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Space Wolf #2
Ragnar's Claw
In the second volume in the epic Space Wolf saga, Space Wolf Ragnar embarks on his first mission as a Blood Claw, journeying from the jungle planet of Galt to the polluted urban areas of Hive World Venam on his quest to find the very heart of Evil itself. Reissue.
266 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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446 people want to read
About the author
William King
349 books717 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
February 1, 2019
I suspect that it’s unlikely that William King will get considered for the Nobel Prize for Literature. Well, bad luck the Nobel Committee because Ragnar’s Claw is about as cracking as a thrill-packed pulp action sci-fi fantasy can be.
What’s not to like? It’s actually subtle piece of character development if that’s what makes it respectable. This tale takes our blood-soaked hero from the previous volume’s first action as a Space Marine on his home world and into the far reaches of the Imperium. He sees his friends die, suffers from crises of confidence, sort of falls in love (tragically, of course, because in the grim dark of the future there is only war) and takes on hordes of orks, mutants and ferocious aliens.
There’s intrigues and betrayals and even several actual laughs in between the almost non-stop blood and gore fighting.
There’s an actual story – our super-human space wolves accompany a bunch from the Inquisition to track down the three shattered remnants of an ancient talisman to hopefully stop a deadly plague from consuming a planet – all classic quest stuff.
And, of course, there’s fighting and action and mayhem and OTT violence and monsters and aliens and spaceships and dark, twisted magic and…and… IT’S GREAT!!
King sucks us in to the noble (no, not Nobel) yet bloodthirsty soul of Ragnar and through him we journey through this most grim of all grim futures. The 40K Universe gives the writer a fine sandpit to play in and King takes full advantage, showcasing all of its twisted mythology and wild, toxic realms.
I believe that John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath is arguably the greatest novel ever written; I think Orwell’s 1984 is as sharp and relevant today as it was in 1948; I love the understated slow burn of Brideshead Revisited… but wouldn’t all those masterpieces have been just a wee bit better with a few scenes of a biologically enhanced super-warrior hacking his way through a bunch of monstrous Space Orks? They would, and you know it.
What’s not to like? It’s actually subtle piece of character development if that’s what makes it respectable. This tale takes our blood-soaked hero from the previous volume’s first action as a Space Marine on his home world and into the far reaches of the Imperium. He sees his friends die, suffers from crises of confidence, sort of falls in love (tragically, of course, because in the grim dark of the future there is only war) and takes on hordes of orks, mutants and ferocious aliens.
There’s intrigues and betrayals and even several actual laughs in between the almost non-stop blood and gore fighting.
There’s an actual story – our super-human space wolves accompany a bunch from the Inquisition to track down the three shattered remnants of an ancient talisman to hopefully stop a deadly plague from consuming a planet – all classic quest stuff.
And, of course, there’s fighting and action and mayhem and OTT violence and monsters and aliens and spaceships and dark, twisted magic and…and… IT’S GREAT!!
King sucks us in to the noble (no, not Nobel) yet bloodthirsty soul of Ragnar and through him we journey through this most grim of all grim futures. The 40K Universe gives the writer a fine sandpit to play in and King takes full advantage, showcasing all of its twisted mythology and wild, toxic realms.
I believe that John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath is arguably the greatest novel ever written; I think Orwell’s 1984 is as sharp and relevant today as it was in 1948; I love the understated slow burn of Brideshead Revisited… but wouldn’t all those masterpieces have been just a wee bit better with a few scenes of a biologically enhanced super-warrior hacking his way through a bunch of monstrous Space Orks? They would, and you know it.
January 2, 2019
Buone le premesse che ci portano all’interno della Zanna, i cui ospiti puzzano d’intrigo. Peccato che poi si devii la direzione, con gli Space Marine, le cui ferali peculiarità di Lupi Siderali non vengono affatto impiegate, che gestiscono nemici esageratamente più forti di loro. Pur trattandosi di un romanzo, passatemi il gioco di parole, è una visione troppo “romanzata” ed impari, che non rispecchia il gotico 41esimo millenio dell’ambientazione.
October 20, 2014
Pros:
1) Lots of different aspects of the 40k world. We get to see a fight with a daemon lord of Nurgle, some ork fighting, and the eldar play a role here, as well. Not only the Space Wolves, but also the Inquisition get involved here. Essentially Ragnar's Claw are used as a Deathwatch group
2) This is actually a Space Marines novel. Yay! Rather than #1, which is way more a like ... prequel, this actually feels like a worthy 40k book.
