Ghosts of Cadia

Cadian Sniper #2

by Rob Young

An Astra Militarum Novel

A sniper and sergeant leads her squad behind enemy lines in an apparent suicide mission. The fate of an entire world rests in her hands.

READ IT BECAUSE

It's another perspective on the remnants of Cadia, as they carry their war to every corner of the galaxy. This story focuses on the 217th, and their war to liberate a world from heretics, against all odds.

THE STORY

Darya Nevic is a sniper and a hardened survivor, but endless loss has pushed her to breaking point. As the Cadian 217th war to liberate the world of Parrescum from heretic forces grows ever more deadly, the sergeant fights to keep her squad alive as she is hounded by the memories of those she failed to save. In the wake of disaster, a chance encounter offers Darya a way to not only strike back at the heretics, but to settle a debt she thought impossible to repay. She must lead a mission deep behind enemy lines, where death is all but certain. Yet there is even more at risk than she knows. The Parrescum lies in Darya's hands, and unless she can escape the ghosts of her past, the planet will fall.

Written by Rob Young.

Genres: 40k, Science Fiction

367 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2026

Reviews

[Luke Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I didn't quite enjoy this as much as Longshot, I'm nevertheless delighted to see Sgt. Darya Nevic of the Cadian 217th get another outing, this time against a heretical uprising... She remains one of the most fascinating female characters I've encountered in a 40K book, and the subplot of her dealing with the ghosts of her past resurfacing in an unexpected form, plus the very realistic depiction of a soldier's psychology in her made for fascinating reading...plus, with the way this book ended, I fully expect Rob Young is working on another book, one I'll eagerly be waiting for!

[David Fell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This and Longshot are easily some of my favourite 40k novels to date, especially when it comes to the Guard.
I really enjoy the main character, Nevic, and her Recon squad. Her struggles with combat and leading a team feel totally believable to me, and it's refreshing that she isn't some Mary Sue that has no real issues, even in the middle of a War.
It definitely seems like there will be a third novel which I will be all over: I'll read anything with Darya Nevic in it.

Brilliant mil sci-fi.

[Waldemar Pozniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first volume of Sergeant Nevic’s adventures, but still interesting. Some of the storylines developed throughout the novel are wrapped up too superficially, as if the author had run out of ideas for how to conclude them. The ending definitely hints at a third volume; I hope it will be significantly better.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't give 5 star ratings easily, but this novel merits it.

I was a big fan of Longshot, the previous novel, and this installment certainly builds on it. Prior to reading, the two short stories following Darya Nevic are required reading as they relate directly to the plot of this book.

Rob Young shows clear development in their ability, this book hooks you from the get go with a "simple" illustration of a textbook sniper attack on an enemy artillery installation. Similar to the tutorial level in a video game, it helps introduce you to the way the sniper squad works, before joining a larger combined arms engagement.

The primary plotline is introduced only after the opening, and there are a few sub-plots following specific charectars throughout the book. There's no "plot armour" and charectars are developed meaningfully and immersively.

Tension and charectar development is built well and keeps you turning the pages. The story is not always predictable and certainly captures the grim dark theme. Darya's charectar feels believable and emotionally invests you whilst remaining very much a gunfight novel. In my humble opinion, the writing quality is above that of the Minka Leak Cadian series - which I also enjoy so I feel that's high praise indeed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and hope we get to see Darya again in a future novel.

[slop savant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much stronger sequel to Longshot, which had potential, but too little room to realise it. Here, Young tells a story fully realised, with characters that breathe, and stakes that feel immediate and relatable. He’s clearly developed as a writer and I enjoyed this one so much I didn’t put it down til I finished it.

[Brian Heinz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hoping we'd see more of Darya Nevic and Rob Young (And Warhammer) came through. Following up both on LONGSHOT and the short story "Transplants" (which I recommend you read before this novel) Darya and her new sniper team are onto liberating a planet controlled by the heretic forces of Chaos. Whereas Longshot was a deep dive into propaganda and it's use in the military, GHOSTS is more about PTSD and the long-term damage a career veteran suffers after losing their colleagues to the long, slow grind of war. Darya is forced to confront the past and the toll it's taken on both her and the lives of those around her. As with LONGSHOT, the book excels in its depiction of combat and the rigors of war. I find the Astra Militarum the most grounded of the 40k books despite the fantastic settings and the outrageously powerful opponents. I hope Darya has a long life as a leading character in 40k fiction, as she's a wonderful gateway for people to experience the universe of 40K through her eyes.