Tag: Warhammer

Warhammer 40,000: Death or Glory by Sandy Mitchell

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Comedy/Satire, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, WarhammerLeave a comment

Death or Glory Cover 2

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 28 February 2006)

Series: Ciaphas Cain – Book Four

Length: 8 hours and 50 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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After recently getting through awesome Warhammer 40,000 novels like Straight Silver and Sabbat Martyr, I was in the mood for even more fantastic fiction, so I decided to check out the always reliable Ciaphas Cain series by Sandy Mitchell with Death or Glory.

The Ciaphas Cain books are an outstanding and highly entertaining Warhammer 40,000 series that shows the grimdark universe in a whole new light.  Written by talented author Sandy Mitchell (a pseudonym of Alex Stewart), the Ciaphas Cain books follow an unlikely hero, Commissar Ciaphas Cain.  Despite being a Commissar, officers who are supposed to be embodiments of duty, discipline and bravery, Cain is a highly practical and fearful man who wants to stay alive in the deadly Warhammer 40,000 universe.  However, his attempts to stay out of the fight usually result in him getting thrust into even more danger which he needs to survive using his trademark cunning and manipulation tactics.  His various adventures have also turned him into a legendary hero throughout the Imperium of Man, something that results in even more trouble for unlucky Commissar.

The Ciaphas Cain books are always a lot of fun to read, especially as Mitchell takes a comedic take to the Warhammer universe.  Loaded with unlikely coincidences, clever humour and over-the-top characters, the first three Ciaphas Cain novels, For the Emperor, Caves of Ice and The Traitor’s Hand, have been extremely awesome and this is easily one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series.  As such, when I needed something particularly entertaining to listen to, I chose the fourth book in the series, Death or Glory.

Relatively young Commissar Ciaphas Cain is not yet the hero of the Imperium he is fated to become, although he has already started to gain a reputation he doesn’t believe he deserves.  After stopping a genestealer infestation, Cain and the artillery unit he is attached to are ordered to the planet of Perlia, which has fallen under siege by the orks.  Happy to spend the next war far behind the lines with the artillery, Cain is unprepared for the dangers to come.

Upon arriving in the Perlia system, the ship Cain is travelling aboard comes under ork attack and Cain has no choice but to rapidly disembark in an escape pod.  Trapped with his aid, Jurgen, Cain’s pod is shot down before they can be rescued, which results in them crashlanding on Perlia.  Hoping to find sanctuary after a harrowing adventure in space, Cain is horrified to discover that they have crashed into the wrong side of the planet and are currently stuck well behind enemy lines.

Knowing that the only way to survive the ork hordes is to rejoin the main Imperial army, Cain has no choice but to embark on a dangerous road trip across the continent.  However, with thousands of brutish orks in the way, Cain will need help to survive.  Pulling together an unlikely army of scattered troops and desperate civilians, Cain heads off into the desert, hoping to find his salvation.  Their resulting journey will pit them against the full ork army and help turn Cain into a legend known throughout the galaxy.

Death or Glory was another exceedingly fun and deeply captivating entry in the Ciaphas Cain series that once again places Mitchell’s complex protagonist in all manner of trouble.  Action-packed, clever, and filled with excellent humour, Death or Glory was an outstanding read that I could not get enough of.

I really enjoyed the awesome story that Mitchell came up with for Death and Glory, particularly because it was a somewhat fresh take on the usual narrative.  Rather than following Cain as he works with his regiment to stop a hidden threat, Death or Glory shows Cain alone (except for Jurgen) and behind enemy lines on an ork controlled world.  Acting as a prequel to the previous novels in the series, you see the slightly younger Cain attempt to find his way back to safety, only to encounter multiple groups of refugees and scattered soldiers who turn to him for leadership.  The resulting story turns into a hilarious combination of Mad Max, Laurence of Arabia, and Kelly’s Heroes, as Cain leads his band, many of whom are crewing crude ork vehicles, across the ork controlled territories, including a vast desert.  There are several amazing battle scenes that see the humans fight back against the orks in desperate situations, often won thanks in part to Cain’s tactical insight and his unlikely manoeuvres designed to keep him alive.  This is a non-stop story, and you get really drawn into the constant travel, fighting and attempts at survival that emerge.  The orks prove to be great antagonists for the story, especially as Mitchell provides them as a mostly serious enemy.  While they are slightly underpowered in the face of the unbeatable Cain, and you do see the inherently sillier side of them, Mitchell also makes sure to showcase their prowess and brutality, which keeps the stakes high and the story even more captivating.  Ending on a final battle where Cain showcases his unlikely heroism by pure chance, Death or Glory had me hooked with its story the entire way through, and I loved the fantastic scenario that Mitchell came up with.

I have mentioned in previous reviews of the Ciaphas Cain series that Mitchell has an outstanding style that really enhance the story and bring out the innate humour within.  This is once again the case for Death or Glory, as the story is primarily told in the chronicle form from Cain’s perspective.  These unvarnished insights into Cain’s mind paint a vivid and fun picture of the events he was involved in, and you get some interesting insights into his actual motivations.  This fun story is further enhanced by the fact the memoirs have been modified by Cain’s associate, Inquisitor Vail, as she adds in a variety of notes, additional information, in-universe historical texts and footnotes.  Not only are these delightful additions informative and serve as a great way to quickly insert details of the larger war into the plot, but they are also quite funny due to the author’s sarcastic tone.  I love some of the entertaining jokes that emerge in the footnotes, especially as it allows the author to quickly reference certain ridiculous elements of life in the Warhammer universe, many of which are parodies of classic British activities.  These additional notes really change the tone of the entire book, and I love how it allows Mitchell to turn Death and Glory into something far more than a typical war story.

While there is a definite focus on humour in Death or Glory, there is still a ton of action and intense adventure here, as Mitchell draws inspiration from classic desert war movies.  The carnage of the orks is bleak, the battles are hard, and the situation is desperate as Cain and his comrades navigate the desert.  These darker elements play off the humour of Death and Glory extremely well, and I loved the complex narrative that emerged.  I enjoyed how Mitchell kept up the same excellent level of humour and compelling story elements that the previous entries were known for, and there was a strong effort to keep it consistent with the previous books.  You do notice that Mitchell utilises a bit of repetition in his books, with similar lines and descriptions used again and again.  While this is not too noticeable if you take a break in between books, it is very apparent for chain readers.  Still, this is a minor issue that Mitchell does a good job of dispelling in Death or Glory with the more unique storyline.

Like most of the entries in this series, Death or Glory can be read as a standalone novel with no real pre-knowledge of the previous books needed to enjoy it.  Indeed, Death or Glory is set earlier than the other Ciaphas Cain books, so this is a good entry point to the larger series.  There are a few references to the other Ciaphas Cain books, which established fans will enjoy, and Mitchell also provides clever hints at future events Cain will have to encounter.  Death or Glory also serves as a very fun introduction to the ork faction, especially as our protagonist has never encountered them before.  This allows the reader to get a fresh outside perspective on these alien characters, while also including details that hardcore Warhammer fans will appreciate.  As such, Death or Glory proves to be an awesome addition to the series that will appeal to fans of all levels and could easily spark a new reader to fall in love with Warhammer 40,000 fiction.

A recurring highlight of this series is the fantastic characters who populate the narrative, particularly main protagonist Ciaphas Cain.  Cain is a particularly complex Warhammer 40,000 character, mainly because he is both a renowned hero and a self-serving coward who only wants to avoid a fight.  Portrayed as a fun combination of Blackadder and Flashman, Cain is shown to be purely selfish, with his every move calculated to keep himself alive.  However, through accident or something else, his plans often backfire, forcing him into over-the-top dangerous situations that ensure others see him as an amazing hero.  This is on full display in Death or Glory as Cain pulls together a band of survivors that gets far larger and more chaotic the further they get along.  Despite his plan being designed to get himself to safety, many see him as a heroic revolutionary leader, which he is forced to maintain to keep his band of protectors loyal to him.  It is quite fun to see everyone misinterpret his decisions, and several fictional historical texts showcase the process of overexaggerating his deeds in hilarious detail.  However, despite all his protestations to the reader about being a coward, you once again see that there is far more to Cain than he lets on.  Rather than being a terrible person, he is just a sensible and tactically aware figure in a universe where the actions of unachievably brave heroes are constantly lauded.  This has led Cain to completely underestimate his own self-worth, even though he is routinely shown to be an impressive fighter, clever tactician, and caring leader.  I love this complex look at Cain, especially as his self-deprecating account ensures he is even more likeable, despite his selfish habits, and you really get drawn in to his crazy adventures.

Aside from Cain, several other figures were impressive in Death or Glory.  The most prominent, at least from impact on the book, is Cain’s associate Inquisitor Vail.  Despite not actually appearing as a character in the main adventure, Vail’s presence is strongly felt as she is the one editing and presenting Cain’s fictional memoirs.  As such, you are constantly gifted with Vail’s overlying narration and notes, especially as she provides greater context to the story and translates some of Cain’s wilder claims.  Thanks to her sarcasm, as well as her personal insights into Cain’s actual character, Vail provides a fantastic alternate viewpoint of events, and it is always fun to see her call out Cain for his lies and terrible writing style.  The other major character you must talk about is Cain’s aid and reliable bodyguard, Jurgen.  The Baldrick to Cain’s Blackadder, Jurgen is generally shown to be an unhygienic, smelly, and slightly dim companion who is utterly loyal to Cain.  However, despite this appearance, Jurgen proves to be an interesting and likeable figure, and he forms an excellent partnership with Cain.  His skills are well on display in Death or Glory, mainly due to his intimate knowledge about orks, and he once again showed himself to be an unappreciated part of Cain’s ultimate victory.  Throw in a band of intriguing survivors who flock around Cain, including several capable soldiers, a somewhat insane Tech-priest and determined troop of civilians, and Death and Glory had some great characters you can’t help but root for.

I have mentioned multiple times in the past that the best way to enjoy a Warhammer 40,000 novel is in its audiobook format.  Nowhere is that truer than the Ciaphas Cain books, which make excellent use of multiple narrators to expertly adapt the fantastically funny content of the novels.  Death or Glory is an outstanding example of this, as the brilliant production and excellent narrators produced something that I powered through very shortly, even with its nearly nine-hour long runtime.  The intense action, compelling story and outstanding humour is all amazingly highlighted in this format, and I especially loved the four amazing narrators who were brought in to voice the characters.  This includes returning favourites Stephen Perring and Penelope Rawlins, who fulfill their respective roles perfectly.  Perring is probably the most prominent narrator of the bunch as he voices all the chapters told from Cain’s perspective.  Perring is an awesome narrator as he perfectly captures the chaotic characters featured within the book, especially Cain and  Jurgen.  His portrayal of Cain is probably the best, as he expertly showcases the protagonist’s exterior boldness, as well as his interior fear and deep humanity.  Jurgen of course also comes out very well, and I love how Perring captures Jurgen’s unique persona and unquestionable loyalty to Cain.

While Perring voices the main chapters, Penelope Rawlins is just as important as she voices Inquisitor Vail, who writes the prelude, chapter introductions, additional material and footnotes that are scattered throughout the book, providing editorial notes and material to make the story more organised.  Rawlins’ voice is seamlessly worked into the main plot multiple times throughout the course of the audiobook, and I like how well her inclusions work with Perring’s main narration, especially as Rawlins perfectly captures both Vail’s sarcasm and the clear admiration she has for Cain.  This audiobook would not be as entertaining or clever as it is without these clever insertions by Rawlins, and she adds just as much to the production as Perring does.  In addition, Death and Glory brings two new narrators to the series with Joe Jameson and Richard Reed, who voice in-universe historical texts and autobiographies included to provide additional context to Cain’s ramblings.  I was very happy to hear from both familiar narrators, as Jameson lent his voice to the Necromunda novel Fire Made Flesh by Denny Flowers, as well as the Legacy of the Mercenary King series by Nick Martell (The Kingdom of Liars, The Two-Faced Queen and The Voyage of the Forgotten), while Reed narrated The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath, The Twice-Dead King series by Nate Crowley (Ruin and Reign) and Grim Repast by Marc Collins.  I really liked Jameson and Reed’s performances as a result, although both were a little underutilised thanks to the constraints of the narrative.  Still, these four narrators provided some exceptional voice work, and I had an amazing time listening to them throughout the course of this audiobook.  As such, Death and Glory comes very highly recommended in its audiobook format, and there is no better way to enjoy this book.

Sandy Mitchell continues to write one of the most entertaining Warhammer 40,000 series out there with this fourth entry in the epic Ciaphas Cain series.  An outstanding and hilarious novel that I absolutely powered through, I cannot recommend Death or Glory enough, and you will fall in love with this brilliant book.

