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The Fall of Cadia
An Astra Militarum Novel
Cadia. This proud world stood defiant for centuries – a bulwark against the forces of Chaos residing in the Eye of Terror. All of this would change when it was targeted for destruction by Abaddon the Despoiler as part of his Thirteenth Black Crusade.
READ IT BECAUSE
The Fall of Cadia is a touchstone moment of the Warhammer 40,000 timeline. This incredible battle led to the opening of the Great Rift and ushered in a grim new era in which even greater threats assailed the Imperium.
THE STORY
Cadia licks its wounds in the wake of the Thirteenth Black Crusade. The heretic forces retreat on all fronts. The day is won. But Lord Castellan Creed cannot rest easy. Something tells him the assault was a mere prelude to something greater, something more final. He is right. Out of the Eye of Terror comes Abaddon the Despoiler, at the head of a warhost unmatched in scale since the dread days of the Horus Heresy.
In the face of the looming apocalypse, Creed must weld the champions of Cadia into a bulwark capable of withstanding Abaddon’s fury. And in orbit, the Despoiler himself finds his own alliance teetering on a knife edge…
This is a tale told at epic scale, from the tables of high command to the slaughter of the pylon fields, and with a huge cast of characters from self-styled demigods to the rank-and-file foot soldiers of the Imperium.
This is the story of Abaddon’s greatest conquest. This is Cadia’s last stand.
Cadia. This proud world stood defiant for centuries – a bulwark against the forces of Chaos residing in the Eye of Terror. All of this would change when it was targeted for destruction by Abaddon the Despoiler as part of his Thirteenth Black Crusade.
READ IT BECAUSE
The Fall of Cadia is a touchstone moment of the Warhammer 40,000 timeline. This incredible battle led to the opening of the Great Rift and ushered in a grim new era in which even greater threats assailed the Imperium.
THE STORY
Cadia licks its wounds in the wake of the Thirteenth Black Crusade. The heretic forces retreat on all fronts. The day is won. But Lord Castellan Creed cannot rest easy. Something tells him the assault was a mere prelude to something greater, something more final. He is right. Out of the Eye of Terror comes Abaddon the Despoiler, at the head of a warhost unmatched in scale since the dread days of the Horus Heresy.
In the face of the looming apocalypse, Creed must weld the champions of Cadia into a bulwark capable of withstanding Abaddon’s fury. And in orbit, the Despoiler himself finds his own alliance teetering on a knife edge…
This is a tale told at epic scale, from the tables of high command to the slaughter of the pylon fields, and with a huge cast of characters from self-styled demigods to the rank-and-file foot soldiers of the Imperium.
This is the story of Abaddon’s greatest conquest. This is Cadia’s last stand.
542 pages, Leather Bound
First published August 5, 2023
446 people are currently reading
942 people want to read
About the author
Robert Rath
25 books209 followersRobert Rath is an author and screenwriter from Honolulu, Hawai'i.
As an author, he's known for working with the publisher Black Library, writing fiction set in the worlds of Warhammer. His work for them includes the necrons novel THE INFINITE AND THE DIVINE, the assassins novel ASSASSINORUM: KINGMAKER, the war epic THE FALL OF CADIA and numerous short stories.
Since 2018 he's served as Head Writer of the animated YouTube show Extra History, where his scripts have attracted over 200 million views
He lives in Hong Kong with his family, amid and a growing pile of models he *swears* are for research.
As an author, he's known for working with the publisher Black Library, writing fiction set in the worlds of Warhammer. His work for them includes the necrons novel THE INFINITE AND THE DIVINE, the assassins novel ASSASSINORUM: KINGMAKER, the war epic THE FALL OF CADIA and numerous short stories.
