Jason Heady

Quite an enjoyable story

Revisado: 11-23-23

Cawl. Bile. Necrons. Adeptus Mechanicus. Dark Mechanicum. They will save humanity. They will destroy humanity. They are the greatest hopes for the future and also the greatest threats to the future. Next to all of the other hopes and threats, that is.

I am a fan of Cawl. I am a bigger fan of Bile. I enjoyed the Great Work novel and found this a very good sequel while also being a good sequel to the Bile novels. Both characters are good analogies to Dr. Frankenstein and their monsters are running loose upon the galaxy.

This novel, as well as the previous novels, paint the main protagonists in favorable ways. I think it makes each of them, as well as the secondary factions, seem like different facets of the same gem. Cawl is able to change his personality at choice and I got laughs when he was more glib than other Ad Mech characters. Bile used to be portrayed as a mad scientist and generically evil character, even in Horus Heresy novels. Reynolds Bile series painted him in a much different light which is carried over into this novel. As usual, Haley puts together a good story with good representation for Warhammer characters. Whichever faction you like, they all get time in the spotlight. Except the Inquisition; their character is shown as a kind of bumbling fanatic who serves more as a comedic foil. Which is rather humorous to me. Yay, Frank! He's a goofball and is continually out maneuvered by Cawl and his smarmy comebacks.

The audio performance was great, as always. The story was one of the better ones set in 40k. Overall, I think 40k fans will enjoy the book unless they only want to see bolter battles, though, there is a bit of that near the end.

This is a good 40k book which avoids the sillier grimdark tropes and delivers a great entry in the overarching story. There are seeds for continuing the overall story and timeliness which I hope are followed up in future lore. I look forward to future appearances of both Cawl and particularly Bile. My opinion is biased as I find Bile, Ahriman, and some other Chaos characters as more interesting than many other characters in 40k. I still think many 40k fans will enjoy this novel.

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A lot of pieces coming together for the finale

Revisado: 04-12-23

There are many pieces moving on the board for the final game of Regicide to end the story of the Heresy. My first impression was that the final story being split into two parts could be a mistake. This first volume is longer than many other novels in the series and there are a couple of sections that I felt were written just to extend the word count. Having said that, the rest of the novel is rather enjoyable.

By the end, the principle pieces are set and the endgame has begun. Beyond those characters, the story also touches on many characters outside of the final battle. Some of those characters have barely a cameo and others get a respectable amount of attention. I am looking forward to final volume to see who else Abnett brings to the forefront and how he crafts the ending of this story that Warhammer fans already think they know. I suspect there will be a few surprises as well as some revelations that alter what we, and the characters, have thought they know.

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A nice return to the early days of the Ghosts.

Revisado: 03-31-23

I enjoyed the novel and seeing new stories of Ghosts long gone. The story takes place early in the story of the Ghosts not long after the loss of Tanith but it adds details to some characters that may be important in future tales.

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It isn't as good as other titles in the series

Revisado: 03-28-23

I did not like this book as much as other books in the Gaunt's Ghosts series. The stories by Dan Abnett were ok but the others did not stick the landing for me. From other reviews, people mentioned stories with old characters so I was expecting stories from different parts of the timeline. The Abnett stories, the only ones about the Ghosts, were both set after The Warmaster.

The other stories had no mention of The Ghosts or of Gaunt. As I said earlier, those stories did not suit me. The story of the fighter pilots particularly drug on for me. Another story about Chaos infantry also drug a bit and after listening to the entire book, I cared so little for those stories that I have difficulty remembering details of those stories or how they ended exactly.

Overall, I rate the story content rather low and do not think this novel is required reading for the series.

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A nice end to this arc of The Ghosts

Revisado: 03-22-22

This arc in the Ghosts story ends with a bang. There are payoffs to several threads started in earlier novels as well as the end of some character arcs. Mkvenner gets a bit more attention here leading up to the next important character arc for him. Soric, Colbec, Harkins, Milo, Kolea, and Lijah Fething Cuu all have some time for their arcs and threads. Minor characters like Sanian, Innokenti, Pater Sin, and Lugo continue, and in some cases, end their stories in this novel.

I do think the novel could use some more pages to tie things up since the novel is busy. There is a major planetary war going on, ties up the larger Crusade, and storylines for many characters in this novel. The ending felt a little rushed but much of the buildup seemed well paced. I do not think The Nine got enough time to enforce the level of threat they represented.

Last thing, Mkoll continues to shine and he makes short work of an opponent who he begrudgingly compliments... right before he demonstrates that, while he was good, Mkoll is better. That quick scene was fun to me. Mkoll fan club should be a thing.

