A dubious premise with good execution.

The setup of the story requires a lot of suspension of disbelief, especially for those familiar with the setting. If you can manage that, though, then you're left with a well told story full of interesting characters, albeit one that takes a while to really get going. It also does a good job of selling Ursula as her own character rather than just a stand in for her father, something she absolutely seemed to be when her miniature was first introduced.

It's also about the future of the Cadians as a whole, a recurring theme across a few different books that feature them, with defiance and hope being pitted against the embodied forces of despair. It's easy for such stories to boil down to a victory won via unshakeable faith in the God-Emperor and doing your duty, but the main cast are flawed enough that the struggle feels real and entertaining. There's a few characters I wish had made it out alive, their deaths far less interesting than what their continued survival would have offered, and it feels like something needed to be cut to help with the pacing early on, but overall it's a solid listen.

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Good beginning to a potential series

Engaging narrative with plenty of plot twists.

I hope that this expands into a series as they did with Roboute.

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Pretty good

Doesn’t really advance the 40K mythos. But very enjoyable. Good characters and an interesting setting

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3 people found this helpful

Fun, emotional, and horrifying, as it should be!

Takes a few chapters to get going but this is time well spent as it sets up a great cast of characters in a fun story that zips along nicely, with plenty of good character moments interspersed between the (often genuinely horrible) fighting through the fallen world. Definitely keeps you on your toes throughout! The narrator also does a fantastic job of keeping the ensemble dialogue distinct. Pacey and fun.

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3 people found this helpful

Excellent from start to finish

Reid’s crafted something truly special here - she’s taken the grimdark setting and created a nuanced story that has more to it than just battles and blood.
Plot threads are masterfully woven into an excellent and engaging story, tugged on during emotional punches, and all brought together at the end to create a tale that charges ever onward.
Each and every character has depth and motivations, whilst the title character herself is both believable and impressive. You find yourself rooting for her and her team, and even for some of the villains as their motivations are revealed.
All in all, it’s a great story wonderfully told. I’m looking forward to whatever Reid does next!

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Great story if ya like Cadians

one of my favourite guard novels it's definitely worth a read. interesting to see different aspects that make up the guard

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really enjoyed this book,

liked this book so much that I went out and brought the model 😍

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4 people found this helpful

A wonderful beginning

Jude Reid clearly has a great future ahead if this is the first one of her works! An absolute delight to listen to with great representation and narrative 🩷

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Decent Astra Militarum novel

Ursarkar Creed's daughter goes back to the (now) death world of Cadia for a photo op suggested by Roboto Librarian, hijinks ensues.

It's a decent book. It's not Gaunt's Ghosts, but it's not supposed to be either.

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3 people found this helpful

Rivetting read from Reid

Upon starting this audiobook, my initial thoughts were "I wonder which characters I will stil like, who I'll hate, and who my opinion of will have flipped by the end?" and by the end I did indeed like some, hate some, and was surprised by several.

The story has intrigue, heroics, despair, moments of humanity and tenderness, interesting characters with individual motivations (for both heros and villains), and tells a story of relentless battle across a scarred world which is awash with an almost insurmountable enemy force: It certainly embodies the Warhammer 40k setting: it's grim, dark and there is only war.

For every plot point I had the audacity to feel smug about predicting, another blindsided me and made me re-evaluate what was going to happen next. As wild and far-fetched as the 40k universe may be, Reid grounds the story in all-too-real descriptions of trauma, both physical and mental, and expertly sells concepts inherent in the setting; namely those of the constant struggle against vastly more powerful foes intent on your demise, the cheapness of life, and the general bleakness of existence: Even the "Good guys" are making horrific decisions, and hopelessness and despair await around every corner.

Initially I though I would abandon the audiobook in favour of printed copy as I found elements of the performance to be off-putting but after sticking with it for a couple of chapters, the story-telling had me hooked and I couldn't help myself but finish it. I suspect I will also be purchasing a physical copy. I can't wait to hear/read more of the authors work, both exploring the characters and hooks set up in this novel, and other stories and arks they write.

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1 person found this helpful