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Warhammer 40,000: Sabbat Martyr by Dan Abnett

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer2 Comments

Sabbat Martyr Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 December 2002)

Series: Gaunt’s Ghosts – Book Seven

Length: 10 hours and 35 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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In addition to my review for Straight Silver, I also present a review for the impressive and epic seventh novel in Dan Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Sabbat Martyr.  This was an outstanding and fantastic addition that perfectly followed on from some of the previous books in the series, including Necropolis, Honour Guard and The Guns of Tanith, while also throwing the beloved protagonists into all manner of trouble.

It is a time of miracles in the Imperium of Man.  As Warmaster Macaroth continues his extensive and exhaustive Sabbat World Crusade, the forces of the Imperium are stretched like never before.  However, word has reached the ears of all the faithful in the Sabbat Worlds that the legendary Saint Sabbat has reincarnated on the isolated and pious world of Herodor.  There, in Civitas Beati, a holy city dedicated to her, the reborn Saint awaits the faithful, the pilgrims, and the mighty warriors of the Imperium.

Amongst those summoned to Herodor are the battle tested and weary soldiers of the Tanith First-and-Only, better known as Gaunt’s Ghosts.  Thanks to their previous victories, as well as their involvement in miracles associated with the Saint, the Ghosts and their leader, Colonel-Commissar Gaunt, have been personally chosen by Sabbat to be her honour guard.  However, nothing on Herodor is as it seems, and Gaunt finds himself drawn into deceptive military politics and the manipulated beliefs of the city.  Worse, the forces of the Emperor of Mankind aren’t the only ones who have heard the call of the new Saint.

As Gaunt attempts to establish order in the city, an unstoppable danger appears on the horizon in the form of the infamous followers of Chaos, the Blood Pact.  Lead by the terrible Chaos warlord, Enok Innokenti, the invading forces of Chaos have one mission: find and kill the reborn Saint, and, by doing so, rob the Imperium of hope.  Desperately outnumbered and faced with impossible odds, Gaunt and his ghosts will need to do all they can to save the Saint and the city.  However, the dread Innokenti will have the Saint’s head by any means necessary and has sent nine deadly and corrupt killers to ensure this happens.  Can Gaunt and the Tanith First-and-Only pull off a miracle in the name of their blessed saint, or is this their final battle?

Abnett pumps up the feels and brings together some amazing storylines in this seventh excellent Gaunt’s Ghosts book.  An action-packed and highly intense read, Sabbat Martyr was another exceptional read, and one that I absolutely powered through thanks to its addictive and powerful story.

Sabbat Martyr has a pretty impressive story behind it, especially as Abnett wraps up the Saint sub-series within the larger Gaunt’s Ghosts books, in a big way.  Starting off fairly typically, with the Ghosts arriving on a new world to take care of some riffraff, Abnett quickly sets the scenes and revisits several of the key existing storylines and character arcs.  However, Sabbat Martyr goes in some intriguing new directions as Gaunt and his soldiers encounter what appears to be a reborn Imperial Saint, who has inspired a new bout of religious fervour and devotion in the region.  This proves to be an interesting new angle which ties this book into the larger concerns of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, rather than focusing on the fight of the common footslogger.  I liked this change of focus, especially as it fits with the hints raised in the preceding novels, and the initial intrigues of the novel added a level of uncertainty that worked quite nicely.  A fantastic, extended battle scene ended the first third of the book nicely, especially as it leads to some big revelations and sets the scene for the second half of the book.

The second half of Sabbat Martyr is where things get really interesting.  Abnett cleverly uses the start of this half to quickly extend several great character arcs, which sets some figures up for some dark times, while others are restored in interesting ways.  However, you don’t have a chance to fully appreciate that, as Abnett then launches the reader right into a new phase of war, as deadly enemies literally rain down around the protagonists.  Essentially the entire second half of the book is pure warfare, as the forces of Chaos arrive and harry the Imperial forces on every front, including with an extended space combat sequence.  From there, the enemy arrives on Herodor in force, including the nine promised deadly killers, and all the protagonists are thrust into a deadly battle for survival.

I loved this last part of the book, especially as Abnett knows how to write an exceptional war sequence.  Expertly splitting the story between numerous point-of-view characters, the resulting carnage is epic, with the protagonists forced into intense street fighting to survive.  All these battles are well crafted, and show the protagonists at their most desperate, as they are slowly pushed back with seemingly no hope to win.  I really loved these battles, as well as the simultaneous character arcs that tied into them, and you really get drawn in towards the big climax.  I did think that Abnett slightly rushed this last half, mainly because he was trying to fit in too much at once.  While the nine killers get a good introduction, they weren’t utilised as effectively as they could have been, and their appearances are a little briefer than you would have liked.  Indeed, there is so much potential material in this second half that Abnett could have honestly fit his story across two books and really expanded everything out.  Still all the big battles are very epic, and the big climatic fight sequence proves to be everything you could have wanted.  Abnett wraps everything up with some major tragedy, as multiple character arcs come full circle in a big and emotionally charged way.  As such, readers, especially established fans of the series, come away from Sabbat Martyr shaken while Abnett clearly and decisively ends a major chapter in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series.

Abnett does a really good job bringing this epic story to life, and I deeply appreciated just how dark and intense Sabbat Martyr got in places.  Expertly utilising multiple character perspectives to tell an elaborate story, you really get sucked into the massive carnage that emerges, and I really must commend Abnett for the impressive battle scenes.  Abnett has his methodology set for the Gaunt’s Ghosts books by this point in the series, and I love how smoothly his story unwinds.  The blend of character focussed storytelling and intense action makes for an exciting read, and I really got invested in this outstanding seventh entry in the series.  I did appreciate how Abnett took his protagonists into the much wider realm of faith, saints and holy power that is well established in other Warhammer 40,000 fiction, but not something we’ve typically seen in this series.  It honestly made for a unique change of pace, and Abnett does a great job wrapping ongoing storylines around it.  I also appreciated how several loose ends and antagonists from previous novels got revisited here, including one of the big issues I had with Honour Guard which got nicely resolved here.  This does mean that unlike the other Gaunt’s Ghosts books, Sabbat Martyr is less accessible for new readers, although Abnett does a good job of summarising old storylines where needed.  As such, this proved to be an epic entry in the wider series, and I really enjoyed how this chapter of the Gaunt’s Ghosts books came to an end.

As with all the Gaunt’s Ghosts books, the heart of Sabbat Martyr lays in the extended cast of protagonists from whom the elaborate story emerges.  Abnett has a very well-established cast of characters for Sabbat Martyr, and it was frankly moving to see how this story unfolded for them.  The author does a good job splitting the story amongst the cast, and I appreciated how this book, unlike the previous novel, didn’t overdo the number of primary cast members.  The resulting character arcs and personal stories proved to be very moving and intense to different degrees, and Abnett really got dark in places, especially when it came to bringing certain character storylines full circle.

Now, I won’t go into too much detail about the characters here, because I don’t want to ruin some major parts of the book.  However, I will say that Gaunt is once again a great central figure, and it was intriguing to see him impacted by his fate, as well as the many friendships he’s made throughout the series.  In addition, Gol Kolea gets a nice addition to his story, which I really appreciated, while one of the original Ghosts, Brin Milo, finds himself going on some bold new adventures that tie in nicely to his long-hinted destiny.  The feud between Lijah Cuu and Hlaine Larkin that was such a dark and memorable part of Straight Silver, comes to a great conclusion here, and Cuu really proves to be the ultimate villain of this series.  Agun Soric’s battle with his unusual messages is another highlight, especially as Abnett works in some powerful personal struggles, as well as a very dark ending that will leave you hurting.  All these character arcs, and more, are handled perfectly and all readers, especially those who have enjoyed the rest of the series, will really appreciate how Abnett continues or concludes them here.  However, I may never forgive Abnett for the big tragedy that occurs at the end that ensures the Tanith First-and-Only will never be the same again.

It goes without saying that I ended up listening to Sabbat Martyr on audiobook, especially after how impressed I have been with the previous Gaunt’s Ghosts audiobooks.  Coming in with a run time of 10 and half hours, Sabbat Martyr was another descent length Warhammer 40,000 audiobook that I just flew through.  This format works so well to tell epic Warhammer 40,000 stories, and I loved how effectively the fight sequences came through in Sabbat Martyr, as you can so easily envision Abnett’s massive action set pieces.  A lot of how effective Sabbat Martyr’s audiobook is comes down to excellent narrator Toby Longworth, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators.  Longworth, the established narrator for all things Gaunt’s Ghosts (as well as Abnett’s other audiobooks like, Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus), has long perfected the voices he uses within these audiobooks, and it was great to hear his established tones and voices again.  The narrator really has all the key characters down and love the fitting and effective voice each of them has.  This impressive voice work deeply enhances an already awesome story, and you really get to feel the emotions and actions of each of the characters.  I honestly had such a great time listening to the Sabbat Martyr audiobook, especially in some of the more intense action scenes which swept my imagination away, and this is easily the best format by which to enjoy this amazing book .

With fire, blood and faith, Abnett wraps up a major part of his iconic Gaunt’s Ghosts series in a big way with the epic Sabbat Martyr.  Loaded with war, personal conflict, powerful developments, and some memorable tragedy, Sabbat Martyr was a worthy and intense addition to the series, and one that I couldn’t stop listening to.  I had such an exceptional time with this book, and Sabbat Martyr, and indeed the entire Gaunt’s Ghosts series, is required reading for all Warhammer 40,000 fans.

Sabbat Martyr Cover 2

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Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver by Dan Abnett

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Five-Star Books, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer2 Comments

Straight Silver Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 December 2002)

Series: Gaunt’s Ghosts – Book Six

Length: 9 hours and 52 minutes

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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After having a blast reading and reviewing The Traitor’s Hand, my desire for more things Warhammer 40,000 needed to be sated, so I dove into the exceptional and gritty Gaunt’s Ghost book by Dan Abnett, Straight Silver.

While there are some truly impressive Warhammer 40,000 authors out there, few can match Dan Abnett in terms of quality and impact.  One of the most significant authors of Warhammer fiction, Abnett has produced a great number of books in the franchise over the years, which includes several must-read series for all Warhammer fans.  These include his substantial contributions to the massive Horus Heresy series, as well as the iconic Inquisitor extended series.  The Inquisitor books include his impressive and highly compelling Eisenhorn trilogy, made up of Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus, and which are amongst my favourite literary trilogies.  While I am a huge fan of these novels, probably his most grounded and well-known contribution to the Warhammer 40,000 canon are the Gaunt’s Ghosts novels.

The Gaunt’s Ghosts books are an extended series that follows the members of the Tanith First-and-Only, a weary and battle-hardened regiment of Imperial Guard soldiers.  Led by Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and known for their stealth abilities and the destruction of their home planet, the Tanith First-and-Only have taken up the name Gaunt’s Ghosts and are fighting in the massive Sabbat World Crusades hoping to find a new planet to call home.  This series emphasises the common human soldier and the gruelling realities of war in the grim Warhammer 40,000 future, and it is one of the most compelling series out there.  I have had an outstanding time with this series and all the books I have read, including First and Only, Ghostmaker, Necropolis, Honour Guard, The Guns of Tanith, and the prequel novel The Vincula Insurgency, have been extremely epic and complex, perfectly blending great characters with intense action.  Despite still having several books to go, the Gaunt’s Ghosts novels are one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series for a very good reason and I had no hesitation diving into the next book of the series, Straight Silver, when I needed something fun to read.

As the massive Sabbat World Crusades gain traction against humanity’s enemies, the Imperial forces finally have the capacity to send aid to the long-isolated planet of Aexe Cardinal.  There the loyalist nations of the Aexe Alliances have been locked in a gruelling 40-year war against the Chaos corrupted Shadik Republic.  Amongst the Imperial reinforcements sent to Aexe Cardinal are the veteran Ghosts of the Tanith First-and-Only, who are ready to make a dent in a new foe.

However, upon arriving on Aexe Cardinal, the Ghosts are surprised to find themselves under the command of the Aexe Alliance rather than their own generals.  Forced to serve the whims of their new allies for political reasons, the Ghosts are soon thrust into the archaic way of fighting that have led the war to linger for decades.  Worse, their new commanders refuse to use the Ghosts to their full potential, and the lightly armoured scouts find themselves fighting in bloody trench warfare.

Forced to endure confined conflict in ill-maintained trenches, the Ghosts find death constantly on the horizon as raids, bombardments, gas weaponry, and their own shattered morale begin to take their toll.  To keep his regiment alive and sane, Gaunt volunteers his troops for the most dangerous missions where the Ghost’s scouting skills can be best utilised.  However, the resulting campaigns will test Gaunt and his troops to the utter limit as the relentless forces of Chaos come crashing down upon them.

Straight Silver proved to be an exceptional entry to this amazing Warhammer 40,000 series.  Featuring some powerful and gritty action that took its protagonists to dark places, this sixth entry in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series was so damn good that I managed to power through it in no time at all.