3) Because of #1, the plot doesn't get stale. This is an issue many of, say, the Space Marine Battles series has to contend with: how to keep ONE BATTLE interesting for 400 pages. Here we have a galaxy-spanning adventure with a lot of different environments and enemies to contend with
Midgrounds:
1) Very obviously an early 40k book, so quite often things that would be taken for granted in the fiction now are pointed out & commented upon. We get like a three-page buildup to the first time they enter the Warp explaining how dangerous it is. This isn't so much a fault of the book, more of the line at the time, so I won't count it as a con.
Cons:
1) But dear god, those "X is about to happen, so Ragnar should worry about it first" sections are WAY too long. I finally got the trick of, when any of this filler worry would start, just jumping to the next section break & MISSING NOTHING, but it's annoying that there's SO MUCH of it there.
2) Somewhat along the same lines, there's just a lot of overexpository inner dialogue here. My favorite was a moment where Ragnar thinks something along the lines of, 'But maybe the ork wouldn't think that way. Ragnar was human, and the ork was an alien.' Yes, thank you, Ragnar, for pointing that out, lest we forget. There are so many bits like this, and every time I would giggle at the silliness of it.
3) The Space Wolves are maybe a little too generic Space Marine here at this point. We get a few moments that make them feel wolfy, but overall they're just slightly crass (one of the weirdest moments I can recall in this book: fart humor in a 40k novel).
Two stars seems too little. Overall I enjoyed it. I look forward to the next books in this series. Still, going so far as "good" seems a bit much.
1) Lots of different aspects of the 40k world. We get to see a fight with a daemon lord of Nurgle, some ork fighting, and the eldar play a role here, as well. Not only the Space Wolves, but also the Inquisition get involved here. Essentially Ragnar's Claw are used as a Deathwatch group
2) This is actually a Space Marines novel. Yay! Rather than #1, which is way more a like ... prequel, this actually feels like a worthy 40k book.
3) Because of #1, the plot doesn't get stale. This is an issue many of, say, the Space Marine Battles series has to contend with: how to keep ONE BATTLE interesting for 400 pages. Here we have a galaxy-spanning adventure with a lot of different environments and enemies to contend with
Midgrounds:
1) Very obviously an early 40k book, so quite often things that would be taken for granted in the fiction now are pointed out & commented upon. We get like a three-page buildup to the first time they enter the Warp explaining how dangerous it is. This isn't so much a fault of the book, more of the line at the time, so I won't count it as a con.
Cons:
1) But dear god, those "X is about to happen, so Ragnar should worry about it first" sections are WAY too long. I finally got the trick of, when any of this filler worry would start, just jumping to the next section break & MISSING NOTHING, but it's annoying that there's SO MUCH of it there.
2) Somewhat along the same lines, there's just a lot of overexpository inner dialogue here. My favorite was a moment where Ragnar thinks something along the lines of, 'But maybe the ork wouldn't think that way. Ragnar was human, and the ork was an alien.' Yes, thank you, Ragnar, for pointing that out, lest we forget. There are so many bits like this, and every time I would giggle at the silliness of it.
3) The Space Wolves are maybe a little too generic Space Marine here at this point. We get a few moments that make them feel wolfy, but overall they're just slightly crass (one of the weirdest moments I can recall in this book: fart humor in a 40k novel).
Two stars seems too little. Overall I enjoyed it. I look forward to the next books in this series. Still, going so far as "good" seems a bit much.
May 23, 2025
And done! Excellent sequel in the Space Wolf saga. Easy to follow with little to now experience in Warhammer needed for enjoyment. Very much looking forward to completing the trilogy
September 20, 2015
so I read these first time round when they originally came out.
I seem to remember loving this particular volume as there was a lot going on and.it wasn't just space marines weebling around the fang for a few hundred pages.
This time round I score it a meh. Sven is a tool. The sort of meat headed buffoon you try to avoid. Ragnar comes across as a sort of emo ish genetically modified super soldier and the rest of the band are just filler.
The tension between Stybjorn and Ragnar is down played to nothing and it is just all a bit too vanilla.
Oh and fart jokes....in space.
I seem to remember loving this particular volume as there was a lot going on and.it wasn't just space marines weebling around the fang for a few hundred pages.
This time round I score it a meh. Sven is a tool. The sort of meat headed buffoon you try to avoid. Ragnar comes across as a sort of emo ish genetically modified super soldier and the rest of the band are just filler.
