The decision was made to hold orbit over Cadia and for the 1301st Fleet's elements to make planetfall on the unknown world, designated as 1301-12. The landing force was comprised of Imperial Army, Word Bearers, Adeptus Custodes and Legiones Cybernetica elements. The landing party, led by Lorgar, was greeted by a large number of barbaric human tribes, tribes described as "dressed in rags and wielding spears tipped by flint blades...yet they showed little fear." Most notable were the barbarians' purple eyes, which reflected the colour of the Eye of Terror itself in the spectrum of visible light. Despite the Custodian Vendatha's protests and request to execute the heathens, the Word Bearers approached the natives. The storm has broken, and the forces of Chaos batter against Cadia's defences. Lord Castellan Creed leads the defence of the fortress world, but for how much longer can they hold out. Cadia stands...but will it stand forever? Justin D. Hill: I’ve always loved the viewpoint of the common grunt in the Warhammer 40k universe. Nothing beats the jeopardy of a lone trooper, armed only with a flashlight, standing firm against the horrors of the Grimdark future. For me*, these are some of the most compelling stories the 40k universe has to offer, so it seemed fated that I would end up writing Cadians.

Enjoyed this book as a “boots on the ground” view of the Fall of Cadia. Rather than focus on major characters or events from that large narrative event, we get disjointed stories from across the planet as several character threads are followed in the cataclysmic battle for the world. All Cadians were required to serve at least a four-year-term in the planetary military, and the amount of military presence on the world led the civilian population to become focused on weapons production. 71.75% of the Cadian population was under arms, either in the highly-skilled and very well-equipped Cadian Planetary Defence Force that was known as the "Cadian Interior Guard" or in the numerous Imperial Guard regiments drawn from the planet's people.The guard are a wonderful faction to read about. I love to read about all the crazies but it takes a good guard novel to let me see how brutal and truely messed up it all is. We all know humans after all. Seeing the new look Imperium through the eyes of defeated cadians is about as brutal as I can imagine. Cadia Stands was a frantic story,it was total overwhelming defeat, it was humiliation. I want to see how they respond when life moves to a new normal.

calancid - you're perfectly entitled not to buy. Superficially there are similarities. Hell - it's common grunts with lasguns facing up against the horrors of the universe. (And both series written by bald men....) Characterization: I'd hazard to call what we have in the book more viewpoints than characters. Obviously, they are characters, but none of them are particularly developed, they all have the same basic drive and behave in basically the same fashion, effectively making it very easy for one to blend into the other. 2/5 Technically speaking then, The Devastation of Baal probably also fits into the timeline at some point after the events of the Dark Imperium books (now that they’re being adjusted to take place earlier on in the crusade) and The Great Work …but for the sake of ease I’ve included it here. Hill does a great job of building on his work in Cadia Stands, continuing to illustrate the character of the Cadians and demonstrating why they deserve their standing within the Imperium’s military, the latter coming across particularly well in the competitive almost-schadenfreude they inspire in other regiments or forces and the way that spurs them onwards. There’s lots to enjoy for Guard fans here, even if those multiple viewpoints mean the expected protagonists aren’t quite as well developed as you’d expect, and the pace occasionally slows down while new characters are introduced into the mix. Overall it’s a valuable, engaging addition to the ever-growing body of Imperial Guard stories, with a tone and feel that’s distinct to Hill’s style and sets it nicely apart from the rest. On the basis of this it should be fascinating to find out whether the Cadians can survive in the long term now that their world is gone and their reputation so badly damaged.Cadia itself was a bleak, merciless and wind-blown planet, where only the strongest survived to adulthood and discipline was learned from the moment a babe took his or her first steps. Cold winds howled across wide, sundered plains where armies trained with live ammunition and every solar day not spent training was believed to be a day wasted. Every Cadian fortress-city, or " Kasr," was a massive citadel, with the streets and buildings fashioned with great tactical cunning by the finest military engineers and siege specialists of the Astra Militarum. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, I would have liked more character development, notably for Minka, but things were not too predictable. I have the feeling that some things were maybe not clear enough some times (for instance, I didn't really get where the author wanted to go with the commissar character), but the overall tone and structure of the story were enjoyable.

Together, these Imperials -- the so-called Celestinian Crusade -- would forge an uneasy alliance with the enigmatic xenos that would offer a new hope for the servants of the Emperor in their fight against the waxing power of the Archenemy -- the resurrection of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman. Note: The Cadian Gate was guarded by the Astartes Praeses but also by elements of 21 other Chapters deployed across the Cadian Sector.The Emperor forced the entire Legion to kneel against their will through the use of his psychic might and then explained that they were the only Astartes Legion to have failed his purpose on the Great Crusade. After this humiliation Lorgar, on the advice of his First Captain Kor Phaeron and the Word Bearers First Chaplain Erebus, decided to undertake a Pilgrimage to discover if the Gods worshipped by the ancient Old Faith of Colchis were real and worthy of the Word Bearers' faith and allegiance. JH: I think this one came out pretty much as planned. It’s the first one I’m thinking at publication: YES! – this is what I wanted to write and I’ve done it.

Your warriors would never flag in the line of duty, but if they did… well, it would be the Commissar’s duty to remind them of their loyalties. This stern (and more than a little intimidating) miniature can swap their chainsword for a power sword if the threat of combat warrants it. Attilan Rough Riders After the full-on chaos of Cadia Stands, the second novel in the series is still very much a war story but it also expands out to encompass a little bit of political and religious intrigue. The plot is based around the 101st defending the world of Potence from Chaos forces, fighting to survive while still adjusting to their new post-Cadia reality. Despite its billing as a Minka Lesk story I’d say it’s still more about the wider 101st than just Minka, but it’s a good continuation of the series. I know we’re not supposed to judge books by their covers, but this one definitely has my favourite cover of any Cadian novel! Lesk knows she must excise this taint of Chaos, for it is not only her life and those of her company at stake but also the honour of Cadia itself. The continent of Cadia Primus was half-drowned, its forested mountainsides now isolated islands scattered across a new ocean. Cadia Secundus lay wreathed in fire, its continental plates sinking as the pressure of their neighbours forced them steadily inwards. None of it mattered. Cadia was already dead.It's the follow-up to Cadia Stands and continues the journey of Minka Lesk and her warriors as they seek revenge against the Imperium's enemies for the loss of their world. Cadian Armoured Regiment, "Rolling Thunder" - The 81st Cadian were also known as the "Gunheads". They fought on the Ork World of Golgatha where they were at first lead by Colonel Kochatkis Vinneman, and later by Lieutenant Gossefried van Droi. I have the feeling that it was as if Saving Private Ryan had all the character development scenes cut only to keep the battle scenes. Unfortunately, doing it this way is much less compelling for I as a reader, as I didn't care enough for the characters to feel involved in the scenes.