Abnett did a brilliant job coming up with a particularly intense and dark story that plants the protagonists and the reader into the middle of a gritty warzone.  The main story is initially a little basic, with the Ghosts arriving on a new planet and finding themselves caught up in another long-standing war.  However, the book takes an outstanding turn when the Ghosts, who work best as a scout force, are forced into an elaborate trench warfare scenario.  Thanks to the excellent World War I inspired setting, the Ghosts are figuratively thrust back into the past and are forced to fight an old-fashioned type of war with their lasguns going up against firearms, chemical shells, and fixed lines of trenches.  The constant grim trench battles, raids and fights across no man’s land that dominate the first half of this book are very intense, gory, and pointless, and the reader is swiftly drawn into the unusual and dangerous scenario the Ghosts find themselves in.  Abnett masterfully captures so many aspects of this grim scenario, and you have to appreciate how brutal he makes the battles and the terrible conditions the characters find themselves in.

All these initial battles are expertly shown through the eyes of the many recurring characters of the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, and you swiftly begin to feel their despair and the rising tensions within them.  This works well with many of the existing character arcs, as several figures deal with grudges, uncertainty about duty, and growing relationships.  This excellent use of character arcs and perspectives humanises the fight, and you can’t help but get dragged even more into their hopeless situations.  I particularly enjoyed how Abnett deliberately made the antagonists a purely human force, with no named enemy characters serving as the villain.  This helps to reinforce that the true antagonist of the plot is human nature and their ability to wage unforgiving war, as the two opposing armies destroy everything around them.

While Abnett could have kept the characters in the trenches for a while and still had a good book, he chooses to accelerate the plot about halfway through Straight Silver, as the Ghosts are given a chance to prove themselves by going on two deadly missions.  This splits the story, as Gaunt leads half the characters on a series of deadly raids behind enemy lines, while another small group of key characters find themselves away from the fighting as they scout a critical location in the woods.  Naturally both storylines result in deadly chaos for the relevant protagonists, but I loved how they played out.  The storyline with Gaunt was brutal infiltration across no man’s land at its finest, and there are so many shudder-inducing moments as they continuously encounter the horrors of war.  The other storyline is much more a slow burn, as the characters find themselves isolated in the woods and only have themselves to fight with, as the grudges and resentments introduced at the start of the book are refreshed.  While the characters come together when an enemy presents itself, they are still caught up in their raw emotions, and this results in some dark moments.  Both storylines are resolve in an impressive and compelling manner, and the reader will come away enthralled, excited, and a little angry, as one excellent villain gets away with everything again.  You are honestly left wanting more, especially as Abnett throws in some tantalising hints for the future, and the bloody battles and horrors of Straight Silver will stay with you long after you’ve finished.

As with most books in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Straight Silver can be read as a mostly standalone read, as many of the key characters and story arcs are expertly reintroduced throughout the course of the book.  While readers will always get more out of Straight Silver if they read the other Gaunt’s Ghosts books first, especially as that will allow them to become more attached to the characters, a new reader can easily pick up Straight Silver and have an outstanding time getting through it.  Straight Silver and the Gaunt’s Ghosts books can also be readily enjoyed by those people with minimal pre-knowledge of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  The Gaunt’s Ghosts books exist in their own little pocket of the universe, with the story completely focused on their own struggle as soldiers.  As such, this makes these books perfect entry level reads for those wishing to learn more about Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and anyone with a love for science fiction or military fiction is going to love Straight Silver.

I’m always impressed with the amazing range of characters that Abnett fits into each of his Gaunt’s Ghost novels, as the author tries to constantly capture the entire experience of the regiment in a Band of Brothers sort of way.  Unlike his Eisenhorn books, which had one perspective character, the Gaunt’s Ghosts follow many different protagonists, which allows you to see a massive picture of events unfolding.  This works really well, and I loved the huge range of unique perspectives and personalities that emerged, as well as the different views of the fights and internal conflicts.  I did think that Straight Silver might have featured a few too many different perspectives, as Abnett tried to bring some new characters to the fore.  This meant that several of the established cast from the previous book didn’t have a chance to shine here and were often sidelined, while the newer characters didn’t impress as much in their first big appearance.

There were still a ton of great character arcs going on, and even with less time in the spotlight, many of these characters made the most of it.  Main protagonist Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt gets a good showing, especially as he is forced into conflict with his friend, the highly moral Chief Medic Tolin Dorden, and he is forced to balance his responsibilities as a Commissar with the love he holds for his soldiers.  Newly promoted Sergeant Tona Criid proves to be an absolute badass character, and it was great to see her take command and kick butt.  Sergeant Agun Soric has some great scenes as he slowly comes to realise his latent psychic abilities, while the formerly charismatic Gol Kolea is a hard figure to read about, after suffering a head wound in the previous book and losing his intelligence.  However, the best storyline in Straight Silver involves the mad sniper Hlaine Larkin and the nefarious trooper Lijah Cuu (sure as sure).  Thanks to their interactions in the previous book, the slippery murderer Cuu has a major grudge against Larkin and is determined to kill him, just like he did Bragg.  This results in a deadly game of cat and mouse between the two, as Larkin tries to survive both the enemy and Cuu.  Cuu comes away as such a good villain for this book (even more than the enemy), and you can’t help but hate the guy, especially as there is something slick and scary in his every appearance.  These characters, and many more, helped to turn Straight Silver into an exceptional read, and you really get wrapped up in their unique experiences of war.

I doubt anyone who has every read one of my Warhammer reviews will be surprised that I ended up listening to Straight Silver on audiobook.  All Warhammer books are so much better in this format, and the Gaunt’s Ghosts audiobooks are a great example of this, especially with narrator Toby Longworth.  Longworth, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, has lent his voice to most of Abnett’s Warhammer audiobooks, and he always does a remarkable job moving the story along and describing the book’s epic battle sequences.  This is extremely evident in Straight Silver, and I very quickly powered through this audiobook because of how good it is.

I especially loved the awesome voices that Longworth came up with for the various characters featured throughout the book, and he goes out of his way to ensure that every figure has their own distinctive and fitting voice.  Many of these voices are carried over from the previous audiobooks, and it was great to get the continuity for each of the recurring characters, so much so that by this point listeners of the other Gaunt’s Ghosts books can figure out who is talking just by hearing their particular tone.  One thing I particularly appreciate is the range of accents that Longworth distributes across the audiobook.  Each group of soldiers, such as the original Tanith troopers, the new Verghastite recruits, and the soldiers of Aexe Cardinal, are given their own distinctive accents, and this cool attention to detail is what makes Longworth such a good narrator.  This was such an epic audiobook; with a runtime of nearly ten hours, most people can power through it, especially when they get caught up in the epic story.

Straight Silver is a particularly epic and impressive addition to the Gaunt’s Ghosts series as Dan Abnett takes his fame regiment down into battle hell.  Loaded with intense moments, a powerful background setting, and multiple engaging character arcs, Straight Silver is an exceptional read, and it is honestly one of the strongest Gaunt’s Ghosts books I have so far read.  An utterly addictive Warhammer 40,000 novel, I can give it no higher honour as a reviewer than to say the moment I finished it, I instantly grabbed the next book in the series, read it, and will be putting up a review for it now.

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WWW Wednesday – 24 April 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker (ebook)

Behind A Closed Door Cover

I barely got any physical reading done this week so I’m still going with the very adult thriller, Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker.  Set around a troubled couple who begin using an unusual relationship app, Behind a Closed Door will see them tested like never before by the app’s sinister requirements.  I’ve made a bit of progress on Behind a Closed Door since last week, and I’m very intrigued where things are going with it.  Hopefully I will get more opportunities to read this week and I will aim to finish this novel off by this time next week.

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Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Audiobook)

Alien Clay Cover

I had a lot more success getting through audiobooks this week, so I just started listening to the awesome science fiction novel Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I have become a major fan of Tchaikovsky is recent years, and Alien Clay is the first of four (yes, four!) books he has coming out this year.  An intriguing novel about an infamous prison on an alien world, Alien Clay has some great potential that really grabbed my attention.  I’m only a little way into Alien Clay but I am enjoying its great concept, cynical political undertones, and underlying scientific mysteries.  I am hoping to get through Alien Clay rather quickly, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

Straight Silver Cover

I have really been in the mood for some classic Warhammer 40,000 fiction this week, especially after recently updating my list on the subject, so I continued my dive into the Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett with Straight Silver.  An excellent addition to the series, Straight Silver was a dark and gritty war story that proved to be highly addictive and which I could not get enough of.

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Warhammer 40,000: Sabbat Martyr by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

Sabbat Martyr Cover

Indeed, I loved Straight Silver so much I immediately listened to the next book in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Sabbat Martyr.  Another awesome read, Sabbat Martyr saw the soldier protagonists dragged into another bitter conflict as a new religious figure emerges to lead them.  A great novel that cleverly wrapped up several ongoing storylines in some suitably tragic ways, I had such an incredible time getting through this audiobook.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan

The Silverblood Promise Cover

If I manage to get some reading time this week, then the next physical book that I am hoping to check out is The Silverblood Promise by James Logan.  The debut novel of Logan, The Silverblood Promise is an epic sounding fantasy debut that will see a disgraced heir to a noble family attempt to find his father’s killer in a city of notorious rogues, killers and villains. I have very high hopes for this book, and I have no doubt that The Silverblood Promise will be one of the top fantasy books of 2024.

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That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

WWW Wednesday – 17 April 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker (ebook)

Behind A Closed Door Cover

I started reading the thriller novel, Behind a Closed Door by J. D. Barker this week and it is proving to be interesting so far.  Set around a troubled couple who begin using an unusual relationship app, Behind a Closed Door will see them tested like never before by the app’s sinister requirements.  I haven’t gotten too far into this book yet, but I am so far quite intrigued by its start and premise.  I look forward to seeing how it turns out and I think I am in for quite a wild ride.

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Warhammer 40,000: Straight Silver by Dan Abnett (Audiobook)

Straight Silver Cover

I was really in the mood for some classic Warhammer 40,000 fiction this week, especially after recently updating my list on the subject, so I thought I would continue my dive into the Gaunt’s Ghosts series by Dan Abnett with Straight Silver.  An excellent addition to the series, Straight Silver sees the Ghosts transferred to a war-torn planet and forced into desperate trench warfare.  A dark and gritty war story, Straight Silver is extremely addictive and I should knock it off in the next day or so.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Play of Shadows by Sebastien De Castell (Trade Paperback)

Play of Shadows Cover

I managed to finish off the awesome and entertaining new fantasy novel from Sebastien De Castell, Play of Shadows.  Set in his Greatcoat universe, Play of Shadows is the start of new series from De Castell that sees a hapless actor become wrapped up in all manner of trouble when he begins to mystically channel the spirt of his city’s greatest historical villain while on stage. I had an exceptional time with Play of Shadows, and this was honesty one of the best books I have read in 2024 so far.

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The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry (Audiobook)

The Atlas Maneuver Cover

I also knocked off The Atlas Maneuver by Steve Berry this week and proved to be another amazing addition to the epic Cotton Malone series. Review to follow soon.

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Warhammer 40,000: The Traitor’s Hand by Sandy Mitchell (Audiobook)

The Traitor's Hand Cover

Another Warhammer 40,000 audiobook I got through this week was the funny and brilliant The Traitor’s Hand by Sandy Mitchell.  The third in the hilarious Ciaphas Cain series, The Traitor’s Hand provided a lighter edge to the usually grim Warhammer 40,000 universe and I had an amazing time listening to it.  Check out my review for it here.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan

The Silverblood Promise Cover

The next book that I am hoping to check out is The Silverblood Promise by James Logan.  The debut novel of Logan, The Silverblood Promise is an epic sounding fantasy debut that will see a disgraced heir to a noble family attempt to find his father’s killer in a city of notorious rogues, killers and villains. I have very high hopes for this book, and I have no doubt that The Silverblood Promise will be one of the top fantasy books of 2024.

Amazon

 

That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Warhammer 40,000: The Traitor’s Hand by Sandy Mitchell

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Comedy/Satire, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Throwback Thursday, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer4 Comments

The Traitor's Hand Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 1 January 2005)

Series: Ciaphas Cain – Book Three

Length: 9 hours and 6 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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After updating my list about my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels last week, I was keen for more action from this awesome franchise, so I decided to quickly listen to the entertaining and fun novel, The Traitor’s Hand by Sandy Mitchell.

One of the things that I like most about the Warhammer 40,000 franchise is the sheer range of different stories and genres that can be found within it.  For example, one of the most popular series is a particularly funny and amusing series that focuses on a Blackadder-esque Imperial Commissar as he finds himself involved in all manner of over-the-top heroics.  This series is the Ciaphas Cain books, which follows the titular protagonist who has accidently become regarded as a great hero of the Imperium of Man, despite most of his actions being more for self-preservation.  The first two books in this series, For the Emperor and Caves of Ice, were extremely fun reads, and I have been meaning to check out the next book in the series for a while.  As such, when I had my recent Warhammer 40,000 craving, the third Ciaphas Cain book, The Traitor’s Hand, was an easy choice.

