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Krieg
Fast paced Astra Millitarum story focussing on the troops of the Death Korps of Krieg.
Krieg is a dead world.
Fifteen hundred years ago, it declared its independence from the Imperium of Man, and paid the price. One loyal soul defied its treacherous rulers, and laid the world to waste. From these ashes emerged a unique fighting force, forged and tempered in nuclear fire…
Today, the Death Korps of Krieg lay siege to a captured hive city on the outskirts of the system-spanning Octarius War, in a desperate attempt to secure the cordon that stops untold masses of orks and tyranids from spilling out into the Imperium at large. The Korpsmen are relentless, ruthless, implacable and unstoppable, even in the face of a war that seems unwinnable. How far will they go to achieve victory, and is history doomed to repeat itself?
Krieg is a dead world.
Fifteen hundred years ago, it declared its independence from the Imperium of Man, and paid the price. One loyal soul defied its treacherous rulers, and laid the world to waste. From these ashes emerged a unique fighting force, forged and tempered in nuclear fire…
Today, the Death Korps of Krieg lay siege to a captured hive city on the outskirts of the system-spanning Octarius War, in a desperate attempt to secure the cordon that stops untold masses of orks and tyranids from spilling out into the Imperium at large. The Korpsmen are relentless, ruthless, implacable and unstoppable, even in the face of a war that seems unwinnable. How far will they go to achieve victory, and is history doomed to repeat itself?
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2022
289 people are currently reading
1261 people want to read
About the author
Steve Lyons
186 books104 followersSteve 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
February 15, 2022
Several BL books of late have weighed up weighty moral issues and the psychological implications of life in a society wholly devoted to eternal, grinding war. Krieg holds it’s own in such company. As you might expect from the faction this lacks the tales of camaraderie in the face of adversity that typifies much Astra Militarum fiction, but this leaves room for a really interesting story about sacrifice, both personal and social.
The book consists of two narratives, one set in the ‘past’ and covering the key events of Krieg Civil War, and one in the post-rift ‘present’ where the DKoK are deployed alongside a Cadian regiment and some Inquisitoral forces in a war against Orks and a surprising number of Squigs. Of the two threads, I’d say that the one concerning the Civil War is more engaging as the conflict escalates and genuinely difficult decisions seem to be agonised over; the contemporary scenes lack the same levels of moral ambiguity and in the face of Xenos invaders the Imperium’s actions are not deliberated over to the same extent. The Krieg-set chapters also feel grander in scope; we see many theatres of conflict and get different perspectives, whilst Ork perspectives are sadly absent- these can be really fun to read so would have added to my enjoyment.
Krieg is a really solid 40K novel, one that contains enough deep lore dives and genuinely tense action scenes as well as emotional and moral conflict to satisfy most readers. The only sour note in the book for me is an (unintentional?) allusion to the infamous 14 words; the moral ambiguity of the characters and situation in which this is made just made me a little uncomfortable; tying in fictional repugnant actions to real-world repugnant ones that a significant number of people support is perhaps a little too nuanced for tie-in fiction to handle. The Imperium of Man is already a totalitarian fascistic horror, it doesn’t need ambiguous dogwhistle phrases to emphasise this. Or maybe I read far too much into it.
The book consists of two narratives, one set in the ‘past’ and covering the key events of Krieg Civil War, and one in the post-rift ‘present’ where the DKoK are deployed alongside a Cadian regiment and some Inquisitoral forces in a war against Orks and a surprising number of Squigs. Of the two threads, I’d say that the one concerning the Civil War is more engaging as the conflict escalates and genuinely difficult decisions seem to be agonised over; the contemporary scenes lack the same levels of moral ambiguity and in the face of Xenos invaders the Imperium’s actions are not deliberated over to the same extent. The Krieg-set chapters also feel grander in scope; we see many theatres of conflict and get different perspectives, whilst Ork perspectives are sadly absent- these can be really fun to read so would have added to my enjoyment.
Krieg is a really solid 40K novel, one that contains enough deep lore dives and genuinely tense action scenes as well as emotional and moral conflict to satisfy most readers. The only sour note in the book for me is an (unintentional?) allusion to the infamous 14 words; the moral ambiguity of the characters and situation in which this is made just made me a little uncomfortable; tying in fictional repugnant actions to real-world repugnant ones that a significant number of people support is perhaps a little too nuanced for tie-in fiction to handle. The Imperium of Man is already a totalitarian fascistic horror, it doesn’t need ambiguous dogwhistle phrases to emphasise this. Or maybe I read far too much into it.
