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Ciaphas Cain #10
Choose Your Enemies
Book 10 in the Ciaphas Cain Series.
Commissar Ciaphas Cain returns! After putting down an uprising on a mining world, he finds evidence that the corruption might have spread to other planets, and the forge world of Ironfound could now be at risk…
It's been a long time, but the self-styled Hero of the Imperium is back in action! And he's doing what he does best – telling tall tales of his unlikely exploits.
Commissar Ciaphas Cain and the Valhallan 597th are in the thick of it again, putting down an uprising of Chaos cultists on an Imperial mining world. Though their mission is a success, they find evidence that the corruption might have spread to other planets, and that the forge world of Ironfound could now be at risk. The munitions Ironfound produces are vital to the Imperial war effort in the subsector; its safety must be assured at all costs. As battle explodes across the planet, Ciaphas Cain and his regiment come up against allies and enemies old and new in their fight for victory against the forces of Chaos.
Commissar Ciaphas Cain returns! After putting down an uprising on a mining world, he finds evidence that the corruption might have spread to other planets, and the forge world of Ironfound could now be at risk…
It's been a long time, but the self-styled Hero of the Imperium is back in action! And he's doing what he does best – telling tall tales of his unlikely exploits.
Commissar Ciaphas Cain and the Valhallan 597th are in the thick of it again, putting down an uprising of Chaos cultists on an Imperial mining world. Though their mission is a success, they find evidence that the corruption might have spread to other planets, and that the forge world of Ironfound could now be at risk. The munitions Ironfound produces are vital to the Imperial war effort in the subsector; its safety must be assured at all costs. As battle explodes across the planet, Ciaphas Cain and his regiment come up against allies and enemies old and new in their fight for victory against the forces of Chaos.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2018
140 people are currently reading
786 people want to read
About the author
Sandy Mitchell
103 books422 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 53 reviews
January 26, 2025
It's been a long time, but at long last, Ciaphas Cain is back!
The news that a new Ciaphas Cain novel was in the works is something that's kept me excited for ages, particularly after the rather disappointing read that was the latest adventure involving Black Library's other famous Comissar...given that I picked this book up and read it all within the space of a day, I can safely say Cain has not lost his touch!
As is par for the course, Cain yet again finds himself dragged into the thick of it while desperately trying to keep his skin intact. The plot starts in traditional manner with what initially looks to be a simple mission for Cain and the Valhallan 597th putting down Eldar pirates attacking some Emperor-forsaken dirtball becoming much more serious when Cain and Jurgen inadvertantly stumble upon the activities of a Chaos cult, with evidence that their corruption has spread to the nearby and vital forge world of Ironfound. With the Eldar upping their attacks and the likelihood of a traitor in their midst, Cain must somehow deal with the marauding aliens, root out the heretics and live up to his overblown reputation while somehow keeping himself in one piece at the same time...!
I only got into the Ciaphas Cain novels about a year ago, but I've frantically devoured them and Choose Your Enemies makes a fine addition to the series; Cain is just the same as ever, his dry humour and cynical observations still making me laugh out loud (much to the bemusement of anyone beside me when I'm reading this novel on public transportation) and it's brilliant to see the old familiar faces like Jurgen, Kasteen, Broklaw, Sulla, Magot, Inquisitor Vail and many others (friend and foe) back in action again...once again, Sandy Mitchell has created another fine tale of the Hero of the Imperium's escapades, and I can't recommend it enough!
The news that a new Ciaphas Cain novel was in the works is something that's kept me excited for ages, particularly after the rather disappointing read that was the latest adventure involving Black Library's other famous Comissar...given that I picked this book up and read it all within the space of a day, I can safely say Cain has not lost his touch!
As is par for the course, Cain yet again finds himself dragged into the thick of it while desperately trying to keep his skin intact. The plot starts in traditional manner with what initially looks to be a simple mission for Cain and the Valhallan 597th putting down Eldar pirates attacking some Emperor-forsaken dirtball becoming much more serious when Cain and Jurgen inadvertantly stumble upon the activities of a Chaos cult, with evidence that their corruption has spread to the nearby and vital forge world of Ironfound. With the Eldar upping their attacks and the likelihood of a traitor in their midst, Cain must somehow deal with the marauding aliens, root out the heretics and live up to his overblown reputation while somehow keeping himself in one piece at the same time...!
I only got into the Ciaphas Cain novels about a year ago, but I've frantically devoured them and Choose Your Enemies makes a fine addition to the series; Cain is just the same as ever, his dry humour and cynical observations still making me laugh out loud (much to the bemusement of anyone beside me when I'm reading this novel on public transportation) and it's brilliant to see the old familiar faces like Jurgen, Kasteen, Broklaw, Sulla, Magot, Inquisitor Vail and many others (friend and foe) back in action again...once again, Sandy Mitchell has created another fine tale of the Hero of the Imperium's escapades, and I can't recommend it enough!
February 7, 2019
The return of Ciaphas Cain has been something many fans have been clamouring for ever since his last appearance. It's not hard to see why - Cain is Blackadder meets Flashman, with all the snark and intelligent humour involved applied to M41. Despite this, Mitchell is a talented enough author to avoid most of the truly dark elements within Warhammer 40,000 and still make it extremely loyal to the overall universe. He's a unique entity in this regard, and Mitchell's ability to add nuance to every joke (until returning to it can often allow you to find a good two or three you missed in every previous reading) and some fairly good action, and it's a good overall balance for the series.