Commissar Ciaphas Cain, hero of the Imperium or unrepentant coward?  Constantly forced into the direst of circumstances despite doing everything in his power to avoid them, Cain has built up a reputation he considers entirely undeserved, especially as being known as a hero always seems to get him into trouble.  His latest assignment will test him like none other, especially when he is forced to go up against the great archenemy of the Imperium, the forces of Chaos.

With a Chaos fleet approaching the tidally locked planet of Adumbria, Cain and the soldiers of the Valhallan 597th are rapidly redeployed towards the planet to aid in its defence.  Despite wishing to stay off the frontlines, Cain’s experience and uncanny ability to find trouble forces him to join in the hunt for a Chaos cult hidden throughout the planet that has awakened in advance of the coming fleet.  However, the more he digs, the more he discovers that there is something far more sinister going on within the planet than anyone realises.

As the invading enemy arrives on the planet, it soon becomes apparent that two rival bands of Chaos worshippers are attacking Adumbria with very different goals in mind.  Leading the fight against the enemy, Cain needs to work out just what their objectives are before the world is destroyed in the Chaos crossfire.  However, with deadly enemy forces all around and a rival commissar determined to undermine him, can even the terminally lucky Cain stop them, especially when an old nightmare returns seeking revenge against him.

The Traitor’s Hand was an extremely awesome book from Mitchell that I had so much fun getting through.  Containing the outstanding blend of action, humour and intriguing characters that the Ciaphas Cain series is known for, The Traitor’s Hand was pretty damn epic, and I managed to power through it in about a day of intense listening.

This third Ciaphas Cain novel had a great story behind it that I had a wonderful time listening to.  While it does follow some similar story conventions to the previous books in the series, in that Cain and the Valhallan 597th arrive on a planet to face one foe, only for Cain to inadvertently discover another threat hidden under the surface, I think Mitchell did a good job distinguishing this book from the previous entries.  The introduction of a rival Commissar and alternating bands of Chaos worshippers makes for a great central storyline, and you get really involved in the battle for the planet and the attempts to discover a hidden Slaaneshi cult who are performing dark rituals.  The entire story evolves in a familiar manner, with Cain’s attempts to avoid a fight leading him into darker situations each time, while his keen insights allow him to determine where the true threat to the planet is located.  The big final sequence for The Traitor’s Hand was pretty damn awesome, as Cain leads a small force into a massive battle royale between warring Chaos warbands while also facing a dangerous foe from his past.  While the big bad’s identity was overly foreshadowed, their inclusion was very intense and lead to a gripping conclusion.  I do wonder if this repetitive story structure is going to be sustainable for the series in the future, but I really got stuck into this entertaining and exciting narrative and powered through it so damn quickly.

I absolutely loved the fun style of the Ciaphas Cain books which Mitchell once again uses to tell a fantastic story.  Primarily told from the first-person chronicle perspective as Cain recounts his many adventures, you get to see his insights into events that occur.  While on the surface this appears to be a typical Imperial Guard focused Warhammer 40,000 story, it is a much lighter read, as the book revolves around Cain’s continued attempts to get out of danger only to encounter worst problems.  It is really entertaining to see his excuses and manipulations, especially as nearly every action he does is calculated to avoid danger, which he shamelessly admits to.  The continued increase of stakes, desperate response from Cain and the inevitable lucky escape makes for some fun reading, and Mitchell does an excellent job of layering a strong amount of comedy into a usually dark universe.  This humour is expertly enhanced by the overarching narration of the book, provided by Inquisitor Vail’s editorial notes as she collates Cain’s memoirs.  Vail’s various notes, quotes and included histories of the story provides some much-needed context to the plot, while the entertaining and often sarcastic way they are delivered works extremely well.  I think that Mitchell got the right blend of humour, action, and dark moments throughout the course of The Traitor’s Hand, and I really got engrossed in the hilarious and action-packed story that emerged.  I did feel at times that Mitchell did get a bit repetitive with some of his phrases and lines, which you really notice with an extended read, but this is honestly a pretty minor complaint, and The Traitor’s Hand proved to be an amazing read.

I liked how well Mitchell featured the Warhammer 40,000 universe in The Traitor’s Hand, especially as he once again seeks to showcase the horrors of the franchise from the eyes of a human solider, even one as lucky as Ciaphas Cain.  The various Chaos factions prove to be great villains in this story, and I loved the cool comparisons between the Slaaneshi cult and the Khorne-worshipping warband.  You also get a great insight into the life of the common soldier or civilian, and it was fun to see the various responses many of them have to the reveals about Chaos and their dark designs.

Like most of the Ciaphas Cain novels The Traitor’s Hand can easily be read as a standalone book, and no real pre-knowledge of the Warhammer 40,000 universe is really needed.  Indeed, I really appreciated how efficiently Mitchell is able to ease new readers into the wider Warhammer 40,000 universe.  In addition, readers don’t really need to have checked out the prior Ciaphas Cain novels either, as Mitchell does a good job of summarising the necessary key points from these books when needed.  There were some strong references to the Ciaphas Cain short story, The Beguiling, which if you had read would have increased the impact of The Traitor’ Hand to a degree, however, it is also not necessary to have read it first, as Mitchell recaps it very well.  Overall, I felt this was a great piece of Warhammer 40,000 fiction that many people can get into.

A key highlight of any Ciaphas Cain novel is the excellent character work that Mitchell installs into the story.  This is certainly the case in The Traitor’s Hand, with most of the character work revolving around the protagonist and main point-of-view character, Commissar Ciaphas Cain.  While Mitchell has done a great job setting up this figure in the previous two books, it is always so much fun to see a story through Cain’s eyes, especially as the protagonist bears the duality of being a hero and a coward at the same time.  Fitted with a well-honed sense of survival, Cain is constantly trying to find ways to get out of danger and has proven quite adept at manipulating people to get what he wants.  However, due to bad luck or because he finds himself trapped by his own legend, Cain is constantly dragged into the most dangerous situations possible.  While it would be easy to dislike a character like this, readers quickly become aware that Cain isn’t as big a coward as he believes, and instead he is quite a skilled, brave and caring leader whose “cowardly” actions are often borne by shrewd assessment and tactical awareness.  Throw in his excellent sense of humour, his entertaining insights into the universe, and his vast experiences with the many different things trying to kill humans in the Warhammer universe, and Cain is such a great protagonist to follow.

Aside from Cain, The Traitor’s Hand features a raft of other great characters, each of whom bring a lot to the story.  For example, Inquisitor Vail, despite not appearing in person, serves a big role in the book, editing Cain’s unreliable manuscripts.  I loved her witty over-arching narration and notes throughout the book, and it was fun to have someone constantly calling out Cain for his wilder statements.  I also loved the continued inclusion of Cain’s aid, Jurgen, the man capable of killing anything in the galaxy with his trusted meltagun.  I love how Mitchell sets Jurgen up as the Baldrick to Cain’s Blackadder in this series, especially with his attitude, hygiene and loyalty, although he proves to be a vital ally.  It was also interesting to see Mitchell continue to explore just how vital Jurgen is to Cain’s success, especially due to his status as a Blank, and I love the entertaining team the two characters combine into.  New character Commissar Tomas Beije, an old school rival of Cain’s, serves as a great secondary antagonist for much of the story, and it was entertaining to finally see a character suspicious of Cain’s status as hero, especially as he looks deranged spouting out accusations we know to actually be true.  Finally, the various members of the Valhallan 597th, many of whom were introduced to us at the same time as Cain, continue to grow as characters and serve great supporting roles in the story, and it was touching to see how their relationship to the protagonist has grown over the years.

I have often said throughout my many reviews on the subject that the best way to enjoy a Warhammer 40,000 novel is its audiobook format.  Nowhere is that truer than the Ciaphas Cain audiobooks, which really capture the zany feel of the series through its excellent narration and style.  Most of this is due to the excellent use of multiple narrators, whose mixture of voices creates a particularly epic read (indeed this one of my favourite audiobook series with multiple narrators).  The Traitor’s Hand features four separate narrators, each of whom add so much to my enjoyment of this audiobook.  Each of these narrators has a distinctive role, with the amazing Stephen Perring providing the bulk of the narration in this series, as he narrates the chapters told from the protagonist’s perspective.  Perring serves as an epic centre for this audiobook, especially as he does such a good job capturing the larger-than-life Ciaphas Cain with his acting.  Perring’s take on Cain’s cocky dialogue, as well as his more honest chronicling of events, is impressive, and I love how he captured the various aspects of Cain’s character.  There are some other great voices featured throughout these chapters as well, as Perring assigns fitting and entertaining voices to each of the major characters.  My favourite of these is probably Jurgen, especially as Perring really tries to make him sound as much like Tony Robinson as possible.

While Perring does most of the narration in The Traitor’s Hand, the additional voice actors also add a lot to the story, especially Penelope Rawlins.  Rawlins voices the character of Inquisitor Vail, the Imperial Inquisitor and acquaintance of Cain who is compiling the memoirs for publication.  As such, Rawlins voices the prelude, chapter introductions and footnotes contained in this book to showcase the editorial notes that this character is adding in to make Cain’s ramblings easier to read.  Rawlins serves as a good contrast to Perring, especially as her character’s more serious tones are the direct opposite of Perring’s flippant take on Cain.  I love how seamlessly the production works Rawlins’ voice into the various points of the audiobook where her character cuts into the main story, and you really get into the groove of her explaining key details about the universe and the characters.  Throw in the additional voice work of Emma Gregory and new narrator Andrew Spooner, who give their voices to various in-universe texts that provide additional information for the reader, and you have a strong team who masterfully enhance Mitchell’s brilliant story.  These great actors really help to make this entire audiobook production so much fun to listen to, and with a runtime of just over nine hours, you can very easily sit back and listen to The Traitor’s Hand in one fantastic sitting.

With The Traitor’s Hand, Sandy Mitchell continues to showcase why he is one of the strongest, and funniest, authors of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.  Filled with the series’ trademark humour, intriguing characters and intense action, The Traitor’s Hand was an entertaining audiobook from start to finish that I could not turn off.  An outstanding and highly recommend novel, The Traitor’s Hand was so damn good, and I cannot wait to see how Mitchell continues this amazing series.

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Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels – April 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List, Warhammer8 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are given a freebie, where they can talk about any book topic they want.  While I had a few ideas, I decided to update a fun list from last year where I highlighted my absolute favourite Warhammer 40,000 tie-in novels.

Warhammer is a long-running extended universe that is based around a series of miniature table-top games.  Started by Games Workshop decades ago, Warhammer in its various forms has a large and dedicated following to it, and there are several existing or defunct games associated with the franchise.  The most iconic of these is probably the futuristic Warhammer 40,000 franchise which is set millennia in the future and details a grim-dark universe where multiple factions engage in massive wars and battles.  Thanks to years of extended lore, there are a ton of Warhammer 40,000 books and comics out there, with a massive team of great authors contributing more and more to it all the time. 

Due to how much I love this franchise and how many books I have been reading from it, around this time last year, I went out of my way to list my favourite Warhammer 40,000 books, which ballooned into a 20-entry feature.  This proved to be a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed highlighting the top Warhammer 40,000 books I read.  While I was happy with how this prior list panned out, I was only really scratching the surface of this massive collection of fiction, as there are a ton of other epic Warhammer 40,000 books out there.  I’ve spent the last year or so getting even further into this franchise, and I have read several additional awesome books, which includes several brand-new favourites.  As such, I figured this would be a good time to update my previous list and feature even more epic pieces of Warhammer 40,000 fiction.

As with my previous list about Warhammer 40,000 fiction, I have loaded this entry up with my top 20 favourite books, including several great books I discovered in the last year.  There are some amazing Warhammer 40,000 novels here, and it was interesting to see what new pieces of fiction made it onto the latest version of this list.  I had some very hard decisions to make, and several books that I featured last time needed to be cut, which wasn’t easy to do.  I did once again decide to compact several books from the same series (and written by the same author) into a single entry to increase variety, which I think worked out well.  Overall, I’m very happy with how my Top 20 list turned out and there are so many exceptional and epic novels I would strongly recommend.

Top 20 List (no particular order):

Eisenhorn trilogy by Dan Abnett

Warhammer 40,000 - Xenos Cover

The first entry on this list is the iconic and epic Eisenhorn trilogy by legendary Warhammer author Dan Abnett.  Generally considered one of the most influential authors of Warhammer fiction, Abnett has written several key series and novels in this canon and the Eisenhorn books are some of his finest work.  Made up of Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus, this series follows the titular Inquisitor Eisenhorn who investigates several complex conspiracies while trying to keep the Imperium of Man safe.  However, along the way he starts making dark compromises and deals to fight the forces of Chaos, which slowly corrupts him.  Providing an outstanding mixture of elaborate stories, impressive characters and some epic moments, the Eisenhorn trilogy is damn near perfect, and I have had a wonderful time getting through it.  Easily one of the best Warhammer series out there, the Eisenhorn novels are a must-read, and there is a reason why most fans recommend it as a brilliant starting Warhammer 40,000 fiction starting point.