November 3, 2024
You know how I love reading stories featuring our favorite shovel boys, right? But the problem with reading a full-length novel named Krieg, despite the solid lore and action, is just how morose it seems to get.
Who knew, reading about an irradiated planet full of religion fueled child soldiers who venerate a cult of suicide can be so depressing; go figure.
For context, the infamous Death Korps of Krieg are a regimental army hailing from the death world of, you guessed it, Krieg. Hailing from a world where horrendous nuclear fallout had turned the surface into a frozen, dark, irradiated wasteland where nothing can survive, the Kriegsman carried a great burden. Of treason and betrayal against the emperor, by their ancestor some millennia ago.
Even after the loyalist factions won, and rejoined the imperium, their subsequent generations were forever scarred and changed due to what they see as this ultimate treachery. For context, if asked who the greater traitor is, the Arch vile Horus himself, or the counsel of Autocrats who seceded their planet from the Imperium, your average Kriegsman would reply without missing a beat, their own traitorous leaders. Such deeply ingrained is the collective generational hatred against those they saw as responsible for leading them away from the light of the Emperor.
Unfortunately for Krieg, everything from their day-to-day life, survival, conduct and battlefield tactics were shaped, in part due to their hostile planet, and in part their hatred.
You would often see online in meme circles, how the Krieg armies are renowned for two things: their unparalleled siege tactics, and their suicidal charges with utter disregards to their own life. The latter is partially true.
Yes, the Krieg regiments on average have a disturbingly high number of casualties and turnover. And yes, they see their lives as ultimately expendable in service to the emperor. But that doesn’t exactly make them suicidal.
The soldiers of Krieg are pragmatic, disciplined and with an unhealthy amount of fatalism. They view themselves as tools, no different from the guns they carry or the bullets within them. Resources to be spent for the glory of the Emperor. So, in the battlefield, their commanders always formulate how most efficiently their human resources can be expended to defeat the enemy.
If a particularly tough enemy can be defeated by sacrificing 1000 of their rank, they would do so, no question, no fear, no doubt. For each of them know, by expanding those 1000 lives, they might be saving many more. On the other hand, if the same enemy can be defeated using just 500 soldiers, by incorporating a different, more efficient tactic, they would prefer that. For the lives of a Krieg soldier is a resource to be consumed, not to be merely wasted. But if the objectives require that tens of thousands of them need to be sacrificed in what is ultimately a failed suicide charges, that too would be acceptable for them.
Whatever humanity and empathy they have, is either wiped out, or suppressed deep within their psyche, after generations of indoctrination. And what you’re left with, are an army full of unfeeling, uncaring, unerring machines like soldiers, who tank losses like nobody's business, and whose ferocity in attack is enough to give pause to even the conflict loving Orks.
This story, Krieg, by Steve Lyons, explores in essence this dehumanization of arguably normal people, shaped through collective trauma, suffering and war, into entities whose only purpose is war and glorious death. And Lyons, with this and his previous short story, ‘ Down Amongst the Dead Men’ has showcased he has a deft handle in exploring this particular form of fatalism endemic to Krieg.
The narrative is split into two time periods. One set during the golden period of Krieg, where treachery and sedition laid the ground for what would be the ultimate fate of the planet. And another set after the fall of Cadia, with the now ubiquitous Krieg regiments engaged in pitched battle across the deadliest battlefields across the galaxy. There are also appearances by the Cadian Shock troops and a couple of Inquisitors from the Ordo Hereticus. But their presence is largely as a proof for the audience into the functioning of your standard Krieg regimen.
Alternating each chapter, between the past and present narratives, we get a neat parallel to the decisions that shaped the people of the planet for the near future, as well as how they act and are perceived in the current era.
Or particular note, is the dramatization of Colonel Jurgen, the hero of Krieg, arguably the man who through his actions is single handedly responsible for how the people turned out; for better or worse. Even when you know the final outcome, seeing the story unfold through his eyes puts into perspective the weight and enormity of the decisions in face of insurmountable circumstances. Just from his narrative standpoint, the story might as well have been titled as ‘The Tragedy of Krieg’.
While largely sticking to the action format that the genre is famous for, the whole plot revolves around the Imperium trying to retake an Ork infested hive world, the setting serves as a backdrop almost, for a character study of Krieg as a whole.
