present in the narrative (the tension of man vs machine). The story concludes in a logical point, having resolved some salient plot points and setting ground for even more riveting journeys in the following installments.Compared to the highly-touted Eisenhorn series (another Black Library staple), this book seems a bit slower, meandering, with more space between battles, but still a thrilling ride nonetheless. I will certainly go through the whole series :)

This book is pretty good for a warhammer novel

I have reviewed Warhammer 40k novels in the past and am a falling down, no holds barred fan of Graham McNeill, so, in the spirit of full disclosure: if Graham McNeill chose to write his next one on a roll of toilet paper with a fountain pen I'd read it!! (think about it) That having been said, the novel is typical Graham McNeill wordsmithing at it's best. When I review, I don't like to give a synopsis of the story; that spoils it. The rich descriptions of the Mechanicum ship and the inside of same are really great. Imagine a Titan battle on a starship. (Ooops.) And all the different folk's stories on the ship woven together like only McNeill can do. Now,after all that sugar comes the medicine. As I was reading and keeping track of the remaining pages I was beginning to believe "we" were never going to reach beyond the "fire" rim. It seemed to me that something was going to have to happen fast or we were going to run out of book. And to me, we did run out of book. I felt like the last chapters of the book (the story line not the wordsmithing) was just brought to an abrupt close. Almost as if Mr.McNeill said, "ok, enough" and ended it. Probably just me. Otherwise the novel was great. Even with the "medicine" I won't ever stop reading Graham McNeill's novels. Keep up the great work!

This 40K stuff can be a little dark and depressing (to say the least) but it's a solidly written book. First half manages to set up a host of characters without being interminable, second half has some nice surprises including absolutely classic horror-style sci-fi space station boarding sequence. Really enjoyed that bit :) I imagine 40Kers will get a real kick out of this. I still have trouble believing the extreme high tech+low tech mix the universe relies on, but nonetheless... Not sure I'll continue reading the series, but was an interesting read. Was disappointing I couldn't get the title on Kindle in Australia - waste of trees :(

Good insight into what life on an imperial ship might look like. Lots of different perspectives a little bit of everything

A very nice insightful read into the inner workings of Adeptus Mechanicus, you get to witness an expedition beyond the stars from many different points of view. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Another good Mechanicus book. Had to do a bit of research into a couple of the characters but overall a great read.

De l'excellent McNeill, le début d'une trilogie qui s'annonce ( pour le moment) passionnante.. L'imperium ne stagne pas tant que cela finalement, puisqu'il y a encore des explorateurs..

What I liked- logistics of imperial guard disembarking- the ark mechanicus- good story that get you hooked

I generally enjoyed this series.It's not your typical guts and glory story about space marines, but an adventure tale which showcases the grand scale and epicness that is the imperium of man, as they quest across the stars. It really shows off the space faring in Warhammer 40k.The focal point is the Mechanicus and their grand ambitions, as well as a Rogue Trader, but pretty much every imperial faction in 40k is represented here, and McNeil does a good job at balancing all the characters.Anyway, I thought it to be more of a unique story which follows characters we don't often see in typical warhammer 40k books, so if you're looking for something new, then I recommend it.