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Warhammer 40,000
Planetkill
This collection of all new SF short stories is based around the topic of planetary destruction. With stories from some of the The Black Library's favourite authors as well as some hot new talent this anthology will appeal to all Warhammer 40,000 fans.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 7, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 16, 2024
Planetkill: How planets die – review and thoughts
Voidsong – Henry Zou
Prequel to Emperor's Mercy. If you've already read Henry, you know what's coming. The war without unnecessary pathos, little-known regiments, and an inquisitor Roth in his trademark chainmail. If you're looking for inspiration for the Inquisition band in Kill Team, I think this story will give you a couple of ideas.
Mortal Fuel – Richard Williams
Prequel to Relentless. Having squeezed all the resources out of the planet, the Imperium... Abandons it. About the accompanying local naval drama on board of the Relentless cruiser and the desperate act of abandoned inhabitants' revenge against the imperials – with some fleur of the British Empire.
The Heraclitus Effect – Graham McNeill
Part of the Ventris-Honsou saga and the sequel to Dead Sky, Black Sun. The defeated warsmith takes revenge on Uriel and engages in planet-killing, while Ardaric Vaanes, who also gets a lot of time here, tries to understand himself. Dynamic, iron-ic and gory, everything Graham loves.
The Emperor Wept – Simon Dyton
The thing I love about old shorts is that you never really know what you're in for. The development of the Life Eater Virus, the Mechanicus mysteries... And ridiculously morose Astartes chapter of the Doom Warriors, whose captain is literally called Grimmer Slayne – that's the balance between a serious story and comedy I was looking for. It's a real pity that Simon hasn't written anything else besides this work.
Phobos Worked In Adamant – Robey Jenkins
This is how you become a heretec. If this story was published today, it would [with some edits] certainly be in Horror line: unknown creatures, with no other found anywhere else, ancient races, techno-madness... I bet someone based their Dark Heresy adventures on it.
Seven Views of Uhlguth's Passing – Matthew Farrer
Seven different views of the agony of the sentient world in the Eye of Terror - views from inside the Eye itself, truly chaotic, insane and alien. The weirdest story not only in the collection, but also [at least one of] in the BL catalogue... I'll say no more, just read it.
On the side note, Farrer was writing "unusual 40k" long before the rise of imprints, and this work is perfect example of his style.
Mercy Run – Steve Parker
Prequel to Gunheads. A desperate mission right on the eve of the planet's destruction, harsh imperial tankers, tough Sisters and almost immoral decisions - all Parker's marks is here! The very same, sacred Grimdark with a capital G.
Voidsong – Henry Zou
Prequel to Emperor's Mercy. If you've already read Henry, you know what's coming. The war without unnecessary pathos, little-known regiments, and an inquisitor Roth in his trademark chainmail. If you're looking for inspiration for the Inquisition band in Kill Team, I think this story will give you a couple of ideas.
Mortal Fuel – Richard Williams
Prequel to Relentless. Having squeezed all the resources out of the planet, the Imperium... Abandons it. About the accompanying local naval drama on board of the Relentless cruiser and the desperate act of abandoned inhabitants' revenge against the imperials – with some fleur of the British Empire.
The Heraclitus Effect – Graham McNeill
Part of the Ventris-Honsou saga and the sequel to Dead Sky, Black Sun. The defeated warsmith takes revenge on Uriel and engages in planet-killing, while Ardaric Vaanes, who also gets a lot of time here, tries to understand himself. Dynamic, iron-ic and gory, everything Graham loves.
The Emperor Wept – Simon Dyton
The thing I love about old shorts is that you never really know what you're in for. The development of the Life Eater Virus, the Mechanicus mysteries... And ridiculously morose Astartes chapter of the Doom Warriors, whose captain is literally called Grimmer Slayne – that's the balance between a serious story and comedy I was looking for. It's a real pity that Simon hasn't written anything else besides this work.
Phobos Worked In Adamant – Robey Jenkins
This is how you become a heretec. If this story was published today, it would [with some edits] certainly be in Horror line: unknown creatures, with no other found anywhere else, ancient races, techno-madness... I bet someone based their Dark Heresy adventures on it.
Seven Views of Uhlguth's Passing – Matthew Farrer
Seven different views of the agony of the sentient world in the Eye of Terror - views from inside the Eye itself, truly chaotic, insane and alien. The weirdest story not only in the collection, but also [at least one of] in the BL catalogue... I'll say no more, just read it.
On the side note, Farrer was writing "unusual 40k" long before the rise of imprints, and this work is perfect example of his style.
Mercy Run – Steve Parker
Prequel to Gunheads. A desperate mission right on the eve of the planet's destruction, harsh imperial tankers, tough Sisters and almost immoral decisions - all Parker's marks is here! The very same, sacred Grimdark with a capital G.
February 23, 2021
This is a collection of seven short stories set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. As might be expected from the title, all involve the death of a whole planet. If you're not at all familiar with the background I'm not sure I would bother with this book. There are also some characters that clearly show up in other books, but I haven't read enough to understand which books or why. That didn't matter too much.
This isn't just "This war isn't going very well, let's just virus bomb the planet" which seems to happen a lot; these stories are a bit more inventive than that. One of the stories was so weird that I didn't read more than 25% of it (which is rare for me) but the other six were pretty good. I particularly liked the one where the Adeptus Mechanicus get a bit carried away (you'll know what I mean!) and the last story where a tank crew are on a mission in the last few hours before a planet is destroyed.
Only in death does duty end, and all that.