Since 2018 he's served as Head Writer of the animated YouTube show Extra History, where his scripts have attracted over 200 million views
He lives in Hong Kong with his family, amid and a growing pile of models he *swears* are for research.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
December 4, 2023
'The Fall of Cadia' (2023) is Robert Rath's third Warhammer 40,000 novel and the first time he takes on the task of adapting a crucial event of the 40k canon. It's also the first time that Rath writes in the gerne of the full-blown war novel, after delivering a tremendously enjoyable spy thriller/mecha-arthurian tale in 'Assassinorum Kingmaker' and turning...whatever genre you'd classify the millenia-spanning tale of two feuding Necrons in 'The Infinite and the Divine' as into an instant classic. To be honest, I was a bit worried that Rath's creativity and his breezy style would be wasted within the confines of a novel that'd A. be beholden to established lore instead of an original pitch by himself and B. what would surely have to be a story with a lot of "classic BL shooty shooty bang bang", which can turn boring through overexposure even in the craftiest of hands.
But I needn't have to worry: With 'The Fall of Cadia' Robert Rath delivers a hefty tome that makes good use of its length to tell a layered story that successfully runs the gamut between having fun with the opportunity to turn 40k's craziness up to 11 and taking a serious, empathetic look at the dramas, absurdities and tragedies of people being soldiers in modern warfare.
While the book is anchored by the charisma and plans of the respective legendary masters of war on each side - General Ursarkar E. Creed and Abaddon, Warmaster of Chaos, who're never PoV characters themselves, but centres of gravity for the events unfolding - this novel features an ensemble cast without a definitive protagonist. Instead, there's a variety of characters whose stories form the weave from which the tale of the Fall of Cadia gets made: A sorceress with an unusually intimate relationship both to the Warmaster and his captive Blackstone Fortress. The colour sergeant of the Cadian Eighth and Creed's right-hand man and adjutant. A Khornate champion of the Black Legion, eager to claim the glory of laying waste to the fortress world in the name of his Warmaster and his bloody god. A Cadian lieutenant who gets her first taste of battle with the enemy. An industrious cultist infiltration agent working behind Imperial lines. A pilot flying dangerous recon missions with her co-pilot. A mob boss mainly interested in making a profit of proceedings. An elite Kasrkin pursuing his destiny. The Astartes banner bearer of the local Black Templars Crusade. The twin Canonesses of Cadia's Sisters of Battle. And more besides.
What probably reads like a daunting list of stories to keep track of is actually a finely tuned machine. Rath manages to give every story it's room to breathe without the novel getting overburdened, and every storyline adds something to the wider picture. There're surprising crossings between storylines while the plot moves along, and Rath manages the magic trick of making every storyline memorable in and of themselves plus actually giving them all satisfying, thematically fitting conclusions. He hits the beats he's aiming for and, to forego the conclusion of this review, this is really just a very well crafted novel.
The fact that this book is basically released half a dozen years too late - the event of the destruction of Cadia was introduced to the lore of the setting in 2017 as part of a huge shift in the progression of 40k's meta-story - is turned from a potential bug into a feature. Rath is aware that the eventual fate of Cadia is never in question for us readers - the book is titled The Fall of Cadia, not The Siege of Cadia, after all - and even goes so far as to include excerpts of Imperial textbooks on military history looking *back* at the events of the story that's currently taking place. Rath writes akin to a historian who gets the opportunity to visit a crucial historical event, aware that history is being (has been?) made here while the people living that history are still blissfully and tragically unaware of it. Themes of history and people facing and shaping each other, of how the perception and reality of each clashes with the other and of the ways that people strive to make and own their personal stories is everywhere over the book, from Creed's struggle between his messianic reputation and very human failings to characters pursuing what they perceive to be their destiny or responsibility to even some of the more outlandish elements of the finale.
I read Rath's leanings as a historian also as an explanation for some of his fondness for Trazyn the Infinite (who is such a joy whenever he enters the pages here); after all, Trazyn is living every historian's dream, being able to invincibly and invisibly take part in history while it is being written (plus nicking a few exhibits here and there for posterity, of course).
