http://speculiction.blogspot.com/2023/06/review-of-space-marine-by-ian-watson.ht... ( )

So this how everything began. Interesting read, oudated and somewhat interesting. But by today standards it fails to achieve the epic porportions or in terms of vast scale of other current novels.

Here we find how one turns a space marine -Imperial Fists. The IF takes his men from the Necromunda world. And in this particular case they took three hivers each from a different part of the hive city. It was interesting to read about the differences between them and how they try to bond beneath the IF.

Being an outdated book, from the first or second codex time, we have Squats and Zoats; both written out from the annal histories of Games Workshop.

You've got Space Marines eating enemies to know more about several situations and even to control a Titan!!

But don't get me wrong. This is a book where you will find a grim dark reality of the warhammer 40k world. People abducted, through painful treatments (with druges involved) turn into fanatic space marines.

Good story and I advice anyone into Warhammer40k to read it, or if you like Starship Troopers from Heinlein. ( )

Imperial Fists are one of the mightiest Space Marines Chapters of the First Founding era.

In this very interesting book we follow three young boys (from three very different social classes from hive city of Necromunda) as they advance through the ranks of the Imperial Fists from Scout units to full Battle Brothers. They will each find and follow their own way (religious zealotry and combat pragmatism) and soon animosity caused both by their origins and by the interactions before joining Imperial Fists will be replaced by bond that will keep them together in the direst of circumstances.

Watson portrays the world of Warhammer 40000 in the grimmest possible light - there is truly no hope here, man is only one among untold billions and future of the race is at stake and dangerous he encounters are truly overwhelming.

Great novel (according to long-time W40000 fans description and story differs from current game rules so bear that in mind you purists :)).

Highly recommended. ( )