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WWI in the 41st Millennium

Revisado: 01-04-22

As usual, Toby Longworth does a great job performing on this book. Also, as is the norm, Dan Abnett crafts an enjoyable story.

The Ghosts arrive on Aexe Cardinal to join a war raging for decades on one of the few worlds which resisted the Chaos campaign in the Sabbat Worlds. A personal opinion is that the planet resisted because the Chaos forces did not want the place. The war is basically WWI in space. Trench warfare, no man's land, gas attacks, and animal mounted cavalry are the norm. As are solid propellent firearms, bolt action rifles, and rifles. The Ghosts and the rest of the Imperial Guard are forced to fit into the outdated military tactics on this deployment.

The ongoing story between Cuu and Larkin continues to unfold.

It's a good read and a good listen on Audible.

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More fine Imperial Guard action

Revisado: 01-01-22

The Ghosts participate in the liberation of the world Phantine across two major battles of the war.

I do not want to give spoilers but when I read this book years ago, I teared up. I will say that this is two books in a row where Dan Abnett uses Colm Corbec as a punching bag. I know that treatment eases up in a couple of novels because I read each novel in paperback or hardcover when they originally released. I am enjoying catching up on the story again as the novels release in audiobook format.

So, this novel does not introduce many long-term new characters but von Voytz and Biota make their premiere. The novel lets some of the old hands get the spotlight while also allowing some Verghastite characters to shine.

Toby Longworth gives a fine performance. Dan Abnett spins a fun read. These are common things for these gentlemen. They certainly do not need to "Try Again".

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The second storyline begins here

Revisado: 12-31-21

The Saint storyline starts with this novel. The Verghastites are now part of the Ghosts and some new characters are introduced. Lijah Fething Cuu makes his introductions and he doesn't start out as what he will become. Mkvenner and Bonin get a little screen time. The Pardus armored units get a lot of action and it makes me wish Dan Abnett had written side novels about them instead of fighter pilots and Titans.

Honour Guard is a good novel that sees the Ghosts waxing while Gaunt wanes; he does not handle some personal ghosts very well but he does overcome them in the end.

Other characters who are introduced include Sanian and Zweil. Zweil is a fun character from his introduction until the latest novels. Toby Longworth performs well, as always, but in my mind, Zweil sounds different, as do Mkoll and Mkvenner but that is just my opinion.

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The third novel is where the story really starts

Revisado: 12-28-21

I think this is the real beginning of the Ghosts story. The first novel is an introduction to the cast and to me, it feels like Dan Abnett is still getting his feet under him for the characterization and feel for the Ghosts and the direction of the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.

The second novel is a collection of short stories reprinted from other sources with a new story linking them together. I enjoyed both of those novels but they feel a bit different than the other books in the series. It is here, in Necropolis that the series begins to take shape.

This novel introduces characters who will shape the Ghosts for all the novels that follow. This is also where the Ghosts begin to morph into the more viable formation that is featured in many following novels. As they reach Verghsst in this novel, they are just the last survivors of lost Tanith, selling their lives for vengeance against the Chaos forces in the Sabbat Worlds. After Verghsst, they become a force better suited to stand take that vengeance and more, to be a force which can stand against the larger and more powerful armies of Chaos.

I do not want to give spoilers but if you start reading after Necropolis, this novel is where Kolea, Criid, Curth, Haller, Banda, Muril, and many others were introduced. This is also from where the name Cuu (Fething Cuu) originates but not where he first appears.

My recommendation is to read and enjoy "First and Only" and "Ghostmaker" as introductions to the cast and setting with the knowledge that the tone of those books is a little different than what follows. Read Necropolis for the beginning of the Ghosts saga.

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A great book and terrific performance

Revisado: 06-23-21

Up front, I had not read the novel. I don't watch much television so I had not even seen a trailer for the movie. I got a free copy of the movie a couple of years ago and loved it but didn't get around to reading it. A couple of weeks ago, it popped up as a free Audible book for a limited time, so I picked it up and started it when I finished the book I was listening to at the time.

That was a huge mistake. I should have started it as soon as I downloaded it!

The book was a ton of fun. Very enjoyable. The performance was great and I was thinking, "This narrator/performer has a really pleasant, clear voice. I need to find more of his work." I did not notice his name until the end credits and holy cow! It's Wil Wheaton! Wow, great job, Mr. Wheaton!

The novel really is a lot of fun. If you haven't read it, and even if you have, I cannot recommend this Audible production enough. I think it really is THAT GOOD. For real, why are you still reading this review? Go. Go download this book and start listening.

If Neil de Grasse Tyson thinks it is a good book, then you should listen to one of the smartest people around so don't take my word on this. Get the book. Enjoy the book.

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