The tension between Stybjorn and Ragnar is down played to nothing and it is just all a bit too vanilla.
Oh and fart jokes....in space.
June 4, 2021
I’d give this book more of a 3.5/5. It’s a fun read with lots of action. I think this series would be a great place for someone to start if they’ve never even played or painted warhammer 40k as the world is explained pretty well as Ragnar (the main character) is such a noob so everything is explained for his purposes.
This book has a good plot even if it’s a bit fetch questy but we’re all really here for the action of which there’s lots of aliens being dismembered and general chainsword/boltpistol carnage. So there’s a good amount of action as one expects in a 40k book and it’s a fun engaging read right until the end.
What I struggled with in this book however was Ragnar’s constant inner pondering and over-analysis of everything. He’s constantly babbling in his mind to himself about anything he hasn’t seen before, for example psychic powers and how scary they are but then reassures himself that the tutelary engines pumped a load of knowledge into his brain and it’s all cool or his sergeant isn’t bothered so he doesn’t need to be worried either. It’s okay Ragnar, we know the tutelary engines pumped lots of info into your brain, you’ve already told us multiple times!
It just felt like this was happening every couple paragraphs and often about the same thing so it became annoying as it was too much for me. This pondering popped up mid battle in places too, really slowing down the fight scenes.
All this gives the impression that blood claw level space wolves are just big genetically enhanced babies that are scared of everything and it’s a wonder they manage to kill any aliens at all.
One other thing that didn’t sit right with me was Brother Sven’s cringey dialogue. He is incapable of speaking a sentence without saying “bloody” eg: “We’ll bloody see about that then.”
Just no. That’s not how I picture space marines talking and it just felt out of place in the world for me.
The villain towards the end of the book also had some cheesy dialogue which fell a bit flat for me.
I will definitely be continuing onto the next book as future Ragnar seemed to know what he was doing in the prologue of this book which means less pointless pondering! If you can put aside these small gripes then this should be a fun read.
This book has a good plot even if it’s a bit fetch questy but we’re all really here for the action of which there’s lots of aliens being dismembered and general chainsword/boltpistol carnage. So there’s a good amount of action as one expects in a 40k book and it’s a fun engaging read right until the end.
What I struggled with in this book however was Ragnar’s constant inner pondering and over-analysis of everything. He’s constantly babbling in his mind to himself about anything he hasn’t seen before, for example psychic powers and how scary they are but then reassures himself that the tutelary engines pumped a load of knowledge into his brain and it’s all cool or his sergeant isn’t bothered so he doesn’t need to be worried either. It’s okay Ragnar, we know the tutelary engines pumped lots of info into your brain, you’ve already told us multiple times!
It just felt like this was happening every couple paragraphs and often about the same thing so it became annoying as it was too much for me. This pondering popped up mid battle in places too, really slowing down the fight scenes.
All this gives the impression that blood claw level space wolves are just big genetically enhanced babies that are scared of everything and it’s a wonder they manage to kill any aliens at all.
One other thing that didn’t sit right with me was Brother Sven’s cringey dialogue. He is incapable of speaking a sentence without saying “bloody” eg: “We’ll bloody see about that then.”
Just no. That’s not how I picture space marines talking and it just felt out of place in the world for me.
The villain towards the end of the book also had some cheesy dialogue which fell a bit flat for me.
I will definitely be continuing onto the next book as future Ragnar seemed to know what he was doing in the prologue of this book which means less pointless pondering! If you can put aside these small gripes then this should be a fun read.
December 10, 2024
Our eponymous hero, introduced in series opener 'Space Wolf', in which he became a Space Wolf without leaving planetary orbit, finally goes into space. An important maguffin is loose in the galaxy and Ragnar and friends are off on a murderous adventure to retrieve it.
High literature this is not, but it is endless fun from back in the days when Space Marine novels were less about endless philosophy and organisation design reviews and more about killing aliens and having fun.
Ragnar himself is a likeable hero, naive yet principled, happy to indulge in banter with his packmates, and endearingly oblivious to the high regard in which he is almost universally held. He is, of course, working for an evil, murderous, totalitarian society, so flashes of self awareness and disagreement with the ways of the Imperium are welcome even if we know he is unlikely to ultimately act on them.