This isn't just "This war isn't going very well, let's just virus bomb the planet" which seems to happen a lot; these stories are a bit more inventive than that. One of the stories was so weird that I didn't read more than 25% of it (which is rare for me) but the other six were pretty good. I particularly liked the one where the Adeptus Mechanicus get a bit carried away (you'll know what I mean!) and the last story where a tank crew are on a mission in the last few hours before a planet is destroyed.
Only in death does duty end, and all that.
January 22, 2020
It's good now and then to read some trashy Sci-fi.
This book is worth reading to those who have already engaged with the 41st millennium, otherwise don't bother.
As other reviewers have mentioned the short stories vary in quality from good to mediocre at best. The last in the book is the best.
If you haven't gathered by now, warhammer 40,000 is not about novel sci-fi concepts and it's basically magic and religion in space, with violence.
This book is worth reading to those who have already engaged with the 41st millennium, otherwise don't bother.
As other reviewers have mentioned the short stories vary in quality from good to mediocre at best. The last in the book is the best.
If you haven't gathered by now, warhammer 40,000 is not about novel sci-fi concepts and it's basically magic and religion in space, with violence.
November 15, 2021
A fun little grimdark collection with one or two gems.
December 22, 2025
Quite fun.
September 21, 2019
I often read a 40k book as a means to turn off and just read a bit of pulp after an arduous or length book. This wasn't possible with Planet Kill as the inconsistent writing quality meant that there was not a real opportunity to just enjoy. I don't regret reading it but I wouldn't read it again.
June 26, 2017
The introduction to any Warhammer 40,000 book tells you "To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruellest and most bloody regime imaginable." This is of course obvious to anyone who knows anything about the WH40k universe, but I was under the impression that the cruelty and bloodshed had a point. This anthology points to something different: millions, hundreds of millions, billions of people dying because the Administratum (the bureaucracy running the Imperium of Man) have no long-term planning skills whatsoever.
The name of the book is "Planetkill". Each story ends with the planet in question dying, exactly as advertised, so there can be no spoilers. We've got:
* an inquisitor investigating why the Imperial Guard is slaughtering terrified peasants on a fringe world.
* the Imperial Navy abandoning the inhabitants of a world stripped to the bone.
* Chaos Space Marines taking advantage of extraordinarily neglectful Ultramarines to finish a job the Tyranids started.
* a Magos Biologis attempting to improve upon The Life Eater, the viral instrument of exterminatus. This one also features the Doom Warriors, a Space Marine chapter so clownish, it can only be a reference to a joke I don't get.
* an entirely different group of Adeptus Mechanicus going slightly overboard with their planetary defense.
* the literal (not figurative) death of a planet.
* a race against time to keep billions of peasants in the dark so they don't hinder the Imperial Guard's withdrawal.
This is a very depressing collection. The "good guys" don't win even once and, frankly, they don't deserve to win! It certainly helped me appreciate what was at stake in other WH40k stories...
The name of the book is "Planetkill". Each story ends with the planet in question dying, exactly as advertised, so there can be no spoilers. We've got:
* an inquisitor investigating why the Imperial Guard is slaughtering terrified peasants on a fringe world.
* the Imperial Navy abandoning the inhabitants of a world stripped to the bone.
* Chaos Space Marines taking advantage of extraordinarily neglectful Ultramarines to finish a job the Tyranids started.
* a Magos Biologis attempting to improve upon The Life Eater, the viral instrument of exterminatus. This one also features the Doom Warriors, a Space Marine chapter so clownish, it can only be a reference to a joke I don't get.
* an entirely different group of Adeptus Mechanicus going slightly overboard with their planetary defense.
* the literal (not figurative) death of a planet.
* a race against time to keep billions of peasants in the dark so they don't hinder the Imperial Guard's withdrawal.
This is a very depressing collection. The "good guys" don't win even once and, frankly, they don't deserve to win! It certainly helped me appreciate what was at stake in other WH40k stories...
October 27, 2010
This anthology was great! It was as usual full of action. I liked the many short stories in this book they were full of epecially suspenseful and epic battles. The book was mainly was about exterminatus-the destruction of an entire planet. The first story was about a Imperial Guard calvary rider who gets into a half-track and you will have to read for yourself. There is also many of other vehicles that are not usually mentioned. I suggest this to anyone who likes apocalyptic battles in Warhammer 40,000
May 26, 2009
To all 40k Fan's who like to read about the storyline as much as play the actual game, books like these make for little treats.
Storlines from the "Grim Future" abound, but of course it is only light reading, hardly anything one could make last, unless they are slow readers...
I wont Spoil, so I cant go into deails of each story, However I like the last one myself...if I had to choose.
3/5
Storlines from the "Grim Future" abound, but of course it is only light reading, hardly anything one could make last, unless they are slow readers...
I wont Spoil, so I cant go into deails of each story, However I like the last one myself...if I had to choose.
3/5
January 30, 2016
Surprisingly literary anthology of pleasing dark sci-fi about destruction on a planetary scale. The good guys aren't really the good guys, although they aren't really as bad as the bad guys (so they are the good guys by default!).
Of course, as with most Black Library reads, this will be seen by some as a guilty pleasure - it is a pleasure nevertheless.
Of course, as with most Black Library reads, this will be seen by some as a guilty pleasure - it is a pleasure nevertheless.
August 8, 2011
Pretty good for short stories; one in particular tried to write from the perspective of those who live in the warp-it didn't work too well! But Honsou made an appearance, always good to see the old characters back in action.
November 16, 2010
Junk reading, I freely confess. WAR! HORROR! EXPLOSIONS!
March 5, 2011
What it says. Stories set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Awesome for your inner 14-year old, or if you're familiar with the setting. If not... Meh.
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April 17, 2013A whole lot of meh in this collection. Avoid Farrer's short story writing if you can.
June 11, 2013
Sure had a lot of planets being killed.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews