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Ciaphas Cain #8
The Last Ditch
Ciaphas Cain returns to Nusquam Fundumentibus to crush the ork attacks which have been plaguing the frozen planet. But when his ship crashes into the wastelands outside the capital it disturbs a far greater enemy, one which has lain dormant under the permafrost since long before the Imperium came to this world.
315 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2012
64 people are currently reading
806 people want to read
About the author
Sandy Mitchell
103 books420 followersSandy Mitchell is a pseudonym of Alex Stewart, who has been a full-time writer since the mid nineteen eighties. The majority of his work as Sandy has been tie-in fiction for Games Workshop's Warhammer fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 science fiction lines. The exceptions have been a novelisation of episodes from the high tech thriller series Bugs, for which he also worked as a scriptwriter under his own name, some Warhammer roleplaying game material, and a scattering of short stories and magazine articles.
His hobbies include the martial arts of Aikido and Iaido, miniature wargaming, role-playing games, and pottering about on the family allotment.
He lives in the North Essex village of Earls Colne, with his wife Judith and daughter Hester.
His hobbies include the martial arts of Aikido and Iaido, miniature wargaming, role-playing games, and pottering about on the family allotment.
He lives in the North Essex village of Earls Colne, with his wife Judith and daughter Hester.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
June 15, 2017
The Last Ditch by Sandy Mitchell is the eighth novel in Black Library's Ciaphas Cain series. For those unfamiliar with the series, it is about a ostensibly cowardly commissar (political officer) assigned to a mixed-gender unit of the Imperial Guard. Set in the Warhammer 40K universe, it follows Commissar Cain as he recounts his biography and how he went from being a lowly junior officer to one of the greatest heroes of the Imperium. The joke being that Ciaphas Cain considers himself to be nothing of the sort due to the fact that most of his victories come from either blind luck or due to exercising his well-honed instinct for self-preservation.
I'm a fan of the series, enjoying it in its entirety. Unfortunately, the formula is something I'm not sure will stand up indefinitely. The Last Ditch feels like a retread, repeating the same basic story arc of a number of previous books. Ciaphas Cain goes to a planet that's imperiled, finds an unexpected threat, manages to deal with it, deals with an obstructive bureaucracy. I'm sorry to say that I didn't really enjoy it. It's more or less a retelling of Caves of Ice, even ending the same way, which seriously undermines my enjoyment factor.
It's not that I expect epic character arcs, Ciaphas Cain is a static character by nature since we know he remains a arguable coward for the entirety of his life. It's just I expect the author to try to come up with a new story. Unfortunately, he didn't, and the story is problematic to review. If it continues to simply rehash old stories, however, I may have to ditch it. Well, that's probably unfair. Ciaphas Cain is a series I will continue to purchase the remainder of, especially since it has credibility to burn with me. I loved the original seven books and only occasionally thought they were repeating the same formula. I mean, it took me until Fate of the Jedi to realize the Star Wars Expanded Universe had burned every last bit of goodwill it had with me.
The basic conceit of the story is still there and enjoyable. Ciaphas Cain is a man who is utterly insincere with all the people around him who believe he's a ridiculously talented warrior. In fact, Ciaphas Cain is simply practical and takes time to figure out how he's going to get out of any situation he gets into. In the setting of Warhammer 40K, where everyone is a religious fanatic for the God Emperor of Mankind, this makes him a military genius. It's also hilarious to see how he keeps getting into trouble no matter how hard he tries to stay out of it.
I'm also a fan of Ciaphas Cain's editor, Amberley Vale, who is also an Inquisitor of the Imperium. Amberley is Ciaphas Cain's infrequent love interest and the editor of his books. Amberly annotates the entirety of the novel and they're usually hilarious, filling in details about the Warhammer 40K universe or satirizing pop culture at equal turns. It's hard to say which of the two is snarkier and those are qualities I like in my protagonists. All of this remains true in The Last Ditch, though the humor isn't quite as sharp as it usually is.