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Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! by Nate Crowley

Ghazghkull Thraka - Prophet of the Waaagh! Cover

For readers looking for something a little less human-focussed, Ghazghkull Thraka: Prophet of the Waaagh! is the perfect book.  A unique retelling of iconic ork character Ghazghkull Thraka’s origin story, this fantastic novel presents a powerful and instantly compelling story that shows a far deeper side to the ork boss and his followers.  Crowley expertly utilises a series of distinctive perspectives to tell a particularly striking story, and I loved the fun combination of serious elements and humorous undertones.  I had a brilliant time with this novel, and it ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022.  Highly recommended, especially on audiobook due to the amazing team of talented narrators the recruited to voice it.

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Assassinorum: Kingmaker by Robert Rath

Assassinorum Kingmaker Cover

Another Warhammer 40,000 novel from 2022 that topped my best of lists was the insanely good Assassinorum: Kingmaker by talented author Robert Rath.  Following three ultra-elite assassins, Kingmaker showcases their mission to assassinate a king and bring a new era to a feudal Imperial Knight planet.  The only problem is that their target is permanently bonded to a giant mecha, and there are far darker secrets hidden on the planet than they realised.  This book was highly addictive from the very start, and I cannot emphasise how impressively amazing the narrative was.  You really get attached to the major characters, and I loved all the epic mecha-on-mecha fights than ensued.  A top read from one of the franchises fastest rising stars.

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The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley

The Wraithbone Phoenix Cover

One of the things that I most love about Warhammer 40,000 fiction is the sheer range of different stories that can be featured in this universe.  Probably the best example of this is the Warhammer Crime subseries that set a series of powerful crime fiction novels in a futuristic and corrupt Warhammer 40,000 city.  The first one of these that I read was The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley, which features a fast-paced, crime thriller romp as several teams of over-the-top criminals fight to recover a mysterious McGuffin, the titular Wraithbone Phoenix.  The story primarily focuses on the hilarious team of thieving ratling (a futuristic halfling/hobbit) and an enlightened Ogryn (ogre), who find themselves caught in the middle of the heist and hunted by everyone.  Fun, intense and surprisingly moving, this was an amazing book, and readers should also check out Worley’s short audiobook, Dredge Runners, which serves as an exceptional prequel.

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Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill

Storm of Iron Cover 2

From cool crime fiction to brutal sieges, my next entry is the awesome epic Storm of Iron by the legendary Graham McNeill.  Storm of Iron is a powerful and intense read that chronicles a deadly futuristic siege of a legendary citadel by the Iron Warriors Chaos Space Marines, the galaxy’s most accomplished siege experts.  What follows is a brutal and lengthy siege novel that sees both sides engage in a hellish campaign to try and survive.  Cleverly showcasing both sides and providing some great context to the antagonists, this is a particularly fun book that is easily one of the best siege novels I have ever read.

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Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks

Da Big Dakka Cover

One of the more entertaining recent additions to this list is Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks.  Brooks is one of the most talented rising authors of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, especially with books like The Lion: King of the Forest and Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom.  While I enjoy his serious work, my favourite book of his is Da Big Dakka.  An intriguing and ultra-entertaining follow-up to his ork novels, Brutal Kunnin and Warboss, Da Big Dakka sets a deadly ork warband against the lethal Drukhari in a battle of wits, carnage and pain.  Hilarious and clever from start to finish, I cannot recommend this book enough as it had me laughing all the way through.

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Sinner’s Bounty by Joshua Reynolds

Kal Jerico - Sinner's Bounty Cover

While Deathwatch: Shadowbreaker was the first current Warhammer 40,000 novel I read, Sinner’s Bounty was the book that sealed my fate and ensured I would get hooked on this franchise again.  Set in the Necromunda sub-series/game, Sinner’s Bounty presents a whole new adventure from one of the franchise’s best characters, bounty hunter Kal Jerico, as he follows a notorious criminal into the darkest parts of the massive Necromunda hive city.  A massively entertaining romp that features multiple teams of bounty hunters, an army of mutants, and all manner of monsters in the dark sewers of the city, Sinner’s Bounty is so much damn fun and I loved seeing my favourite character back in action.  I hope we get more Kal Jerico books in the future, but in the meantime Sinner’s Bounty an amazing read that perfectly showcases one of the franchises best settings and protagonists.

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The Infinite and The Divine by Robert Rath

The Infinite and the Divine Cover

Another outstanding novel from Robert Rath that I had to feature here is, The Infinite and The Divine.  Focussed on two compelling and brilliant Necron characters, The Infinite and The Divine showcases the legendary feud between them as they spend thousands of years battling over a recovered artefact and its secrets.  Devolving into quite a petty scrap at times, The Infinite and The Divine is one of the funniest and cleverest Warhammer 40,000 books out there as it makes excellent use of humour, intense lore, and some very serious moments to tell a unique and memorable tale.  I had an exceptionally fun time with The Infinite and The Divine, and it is a fantastic novel for all Warhammer fans.

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Gaunt’s Ghosts series – Dan Abnett

Warhammer 40,000 - Necropolis Cover

There was no way I could exclude Dan Abnett’s other iconic series, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books from this list.  Generally considered one of the key pillars of Warhammer 40,000 fiction and essential reading for all newcomers to the franchise, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books follow the Tanith First and Only, a small regiment from a destroyed planet fighting for redemption in a deadly crusade.  Containing great characters, compelling storylines, and a gritty examination of the common Imperial soldier’s life, the Gaunt’s Ghosts books are pretty damn captivating and I have had a great deal of fun with them.  While last year I had only read the first two books, First and Only and Ghostmaker, as well as the prequel novel, The Vincula Insurgency, I spent a bit of time in 2023 getting through more of the series, including the epic books Necropolis, Honour Guard and The Guns of Tanith.  While Necropolis is probably my favourite of these books so far, all of them are very cool in their own way and form a great overarching series.  While I still have to read several more Gaunt’s Ghosts books, this is one of the best Warhammer series out there and I would strongly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about this cool universe.  I’m hoping to make more progress on this series in the next year and I cannot wait to see how everything pans out.

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Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier

Lord of the Night Cover

A classic Warhammer 40,000 novel that I have a lot of love for is the dark and compelling Lord of the Night by Simon Spurrier.  A unique read that sees a lone Night Lords traitor Space Marine terrorise an entire giant city in the hunt for a legendary artefact, Lord of the Night is a complex, character driven novel that really dives into the villain’s perspective.  Loaded with twists, compelling protagonists and a legendary game of cat and mouse, Lord of the Night is an outstanding read that I’m glad I got the chance to read.

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Steel Tread by Andy Clark

Steel Tread Cover

While most Warhammer novels tries to capture the gritty realities of war, few have succeeded as well as Andy Clark’s 2022 novel, Steel Tread.  Set within the close confines of a tank, the book sees a crew of large personalities try to survive each other amid a destructive and terrifying warzone.  A super intense and deeply personal novel, I had an exceptional time with Steel Tread and it was one of the best soldier-focused Warhammer 40,000 novels I have had the pleasure of reading.

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The Twice-Dead King books – Nate Crowley

The Twice-Dead King - Ruin Cover

The next entry is a joint entry featuring the two The Twice-Dead King novels by Nate Crowley, Ruin and Reign.  A Necron focussed series, The Twice-Dead King follows a fallen Necron prince who battles to regain his power and throne when a deadly invasion of humans threatens his realm.  Providing one of the deepest examinations of the intriguing Necron faction in all of Warhammer fiction, you really get to understand this complex race, especially when they are faced with their own terrifying internal demons.  This book powerfully showcases Crowley’s talent for diving into alien races with his writing and you come away from these books extremely moved and highly impressed with just how good Warhammer fiction can be.

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For The Emperor by Sandy Mitchell

Warhammer 40,000 - For the Emperor Cover

Easily one of the funniest Warhammer novels I have ever read was the brilliant and compelling read, For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell.  The first book in the long-running and beloved Ciaphas Cain series, For the Emperor follows the adventures of Commissar Ciaphas Cain, one of the Imperium’s greatest heroes.  However, it is soon revealed that Cain is a manipulative coward who actively tries to avoid combat, only to end up in even worse situations.  Mitchell paints a pretty hilarious picture around this scenario, and the result is just spectacular and side-splittingly funny.  An exceptional and fun novel that serves as a great introduction to the Ciaphas Cain novels, while also showing just how impressive and varied this franchise can be.  I’m hoping to read more of these books in the future, especially as the second novel, Caves of Ice, is a very worthy sequel.

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The Fall of Cadia by Robert Rath

Warhammer 40,000 - The Fall of Cadia Cover

Robert Rath makes yet another appearance on this list with his latest novel, The Fall of Cadia.  A truly epic read that recounts the dire events of the canon-changing, Imperium wrecking, final battle of the 13th Black Crusade, The Fall of Cadia is a remarkable book that Warhammer 40,000 fans will not be able to put down.  Filled with massive battles, unique moments, and so many larger-than-life characters, The Fall of Cadia perfectly captures one of the more essential moments in recent Warhammer 40,000 lore.  Rath is really proving himself to be one of the absolute best authors of Warhammer fiction, as The Fall of Cadia ended up being one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023.

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Outgunned by Denny Flowers

Warhammer 40,000 - Outgunned Cover

While Denny Flowers’ first book, Fire Made Flesh, was a great Necromunda novel, it pales in comparison to Outgunned which had me hooked very early on.  Outgunned follows an Imperial propaganda specialist who arrives on a swampy battlefield to film inspiration footage of a legendary fighter pilot as she battles an ork invasion.  However, nothing goes to plan as the protagonist soon discovers that his preferred subject is an arrogant drunkard, the planet has some unusual secrets and the orks are actually winning the war.  A brilliant and intense novel that not only featured a ton of great aerial combat, but which also dives into some very dark places that shows just how far humanity has fallen in the far future.  Highly recommended.

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Flesh and Steel by Guy Haley

Flesh and Steel Cover

The Warhammer Crime hits keep on coming with Flesh and Steel by renowned author Guy Haley.  This compelling read acts a bit of an odd-couple, buddy cop story when two very different detectives are forced to team up to investigate a dismembered body left across a city border.  Mixing some fantastic comedy with some pretty dark and horrific elements, Flesh and Steel provided one of the best character-focused stories in the Warhammer Crime range and I was deeply impressed with how everything unfolded.  A key Warhammer Crime read and one that I have a great deal of affection for.

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Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons

Dead Men Walking Cover

Another book that highlight’s the unique human soldiers of the Warhammer 40,000 universe is the moving and tragic novel, Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons.  Featuring a battle between two unrelenting foes, Dead Men Walking pitted the Death Korps of Krieg against the Necrons in a brutal, all-out war with no true winners.  Cleverly told from the perspective of the poor unfortunates caught in the middle of the fighting, Dead Men Walking is an outstanding and dire novel that really highlights how desperate the Warhammer 40,000 universe can be.  The book that cemented Lyons as the master of the Death Korps of Krieg (check out his other novel, Krieg), Dead Men Walking was a dark riot from start to finish that will stick with you for a very long time.

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Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Day of Ascension Cover

A great example of the impressive talent that this franchise attracts can be seen in the 2022 novel, Day of Ascension, written by highly renowned author Adrian Tchaikovsky, making his Warhammer debut.  Day of Ascension was a short and sweet novel which sets the robotic and callus Adeptus Mechanicus against a revolution started by a dangerous Genestealer Cult.  Featuring Tchaikovsky’s flair for highlighting alien mindsets and cultures, there are some very clever divergent perspectives in this novel, and I loved diving into the distinctive minds of two very different types of human hybrids.  Successfully introducing a great talent to the franchise, Day of Ascension is a brilliant read and one that I had an epic time with.

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13th Legion by Gav Thorpe

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Next up we have the first Last Chancer novel, 13th Legion, that perfectly adds in some expendable space convicts to a desperate military fiction narrative.  Written by another iconic Warhammer fiction author, Gav Thorpe, 13th Legion follows the 13th Penal Legion who are forced to participate in a series of suicidal missions to gain their freedom and redemption.  Essentially The Dirty Dozen in space, 13th Legion is an exciting and entertaining novel with a very high body count, that I honestly could not put down.  I also must highlight the sequel, Kill Team, which proved to be a fun follow-up to the first book.  I am hoping to find the rest of the books in the series at some point, as the Last Chancer’s novels are a fun and fantastic inclusion to the canon.

