Just Finished "The Greater Good"

[FTGTEvan]

As the title implies, I finished reading the most recent Ciaphas Cain novel - The Greater Good, which pits the famed Commissar against a Tyranid invasion. This was the first and only Ciaphas Cain novel I've read, so there's that. As a Tyranid fan, I was pleasantly surprised by how they were dealt with in this novel. Without giving too much away, I enjoyed the menacing feel they gave the majority of the novel, and while they obviously don't kill Cain, weren't just baddies who were killed by the triumphant hero because he's awesome.

All in all, I thought it was ok, with Cain being saved by various Deus Ex Machina every couple of chapters.

I'm curious to hear if any other 'Nid fans have read it, and if so, what they thought.

[snowdaman]

I just need to finish the last chapter. but over all i thought it was a great book. Defiantly made nids seem like the huge threat they are suppose to be. i also haven't read any of the other Cain novels but if they are like this i think ill pick some up. it was so funny/neat how there was someone editing it and would they would even make fun of Cain some times. Cain also isn't the typical hero in that he's just there for the ride some of the time which i liked. also found it super funny his always trying to think of a way to get out of the trouble he knows is coming but cant lol

Sent from my GT-I9100M using proboards

[ranmafan]

Sounds promising. The Last Ditch made the Nids sound like a bunch of cannon fodder for the most part - including throwbacks to Jaws.

I enjoyed the earlier Cain novels - hopefully The Greater Good will restore my faith in the good Commissar!

[seanster3000]

This may or may not be the right thread but why can't they write a book (maybe a 3 book series) of a planet being invaded by Tyranids. It can start by describing the initial steps of a Tyranid invasion and then progress to the more advance stages. One of the first 2 books can even end in a Tyranid win! It can something like after the Guard and insert Space Marine chapter can not repel the Tyranid horde they withdraw as there is no stopping the Nids on this planet at that point. The Guard and Space Marines can rally on one of the other planets in the solar system to make a last stand. Hell I'd make it an Apoc size final battle with other Chapters coming to help and the massive Bio-Titans laying waste to this next planet, and of course at the conclusion of this mini-series the "good-guys" can win.

[FTGTEvan]

seanster3000: I think the biggest obstacle to a story like that, while maintaining a sympathetic main character (good guy) are two points touched on in this novel of Nid fluff: the Shadow in the Warp, and the 'Nid use of biomass. Basically, according to the fluff, if there's not enough preparation to defend one planet in the system, the tyranids will absorb the biomass of the defeated planet and become that much stronger. Meanwhile, you can't get reserves reliably to the area because of the Shadow in the Warp, which not only cuts off astropathic communication, but also disrupts warp travel in or out.

So, you would almost need to go bigger; where the Nids take over several systems before humanity can mount a huge enough armada to stop the advance of the hive fleet. There's plenty of background/established fluff for this, all it needs is someone to write it out into a compelling story rather than the high-level blurbs in the codices.

ranmafan: Good to hear the others were good (maybe minus Last Ditch). I agree with snowdaman that the character and style of the book was amusing, which is certainly promising for others in the series.

[The Hive Mind]

I'm normally not a fan of 40k novels, I prefer Black Library's Fantasy novels, (some of which are the best books I've read, cough Malus Darkblade cough), but I've heard good things about this one, so will pick it up on your guys recommendation.

[daboarder]

Sean3000 Fall of Malvolion is exactly that, a tyranid invasion of an agi-world told form he perspective of the IG sent to evacuate it......its well written and really gives of that damned regardless vibe tyranids should have.