It's an excellent read, a real page turner as I find all his books to be. Some of the characters seem a little lacking in personality compared to the Tanith Ghosts and the ending seems rather abrupt but these are fairly minor niggles.
What really grabbed me was the setting. It's pretty much bang on the nose in reflecting the GZG "Tuffleyverse" or AAG "Tomorrowverse". Some troops use a Limb Assist Exo Frame (LEAF) to help support the weight of their M3A Hardlaser (beam) emitter or "piper". Others are equipped with standard projectile weapons. The action takes place on the colony world of 86 (not yet important enough to warrant a name) and when the troops take a trip in their hopters out to Eyeburn Junction, you can almost visualise it on the tabletop, a collection of crummy refabs and shacks like those available from Mad Mecha Guy or GZG. Little patches of chopped up astroturf for the crop fields around it. A couple of colony hab modules from Antenociti's workshop as the small weather station nearby.
It's the little touches that bring the book alive, things like the mainprotagonist grumbling about the corporate rebranding of "ProFood" who have replaced their old Astronut "Bill Berry" logo with "that shit, bland Rooster Booster thing".
Not quiet up to the usual Dan Abnett standards but still worthy of a B+ I reckon!
I also enjoyed the novel, and would enjoy reading more in that universe.
ReplyDeleteLots of potential I should think. Let's keep our fingers crossed for more!
DeleteI enjoyed it a lot aswell. As you say with Abnett it's all the details like the autocleaning vibrating glasses, the ling patch, etc. But lets not forget the ending that makes you go 'Oh I get it !'
ReplyDeleteYes indeed!
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