Adapting such a chaotic background event like 'Gathering Storm I: The Fall of Cadia' (2017) would always have been a challenge, as these galaxy-shaking background events tend to be written as cross-faction free-for-alls akin to a wrestling event ("And there he is WITH A STEEL CHAIR!"). As it is, there was *a lot* going on in 'Gathering Storm I', and there's a real sense of Rath having to carefully pick-and-choose which parts to focus on and which to minimise for his adaptation. As I've written above, he mostly does an amazing job of distilling a thematically homogenous, carefully rounded-out novel out of the source material. When s**t does get wild, it's usually with an air of "isn't it cool how nuts this is?" and the author having fun with the crazy universe he gets to play with, while still being careful about not letting the leash slip too far from the thematic and tonal core of the story. There're just a very few scenes - and we're talking moments I can count on one hand within 700+ pages of novel - were it felt like Rath had to fit something in because it was in 'Gathering Storm I' and *had* to go somewhere instead of it being properly introduced and really clicking in as a cog in the story of this novel.
That being said, The Fall of Cadia is a definitive recommendation to every fan of the 41st millenium, a massive story full of all the dark, crazy, tragic, fun, gruesome, outlandish and serious facets of this wild sci-fi universe. It continues Rath's streak of tremendously enjoyable homerun novels and cements his reputation as one of the stars of the current generation of Black Library authors.
But I needn't have to worry: With 'The Fall of Cadia' Robert Rath delivers a hefty tome that makes good use of its length to tell a layered story that successfully runs the gamut between having fun with the opportunity to turn 40k's craziness up to 11 and taking a serious, empathetic look at the dramas, absurdities and tragedies of people being soldiers in modern warfare.
While the book is anchored by the charisma and plans of the respective legendary masters of war on each side - General Ursarkar E. Creed and Abaddon, Warmaster of Chaos, who're never PoV characters themselves, but centres of gravity for the events unfolding - this novel features an ensemble cast without a definitive protagonist. Instead, there's a variety of characters whose stories form the weave from which the tale of the Fall of Cadia gets made: A sorceress with an unusually intimate relationship both to the Warmaster and his captive Blackstone Fortress. The colour sergeant of the Cadian Eighth and Creed's right-hand man and adjutant. A Khornate champion of the Black Legion, eager to claim the glory of laying waste to the fortress world in the name of his Warmaster and his bloody god. A Cadian lieutenant who gets her first taste of battle with the enemy. An industrious cultist infiltration agent working behind Imperial lines. A pilot flying dangerous recon missions with her co-pilot. A mob boss mainly interested in making a profit of proceedings. An elite Kasrkin pursuing his destiny. The Astartes banner bearer of the local Black Templars Crusade. The twin Canonesses of Cadia's Sisters of Battle. And more besides.
What probably reads like a daunting list of stories to keep track of is actually a finely tuned machine. Rath manages to give every story it's room to breathe without the novel getting overburdened, and every storyline adds something to the wider picture. There're surprising crossings between storylines while the plot moves along, and Rath manages the magic trick of making every storyline memorable in and of themselves plus actually giving them all satisfying, thematically fitting conclusions. He hits the beats he's aiming for and, to forego the conclusion of this review, this is really just a very well crafted novel.
The fact that this book is basically released half a dozen years too late - the event of the destruction of Cadia was introduced to the lore of the setting in 2017 as part of a huge shift in the progression of 40k's meta-story - is turned from a potential bug into a feature. Rath is aware that the eventual fate of Cadia is never in question for us readers - the book is titled The Fall of Cadia, not The Siege of Cadia, after all - and even goes so far as to include excerpts of Imperial textbooks on military history looking *back* at the events of the story that's currently taking place. Rath writes akin to a historian who gets the opportunity to visit a crucial historical event, aware that history is being (has been?) made here while the people living that history are still blissfully and tragically unaware of it. Themes of history and people facing and shaping each other, of how the perception and reality of each clashes with the other and of the ways that people strive to make and own their personal stories is everywhere over the book, from Creed's struggle between his messianic reputation and very human failings to characters pursuing what they perceive to be their destiny or responsibility to even some of the more outlandish elements of the finale.
I read Rath's leanings as a historian also as an explanation for some of his fondness for Trazyn the Infinite (who is such a joy whenever he enters the pages here); after all, Trazyn is living every historian's dream, being able to invincibly and invisibly take part in history while it is being written (plus nicking a few exhibits here and there for posterity, of course).