It enlightens you in regard to the essence of their war doctrine, in fact their entire doctrine to life and death, while removing several misconceptions one might have about the group. For example, despite how they come across, with their gas masks, WWI era Prussian aesthetic, complete with pointy helmets, your average Krieg soldier is perfectly polite when it comes to dealing with their non-Krieg colleagues. They follow the rules, obey all orders, regardless of how dangerous, and even reply to your queries with courtesy. Just don’t ask them to remove their gas masks, which at this point have become like a second skin to them.
Little needs to be said in regard to their valor in battle. They don't fear, don’t falter, never buckle under pressure, never dip in morale. And even at the cost of their collective lives, will complete the mission objective.
One fun tidbit, originating from anecdotes and lore, is in regard to their relationship with Imperial Commissars. You know, those Soviet inspired battlefield slave drivers, who give your average soldier a choice, death by enemy, or death by commissar. Well, in normal guard regiments, the attached Commissars job is to whip up morale, and to make sure your average rank and file charge with reckless abandon, against tyranids, chaos, orks, whatnot. But in Soviet Russia, I mean the Death Korps of Krieg, the Commissar gets shot for being not ruthless enough. Truly, they are there just to make sure that the morale of the Kriegsman is not too high, and also to reign them in, not to engage in suicidal charges.
The story shares this whole fatalistic ambience as if nothing that you do would amount to anything significant. But while to your average person, this can soon devolve into nihilism, for the soldiers of Kreig they just accept this as reality and do their duty. Sadly, this is not because of some stoic sense of peace, rather because they lack a particular sense of self, and to them, death, in line of duty is a forgone conclusion.
They represent a corrupted tragic iteration of what Lord Krishna told Arjuna. To perform your duty selflessly and righteously, without attachment to the results, and to trust in the divine will.
Who knew, reading about an irradiated planet full of religion fueled child soldiers who venerate a cult of suicide can be so depressing; go figure.
For context, the infamous Death Korps of Krieg are a regimental army hailing from the death world of, you guessed it, Krieg. Hailing from a world where horrendous nuclear fallout had turned the surface into a frozen, dark, irradiated wasteland where nothing can survive, the Kriegsman carried a great burden. Of treason and betrayal against the emperor, by their ancestor some millennia ago.
Even after the loyalist factions won, and rejoined the imperium, their subsequent generations were forever scarred and changed due to what they see as this ultimate treachery. For context, if asked who the greater traitor is, the Arch vile Horus himself, or the counsel of Autocrats who seceded their planet from the Imperium, your average Kriegsman would reply without missing a beat, their own traitorous leaders. Such deeply ingrained is the collective generational hatred against those they saw as responsible for leading them away from the light of the Emperor.
Unfortunately for Krieg, everything from their day-to-day life, survival, conduct and battlefield tactics were shaped, in part due to their hostile planet, and in part their hatred.
You would often see online in meme circles, how the Krieg armies are renowned for two things: their unparalleled siege tactics, and their suicidal charges with utter disregards to their own life. The latter is partially true.
Yes, the Krieg regiments on average have a disturbingly high number of casualties and turnover. And yes, they see their lives as ultimately expendable in service to the emperor. But that doesn’t exactly make them suicidal.
The soldiers of Krieg are pragmatic, disciplined and with an unhealthy amount of fatalism. They view themselves as tools, no different from the guns they carry or the bullets within them. Resources to be spent for the glory of the Emperor. So, in the battlefield, their commanders always formulate how most efficiently their human resources can be expended to defeat the enemy.
If a particularly tough enemy can be defeated by sacrificing 1000 of their rank, they would do so, no question, no fear, no doubt. For each of them know, by expanding those 1000 lives, they might be saving many more. On the other hand, if the same enemy can be defeated using just 500 soldiers, by incorporating a different, more efficient tactic, they would prefer that. For the lives of a Krieg soldier is a resource to be consumed, not to be merely wasted. But if the objectives require that tens of thousands of them need to be sacrificed in what is ultimately a failed suicide charges, that too would be acceptable for them.
Whatever humanity and empathy they have, is either wiped out, or suppressed deep within their psyche, after generations of indoctrination. And what you’re left with, are an army full of unfeeling, uncaring, unerring machines like soldiers, who tank losses like nobody's business, and whose ferocity in attack is enough to give pause to even the conflict loving Orks.
This story, Krieg, by Steve Lyons, explores in essence this dehumanization of arguably normal people, shaped through collective trauma, suffering and war, into entities whose only purpose is war and glorious death. And Lyons, with this and his previous short story, ‘ Down Amongst the Dead Men’ has showcased he has a deft handle in exploring this particular form of fatalism endemic to Krieg.
