The Battle Of Tyrok Fields

The Battle of Tyrok Fields by Justin D. Hill. A Warhammer 40,000 Ursarkar Creed short story, originally appearing in the Legends of the Dark Millennium: Astra Militarum anthology, published November 2015. Approx. 54 pages.

Rounding out the trilogy of Ursarkar Creed tales penned by Justin D. Hill in the Astra Militarum anthology is this hefty story, which chronicles the famous titular battle (fought on Cadia's holy soil), and finally shows us Creed's ascendancy to the rank of Lord Castellan.

Quick note: The Battle of Tyrok Fields is fairly commonly known canon, so I'll take it as a given that most frequent WH40K readers are basically familiar with it. Therefore, I assume that a synopsis won't necessarily be spoiler-y. For the new or casual reader, however, you might want to either brush up on it here, or skip to the closing comments. You can enjoy this pic while deciding:

The story opens with Creed and Colour Sergeant Kell back home on Cadia. Creed has been named Castellan of his own Kasr, and spends his days butting heads with and eviscerating the poor plans and decisions of the rest of the Cadian High Command (a running motif through Hill's stories is the ever-popular "most of the rest of the brass are incompetent nincompoops").

Creed is losing himself in drink as well; trying to cope with the haunting memories of a shadowy figure known as "The Voice" (if any readers want to clear up that story arc for me, I'd be greatly appreciative). He seeks solace in the advice of his old mentor, Archivist Orsani Rudvald. After this, he prepares for the next mornings festivities: a welcoming celebration for another Guard detachment; the Volscani Cataphrachts.

Unbeknownst to the Cadians, the Volscanis have joined up with none other than Abaddon the Despoiler. The traitorous Cataphrachts unleash their might on the unaware Cadians, and the 13th Black Crusade is now in motion.

Needless to say, the Battle of Tyrok Fields is a momentous event. It is also obvious that Hill has tried to put together a grand spectacle of a story to capture the impact of this weighty milestone. I won't go so far as to say he succeeded in capturing the essence of betrayal, rage, and desperation, but the story is a nice chronicle of a massive battle.

In a way, characterization has been an Achilles Heel for this trilogy all along. Although Hill has added some very interesting fluff for Creed (backstory, personal demons, etc.), we have still spent the time watching him, but never feeling his magnitude. Jarran Kell, who bolstered past installments with some well-needed wit, is relegated mostly to his fighting mode (at which he excels). This is understandable; the whole tone here demands that seriousness. Plus, Hill looks to show us how the Colour Sergeant acts as a pillar of support for the Castellan. We also meet a new character in this story, the young, dedicated Commissar Aldrad. He makes himself noteworthy, but there is nothing groundbreaking about him.

One thing that worked very well was Hill's bringing back two of the Cadian soldiers from Last Step Backwards, Troopers Fesk and Lina. As the battle progresses, it alternates between the scenarios involving different units. These two were always fun to read about, especially Fesk. He is about as honest a character you see in these stories; he has an inner strength and nobility, but he also has definite fears and shortcomings.

As for world-building, there is not much to be said about how the landscape is rendered. Strong attention was paid to two set pieces that demanded it; the description of one of the Kasrs, and the Eye of Terror looming up in the sky.

What really matters most in this story, of course, is the action. As for volume, Tyrok Fields more than delivers. After the opening, which in all honesty plods and stumbles a bit, the remaining 80-85% is pure action. The story excels in this regard.

I can't imagine that it is in any way easy to portray a battle of this size, and still capture the reader's imagination. Hill paces this engagement in a way that you are caught up in the initial confusion, the rally, and the charge of the Cadians.

As I've mentioned before, I am a definite fan of Hill's fight scenes. He has a knack for bringing the bloody infantry battles to life; and here, you can almost hear the blood-soaked ground sucking at your boots. Another treat is the tank battles. I am a sucker for tank combat, and the scenes with Lina's crew are nicely done.

One other writing technique that Hill is pretty savvy with is maintaining the Guard's perspective; and showing how daunting or terrifying some of the unit types must appear to "mere" humans. The scenes with Titans are nearly terrifying, given the size and apparent invincibility of those metal demigods. And when Chaos Space Marines show up, Hill describes them as the huge, imposing boogeymen they would appear to be, to a human who has heard rumors of their existence but never seen them in the flesh.

In fact, if there is any place where the battle scenes falter a bit, it is with the Leviathan duels. Here, I give it a pass. I'd venture that there is no way to make that kind of situation entertaining; there will be no deft maneuvering, or dramatic banking turns. No, a Leviathan duel is just two monstrous mobile fortresses pounding each other until the void shields on one give out. So, in this case, Hill is wise to keep the focus of the battle on the human level.

As the story closes, we find Creed, in his elevated position of Lord Castellan of all Cadia, making some of the tough (and brutal) decisions to try and get some fingers in the dyke of the oncoming Black Crusade. We see how resolute he is in the time of crisis, but also just how shaken all of this has left him.

The Battle of Tyrok Fields is a good close to Hill's Creed trilogy. Hopefully, he has some more works in the pipeline. For whatever issues with characterization I've mentioned, or the jerky pacing that opened this story, these tales are all accessible, readable, and highly enjoyable.

Here's what it is:
A nice, fat short story giving the account of one of the greatest battles fought on Cadian soil. Hill once again makes Creed a thrill to watch, even if he hasn't immortalized him yet.

Final Score:

8/10

Cover Score:

See Lost Hope.

Cover Final Score:

9/10

Lost Hope

Lost Hope by Justin D. Hill. A Warhammer 40,000 Ursarkar Creed short story, originally appearing in the Legends of the Dark Millennium: Astra Militarum anthology, published November 2015. Approx. 30 pages.

The recent Astra Militarum anthology features a trilogy of Creed shorts from Justin D. Hill, including the recently reviewed Last Step Backwards, and two new ones. Lost Hope is the first of those two.

In Lost Hope, General Creed finds himself in a tough place; Cadian High Command is pressuring him to wrap up his campaign, and he is finding himself low on troops, with no replenishment forces being offered. Conferring with his stalwart aide, Colour Sergeant Jarran Kell, Creed comes up with a plan. In-system is a frozen penal planet known as Lost Hope - what better source for new troops to bolster the ranks? And so, Creed and his command staff head off to size up and sign up their new soldiers.

There is a promethium mining operation on Lost Hope, using the prisoners as labor. This operation is run by a connected family with supposed ties to former rogue traders. As is necessary in a story like this; there is conflict, there is battle, there is a resolution of sorts. It is just that kind of short, fun actioner.

Justin D. Hill is hitting a nice stride in this, his second Creed short. He is really making Creed his own character. All aspects of the story are improved a bit from Last Step Backwards; the dialogue is less silly and awkward, and the two main characters - Creed and Kell, are fleshed out better as they are thrust to the fore. Creed is still a huffing, puffing, stomping, lho-stub chomping 40K Teddy Roosevelt, leading men to their deaths and winning the hearts and minds of hardened criminal by simple act of being himself. Kell snatches all the comedic moments with his dry crankiness, playing dutiful straight man to Creed's roaring, testosterone-charged grizzle bear persona.

The world building is effective, and the depictions of weaponry are accurate and exciting. The action is a high point here. In a situation where the universe's two most abundant sources of cannon fodder - Imperial Guard and Chaos Cultists - clash together, the result is pulpy, juicy, squishy, and visceral.

Secondary and tertiary characters are relatively bare bones. We get a name, a look, and a trait to remember them by. Some of the command staff, and a few of the prisoners we meet look to be interesting.

The dialogue here is a step up from Last Step Backwards, but it is still a stew of motivational one-liners, declarations, battle cries, and threats. Then again, that's all you really need.

Another high point here: in a few well-placed flashbacks, we glimpse a look back at Creed's childhood. These are nicely done moments.

All in all, a nice little action-packed tale that makes for a great afternoon read.

Here's what it is:
General Creed looks to recruit some convicts and gets into a tussle. Great action. That's it in a nutshell.

Final Score:

8/10

Cover Score:

A nice little snippet from Raymond Swanland's great commissar print (is that supposed to be Yarrick?). Very, very nice indeed.