With all that said, however, there was no denying that the Ciaphas Cain saga had become somewhat repetative. Following the first trilogy, it seemed that every attempt to take a step forward resulted in at least one step back. The stories themselves were far from bad - and many of Cain's most famous moments come from the second omnibus - but the magic seemed to be wearing a bit thin. This is worth mentioning as, comparing Choose Your Enemies to The Greater Good highlights a sense of renewed energy behind the writing. It's not relying on the older tricks, so much as using them as a basis for new gags.
The Synopsis
Following multiple engagements against the Eldar, the Valhallan 597th are dispatched to Ironfound amid a Chaos uprising. While their initial battles prove to be a string of easy victories, Cain's troops soon find that corruption might be far more widespread than they first expected. Then things start to go very wrong as a few familiar faces show up, with danger close behind them.
The Good
The immediate bonus to this book's overall score comes from its choice of extra characters. As the synopsis implied, there are a lot of returning faces here, but the fact the Valhallan 597th themselves are present is a definite boon. The ensemble of secondary characters and mixed regimental figures always helped to bolster the stories. The a mix of familiar faces offered more opportunities for jokes, stories and material for Cain's narration to work with. While this might sound like hyperbole, if you compare the first three books with Death or Glory, you might notice that one is more engaging than the other. They're both well written, excellently paced and brilliantly described, but the supporting cast elevates the tale to a new level.
Additionally, the story utilises familiar elements without making them feel derivative. The old chapter outro style of "If I had known X I would have Y" is present, but the creativity behind it helps it to feel engaging. There are far more descriptions and humourous takes used to make it feel fresh in this regard, and equally the way in which Cain stumbles into the narrative works well. It doesn't feel as if the world is bending over backward to have him find a role within the larger story. The unintentional nature of their meetings and Cain's own dialogue helps to smooth this over, as always, but the greater scope at work really plays to the story's strengths. The ability for the narrative to interject accounts from other sources was always a major plus within prior tales, but here it is used to far more effectively flesh out the world. Part of that is down to the choice of placement within the narrative, but the details themselves have also become much more substantial.
The commentary delivered by Vail i as welcome as always, albeit with something of a change. There are remarkably few short versions here, the sort of interjections of one or two words. This allows her to have a greater voice in certain events and more substantial pieces to compliment where Cain glosses over key details. This is something of a running joke within the series, but this is a novel which has better utilised this than all others to really flesh out the setting. Given that, behind Eisenhorn, the Ciaphas Cain books are among the few which delve deeper into the inner workings of the Imperium's daily life, this is a very welcome addition. The fact it is set on such an unusual world gives the book more material to offer than were it another hive world or backwater planet, leading to some very interesting culture clashes.
Yet atop of everything else, Choose Your Enemies manages to sidestep a fair few of the pacing issues and structural problems inherent in the overall series. While hardly the worst example put onto paper, the efforts to reflect Cain's less formulaic style often interferes with the finer parts of pacing a book. When an event occurs, how it occurs, what drives the protagonist onward, how important something is to the overarching plot; that sort of thing. While it disguised this well for some time, toward start of the third trilogy these problems became much more obvious. A few of the more typically overused narrative devices were so often employed that it was clear how they were trying to distract the reader from problems.
The way the story manages to execute a better pace is by working around a lot of the flab present in past stories. While Cain is allowed plenty of time to ramble, discuss and comment upon ongoing events, it's more tightly executed and paced against said events. There is a more consistent effort to balance this against the major narrative, while the time-skips needed to work around story moments are far better placed. As a result, while it still offers commentary on a broader event, the story feels far more complete and better executed.
The Bad
So, what might be wrong with Choose Your Enemies? Oddly enough, a big one lies in something just praised: Vail's commentary. On the one hand, as mentioned above, the expanded sections help both her and the capacity to offer a greater voice within the story. On the other, there are far fewer brief laugh-out-loud moments from these. While one or two excellent ones - especially just as Cain discovers just what the enemy's plan is - which work in its favour, there are far fewer here to compliment the overall humour. While the reason behind this might become clear due to Vail relationship with the overall story, it makes the book feel lacking in an area which is typically a major strength.
Even without the commentary angle, however, the actual fight scenes are geared far more toward spectacle or large scale events over all else. In fact, it's often at the expense of everything else here. While fighting as a whole has typically been good within the series, it tends to be at its best when Cain is dueling someone or engaged in a very up-close-and-personal matter. His famous fight with a Khorne Berserker alone proves this. However, when it gets away from that area it tends to lack the innate descriptive strengths or narrative of more conventional stories. Here, however, the story seems to largely avoid these. Those present are typically quickly interrupted or favour action sequences instead, and it lacks some of the satisfaction needed in terms of violence. Yes, this might not be a bolter porn novel, but when it's based around war, the effectiveness of storytelling in war needs to be commented upon.
Yet perhaps most of all, the story is wrapped up extremely quickly within the final few pages. It goes from having an intense and well executed final act, to abruptly racing through to the ending, and resolving things far too cleanly. Part of this might be down to some surprisingly odd actions by the races involved in the story, but also how everything is instantly resolved. In most prior stories, the rapid wrap-up was far better justified, either by diverting one enemy into fighting another, or intervention by another force. With this one, that just isn't the case. It's irritating as it seems as if the story was written with a larger page count in mind, and was then forced to wrap things up all too quickly.
The Verdict
I could really just end this by saying "You enjoyed the past ones, so you'll love this one". It would be accurate and the truth is that, whatever its inherent problems, Choose Your Enemies still stands out thanks to its sharp writing and angles most stories avoid. It's one of the strongest stories of late, and a major improvement over the last two books in the series. If you can get your hands on a copy, definitely set cash aside for a hardcover copy of this one.
