Sandy Mitchell (1)

The Martian meets Blackadder!

This is my favourite of the series so far. Ciaphas Cain reprises his role as a Blackadder-esque reluctant hero having to survive against all odds when he and his malodorous aide, Jurgen (think Baldrick), crash land on an enemy planet following a space battle. The only way out is to traverse an inhospitable landscape inhabited by a host of orks.

The events are described from the perspective of Cain, a reluctant hero whose singular talent appears to be ending up in show more the most dangerous of situations despite his efforts to avoid danger at all costs. His character is well-fleshed out with sarcastic humour, verbose prose, obvious intellect and a very healthy ego. The footnotes and occasional interludes by his colleagues suggest that Cain may not be a reliable narrator, and this adds considerably to the enjoyment of this series. He is either a cowardly bull-shit artist or a humble hero. The plot is fast-paced and includes numerous (fairly gory) battle sequences. It’s a quick read despite its verbosity, and is ultimately a jolly good romp. show less

Another fun adventure for the wily commissar. Ciaphas Cain is finally enjoying retirement. I bet he was thinking he was safe, that he made it to retirement in one piece. Plus, nice cushy job in a schola teaching cadet commissars. Life is good. But trouble and mayhem just have a way to find him. So, when a Dark Crusade threatens Perlia, Cain and his cadets along with every able-bodied person have to rise to the defense of the planet. He will have to use all his guile and skill to make it show more through once more. And if that were not enough, the Inquisition has given him a secret task that is crucial to the survival of the galaxy (ain't that always the case?).

What I enjoy about this series is the nice combination of light humor with the dark, grim military scifi of Warhammer 40K. For this novel, there is a nice element of comfort for Ciaphas is returning the setting of a previous adventure. Years have passed, and after the previous invasion, Cain is now seen as The Liberator and a hero, much to his chagrin given his preference for the quiet life. At any rate, it was a very entertaining and enjoyable book. Fans of the series will enjoy it, but some may find a bit of a feeling of going back through previously trod ground. For me, that was just fine. Seeing Cain now as military academy teacher was an interesting take.

In the end, I will note that though many like to compare Cain to Flashman, Cain is not really a coward. I do not think the comparison is fair. The man is more the sort of guy who just wants an easy life and minimal attention and spotlight. But he certainly is a skilled warrior, duelist, and in the end, always does the right thing. He is a pragmatic fellow. And maybe that is why I enjoy these books so much. I will certainly be looking for the next one in the series. show less

Outstanding entry in the Ciaphas Cain saga....Mitchell has truly mastered presenting Cain as a self-serving, opportunistic and reluctant hero to the men and women of the Imperial Guard that he presides over in action on the battlefront. In this one, Cain and his fellow Valhallans are sent to put down heretics in an uprising on Adumbria. While there, he gets more than he bargains for, again, and humorously yet thrillingly comes out as a grand hero, all the while looking for the easiest and show more safest way to fulfill his duty and basically save his own arse from the evil that Chaos is. This novel is again full of the witty dialogue and settings that were so prevalent in the first two Cain novels. This is brilliant writing, IMHO. show less

A very enjoyable, well-paced Ciaphas Cain novel, this one throws in a curveball as Cain joins forces with the Xenos race Tau to defend Fecundia from a mass tyranid invasion straight from the depths of the the warp itself. Straight up, this novel would have been very readable on its own, but throw in the background comedy and heroic reluctance Cain is so well known for, not to mention a lot of extremely good fortune, and this book really delivers. The plot element that really cemented this show more book for me was Cain's involvement with the Adeptus Mechanicus on the wasteworld Fecundia. Cain discovers a nefarious plot involving the Mechanicus and the tyranids (trying to avoid spoilers here) and from that point on the novel really sails. I am caught up now with Cain novels and I hope Mitchell pens another one soon. show less