The narrative is split into two time periods. One set during the golden period of Krieg, where treachery and sedition laid the ground for what would be the ultimate fate of the planet. And another set after the fall of Cadia, with the now ubiquitous Krieg regiments engaged in pitched battle across the deadliest battlefields across the galaxy. There are also appearances by the Cadian Shock troops and a couple of Inquisitors from the Ordo Hereticus. But their presence is largely as a proof for the audience into the functioning of your standard Krieg regimen.
Alternating each chapter, between the past and present narratives, we get a neat parallel to the decisions that shaped the people of the planet for the near future, as well as how they act and are perceived in the current era.
Or particular note, is the dramatization of Colonel Jurgen, the hero of Krieg, arguably the man who through his actions is single handedly responsible for how the people turned out; for better or worse. Even when you know the final outcome, seeing the story unfold through his eyes puts into perspective the weight and enormity of the decisions in face of insurmountable circumstances. Just from his narrative standpoint, the story might as well have been titled as ‘The Tragedy of Krieg’.
While largely sticking to the action format that the genre is famous for, the whole plot revolves around the Imperium trying to retake an Ork infested hive world, the setting serves as a backdrop almost, for a character study of Krieg as a whole.
It enlightens you in regard to the essence of their war doctrine, in fact their entire doctrine to life and death, while removing several misconceptions one might have about the group. For example, despite how they come across, with their gas masks, WWI era Prussian aesthetic, complete with pointy helmets, your average Krieg soldier is perfectly polite when it comes to dealing with their non-Krieg colleagues. They follow the rules, obey all orders, regardless of how dangerous, and even reply to your queries with courtesy. Just don’t ask them to remove their gas masks, which at this point have become like a second skin to them.
Little needs to be said in regard to their valor in battle. They don't fear, don’t falter, never buckle under pressure, never dip in morale. And even at the cost of their collective lives, will complete the mission objective.
One fun tidbit, originating from anecdotes and lore, is in regard to their relationship with Imperial Commissars. You know, those Soviet inspired battlefield slave drivers, who give your average soldier a choice, death by enemy, or death by commissar. Well, in normal guard regiments, the attached Commissars job is to whip up morale, and to make sure your average rank and file charge with reckless abandon, against tyranids, chaos, orks, whatnot. But in Soviet Russia, I mean the Death Korps of Krieg, the Commissar gets shot for being not ruthless enough. Truly, they are there just to make sure that the morale of the Kriegsman is not too high, and also to reign them in, not to engage in suicidal charges.
The story shares this whole fatalistic ambience as if nothing that you do would amount to anything significant. But while to your average person, this can soon devolve into nihilism, for the soldiers of Kreig they just accept this as reality and do their duty. Sadly, this is not because of some stoic sense of peace, rather because they lack a particular sense of self, and to them, death, in line of duty is a forgone conclusion.
They represent a corrupted tragic iteration of what Lord Krishna told Arjuna. To perform your duty selflessly and righteously, without attachment to the results, and to trust in the divine will.
February 19, 2022
I enjoyed reading the full origins of Krieg and the death korps as well as views on them from Cadians and the the inquisition but I felt the story set in modern day wasn’t as enjoyable as I the other perspective.
October 18, 2023
I never like to do negative reviews, and I wonder if I haven't missed the point of the novel entirely...
Basically, I loved Mr Lyons' previous book about the Death Korps of Krieg, Dead Men Walking because it struck a fine balance between the satirical aspect of the setting and fascinating questions about human nature. I loved it as much as I love 15 hours or Fire Caste, because it did not make the error that some recent Black Library novels do, which is to take the setting at face value and forget about its satirical aspect.
And... well, I have the feeling that it's exactly what Krieg does. The story is told with a 100% serious tone, with no perspective making it fun or thought-provoking, the opposite of Dead Men Walking. It's almost as if the author had been told to tone down what made (in my eyes) Dead Men Walking so great.
One of the things I loved in Dead Men Walking was how the book left subtle clues that the Death Korps of Krieg were inhuman killing machines, which made them in a way very efficient, and in another way very inefficient to the point of absurdity.
There's none of that in Krieg where all the actions of the Krieg characters are justified one way or another and even praised. Even when they commit genocide...
Without any perspective or satirical elements to counterbalance this, the novel is an uncomfortable read, that will probably be more enjoyed by the portion of the 40k community with stances such as "The Imperium is justified in its actions" and who are usually pretty close to the far right (or are part of the far right).