Really, though I think my favorite character is probably Kasteen. She's one of the rare action girls in the Warhammer 40K universe since we rarely get to see the Sisters of Battle. Kasteen is a no-nonsense soldier who backs up Ciaphas Cain no matter what his decision and a romance never develops. That's practically unprecedented in the fiction I read, I'm shocked. She too, gets to do some impressive things in the story.
Unfortunately, that's about it. The new character of Commissar Florres makes a bunch of mistakes but doesn't really serve as anything like a rival to Commissar Cain. Mostly, she just seems to annoy him a couple of times before the plot is unceremoniously resolved. The antagonists, themselves, are completely mindless so there's no real villain. Since we don't care about any of the new characters, know Commissar Cain will live to write his memoirs, and the planet is undeveloped - I can't say the book has much in the way of tension. In short, I didn't like it but it's not badly written. Take it for what it's worth.
5/10
I'm a fan of the series, enjoying it in its entirety. Unfortunately, the formula is something I'm not sure will stand up indefinitely. The Last Ditch feels like a retread, repeating the same basic story arc of a number of previous books. Ciaphas Cain goes to a planet that's imperiled, finds an unexpected threat, manages to deal with it, deals with an obstructive bureaucracy. I'm sorry to say that I didn't really enjoy it. It's more or less a retelling of Caves of Ice, even ending the same way, which seriously undermines my enjoyment factor.
It's not that I expect epic character arcs, Ciaphas Cain is a static character by nature since we know he remains a arguable coward for the entirety of his life. It's just I expect the author to try to come up with a new story. Unfortunately, he didn't, and the story is problematic to review. If it continues to simply rehash old stories, however, I may have to ditch it. Well, that's probably unfair. Ciaphas Cain is a series I will continue to purchase the remainder of, especially since it has credibility to burn with me. I loved the original seven books and only occasionally thought they were repeating the same formula. I mean, it took me until Fate of the Jedi to realize the Star Wars Expanded Universe had burned every last bit of goodwill it had with me.
The basic conceit of the story is still there and enjoyable. Ciaphas Cain is a man who is utterly insincere with all the people around him who believe he's a ridiculously talented warrior. In fact, Ciaphas Cain is simply practical and takes time to figure out how he's going to get out of any situation he gets into. In the setting of Warhammer 40K, where everyone is a religious fanatic for the God Emperor of Mankind, this makes him a military genius. It's also hilarious to see how he keeps getting into trouble no matter how hard he tries to stay out of it.
I'm also a fan of Ciaphas Cain's editor, Amberley Vale, who is also an Inquisitor of the Imperium. Amberley is Ciaphas Cain's infrequent love interest and the editor of his books. Amberly annotates the entirety of the novel and they're usually hilarious, filling in details about the Warhammer 40K universe or satirizing pop culture at equal turns. It's hard to say which of the two is snarkier and those are qualities I like in my protagonists. All of this remains true in The Last Ditch, though the humor isn't quite as sharp as it usually is.
Really, though I think my favorite character is probably Kasteen. She's one of the rare action girls in the Warhammer 40K universe since we rarely get to see the Sisters of Battle. Kasteen is a no-nonsense soldier who backs up Ciaphas Cain no matter what his decision and a romance never develops. That's practically unprecedented in the fiction I read, I'm shocked. She too, gets to do some impressive things in the story.
Unfortunately, that's about it. The new character of Commissar Florres makes a bunch of mistakes but doesn't really serve as anything like a rival to Commissar Cain. Mostly, she just seems to annoy him a couple of times before the plot is unceremoniously resolved. The antagonists, themselves, are completely mindless so there's no real villain. Since we don't care about any of the new characters, know Commissar Cain will live to write his memoirs, and the planet is undeveloped - I can't say the book has much in the way of tension. In short, I didn't like it but it's not badly written. Take it for what it's worth.
