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Dawn of War #1
Dawn of War
The Blood Ravens, Space Marine warriors with near superhuman strength, are sent to destroy the planet Cyrene and its heretical populace, but one of the warriors, Brother-Captain Angelos, is faced with a difficult choice because Cyrene is his own native world. Original.
(A novelization of the THQ Real Time Strategy game, releasing Fall 2004)
(A novelization of the THQ Real Time Strategy game, releasing Fall 2004)
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 7, 2004
5 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
C.S. Goto
25 books14 followersCassern Sebastian Goto (born 1970) is an author primarily notable for his novels and short stories set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. He got his start with several short stories published in Inferno! magazine and his first novel, a novelation of Dawn of War, appeared in 2004. Born in Ireland, he now lives on the Pacific coast of California.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 6, 2025
This was o.k.. 4/5 is pretty generous, and because I love the Warhammer video game this novel is based on. It entertained me. But it was not the best Warhammer novel I have read. The main character, Gabriel, is not very interesting. He's a haunted yet righteous warrior who is easily "kited" by a variety of supporting characters: the Eldar, the Chaos Space Marines, even the Orks. He's very reactive and not very thoughtful. One aspect of this novel was the way the lore felt off. The Blood Angels are a chapter made for the RTS that the novel is based on, so I'm sure their lore is a little loose. But this didn't have the same depth of lore of other Warhammer novels. No mention of promethium, machine spirits, administratum, etc., the tiny brush strokes that make the world feel real. It felt, to be a little harsh, somewhat like a cartoon version of Warhammer 40k. This might be because of when it was published (2004). Was the lore that ill-developed then? It took me a long time to finish not because it was boring but because I am juggling several books at the moment. To summarize: a fun "popcorn" read. Space Marines, Orks, Eldar, and Chaos fight and fight and scream at eachother using heroic platitudes.
July 6, 2012
CS Goto is a running joke of an author for 40k. Every page has some sort of gaff.
April 21, 2012
While I do enjoy the Warhammer 40k universe, this was an unexpectedly awful read. I had to force myself to keep going. The characters did not develop at all - each and every single one was as shallow as possible. For me, this made it impossible to connect with the characters. It is true that it was based on a game. That is certainly difficult. The result, however, seems to be a try to put some Stalone movie into a book. And with all honesty, that does not work out.
April 21, 2009
They are the Space Marines and they shall know no fear! The book Dawn of War by Cassern S. Goto is amazing story about a Gothic Apocalyptic future Mankind. The story takes place in the 40,000 millennium, mankind is surrounded by enemies. The primary defense against these foes are the mighty super-soldiers, Space Marines. The planet Tartarus is under attack by 3 armies of the aliens and demonic heretics. Captain Gabriel Angelos of the Blood Ravens Chapter, has come to save this world from them. The enemies that surrond the Captain and Space Marines, is symbolic to todays world. The relationship between Librian Isador and Captain Gabriel, resembles the relationship between two friends during war. Finally,the plot is a great with its many twists and turns.
Eldar, Ork, Chaos and even themselfs, Mankind is surronded by many enmeies. The foes don't really represent real enemies, but more like challenges man faces to save our planet. The Chaos is war, slavery, and inhumanity, this enemy is diffcult to fight because its inside everyone. Its more like a personally fight within our selves. The 2nd Commander, Liberian Isador, was being effected by chaos. He heard whispers and felt desires to do evil or things against his brothers. These little whispers and desires would drive into madness and cause Captain Gabriel to kill him. Isador couldn't control himself against the forces, but it wasnt the constant whispers, but it was his inter-desires to do evil. The Ork would represent the constant destruction or careless damage Humans afflict upon the environment of our planet. The Ork faction in the story were paid by the Chaos to kill and destroy the planet. This shows that war is a supporter or that war is a product of environmental destruction. Basic the enemies of man are all around them, they not only represented factions but real world problems.
after Isador pleads for forgivness and redemption, Gabriel says,
The relationship between 2 friends, is a strong bond depending uopn how long they've been friends. Isador and Gabriel have been friends since Gabiel was a battle-brother. Their bond is tight, but only one thing started standing in the way, chaos. It drove Isador mad and force Captain Gabriel to kill his friend. But in the back of his mind he didnt want to, but knew he had to. He saw the sickness of chaos in Isador and made the hard decision to kill his Brother. Even after Isador pleads for forgivness and redemption, Gabriel says, "If redemption is what you seek, then that is what I will give you" He then shots Isador in the head. And turns to his fellow Marines to show what happens when you accept chaos.
In closing, this book has many elements of a great book, plot, symbols and the hardship of Friends during war. During the whole time I read this Book thought to myself of how this could happen to me. So now its a personal connection with the book, I recommend this book to anyone, who wants somethng good to read.
Eldar, Ork, Chaos and even themselfs, Mankind is surronded by many enmeies. The foes don't really represent real enemies, but more like challenges man faces to save our planet. The Chaos is war, slavery, and inhumanity, this enemy is diffcult to fight because its inside everyone. Its more like a personally fight within our selves. The 2nd Commander, Liberian Isador, was being effected by chaos. He heard whispers and felt desires to do evil or things against his brothers. These little whispers and desires would drive into madness and cause Captain Gabriel to kill him. Isador couldn't control himself against the forces, but it wasnt the constant whispers, but it was his inter-desires to do evil. The Ork would represent the constant destruction or careless damage Humans afflict upon the environment of our planet. The Ork faction in the story were paid by the Chaos to kill and destroy the planet. This shows that war is a supporter or that war is a product of environmental destruction. Basic the enemies of man are all around them, they not only represented factions but real world problems.
after Isador pleads for forgivness and redemption, Gabriel says,
The relationship between 2 friends, is a strong bond depending uopn how long they've been friends. Isador and Gabriel have been friends since Gabiel was a battle-brother. Their bond is tight, but only one thing started standing in the way, chaos. It drove Isador mad and force Captain Gabriel to kill his friend. But in the back of his mind he didnt want to, but knew he had to. He saw the sickness of chaos in Isador and made the hard decision to kill his Brother. Even after Isador pleads for forgivness and redemption, Gabriel says, "If redemption is what you seek, then that is what I will give you" He then shots Isador in the head. And turns to his fellow Marines to show what happens when you accept chaos.