Adapting such a chaotic background event like 'Gathering Storm I: The Fall of Cadia' (2017) would always have been a challenge, as these galaxy-shaking background events tend to be written as cross-faction free-for-alls akin to a wrestling event ("And there he is WITH A STEEL CHAIR!"). As it is, there was *a lot* going on in 'Gathering Storm I', and there's a real sense of Rath having to carefully pick-and-choose which parts to focus on and which to minimise for his adaptation. As I've written above, he mostly does an amazing job of distilling a thematically homogenous, carefully rounded-out novel out of the source material. When s**t does get wild, it's usually with an air of "isn't it cool how nuts this is?" and the author having fun with the crazy universe he gets to play with, while still being careful about not letting the leash slip too far from the thematic and tonal core of the story. There're just a very few scenes - and we're talking moments I can count on one hand within 700+ pages of novel - were it felt like Rath had to fit something in because it was in 'Gathering Storm I' and *had* to go somewhere instead of it being properly introduced and really clicking in as a cog in the story of this novel.
That being said, The Fall of Cadia is a definitive recommendation to every fan of the 41st millenium, a massive story full of all the dark, crazy, tragic, fun, gruesome, outlandish and serious facets of this wild sci-fi universe. It continues Rath's streak of tremendously enjoyable homerun novels and cements his reputation as one of the stars of the current generation of Black Library authors.
September 26, 2025
Really enjoyed this one. A fascinating look at terminal patriotism in a world under eternal siege. And plenty of guardsmen!
Cadia Stands!
Cadia Stands!
September 1, 2023
Taking the infamous fall and turning into perhaps the most cohesive and heartbreaking story in modern 40k seems like a dream but it's real! An absolutely fantastic read from one of warhammers best authors.
Cadia stands, as the planet broke before the guard did
Cadia stands, as the planet broke before the guard did
January 21, 2024
I feel like I'm insane, seeing all the praise this book gets, but this was the worst 40k book I've read. My main problem is that it fails on delivering the pathos of an event this important. Most of the characters speak like they are from saturday morning cartoons, Creed does not feel like a competent leader, he's like a generic army sergeant from a kids movie. The space marines are all incredibly dumb, (i have absolutely no problem with stupid stuff in 40k, but marines charging blindly the enemy for absolutely no reason is just immersion breaking), chaos does not feel like chaos for a moment (worst being the khornate daemon prince who starts giving a bad guy monologue INSTEAD of killing the enemy, which is yknow... kinda khornes' thing), and especially Belisarius Cawl, who is written so bad, that he does not feel like himself. The scale is also weirdly small, the book covers like 3 battles, instead of the whole planetary invasion, it does not feel like that this is a pivotal plot point for the setting. There were some better parts, i actually really liked the perspective of the traitor cadian, but i think the fact that the battle for one hive city in Helsreach felt way more epic than the fall of cadia tells a lot about this book.
July 31, 2024
An amazing (long) read.
I really enjoyed the Infinite and Divine and the hilarious dialogue, excellent character representation from the lore and gripping action is clearly Robert Raths signature as it’s present in both books.
I would recommend this to any guard book lovers along with anyone who just enjoys a blow by blow account of a sci-fi action theatre.
I really enjoyed the Infinite and Divine and the hilarious dialogue, excellent character representation from the lore and gripping action is clearly Robert Raths signature as it’s present in both books.
I would recommend this to any guard book lovers along with anyone who just enjoys a blow by blow account of a sci-fi action theatre.
March 7, 2024
I don't have words. What a phenomenal, incredible piece of work. Easily one of Black Library's best and quite possibly one of my new favourite novels.
April 10, 2024
This was an epic 40k novel, comparable to something like Tolstoy's *War and Peace* in terms of narrative scope and cast of characters. There were so many characters and so many subplots that the overarching conflict often took the back seat. The main character if he can even be called that--he appears in about 15% to 20% of the novel), Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed, was intriguing. His personality was dour and cynical but there was also an element of inspiring dignity and resoluteness. If you're a 40k fan, this gives you a panoramic view of the world (although a few bigger factions are missing--like Orks). There are Battle Sisters, Chaos Space Marines, the Inquisition, Necrons, the Mechanicum, and, of course, the Imperial Guard. The planet broke, but Cadia Stands!