5/10
August 5, 2023
Imperial Commissars are the object of fear and respect in the eyes of the average Imperial Guardsman. Created in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, the Commissariat selects only the finest products of the elite Schola Progenium. The Schola Progenium is a training academy that are found on most large Imperial worlds. Accepting the scions of the aristocrats, nobles, and other Imperial elites. It also accepts the orphans of the bravest of the Astra Militarum (Imperial Navy and Imperial Guard). Here they are trained for the most difficult tasks in the Imperium. Part military academy, part Marine Corps Boot Camp the Schola Progenium trains its charges under the watchful eye of Drill-Abbots. The very best become Commissars carrying out the "Will of the Empire".
Then there is Ciphas Cain. That is not to say Cain is incompetent or a coward. He is neither. He is a true Hero of the Imperium and has laid low countless enemies. He just isn't all into the "Rah! Let's all die for the glory of the God-Emperor!" line of thinking and neither is he deeply religious in a setting known for its fanaticism, in fact he often refers to the overly religious as "Emperor botherers" for their propensity to call out "Emperor protect" or "Emperor guide me!".
In the grimdark setting of 40K Cain's exploits are written with a grim and dry sense of humor that never fails to amuse. Sometimes in this setting, we find normal humans who are seemingly "blessed" by the Emperor and Cain certainly qualifies. While he is indeed an exceptional warrior (praised even by Astartes and Inquisitors alike), he is someone who is seemingly incredibly lucky and seems to be divinely protected. A stray shot, randomly hits a canister and immolates 30 enemy troops, shells landing nearby that prove to be duds, surviving overwhelming odds, etc.
Accompanied by his trusted aide, Jurgen, who is also a null-blank. A blank is someone who has no soul and thus nullifies the presence of the Warp. It also makes them uncomfortable to be around for most normal people.
Cain and the Vallhallan Regiment must deploy to Nusquam Fundementibus to stop an Ork infestation but find themselves having woken up a dormant Tyrannid Hive ship instead. What follows is an action packed and darkly humorous story.
I always enjoy a good Ciphas Cain story and this one does not disappoint.
Then there is Ciphas Cain. That is not to say Cain is incompetent or a coward. He is neither. He is a true Hero of the Imperium and has laid low countless enemies. He just isn't all into the "Rah! Let's all die for the glory of the God-Emperor!" line of thinking and neither is he deeply religious in a setting known for its fanaticism, in fact he often refers to the overly religious as "Emperor botherers" for their propensity to call out "Emperor protect" or "Emperor guide me!".
In the grimdark setting of 40K Cain's exploits are written with a grim and dry sense of humor that never fails to amuse. Sometimes in this setting, we find normal humans who are seemingly "blessed" by the Emperor and Cain certainly qualifies. While he is indeed an exceptional warrior (praised even by Astartes and Inquisitors alike), he is someone who is seemingly incredibly lucky and seems to be divinely protected. A stray shot, randomly hits a canister and immolates 30 enemy troops, shells landing nearby that prove to be duds, surviving overwhelming odds, etc.
Accompanied by his trusted aide, Jurgen, who is also a null-blank. A blank is someone who has no soul and thus nullifies the presence of the Warp. It also makes them uncomfortable to be around for most normal people.
Cain and the Vallhallan Regiment must deploy to Nusquam Fundementibus to stop an Ork infestation but find themselves having woken up a dormant Tyrannid Hive ship instead. What follows is an action packed and darkly humorous story.
I always enjoy a good Ciphas Cain story and this one does not disappoint.
April 15, 2025
Stop me if you've heard this one: Cain and the Valhallans drop on a planet to fight a simple threat that they should be able to handle, then something immensely more ominous and terrifying crawls out of the woodwork and makes things so much more complicated. Add in the usual stuff of Cain hoping things to go well but adding "Of course if I'd known how badly things would go...", Vail sprinkling in a whole lot of footnotes that don't really add anything of substance, and Jurgen's smell, and we've got the single most formulaic installment in the series yet.
Ciaphas Cain was never the most original or inventive of franchises, but this is the first time there wasn't much anything of note there. Just by the numbers.