With all that said, however, there was no denying that the Ciaphas Cain saga had become somewhat repetative. Following the first trilogy, it seemed that every attempt to take a step forward resulted in at least one step back. The stories themselves were far from bad - and many of Cain's most famous moments come from the second omnibus - but the magic seemed to be wearing a bit thin. This is worth mentioning as, comparing Choose Your Enemies to The Greater Good highlights a sense of renewed energy behind the writing. It's not relying on the older tricks, so much as using them as a basis for new gags.
The Synopsis
Following multiple engagements against the Eldar, the Valhallan 597th are dispatched to Ironfound amid a Chaos uprising. While their initial battles prove to be a string of easy victories, Cain's troops soon find that corruption might be far more widespread than they first expected. Then things start to go very wrong as a few familiar faces show up, with danger close behind them.
The Good
The immediate bonus to this book's overall score comes from its choice of extra characters. As the synopsis implied, there are a lot of returning faces here, but the fact the Valhallan 597th themselves are present is a definite boon. The ensemble of secondary characters and mixed regimental figures always helped to bolster the stories. The a mix of familiar faces offered more opportunities for jokes, stories and material for Cain's narration to work with. While this might sound like hyperbole, if you compare the first three books with Death or Glory, you might notice that one is more engaging than the other. They're both well written, excellently paced and brilliantly described, but the supporting cast elevates the tale to a new level.
Additionally, the story utilises familiar elements without making them feel derivative. The old chapter outro style of "If I had known X I would have Y" is present, but the creativity behind it helps it to feel engaging. There are far more descriptions and humourous takes used to make it feel fresh in this regard, and equally the way in which Cain stumbles into the narrative works well. It doesn't feel as if the world is bending over backward to have him find a role within the larger story. The unintentional nature of their meetings and Cain's own dialogue helps to smooth this over, as always, but the greater scope at work really plays to the story's strengths. The ability for the narrative to interject accounts from other sources was always a major plus within prior tales, but here it is used to far more effectively flesh out the world. Part of that is down to the choice of placement within the narrative, but the details themselves have also become much more substantial.
The commentary delivered by Vail i as welcome as always, albeit with something of a change. There are remarkably few short versions here, the sort of interjections of one or two words. This allows her to have a greater voice in certain events and more substantial pieces to compliment where Cain glosses over key details. This is something of a running joke within the series, but this is a novel which has better utilised this than all others to really flesh out the setting. Given that, behind Eisenhorn, the Ciaphas Cain books are among the few which delve deeper into the inner workings of the Imperium's daily life, this is a very welcome addition. The fact it is set on such an unusual world gives the book more material to offer than were it another hive world or backwater planet, leading to some very interesting culture clashes.
Yet atop of everything else, Choose Your Enemies manages to sidestep a fair few of the pacing issues and structural problems inherent in the overall series. While hardly the worst example put onto paper, the efforts to reflect Cain's less formulaic style often interferes with the finer parts of pacing a book. When an event occurs, how it occurs, what drives the protagonist onward, how important something is to the overarching plot; that sort of thing. While it disguised this well for some time, toward start of the third trilogy these problems became much more obvious. A few of the more typically overused narrative devices were so often employed that it was clear how they were trying to distract the reader from problems.
The way the story manages to execute a better pace is by working around a lot of the flab present in past stories. While Cain is allowed plenty of time to ramble, discuss and comment upon ongoing events, it's more tightly executed and paced against said events. There is a more consistent effort to balance this against the major narrative, while the time-skips needed to work around story moments are far better placed. As a result, while it still offers commentary on a broader event, the story feels far more complete and better executed.
The Bad
So, what might be wrong with Choose Your Enemies? Oddly enough, a big one lies in something just praised: Vail's commentary. On the one hand, as mentioned above, the expanded sections help both her and the capacity to offer a greater voice within the story. On the other, there are far fewer brief laugh-out-loud moments from these. While one or two excellent ones - especially just as Cain discovers just what the enemy's plan is - which work in its favour, there are far fewer here to compliment the overall humour. While the reason behind this might become clear due to Vail relationship with the overall story, it makes the book feel lacking in an area which is typically a major strength.
Even without the commentary angle, however, the actual fight scenes are geared far more toward spectacle or large scale events over all else. In fact, it's often at the expense of everything else here. While fighting as a whole has typically been good within the series, it tends to be at its best when Cain is dueling someone or engaged in a very up-close-and-personal matter. His famous fight with a Khorne Berserker alone proves this. However, when it gets away from that area it tends to lack the innate descriptive strengths or narrative of more conventional stories. Here, however, the story seems to largely avoid these. Those present are typically quickly interrupted or favour action sequences instead, and it lacks some of the satisfaction needed in terms of violence. Yes, this might not be a bolter porn novel, but when it's based around war, the effectiveness of storytelling in war needs to be commented upon.
Yet perhaps most of all, the story is wrapped up extremely quickly within the final few pages. It goes from having an intense and well executed final act, to abruptly racing through to the ending, and resolving things far too cleanly. Part of this might be down to some surprisingly odd actions by the races involved in the story, but also how everything is instantly resolved. In most prior stories, the rapid wrap-up was far better justified, either by diverting one enemy into fighting another, or intervention by another force. With this one, that just isn't the case. It's irritating as it seems as if the story was written with a larger page count in mind, and was then forced to wrap things up all too quickly.
The Verdict
I could really just end this by saying "You enjoyed the past ones, so you'll love this one". It would be accurate and the truth is that, whatever its inherent problems, Choose Your Enemies still stands out thanks to its sharp writing and angles most stories avoid. It's one of the strongest stories of late, and a major improvement over the last two books in the series. If you can get your hands on a copy, definitely set cash aside for a hardcover copy of this one.