In closing, this book has many elements of a great book, plot, symbols and the hardship of Friends during war. During the whole time I read this Book thought to myself of how this could happen to me. So now its a personal connection with the book, I recommend this book to anyone, who wants somethng good to read.
October 28, 2021
Un libro entretenido a pesar de sus fallas.
Los personajes están bastante bien logrados y tienen algo de profundidad gracias a pequeñas dosis de su pasado que el autor nos hace saber en los momentos justos. En particular, el trauma extremo del personaje principal y su mano derecha y como lo resuelven en formas opuestas es lo que más me gusto.
Las situaciones están forzadas hasta un extremo ridículo para justificar una idealización caricaturesca y risible de lo que un "macho alfa guerrero" debe ser. Algunos de los ejemplos más ridículos son ejércitos del año 40.000 con acceso a naves espaciales con capacidad para destruir planetas enteros que pelean con espadas y martillos al mismo tiempo que usan tanques, mochilas cohetes y magia ultrapoderosa. Motos super futuristas a las que se les pinchan las gomas. Naves espaciales que bombardean al enemigo en el medio de una ciudad aliada, pero no lo bombardean en campo abierto, y un largo etc. Las frases malas estilo películas clase Z de los 80 como "ja, a ellos les gusta peliar, pero por suerte a nosotros nos gusta más" sobreabundan y te dan ganas de revolear el libro contra la pared.
La gramática tiene fallos bastante básicos que no se si atribuir a una mala traducción o a un mal autor.
La historia en sí, es lo suficientemente interesante para mantenerte enganchado hasta el final sin ser memorable ni original en ningún sentido.
Conclusión: un libro para pasar el rato, nada más.
Los personajes están bastante bien logrados y tienen algo de profundidad gracias a pequeñas dosis de su pasado que el autor nos hace saber en los momentos justos. En particular, el trauma extremo del personaje principal y su mano derecha y como lo resuelven en formas opuestas es lo que más me gusto.
Las situaciones están forzadas hasta un extremo ridículo para justificar una idealización caricaturesca y risible de lo que un "macho alfa guerrero" debe ser. Algunos de los ejemplos más ridículos son ejércitos del año 40.000 con acceso a naves espaciales con capacidad para destruir planetas enteros que pelean con espadas y martillos al mismo tiempo que usan tanques, mochilas cohetes y magia ultrapoderosa. Motos super futuristas a las que se les pinchan las gomas. Naves espaciales que bombardean al enemigo en el medio de una ciudad aliada, pero no lo bombardean en campo abierto, y un largo etc. Las frases malas estilo películas clase Z de los 80 como "ja, a ellos les gusta peliar, pero por suerte a nosotros nos gusta más" sobreabundan y te dan ganas de revolear el libro contra la pared.
La gramática tiene fallos bastante básicos que no se si atribuir a una mala traducción o a un mal autor.
La historia en sí, es lo suficientemente interesante para mantenerte enganchado hasta el final sin ser memorable ni original en ningún sentido.
Conclusión: un libro para pasar el rato, nada más.
March 2, 2018
First book in a trilogy of the novelization of a 40K computer game of the same name. It's full of action, conspiracy, valience, and betrayal, which you always get with Marines,Guard,Eldar,Orks ,The Inquisition,and Chaos. If you have played computer games, you can picture the events happening,which Goto captures quite well in his writing. Check it out.
May 25, 2022
Good insight on Aeldari
August 15, 2023
Look this most assuredly is not a GOOD book or even a well written one, but it was damn fun.
March 5, 2024
Not the best 40k book I have read.
January 3, 2015
I didn' play the game, so my opinion is just about the book and it's.... Not bad. It's very obviously made after a videogame almost nothing more than a series of battles after battles but it truly reflects the blood atmosphere of WH40k, the crazy future, the brutal, merciless struggle between the forces of chips and the alsó distorted mankind.
January 4, 2008
Blood Ravens Space Marines battle traitors, heretics, mutants, orks, eldar, and Chaos on Tartarus.
A novelization of the computer game.
Contrived does not even begin to describe this plot, but it features a lot of interesting characters.
A novelization of the computer game.
Contrived does not even begin to describe this plot, but it features a lot of interesting characters.
October 15, 2012
Enjoyed playing the game that this book is based on, but didn't enjoy the book at all. I really had to force myself to finish it, my mind just kept wandering whenever I tried to get through it. Bad writing.
March 17, 2010
Average compare to other Warhammer 40K books. Go with Dan Abnett, you can't go wrong with him.
January 12, 2013
"They are the mighty Space Marines"
3 races, one target and a few twist take care about your brain.
3 races, one target and a few twist take care about your brain.
October 2, 2015
Very enjoyable, well developed characters, interesting lore
June 21, 2009
Mediocre read... Kind of fun if you played the single played ampaign through.
November 28, 2017
A by the numbers adaptation of the game's story with a curious amount of guys surfing on tanks.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews