Traitor Rock

[Knockagh]

Inspired by the Vincula insurgency I couldn’t let traitor rock sit on the shelf any longer.

Starts with a reference to my favourite historical character and top pick for my history dinner guests Brother Martin Luther, although I would have preferred it if Justin had had Bellona come up with his core thinking on the toilet like the man himself rather than meditating in a monks cell.

[Marshal Vespasian]

I lostened to it on audible in the background. I am liking the cadia series so far. I do tend to forget that cadians are actually an interesting faction them being poster boys (and girls) and all.

 

I do feel that Minka is being a bit too good though. Then again shes the main character so I guess its fine.

[Knockagh]

Great addition to the Cadian series. The loss of cadia and the humiliation of defeat continues to weigh heavily on the 101st. Lesk, Bendikt and the others (mostly them) develop nicely. We also get an answer to the ‘what next’ for the cadian regiments question. I think I it’s well done and will add interest to the series as new recruits filter through into the midst of some pretty fragile people. Also allows GW to keep churning out the cadian kits for a while yet!

Lesk is a superb character and her personal reflections could definitely be made more of. She ends the book as a lieutenant and personally I hope she stops there for a good while. Rapid progress is understandable under the circumstances with the high attrition rate and her capabilities but I would rather see her with the troops a while longer.

The combats pretty cool although I did scan read some of it, like most BL it’s a little laboured but the end is surprisingly abrupt.

Pretty sure this won’t be the last we see of these characters and I for one hope we see some more coming soon. Cadians are a huge iconic piece of 40k for me and I love that their story is being told. The flashbacks to life on Cadia, the families of the soldiers are all fantastic reads.

I think the priest is more of a Thomas Muntzer than a Luther.

[sitnam]

I'm halfway through this book on audible, and loving it. Does anyone have the name of the Asteroid Miner regiment? Their description sounds so freaking cool.

 

I also think that Justin has something for Drookian Fen Guard, they had a few chapters in Cadia Stands as well

Edited August 21, 2021 by sitnam

[Roomsky]

Another solid entry into a solid series. I was surprised the engagement was largely unrelated to the previous one - Honour seemed like it was building up Drakul-Zar as an overarching foe for the Cadians, but I appreciate a very wide mini-setting as well; variety is good for 40k. While the plot didn't grip me as much as Honour's, the character work more than makes up for it - the little vignettes off the battlefield are the highlight here. Hill is delivering a series 3 deep with each entry quite different from the last, but which flow together nicely. I hope it continues as a series and doesn't gutter out here, there's lots more untapped ground for Lesk, Bendikt, and the others to battle through.

[ruralguardhipcat]

Second all the positive comments here. I like that there's as much focus on the character of the Cadians, what it means to be a Shock Trooper post the fall of Cadia, as there is the battles. Takes them from being 'generic' regiment, to one with a real unique feel and story. Hope there's more to come!

[DukeLeto69]

Not read this yet (working through my To Read pile) but Justin is a great writer who is getting better.

 

The Cadia books are great. His Necromunda book was one of the best so far. His entry in the Sabbat War anthology was one of my favourites.

 

I would like to see him tackle a title(s) in one of the big series such as Dawn of Fire.

[aa.logan]

I really liked this, not least because doctrinal schisms should be a bigger part of 40K fiction, especially post-rift- if nothing else they’re the easiest way to justify the all-to-frequent Imperium-on-Imperium tabletop encounters we see.

 

The way that Hill explores the Cadian psyche through the Whiteshields is great too.