Another thing which kind of sums up the differences between the two books are the antagonists. In Dead Men Walking, the antagonists' actions could be understood and be seen as legitimate. In Krieg, the human antagonists felt like caricatural moustache-twirling villains opposed to characters who have a more noble attitude. In such a case, how doubt can there be of who you should be rooting for?
So... reading this book was a disappointment as I hoped it would be as enjoyable as Dead Men Walking, which it wasn't.
It is entirely possible I'm being unfair because I had high expectations with this book which makes me less able to see its qualities. It is well written, has good pacing with compelling action scenes, but wasn't what I was hoping for as I'm uncomfortable with the justification and glorification of the inhuman way the Death Korps of Krieg behaves. That being said, if you do read it, I hope you'll enjoy it more than me.
Basically, I loved Mr Lyons' previous book about the Death Korps of Krieg, Dead Men Walking because it struck a fine balance between the satirical aspect of the setting and fascinating questions about human nature. I loved it as much as I love 15 hours or Fire Caste, because it did not make the error that some recent Black Library novels do, which is to take the setting at face value and forget about its satirical aspect.
And... well, I have the feeling that it's exactly what Krieg does. The story is told with a 100% serious tone, with no perspective making it fun or thought-provoking, the opposite of Dead Men Walking. It's almost as if the author had been told to tone down what made (in my eyes) Dead Men Walking so great.
One of the things I loved in Dead Men Walking was how the book left subtle clues that the Death Korps of Krieg were inhuman killing machines, which made them in a way very efficient, and in another way very inefficient to the point of absurdity.
There's none of that in Krieg where all the actions of the Krieg characters are justified one way or another and even praised. Even when they commit genocide...
Without any perspective or satirical elements to counterbalance this, the novel is an uncomfortable read, that will probably be more enjoyed by the portion of the 40k community with stances such as "The Imperium is justified in its actions" and who are usually pretty close to the far right (or are part of the far right).
Another thing which kind of sums up the differences between the two books are the antagonists. In Dead Men Walking, the antagonists' actions could be understood and be seen as legitimate. In Krieg, the human antagonists felt like caricatural moustache-twirling villains opposed to characters who have a more noble attitude. In such a case, how doubt can there be of who you should be rooting for?
So... reading this book was a disappointment as I hoped it would be as enjoyable as Dead Men Walking, which it wasn't.
It is entirely possible I'm being unfair because I had high expectations with this book which makes me less able to see its qualities. It is well written, has good pacing with compelling action scenes, but wasn't what I was hoping for as I'm uncomfortable with the justification and glorification of the inhuman way the Death Korps of Krieg behaves. That being said, if you do read it, I hope you'll enjoy it more than me.
February 23, 2025
What a book!! I've always been a more of a fan of the Cadians and never really had much time for the Krieg as I always felt that they lacked significant depth this book changed my mind the book jumping back and forward from the present day to the Civil War showing you what they were and what they have become I was so invested on what happens to the the planet of Krieg knowing what happens but not how it happened a part of me is saddest of the people of Krieg to give their lives so winningly to atoned of the sins of their past
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2025
A very good presentation of the Death Korp through two parallel narratives, one of which tells how Krieg came to produce such killing machines without emotion.
Apart from a few good action scenes, we are treated to reflections on collective responsibility, difficult moral choices, the spirit of sacrifice and atonement. Don't leave! It's still WH40K, but with added finesse in the themes and style.
A must-have in the Astra Militarum sub-set.
Apart from a few good action scenes, we are treated to reflections on collective responsibility, difficult moral choices, the spirit of sacrifice and atonement. Don't leave! It's still WH40K, but with added finesse in the themes and style.
A must-have in the Astra Militarum sub-set.
August 18, 2024
Lo único que me ha fallado del libro es que no tiene grandes giros de argumento pero uno va a lo que espera encontrarse.
February 2, 2025
A really fantastic explanation and intro to the Krieg and while the current story is good, the recounting or the origin is outstanding and really elevates an already interesting faction
August 28, 2025
ME AN ALL ME OTHA ORK BOYZ WUZ AVING THE TYM OF OUR LIVEZ IN DA BIG STOMPA BEFUR DEM ONZ IN DA SPIKEY HAZZ DUN MADE BIG DRAKKA AND BLOWN DA STOMPA APARTZ TO MAKE MATTAZ WURZ WAZ WEN DEM BIG BOMBZ WENT OFF EM BLOWN UZ ALL SKY HIGH! ALLZ ME KUDZ SAYZ WUZ WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH
There’s a lot of fun action in Krieg, as we see present day combat with the Death Korps and see the history of how Krieg became the bitter wasteland that it is. I think the parallel stories suffer from introducing a lot of characters that I just didn’t really care about. With not much time devoted to any, the sacrifices made didn’t pack too much punch. It’s still a really fun book in spite of this but felt a bit all over the place at times.