Cover Final Score:

9/10

Last Step Backwards

Last Step Backwards by Justin D. Hill. A Warhammer 40,000 short story, originally published by The Black Library, December 2014. Approx. 37 pages.

Is it just me or did this year fly by pretty fast? I read this short not long after it came out, and contemplated doing a review on it, and then opted not too since, well, it didn't blow me away at the time. I am not big on simply writing "a good Imperial Guard short with solid action" and leaving it at that. And now, almost an entire year has shot by.

Now, however, the new Astra Militarum book is out, and there are a few new shorts in it. I might read and review them in the near future, so I figured I'd breeze through the pages of Last Step Backwards again. Honestly, I'm glad I did. I think this story works a lot better on its second reading.

Last Step Backwards is an Imperial Guard short that debuted in 2014's Advent Calendar collection, and focuses on legendary Cadian Lord Castellan Ursarkar Creed as he helps to eliminate the Anckorite cultists from the planet Besana. Besana is a fairly non-distinct world, more notable for being covered in poisonous blue dust than for anything else.

While the headliner here is Creed, the better portion of the story revolves around a group of Cadian Whiteshields (cadets), most notably a youngster named Fesk. Fesk is a likable enough lead; he reminds us of nearly every green private in nearly every war movie.

Speaking of war movies, if you grew up on the great, jingoistic WWII movies of days gone by, then you have a good idea of the tone here. This story is not a passport to see the inside of the mythical figure that is Creed; it is a chance to sweat it out in the trenches against insurmountable odds.

Some of the dialogue is pretty bad here. I was wondering if Hill was intentionally going for a "classic pulp novel" feel here; if that's the case, he succeeded. And by bad, I mean kind of cheesy. So fun bad. There are moments that go something like "One does not simply say 'Oh, that is Creed. That is like saying Oh, that is only Yarrick'!" That's the kind of dialogue you run into in Star Wars EU novels.

But again, it fits the feel. Last Step Backwards falls squarely on the actioner end of the spectrum. It is a fun enough read just as an Imperial Guard piece. The action is nicely done, and the descriptions of the Anckorites are done well also. Just bear in mind; this isn't a case of the myth coming alive. It is more the case of your Castellan Creed and Colour Sergeant Kell figures coming alive.

Don't get me wrong. There are some strong aspects to the story. It's fun to watch Creed stomping around, saying the right rousing thing at the right time, while chomping on his cigar, err, lho-stick. And there is one scene at the end which is honestly emotional and tugs at the heartstrings fairly well.

One more comical note: when I first read this story, I had to put it down for a while after the opening scene. The Cadians are hopelessly pinned down, death is staring them in the eyes.

And then:

"Do you hear it?"

...over the din of men shouting and dying and the rattle of gunfire and las-rounds, came the strains of music.

Major Luka jumped up. "Sing, man! Sing!"

‘Creed,’ shouted Luka. ‘It’s Creed!’

"FOR CADIAAAAAAAAA!!!!!"

Here's what it is:

A serviceable, enjoyable Imperial Guard actioner, with plenty of las-bolts and gobbets of blood. But what else do you expect from a tale featuring a legendary leader who is such a bear of a man that he has "Ursa" in his first name?

Final Score:

7/10

Cover Score:

I'm guessing this is in the Astra Militarum Codex? Nice battle scene with Creed front and center. Perfect fit for the material.

Cover Final Score:

7/10

The Emperor's Grace

The Emperor's Grace by Nicholas Alexander. An Astra Militarum short story, originally published by The Black Library, May 2014. Approx. 25 pages.

About a month and a half ago, I offered a pretty tough critique on a new Imperial Guard short called The Trophy by new Black Library author Nicholas Alexander. In all honesty, the story was lackluster, and did little to nothing to optimize a can't-miss, simply structured storyline. But although rather dull, it was not a bad story. And Alexander did do some things well, including stressing the atmosphere that there is no safety in the Imperium, neither with friend nor foe. Still, I was a tad wary about reading further works by him. However, The Emperor's Grace was centered around subject matter that I find very interesting: aircraft campaigns. One of the great things about the Warhammer 40K universe is that it so deftly combines elements of futuristic as well as conventional warfare. This gives us not only bold tales of engineered super-soldiers versus aliens and unholy abominations, but also classic combat tales featuring tank battles and aerial dogfights. So, interest sufficiently piqued, I gave The Emperor's Grace a whirl. And I am very happy that I did.

In Emperor's Grace, we have another nice and simple story synopsis: the world of Balle-Prime is suffering under the infestation of the ork hordes. The greenskins have made the starport at Balle-Delta into a forward air base, making it critical for the Imperium that orkish operations there cease and desist immediately. It falls upon the Vordrost 1167th Bomber Wing to do just that.

The Emperor's Grace focuses on the crew of an Imperial Marauder Bomber bearing said name, and their virgin run in the mission to cleanse Balle-Delta. The crew is led by a tough-as-nails captain named Mikal, a scarred former gang-banger. Mikal is a man of few words; he grunts and he glowers. Alexander does a good job establishing how his past formed him into the man he is today, yielding a satisfactory protagonist. The rest of the crew are clearly sketched out in appearance and general behavior; you can tell who's who while never losing site of the real characters, Mikal and the Grace. 

As one can assume when flying into a buzzing hive of greenskins, things can and do go wrong. Massive body counts on both sides quickly rack up. Alexander does a good job describing the aerial battles; and while he doesn't capture Abnett's skill in Double Eagle of letting you feel the g-forces along with the pilot and crew, the claustrophobia of cruising in a flying deathtrap is definitely palpable. Alexander has also done his homework regarding aircraft anatomy, making the technical descriptions authentic.

Another aspect in which Grace shines is with the descriptions of the orks. An author should have fun writing about these merry miscreants. An ork fighter pilot is the epitome of absurdity, cruising along in chunky, ungainly fighters with old-time leather caps, goggles, and streaming white scarves. The planes, the pilots, and the way-beyond-unstable mentality of these greenskinned aviators are all well rendered in this story.

What really won this story over for me, however, was the ending. Following the Pyrrhic victory of the 1167th, The Emperor's Grace ends with a scene that is both emotional and touching. It's a perfect way to cap a story like this; by showing that the fear does not end simply because you made it home. Very well done.

Here's what it is:

An excellent story that tells of a bombing run goes badly for the crew of a Marauder bomber, and then goes the extra distance by showing us the emotional fallout.

Final Score:

84/100

Cover Score:

One of the more simple short story covers here. The main focus is on the a technical outline of a Marauder bomber. The background color of the cover is nice and fitting, but the shade of green used for the bomber outline and font is very off-putting.

Cover Final Score:

20/100

The Hour Of Hell (Fellguard Pt. 2)

The Hour of Hell (Fellguard Pt. 2) by Mark Clapham. An Imperial Guard short story, originally published by The Black Library, December 2013. Approx. 28 pages. 

Even though it boasted characters that were barely more substantial than rough outlines, The Siege of Fellguard was an enjoyable, action-packed tale with vivid descriptions of violence, decay, and ichor. The fact that the positives outnumbered the negatives warranted Part 2 of the story, The Hour of Hell, getting a read.

We left off at the end of Siege with the Cadian 39th taking the Fellguard entry point of Bastion Beta-3, suffering terrible losses all the way. With things seemingly tipping in their favor, the cultist sorcerer Mazalai, through the sacrifice of the highest ranking cultists, achieved the pinnacle of potential as a servant of Nurgle. In a mighty expolosion, his corporeal existence serves as the conduit to being something terrible in from the Warp. Something that it will take a miracle for the Cadians to overcome....

I had no idea which way Clapham was going to go in the conclusion of this storyline. One of the things that worked best in Siege was how the action alternated between the Imperial and Chaos forces. Now, with all the Chaos players dead or transformed, there would need to be a new format. With the Chaos side boasting more compelling players the first go round, I was hoping the Cadians would be more dynamic this time around, especially since it was now their time to shine in the face of great adversity. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

In Siege, the Cadian focus was centered on regimental priest Vurtch and Castellan Blakov. In Hour of Hell, veteran Lieutenant Rawl and Commissar Chavaria are at the fore. Blakov remains a person of great importance, but here the stress is on how his mettle is judged by those other officers. While Rawl and Chavaria are interesting characters, they suffer from the same lack of characterization the made Siege a good story rather than a great one. They remain painfully static and repetitive. We understood from the first mention that Chavaria relies more on threats of violence than application; and yet the point is hammered home relentlessly. Same with how Rawl and Chavaria realize that Blakov would need to be removed should his leadership falter. We got it the first time, any page space used reiterating it could have been spent more wisely developing some background characters.

