# Some points on Gaunts Ghosts (spoilers)



## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

I know, alot of Ghosts threads by me keep going up, but fuck it, its the best book series ive ever read ^^

For a refernce i've only read up to about two chapters into Only In Death. So spoilers for that book and Blood Pact away if you'd be so kind, cheers.

So for the first point. What the hell happened to Sgt Bray? in the first few books he got a few mentions, including Kolea or Varl saying that his platoon was in the top elite 5 of the Ghosts, but i don't think i've heard anything of him since then. Other troopers seem to come to prominence then almost fade away completely with a rare mention here and there. Sgt Haller, Nessa, Vivvo and Jajjo being the prime examples i can think of, Raglon to a lesser degree aswell. Nessa seemed to be bulding quite the rapport with Larkin, Jajjo being one the first Verghast scout and coming up in the world, Vivvo just seems to have dropped off the face of the earth(galaxy) since Soric went, and Hallers few mentions just keep reducing. Ban Daurs role has also been drasticaly reduced, only getting a few mentions or 'scenes' per book now, most of them in passing though, which is disappointing as i really like his character.

Second, always found it a little wierd how Meryn became a massive prick quite quickly. For some reason i liked him alot when he got mentions as Cpl Meryn, always dependable and good soldier. Then on the Larisel op i genuinely could see why he did those rather hard line jobs such as killing some civilians as the mission was paramount. But then come Heredor he was just a massive dick, and has been ever since, for no real reason other than he just seems like a complete tool. Rawne and Feygor were never friendly to everyone, but they were still likeable, to the point where they were up their with my favourite characters. But Meryn just seems like a ass for the sake of it.

Rawne and Banda aswell? what happened there, i mean i know that he was away for 2 years on Gereon, but(up till now anyway) never seems to have mentioned it again or show them to react at all and of course she was suddenly with Meryn, with it saying she just goes for soldiers in high positions, kind of took Banda in my eyes down from a flirty, fiesty, cheeky but likeable sniper to a bit of a slag in all honesty.


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

You've got to remember at least 2 years passed since the team of Ghosts went to Gereon (if that's the name of the planet my memory is patchy) so you don't see a lot of the progression- essentially you see what they were like at A and then at C but completely miss out on B.

You'll be happy to know that Ban Daur has a fairly large role in Blood Pact, though that book doesn't even really focus on most of the regiment but on about a score of characters tops.

Abnett is trying to cover as many soldiers and personalities as possible, so occasionally some will fade into the background whilst others are covered- it's just the way things happen with such an extensive cast in a long running series.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

Aye but Meryn became quite a dick before the Geroen mission. The others i know, not everyone can always be included, but Bray literally just vanished, just a bit odd considering he was considered to be one of the best Tanith Sergeants going


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

If memory serves, didn't Meryn idolize Rawne to a degree and then in turn shape himself up to something similar to the major? The big problem with that is that Meryn took it to far, where Rawne is cold and ruthless with some glimmer of humanity buried deep, Meryn casts that last bit away.

At the very least I recall him taking up that superiority position that Rawne had for a time when it came to the Tanith ghosts and the Verghast ghosts. Could just be not enough time around Gaunt or a top leadership position, both of which seem to have had an effect on Rawne over the course of the series.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

Spoilers for Only In Death ahead

So finished Only In Death now aswell. another great one, though im suprised for the first book in quite a while that none of the main Ghosts died, well i know none died in Traitor General but that was a little different. Quite a few times where someone looked to be dead, Domor and Bonin for instance, i thought Domor might genuienly die, but was pretty sure even when it said "Bonin was dead too" that he wouldn't be, was no way Mach 'Lucky' Bonin was going to be killed in such an offhand manner. Kept up the good old tradition of introducing red shirts though lol. The moment the three scouts got chosen to accompany Bask and Dalin, it was a case of Bonin, Hwlan and Coir, ok so Coirs gonna die! Ahh drop ship coming in? Captains Meryn and Varaine to go secure it, so thats Varaine dead then. I don't mind it lol, just amusing all the same.

Gaunt of course was never going to be dead, the very moment there was no body i knew that, and again when Mkoll and Eszrah set off, added to the fact that its Gaunt, the guy the books are made around. Criid and Hark both got out lucky too it would seem. But yeah suprised that not a single main ghost, or even troopers from previous books really.

The bit with Soric at the end though, brilliantly written, i don't know about anyone else who read it, but it only became clear to me the moment Hark told the vehicle to stop and suddenly it seemed so obvious, the dream he quite couldn't reach with a feeling of regret had to be nothing other than his regret at handing Soric away. To see him turned into a sanctioned psyker aswell was a whole new level of sadness.

Half the Tanith dead though! that leave them at what about 1,250 men? Can only surely be about 500 or so actual Tanith left alive wich is truely tragic


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

yup getting pretty grim isnt it for the Tanith actual lot!

I think "blood pact" follows after only in death and tbh its good to see a change of pace in the series!

Enjoy reading it!