There’s a lot of fun action in Krieg, as we see present day combat with the Death Korps and see the history of how Krieg became the bitter wasteland that it is. I think the parallel stories suffer from introducing a lot of characters that I just didn’t really care about. With not much time devoted to any, the sacrifices made didn’t pack too much punch. It’s still a really fun book in spite of this but felt a bit all over the place at times.
April 12, 2023
Enjoyed it the whole way through, although I read it before reading the wiki page about Krieg itself so I could compare. I really loved all the main characters here, and the switches between the past and the present weren't as confusing as I expected them to be. Definitely a recommend.
July 27, 2023
Boring, hard to follow, not much really happens.
August 7, 2025
Krieg is a slight mixed bag, and I was having difficulty deciding between 3 and 4.
Focusing on one very human faction, Krieg stars the Death Korps of Krieg, troops that serve the Imperium with a fearless, relentless and beyond fanatical ideology: their death is atonement. Why? That's what this novel explores.
The book is set in two distinct time periods, with sometimes eerily similar events. The first is 1500 years ago, on the Krieg homeworld of...well...Krieg. There, we follow Colonel Jurten as he reacts in horror to half his people declaring independence from the Imperium of Man. Determined to right this wrong, we watch Jurten as he defies the Krieg government, sparking a rageful and religiously charged civil war that ends in the grimmest darkest way possible. Intertwining this period is the 'modern' story: the Death Korps have laid siege to a colossal city overrun with Orks. This section, unlike the civil war setting, is told from the perspective of Non-Krieg; pondering on their nature, on what drives them, on their strange anonymity etc.
Although I enjoyed having two timelines for the most part, I just couldn't shake the fact that the civil war/past storyline was better in basically every way. You could really feel the hate and desperation of Jurten, his whole planet betraying everything he believes in. Fundamentally, its so compelling to see Jurten himself become the monster just to punish those he considered to be the real monsters. In contrast, I didn't really get anything from the modern story: dudes fight orks, dudes frown at Krieg.
THAT SAID, I think this novel was smartly laid out, even if the pacing was a little rough at times. The civil war setting was 5/5 for me, and probably 2 or a 3 on the modern. Some of the writing at the backend also felt a little rushed: there was a particular bit involving a storm that made no sense because of the way Steve Lyons phrased it, where I couldn't work out what direction a character was going. Really odd, because until the ending it was pretty tight in terms of language and logic. On descriptors, (and this feels unfair after reading Dan Abnett), this novel lacked a lot of description that I normally look for in a book. Sure, two folks are talking, but tell me where they are. The environment is as much of a character as the people in 40k, and it's disappointing to see such a lack of description here.
Pretty good, very good in fact, and I had a blast. Scoop out all that modern story though, and you'd have had yourself a 5/5 book without question.
Focusing on one very human faction, Krieg stars the Death Korps of Krieg, troops that serve the Imperium with a fearless, relentless and beyond fanatical ideology: their death is atonement. Why? That's what this novel explores.
The book is set in two distinct time periods, with sometimes eerily similar events. The first is 1500 years ago, on the Krieg homeworld of...well...Krieg. There, we follow Colonel Jurten as he reacts in horror to half his people declaring independence from the Imperium of Man. Determined to right this wrong, we watch Jurten as he defies the Krieg government, sparking a rageful and religiously charged civil war that ends in the grimmest darkest way possible. Intertwining this period is the 'modern' story: the Death Korps have laid siege to a colossal city overrun with Orks. This section, unlike the civil war setting, is told from the perspective of Non-Krieg; pondering on their nature, on what drives them, on their strange anonymity etc.
Although I enjoyed having two timelines for the most part, I just couldn't shake the fact that the civil war/past storyline was better in basically every way. You could really feel the hate and desperation of Jurten, his whole planet betraying everything he believes in. Fundamentally, its so compelling to see Jurten himself become the monster just to punish those he considered to be the real monsters. In contrast, I didn't really get anything from the modern story: dudes fight orks, dudes frown at Krieg.