The story is blessedly linear, again there is far too little of this in more modern 40k stories, progressing through exciting battles with a series of the Space Marines' most iconic foes. The villains are as dastardly as the supporting characters are entertaining. The series is shaping up very well and is an excellent place to start for anyone looking to take their first steps into the hundreds of Space Marine novels out there.
High literature this is not, but it is endless fun from back in the days when Space Marine novels were less about endless philosophy and organisation design reviews and more about killing aliens and having fun.
Ragnar himself is a likeable hero, naive yet principled, happy to indulge in banter with his packmates, and endearingly oblivious to the high regard in which he is almost universally held. He is, of course, working for an evil, murderous, totalitarian society, so flashes of self awareness and disagreement with the ways of the Imperium are welcome even if we know he is unlikely to ultimately act on them.
The story is blessedly linear, again there is far too little of this in more modern 40k stories, progressing through exciting battles with a series of the Space Marines' most iconic foes. The villains are as dastardly as the supporting characters are entertaining. The series is shaping up very well and is an excellent place to start for anyone looking to take their first steps into the hundreds of Space Marine novels out there.
October 28, 2022
4/5 stars. Pretty good, but not as good as the first novel for sure.
September 26, 2023
Little bit dragging with easy predictable characters, but still pretty enjoyable.
November 9, 2018
I've got a disease. It's called William King Bias. It makes my reviews somewhat... Slanted shall we say? It's an amazing book.
January 21, 2019
Wonderful if you want a disgusting amount of descriptions of the disgusting.
June 25, 2011
This book was a quick fun read. I agree with one of the previous reviewers who said it was action packed and full of super gory/gross death scenes that make you giggle. It was very light on the detail and if I weren't so familiar with the Warhammer 40K universe, I don't think I would have been able to fill in the gaps quite as easily. Overall, I liked it and I am on board for next few Space Wolf novels.
January 6, 2025
Another really good entry in the saga.
On the whole, I think I like this one more than it's predecessor. Whilst Space Wolf provides badass Viking combat and really informative lore, Ragnar's Claw feels like a true Warhammer book. From the jump we are thrust into a mission with Ragnar and his battle brothers and it doesn't lose momentum from there.
It also introduced and fleshed out the ever confusing Warhammer world on a wider scale. The Warp and Space Hulks got explained, several Xenos factions were slaughtered and the Inquisition played a major role. However, this last point wasn't necessarily for the better.
Whilst it was nice to see allied factions of the Imperium interact, that is all the Inquisition were good for in my opinion. When a 'huge' betrayal and forced romance tease revolves around them, the story's weight loses its intended effect. As a Space Wolves player, you can't expect me to care about random humans when Ragnar's pack is much more interesting.
Speaking of his pack, I was a big fan of Sven's development here. The Claw's continuous banter was my favourite recurring theme and every single time Sven was at the centre of it. The only downside is that Strybjorn felt like an afterthought. As the Sasuke to Ragnar's Naruto in the first book and one of my favourite parts, it was disappointing that Strybjorn barely spoke, and when he did he'd give the most generic NPC responses.
Nevertheless, this series is establishing itself at a respectable 4 starts and I look forward to finishing the first omnibus in the next month.
On the whole, I think I like this one more than it's predecessor. Whilst Space Wolf provides badass Viking combat and really informative lore, Ragnar's Claw feels like a true Warhammer book. From the jump we are thrust into a mission with Ragnar and his battle brothers and it doesn't lose momentum from there.
It also introduced and fleshed out the ever confusing Warhammer world on a wider scale. The Warp and Space Hulks got explained, several Xenos factions were slaughtered and the Inquisition played a major role. However, this last point wasn't necessarily for the better.
Whilst it was nice to see allied factions of the Imperium interact, that is all the Inquisition were good for in my opinion. When a 'huge' betrayal and forced romance tease revolves around them, the story's weight loses its intended effect. As a Space Wolves player, you can't expect me to care about random humans when Ragnar's pack is much more interesting.
Speaking of his pack, I was a big fan of Sven's development here. The Claw's continuous banter was my favourite recurring theme and every single time Sven was at the centre of it. The only downside is that Strybjorn felt like an afterthought. As the Sasuke to Ragnar's Naruto in the first book and one of my favourite parts, it was disappointing that Strybjorn barely spoke, and when he did he'd give the most generic NPC responses.
Nevertheless, this series is establishing itself at a respectable 4 starts and I look forward to finishing the first omnibus in the next month.