Ciaphas Cain was never the most original or inventive of franchises, but this is the first time there wasn't much anything of note there. Just by the numbers.
May 7, 2013
Formulaic but fun Ciaphas Cain (ahem Black Adder) adventure. Some elements are in danger of turning into 'Sandy Mitchell Boiler Plate'.
- Cain references he's a coward.
- Cain uses 40k Gamer speak no one else on the universe seems to use.
- Cain references unwashed socks and halitosis.
- Cain is grateful for a cup of Tanna.
- Cain references that while he is uncomfortable, it is all going to get so much worse.
- Amberley shows up after they cheat death and the scene cuts to black as they have dinner and then (assumably) make out and make Jurgens (ahem Baldrick) watch..
- Cain references he's a coward.
- Cain uses 40k Gamer speak no one else on the universe seems to use.
- Cain references unwashed socks and halitosis.
- Cain is grateful for a cup of Tanna.
- Cain references that while he is uncomfortable, it is all going to get so much worse.
- Amberley shows up after they cheat death and the scene cuts to black as they have dinner and then (assumably) make out and make Jurgens (ahem Baldrick) watch..
August 26, 2012
Anyone unfamiliar to the adventures of Ciaphas Cain need only know that he is a self-serving, incredibly paranoid, skilled liar, who is happy to put as many bodies between him and the enemy as possible in order to save his own skin.
The only reason we sympathise with him as a character is because although underneath he may be completely craven, on the outside he has inadvertently created this persona as being a "Hero of The Imperium."
Cain, having observed the tendency of many members of the Commissariat to fall victim to "accidental" friendly fire, prefers to lead by example and encouragement instead of fear, and has gained a reputation for charismatic leadership, self-effacing heroism and concern for the common trooper. This has spiraled rather out of Cain's control and he now is frequently assigned to dangerous and suicidal missions. Dealing with legions of alien xenos or armies of depraved heretics should be no problem for the "Hero of The Imperium."
'The Last Ditch' is another great example of Cain and his (mis)adventures. Seeking as ever to be as far from the fighting as possible he finds himself once again squarely in the cross hairs of his enemies.
The only reason we sympathise with him as a character is because although underneath he may be completely craven, on the outside he has inadvertently created this persona as being a "Hero of The Imperium."
Cain, having observed the tendency of many members of the Commissariat to fall victim to "accidental" friendly fire, prefers to lead by example and encouragement instead of fear, and has gained a reputation for charismatic leadership, self-effacing heroism and concern for the common trooper. This has spiraled rather out of Cain's control and he now is frequently assigned to dangerous and suicidal missions. Dealing with legions of alien xenos or armies of depraved heretics should be no problem for the "Hero of The Imperium."
'The Last Ditch' is another great example of Cain and his (mis)adventures. Seeking as ever to be as far from the fighting as possible he finds himself once again squarely in the cross hairs of his enemies.
March 6, 2024
Commissar Ciaphas Cain and the Valhallan 597th are deployed to Nusquam Fundumentibus to deal with an incursion of orks. The campaign promises to be standard, although still dangerous, until Cain learns of a far greater threat lurking on the planet, one which sees both the humans and orks as enemies.
The redoubtable Ciaphas Cain - the science fantasy by-product of an unholy union between Flashman and BlackAdder - returns in his eighth novel. Once again, Cain is deployed to a trouble spot which seems a bit iffy, but practical to deal with. Also once again, complications ensure which gives Cain an enormous headache and results in a highly enjoyable adventure for the reader.
The previous Cain novel, The Emperor's Finest, was solid but did not represent the series at its best, with too much of Cain and Jurgen running around in isolated corridors where the opportunities for Cain - and Mitchell - to show off their skills with entertaining dialogue and character observations were limited. Fortunately, The Last Ditch is a return to form. Whilst we once again get a lot of action sequences, we also get a lot more character development and even politics, as Cain has to balance the needs of the 597th in fighting the ork incursion with the civil administration of the planet, who are trying to hold things together in the face of collapse. Of course, Cain (and the aromatic Jurgen) ends up at the hot end of the fighting despite desperately trying to find reasons to stay behind the lines.
The timeline means we get to spend more time with the characters of the 597th, including the batty Sulla, whose insane hero worship of Cain (further enhanced by excerpts from her later-published, badly-overwritten memoirs) remains extremely amusing. However, by this time Cain has been fighting (successfully) alongside the 597th for so long that Colonel Kasteen and Major Broklaw just go along with anything he suggests, which means relatively little tension in that quarter.
Tension is restored by the difficult relationship between the 597th, Cain and the planetary governor, who for once is (relatively) immune to Cain's charms and tries to continue politicking even in the face of an overwhelming alien threat. This is promising, but Mitchell punts off this storyline for Kasteen and Broklaw to deal with off-page, meaning we only get edited highlights from the subplot whilst Cain is off elsewhere.
Another potential source of rich conflict is Cain encountering a younger, more gung-ho Commissar fresh out of the academy, all too eager to start executing Imperial troops the nanosecond they slack off. Cain's more pragmatic, cooperative approaching clashing with the raw orthodoxy of the Commissariat would again be an interesting storyline, but again it's cut short by Commissar Forres relatively quickly coming around to Cain's way of thinking and becoming a useful ally.
Still, if Mitchell dodges these potentially engaging storylines, what we have is fun enough. A relatively epic narrative featuring a raging war across an entire planet told in a commendably concise number of pages, with enough plots twists, reversals, action sequences and wry humour to satisfy fans of the series, The Last Ditch (****) is entertaining. The novel is available now as part of the Ciaphas Cain: Saviour of the Imperium omnibus, along with the preceding and succeeding novels and several short stories.
The redoubtable Ciaphas Cain - the science fantasy by-product of an unholy union between Flashman and BlackAdder - returns in his eighth novel. Once again, Cain is deployed to a trouble spot which seems a bit iffy, but practical to deal with. Also once again, complications ensure which gives Cain an enormous headache and results in a highly enjoyable adventure for the reader.
The previous Cain novel, The Emperor's Finest, was solid but did not represent the series at its best, with too much of Cain and Jurgen running around in isolated corridors where the opportunities for Cain - and Mitchell - to show off their skills with entertaining dialogue and character observations were limited. Fortunately, The Last Ditch is a return to form. Whilst we once again get a lot of action sequences, we also get a lot more character development and even politics, as Cain has to balance the needs of the 597th in fighting the ork incursion with the civil administration of the planet, who are trying to hold things together in the face of collapse. Of course, Cain (and the aromatic Jurgen) ends up at the hot end of the fighting despite desperately trying to find reasons to stay behind the lines.
The timeline means we get to spend more time with the characters of the 597th, including the batty Sulla, whose insane hero worship of Cain (further enhanced by excerpts from her later-published, badly-overwritten memoirs) remains extremely amusing. However, by this time Cain has been fighting (successfully) alongside the 597th for so long that Colonel Kasteen and Major Broklaw just go along with anything he suggests, which means relatively little tension in that quarter.
Tension is restored by the difficult relationship between the 597th, Cain and the planetary governor, who for once is (relatively) immune to Cain's charms and tries to continue politicking even in the face of an overwhelming alien threat. This is promising, but Mitchell punts off this storyline for Kasteen and Broklaw to deal with off-page, meaning we only get edited highlights from the subplot whilst Cain is off elsewhere.
Another potential source of rich conflict is Cain encountering a younger, more gung-ho Commissar fresh out of the academy, all too eager to start executing Imperial troops the nanosecond they slack off. Cain's more pragmatic, cooperative approaching clashing with the raw orthodoxy of the Commissariat would again be an interesting storyline, but again it's cut short by Commissar Forres relatively quickly coming around to Cain's way of thinking and becoming a useful ally.