Another thing that seemed odd to me was that instead of continuing the action of Siege directly, Clapham opted to retell the events of it, albeit from a different point of view. There were doubtlessly more concise ways we could have been notified what Rawl and Chavaria were doing during that time.

One other thing that faltered where Siege shined was in the description of the main antagonist. The abomination that Mazalai morphed into was none other than a Great Unclean One. Since Clapham reveled in descriptions of all things rotten, viscous, and oozing in Siege, fleshing this fleshy daemon out should have been a field day for him. And yet it seems uninspired. We get requisite commentary on open wounds, dangling entrails, etc., but there was so much more joie de grossness the first go round. Don't get me wrong, there are still excellent, gory death scenes throughout. And when Clapham describes the rot and decay that afflict dying soldiers, he is in top notch form. But just think how excellent it would have been to focus less on flashbacks and repetition and focus more on integrating the taint of Nurgle into the atmosphere, and showing us the true horror of the Great Unclean One.

What saves The Hour of Hell is the post-scripts. Like in Siege, this installment is framed by Imperial excerpts, this time from one of the survivors of the horrors of Fellguard. The closing sentiments of this memoir are honest, sentimental, and fairly profound. It is also followed immediately by a curt reminder of the Orwellian soul of this eternally dystopian universe.

All in all, The Hour of Hell is a slight step down from The Siege of Fellguard, but it still remains a solid Imperial Guard duology very worth a read.

Here's what it is:
The stalwart fighters of the Cadian 39th come face to face with a true horror from the bowels of the Warp in this somewhat anti-climactic climax to the Fellguard story.


Final Score:

73/100


Cover Score:
As in Siege, rather plain cover here. I actually prefer the cracked plaster effect of this cover to the sickly green high school locker cover of Siege. It would have been much better to try and replicate the wall of bones idea of the outer defensive wall of Fellguard, though.

Cover Final Score:

19/100

The Siege Of Fellguard (Fellguard Pt. 1)

The Siege of Fellguard (Fellguard Pt.1) by Mark Clapham. An Imperial Guard short story, originally published by The Black Library, December 2013. Approx. 31 pages.

Today we will focus on another Black Library short showcasing the Imperial Guard; this being the first of two installments in the Fellguard story arc by an author relatively new to the Black Library, Mark Clapham (Iron Guard). As said numerous times, stories like this are great primers for getting to know the authors. So, did Clapham's treatment of the Imperial Guard make the case for giving his full-length novel a look? I'd say so. The Siege of Fellguard is not a character-driven story, but an action-driven one, and the author writes with a descriptive touch that brings the situations to life. 

The story in Siege could not be any simpler; we have a force of Cadians (the 39th) working to take back the Fellguard stronghold on the planet of Kelthorn, which has fallen to cultists of Nurgle (it's turning out to be a Nurgle-heavy month here). If, by reading the title, you were expecting a siege involving a protacted waiting/mindgame, with studies of defensive positions, cutting off resources, harrying attacks, etc., you might be disappointed. A more appropriate title for this story might have been The Storming of Fellguard, since that is what it is. We open with the Cadians taking the out wall, and from there, fighting for the best way in. It might be worth noting here that said outer wall is one of the most outlandish things that I have read about in the 40K universe, a wall comprised of the bones of millions of martyrs of the God-Emperor. When I had first read that, I thought it was a pretty ridiculous notion, even for this franchise, but Clapham is a skilled enough author to believe his story, and therefore sell it to the reader.

Now, although this is an Imperial Guard story, Siege is split fairly evenly between the forces on both sides of Fellguard's walls. On the Cadian side, most of the focus centers around regimental priest Vurtch, while on the Chaos side, we follow the blessed cultist sorceror Mazalai, who, for all the favor shown to him by Nurgle, has not attained the ultimate power he seeks: the ability to raise unliving forces (zombie hordes like in Cadian Blood? yes please!).

Characterization is not particularly strong in Siege. The Nurglite cultists are far more compelling here; it is pretty thrilling to watch Mazalai ascending towards what his kind might call greatness. The most sympathetic character in the story is his assistant, a gibbering mess named Grent, who seemingly has a few crumbs of humanity strewn around his many "blessings". 

The Cadians, on the other hand, remain rather one-dimensional throughout. There is a fine duel between their commanding, Castellan Blakov and a cultist commander protected by a scabrous armor. Other than that, there are no characters of note. There is an interesting female lieutenant mentioned, but she drops off the map pretty early on (hopefully to return). Not much time is spent on the troopers. I remember that there was an obligatory griper in the crowd. As for Vurtch, he remained pretty low-key throughout. I am assuming that the Cadians' time to shine will be in Pt.2, as this first installment focuses more on building up to a grand cliffhanger. So here's hoping we'll see some grit and resolve against insurmountable odds in The Hour of Hell.

Clapham's best strength in Siege comes in physical descriptions. Authors must feel like kids in candy stores when they get to write for the servants of Nurgle. There are so many opportunities for grossness, for pus and ooze, decay and insect swarms. And Clapham revels in this. The yellowish funk that surrounds Fellguard is nearly tangible, and in battle, wounds weep horribly discolored ichor. It is all gloriously repulsive.

For what it is, Siege is put together nicely. The pacing and alternating between armies is all done well. It opens and closes with portions of an Inquisitorial report on the encounter, replete with all the redactions and trimmings. While it lets you know outright how things will turn out, it is still fun to watch. Like all things in the Imperium, when things go bad it is terrible, but when things go right, well, they still end up pretty bad too. It's all part and parcel of serving in the Guard:

"Be all that you can be."

Here's what it is:

Part one of Mark Clapham's Cadians vs. cultists duology starts off with a bang (actually a lot of bangs), but not a lot character development. Very enjoyable for what it is, straight up Guard action with commendable attention to detail on the disciples of Nurgle. Look for the review of Pt.2: The Hour of Hell later this month.

Last Note:

Was just looking up some stuff on the Warhammer 40K wiki and found an entry on the Cadian 39th. Interesting reading here. Did not realize that they were such a notable unit in previous canon.

Final Score:

78/100

Cover Score:

Nothing of note here. You have the text and an Imperial Guard logo in front of a metal plate that could either be part of a fortress wall or a high school locker. Greenish saturation is, I suppose, a nod to the corruption of Nurgle. It's a decent enough nauseous green to do the job.

Cover Final Score:

16/100

Iron Harvest

Iron Harvest by Guy Haley. An Imperial Guard short story featuring characters from the novel Baneblade. Originally published by The Black Library, July 2013. Approx. 42 pages.

HachiSnax Note: This review will open with some recapping of the events which transpired at the end of Baneblade, so if you haven't read that book yet, just take it from me that this is an excellent short story featuring intense Imperial Guard vs. Dark Eldar action. If you want a Baneblade spoiler-free tanker story from Haley, might I also suggest his excellent Stormlord. For all others, read on to see what Bannick & Co. have been up to. Cheers, Hach.

The events of Baneblade culminated with an all-out battle on the brutal desert world of Kalidar with the mighty ork infestation that saturated it. This battle saw the demise of the venerated Baneblade Mars Triumphant and most of her crew. Our protagonist, Lieutenant Bannick, being groomed for a leadership role, was one of the few survivors of the skirmish. A promising epilogue informs us that he has been promoted to the rank of Honored Lieutenant, in command of his own Baneblade, the newly-christened Cortein's Honour (named for the late Honoured Lt. of Mars Triumphant).