April 19, 2021
Ragnar's story continues in The Ragnar's Claw. We get to see this wonderful (read as horrible) Universe of Warhammer 40k, which is not so grimdark as we expect, not when the characters make jokes about farts and insult one another in an amicable way. Mind you, they are Space Marines, the best soldiers of humanity, theoretically immortal. So it's this type of book. If you think this kind of behavior makes the characters not worthy of Warhammer 40K (because you're such a big fan of serious and grim stuff), well, obviously this book is not for you, and it's okay, there are plenty of fish in W40K universe.
Underneath the simple story -travel around the galaxy to grab an artifact in order to stop the destruction of a planet- there's a very natural character development. I did mention that Space Marines are theoretically immortal, but they still struggle with their mortality. On one way, because Ragnar is so young to join the ranks of Space Marines, his mind is still filled with human thoughts and in finding himself we get such a rich story in feelings, thoughts, and action.
It also works very well as an introduction to Warhammer 40K lore. Every new thing Ragnar encounters is explained in detail as he accessed for his first time his implanted memories. So new fans will never get lost, while old fans will probably be a little bored (IDK, it's only my impression from other's reviewers).
Underneath the simple story -travel around the galaxy to grab an artifact in order to stop the destruction of a planet- there's a very natural character development. I did mention that Space Marines are theoretically immortal, but they still struggle with their mortality. On one way, because Ragnar is so young to join the ranks of Space Marines, his mind is still filled with human thoughts and in finding himself we get such a rich story in feelings, thoughts, and action.
It also works very well as an introduction to Warhammer 40K lore. Every new thing Ragnar encounters is explained in detail as he accessed for his first time his implanted memories. So new fans will never get lost, while old fans will probably be a little bored (IDK, it's only my impression from other's reviewers).
April 8, 2021
Ragnar's bloody adventures continue! I loved this fun, exciting, far-ranging "space odyssey." This is my second *Warhammer 40k* novel, and if they are all as fun as this one, count me in. To clarify: I have read several the *Horus Heresy* novels; I do not consider them *Warhammer 40k* books. They are more serious, atmospheric, and grim, whereas this series by King is unadulterated "chainsword and sorcery" fare. King's writing style is admirable. I have enjoyed all of King's *Gotrek and Felix* novels and am so impressed by his economic prose style and his ability to render vibrant characters, vivid and exotic places, and thrilling battles against villains who you love to hate. Something that really stuck with me with this novel was the loving way King rendered the unique settings that encompass the Warhammer 40k world. There are scenes on giant spaceships, rimworld jungle planets, shadowy space hulks, and an imperial "hive world." The Spaces Wolves are also a fun group of sci-fi protagonists: aggressive, somewhat puerile in dialog (in a fun way), and deadly in battle. As the second book in this series focused on Ragnar, it was great to witness the character evolving from a young, ignorant, premodern space viking to a fully initiated Space Marine. Looking forward to the third book in this series.
July 3, 2023
“La Guerra de Ragnar” supuso mi primera aproximación al universo de Warhammer 40k. En una de mis giras por librerías de segunda mano de Barcelona vi en el estante de ciencia ficción un libro viejo, verduzco y ajado con una imagen de lo que luego descubriría que era un marine espacial y un inquisidor. Dudé en comprarlo, nunca me había interesado Warhammer, pero el precio irrisorio de dos euros hizo el resto.
Acabó en mi casa y comencé a leerlo, pero debido a una época azarosa y ajetreada en mi vida el libro desapareció antes de que pudiera terminarlo. Tras mi mudanza y vuelta a Madrid, volvió a aparecer y, sin terminarlo, ya que había pasado mucho tiempo, volvió a ocupar un lugar en mi estantería. Pasó el tiempo y por vicisitudes de mi canal literario “La Espada Argéntea” decidí darle una oportunidad y acabar uno de los dos libros que nunca terminé. Siempre me he preciado de acabar los libros que empiezo, así que me puse manos a la obra, por segunda vez.
Soy consciente de que es el segundo libro de la trilogía de “Lobos Espaciales”, pero pensando que era el primero comencé a leerlo. La verdad es que William King escribió este libro con las explicaciones pertinentes para iniciarse en el mundo de Warhammer 40k y poder empezar el libro sin necesidad de haberte leído ninguno antes. He seguido aprendiendo del “lore” de todo este universo y leyendo otros libros, y sigo pensando lo mismo sobre la idoneidad de leer “La Garra de Ragnar”, aunque sea el primero de todo este universo de ficción que cae en las manos de un nuevo lector. Por supuesto, esto no me exime de que vaya a leerme las otras dos partes de esta trilogía en cuanto pueda.