Still, if Mitchell dodges these potentially engaging storylines, what we have is fun enough. A relatively epic narrative featuring a raging war across an entire planet told in a commendably concise number of pages, with enough plots twists, reversals, action sequences and wry humour to satisfy fans of the series, The Last Ditch (****) is entertaining. The novel is available now as part of the Ciaphas Cain: Saviour of the Imperium omnibus, along with the preceding and succeeding novels and several short stories.
January 2, 2024
It's a Ciaphas Cain novel, so it's action-packed, fast-paced and hilarious, in more or less the same way as are all Ciaphas Cain novels. Our reluctant hero finds himself returning to an ice world in the company of his malodorous aide and accompanying Valhallans, where his 'undeserved' heroic reputation sees him repeatedly stumble into exactly the sort of danger he tries very hard to avoid.
Cain's obliviousness to his own leadership qualities is a central theme of all these books and the joke is still far from wearing thin, but it is becoming noticeable that it's doing a lot of heavy lifting in the absence of new ideas. Very easy to recommended for fans of the series, or anyone curious to see how Captain Blackadder might fare in the 41st Millennium, but there's nothing particularly new to distinguish this from the previous seven books in the series.
Cain's obliviousness to his own leadership qualities is a central theme of all these books and the joke is still far from wearing thin, but it is becoming noticeable that it's doing a lot of heavy lifting in the absence of new ideas. Very easy to recommended for fans of the series, or anyone curious to see how Captain Blackadder might fare in the 41st Millennium, but there's nothing particularly new to distinguish this from the previous seven books in the series.
September 5, 2019
This was an interesting take on the 40K universe but after reading 7 novels of Ciaphas apart from two of them they are pretty similar. Nothing was learn and nothing was given as extra. We learn nothing more. The only thing we learn is that Tyranids have been in the know-galaxy far longer than humans thought. Amberley was only seen for one page; sulla a couple of pages.
Well Ciaphas is yet again in a world being invaded not one BUT two enemies. The next novel will feature tyranids & tau. Let us see if it's better. This is not bad by all means. I only think that's more the same.
Well Ciaphas is yet again in a world being invaded not one BUT two enemies. The next novel will feature tyranids & tau. Let us see if it's better. This is not bad by all means. I only think that's more the same.
October 25, 2025
A good read, lots of action!
April 12, 2022
Really wasn't very interesting and the pace was frustratingly slowed by overly-frequent and useless footnotes. Moreover, the humour etc really wasn't very good.
January 21, 2025
After the relative disappointment of "The Emperor's Finest", it's good to be reading a Ciaphas Cain novel with all the classic elements in it, namely the familiar faces of the Valhallan 597th backing him up...
"A new campaign battling Orks on the frigid iceball known as Nusquam Fundumentibus is a bus man's holiday for the fighting men and women of the Valhallan 597th Imperial Guard regiment, while for Ciaphas Cain, it's another engagement in the running battle of trying to maintain his heroic reputation while keeping his scrawny rear out of the firing line, combined with the additional headache of the local regiment and its newly minted Commissar trying to make a name for themselves. But when an unexpected turn of events uncovers something far older and more dangerous than the Orks waking up beneath the planet's surface, Cain, Jurgen, Kasteen, Broklaw, Sulla and the rest are thrown in a battle that could have dire consequences for the galaxy if they fail... "
It was deeply satisfying to see the old gang back in this book, the action sequences nail biting as you're left unsure if Cain will make it out in one piece this time, and with the ever present blend of sarcasm and dry wit playing out against the grimdark of the 41st millennium, this is definitely one of my favourite books of the series...
"A new campaign battling Orks on the frigid iceball known as Nusquam Fundumentibus is a bus man's holiday for the fighting men and women of the Valhallan 597th Imperial Guard regiment, while for Ciaphas Cain, it's another engagement in the running battle of trying to maintain his heroic reputation while keeping his scrawny rear out of the firing line, combined with the additional headache of the local regiment and its newly minted Commissar trying to make a name for themselves. But when an unexpected turn of events uncovers something far older and more dangerous than the Orks waking up beneath the planet's surface, Cain, Jurgen, Kasteen, Broklaw, Sulla and the rest are thrown in a battle that could have dire consequences for the galaxy if they fail... "
It was deeply satisfying to see the old gang back in this book, the action sequences nail biting as you're left unsure if Cain will make it out in one piece this time, and with the ever present blend of sarcasm and dry wit playing out against the grimdark of the 41st millennium, this is definitely one of my favourite books of the series...