So on paper, things are definitely looking up for Bannick, however, his first dispatch finds him decidedly outside of his comfort zone. First of all is his new crew; he is joined by remaining Mars Triumphant survivors Lt. Epperaliant and Meggen. The rest of his new crew, though, is not comprised solely of fellow Paragonians. Now he is working with Atrxians (a group he bonded with on Kalidar), plus a driver from a prison world and a loader from a feral world. Therefore, one of his highest hurdles on this new tank is bringing this diverse mish-mash into a cohesive team. 

Secondly, this mission will not be as part of the Paragonian super-heavy group. Instead, Bannick and crew find themselves attached to an Inquisition mission on the mining world of Agritha. Attacks by the dreaded Dark Eldar have completely decimated the working population of that world, and Sashella (the Inquisitor) has requisitioned infantry components to complement her retinue of stormtroopers and an Astartes Deathwatch team. 

Worst of all, Sashella has laid it out in no uncertain terms that the guard is there as bait, pure and simple.

What we have in Iron Harvest is a little bit of bonding time for the new unit followed up by a true night of living hell.So how does the short fare overall? Simply put, it is kind of astounding, and without a doubt one of my new favorite 40K shorts. How did Haley do it?

I've already reviewed a few of Haley's works before, so forgive me if I repeat a few things. First of all, he always employs a rich, intelligent vocabulary. Second, there is his world-building expertise. While many authors would be satisfied to term the designated battlefield by a few simple terms (basic climate/importance to Imperium), Haley goes the extra yard in adding legitimacy to those choices. We end up with a real feel for Agritha and its rotational crews of slaughtered miners. Third, there is the overall optimization of an economic word count. We get a real feel for this new crew; in fact, I felt more acquainted with them in 40 pages than I did with the Mars Triumphant crew of Baneblade.

Finally, the real treat in Iron Harvest is Haley's depiction of the Dark Eldar. His descriptions of their arcane technologies make them palpable, and you can sense the sinister malice of these cruel sadists. Scenes of Dark Eldar handiwork are presenting in vivid, horrifying detail, making it literally painful to read at times. Haley also makes sure to include a cornucopia of Dark Eldar units, and gives proper attention to their raiding patterns. 

Other than that, I will say it is good to see Bannick's continued growth as well. I never had any problem with his character in Baneblade; I had just thought that some of his personal particulars weren't completely established. But now, with all that backstory behind him, he makes for a good lead. Again, I really like the angle of Paragonians that makes them revere the Omnissiah as well as the God-Emperor and the Omnissiah. There is a scene where it shows how Bannick is awestruck by Titans, and yet unnerved by the Adeptus Astartes. It's little touches like that the distinguish these characters. It seems like with this crew that Haley is building a team to revisit in future works. I really hope that that is the case.

Here's what it is:

Bannick and the Baneblade Crew return for 40 pages of hard-fought Imperial Guard vs. Dark Eldar action. It seems somewhat incongruous, super-heavy tank vs. lithe eldritch sadists, but Haley has crafted a real winner here.

Final Score:

92/100

Cover Score:

It's a silhouette of a Baneblade with an orange flare-type backdrop effect. What can I say?

Cover Final Score:

10/100

Baneblade

Baneblade by Guy Haley. Originally published by The Black Library, April 2013. Approx. 405 pages.

I do believe that I mentioned at some point that I belong in a minority amongst Warhammer 40K novel readers in that I prefer stories featuring the Imperial Guard more than those of the mighty Adeptus Astartes. For me, the essence of science fiction is depicting that the core traits of human nature do not ultimately change, despite massive advances or regressions in technology. For a while, Guard novels were coming out with less frequency, so I was pretty excited when Baneblade came out. I prefer Imperial Guard, and I really enjoy tank books (absolutely loved Gunheads). Speaking of Gunheads, I'll be drawing some comparisons between that book and this one; for there are some structural similarities. 

It's been a very busy year or so for Haley, with his tenure at the Black Library starting off with three novels and a slew of shorts. I've already reviewed four of his short stories here (Stormlord, King of Black Crag, Engine of Mork, and The Rite of Holos), as well as one micro-short. They've ranged from very good to great, so I had some pretty high hopes for Baneblade. In fact the only thing keeping me from buying it up until recently was the god-awful cover, as well as the trade paperback pricing for these larger sized books. Alas, during my last visit to Barnes & Noble, I succumbed to that glorious "new book" smell surrounding me and picked it up, along with Skarsnik. So, bad cover aside, how does Baneblade fare? Well, in world-building and mechanics, it knocks the ball out of the park. As far as the human element, however, it is a swing and a miss. Let's take a look-see.

Being as though WH40K novels are based off a tabletop wargame, the author must create a scenario that incorporates a satisfactory macguffin, to stave off questions as to why the Imperial Navy doesn't just virus bomb the planet in question to oblivion. Haley does a great job here; making the scenario plausible for tank-heavy engagement. Behold Kalidar: a brutal desert planet. Torrential winds kick up shards of sand akin to slivers of crushed glass. These winds make air assault/support next to impossible, and limits the ability of troop advancement, as breathing in the open will cause a horrifying disease (with an even more horrifying cure) called dustlung. Now, the reason for the Imperial presence? Kalidar is rich with a green element known as lorelei, a mysterious mineral that enhances and plays havoc on psychic abilities. This has attracted a massive infestation of orks, especially that of a super-powerful witch named Greeneye. The Guard and the orks each control one of two large, subterranean hive complexes, and have been going at each other for a few years. The Imperial position is that the ork purging has been too long in getting done, and on the orky side, a twofold advantage has arisen; first, they have learned to manipulate the lorelei into impenetrable force shields, and second, they have an ultra-devastating Titan-sized Gargant at their disposal.

The Imperial Guard contingent is made up mostly of regiments from a planet named Paragon (with supporting Atraxian forces). Haley has also invested a lot of information into the Paragonian backstory; a planet which provides valuable industrial/mechanical services, they worship both the God-Emperor and the Omnissiah. There are some distinct caste systems there; and we see some of the workings of the extensive aristocrat clans. It is from one of these clans that we meet our protagonist; and, unfortunately, this is where Baneblade's cracks show all too well.

Our hero in Baneblade is Lieutenant Colaron Artem Lo Bannick, a disgraced scion of one of the Paragonian ruling clans. After causing quite a stir back home following a duel gone wrong, he joins the Guard and is attached to a super-heavy group. Following some heroic action in an engagement with the greenskins, he gets a promotion (of sorts) to third-gunner on the revered Baneblade Mars Triumphant, a super-heavy with a millenia of exemplary service. As the crew gets dispatched on a mission to purge the xenos once and for all, they must learn to gel with each other in the cramped quarters of this massive tank.

Sounds good enough on paper, even if fairly paint-by-numbers, right? The problem is, the crew was not fleshed out nearly enough. From top to bottom, it just gets more and more vague. Honoured Lieutenant Cortein is enjoyable enough, but entirely trope as the gruff, stern yet fair commander. Then we get the talkative guy, the shifty tech-adept, a rookie, a guy with a cigar, and then some names. The two most memorable crew members were second gunner Ganlick and tech priest Brasslock (mostly because he gets some of his own chapters. Haley, an admitted orkyphile, invests plenty of detail into the orks, which is appreciated.

Well, enough on the crew, what is wrong with Bannick? There is not much wrong with the concept of his character; the flaws are revealed through flawed execution and problems in the structure of the novel. We know from the onset that Bannick feels emotionally plagued by the duel back home, but his transformations throughout the novel make no sense. What we know of him back home is that he was a lazy, pompous, womanizing, stereotypical "rich boy". Fine. I also mentioned how they revere the Omnissiah. But nothing explains why Bannick is so enamored by Baneblades that he was nearly salivating over one in a loading dock near the beginning of the book. Nothing explains why this former pompous ass is so gifted at piloting tanks, and makes such quick, crackerjack strategic calls on the battlefield (other than the fact that he was involved in a lot of duels back on Paragon). Nothing explains how Bannick achieved the status of pilot of a Leman Russ tank so early in his career (I was guessing family connection, since he enlisted in officer's school from the get-go, plus other family influence. There was still no justification as to why he was such a natural at it, though.).

Another problem in Baneblade is loose ends. As we hear more from Bannick, he comes off as very religious. We know he is straining under the burden of guilt, and that he visited a priest, but we only see of snippet of their interaction. Something feels missed. Two more loose ends are kind of spoilery, so let's skip a few lines here.