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Bloodlines by Chris Wraight

Warhammer 40,000 - Bloodlines Cover

The final entry on this list is the insanely good Warhammer Crime novel, Bloodlines by Chris Wraight.  Following a cynical, veteran detective as he is dragged into a problematic missing person’s case, Bloodlines soon devolves into a hard tale of rich privilege and gangster violence as the protagonist refuses to stop investigating a crooked corporation.  Probably one of the best pure crime fiction novels in this range, I loved the clever conclusion to the narrative and Bloodlines is an outstanding read, and one I am particularly keen for a sequel for (the protagonist has some dark secrets that need to come into the light).  Highly recommended.

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And that’s the end of my list.  All 20 of the above books/series come very highly recommended, and each of them would make an excellent addition to any budding Warhammer 40,000 fan’s collection.  I really loved that I was able to update this awesome list with several new books, and I have no doubt I will have even more to add next year when I update it again, especially as there are some great Warhammer 40,000 books coming out in 2024.  I hope I’ve inspired at least one reader to embark on a Warhammer 40,000 adventure, and you honestly won’t be disappointed.

Warhammer 40,000: Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer1 Comment

Da Big Dakka Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 24 February 2024)

Series: Warhammer 40,000: Ufthak Blackhawk – Book Two

Length: 9 hours and 25 minutes

My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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I have been really punching out the Warhammer reviews this week, and the final one I want to bring up is the exceedingly fun novel Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks.

Mike Brooks is an outstanding author, who has been killing it with his amazing novels in the Warhammer 40,000 universe with elaborate tales featuring some unique figures.  I really enjoyed his dark novel, Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom, and The Lion: Son of the Forest was one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023.  However, out of all of Brooks’s books, the most entertaining, exciting and outright funny are his novels that focus on the ork faction.  Orks are always a fantastic group in Warhammer fiction, but Brooks has some amazing insights into these rowdy creatures.  His previous ork novels, Brutal Kunnin and Warboss, have both been awesome, but I honestly think his latest book, Da Big Dakka, is his best yet.

Ufthak Blackhawk, big boss of Da Tekwaaagh! is in trouble.  Sent far away into the stars by his Warboss, Da Meklord, to find loot and a good scrap, Ufthak has found barely anything to steal or fight, and now Da Meklord wants his tribute.  Determined to find one big score, Ufthak is awarded a unique opportunity when his new grot servant reveals the webway, mysterious ancient portals which can lead to all sorts of unusual places.  However, he has no way of entering the webway, that is until someone opens it for him.

Dhaemira Thraex is a powerful and ambitious drukhari archon, who seeks to empower her cabal and become leader of her section of the dark city of Commorragh.  To that end, Dhaemira brings Ufthak and his horde into Commorragh, hoping to use the threat they present to unite her rivals behind her.  Confident of a swift victory against the unorganised orks, it quickly becomes apparent that Dhaemira has underestimated the danger she has unleashed.

After years of fighting and getting stronger, Ufthak is no longer the simple ork he once was.  Instead, he is now a monstrous foe who excels at killing, and who has a plan to get everything he wants.  But can even the new and improved Ufthak stand against the worst that the twisted and malevolent drukhari have to throw at him, especially when treachery sprouts within his own ranks in the most unlikely of places?

Mike Brooks presents one of his funniest and most exciting novels yet as Da Big Dakka hits all the right notes for me.  Utterly hilarious, loaded with over-the-top characters, and featuring two extremely awesome factions from the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Da Big Dakka had me hooked from the moment I started listening to it and refused to let go until the very last laugh.

Da Big Dakka had a great story behind it, and I liked how Brooks set it up as a direct sequel to Brutal Kunnin (which I read recently in preparation for the release of this book), while also featuring elements from Warboss.  Da Big Dakka is more of a dark comedy than a serious Warhammer 40,000 novel, which is to be expected when you have a book focused on the orks.  The premise behind Da Big Dakka is simple: the orks under the command of the evolving Ufthak Blackhawk have found themselves inside the drukhari city of Commorragh and must pit their savage battle skills and crude intellect against the subtle tactics of their drukhari hosts.

The drukhari, whose scenes are primarily told from the perspective of Dhaemira Thraex, initially see the orks as a minor threat, and they are more concerned with their intrigues to take them seriously.  However, underestimating the orks never works out for anyone, and soon Ufthak has launched a series of insane and unpredictable counterattacks that force the drukhari to work together.  As this happens, Ufthak finds himself being secretly undermined by one of his grots, Snaggi Littletoof (who previously appeared in Warboss), who his determined to lead a grot uprising and finds himself in all manner of trouble as a result.  All three of these storylines come together in a big way towards the end of the book, as all the schemes, outrageous plans and badly organised rebellions, are decided in one big brawl.  The final results of Da Big Dakka are pretty damn awesome, as there are some deliciously ironic comeuppances, interesting character development, and entertaining hints about what Brooks plans to do in the future.

While there are notable similarities between Da Big Dakka and the previous novel, Brutal Kunnin, as the book follows a similar thread of orks rampaging across a new world facing off against arrogant enemies, it’s hard not to fall in love with this book.  You can clearly see that Brooks has evolved his style since Brutal Kunnin, and this sequel was a much stronger novel.  A lot of this was down to the inclusion of one of the best characters from Warboss, who added in an extra comedic angle to the plot that vibed wonderfully with the other storylines.  Brooks also amped up the petty political intrigue and plotting with the non-ork parts of the book, with the drukhari serving as an excellent antithesis to the orks.  There was also a great deal more character development when it came to the protagonist, which helped to strengthen a lot of the plot.  This split between these three main point of view characters was pretty damn perfect, and their alternating views of events helped to produce a very strong story.

In addition, there was excellent added complexity to Da Big Dakka’s humour, which I had a brilliant time with.  While most of the comedy is based around the over-the-top antics of the orks, there is also some darker, more subtle comedic elements spread throughout the plot which plays off the other jokes extremely well.  A lot of this based around ironic events, in-universe jokes, and hilarious betrayals, which really added up as the book progressed.  I found myself laughing out loud multiple times while listening to Da Big Dakka, and this was one of the funnier books of 2024.  Throw in a ton of over-the-top fight scenes, most of which serves to enhance the already epic story, and you have an outstanding and captivating book with pure fun at its heart.

One of the things that I always enjoy about Warhammer 40,000 fiction is the shear range of different stories and styles that can be told.  Da Big Dakka for example is a much more light-hearted book that focuses on two alien races that don’t always get a lot of focus in the extended fiction.  As such, this book has a great deal of appeal for those unfamiliar with Warhammer, as Brooks is required to dive into these factions without weighing the reader down with too much heavy plot.  New readers can easily enjoy this book without any real pre-knowledge or conceptions about the Warhammer 40,000 universe and still have an outstanding time with the unique story and characters.  It can also be readily enjoyed by those who haven’t read the preceding two novels, Brutal Kunnin and Warboss, as Brooks makes the story very accessible.  Naturally, established fans and those who have read Brooks’ prior novels will get a lot more out of Da Big Dakka, mainly because there is some interesting progression of character arcs, and because Brooks provides outstanding look at the orks and the drukhari.

As with his previous two novels, I was deeply impressed with how Brooks portrayed the orks in Da Big Dakka.  The orks are always a very entertaining bunch, and their hooligan-esque actions, desire to fight, and unique outlook on life makes for some fun reading.  Pretty much every book that features an ork character is bound to be more on the comedic side, and Brooks delivers this in spades, loading up the story with a ton of funny observations, in-jokes and outrageous behaviours that proved to be exceedingly entertaining.  Brooks really amps up the unpredictable nature of the orks in Da Big Dakka, and there was a good recurring theme about being underestimated.  While Brooks went a little light on describing ork technology and the different clans, mainly because he’s covered that before, there was an interesting look at ork psychology and biology which showcased why they fight and how it benefits them.  The author also featured a great look at the ork sub-race known as the grots, who have an expanded role in this book.  Smaller, weaker and extremely bullied members of the ork race, the grots serve as a snivelling slave caste, and offer some fun comedic relief.  A good part of the plot revolves around the grots and their cowardly nature, and it was really entertaining to see Brooks’s take on their mindset and place in ork society, especially when one of their number tries something different.  Honestly every scene featuring a major ork character was entertaining or interesting in some way or another, and I really love how well Brooks portrays this awesome faction.

While Da Big Dakka is mostly dedicated to the orks, Brooks also spends a ton of time focusing on one of the more intriguing factions in the canon, the drukhari.  Previously known as the dark eldar, the drukhari are one of the more underutilised groups in Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and it was great to see them here.  Essentially evil space elves, the drukhari live in an extra-dimensional city and require the pain of others to survive (think the Cenobites from Hellraiser).  As Da Big Dakka is primarily set in a section of their city and features a drukhari as a main character, Brooks showcases a lot of the drukhari lore in this book, which was really cool.  This book features an in-depth look at the drukhari, with their unique units, weaponry and vehicles strongly featured.  However, Brooks goes even deeper than that, focusing on the politics of the drukhari characters, the various alliances that bind them, and entire basis of their existence.  I loved the fascinating examination of why they require pain to survive, as well as their thoughts on mortality, and this became a key part of the book’s plot.  You get a real clash of styles between the two factions, and the orks are constantly frustrated by the hit-and-run tactics of the drukhari (or the spikiez, as the orks know them).  I also loved how cool the city of Commorragh proved as a background to the plot, and Brooks features several unique drukhari structures and locations that made for some great battlefields.  The entire final sequence takes place in one of their arenas, and it was very fun to see the protagonist face off against some of the drukhari captives.  I honestly really loved that Brooks featured the drukhari here, and I hope we see more Warhammer authors use them in the future as they are so underutilised.

I also must highlight the excellent character work featured within Da Big Dakka, as Brooks featured some amazing figures whose unique insights added so much to the impact of this book.  The primary character is the ork big boss, Ufthak Blackhawk, who previously served as the protagonist of Brutal Kunnin.  Since we last saw him, Ufthak has literally grown into his role as a boss, as his victories have transformed Ufthak into a massive monster.  This physical growth has also resulted in him becoming smarter, and a lot of his storyline revolves around him utilising this new intellect for the first time.  It also makes him more ambitious and insightful, and it was fascinating to see him interact with the other characters in the book, especially the main drukhari figure.  Indeed, the one scene where they have a frank conversation was probably one of my favourites in the entire book, with Ufthak proving to be her intellectual match.  Despite this newfound and somewhat unwanted ability to think, Ufthak is still an ork at heart and he acts accordingly, with lots of destruction and carnage coming from him alone.  Ufthak is also a major source of comedy as his cynical, hilarious, and often surprisingly accurate insights into the drukhari, his fellow orks, and the other races of the galaxy, are so funny.  It will be interesting to see what adventures Brooks has planned for Ufthak in the future, as he is clearly positioning him to be a major recurring figure in his books.

Aside from Ufthak, the other two major characters of the book are the drukhari archon, Dhaemira Thraex and the grot Snaggi Littletoof, both of whom add some great alternate elements to the story.  Dhaemira is a ruthless drukhari strategist, who revels in schemes, plots and ambitious powerplays.  The person ultimately responsible for much of the carnage in Da Big Dakka, Dhaemira proves to be a fantastic figure to follow, especially as the reader gets most of their view of the drukhari from her.  Dhaemira proves to be an excellent alternative protagonist to Ufthak, mainly because the two are so different, and it was fascinating to see their clash of styles and personality, even though they have more common ground then you would expect.  I really loved Dhaemira’s narrative, which goes in some interesting directions, including an unlikely romance, and it really played off the ork perspective chapters so well.

The final key ingredient to this mix was Snaggi Littletoof, the self-proclaimed Grotboss and prophet of Gork and Mork.  Snaggi, who previously appeared in Warboss, is determined to lead a grot rebellion to overthrow the orks and place him in charge.  Unfortunately, Snaggi is held back due to the stupidity of his minions, as well as his own inaccurate sense of self-importance.  His entire storyline of attempted rebellion was a welcome addition to the plot as it served an interesting middle ground between Ufthak’s direct actions and Dhaemira’s more subtle plots.  It also added some excellent additional humour, as Snaggi’s various schemes to take over the ork band, go in some interesting directions that often balance unlikely success with massive failure.  This fantastic combination of characters was so much fun, and I really loved how well Brooks introduced them and balanced them out throughout Da Big Dakka.