June 8, 2013
I adore the Cain novels and this one didn't disappoint. There is tons of action and a good dose of humor. Unlike so many 40k books, the Cain novels don't seem to take themselves too seriously. (Can a book take itself seriously?) Anyway, I love the self-depreciating wit of Ciaphus. Every bit of The Last Ditch is a page turner, as I found when I finished the book and realized it was 5 am. I can't wait to read The Greater Good! Keep them coming! (I would love to read about Cain coming out of retirement for the Black Crusade *hint* *hint*)
September 29, 2020
Another enjoyable escapade featuring Ciaphas Cain. They're becoming a little bit formulaic, but Sandy Mitchell's slightly lighter take on the grimdark 40k universe always makes for an entertaining evening's read.
July 6, 2013
The least-good Cain book so far.
April 17, 2025
Ciaphas Cain, hero of the Imperium, veteran commissar, and would-be coward (if only he didn't have that dratted reputation for heroism hanging around his neck) finds himself where he least wants to be: confronting a xenos invasion of an Imperium world, and if that wasn't enough it's yet another ice planet, Nusquam Fundamentibus (which if my reading of google translate can be trusted, means "fundamentally nowhere"), where the orks have once again reared their ugly heads (it's a problem with a species that reproduces by spores, they just keep popping up anywhere they've been before no matter how thoroughly you kill off the local infestation), but that's what you get when you're attached to a regiment of ice-worlders who have a particular feud with orks (due to their own planet's history). As if that wasn't bad enough, due to a lack of official resources, the regiment is forced to make use of civilian transport aboard a ship with... dubious safety credentials, and the fact that something other than just another greenskin rampage seems to be going on...
At this point, Sandy Mitchell has his formula down pat, and this is yet another fun romp with Ciaphas and his unflappable aide Jurgen saving the day (begrudgingly). Honestly, there's a lot of parallels between this book and the earlier volume "Caves of Ice" (ice world, ork invasion, *something* else is a bigger threat) in the basic story beats but the real draw of the series isn't that it breaks the mold in coming up with new story concepts, it's the amusing ways that Ciaphas and Jurgen (and the gung-ho Valhallans) deal with the events of the story (and how often Ciaphas ends up "volunteering" to save the day when he'd rather do anything else) and the editor's amusing commentary, all of which this book has in spades.
At this point, Sandy Mitchell has his formula down pat, and this is yet another fun romp with Ciaphas and his unflappable aide Jurgen saving the day (begrudgingly). Honestly, there's a lot of parallels between this book and the earlier volume "Caves of Ice" (ice world, ork invasion, *something* else is a bigger threat) in the basic story beats but the real draw of the series isn't that it breaks the mold in coming up with new story concepts, it's the amusing ways that Ciaphas and Jurgen (and the gung-ho Valhallans) deal with the events of the story (and how often Ciaphas ends up "volunteering" to save the day when he'd rather do anything else) and the editor's amusing commentary, all of which this book has in spades.
November 17, 2023
Now, a short disclaimer here - it was the audiobook that got me. As usual with my sojourn into the adventures of Ciaphas Cain, I intended to hold off between book 7 and book 8 of the series. That having been said, I quickly caved and dove right into 'The Last Ditch' as soon as I finished 'The Emperor's Finest'.
It was delightful to read about the commissar and Jurgen's adventures on an ice world. The journeys were thrilling, the characters pleasant to follow around, and the twists made for a great time! Well, as long as you enjoyed them from a long way off. Naturally, having finished book 8, I dove right into 'The Greater Good'.