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First, what happened to the sandscum? We can assume most of them got wasted along with the Atraxian infantry in the final scuffle, but all of them? There is no mention of what will happen with their colony in the final chapter, either. Big changes are coming to Kalidar, so what is their fate?

Second, and this is a small quibble, what was the overall implication of the ominous readouts on Vorkosigen's tarot decks? Was it the effects of the lorelei? I mean, in the end, what happened to the Mars Triumphant and her crew were not Bannick's fault, so was that whole angle even necessary?
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Those are the most glaring loose ends. There are also, as mentioned, structural issues. For example, we don't even meet Bannick until around 30 pages in. We do, however, get treated to an amazing prologue centered on the forging of Mars Triumphant. It is a true spectacle, and I almost imagined it as a musical production sung entirely in binary. Truly great.

Another problem is Bannick's friend, Kalligen. When we first meet him, we know almost nothing about his and Bannick's relationship. We have no idea that he has always been the more jocular of the two, and we do not yet realize why Bannick is so dour.

I guess what I am saying is that a little more backstory would have helped a lot. For most of the book, we get a chapter set on Kalidar, then a flashback chapter to Paragon. At the beginning of each chapter are little informative bits termed "interstitials", although these fade away in the later chapters. The flashback chapters focus almost entirely on events "post-duel", and I can only say that some of these should have been used sketch Bannick out a little more.

I hope this doesn't come off as an overly negative review; for there are so many things to enjoy about Baneblade. First of all, there is Haley's rich, intelligent vocabulary, which is one constant that I have seen in all of his works that I've read. Second, you can see that he really did his homework into the mechanics and workings of tanks. The descriptions convey a true authenticity; as there are times when you can feel the sweltering claustrophobia that the crew is suffering. Good stuff. And finally, there is the work that Haley put into creating Kalidar and Paragon as plausible locations. Places you want to hear more about.

Now, remember earlier on that I mentioned Gunheads? Well, let's have a side by side comparison:
Desert Planet? Check
Imperial Guard? Check
Stronger than your average orks? Check
A unique Baneblade as an integral focus? Check
Emotionally troubled protagonist? Check
Looted super-heavies? Check

A lot of similarities, and, as much as I did enjoy Baneblade, Gunheads is the better book. Don't miss out on Haley's Stormlord short though!

Here's what it is:
A lot of great ideas for an Imperial Guard novel that fell just a tad short. Great ideas, great writing, but fairly trope characters.


Final Score:

76/100


Cover Score:

I've said it before, and I'll say it some more: I hate this cover. This cover does the story, and Baneblades in general, no justice. This cover looks like an FMV still from a computer game, or maybe a two-page foldout from an Imperial Armour supplement book. There should have been some weathering on the tank, some indication of the harsh Kalidarian weather, a change of the angle to an upward one to stress the massive tank size, some orks or infantrymen to show scale, something.

Cover Final Score (as promised): 

9/100

More Imperial Glory?

One of my favorite Imperial Guard books of all time is Richard William's Imperial Guard. It is a great piece of Guard vs. Ork action, with well-done orky point of view chapters and an unconventional, but excellently handled ending, all of which inspired by the British-Zulu conflict. It is due for a re-read for sure, and hopefully a review.

Williams currently has no Black Library work in the pipeline right now, which is a shame. So you can imagine how excited I was when I spotted this on his Facebook page:

I was re-reading Imperial Glory the other day and was wondering:

I'll have a small amount of time over Xmas, would people be interested in a short 'unofficial' piece that covers exactly what happened to Blanks between the penultimate and final chapter?

Or is this the kind of thing where everyone already has their own idea and actually you wouldn't want a version that will contradict/may be worse than what's already in your head?

Sounds like a great idea, right? If you've read this title, and if you have a chance, drop by Richard's page and voice your support for this great idea!

Fire Caste

Fire Caste by Peter Fehervari. A Warhammer 40,000 Imperial Guard/Tau novel. Originally published by The Black Library in March 2013. Approx. 305 pages.

A mad commissar. A doomed company of Guardsmen. An invisible enemy led by a legendary ghost. Visitations of Warp horrors. And a hellish planet, alive and hateful. The debut novel from Peter Fehervari (author of a few Black Library shorts) throws a lot of tasty ingredients into the pot, so how enticing was the finished dish?

Actually it was a pretty succulent meal, although the description on the menu did it no justice. Let's start with the official blurb, and expand from there:

"In the jungles of the Dolorosa Coil, a coalition of alien tau and human deserters have waged war upon the Imperium for countless years. Fresh Imperial Guard forces from the Arkhan Confederates are sent in to break the stalemate and annihilate the xenos. But greater forces are at work, and the Confederates soon find themselves broken and scattered. As they fight a desperate guerrilla war, their only hope may lie in the hands of a disgraced commissar, hell-bent on revenge."

Commissar Holt Iverson has been mired in the nightmarish jungle world of Phaedra for longer than he can remember. His tenure has obviously exceeded his sanity. The Guard unit he is attached to turns traitor, opting to subscribe to the "Greater Good" of the Tau Collective, headed up on Phaedra by the phantom (yet extremely influential) Commander Wintertide. After a battle with his blue-skinned enemies leaves him battered and broken, he is shipped back to high command, presumably to be put to the bolter for his transgressions and drug use. However, he has one thing on his mind: revenge. To kill Wintertide. And it is his hope that he will be allowed a chance to commit to this undertaking.

More bodies are heading to the meat-grinder on Phaedra. The 19th Arkan Confederates have been dispatched from their home planet of Providence. But it is not so simple as that; the Confederates are plagued by creatures from the Warp; not just random horrors, but ones that are trailing them, ones that remember the events of the small town known as Trinity.

On Phaedra, the Arkans find problems at every turn. Imperial logistics are a joke; as a madman rules affairs planetside, and all is 'overseen' by a commander known only as the "Sky Marshall", who has spent the last few decades holed up in a dead ship in orbit.

After an altercation with the tainted Imperium command forces, the Arkans find themselves a rogue unit. Condemned as traitors, they still have to contend with the Tau and the workings of Phaedra herself.

Commissar Iverson is granted his reprieve, but not for his desired mission to kill Wintertide. His mission is to find and 'dispense the Emperor's Justice upon Ensor Cutler, the Colonel of the 'traitor' Confederates. Will Iverson be the doom of this proud group, or their last chance at redemption?

What we have is a very interesting framework. Yet this book goes beyond a simple bolter-porn war story. What makes this work astounding is the manner in which Fehervari conjures an experience that is so atmospheric and haunting. He utilizes literary, cinematic, and historical references to achieve this. It may come off as odd to some, or off-putting to others, but it is unarguably unique.

The main inspiration for Fire Caste is obviously Joseph Conrad's magnum opus "Heart of Darkness", as well as Darkness' cinematic adaptation "Apocalypse Now". There are some direct comparisons in narrative, as Iverson, in the Marlowe/Willard role, travels labyrinthine rivers in search of a traitorous colonel (Cutler/Brando's Kurtz), and also in pursuit of a mythical genius that holds the natives in a rapturous devotion (Wintertide/Conrad's Mr. Kurtz). Going deeper than that, though, is that they both share the same philosphy; that the jungle is a living, breathing, wild, unforgiving. thing. In Fire Caste, Phaedra has more ways to kill Guardsmen than either tainted brethren or the Tau (one of her more vicious weapons is a disease that allows a fungus to overtake a victim, a la the zombie ant).

To drive this point home, Fehervari carefully chooses his descriptive words when writing about the planet, from "arterial passages" to a "blue-veined sky". These terms perfectly reinforce the 'living planet' motif. In fact, all in all, I would rate Phaedra herself the greatest antagonist of the novel.