I checked out this Warhammer novel in its audiobook format, which is the best way to enjoy the over-the-top action and big personalities of this franchise.  Da Big Dakka is a great example of this, and I love how all the amazing scenes and fun fights really come to life when they are read out to you.  In Da Big Dakka’s case, a lot of this is due to narrator Harry Myers, who is quickly becoming one of my favourite Warhammer audiobook voice actors.  Not only has he really impressed me in Brooks’s previous ork audiobook, Warboss, but Myers was also brilliant narrating two of my all-time favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Day of Ascension by Adrian Tchaikovsky and The Wraithbone Phoenix by Alec Worley.  Myers has such an amazing and booming voice and a great British accent that really fits the hooligan-aesthetics of the orks.  He effectively works through a series of voices in Da Big Dakka, that includes the commanding voice of main character Ufthak Blackhawk, and the high-pitched whiny voices of the various grots.  While his voice wasn’t always the most effective for conveying the subtle mannerisms of the ethereal drukhari, Myer still did an excellent job portraying them throughout this book, and I loved how efficiently and entertainingly he moved the plot along.  I honestly don’t think I would have had as much fun with Da Big Dakka without Myers’s narration, and with a run time just short of nine and a half hours, this is a very easy audiobook to get through and enjoy.

Mike Brooks continues to impress me with his outstanding and epic contributions to the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, especially as he so clearly grows as an author with each book he writes.  His latest novel, Da Big Dakka, is a captivating and deeply hilarious piece of Warhammer fiction that tells an awesome story, while also expertly using the franchise’s most unique factions.  Wildly entertaining, incredibly funny, and subtly clever, Da Big Dakka was particularly fun to read and comes highly recommended.  I cannot wait to see what wonderous piece of Warhammer fiction Mike Brooks will write next, as I know I am going to love it.

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Warhammer 40,000: Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Science Fiction, Tie-in Novel, Warhammer1 Comment

Dead Men Walking Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 30 November 2010)

Series: Warhammer 40,000

Length: 10 hours and 42 minutes

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

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Two relentless foes face off in the intense Warhammer 40,000 novel, Dead Men Walking by Steve Lyons.

Dead Men Walking was an epic novel released back in 2010, that featured a brutal and compelling story I really fell in love with.  This novel follows the trend of books that highlight the adventures of specific regiments or units of Imperial Guard, such as Catachan Devil by Justin Woolley, Kasrkin by Edoardo Albert, Steel Tread by Andy Clark, and the Gaunt’s Ghosts books by Dan Abnett, which has been very fun.  Dead Men Walking was the author’s first look at the legendary Death Korps of Krieg, one of the most distinctive and dark regiments of Imperial Guard soldiers, who he covered again back in 2022 with Krieg.  This new novel sets the Death Korps onto a whole new battlefield with deadly results.

Hieronymous Theta is a small and relatively young world in the Imperium of Man.  Populated by nearly nine billion people, it is slowly becoming an important industrial hub, as its cities and massive spires build up.  But as the inhabitants of the capital, Hieronymous City, expand their mining operations deeper they encounter something unexpected and terrifying, the Necrons.  Unfeeling and inhuman ancient xenos encased in living metal, the Necrons are an unrelenting force determined to exterminate the human pests they find inhabiting their world by any means necessary.

As the citizens of Hieronymous City begin to panic, unable to stand against the encroaching Necrons and their deadly technology, their apparent salvation lands on the planet in the most unlikely of forms, the Death Korps of Krieg.  One of the most feared and mysterious regiments of the Astra Millitarum, the Death Korps of Krieg come from a world destroyed by civil war which seeks to redeem itself by producing soldiers solely dedicated to the Emperor and his victory.

As the Death Korps land on Hieronymous, they take the war to the Necrons and begin a determined siege to retake Hieronymous City from the outside.  But as the Krieg regiments push forward, the people of the planet soon begin to realise that the Death Korps might not be the salvation they hoped for.  The soldiers of Krieg’s only goal is to defeat the Emperor’s foes, and they are willing to sacrifice anything to achieve victory, including the citizens of Hieronymous.  With battle joined, the fate of Hieronymous hangs in the balance.  But does anyone truly win when two implacable and unrelenting armies go to war?

This was an extremely interesting, intense and dark novel from Steve Lyons, who follows up his previous Krieg novel in a big way with this outstanding read.  Featuring a moving, action-packed and highly cynical story, Dead Men Walking was probably one of the better Warhammer 40,000 books from last year, and I had an exceptional time getting through it.

I really liked the fantastic story that Lyons came up with for Dead Men Walking, especially as it successfully showcased both opposing armies, the Death Korps and the Necrons, without actually featuring any perspective characters from either side.  Instead, the focus is reserved for the other humans caught in the middle of the conflict, including the Imperial Commissar attached to the Death Korps, the governor of the planet, and several citizens who find themselves caught in the crossfire of the war and are forced to adapt to survive.  I love how Lyons set the early narrative out, with the perspective characters slowly becoming aware of the dangers beneath them.  The slow build introduction of the Necrons, a force the humans don’t know but the reader is very aware of, was handled perfectly, and there is a lot of great anticipation that pays of well when they finally attack.  The scenes of carnage and utter terror that emerge for the characters stuck in the city really hit home with their realism and intensity.  Indeed, there is a bit of a horror vibe to the story at this point, and Hieronymous City turns into an excellent wasteland setting for the characters to subsequently attempt to navigate.

Once the city is in ruins, the book turns towards the landing Death Korps, who begin prosecuting a deadly war against the Necrons.  This moves the story into a fascinating new zone, as you get some fantastic battles while also witnessing several characters soon caught up in the city as everything changes around them.  I loved the various unique, personal stories that emerged, and the focus on characters watching both the Krieg and Necron forces battle it out proves very powerful.  As the story continues, each of the main characters suffer in various ways, especially as they begin to realise that the unrelenting, victory-focused Krieg are just as dangerous as the Necrons, and there are some deeply powerful moments as they lose their humanity in the carnage of war.  All of these mostly independent character narratives go in some dark directions, especially as the background war gets even darker, and not everyone survives the various conflicts to come.  These storylines either end or coalesce together as the book comes to a head, and you really appreciate the impressive narrative that Lyons weaves together.  I loved how grim and cynical the story got at the end, and Lyons provides a particularly memorable conclusion that really highlights just how unfair the Warhammer 40,000 universe can be.

Lyons really came up with a brilliant story for Dead Men Walking, as he balanced the need to highlight two interesting Warhammer 40,000 factions, while also telling his own unique narrative.  Telling the story of the Krieg and Necrons from the perspective of the third-party characters caught in the middle of their war was such as clever move, especially as it provided some fascinating contrast between the two factions.  The author provided such a dark vibe for Dead Men Walking, and the terrified civilians, the crumbling city and the relentless troops waging war without a care for those around them were all handled brilliantly.  I think the narrative split between the various characters caught up in the fray was done well, and you get to see all sides of the conflict, and the darkest actions of both opposing foes.  I also loved how well Lyons showcased the main city setting throughout the book, as the collapse of the once proud city mirrors the loss of humanity for the various protagonists.  Dead Men Walking can easily be read as a standalone novel, and new readers can just fall into its dark and unique story.  Indeed, this might be a pretty good entry point, as the views of the confused and horrified civilians provide some good opening observations about two key factions.  Naturally, established fans of the franchise will get a lot more out of Dead Men Walking, especially as Lyons really showcases both iconic groups in some fantastic ways.

I absolutely loved the portrayal of the Krieg soldiers in Dead Men Walking, and they really are some of the most entertaining figures in the Warhammer 40,000 canon.  Unlike his other novel, Krieg, where Lyons spent a great deal of time focusing on the origins of the Krieg soldiers with flashback sequences, Dead Men Walking showcases them purely through the eyes of other human inhabitants of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.  To the common soldier or citizen of the Imperium of Man, the Death Korp are unnaturally dedicated, unwavering and heartless, focussing on the battle to the exclusion of all others.  Thanks to their harsh training, indoctrination, and history, they have a very black-and-white view of the universe and will stop at nothing to win, even if that means sacrificing their comrades or allies for a strategy.  Lyons really highlights their near-inhuman mentalities throughout the course of Dead Men Walking, and thanks to the perspectives of the non-Krieg soldiers, you see them in a much more sinister light.  There is something very concerning about the simple mathematic they put behind their strategies, and I loved how well Lyons captured how similar they are to the Necrons.  Thanks in great deal to the actions of the Krieg soldiers, this ended up being a particularly bleak book, which really hammered home how there are no good guys in this universe.

In addition to the Krieg soldiers, Dead Men Walking also featured the Necrons as the antagonists, who served as worthy opponents to the Krieg.  As with the Krieg soldiers, you don’t get a Necron perspective in Dead Men Walking, which honestly enhanced the unique story Lyons was going for.  Unlike books like other more recent Necron focussed novels like Ruin, Reign or The Infinite and the Divine, you only see these characters through the eyes of normal humans, who have no idea who or what they are.  This makes for some particularly terrifying scenes as the humans encounter overwhelming attacks from unkillable metal monsters, and Lyons really captures how the unknown is just as bad as the devastation around them.  Even when the Krieg soldiers arrive, there is very little knowledge about the Necrons, due to the secrecy of their origins, and the only intelligence about them comes from rumours of prior encounters (which includes a cheeky reference to the Ciaphas Cain novel, Caves of Ice).  I really appreciated this shrouded look at the Necrons, and it proved to be interesting to see the how a normal person would view them.

I really liked the characters in Dead Men Walking, especially as Lyons focuses the story on several normal humans who suddenly get thrust into hell and find everything they thought they knew completely upturned.  Much of this upheaval is due to the interactions with the Krieg soldiers, whose unreasonable actions cause even the most stoic soldier or commander to falter in different ways.  Watching each of these characters slowly change for the worse makes for some gripping reading, and you end up feeling great sympathy for all the point of view characters.

These great characters include Gunthar Soreson, a mine supervisor who loses everything in a single night and tries to find redemption as a soldier fighting for the Krieg.  It was absolutely fascinating to see Gunthar, who starts the book as a relatively normal and nice character, slowly lose his humanity in a similar manner to the Krieg soldiers, and his story hits particularly hard at times.  I also must highlight the character of Commissar Costellin, one of the commissars attached to the Krieg regiments, and one of the few non-Krieg soldiers featured in the book.  Commissars are fantastic figures in the Warhammer 40,000 canon, mainly because they serve as implacable disciplinarians charged with maintaining order and morale through lethal means and ensuring that the soldiers due their duty.  However, due to the unnatural discipline of the Death Korp soldiers, Costellin finds himself acting more in the role of a liaison between the Krieg and the citizens of Hieronymous.  Lyons writes some intriguing storylines around Costellin, and it was fascinating to see a commissar character who fears the resolve of his own troops, as the Death Korp leaders go too far even for him.  Finally, I really enjoyed the inclusion of the governor of Hieronymous, Hanrik, who finds both his planet under attack and his authority taken away from him when the Death Korp takes over.  I felt the storyline around Hanrik was very clever, and you had to feel for him at times, especially when he finds his loyalties tested.  All these character arcs and more are really well written and hit hard emotionally, especially with their resulting dark ends.

It should come as no surprise whatsoever that I grabbed Dead Men Walking on audiobook, as frankly no other format does Warhammer 40,000 fiction justice.  The resulting audiobook was extremely awesome, as the intensity, action, and darker elements of Dead Men Walking’s story came through in this format.  Coming in with a run time just short of 11 hours, Dead Men Walking was an easy Warhammer 40,000 audiobook to power through quickly, especially once you get stuck into its awesome narrative.  It helped that they brought back talented narrator Timothy Watson for this audiobook adaptation.  Watson, who did a great job narrating Krieg and The Lion: Son of the Forest, was in rare form again in Dead Men Walking, especially as he has the perfect voice for this darker and exciting story.  His voice work really captures the chaos and desperation of the story, and I loved the unique tones he comes up with for the various characters.  The featured Krieg soldiers all have the typical German-esque accent, which matches the regiment’s World War I aesthetic, and I liked how Watson worked to enhance these figures relentless and unwavering nature through his voice work.  The other characters of the plot, who are allowed to have emotions, are also portrayed extremely well, and Watson provides them with excellent and fitting voices that captures their feelings on the situation, especially as their encounters with both the Krieg and the Necron, wear them down.  This audiobook version of Dead Men Walking was so damn good, and it is easily the best way to enjoy this epic novel.

Steve Lyons continues to showcase why the Death Korp of Krieg are some of the most memorable figures in the Warhammer 40,000 canon with the brilliant and dark read Dead Men Walking.  Presenting a grim scenario of war and sacrifice that only gets worse when the ‘good guys’ arrive, Dead Men Walking was a particularly harrowing piece of Warhammer fiction, that I still cannot stop thinking about.  Clever, intense and a little traumatising, Dead Men Walking comes highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see what great tale Lyons comes up with next.

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Warhammer: The Old World: Lords of the Lance by Graham McNeill

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Audiobook, Extended Universe, Fantasy, Tie-in Novel, WarhammerLeave a comment

Lords of the Lance Cover

Publisher: Black Library (Audiobook – 20 January 2024)

Series: The Old World – Book One

Length: 12 hours and 5 minutes

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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One of Warhammer’s very best authors brings fans back to the Old World in the gripping and action-packed fantasy adventure, Lords of the Lance by Graham McNeill.