La historia empieza “in media res”, en una batalla de los lobos espaciales contra el caos, tras esta pequeña introducción comenzará la trama que da comienzo a una historia que para mí es de fantasía heroica de manual, pero en un futuro lejano. El protagonista y héroe se embarca junto a otros compañeros, marines e inquisidores, en un viaje lejano para salvar a un mundo entero de la enfermedad y de la muerte, un viaje en lucha permanente contra el caos, por el Imperio y la humanidad.
El viaje se compone de varias partes, en las que el protagonista y sus compañeros se enfrentarán a orcos, tiránidos y siervos del caos. Asimismo, conoceremos, además de características y esencias de los anteriormente nombrados, parte de la naturaleza de los propios marines espaciales y de la inquisición al servicio del emperador. Estamos ante una historia de sacrificio, honor, lealtad y acción. Elementos idóneos en una historia de fantasía heroica. El protagonista, el joven Ragnar, tiene gran empuje y una fuerte personalidad, espero poder seguir leyendo sobre él y su desarrollo dentro del gigantesco universo de Warhammer 40k. Es un libro recomendable, que me ha sorprendido para bien. Espero poder seguir profundizando en nuevas lecturas relacionadas.
Acabó en mi casa y comencé a leerlo, pero debido a una época azarosa y ajetreada en mi vida el libro desapareció antes de que pudiera terminarlo. Tras mi mudanza y vuelta a Madrid, volvió a aparecer y, sin terminarlo, ya que había pasado mucho tiempo, volvió a ocupar un lugar en mi estantería. Pasó el tiempo y por vicisitudes de mi canal literario “La Espada Argéntea” decidí darle una oportunidad y acabar uno de los dos libros que nunca terminé. Siempre me he preciado de acabar los libros que empiezo, así que me puse manos a la obra, por segunda vez.
Soy consciente de que es el segundo libro de la trilogía de “Lobos Espaciales”, pero pensando que era el primero comencé a leerlo. La verdad es que William King escribió este libro con las explicaciones pertinentes para iniciarse en el mundo de Warhammer 40k y poder empezar el libro sin necesidad de haberte leído ninguno antes. He seguido aprendiendo del “lore” de todo este universo y leyendo otros libros, y sigo pensando lo mismo sobre la idoneidad de leer “La Garra de Ragnar”, aunque sea el primero de todo este universo de ficción que cae en las manos de un nuevo lector. Por supuesto, esto no me exime de que vaya a leerme las otras dos partes de esta trilogía en cuanto pueda.
La historia empieza “in media res”, en una batalla de los lobos espaciales contra el caos, tras esta pequeña introducción comenzará la trama que da comienzo a una historia que para mí es de fantasía heroica de manual, pero en un futuro lejano. El protagonista y héroe se embarca junto a otros compañeros, marines e inquisidores, en un viaje lejano para salvar a un mundo entero de la enfermedad y de la muerte, un viaje en lucha permanente contra el caos, por el Imperio y la humanidad.
El viaje se compone de varias partes, en las que el protagonista y sus compañeros se enfrentarán a orcos, tiránidos y siervos del caos. Asimismo, conoceremos, además de características y esencias de los anteriormente nombrados, parte de la naturaleza de los propios marines espaciales y de la inquisición al servicio del emperador. Estamos ante una historia de sacrificio, honor, lealtad y acción. Elementos idóneos en una historia de fantasía heroica. El protagonista, el joven Ragnar, tiene gran empuje y una fuerte personalidad, espero poder seguir leyendo sobre él y su desarrollo dentro del gigantesco universo de Warhammer 40k. Es un libro recomendable, que me ha sorprendido para bien. Espero poder seguir profundizando en nuevas lecturas relacionadas.
January 13, 2025
It’s possible that nostalgia isn’t strong enough to pull me through these books.
To be fair, this book isn’t bad, per se, but it doesn’t have a lot going for it. There are lots of small issues that, over time, build up into a larger, disappointing read.
For me specifically, it was the dismissal of physics this time around. We have been told that our hero Ragnar is a Space Marine, a genetically enhanced super-soldier, made much larger and heavier than a normal man. In addition to his added natural bulk, he is also encased in a suit of power armor, a suit so heavy and unwieldy on its own that it is equipped with servo-motors to help the wearer move. Looking online, the typical Space Marine weighs around 400 kg and the armor is another 1000 kg. With all that being said, how in the Emperor’s name is this character able to swim? Or use a wooden raft to traverse a river? Or do any of the other activities that might be hindered by weighing as much as a small pickup truck?
