Post by Utah Jak on Feb 26, 2008 23:59:01 GMT
Well, I just finished the latest (mis)adventure of the 41st millennium's must unwitting hero, Ciaphas Cain.
General Synopsis: Commissar Cain, Hero of the Imperium and his Imperial Guard Regiment, the 597th Vallahans are deployed to the strange plateau covered world of Periremunda to quell a rebellion against the Imperium. As it turns out, the uprising is the work of Genestealer Cults. The Nids aren't the only things trying to kill Cain, however, This is a spoiler-free review, so all I say is it involves the Inquisition. Somehow, against all odds, Cain manages to survive both the Nids and the other 'problems' arrayed against him.
Review: Holy (please do not swear), this book was awesome. Lots of nice nid action and tons of dark, sarcastic humor. Cain is now my second favorite character in all of Warhammer 40k (behind Garviel Loken from the Horus Heresy series). Sandy Mitchell presents him as a wise-cracking commissar interested in self-preservation above all other consideration. Unfortunately, he always seems to wind up in the most dangerous situations. The major plot points tie together nicely and everything flows very well. I love the footnotes placed by Inquisitor Vail. Duty Calls is as hilarious as you would expect from a Ciaphus Cain novel. Highly recommended.
Now for the important stuff, the Nids!
Sandy Mitchell obviously read the Tyranid Codex. There were numerous times where terms lifted straight from pages 30-31. Since the novel is written in 1st person from Cain's perspective there isn't much focus on individual tyranids. (Beyond Shoot the Big Ones). The Hive Fleet from which the Splinter Fleet split isn't mentioned and little details about the Nids appearance is mentioned beyond 'tsunami of chitin' and the like. A vast majority of the Nids described are Genestealers (and hybrids), Hormagaunts, Lictors and Hive Tyrants. There is mention of Fleshborers, so it goes without saying that there were a large number of Termagaunts.
Anyway, my two big observations:
1. Hive Tyrants are awesomely tough. It takes a burst of Heavy Bolter fire, several cuts from a chainsword to areas that the heavy bolter had damaged, a melta shot from almost point blank range, and a barrage of fire from a Chimera's Heavy Bolters to take one down.
2. Hormagaunts taking down Powered armored troops isn't just game mechanics. Hormagaunts take down numerous Sisters of Battle, though it takes a number of them to do it.
So, Duty Calls is a great book. I highly recommend it. The Hive Mind doesn't get much attention in novels (Warriors of Ultramar and Desert Raiders come to mind as exceptions) so this was a good chance to see the Bugs in action.
General Synopsis: Commissar Cain, Hero of the Imperium and his Imperial Guard Regiment, the 597th Vallahans are deployed to the strange plateau covered world of Periremunda to quell a rebellion against the Imperium. As it turns out, the uprising is the work of Genestealer Cults. The Nids aren't the only things trying to kill Cain, however, This is a spoiler-free review, so all I say is it involves the Inquisition. Somehow, against all odds, Cain manages to survive both the Nids and the other 'problems' arrayed against him.
Review: Holy (please do not swear), this book was awesome. Lots of nice nid action and tons of dark, sarcastic humor. Cain is now my second favorite character in all of Warhammer 40k (behind Garviel Loken from the Horus Heresy series). Sandy Mitchell presents him as a wise-cracking commissar interested in self-preservation above all other consideration. Unfortunately, he always seems to wind up in the most dangerous situations. The major plot points tie together nicely and everything flows very well. I love the footnotes placed by Inquisitor Vail. Duty Calls is as hilarious as you would expect from a Ciaphus Cain novel. Highly recommended.
Now for the important stuff, the Nids!
Sandy Mitchell obviously read the Tyranid Codex. There were numerous times where terms lifted straight from pages 30-31. Since the novel is written in 1st person from Cain's perspective there isn't much focus on individual tyranids. (Beyond Shoot the Big Ones). The Hive Fleet from which the Splinter Fleet split isn't mentioned and little details about the Nids appearance is mentioned beyond 'tsunami of chitin' and the like. A vast majority of the Nids described are Genestealers (and hybrids), Hormagaunts, Lictors and Hive Tyrants. There is mention of Fleshborers, so it goes without saying that there were a large number of Termagaunts.
Anyway, my two big observations:
1. Hive Tyrants are awesomely tough. It takes a burst of Heavy Bolter fire, several cuts from a chainsword to areas that the heavy bolter had damaged, a melta shot from almost point blank range, and a barrage of fire from a Chimera's Heavy Bolters to take one down.
2. Hormagaunts taking down Powered armored troops isn't just game mechanics. Hormagaunts take down numerous Sisters of Battle, though it takes a number of them to do it.
So, Duty Calls is a great book. I highly recommend it. The Hive Mind doesn't get much attention in novels (Warriors of Ultramar and Desert Raiders come to mind as exceptions) so this was a good chance to see the Bugs in action.
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