As a long-time Warhammer fan, I love many of the different areas of the Warhammer fandom, including the grim dark science fiction Warhammer 40,000 universe.  However, my heart will always belong to Warhammer Fantasy, mainly because it was the game I played as a kid and where I first learned to love the franchise.  I deeply enjoyed all the fiction associated with the overarching fantasy setting, especially those set in the Old World, the main continent where most of the battles and wars took place.  Series like the Gotrek and Felix books (Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer, Dragonslayer, Beastslayer, Vampireslayer and Giantslayer), as well as standalone books including Grudge Bearer, Van Horstmann, Runefang and Broken Honour, have all proven to be pretty damn awesome, and this is probably one of my absolute favourite fantasy settings.

Unfortunately, Games Worshop ceased the Warhammer Fantasy game several years ago, by having the in-game big bad win the final war against the forces of good and literally blow up the entirety of the setting.  This explosive conclusion ended all the ongoing novels, comics and characters from this universe, and Games Workshop subsequently ignored Warhammer Fantasy, prioritising Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar models and fiction.  However, Games Workshop are returning to their original fantasy world with The Old World.  Set hundreds of years before the end of the Warhammer Fantasy world, The Old World brings back the classic armies, figures, and history of this realm, while also introducing a whole new range of models.  As part of that, they are once again setting fiction in their fantasy realm and the first book back is Lords of the Lance by acclaimed Warhammer author Graham McNeill, who has really impressed me in the past with books like Storm of Iron.

Even centuries before the final war with the forces of Chaos, the Old World is still a dangerous place, where monsters, dark creatures and the forces of Chaos seek to destroy everything.  There are many dangerous places throughout the Old World, but few are more sinister than the Land of the Dead, an abandoned wasteland where the ancient and powerful nation of Khemri once stood.  Haunted by the evil actions of the dread necromancer Nagash, the former realm of Khemri is now ruled by the unliving Tomb Kings.  In this realm of sand, skeletons and death, only the greatest of warriors can hope to enter and survive, especially if they are on a noble quest.

Baron Lothar Aquilena is a great knight who has carved out territory in the lawless realm of the Border Princes.  However, despite his prowess, skilled warriors, and clever advisers, he is powerless when his son goes missing in the Land of the Dead, taken captive by the risen Amaranthine Queen, who seeks revenge against those who previously defeated her.  Desperate, Baron Lothar has no choice but to call in a debt of honour owed to him by his Bretonnian cousin, Duke Carrad of Quenelles, years after they suffered a falling out.  Despite the enmity between them, Duke Carrad leads his knights to Lothar’s realm, determined to repay the debt owed.

United in their mission, despite a mostly unwelcome reception by Baron Lothar, the knights of Bretonnia and the men of the Border Princes begin their quest to the Lands of the Dead.  However, crossing the deserts of Khemri is no easy task, and the loosely combined force soon experience the treacherous sand, blazing heat, unnatural creatures, and the forces of the dead.  Despite these obstacles, the host approach the giant tombs of Khemri, ready to save the Baron’s son.  However, nothing is as it seems, and soon the assembled knights and their retainers encounter a deadly enemy that none of them are prepared for.

Graham McNeill made me fall in love with the Old World once again as he provides a powerful and intense character-driven adventure across an iconic setting.  Lords of the Lance was a pretty damn awesome novel and I had such an epic time getting through it.

Due to this book being the first entry in The Old World canon, McNeill had a lot of pressure on his plate as he had to simultaneously bring back an established setting, tie-it into a recent model release, while also telling a powerful story that stood on its own.  I think that he succeeded on all fronts as Lords of the Lance proved to be quite an addictive read that contained some amazing features of the setting while also dragging the reader in with his elaborate storytelling.

The narrative of Lords of the Lance had a very classic fantasy quest feel to it, which honestly was a joy to see, and which fit this setting extremely well.  Starting off with an effective introduction, the story quickly proceeds with the two antagonistic lords leading their combined force towards the desert.  The narrative is effectively told from a few compelling and complex point-of-view characters, with several additional supporting characters standing in the wings.  The first half of the book is all about introducing and building up the protagonists, and there was a little less action than I was expecting, with McNeill content to firmly establish his story.  I think this build-up was very necessary as it ensured the second half was particularly epic, and there was still some good battles and compelling developments scattered throughout to keep readers interested.  This initial foray across the desert didn’t last as long as I thought it would, and McNeill brings the adventurers to their goal very quickly.  This allows him to enact an intriguing twist, which while telegraphed, was written brilliantly and changed the entire tone of the book.

This results in a frenetic, powerful, and impressive second half that sees the protagonists forced to abandon their quest and flee for their lives.  Constantly pursued, the knights and their retainers quickly traverse several of the most dangerous locations in the Old World while facing all manner of grave threats.  There are some brilliant and powerful scenes featured here as McNeill hits the protagonists hard, including with one particularly heartbreaking equine sacrifice.  I also loved the extended mini-siege sequence, as the Bretonnians face off against an awesome new foe in some of the best action scenes in the book.  McNeill also really enhances several character arcs during this half and the resulting development and emotional revelations empower the overall story, especially as the reader has become quite attached to the protagonists at this point.  Everything leads up to the final confrontation as the battered protagonists finally face their foes in one final charge.  The intensity and emotional power that leads up to this big confrontation cannot be understated, and I found myself very invested in seeing how everything came together.  The author keeps you on the edge of your feet right until the end and I really enjoyed how everything came together, although I was expecting some more tragedy.  Still, I came away from Lords of the Lance very satisfied, and McNeill leaves the story open for a sequel, while also providing one last tie to the latest release of models.

I liked how McNeill styled his narrative in Lords of the Lance, as you can tell he was trying to give it a more classic fantasy feel.  There is a lot of bold stating of titles, repetition of points, and depictions of knights, honour and magic, which gave the book an elaborate tone that I rather enjoyed, especially as it really fits the Arthurian-inspired Bretonnian faction who were the main focus of the story.  The resulting story is rich in both character work, action sequences, and intriguing Warhammer inclusions, with McNeill hitting an excellent balance of the features that had me quite hooked.  I really need to highlight some of the amazing action sequences, especially as McNeill provides such a fantastic variety of fight scenes to get the blood pumping.  The various knightly charges are a true highlight, and you can feel the thunder of the horse and power of the rushing knights, especially as McNeill endeavours to capture all the powerful details about them.  Other intense scenes also do an amazing job of enflaming the imagination, and I really loved how intricate and desperate some of the battles turned out to be.  I also really need to highlight the outstanding locations that much of this story was set in, especially as McNeill goes out of his way to make them come alive.  The deserts of Khemri are particularly vivid, and their use as a lethal and wearying backdrop is great, turning it into another foe the protagonists need to overcome.  The Marshes of Madness were also very awesome, offering another dangerous trudging location and I loved the alternate threats that they posed.  McNeill did such a great job of bringing this story together, and this great blend of story elements helped to produce an exquisite read.

I personally loved the intriguing version of the Bretonnians and the Tomb Kings that were featured within Lords of the Lance.  McNeill expertly captured the intensity, desire for honour, and compelling nature of the Bretonnian characters, as well as their prowess in combat (the scenes where they charge as cavalry are really well done).  The Tomb Kings are also shown to be an excellent antagonistic force, and while you don’t see anything from their perspective, the relentless pursuit they give and the anger contained within them is palpable at times.  A couple of other factions are also featured to a degree, mostly as additional threats for the Bretonnian characters, and I really enjoyed how well McNeill used some of them, especially during one horror-filled siege.  However, I understand that some readers had some issues with how McNeill portrayed these factions, mainly revolving around lore inconsistencies, which has led to a bit of review bombing.  While I’m no lore expert, I honestly barely noticed anything too problematic myself.  From what I could see, the most common complaints about the Bretonnian seem to be around the inclusion of female knights (gasp, oh my stars, clutch my pearls!), and one knight using a bow (seems like a pretty sensible weapon for someone riding a pegasus to me).  I will admit that some elements about the Tomb Kings, from their slightly more antagonist portrayal (they are usually a lot more neutral/good orientated), and the fact they raised some knights from the dead, was a little off lore, but I think that was mostly McNeill trying to make them even more threatening.  Honestly, most readers won’t even notice or care about these issues, and I personally didn’t let it get in my way of enjoying a great story.

For me, one of the best things about Lords of the Lance were the powerful, complex and memorable band of characters that the story was set around.  McNeill did an amazing job coming up with a cast of new and fantastic protagonists, each of whom had their own unique journey and background, which effortlessly flowed into the book’s main narrative.  You really become attached to many of these characters as Lords of the Lance progresses, and I loved how character-driven this book turned out to be.

One of the main characters of the book is Corentin Varo, equerry to Duke Carrard and known as The Knight of Quills due to his use as a clerk rather than a warrior.  Determined to prove himself, and to get over a tragic romance, Varo eagerly embarks on this quest, but chafes as his lord holds him back.  Varo proves to be an intriguing and compelling main protagonist, especially as you get invested in his tale of attempted heroism and valour.  McNeill does a good slow-burn story around Varo, as he slowly proves to others and himself that he is a worthy knight and leader, and he proves to be a good calm, central figure for most of the plot.  There are also some intriguing, if obvious, hints about his personal history, that while interesting, doesn’t have a major payoff in this book but could get explored in the future.  Varo is well matched by Karolina Lothar, who serves as the female lead of Lords of the Lance.  The daughter of Baron Lothar and a skilled knight, Karolina serves as the voice of reason for her father’s host and tries to bridge the gap between the two forces.  She forms a friendship with Varo as the book progresses and the two become a pretty impressive team.  I liked how naturally McNeill included Karolina as a strong female character and he paints an interesting picture of her family concerns, her grief as the book continues, and her martial prowess.  These two form a great centre for much of the plot and I liked the chemistry that grew between them, especially after their rough journey encourages them to let go of the past and look to the future.

Aside from Varo and Karolina, several other characters really stood out to me in Lords of the Lance, and I really enjoyed they fantastic storylines.  The most prominent of these is probably Sigurd of Yvaire, the deaf son of a nobleman who was left unknighted due to his affliction and who accompanies the Bretonnians on their quest leading the peasant host.  Sigurd ends up being the heart and soul of the book, and you get invested in his story as he finds both romance and self-worth on his journey.  I also had a lot of love for Bastien, the young and brash Knight Errant.  Bastien starts the book as an annoying cad who antagonises the other characters like Varo.  However, as the book continues, you eventually see that much of his brashness is an illusion, and he is a surprisingly thoughtful figure.  It is a testament to how good a writer McNeill is that you end up caring for Bastien after his annoying start.  Thanks to certain moments of bravery, and some notable setbacks, you really see just how noble Bastien is, and he ended up being one of my favourite characters.  Finally, I must highlight Sir Leodegar of the Golden Hart, a legendary Grail Knight who accompanies the army for duty, destiny, and to protect the Handmaidens of the Lady.  The epitome of the Bretonnian knightly code, Sir Leodegar is an imposing, memorable and incredibly noble figure who serves as a mentor to Varo, stealing every scene he’s in.  I loved how well McNeill captured the supernatural nature of the Grail Knights, and the depiction of this ethereal figure is quite fascinating, especially as the author also looks at the dark side of their duty.  These characters, and more, really enhanced Lords of the Lance’s great narrative, and I love the unique storylines that McNeill wove around them.

My love for Warhammer audiobooks is well known, so naturally I listened to Lords of the Lance.  Coming in at just over 12 hours, this is a decently long Warhammer audiobook that I was able to power through in short order.  I felt that the audiobook format did an outstanding job bringing this elaborate and intense story to life, and you really get a sense of the intense action, powerful characters, and the amazing scenery when you have it read out to you.  I particularly enjoyed the narration by Peter Kenny, who has a well-established pedigree when it comes to narrating fantasy audiobooks.  Kenny utilises a series of great voices that perfectly fit many of the characters featured within Lords of the Lance.  All the main cast come across extremely well here, and I loved the determination you get through some of the main characters like Karolina and Varo, the brashness of Bastien, and other intriguing figures.  I personally also thought he did a good job accurately voicing the deaf character, Sigurd, although I understand if some people found that a little controversial.  Still, this was an outstanding way to enjoy this remarkable book and I would strongly recommend the audiobook version to anyone interested in checking out Lords of the Lance, although it no longer seems to be available in this format.

Graham McNeill continues to show why he is one of the best authors of Warhammer fiction as he takes readers back to the Old World in Lords of the Lance.  Featuring a complex story, powerful characters, and a ton of adventure, Lords of the Lance was extremely fun to read, and I loved seeing a story set back in the iconic setting.  This book is best enjoyed by established fans of the franchise, especially those who remember the Warhammer Fantasy days, although new readers will have a great time here as McNeill provides an intense and fun standalone read.  Highly recommended, I hope we get more Old World books soon.

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