I understand that Space Marines are meant to be a power fantasy, but more than anything, this sort of stuff comes across as lazy and inconsistent.
To be fair, this book isn’t bad, per se, but it doesn’t have a lot going for it. There are lots of small issues that, over time, build up into a larger, disappointing read.
For me specifically, it was the dismissal of physics this time around. We have been told that our hero Ragnar is a Space Marine, a genetically enhanced super-soldier, made much larger and heavier than a normal man. In addition to his added natural bulk, he is also encased in a suit of power armor, a suit so heavy and unwieldy on its own that it is equipped with servo-motors to help the wearer move. Looking online, the typical Space Marine weighs around 400 kg and the armor is another 1000 kg. With all that being said, how in the Emperor’s name is this character able to swim? Or use a wooden raft to traverse a river? Or do any of the other activities that might be hindered by weighing as much as a small pickup truck?
I understand that Space Marines are meant to be a power fantasy, but more than anything, this sort of stuff comes across as lazy and inconsistent.
October 18, 2019
I enjoyed Ragnar's Claw just as much as I did Space Wolf and found it to be incredibly easy to keep reading. I'm a reasonably slow reader, but I find these novels to be easy to digest and get through quickly (By my standards).
Although I loved seeing the time before Ragnar was a Space Marine in Space Wolf, it was enjoyable to have a full on Space Marine story this time around. Also, I loved the inclusion of the Inquisition.
The character growth and continuation from the first book was good and once again I felt engaged and a part of the 'pack' as the story progressed. It was also nice to see a variety of antagonists within the story which, I think, helped with expressing just how wide the universe within the story is and the level of danger that comes with the role of being part of the Space Wolves.
I'm very eager to read the next in the series and I'll be doing so as soon as I can. Definitely recommend this if you were a fan of the first or the Space Wolves in general.
Although I loved seeing the time before Ragnar was a Space Marine in Space Wolf, it was enjoyable to have a full on Space Marine story this time around. Also, I loved the inclusion of the Inquisition.
The character growth and continuation from the first book was good and once again I felt engaged and a part of the 'pack' as the story progressed. It was also nice to see a variety of antagonists within the story which, I think, helped with expressing just how wide the universe within the story is and the level of danger that comes with the role of being part of the Space Wolves.
I'm very eager to read the next in the series and I'll be doing so as soon as I can. Definitely recommend this if you were a fan of the first or the Space Wolves in general.
January 7, 2018
A fun pulpy entry into the series about Ragnar Blackmane and the Space Wolf legion. This book takes us away from the Space Wolf home world of Fenris and on to distant war torn worlds of the Imperium facing down Orks, Tyranids and the Daemons of Nurgle. So all in all a fun if occasionally disgusting romp through the Warhammer universe. While it is about Ragnar's first trip off Fenris don't expect much character development or depth of story. There was a turn or two of the plot that I did not see coming and the action was thoroughly enjoyable so if you just want to read about some Space Wolves laying down the pain on some xenos and daemons then this is a good book to pickup.
May 11, 2023
This hovered between 3 and 4 for me, but my love of Ragnar and the Vlka Fenryka pushed it over. Sometimes the language got repetative, and the main villain was only ok, but I really liked what the author did with the Orks, and with Ragnar himself.
What was fun was that Ragnar, unsually for a marine, actually acknowledges that he feels fear and desire, something shied away from by most SM authors. The old 'you can't be brave without fear' adage is always the great enemy of Astartes books, as their own unofficial motto is 'know no fear'. With Ragnar it was dealt with really well, and for all that this book had its imperfections, the good far outweighs the bad.
What was fun was that Ragnar, unsually for a marine, actually acknowledges that he feels fear and desire, something shied away from by most SM authors. The old 'you can't be brave without fear' adage is always the great enemy of Astartes books, as their own unofficial motto is 'know no fear'. With Ragnar it was dealt with really well, and for all that this book had its imperfections, the good far outweighs the bad.
