It has taken me longer than expected, and practicing painting volumetrics and osl, but I feel I'm improving. But next project I will paint something easy and quick. I need a break!
Ok, after seeing some people recommended the book because there are drukhari in it, I got the audiobook (so I can listen it on the go).
It started well, some Space Wolves typicial bravado and then... The most epic introduction to Duke Sliscus, who definitely stole my heart as the best character in the book by far.
His dialogues are interesting and hilarious.
However, there has got to a point in which I'm struggling to keep listening.
Spoilers from here.
First, Space Wolves part of the book is incredibly cliché. All characters are flat, save Lukas, who despite a moment here or there, displays the thickest plot armor I have seen in a loooooong time.
Some examples:
Lukas knows the dark eldar better than themselves, because reasons. He knows what mandrakes are and their weaknesses. He speaks drukhari, again just because. He can use their weapons and technology without problem. He can walk in, invisible, in their camps, because of course he can.
All of Lukas plans works. There is nothing he does not know, and so he can plan for monsters attacking the enemy, finding a heard of beast to ambush drukhari, or whatever he need for the plot when he needs it. There is not need for him to learn anything, to adapt, to recover from a failed plan. He just knows the future. There is a moment in which Sliscus set a trap for him and he is surrounded by mandrakes and... One of his men die. That's it. Then all mandrakes die in return and Lady Friking Aurelia Malys is caught in an ambush by him.
Read it again. Lady. Malys. The Archon of the Poison Tongue, with a mind akin to Vect himself. The one famous for their plotting, traps within traps and future seeing. Falls into a trap and is kept captive by Lukas. Yep.
And I'm just getting bored out of my mind. I find myself skipping ahead to see when Sliscus comes up again. I haven't finished the book yet but I am not enjoying it anymore.
I enjoyed The Big Dakka, The Oubliette, Turn of the Adder, Pain Engine, and the Dark Eldar omnibus despite it has quite some time.
At the same time I'm reading the second omnibus of Gaunt's Ghost and what a difference!!
I don't know, am I being too jaded? Maybe 10th edition has finally gotten into me.
For those of you that have read the book, what do you think?
I just have finished my last Talos.
It is my first serious dip into OSL. It has taken me many hours of experimenting and going back but I'm happy with the result!