April 25, 2024
The word which comes to mind is 'comfortable'. Characters you like, a solid plot, wrapping up of various loose ends -- a good book all around.
March 18, 2024
If you have read a Ciaphas Cain book you know what to expect. It's a tale of a Commissar as he tries to uphold the vision people have of him, trying as hard to be out of harm's way and failing misery. He is accompanied by his faithful stoic aloof aide called Jurgen.
This time they are in a world that has been having problems with Eldar (The "good" ones). As they try to repel them they find out that the Eldar are not focusing on them but on Slaaneshi Demon Cult that being spreading beneath the city.
With this enter Amberley a inquisitor and together they will try to deal with both threats.
It's a funny story, Sandy Mitchel really understands how to make funny characters but at the same time telling a tale , while we get remarkers on the bottom pages of Amberley as she shares Ciaphas Cain memoirs with his fellow Inquisitors.
I enjoyed and I rated 77 out 100.
This time they are in a world that has been having problems with Eldar (The "good" ones). As they try to repel them they find out that the Eldar are not focusing on them but on Slaaneshi Demon Cult that being spreading beneath the city.
With this enter Amberley a inquisitor and together they will try to deal with both threats.
It's a funny story, Sandy Mitchel really understands how to make funny characters but at the same time telling a tale , while we get remarkers on the bottom pages of Amberley as she shares Ciaphas Cain memoirs with his fellow Inquisitors.
I enjoyed and I rated 77 out 100.
January 18, 2025
Always good to see Comissar Cain fighting chaos. Plus the addition of Eldar to the novel series was a good change of pace.
September 26, 2018
Set as usual at an indeterminate date (but definitely pre-Dark Imperium) this sees Cain and the Valhallan 597th deployed to the ice world Drechia, bolstering the defences against eldar pirates. In the depths of the mines beneath the surface Cain unexpectedly finds yet more enemies – Chaos cultists, whose appearance threatens the nearby forge world of Ironfound – but also find himself reacquainted with an old ally as well.
If you’ve ever read a Ciaphas Cain story before, you’ll know exactly what to expect here – Cain and Jurgen getting into trouble (largely unintentionally) and scraping their way out again, as described by Cain’s irreverent, knowing first person narration, with a little help from Inquisitor Vail’s snarky footnotes. If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat – and despite being book ten this is as good a place to start as any. While 40k isn’t exactly known for humour, the Cain books are one of the few exceptions, and this is a great example of Mitchell’s easy to read style.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/09/...
If you’ve ever read a Ciaphas Cain story before, you’ll know exactly what to expect here – Cain and Jurgen getting into trouble (largely unintentionally) and scraping their way out again, as described by Cain’s irreverent, knowing first person narration, with a little help from Inquisitor Vail’s snarky footnotes. If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat – and despite being book ten this is as good a place to start as any. While 40k isn’t exactly known for humour, the Cain books are one of the few exceptions, and this is a great example of Mitchell’s easy to read style.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2018/09/...
December 20, 2025
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Warhammer 40,000: Choose Your Enemies by Sandy Mitchell is yet another riotous and action-packed entry in the Ciaphas Cain series, offering up even more of the grim humour and reluctant heroism we’ve come to expect from the grimdark universe. Cain, ever the reluctant leader, finds himself once again embroiled in an investigation that’s far more dangerous—and hilarious—than he ever wanted. Along for the ride are the ever-so-capable Inquisitor Amberley Vale, whose sharp intellect and no-nonsense approach only serve to highlight Cain’s complete lack of interest in heroism, and Jürgen, the weaponised chaos magnet who seems to have a knack for surviving things that would obliterate anyone else.
The story kicks off with Cain and his troops sent to Ironfound, an Imperial mining world, to deal with a Chaos cult uprising. Naturally, Cain would rather be anywhere but at the heart of the action, and he does his best to avoid getting involved. His internal monologue—full of sarcastic remarks and hilarious excuses for why he’s not the right man for the job—keeps the tone light, even when things are getting dicey. His preferred method of dealing with danger is simple: stand at the back, let someone else do the actual fighting, and maybe offer a few inspiring speeches... from a safe distance.
Enter Amberley Vale, the ever-determined Inquisitor, who has no patience for Cain’s “strategic retreat” tactics. When she orders him to investigate the cults and their potential ties to a larger Chaos plot, Cain’s immediate response is, “Why not just send Jürgen? He’s probably more competent than I am, and if he dies, we’ll have fewer casualties.” Amberley’s deadpan response? “It’s not the number of casualties, Cain. It’s the number of survivors who talk.” Cain doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but it’s a recurring theme that Amberley’s professionalism is constantly overshadowed by Cain’s increasingly absurd attempts to wriggle his way out of danger.
The battles in Choose Your Enemies are as chaotic and spectacular as ever, featuring tanks, lasguns, and all manner of death-dealing tech. Cain’s role in them, however, is often more about making sure everyone thinks he’s taking charge, while he’s really just trying to stay out of the line of fire. His usual trick is to send his troops into battle with his usual pep talk: “Remember, comrades, retreat is only an option when the enemies are overwhelmingly numerous! Also, I’ll be overseeing from the safety of the rear.” Unsurprisingly, his troops aren’t convinced, but they’ve learned to just nod along—after all, no one argues with the man who’s been accidentally promoted several times over despite his best efforts.
And then, there’s Jürgen. The towering, ever-stoic figure who, somehow, always ends up in the middle of the action, usually by sheer accident. Cain constantly wonders how his ever-unfortunate assistant survives all these dangerous situations, and Jürgen’s incredible survival rate becomes a running joke. Whether it’s him surviving a direct hit from a plasma cannon or unintentionally stumbling upon a secret Chaos temple while carrying a box of rations (seriously, how does this happen?), Jürgen seems to have a sixth sense for finding himself in the worst possible situations—and somehow coming out of them more or less unscathed.