That is saying a lot, especially since there is quite a diverse Rogue's Gallery in Fire Caste. Firstly, of course, are the Tau. I've seen some complaints that there isn't enough of the Tau in this book, but I have to disagree (then again, they may be basing this on the fact that it was billed as a "Tau" novel, but more on that later). The presence of actual blue-skinned Tau is at a somewhat low level, but the myriad alien races utilized by the Tau get some love, and Fehervari writes for them very well. We get thrilling scenes with vespid, loxatl, and a very tense scene with some kroot. There are also the human charges that have gone to the blue team. Add to this mix the tainted Imperial forces under Captain Karjalan (suffering from the previously mentioned fungal plague) of the nightmarish ship, Puissance (more wordplay, as puissance means not only power, but it is also an equestrian event involving jumping over multiple obstacles). At his disposal are a brutal force of Lethean zealots led by mad Confessor Gordjief, an imposing and quite deadly figure. The Letheans are a truly frightening lot; there religious tendencies lean towards purification and penance through the rapture of pain and flagellation. Even their blessing is a warped take on a tradition: "The Emperor condemns." Finally, there are the indigenous natives of Phaedra, the Saathlaa, also known as the 'fish', due to their odd appearance. Fehervari makes an audacious move here; Conrad had penned the natives of Africa as "noble savages"; human yes, but undeniably different. Very capable in their own ways, but so strikingly apart from the ways of the Imperium (or Tau, and many have also joined Wintertide). There is no condescension either, as a Saathlaan scout attached to the Confederates becomes one of the more likable characters in the book. Also, the punchline is obviously that on Phaedra, the new guests are usually more impotent to adapt than the 'primitive' natives.

Now that we've talked about the villains, let's get into the treatment Fehervari gave to our Imperial friends. The Arkan Confederates are based on, well, the Civil War Confederate States of America soldiers. They have grey uniforms, they wear kepi caps, they have las-carbines with fixed bayonets. They have a saber-rattling, rawhide jacket wearing colonel. They despise their planet's Nordlanders (Northeners). The affluent ones own slaves. They speak in a manner that most of us associate with the Old West (be it accurate or not). Some people might think it's silly to have soldiers in Civil War uniforms in the 40th millenium; to them I say please remember that the Warhammer 40,000 world features units that resemble Cossacks, turban-wearing Middle Easterns, Zulu Conflict-era British uniforms, and the Ikari Warriors. The Confederates also have some unique units as well; Sentinels modified for para-jumps (these represent Confederate "Cavalry", while at the same time make a nod to the 1st Cavalry helicopter unit in Apocalypse Now), paratroopers with eagle-head helmets, and of course, the Thundersuits. The Thundersuits are steam-powered personal suits of armor, decked out with an array of heavy weaponry. Another vanity of the affluent, they are ungainly in the jungle climate, but make for superior heavy infantry units. They were a very cool addition.

So far we have Civil War soldiers, and suits of armor (representing knights). Add to the mix another unit that has been hit hard on Phaedra (and lost many to Wintertide's army), based upon Spanish conquistadors. It's a nice, diverse mix of soldiers who obviously have no place in the jungle.

Fehervari also utilizes names of troops with colorful uniforms; for example, the Thundersuit units are referred to as "Zouaves", and there are groups of new soldiers termed "Janissaries". This might be a reference to how these bright troops stand out like a sore thumb, or it might even be a reference to the young Russian harlequin in "Darkness". Either way, it's just more fun with words.

Further examples? The ship Iverson rides to Commissar High Command? The Sisyphus. Iverson's name? Well, one of the three ghosts that plague him throughout the book is a young lady that serves as a reminder of his poor shot selection. Her nickname is Number 27, coincidentally the same as Allen Iverson's career PPG average.

I may be haunted by my shot selection, but I regret nothing.

Don't get me wrong. Fire Caste is not just a book of tributes and references, there is a very deep story here. It's a story of two races at a crossroads, and the quest to find the best way to "take the fork in the road", as Yogi Berra would say. Constant motifs reinforce these notions. Duality, bisecting, bifurcation, mirror images, etc. Also, there is the symbolism of the 'shattered mirror'. One tech-priest mentioned briefly has the visage of a shattered mirror, the Tau pathfinder who features heavily is named Jhi'kaara, Tau for 'broken mirror', and, most notably, Commissar Iverson's face is a lattice-work of scars, resembling a shattered mirror. This all supports the theme of shattered lives, broken souls, just the heart-crushing quandary most of the dramatis personae find themselves in.

The real question this novel asks is which race will inherit universal supremacy. Will it be the dogmatic dictatorship of the Imperium, or the benevolent communism of the Tau (remember, the Greater Good is not concerned with individual benefit)? Or, as Ensor Cutler succinctly puts it, "Our evil empire versus yours."

Fehervari writes with a passion and skill that makes it hard to believe that this is a freshman novel. He keeps you invested and engaged throughout the work, even when he completely juxtaposes narrative styles to fit the mood of the story arc. He has a flair for writing action, and the detail of violence rendered matches the tool utilized. Remember, he is writing for a variety of weapons from bows and arrows up to advanced Tau railgun weaponry. Each chapter begins with an excerpt from Iverson's personal journal, and it is intriguing to watch the progression (or deterioration) of his mental state from event to event.

If I were to list any complaint, it would be with the role of Jhi'kaara. She is initially introduced as a formidable counterpart to Iverson, his "mirror image" so to speak. However, she is given less and less page time as the book progresses, and her ultimate point in the narrative ends up in question. She is an interesting character and it would have been nice to see her explored more.

Controversy:
I have been seeing some complaining in reviews of this work saying that it is being falsely advertised, it is not a Tau novel. I didn't get it at first. If you go to the link for the book on the Black Library site: http://www.blacklibrary.com/warhammer-40000/fire-caste.html it even says "the Imperial Guard face off with the Tau". Well hey, that's accurate, so what's the prob?
Oh wait. There are two listings for Fire Caste on the BL site. Here's the other one: http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/fire-caste-ebook.html And there we go: "A brand new Tau novel". Now I understand how the Tau-heads could be pissed. Black Library, please fix the description. This is an excellent work, but it is not a "Tau" book.

Here's what it is:
An excellent debut work, that is atmospheric, brutal, and filled with fun puzzles to solve. A gripping tale of a man lost in his own "heart of darkness", and just trying to find his way home.

Final Score:

91/100


Cover Score:
Tough call here. This is an ok cover, but it is not very representative of the work. The man is obviously supposed to be Commissar Iverson, but Iverson should be emaciated, and a lot older, with long, gray hair, and much worse for wear. Also, that glowing eye; I don't know if that is how an antiquated augmetic should look. But it's a decent pic, with a nice, graphic novel feel. The composition is off; the forearm is way too elongated and his thighs are way too big. You get the feeling that the artist completed a face pic, and then was asked to do a full body shot.

The arrangement on the cover is nice too; the title splits the two sides (keep that motif going!), placing Imperial Guard on the left, Tau on the right. Nice work on the Tau suits.

Cover Final Score:

79/100

Flashback Book Review - Cadian Blood by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

Cadian Blood by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. A Warhammer 40,000 Imperial Guard novel, published originally by The Black Library, October 2009. Approx. 320 pages. 

Cadian Blood

Cadian Blood (CB) is a Warhammer 40,000 (W40K) novel, I believe it is the first Black Library novel by Aaron Dembski-Bowden (AD-B), and it showcases the Imperial Guard, notably the Cadian 88th Mechanized Infantry.

CB is the story of an effort by the Imperium of Man to reclaim the planet of Kathur, a planet of significant religious importance which has suddenly fallen victim to an extremely powerful Chaos taint. This taint kills off the inhabitants of the planet, as well as travelling pilgrims and the Planetary Defense Force in record time, a span of about a week. Worse yet, those that died have became a horde of "plague-slain", shuffling undead minions of the Chaos that has lorded over them. Yup, all those Amazon reviews are right! It's W40K with zombies, and honestly, how can that be a bad thing?

Suffice to say, it isn't. It works, and works big time. AD-B is a great writer. To think this is one of his first offerings bodes well for the future of the Black Library. Now like I've said before, I'm still a relative newbie to the W40K world, and still haven't read an entire Space Marine novel yet. I like the rank and file aspect of the Imperial Guard, and the characters AD-B serves up are awesome. 88th Warden-Captain Thade, Darrick, Seth, Osiron, Dead Man's Hand, Jevrian, Caius, Tionenji, you really come to root for (or against) these guys.