January 7, 2025
This book is long and entirely about a battle, so it is a huge achievement on Rath's part that the pace keeps up throughout: personally, at least, I find that the biggest issue with war-focused novels, and it's very understandable given that there are only so many ways you can describe people shooting at and/or hitting each other.
I think what makes it work is that there are a lot - and I mean a LOT - of wonderful characters who we get to know throughout. Not every faction gets a named POV character (thankfully, because the book pushes the limit of how many important people you can keep track of as is!), but we see the battles on Cadia from all levels, from unimportant soldier to Canoness of the Adepta Sororitas to Trazyn the Infinite.
Rath seems to really know what he's doing with character work - I knew this going in having read "The Infinite and the Divine", which is a delightful book - but being able to keep track of so many threads of large-scale battle and small-scale character interactions to the degree shown here is a very impressive feat, and makes for a fantastic, well-rounded military sci-fi story!
I think what makes it work is that there are a lot - and I mean a LOT - of wonderful characters who we get to know throughout. Not every faction gets a named POV character (thankfully, because the book pushes the limit of how many important people you can keep track of as is!), but we see the battles on Cadia from all levels, from unimportant soldier to Canoness of the Adepta Sororitas to Trazyn the Infinite.
Rath seems to really know what he's doing with character work - I knew this going in having read "The Infinite and the Divine", which is a delightful book - but being able to keep track of so many threads of large-scale battle and small-scale character interactions to the degree shown here is a very impressive feat, and makes for a fantastic, well-rounded military sci-fi story!
January 23, 2024
Despite its intimidating size, this was a fast-paced sci-fi action tragedy. You really got a scale of how huge the war was and how many moving parts there were in protecting Cadia. All the different plotlines wove together like this ornate tapestry to tell a story about humanity, love, and hope.
Everyone on the planet knew Cadia would be a loss, but they fought on anyway because they were fighting to preserve what good was left of their world, and because it was worth defending.
The end of the book didn't really feel like an ending to me. The action was still happening all the way to the last couple pages, so there wasn't a lot of time to slow down and tie up loose ends. But I guess that's more a problem 40k books have in general. Overall though, I wasn't expecting to get as emotionally invested in every little plotline as I ended up being, and with there being so many characters to follow, I imagine making a reader connect like that is pretty difficult. Robert Rath has cemented his place in my mind as one of the top tier 40k writers today.
Everyone on the planet knew Cadia would be a loss, but they fought on anyway because they were fighting to preserve what good was left of their world, and because it was worth defending.
The end of the book didn't really feel like an ending to me. The action was still happening all the way to the last couple pages, so there wasn't a lot of time to slow down and tie up loose ends. But I guess that's more a problem 40k books have in general. Overall though, I wasn't expecting to get as emotionally invested in every little plotline as I ended up being, and with there being so many characters to follow, I imagine making a reader connect like that is pretty difficult. Robert Rath has cemented his place in my mind as one of the top tier 40k writers today.
August 10, 2025
4.5 stars (I cannot, in good conscience, give a Warhammer novel 5 stars)
I loved this. Am I proud of it? No. Will I be reading more Warhammer novels in the future? Almost certainly.
Enjoyed this way more than the Eisenhorn trilogy. Struggled a little bit in discussions of binharic cogitators and blackstone pylons, but overall a really fun reading experience for someone who is not super deep into the lore, but still wants to keep up. Dragged a bit in the middle, but I was surprised by how much I liked the ending and that I enjoyed the book throughout considering it is essentially 650 pages of scifi-fantasy battle sequences.
Warhammer exists in an interesting genre niche where it has all the aesthetic elements of science fiction (spaceships, aliens, cyborgs, etc.), but lots of fantasy tropes as well (palace intrigue, sorcery, demons). I have recently thought of myself as a bit of a fantasy hater (thanks GRRM), but I enjoyed this enough to consider carefully whether I will apply that label to myself so readily in the future.