In one particularly memorable moment, Cain finds himself caught in a firefight with a Chaos warband. He’s just about to retreat behind a sturdy piece of rubble when, to his horror, he sees Jürgen charging headfirst into the fray, wielding a lasgun that’s probably older than Cain himself. “Jürgen, no!” Cain screams, but it’s too late. Jürgen somehow manages to single-handedly defeat a small squad of Chaos cultists while completely unaware of his own success. Cain’s immediate thought: “I should probably start making peace with the idea that I’ll never understand what makes Jürgen so special. Or terrifying.”
Cain’s frustration with his constant misfortune is only amplified by Amberley Vale, who seems to take a special delight in watching him wrestle with the unexplainable luck of his assistant, Jürgen. With her trademark dry wit, Amberley comments, "It’s remarkable, Cain. He goes into battle like a bull in a china shop and survives as if he's immune to harm. Maybe you should try it sometime." Cain, unable to fathom the bizarre luck that always seems to favour Jürgen, groans and mutters, “I’ll pass, thank you. My luck’s bad enough as it is.”
The humour in Choose Your Enemies doesn’t just stem from the bizarre situations Cain, Amberley, and Jürgen end up in; it’s also in the way they bicker and interact. Cain, ever the reluctant leader, tries to sidestep responsibility, while Amberley is having none of it. “Stop whining, Cain,” she snaps, "and get on with it." Meanwhile, Jürgen—true to form—makes a strange and unsettling remark as Cain broods about the growing list of impossible odds against them. Jürgen, with his usual deadpan expression, calmly says, “I’ve seen worse. Last time, the enemy had… chickens.” Cain blinks in confusion. “Chickens?” Jürgen nods solemnly. “Clawed ones. Horrible things. Worst day of my life.”
It’s these little, absurd moments that elevate Choose Your Enemies above other Warhammer 40k novels. Mitchell’s sharp sense of humour brings a unique flavour to a universe that’s often filled with nothing but doom and gloom. Yes, the stakes are high, the battles are brutal, and the enemies are terrifying—but it’s the bizarre, laugh-out-loud situations that give this story its charm.
In the end, Choose Your Enemies is a fantastic continuation of the Ciaphas Cain saga, blending fast-paced action, clever humour, and memorable characters. Cain might never be the hero he thinks he is, but with Amberley Vale and Jürgen by his side, he’s probably the best hero the Imperium is going to get. And as long as there are more enemies to outwit (and more absurd situations to get into), there’s plenty of room for even more chaos, survival, and ludicrous situations that leap out!
Warhammer 40,000: Choose Your Enemies by Sandy Mitchell is yet another riotous and action-packed entry in the Ciaphas Cain series, offering up even more of the grim humour and reluctant heroism we’ve come to expect from the grimdark universe. Cain, ever the reluctant leader, finds himself once again embroiled in an investigation that’s far more dangerous—and hilarious—than he ever wanted. Along for the ride are the ever-so-capable Inquisitor Amberley Vale, whose sharp intellect and no-nonsense approach only serve to highlight Cain’s complete lack of interest in heroism, and Jürgen, the weaponised chaos magnet who seems to have a knack for surviving things that would obliterate anyone else.
The story kicks off with Cain and his troops sent to Ironfound, an Imperial mining world, to deal with a Chaos cult uprising. Naturally, Cain would rather be anywhere but at the heart of the action, and he does his best to avoid getting involved. His internal monologue—full of sarcastic remarks and hilarious excuses for why he’s not the right man for the job—keeps the tone light, even when things are getting dicey. His preferred method of dealing with danger is simple: stand at the back, let someone else do the actual fighting, and maybe offer a few inspiring speeches... from a safe distance.
Enter Amberley Vale, the ever-determined Inquisitor, who has no patience for Cain’s “strategic retreat” tactics. When she orders him to investigate the cults and their potential ties to a larger Chaos plot, Cain’s immediate response is, “Why not just send Jürgen? He’s probably more competent than I am, and if he dies, we’ll have fewer casualties.” Amberley’s deadpan response? “It’s not the number of casualties, Cain. It’s the number of survivors who talk.” Cain doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but it’s a recurring theme that Amberley’s professionalism is constantly overshadowed by Cain’s increasingly absurd attempts to wriggle his way out of danger.
The battles in Choose Your Enemies are as chaotic and spectacular as ever, featuring tanks, lasguns, and all manner of death-dealing tech. Cain’s role in them, however, is often more about making sure everyone thinks he’s taking charge, while he’s really just trying to stay out of the line of fire. His usual trick is to send his troops into battle with his usual pep talk: “Remember, comrades, retreat is only an option when the enemies are overwhelmingly numerous! Also, I’ll be overseeing from the safety of the rear.” Unsurprisingly, his troops aren’t convinced, but they’ve learned to just nod along—after all, no one argues with the man who’s been accidentally promoted several times over despite his best efforts.
And then, there’s Jürgen. The towering, ever-stoic figure who, somehow, always ends up in the middle of the action, usually by sheer accident. Cain constantly wonders how his ever-unfortunate assistant survives all these dangerous situations, and Jürgen’s incredible survival rate becomes a running joke. Whether it’s him surviving a direct hit from a plasma cannon or unintentionally stumbling upon a secret Chaos temple while carrying a box of rations (seriously, how does this happen?), Jürgen seems to have a sixth sense for finding himself in the worst possible situations—and somehow coming out of them more or less unscathed.