December 16, 2025
Whereas the previous novel introduced us to the secrets and rituals of the Space Wolves we didn't know (that's why they're secret, duh), this one just jumps into fast paced action in all its pulpy space glory. Again, a hard seller for those who're not interested in the brand and sometimes it feels like a toyline catalogue, which you could argue is not that far from reality. You get a taste of plenty of factions from this vast universe and that's always good. If you're down for your usual ration of bolters and chainswords and, like me, have a knack for Space Wolves, it's definitely worth a shot.
April 10, 2018
Ragnar seems to have bitten off more than he can chew in the second book of the Space Wolf series. He goes on this journey of what is supposed to be his first mission off world and then goes through all this turmoil and loss only to end up unleashing a foulness that he couldn't even imagine. This book has all the staples of a 40K book. it has Xenos, Deamons, Orks, even Genestealers. the action sequences reminded me of why i really enjoy the entertainment value of 40 k and the writing of William King puts me back to when i first picked up Trollslayer about ten years ago.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2020
Slow to get into to but with a burning end.
This was a good sequel with Ragnar becoming more of the space wolf he's meant to be.
I struggled to get behind the beginning but this could be due to the story being older then other WH40K books. However, the story flowed at a steady pace with lots of action and as I stated with the previous book this is a fantastic start for anyone new to WH40K due to introductions of Orks, Eldar, space hulks and even the plague God.
Highly recommended just be aware if you're well known to the WH40K lore it's alittle slow but perfect for newbies.
This was a good sequel with Ragnar becoming more of the space wolf he's meant to be.
I struggled to get behind the beginning but this could be due to the story being older then other WH40K books. However, the story flowed at a steady pace with lots of action and as I stated with the previous book this is a fantastic start for anyone new to WH40K due to introductions of Orks, Eldar, space hulks and even the plague God.
Highly recommended just be aware if you're well known to the WH40K lore it's alittle slow but perfect for newbies.
April 4, 2020
El lore de warhammer 40k tiene momentos interesantes, este libro no es la excepción, descripciones de violencia y batallas, esa sensación lovecraftiana de lo pequeño e insignificante que resulta el ser humano en el espacio profundo, pero fuera de ello es un libro bastante simplón, tiene sus momentos como cuando describen la carrera en monstertruck contra los orkos. Si tienen tiempo o les interesa el warhammer 40k, dense, si no, no se pierden de nada.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2023
Its WH40K.. I have a hard time giving such less than a 3/5.
But at times while listening to the audiobook version of this story, I felt the authors perverse enjoyment in adding braindead nonsense to it. Each time the author indulged in such I found any sense of immersion dispelled and annoyance pervaded me to the point that I had to stop listening to the story. So honestly I don't feel this really deserves the 3/5 rating.
I have read better fanfiction in this setting.
But at times while listening to the audiobook version of this story, I felt the authors perverse enjoyment in adding braindead nonsense to it. Each time the author indulged in such I found any sense of immersion dispelled and annoyance pervaded me to the point that I had to stop listening to the story. So honestly I don't feel this really deserves the 3/5 rating.
I have read better fanfiction in this setting.
September 5, 2025
Love playing Space Wolves and hearing stories of Ragnar and the Wolves is just as enjoyable. I felt like you get a good appreciation for how large the 40K universe can be with this novel. The Wolves deal with Orks, Eldar, and Chaos, not to mention the Inquisition sticking their nose where it don’t belong. Ragnar is an enjoyable hero to follow through the story and I found myself not wanting to put the book down.
December 19, 2021
A fun 40K book. This is a quest book. Our hero heads after the McGuffin and learns along the way. Its as simple as that. Is it ground breaking, absolutely not, but it is fun and well written and most things by William King are. That plus fun action sequences makes this a good 40K book. Worth a read if you like the universe but it wont convert anybody.
May 14, 2023
I had the pleasure of reading this book years ago when it was first released and I must say, it was quite enjoyable! I totally forgot about the book and its ending until now. The writing style is excellent just like the other Space Wolf books and it serves as a great introduction to the Warhammer 40,000 universe.
November 5, 2025
There were parts of this book that I really liked - it expanded the 40K universe through Ragnar leaving Fenris and encountering more creatures and aliens.
That however is also a weakness in this book, where it shows Ragnar and the Space Wolves with Orks, Tyranids, the Inquisition and then Nurgle and the Plagued Ones you see each group in such little detail that any exploration of them is just surface level.
That however is also a weakness in this book, where it shows Ragnar and the Space Wolves with Orks, Tyranids, the Inquisition and then Nurgle and the Plagued Ones you see each group in such little detail that any exploration of them is just surface level.
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