It was delightful to read about the commissar and Jurgen's adventures on an ice world. The journeys were thrilling, the characters pleasant to follow around, and the twists made for a great time! Well, as long as you enjoyed them from a long way off. Naturally, having finished book 8, I dove right into 'The Greater Good'.
December 11, 2020
This was a little bit slow and reminds one of the previous novels a little too much. I love the Cain series, so I am still giving it a good rating.
The addition of a young commissar adds a nice dichotomy that highlights just how different Cain is from the standard commissar stereotype. Unfortunately, there isn't much more of interest in the book. Almost everything is a been there done that thing. Other than a fine description of a rolling fight in a convoy in a snow storm on an ice planet, you won't find much new.
The addition of a young commissar adds a nice dichotomy that highlights just how different Cain is from the standard commissar stereotype. Unfortunately, there isn't much more of interest in the book. Almost everything is a been there done that thing. Other than a fine description of a rolling fight in a convoy in a snow storm on an ice planet, you won't find much new.
May 24, 2022
This was an enjoyable book from Sandy Mitchell. Cain is always fun to follow Cain around and the author’s mix of comedy and action is top notch.
My one issue with the book is the formula is starting to wear a bit then. We’ve seen Cain in similar situations and we really don’t get any new insights into any of the main characters.
My issue aside, I had a good time reading it. I just hope we find Cain in a more interesting situation next adventure.
My one issue with the book is the formula is starting to wear a bit then. We’ve seen Cain in similar situations and we really don’t get any new insights into any of the main characters.
My issue aside, I had a good time reading it. I just hope we find Cain in a more interesting situation next adventure.
June 4, 2025
Back with another Cain book. The Last Ditch follows the tested and approved formula of dropping Commissar Cain somewhere he doesn’t want to be, encountering foes he does not want to fight and gradually making things worse for him from there on out. It is a classic formula, and while The Last Ditch doesn’t necessarily improve nor add anything new to it, it remains a solid read. If you love the Caphais Cain series you’re gonna like this one.
July 30, 2019
Cain heads to an ice world, much to the joy of the Vahallans he is attached to. Of course putting down a small Ork problem turns into something much more horrifying. Cain and Jurgen use all their luck and skill, mostly luck, just to survive their landing. Another good, action packed adventure, can't wait for the next. Check it out.
October 17, 2025
Definitely has some fun moments of levity, but not as compelling as the other books in this series. If you've liked the last 7 books, you'll like this one. Somewhat wish there was more variety in the antagonists compared to the previous books, but still enjoyable.
As with most 40k novels, in my opinion, the audiobook is the way to go.
As with most 40k novels, in my opinion, the audiobook is the way to go.
July 2, 2018
One of the more action packed entries in the series, Commissar Cain’s unit is engaged in defending and ice world against Orks only to inadvertently awaken dormant Tyranids. It’s a straight forward story with all the familiar bits in the Cain saga.
December 11, 2021
Quick impressions: I found it an improvement over the previous novel in the series (Emperor's Finest). Cain remains the reluctant but very likeable hero. The tale offers good action and some good humor as well.
(Full review on my blog later)
(Full review on my blog later)
December 5, 2023
More dull than most Caine books. It just felt very same-y, like I had already read it all before. Especially since I'm pretty sure "we're fighting the orks but oh wait now we're ACTUALLY fighting the tyrannids" has definitely been done at least once before in this series.
November 29, 2018
These series of books definitely found their stride with book No. 7 and this one is pretty good too
February 13, 2019
Good Characters. Great start to the book.
great Finish, lags a tad in the middle.
great Finish, lags a tad in the middle.
May 24, 2019
A good book, but let down by the sameness of the plot compared to previous entries in the series. While it was a fun read, too much of it was too similar to other books in the series.
October 20, 2021
Many of the criticisms of the Cain novels being repetitive are born out in this volume but the books remain well paced with some entertaining moments.
July 24, 2022
Witty and almost formualic by this stage. Still a good read and plenty of entertainment.
October 26, 2022
The same.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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