The Relentless Dead

by Steve Lyons

A Death Korps Novel

The 401st Regiment has been sent to Oleris III to find an inquisitor among the catacombs of a planet decimated by a plague in years past. What they find will shake their legendary resolve. This collection also includes a short story that gives us an outsider's perspective on the Death Korps of Krieg.

READ IT BECAUSE

The Death Korps of Krieg are a fan favourite – their grinding way of war makes for stories unlike anything else we see in the Astra Militarum. This time, we have a hero's perspective in Colonel Graven, who will do anything to complete his objective, no matter what sacrifices he has to make.

THE STORY

Five hundred years ago, Oleris III was ravaged by a Chaos plague. Now it is a world of tombs and catacombs. It belongs to the dead. Colonel Graven and his 401st Krieg Regiment are charged with searching for a missing inquisitor in the bone-filled ossuary tunnels beneath the planet. But the dead are stirring, and down in the labyrinthine darkness, his kill team comes face to face with unspeakable horrors.

As whispering spectres seed fear and suspicion, turning allies into foes, the colonel has ghosts of his own to battle. Haunted by a tragedy of his own making and unable to trust anyone, even the most resolute Death Korpsman might start to doubt himself. But on this world, it could be the death of him.

Written by Steve Lyons.

Genres: Science Fiction, 40k

228 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2025

About the author

Steve Lyons is a science fiction writer, best known for writing television tie-ins of Doctor Who for BBC Books, and previously, Virgin. The earliest of these was Conundrum in 1994, and his most recent was 2005's The Stealers of Dreams. He has also written material for Star Trek tie-ins, as well as original work.

Reviews

[Dustin Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

An even deeper dive into the Krieg, really getting into their individual thoughts and emotions. The horror elements were a real nice touch.

Loved it, 5/5, hope Steve Lyons keeps writing these because I’ll keep buying them and reading them.

[James Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never played Warhammer, never read any of the novels, and honestly only knew the Death Korps of Krieg as “the guys who look like World War I gas-mask ghosts.” The Relentless Dead was my first real step into the universe.

The book mixes military grit with straight-up horror. The 401st goes into bone-filled catacombs to find a missing inquisitor, and everything turns into a nightmare of ghosts, paranoia, and Krieg stoicism cracking under pressure. Even without knowing the lore, I had zero trouble following it — the atmosphere and tension do all the heavy lifting.

And the Tallyman?
Easily the scariest tally-keeper I’ve ever read — way more terrifying than Belafontes.

For a first Warhammer novel, this was a great choice: bleak, creepy, and I’m actually tempted to read more now… which feels like exactly how the Imperium gets you.

[Paul Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a previous review that stated the Krieg are replaceable with any generic guard regiment, how many guard regiments would take on the Sisters of Battle? It was really interesting to see actual doubt and disobedience evinced in the death korp, I listened on audio and the narrator was superb

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was SO GOOD. Prime Warhammer horror. Lyons write the Krieg so well and it was fun seeing them use their shovels against zombie hordes. A varied array of ghouls and monsters fill this tale and we're all the better for it.

[Jackson Handley · Rating 2 out of 5]

From his own brilliant characterisation of the Krieg in Dead Men Walking to this is very disappointing. They are very replaceable by any generic guard regiment in this book.

[Maxim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The least flat and static Death Korps representation I've read to date.