In one particularly memorable moment, Cain finds himself caught in a firefight with a Chaos warband. He’s just about to retreat behind a sturdy piece of rubble when, to his horror, he sees Jürgen charging headfirst into the fray, wielding a lasgun that’s probably older than Cain himself. “Jürgen, no!” Cain screams, but it’s too late. Jürgen somehow manages to single-handedly defeat a small squad of Chaos cultists while completely unaware of his own success. Cain’s immediate thought: “I should probably start making peace with the idea that I’ll never understand what makes Jürgen so special. Or terrifying.”
Cain’s frustration with his constant misfortune is only amplified by Amberley Vale, who seems to take a special delight in watching him wrestle with the unexplainable luck of his assistant, Jürgen. With her trademark dry wit, Amberley comments, "It’s remarkable, Cain. He goes into battle like a bull in a china shop and survives as if he's immune to harm. Maybe you should try it sometime." Cain, unable to fathom the bizarre luck that always seems to favour Jürgen, groans and mutters, “I’ll pass, thank you. My luck’s bad enough as it is.”
The humour in Choose Your Enemies doesn’t just stem from the bizarre situations Cain, Amberley, and Jürgen end up in; it’s also in the way they bicker and interact. Cain, ever the reluctant leader, tries to sidestep responsibility, while Amberley is having none of it. “Stop whining, Cain,” she snaps, "and get on with it." Meanwhile, Jürgen—true to form—makes a strange and unsettling remark as Cain broods about the growing list of impossible odds against them. Jürgen, with his usual deadpan expression, calmly says, “I’ve seen worse. Last time, the enemy had… chickens.” Cain blinks in confusion. “Chickens?” Jürgen nods solemnly. “Clawed ones. Horrible things. Worst day of my life.”
It’s these little, absurd moments that elevate Choose Your Enemies above other Warhammer 40k novels. Mitchell’s sharp sense of humour brings a unique flavour to a universe that’s often filled with nothing but doom and gloom. Yes, the stakes are high, the battles are brutal, and the enemies are terrifying—but it’s the bizarre, laugh-out-loud situations that give this story its charm.
In the end, Choose Your Enemies is a fantastic continuation of the Ciaphas Cain saga, blending fast-paced action, clever humour, and memorable characters. Cain might never be the hero he thinks he is, but with Amberley Vale and Jürgen by his side, he’s probably the best hero the Imperium is going to get. And as long as there are more enemies to outwit (and more absurd situations to get into), there’s plenty of room for even more chaos, survival, and ludicrous situations that leap out!
April 14, 2019
This book was a bit too formulaic for me. No real laugh out load moments.
June 22, 2023
The Hero of the Imperium is back, and he now has to deal with the pointy ears and Chaos to boot...
Sandy Mitchell is one of those authors I keep going back to, because he has the uncanny ability of bringing a breath of fresh air to a depressing setting, even if horrible things happen around the self proclaimed coward Ciaphas Cain claims he is...
Sandy Mitchell is one of those authors I keep going back to, because he has the uncanny ability of bringing a breath of fresh air to a depressing setting, even if horrible things happen around the self proclaimed coward Ciaphas Cain claims he is...
August 6, 2019
This book was by far the best Warhammer 40K book I have read, so plus for that! Disclaimer, I didn't realize that this book was a part of a whole series about Ciaphas Cain (which I am now looking into reading). I found Cain to be a highly entertaining narrator, mostly because he is an unreliable narrator. Speaking of unreliable narrator Ameberly's endnotes where just perfect, they added another dimension and while I normally don't like reading endnotes and "extras" I highly recommend you don't skip these!
Now can we discuss the most important romance and relationship in this book?!? No, not the slightly inferred to hanky panky between Amberley and Cain BUT the real love of Jurgen and his Melta. Cause I swear I laughed out loud everytime Cain looked and Jurgen and Jurgen would just lift the Melta like "How about now? Pleaseeeee". On a serious note, I feel like if Mitchell had a quick snippet of Cain and Amberley's hinted at hanky panky it would've been incredibly entertaining. However, I understand the decision to not elaborate on that, since, I mean its a Warhammer 40K book.
And on a sidenote, I'm mad I missed out on the Emeli and Cain history and if anyone knows where that starts if you could just refer me to that installment I would be most grateful.
BUT to the point, its four stars because!...the conclusions to the plot of this book took maybe 50 pages and was very much rushed and was not as fleshed out as I wanted. But like...this was a top as far as the 40K universe lore.
Now can we discuss the most important romance and relationship in this book?!? No, not the slightly inferred to hanky panky between Amberley and Cain BUT the real love of Jurgen and his Melta. Cause I swear I laughed out loud everytime Cain looked and Jurgen and Jurgen would just lift the Melta like "How about now? Pleaseeeee". On a serious note, I feel like if Mitchell had a quick snippet of Cain and Amberley's hinted at hanky panky it would've been incredibly entertaining. However, I understand the decision to not elaborate on that, since, I mean its a Warhammer 40K book.
And on a sidenote, I'm mad I missed out on the Emeli and Cain history and if anyone knows where that starts if you could just refer me to that installment I would be most grateful.
BUT to the point, its four stars because!...the conclusions to the plot of this book took maybe 50 pages and was very much rushed and was not as fleshed out as I wanted. But like...this was a top as far as the 40K universe lore.
February 14, 2019
Ciaphas Cain book 10. No major spoilers for the earlier books, I think.
Our favorite commissar is back with his usual ambiguity as to exactly how much he is underselling himself. . . .
It's an adventure with the 597th, and they are sent off to an ice-world to deal with eldar pirates. A world with a lot of tunnels, which is actually what Cain likes best, but which does result in his being sent off to chase down unmapped ones. Where they find a cult summoning a daemon. . .
It involves gems that the eldar prize, a maze, tunnels on another world, the appearance not only of Amberley but also of another inquisitor, how to trace smuggling between worlds, a problem Cain's faced twice before, a lot of fighting, and more
Our favorite commissar is back with his usual ambiguity as to exactly how much he is underselling himself. . . .
It's an adventure with the 597th, and they are sent off to an ice-world to deal with eldar pirates. A world with a lot of tunnels, which is actually what Cain likes best, but which does result in his being sent off to chase down unmapped ones. Where they find a cult summoning a daemon. . .
It involves gems that the eldar prize, a maze, tunnels on another world, the appearance not only of Amberley but also of another inquisitor, how to trace smuggling between worlds, a problem Cain's faced twice before, a lot of fighting, and more
April 17, 2019
Commissar Cain and the 597th Valhallan's have been sent to an ice bound mining moon to help the local defences forces stave off attacks by the Eldar. Is this just piracy by the knife-ears or do they have a deeper reason to be there?
I love the Ciaphas Cain books. They are the only real 'comedy' books in the 40K universe but they still maintain the lore and the thrills. This Hero of the Imperium who, whilst not exactly a coward, is far short of the heroic ideal, or even the ideal of his office. While Gaunt is the real deal, Cain is his dodgy mirror.
In this story the Eldar are his first foe but it's not long before he uncovers a chaos cult on the moon and an old inquisitorial friend reappears.
A solid choice for any 40K fan
I love the Ciaphas Cain books. They are the only real 'comedy' books in the 40K universe but they still maintain the lore and the thrills. This Hero of the Imperium who, whilst not exactly a coward, is far short of the heroic ideal, or even the ideal of his office. While Gaunt is the real deal, Cain is his dodgy mirror.
In this story the Eldar are his first foe but it's not long before he uncovers a chaos cult on the moon and an old inquisitorial friend reappears.
A solid choice for any 40K fan
October 23, 2018
It's been so long since I last read a new Ciaphas Cain novel. I'd almost forgotten how the humour and thrills still get to me. Of course, by now I'm fairly certain of what to expect; Humour, action, lots of poking fun at the entire setting and quite a few foot notes by one of our favourite (slightly) psychopathic inquisitor.
What I wasn't prepared for was one of the few novels where the eldar are presented as competent and where an Avatar of Khaine actually carries its weight, and more, in battle. No really. That scene was pure awesomeness from start to finish.
What I wasn't prepared for was one of the few novels where the eldar are presented as competent and where an Avatar of Khaine actually carries its weight, and more, in battle. No really. That scene was pure awesomeness from start to finish.
January 1, 2021
I love the character, so I am very biased in my review. If I didn't love the character, I would point out that the author is getting more and more repetitive in plots. I would notice that the latest work just doesn't have the energy that the older novels had.
Ciaphas ends up fighting a threat in a hive. He does what he usually does and all ends well.
Not enough there to really justify buying this book.
Ciaphas ends up fighting a threat in a hive. He does what he usually does and all ends well.
Not enough there to really justify buying this book.
March 9, 2019
I always loved this series, this one was good, not great as I remember the others. Caiphas and Jurgen and Amberly are always interesting to hear about their adventures. Not sure if I've done so many other WH40K now that other series really just shine brighter....
March 21, 2019
It's a Ciaphas Cain book. They're all the same book, and they're all excellent. Please don't make us wait 5 years again Mr. Mitchell.Sandy Mitchell
June 26, 2022
The return of a twisted enemy, Chaos, Heresy, deviants, Eldar,the Inquisition, it's all in a days for Cain and the indomitable Jurgen. Action and humor as Cain tells an older tale serving with the Vahallans. Good stuff, check out this series, not quite as bleak as Gaunt.
March 16, 2019
A good fun read, but very similar to the other books, so few surprises. But the cast of characters is enjoyable to spend time with. A good read if you want a lighter tone to the 40k universe.
January 9, 2024
The Ciaphas Cain series of Warhammer 40k are formulaic - Cain is landed in a conflict with faction X, he connives, swears, and sometimes fights that faction, but the reality is, the conflict is a blind, and there is something else lurking behind the scenes, ready to ruin everyone's day. This does not mean they are bad books - if anything, they're quite fun, a bit of literary comfort food. However, it does mean that you should not binge them, as the average reader is likely to get bored of the formula rather quickly. Someone probably should have mentioned that to the Black Library folks at GW, since I imagine the omnibuses get hit with a lot of flack as a result.
In any case, all of the Cain stories are written as memoirs of a self-loathing hero, who is convinced he is nothing more than a craven coward. However, the careful reader notes that the man protests too much, probably driven to deny his actual bravery and compassion for his comrades by the Imperium's culture of post-apocalyptic martyrdom. Anyway, Cain is cynical and sardonic, ready to dispense quips at anyone's expense (including his own), and the footnotes (written in-universe by his love interest Amberley Vail) take all the potshots at Cain's expense he doesn't take, and anyone else's besides.
This book deals with the eldar (the smug and condescending pointy-ears), with Cain and the 597th Valhallan Regiment aiding the local Planetary Defense Force in keeping them from taking over the planet. As always, there are hints alerting the careful reader as to what is really going in, but as the memoirs are, if not quite stream of consciousness, definitely overwhelmingly cast in Cain's personality, it's easy enough to miss those hints (as Cain does). Ultimately, for those who have read the Cain franchise before, or fans of the old Flashman series, I'd say it's definitely worth reading.