I loved this. Am I proud of it? No. Will I be reading more Warhammer novels in the future? Almost certainly.
Enjoyed this way more than the Eisenhorn trilogy. Struggled a little bit in discussions of binharic cogitators and blackstone pylons, but overall a really fun reading experience for someone who is not super deep into the lore, but still wants to keep up. Dragged a bit in the middle, but I was surprised by how much I liked the ending and that I enjoyed the book throughout considering it is essentially 650 pages of scifi-fantasy battle sequences.
Warhammer exists in an interesting genre niche where it has all the aesthetic elements of science fiction (spaceships, aliens, cyborgs, etc.), but lots of fantasy tropes as well (palace intrigue, sorcery, demons). I have recently thought of myself as a bit of a fantasy hater (thanks GRRM), but I enjoyed this enough to consider carefully whether I will apply that label to myself so readily in the future.
August 25, 2024
In der Tat das beste 40k Buch, was ich bisher gelesen habe.
August 25, 2023
A lot of fun and another hit from Robert Rath. Loved every part of the book minus the segments with the black templar and sisters of battle. The two are among my least favorite units in the universe so it is to be expected for me and would not be fair to deduct any points for them being there since i just inherently don't like them regardless of who is writing them.
Trazyn is always a blast and does not disapoint here as well as abaddon getting his bad ass moments. The guard and aeronautica characters are all solid and likeable, ghent being the standout for me.
The book is a must buy for any 40k fans because it has something in it for everyone just like Rath's other book The Infinite and The Divine. Also if you haven't read that yet, why are you reading my review, read that instead.
Trazyn is always a blast and does not disapoint here as well as abaddon getting his bad ass moments. The guard and aeronautica characters are all solid and likeable, ghent being the standout for me.
The book is a must buy for any 40k fans because it has something in it for everyone just like Rath's other book The Infinite and The Divine. Also if you haven't read that yet, why are you reading my review, read that instead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2024
It's a daunting task to write such a pivotal event in a shared universe like 40K, particularly when the outcome is already so well known. This isn't just "good for Warhammer" - this is an excellent war novel overall, and has the sweep and scale that is up to the challenge of bringing an end to a planet. The viewpoint characters run from the greatest to the smallest on both sides and beyond, and all are compelling. Recommended without hesitation. If you are a 40K fan, this is absolutely required reading.
December 29, 2023
Fantastic book, one of the best Warhammer books I’ve read (and I’ve read a lot of them!). A gripping story of the final days of Cadia told through the perspective of the invading Black Legion and the Cadians and their allies led by Creed. Very exciting and involving, highly recommended
April 19, 2024
Action packed, characterful, heart and gut wrenching prose version of the tale we got in short-ish form in 2017’s “Gathering Storm: Fall of Cadia”.
Seeing the key events fleshed out and done very well was great.
Seeing the key events fleshed out and done very well was great.
May 5, 2025
This was your third book for BL Rath? I hope you get many more submissions sent your way. You deserve all the praise for churning out belter books like this and Infinite and Devine. Both of which will be very high on my recomendations lists. Cadia Stands United indeed.
October 22, 2024
Believe it or not, Cadia Stands.
July 18, 2025
Absolute 40K Cinema - incredible, I could have read/listened to another 8 hours of this masterpiece.
The audiobook is spectacular and I did switch between it and the Kindle version, but David Seddon done such a fantastic job - Toby Longworth has always been the GOAT of 40K audiobooks, but he definitely has competition now.
A book of this scale, literally covering an entire planetary invasion has SO. MANY. characters, and yet Seddon has somehow managed to give every single one their own voice, accent, inflection, and personality, it's so impressive.
I can't fault the book itself at all, it has everything from espionage, politics, warp daemons and all the related weird stuff, "regular" military action and tactics, air-warfare, and everything else in between - there genuinely is something here for every 40K fan, no matter which aspects of the lore is your favourite, there are even multiple Astartes factions, the Inquisition, and even Necrons for Thrones sake.
