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Cadian Blood (Imperial Guard)
Cadian Blood (Imperial Guard)

A book by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

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Gripping Pseudo-Military Novel Set In Sci-Fi/Fantasy Universe

  • Nov 18, 2009
Rating:
+5
Note: I am not a Warhammer 40K Tabletop gamer. Although I do DM D&D 3.5 and 4.0 games, and I have played both the Star Wars and D&D tabletop minis games. So, I am not unfamiliar with the setting and type of themes and gameplay the author is drawing from to write this novel. Also note, this is the first Warhammer 40k novel I have ever read, but not (by far) the first sci-fi/fantasy novel. I am well acquainted with others in the genre such as the D&D novels, the Star Wars novels, the Halo novels, etc.

Now that my bias and background has been established, on with the review!

I rated this novel with 5 stars, because it met all of my criteria for novels which I find entertaining.
It has:
1.) Characters with actual personalities
2.) Heroes where heroes are called for in a fantasy/sci-fi setting (and believable ones at that, they are not super-heroes, they can be wounded, and die, and make mistakes -- but they are still heroic)
3.) Characters we get to KNOW by NAME. (I.E. unlike with HBO's "Band of Brothers" you actually know who the heck is speaking at any given time, and where they came from, what their motivations are, etc.)
4.) For a Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre novel: it has interesting settings/magic/technology/etc.
5.) It has villains which engage the reader. I.E. we "hate" the main enemy, and we loathe the secondary enemies which our heroes loathe (such as the Lord General Maggrig who so abuses Thade and the Cadians)
6.) It has a plot with a clear: beginning, middle and end, and it moves along nicely on it. Meandering plots are something that generally irritate me.
7.) It has a couple of surprises/twists & turns to make things interesting.

So, overall, if you are looking for a military themed sci-fi/fantasy story (and in this case, it really is a little of both, the novel is set in a universe which clearly uses fantastic elements (magic, if you will) in addition to technology to make things happen) with interesting characters, snappy dialog (I love Darrick! How can you not like characters who say things like, "Alliance [...] Broken.," "Repeat." [...] "I am having absolutely no fun today.") then you will enjoy this novel.

Warning for those with squeamish stomachs: this novel contains depictions of graphic military violence, including: executions, slaughter on a massive scale, combat descriptions, depictions of "zombie-ism" (for lack of a better word), and disturbing violent imagery and themes. Reader be forewarned.

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More Cadian Blood (Imperial Guard) reviews
review by . December 25, 2009
When the Janus 6th forces fail to infiltrate and reclaim a sacred monastery for the Emperor, the Cadian 88th Mechanised Infantry, headed by Captain Thade, head in to rescue any survivors and complete the mission. Once they infiltrate the city of Solthane, they are told to hold there until reinforcements come. Little do they know that there is a deep, dark secret lying in wait underneath the monastery in Solthane on the shrine world of Kathur.    Aaron Dembski-Bowden has created …
review by . October 29, 2009
The Warhammer 40000 novels are apparently a "future history" occurring many thousands of years in the future. While this is the first of the novels I have read, one surmises there is a vast Galactic Empire of human-populated planets conquered or re-conquered over millenia by a more-or-less immortal Emperor now worshipped as a deity in most of the Galaxy.     However, there is a contagion of evil which has resisted and corrupted the Empire for at least the last 10,000 years. Technology …
see all Cadian Blood (Imperial Guard) reviews (3)
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R. McAdams ()
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Computer programmer and information security and computer forensics professional. Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a minor in Information Security and Computer Forensics.      … more
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About this book

Wiki

"...the plot for 'Cadian Blood' is one that kept me hooked with its daring strikes, harrowing reverses and last ditch stands. The underlying mystery of the plague is also played out very well, especially when the stakes suddenly get a lot higher without any explanation... If you're a fan of military sci-fi or Warhammer 40K in general then I think you'll enjoy this too. Check it out! Nine and Three Quarters out of Ten" GRAEME'S FANTASY BOOK REVIEW--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Details

ISBN-10: 1844167712
ISBN-13: 978-1844167715
Author: Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Games Workshop
First to Review

"Not what it could have been"
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