In any case, all of the Cain stories are written as memoirs of a self-loathing hero, who is convinced he is nothing more than a craven coward. However, the careful reader notes that the man protests too much, probably driven to deny his actual bravery and compassion for his comrades by the Imperium's culture of post-apocalyptic martyrdom. Anyway, Cain is cynical and sardonic, ready to dispense quips at anyone's expense (including his own), and the footnotes (written in-universe by his love interest Amberley Vail) take all the potshots at Cain's expense he doesn't take, and anyone else's besides.
This book deals with the eldar (the smug and condescending pointy-ears), with Cain and the 597th Valhallan Regiment aiding the local Planetary Defense Force in keeping them from taking over the planet. As always, there are hints alerting the careful reader as to what is really going in, but as the memoirs are, if not quite stream of consciousness, definitely overwhelmingly cast in Cain's personality, it's easy enough to miss those hints (as Cain does). Ultimately, for those who have read the Cain franchise before, or fans of the old Flashman series, I'd say it's definitely worth reading.
January 23, 2025
The 41st millennium's favourite unreliable narrator returns for another adventure, presented as ever via his self-deprecating memoir supplemented by far more complimentary contributions of his colleagues.
Once again Cain is thrust into the subterranean conflict in which the character specialises, but this time out Mitchell pokes gentle fun at his previous overreliance on the insectoid alien menace and instead provides an alternative foe. There are elements of crime thriller present but really the villains and indeed the whole plot are pretty basic and only really exist as an excuse to propel Cain from set piece to set piece so that he can complain about Jurgen's halitosis and enhance his heroic reputation by finding new and interesting ways to stay alive against the odds.
A formula that should by now feel tired and formulaic manages to remain fun by presenting a likable roguish character - one whose relationship with the truth is such that every time he makes a true statement he makes a specific point of recording it in his memoirs - and equipping him with a wonderful turn of phrase. Further evidence that the grim darkness of the far future works best when it doesn't take itself too seriously.
Once again Cain is thrust into the subterranean conflict in which the character specialises, but this time out Mitchell pokes gentle fun at his previous overreliance on the insectoid alien menace and instead provides an alternative foe. There are elements of crime thriller present but really the villains and indeed the whole plot are pretty basic and only really exist as an excuse to propel Cain from set piece to set piece so that he can complain about Jurgen's halitosis and enhance his heroic reputation by finding new and interesting ways to stay alive against the odds.
A formula that should by now feel tired and formulaic manages to remain fun by presenting a likable roguish character - one whose relationship with the truth is such that every time he makes a true statement he makes a specific point of recording it in his memoirs - and equipping him with a wonderful turn of phrase. Further evidence that the grim darkness of the far future works best when it doesn't take itself too seriously.
April 12, 2024
Finally, a newer book in the Cain series breaks the monotony of what came before. It felt entirely fresh by providing a new enemy and bringing Amberly back into the mix, and had some good twists as well. And I feel like Mitchell was aware of that need for freshness as he makes a joke about how Cain always ends up fighting Tyrannids, which was a big part of the staleness in previous novels. All around great entry to the series.
June 6, 2019
Almost like a compilation album of the best bits of the series so far - a couple of the best tracks about the Tau, the Inquisition, the AdMech, the 'Nids, and Space Marines all mixed into a glorious whole. When you are hitting so many top notes in one book it is hard to put a foot wrong. Pacing and plotting were solid.
Read
September 18, 2023It was so nice listening to another Ciaphus Cane book with my partner. We had a break while waiting for the audiobooks of the newer books to come out, and had switched to another series in the meantime. Getting back to this series was fun, especially speculating with my partner about the upcoming plot. Always enjoy these books.
September 20, 2025
While the formula felt a bit stale during ‘The Last Ditch’ this book (Choose Your Enemies) felt like a return to form for the Caiphas Cain series. I truly enjoyed this book, the pacing, the humour, the twists and turns in the story. Everything felt like the familiar rhythm of CC I fell in love with. If you’re a fan of the series, I recommend reading this one!
May 2, 2019
The latest and possibly greatest book in the Ciaphas Cain series. Sandy Mitchell is clearly evolving as a writer and Choose Your Enemies is one of the funniest books in the series. The final battle is also one of the most epic I've read in any 40K universe book.
October 2, 2022
Huh, I HAVE read this in the past but forgot to log it.
Anyway...yes, Sandy Mitchell have us a solid Cain story after being away so long. Jurgen as usual proved why he is still one of 40Ks best supporting characters 😏
Anyway...yes, Sandy Mitchell have us a solid Cain story after being away so long. Jurgen as usual proved why he is still one of 40Ks best supporting characters 😏
January 8, 2024
The series have finally regained its humor after 2-3 books that had gotten somewhat stale
Pretty good story too
And lastly "Astra Milli-what-now, no son, your in the Guard!"
First book after games workshop tried to become more copyright friendly
Pretty good story too
And lastly "Astra Milli-what-now, no son, your in the Guard!"
First book after games workshop tried to become more copyright friendly
October 2, 2018
Worth the wait
Title says it all really. Only negative was it wasn't the Dark Eldar story we've been teased with for years!
Title says it all really. Only negative was it wasn't the Dark Eldar story we've been teased with for years!
November 21, 2018
Worth the wait
The Flashman of the Imperium rides again,far too long after his last adventure but Ciaphas has lost none of his charm.
The Flashman of the Imperium rides again,far too long after his last adventure but Ciaphas has lost none of his charm.
April 26, 2019
It had been a while since I'd read a 40k book but I really enjoyed this one. Sandy Mitchell is a very talented author & manages to create humour in what can be a very dark universe. I'd recommend.
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