If I had to have one criticism it's the use of the imperial system (yes I know it's the Imperium not the Metricerium), but this is not something unique to this book - I despise having to figure out yards, feet, and MPH in any book/movie/show/game.
If you like 40K, you NEED to read this, and it's of course vital to the current lore so it's basically required reading.
The audiobook is spectacular and I did switch between it and the Kindle version, but David Seddon done such a fantastic job - Toby Longworth has always been the GOAT of 40K audiobooks, but he definitely has competition now.
A book of this scale, literally covering an entire planetary invasion has SO. MANY. characters, and yet Seddon has somehow managed to give every single one their own voice, accent, inflection, and personality, it's so impressive.
I can't fault the book itself at all, it has everything from espionage, politics, warp daemons and all the related weird stuff, "regular" military action and tactics, air-warfare, and everything else in between - there genuinely is something here for every 40K fan, no matter which aspects of the lore is your favourite, there are even multiple Astartes factions, the Inquisition, and even Necrons for Thrones sake.
If I had to have one criticism it's the use of the imperial system (yes I know it's the Imperium not the Metricerium), but this is not something unique to this book - I despise having to figure out yards, feet, and MPH in any book/movie/show/game.
If you like 40K, you NEED to read this, and it's of course vital to the current lore so it's basically required reading.
June 9, 2025
What an epic. The final stand of a world. Heaps of character POVs, heaps of faction types, plenty of fascinating antagonists. You’ve got kasrkin spec ops, adepta sororitas battle sisters, an inquisitor, regiment, commander, a khorne follower, you’ve got Abaddon who was great to read about having just finished the two Black Legion origin books.
It’s no secret Cadia doesn’t make it, but the slow realisation and acceptance in the characters, who have spent their lives preparing for this eventual cataclysm, was very harrowing.
Ultimately the climax did feel pretty anti climactic - I was expecting some poetic prose about the planet literally fucking exploding but I guess that wasn’t the aim. Heaps of people make it out alive too which I felt brought the stakes down a lot. In fact, I was expecting a long section or chapter about all the people on the planet dying in horrific ways as the planet slowly tore apart. Hm. Guess not. Still great though and that’s just a nitpick in relation to my expectations.
It’s no secret Cadia doesn’t make it, but the slow realisation and acceptance in the characters, who have spent their lives preparing for this eventual cataclysm, was very harrowing.
Ultimately the climax did feel pretty anti climactic - I was expecting some poetic prose about the planet literally fucking exploding but I guess that wasn’t the aim. Heaps of people make it out alive too which I felt brought the stakes down a lot. In fact, I was expecting a long section or chapter about all the people on the planet dying in horrific ways as the planet slowly tore apart. Hm. Guess not. Still great though and that’s just a nitpick in relation to my expectations.
January 6, 2025
While I enjoyed Infinite and the Divine, I didn’t see it as the second coming like some did with Robert Rath. With that said, I was cautiously optimistic about GW giving him the Fall of Cadia, which is practically the same as being asked to write the end of the Horus Heresy; a daunting challenge to even Abnett himself.
I shouldn’t have worried because this book confirms in my mind that Rath is just ‘built different’ compared to other BL authors. The guy just writes well, and at incredible length. This book is a tome. I have literally nothing bad to say. Every pov character is interesting (except the pilot), and in typical fashion with good 40K, the chaos characters completely steal the show. Abaddon is actually a character in this one, and doesn’t just stand there, menacingly.
Now, if Rath could just hurry up and write the whole ‘Gathering storm’ return of Gulliman story arch, that would be fantastic.
I shouldn’t have worried because this book confirms in my mind that Rath is just ‘built different’ compared to other BL authors. The guy just writes well, and at incredible length. This book is a tome. I have literally nothing bad to say. Every pov character is interesting (except the pilot), and in typical fashion with good 40K, the chaos characters completely steal the show. Abaddon is actually a character in this one, and doesn’t just stand there, menacingly.
Now, if Rath could just hurry up and write the whole ‘Gathering storm’ return of Gulliman story arch, that would be fantastic.