THAT SAID, I think this novel was smartly laid out, even if the pacing was a little rough at times. The civil war setting was 5/5 for me, and probably 2 or a 3 on the modern. Some of the writing at the backend also felt a little rushed: there was a particular bit involving a storm that made no sense because of the way Steve Lyons phrased it, where I couldn't work out what direction a character was going. Really odd, because until the ending it was pretty tight in terms of language and logic. On descriptors, (and this feels unfair after reading Dan Abnett), this novel lacked a lot of description that I normally look for in a book. Sure, two folks are talking, but tell me where they are. The environment is as much of a character as the people in 40k, and it's disappointing to see such a lack of description here.
Pretty good, very good in fact, and I had a blast. Scoop out all that modern story though, and you'd have had yourself a 5/5 book without question.
December 20, 2025
So, like many in the 40K fandom, I was curious about the Krieg. When this book came out, I was interested, what insights could it add to what had already been released?
Well, it was an okay book. The audio book was wonderfully narrated, and as with a lot of Games Workshop's stuff, it worked well and they hired good talent.
But the book itself... it's alright.
It takes place in two timelines. One showing the history of Krieg and how its people became who they are today, and how they are today, interacting with Cadians. (40K's most notable imperial guard) Personally, I think they should have picked one route over the other. Doing both, especially when in audio book form, sometimes became a bit confusing if you weren't paying attention, and I think weakened the story overall. Each storyline could have been its own novel, and I think would have been stronger because of it.
I think Lyons wrote the Krieg well, and I think they did them a service. They come across as how you would expect, and their personalities match how they have been portrayed in prior media. But even with that, this book felt flat, like there wasn't a lot to it. There was lots of action, usually Warhammer stuff, but in the end, it just felt uninteresting.
A lot of the characters ended up feeling bland and uninteresting, which again I think has to do with the book taking place in two timelines. It doubles the cast, and pulls attention away from the major characters in each story.
If you, like me, were interested in the Krieg, then I suggest you pick this book up and give it a tray. You may enjoy it more so than me. If not, and you are just a casual fan, then by all means, give this book a shot, but don't expect one of the greats in the Warhammer literature bookshelf.
Well, it was an okay book. The audio book was wonderfully narrated, and as with a lot of Games Workshop's stuff, it worked well and they hired good talent.
But the book itself... it's alright.
It takes place in two timelines. One showing the history of Krieg and how its people became who they are today, and how they are today, interacting with Cadians. (40K's most notable imperial guard) Personally, I think they should have picked one route over the other. Doing both, especially when in audio book form, sometimes became a bit confusing if you weren't paying attention, and I think weakened the story overall. Each storyline could have been its own novel, and I think would have been stronger because of it.
I think Lyons wrote the Krieg well, and I think they did them a service. They come across as how you would expect, and their personalities match how they have been portrayed in prior media. But even with that, this book felt flat, like there wasn't a lot to it. There was lots of action, usually Warhammer stuff, but in the end, it just felt uninteresting.
A lot of the characters ended up feeling bland and uninteresting, which again I think has to do with the book taking place in two timelines. It doubles the cast, and pulls attention away from the major characters in each story.
If you, like me, were interested in the Krieg, then I suggest you pick this book up and give it a tray. You may enjoy it more so than me. If not, and you are just a casual fan, then by all means, give this book a shot, but don't expect one of the greats in the Warhammer literature bookshelf.
October 15, 2024
3.8
-Pretty good first 40K book, I am still new so I did have to look a bunch of stuff up in the beginning
-Van Bruin is really interesting, he was an Inquisitor set out to route out traitors and yet at some points, his thoughts could maybe make him a traitor to the Imperium
-I liked how each chapter kept jumping back and fourth to the present and the past to show how they are similar
-Greel seems like a little snake, like he was trying to push Jurten to use the weapons from the dark ages
-They really hammer home how screwed people are in this universe as well lol
-I had a feeling the Death Korps was like clones of Jurten, it makes sense why they are all so dedicated
-The armored horses are so sick
-The Orks are crazy and I definitely want to read more about them lol
-Pretty good first 40K book, I am still new so I did have to look a bunch of stuff up in the beginning
-Van Bruin is really interesting, he was an Inquisitor set out to route out traitors and yet at some points, his thoughts could maybe make him a traitor to the Imperium
-I liked how each chapter kept jumping back and fourth to the present and the past to show how they are similar
-Greel seems like a little snake, like he was trying to push Jurten to use the weapons from the dark ages
-They really hammer home how screwed people are in this universe as well lol
-I had a feeling the Death Korps was like clones of Jurten, it makes sense why they are all so dedicated
-The armored horses are so sick
-The Orks are crazy and I definitely want to read more about them lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2025
Fun read overall.