Back to the story overview, the 88th is part of the Kathur Reclamation Spearhead force. They are charged with retaking some key landmarks until the main Imperial force arrives to purge the taint from the world. However, something is afoot. Unlike other taint situations where the world would be firebombed to nothingness, they are instructed to leave all artifacts intact, thus making their job more difficult against the plague slain. By why the precaution? Why is the 88th suddenly seconded to an high ranking Inquisitor and assigned a Commissar? And what is the mysterious voice that calls out, and to whom is it calling?

The Good: Like I said, AD-B is a solid writer. He is the most character-oriented Black Library author I've read. And for a "W40K Zombie Book", it's driven more by character interaction than bloody gibbets. There is action, and in no short order, but the cast is the treat here. Battle situations are tactically sound and exciting. Plus, there are three more specifics about AD-B's writing that caught me:

1. Descriptive keywords. Don't you hate authors that drastically go overboard or totally bare bones in their scenic descriptions? Not a problem here. AD-B knows to trust his readers intelligence, and lays out enough detail for them to draw a coherent picture. Hence, no wasted paragraphs, no boredom! Not easy given that he was describing a world full of religious architecture.

2. Quicky character bios. I love when authors do this. Take a minor background character who's about to have their moment, and flesh out a quick bio as to what lead them to this point. Guess what? It makes you care about that character! Take note, writers. Case in point, the captain of the Depth of Fury.

3. Sense of Astartes scale. AD-B's real strength may be in writing about Space Marines. They've popped up in other Guard books I've read, but never with the descriptive scale seen here. They're not just jacked-up supermen here, when they enter a room, you feel yourself looking up to them, hear the armor and augmetics at work. You get a sense of their pride, their own agenda, honor. And his descriptions of the tainted Death Guard, well, let's just say I can still here the buzzing of bloated blood flies. Great stuff.

The Bad: No real complaints, actually. Hate to say it, but Cadian Blood may have bumped off Gunheads as my favorite W40K title. My only complaint is that the Black Library made this title Out Of Print after only about a year (if even) here in the States. As a result, I am forced to report the library copy I read as lost. Or maybe I should report it.......Unbroken.

My Rating, for what it is: 4 1/2 out of 5 Aquilas

Here's what it is:

AD-B's debut novel shows why so many consider him the best writer in The Black Library. This title is not only a great foray for an Imperial Guard Cadian unit, but other denizens of WH40K lore get stellar treatment as well. Chaos minions, Space Marines, tainted Astartes, psykers, even the Imperial Navy. Even if you do not care for Guard novels, this one deserves a shot.

Final Score:

90/100

Cover Score:

Unfortunately, the cover for Cadian Blood is not as stunning as the content. Doing the bulk of the jacket in a steely camo pattern is decent looking, however the cover pic itself is stiff and unbelievable. Obviously the background was created first, with the the characters placed afterwards. But the postures are just random and, odd. To be honest they reminded me of Colorforms. Composition was not at the forefront of these drawings either. For a black and white comic book panel, this pic works fine. For a mass-market paperback cover, not so much.

Cover Final Score:

61/100

Down Amongst the Dead Men

Down Amongst the Dead Men by Steve Lyons. A Warhammer 40,000 Death Korps of Krieg short story. Originally published March 2013 by The Black Library for Digital Monday. Approx. 17 pages.

Down Amongst the Dead Mean (DAtDM) is a short story that has been flirting with me from across the room for a little while now. I am a sucker for Imperial Guard stories, but my sole experience thus far with Steve Lyons' work was the lackluster Imperial Guard offering Ice Guard. And even though the Death Korps of Krieg look fearsome, intimidating, and completely badass in their WWI-styled German trench uniforms, they are also notable for being completely without personality. No, literally. They only know to fight. So at a glance, it seems like there is not much potential here; a bland author writing on an emotionless faction. This trepidation has kept me from purchasing Lyon's full-length Death Korps novel, Dead Men Walking, as well; that novel proposes emotionless soldiers fighting emotionless Necrons (I get it, that's the point, like the ending of Animal Farm, can't tell the pigs and the humans apart, etc.), with an emotionless cover. But maybe this story has a shot; billed as a battle between a Korps reject and a xenos horror, maybe there's a spark of hope for Lyons yet.

Honest word of advice; if you plan on reading this short story, and are not already acquainted with the Death Korps of Krieg, familiarize yourself with them now. They have a fairly interesting backstory fleshed out for themselves, and of course so snippets of their philosophies (if that's what you can term them) and history are mentioned in the story itself. Long story short, the Death Korps live on an extremely irradiated world, Krieg, the atmosphere of which was decimated in an atomic apocalypse which quelled a heretical uprising centuries ago. Driven to underground hives, the people of Krieg live to breed soldiers to die for the Imperium in their seemingly never-ending quest for forgiveness.

The framework of the story is simple enough; a young Death Korps trooper is holding a line against an unstoppable force, and, when his position is compromised, he heads to re-group and stumbles upon an even more insidious, xenos foe. Should he stick to battle doctrine, or go in pursuit of the new horror? With such a basic premise, it is up to the author to make the character(s) stand out somehow. That will not happen with a Death Korps trooper, as they have no personalities. Therefore, it was up to Lyons to incorporate Korps philosophy into the troopers' actions. Honestly, he did an ok job with it.

The 'story behind the story' in DAtDM is that the young trooper is actually a Death Korps reject, and as a reject (the reason for rejection on Krieg can be either from aptitude or genetic flaw), his sole purpose in life is to serve as a target for live ammo training exercises for the troopers that did make the cut. That unstoppable force advancing on his position are all his peers that he was raised among and trained with. But again, there are no bonds of affection or comradery, our young trooper does not even have a name, simply a number stamped onto his dogtag. As a planet soaked in radiation, Krieg has no resources to offer the Emperor, save soldiers. Advanced breeding programs churn out cannon fodder at an exponential rate, and the soldiers are simply taught to go and die, trying to minimize loss to the Imperium while maximizing opposing damage. This is demonstrated at one point in the story when the trooper realizes that, in losing his position, he expended only a few lasgun shots, but cost the opposing side heavy stubber ammo. If he had died in that manner, it was a worthy death.

But our trooper does not die at that point, and instead runs into a tyranid genestealer, another soulless creature whose primary objectives are breeding and killing (see, Lyons picked another example of the human and the creature mirroring each other). This obviously poses a perplexing choice for the trooper; Krieg doctrine leaves no room for independent thought, and his mission is to die in an exercise which he cannot win. However, he was also taught that the xenos is the greatest threat to the Imperium. In the end, he decides to follow the genestealer.

Is the troopers' choice one of weighing priorities, or a hope for recognition and/or glory? There is no way to ever know, and Lyons adds many questions like this along the way. It's an interesting method, to insert these inquiries, based off of the personal and moral traits that we possess, exhibit daily, and quite honestly, take for granted.

As a protagonist, we cannot say the young trooper is likable. He is faceless, a dour soldier in a greatcoat and rebreather mask. But through his situation and subsequent actions, he is both noble and pitiable. At the beginning of the story, I was trying to see the face behind the mask, trying to see if Lyons was going to find a way to push a little personality through a culture that suppresses it. At that point, the perennial questions were an annoyance; don't ask us if he's feeling this or that, the reader can deduce that on their own. But a different approach worked better; instead of standing next to the trooper, trying to peer through the lenses of his mask, I began to watch him from a distance, as if I were watching a nature show. I watched him scamper along the ruined landscape, between a rock and a hard place, like some forlorn little creature with jaws too weak to fend off either of two predators that present themselves. The questions became the commentary of a phantom narrator, who asks them in spite of the fact that he knows it is ultimately inconsequential. We already know this little critter is toast one way or another.

Lyons fares well in the action scenes too (this was the only saving grace in Ice Guard). When shots are fired, you feel the booms, and when it gets physical, you hear the crunches. There is a well-written scene reminiscent of the Perseus/Medusa encounter in the original Clash of the Titans.