August 26, 2024
The fall of Cadia has long been a famous legend/historic occurrence/universe shattering event within the world of Warhammer 40k. And by the throne does this book live up to the hype. I already absolutely adored Robert Rath after reading The Infinite and The Divine. And boy does he deliver with this one as well. Fall of Cadia is a gripping, fast paced, maddening decent into a sheer terror inducing apocalypse on a truly intense scale. Whether you are familiar with the Fall of Cadia or completely new to the Warhammer universe, this is a MUST-READ!! The writing is of a very high quality. The pacing of is insane yet well thought out, the characters are very flawed yet massively compelling. And against better judgment you hope they all make it through. I loved every page of this book and burned through it in a few days. Highly recommend
August 8, 2024
Superb finale for Cadia
Simply superb storytelling. It is an epic first-hand account of the fall of Cadia, full of fascinating characters from all sides of the war.
Not to mention the grand scale of combat on display, the epic action sequences. The author really depicts the grit and blood of the final stand. It was very fulfilling that all characters got their moments to shine, with some getting some truly epic finishes.
Could not ask for more.
Brilliant!
Simply superb storytelling. It is an epic first-hand account of the fall of Cadia, full of fascinating characters from all sides of the war.
Not to mention the grand scale of combat on display, the epic action sequences. The author really depicts the grit and blood of the final stand. It was very fulfilling that all characters got their moments to shine, with some getting some truly epic finishes.
Could not ask for more.
Brilliant!
October 12, 2024
Amazing book. The thing about a book called Fall of Cadia is that you know what is going to happen. That means,like any prequel, the story has to be about the characters because there is no suspense about the plot outcome. This book delivers. Definitely one of my favourite 40K books. Not a good entry point to the lore but for fans of the ‘verse it is an amazing telling of a galaxy changing event. Recommended.
October 21, 2025
The blurb talks about how the POV shifts from people on the frontline all the way up to high command tables but I still wasn't expecting the level of detail that it went into at those levels. This is not just honour and combat with a few generals talking about how to stop an advance, this has deep asides into how to effectively maneouvre combined arms forces, the brain trauma impacts of repeated heavy weapons usage in close proximity, the problems of shifting (effective, charismatic) divisional leaders to full planetary leadership in their lack of effective personal staff/aides, lack of understanding of the non-military logistics required, and lack of existing relationships with other organisational counterparts.
Overall a thrilling and epic saga, incredibly happy to have read it.
Overall a thrilling and epic saga, incredibly happy to have read it.
December 8, 2025
A 40k tragedy. Cadia falls, but the cadian spirit lives on.
The ending was superb, the last 200 pages or so had me captivated. Before that there were too many different POV's to keep up with.
Also love the Urkrathos passages. So metal.
The ending was superb, the last 200 pages or so had me captivated. Before that there were too many different POV's to keep up with.
Also love the Urkrathos passages. So metal.
January 1, 2026
Such a good story so many povs and investments into characters stories loved every page
Cadia fell before the guard
Cadia fell before the guard
May 19, 2025
You know how it ends, you know what's at stake, but every plot beat still hits. The Fall of Cadia does suffer from perhaps too many characters, and there's a few moments that don't quite strike as well, but this was really a great piece of 40k writing - awesome.
July 24, 2025
A really fun and well paced book! The different view points of the Fall of Cadia make it a lot of fun!
August 18, 2025
Good re-introduction the 40k universe proper after a long time away, Rath is good at capturing planetary scale invasion and the horror of chaos sweeping in on the Cadians and fleshes out Creed, one of their legends - and the whole bit about Cadia descending into complete chaos in the final days is peak 40k bolter porn executed marvellously; the 30k Ultramarines being pulled into the 40k timeline to confront Abaddon is ultimate warp fuckery in motion and Abaddon being called out for dressing like his father even though he hates him for his failures is possibly one of the most badass ways to go out. Minka Lesk is one of those instant-fan favourite characters that rivals the likes of Garviel Loken and look forward to reading more of her; too.
Dante next - I'm all Guard-ed out.
Dante next - I'm all Guard-ed out.
January 18, 2026
CADIA STANDS! great book really changed my view over choas overall it really gave them depth , love the view of the gaurd too
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