Every two weeks we read a new book in the WH40k universe and discuss it on our podcast. It’s summer vacation! Keri and I are a hard-earned month off, but worry not! We will be reading and will come back with not one but TWO episodes! We invite you to read along with us and join in on our conversation via comments, Twitter, Discord, email, or vox cast.
For this episode, we’re reading Hive by Dan Abnett. You can purchase it at Amazon or Audible.
From the back of the book:
Welcome to Sacramentus. Austerity and toil will teach the true measure of the Hive’s failing. No one is blameless. The planetary governor has fallen, deposed in scandal and treachery. The Adeptus Arbites roam the smog-choked vertics and zontals, rooting out traitors, enforcing the Imperial law without mercy.
As a new governor, an outsider, is crowned, the Hive teeters between order and anarchy. Whispers of rebellion echo from the heights of the Waistland to the depths of the Neg. Rival gangs seize both opportunity and territory, and forbidden cults grow ever bolder. But unbeknownst to all, a more terrifying threat awaits in the darkness.
May your light last, pilgrim. If the Emperor protects, perhaps we shall make it out alive.
Discussion guide for Hive: Part I:
- Did you like the book?
- Which parts stood out to you?
- There is a LOT of world building that takes place in first couple of chapters. Is it compelling? Does it feel “smooth” and “natural?”
- What do you make of the diction Abnett introduces? Does it boost the narrative or nah?
- Abnett introduces us to a LOT of characters. Was it easy to follow? Who are your favorites?
- A hive is, essentially, a pressure cooker of issues. Does this feel “real,” and which is the most compelling issue?
- Bringing in an off-world governor for this hive, in particular, is a bold move. What do you make of this?
Discussion guide for Hive: Part 2:
- Does part 2 pick up how and where you expected it to?
- The pressure cooker has exploded, but is it all for naught in the face of the REAL danger?
- Did all of the characters prove to be compelling? Was everyone’s narrative arc in service of the story?
- Which narratives ultimately ended up feeling like filler?
- Did you like the story overall?
- How would you “fix” the book?