In other facets of the story, Lyons' prose falters a bit. The landscape could have used a little more descriptive touch. Also, I did not care for the description of the genestealer. At first, it is only described as possessing a globular head, with six legs. If Lyons was trying to keep it as a mystery to us, as it surely was to the trooper, he blew it when he used the term 'tyranid body'. I don't think tyranid is an adjective. There are two types of readers that will be reached here; those who know what a genestealer is and those that do not. Those that do, would appreciate descriptive writing that reinforces the horrific appearance of this dread predator. Those that don't, will probably need to Google an image of one either during or after reading this story. That shouldn't be necessary.

One final thing to mention; I have stated in previous Black Library Digital Monday short story reviews that it is ultimately up to the reader to decide if the price matched the product. For the other two stories that I have bought, the cost averaged out to 10 cents a 'page'. But the text here is an anemic 17 pages, so close to 20 cents per. I cannot say that it is 'worth it', however I will not let the the perceived value affect the final score.

Here's what it is:
A decent little tale of a born loser proving his worth. A glimpse at a mysterious fighting force. A story that was not as bad as expected, but could've been a bit better.

Final Score:

68/100


Cover Score:

Here we have a pic of a Death Korpsman. That's it. It looks like a Linkedin profile pic of a soldier of death. I am pretty sure that they dressed up a head section snippet from a pic like this:

Then again, who is going to complain? Those uniforms are epic. The Death Korps takes heavy styling cues from classic German military uniforms. And, setting aside what they stood for, in Word Wars I & II, the Germans were undoubtedly the best dressed guests at the party.
Nothing spectacular about the cover, but not bad either. At least you won't feel a bit ripped off by it.

Cover Final Score:

74/100

Double Eagle

Double Eagle by Dan Abnett. Originally published 2004, approx. 416 pages.

For about a decade and a half, uber-talented author Dan Abnett has been churning out quality books for the Black Library (as well as quality work for other publishers as well). Abnett's work smashes the stereotype that tie-in fiction needs to be poor quality or produced by third-rate hack authors. Then again, if you are reading this and already aware of the basics of WH40K fiction, you already know all about Dan Abnett. If you are new to this stuff, acquaint yourself with Dan Abnett (Gaunt's Ghosts series, Eisenhorn and Ravenor series, Horus Heresy contributions, standalone works). Is Double Eagle a good starting point for reading Abnett, or WH40K fiction? I'm not sure. Is it still a enjoyable piece of military sci-fi? Yes, although don't expect any surprises.

One of the most interesting things about Double Eagle is that it does not fit squarely into any one specific WH40K series. It is not entirely a standalone novel, as it has ties to other series. It is not a Gaunt's Ghosts novel; as they do not feature in the story (save a name drop). However, the story takes place in the Sabbat Worlds, which coincide with a story arc in the Gaunt's Ghosts canon. It is also not an Imperial Guard novel, although the Phantine XX are indeed a Guard regiment (and quite an anomaly, since they are an air regiment which would fall under the Imperial Navy umbrella). Perhaps the best category to place Double Eagle, then, with its strong focus on air combat, is as the only Aeronautica Imperialis novel put out by Black Library.

Look at those beauties soar.

The events of Double Eagle transpire on the war-torn planet of Enothis. As the bulk of the story unfolds, the Imperial ground forces have already taken a severe drubbing at the hands of an incredibly strong Chaos Force. As the land forces stage a retreat from Chaos-held territories, they re-focus their assault maneuvers to air strikes. A large air force is assembled from the remaining planetary wings (Commonwealth fighters), detachments from the Imperial Navy, and the aforementioned Phantine XX (Imperial Guard). While this is conceptually sound, the forces of the Imperium do not hold complete air superiority. The forces of chaos have a drastic numbers advantage, and are pushing their assault via massive carriers (land-born aircraft carriers). They also have a good number of aces, including one notorious, elusive killer that plagues the Imperial forces.

The main action of the book consists of various dogfights and bombing raid. The Chaos hordes increase the ferocity of their push, and the Imperials harry them as they find themselves becoming more and more cornered with each scrap. At the end, it is an all out Chaos onslaught versus the last remnants of the air defenses for the ultimate fate of Enothis. Fairly standard. The rest of the book deals with the cast of characters and their interaction. I would say it focuses on character development, but these are fairly stock character templates. Abnett's strength makes them enjoyable and engaging; yet it would've taken a miracle to make them unique. There are some interesting detours from the normal WH40K fare with regards to characters as well; Abnett gives us strong female Guard members (including Bree Jagdea, the Phantine leader who is that all-too-convenient mix of capable and caring). Also, there is the fledgling romance between two lost souls (the beyond war-weary Viltry and the widowed Beqa).

Abnett offers up an ensemble cast in Double Eagle, there is no clear-cut main protagonist. There is the already-mentioned Jagdea, Viltry, the bomber pilot who has seen too many crews lost, Marquall, the wannabe ace, Kaminsky, a former Commonwealth pilot sidelined by injury, and Darrow, a highly skilled Commonwealth cadet placed in Operations by an over-protective senior officer. The rest of the Phantine pilots round out the supporting cast. I do not even need to make a spoiler section to tell you that as the stakes are raised, the background players fade away first. Stevie Wonder could see most of the plot points coming.

Now, for the storytelling itself, there's a strong WWII feel to this story. It's strongly implied that the Battle of Britain was an inspirational basis for the narrative. And therefore, the book has one of those old-timey WWII movie feels. But, like other 40K books that tap into the vein of a historic conflict (Fifteen Hours and WWI, Imperial Glory and the Zulu conflict), there are times where you might forget you are reading about an intergalactic story in the 40th Millennium. Ergo, when I am supposed to be imagining brutal dogfights between muscular Thunderbolts and sleek, vector-flight capable Chaos Hell talons, I am drawing a mental image of RAF and Luftwaffe fighters and the rat-a-tat-tat of machine guns (not lasguns and quadcannons). And no, I am not narrow-minded, nor has my imagination atrophied. And this happened fairly often throughout the book. Luckily, it never descends into a tiresome read.

Okay, so with cookie cutter characters and a fairly episodic storyline, will the action save Double Eagle? Now there, we have a definite yes. This book would've been a total failure if Abnett didn't deliver on the air combat. And I have to say, he succeeded in portraying something that I would assume is fairly hard to put into words. You feel the chaotic claustrophobia of the cockpit, the banks, the turns, the G-forces, the fear of an enemy on your tail, and the frustration of a target getting away. The terminology and jargon seems legit, so it is either spot-on or completely convincing malarkey. Well-played either way.

Will 40K fans like this book? Well, if you swear by anything Abnett, that's a no-brainer. If you can really enjoy Imperial Guard novels, then yes. I know I do. But there are no Astartes (Space Marines) here. None at all. And the baddies are, as mentioned, Chaos minions (including a nice appearance by the Blood Pact). But, that's it. No Chaos Space Marines, No orks, eldar, or tau. If any of that is an issue, consider yourselves warned.

Will this work as a standalone for the uninitiated? I think it can. I am not up to the Sabbat Worlds arc of the Gaunt's Ghosts storyline, so I had to read up on the Blood Pact. I had to do some image searching for good pics of the planes involved. There's a Thunderbolt on the cover, but a lay reader might be lost for a good idea of what the other craft look like. Will it even be worth their time to search? I can't guarantee the payoff will be worth it for everyone.

Here's what it is: 
The Black Library's sole Aeronautica Imperialis venture is an entertaining romp, with enjoyable, yet completely forgettable characters, and solid depictions of air combat. Another satisfactory outing for Abnett.

Final Score:

74/100


Cover Score:

Ah, what can I say here. Centered on the cover is a targeting sensor with a lock on.....a Thunderbolt model. Seriously? Look, I get that some of the codexes (codices?) use these mock-up action shots of the models to stir up excitement with the tabletop crowd. Which is fine since those are reference guides for the tabletop players. But this is a mass-market paperback. I love modeling and respect people who can construct detailed dioramas, but I won't buy a Gundam DVD with a picture of a 1/100 scale model on the front. No disrespect intended to Forge World, who are credited with the cover. A subsidiary of Games Workshop, they were distributing the old Aeronautica Imperialis models and continue to make the best quality tabletop miniatures on the market. I mean, at least they tried to play with color effects to make it look like an action shot.

Cover Final Score:

21/100