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## Scout Mkoll (Aug 30, 2010)

Angel of Blood said:


> Spoilers for Only In Death ahead
> 
> So finished Only In Death now aswell. another great one, though im suprised for the first book in quite a while that none of the main Ghosts died, well i know none died in Traitor General but that was a little different. Quite a few times where someone looked to be dead, Domor and Bonin for instance, i thought Domor might genuienly die, but was pretty sure even when it said "Bonin was dead too" that he wouldn't be, was no way Mach 'Lucky' Bonin was going to be killed in such an offhand manner. Kept up the good old tradition of introducing red shirts though lol. The moment the three scouts got chosen to accompany Bask and Dalin, it was a case of Bonin, Hwlan and Coir, ok so Coirs gonna die! Ahh drop ship coming in? Captains Meryn and Varaine to go secure it, so thats Varaine dead then. I don't mind it lol, just amusing all the same.
> 
> ...


Ya, the bit with Soric at the very end, hit me very hard. It was sad. It was rough to read the description of Soric and the part that just nailed me is when Hark picks up the brass casing and its empty. Brought back all the memories of the previous books where Soric would find a brass casing. 
Just weird the way it hit me.


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## forkmaster (Jan 2, 2010)

Well it shows Gaunt isnt completely immortal in Blood Pact where both his eyes are lost and replaced by augmentive fake ones.


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

Agreed but it feels like theirs gonna be an epic side plot for them.


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## Vast (Oct 26, 2010)

I always took Meryn's assery as trying to emulate Rawne.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

Yeah but Rawne was still liked by some of the regiment, had his own group of misfits, and was likeable despite how much of a cold hearted bastard he is. Meryn though, he's just a complete tool, finished Blood Pact now aswell and it seems that literally no one likes him, he's Varls superior yet he just openly mocks him, others dont care if Meryn takes the fall for the scam job either.


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## Vast (Oct 26, 2010)

I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, though. If every ghost was likeable it'd be a bit of a dry cast.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Angel of Blood said:


> finished Blood Pact now aswell


What's your thoughts on _Blood Pact_? To me it was the weakest by far in the series so far. It's really just a rehash of _Traitor General,_ and not even a good one. I was actually angry by the time I finished it that Abnett was so contemptuos of his readership that he would just throw out this piece of dog shit, knowing it would be snapped up regardless of the quality of the writhing.


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

No way man, bloodpact is great, good change of pace and showed that chaos can be pretty dam badass sneakybeaky mofo's!


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## Vast (Oct 26, 2010)

I for one enjoyed Blood Pact. It was really quite dissimilar to Traitor General, though if told from the Blood Pact's point of view, yes, it would have been the same. In my point of view, Armor of Contempt and Only in Death were the weakest in the series, with nobody apart from Criid and perhaps Ludd getting any character development. Only in Death in particular struck me as "Let's write about some random war." 

Things I really liked about Blood Pact were, firstly, the Etogaur's abilities and insights into his character, along with the continuing theme of the Inquisition are a little underhand/can't be trusted. Seeing more of Rawne in a significant role was good too.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Vast said:


> the continuing theme of the Inquisition are a little underhand/can't be trusted. Seeing more of Rawne in a significant role was good too.


They couldn't be trusted because the Inquisitor was a chaos agent.

One of the things that really annoyed me was how everybody seemed to think they could undermine or ignore the Inquisition. Maybe the Inquisition in the Daniverse is not the all powerful, omnipitent, terror inspiring, pucker inducing organisation it seems to be in every other portrayal of the 40k universe. That just didn't ring through with every scrap of fluff on the =I= that's ever been written.

Another thing I couldn't figure out was why Rawne and co. went back to the scene of the crime as opposed to heading back to join up with the rest of the Ghosts. 

I don't think it really explained well enough why the Etogaur changed sides, never mind why he originally switched to the Sons of Sek from the Blood Pact. There were just too many convenient plot hooks for my liking.


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## Vast (Oct 26, 2010)

I'm aware, but chaos agent or not, still underpins that theme of the Inquistion in the Sabbat World's crusade. Inquisitors Welt and Lilith were equally sinister, despite both being completely loyal. I agree with your point that in Gaunt's Ghosts, Eisenhorn, and Ravenor, the Inquisition seems to be a laughing stock. I can understand beings like Molotch and Pontius Glaw not being too concerned about them, but the Tanith (and by extension Veghasts and Belledons) should show more respect than they do. 

I can only hope that the Etogaur's plans/reasonings become clear in Salvation's reach.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

I sort of agree with you on Blood Pact being the weakest so far. It wasn't bad, but it did seem to lack something the other books had. But i still liked it alot, Daur got some development for the first time in quite a while and you can never get enough Rawne. But was strange to see some of the other main characters get almost entirely forgotten about, Bonin, Mkoll and Larkin for instance. Curths role seems to be getting smaller and smaller with every book that goes by aswell. Although the revelation of Dordens cancer was heartbreaking, especially when Gaunt says hes unable to cry.


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## forkmaster (Jan 2, 2010)

I thought it was weak as well, with too many characters left out, but it was enjoyable. Only in death did I like due to the haunted mansion thingy with everyone seeing ghosts. Armor of Contempt I went around all book thinking "come on, get on with the punishment. Move along".


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