Pacing and story overall wasn't super good especially for the part of the story that was set in the "present". But i really liked the look into the past and the different perspectives even when they didn't go too deep. The ending while a little rushed felt satisfying in because of the ultimate changes of said perspectives.
Great look into the past of Kriegs civilwar and to get a feel of the units themselve but dont expect great fightscenes or super captivating story. So even if the story slacks a bit in the middle if you are interested in Krieg and how it became the Deathworld it is today give it a read.
Pacing and story overall wasn't super good especially for the part of the story that was set in the "present". But i really liked the look into the past and the different perspectives even when they didn't go too deep. The ending while a little rushed felt satisfying in because of the ultimate changes of said perspectives.
Great look into the past of Kriegs civilwar and to get a feel of the units themselve but dont expect great fightscenes or super captivating story. So even if the story slacks a bit in the middle if you are interested in Krieg and how it became the Deathworld it is today give it a read.
September 19, 2025
Death Korps of Krieg has become one of my favourite functions from Astra Militarum and reading the first book that shows their origins made me SO hyped!
It sets between two different timelines: The current with a siege against Orks and the past showing what happened to their planet, Krieg.
It's quite grim, their behaviour is chilling and yes, they talk. So far I'd never imagine these soldiers could talk (it doesn't make sense not to talk, otherwise how can they communicate and set their plans on move?).
This book is grim, bloody action, honourable moments inside the 43nd Krieg Regiment and one of the most important personalities, Jurten, who made them what they are now and it's just chilling reading this. One of the most legendary functions!
It sets between two different timelines: The current with a siege against Orks and the past showing what happened to their planet, Krieg.
It's quite grim, their behaviour is chilling and yes, they talk. So far I'd never imagine these soldiers could talk (it doesn't make sense not to talk, otherwise how can they communicate and set their plans on move?).
This book is grim, bloody action, honourable moments inside the 43nd Krieg Regiment and one of the most important personalities, Jurten, who made them what they are now and it's just chilling reading this. One of the most legendary functions!
June 11, 2025
This novel tells the story of the beginnings of The Death Korps. Going back back a millennium, we find out how Krieg became a Death World. Alongside that is a “current” story of Death Korps fighting a battle on another planet that begins to look like it may replay the death of their home planet. This is a fascinating book and I would give it 4 1/2 stars if I could. The final two chapters took away the fifth star as the tale ends with the aftermath of the vicious battle and goes on for about twenty or so pages. I don’t feel these were really needed.
March 15, 2024
A interesting look behind the masks of the infamous Death Corps of Krieg
June 22, 2025
Me ha gustado mucho como se han cruzado ambas historias a modo de paralelismo.
November 29, 2024
It starts a bit slow, but it really gets going as soon as the loyalists start getting outnumbered. This is a great WWI/WW2 style Warhammer 40k novel which focuses more on the civil war on a small planet rather than epic space battles with space Marines and chaos demons and higher stakes. The choices that have to be made by the loyalist leaders and the origin story for Krieg and their beliefs are a highlight for sure. An army that was created by the cold and unfeeling machine that is Warhammer 40k's imperium, but just the regiment they needed
November 29, 2024
Flops the landing, that seems to be a theme among black library books.
November 8, 2024
For the mf emperor
October 25, 2023
Excellent stand alone novel from the 40K universe. It’s hard to say for sure, because at this point I find myself deeper into the lore than someone just starting out, but I do think this may appeal to someone just looking for a single sci-fi military book that isn’t completely familiar with Warhammer 40,000. The bits of the expanded lore are there, but summed up in a way to allow the story to progress without the reader feeling lost to the grander narrative.
The story plays out with alternating chapters of the Krieg origin story, and the Death Korps of Krieg currently. As you may tell from the cover, the Krieg aesthetic is very WW1 and we see some of that play out in an over the top sci-fi setting; tanks, trenches, etc. We see their past civil war and have many questions answered as to who they are. We also see who they are now, and their undying loyalty as they assist other units in fighting multiple aliens species.
There were some great themes touched on that I really appreciate in my war fiction. The author plays with the idea of us even questioning the story we are reading because “history is written by the winners.” I couldn’t help but smile about that very true that is attributed to Napoleon today. The reader has to listen to struggles, or out right support, of heinous acts done for the “greater good.” It also has a large theme of national atonement through war. Even though this has a WW1 European aesthetic, my American-Civil-War-history-metaphor-alarm kept going off. I’m sure this is a theme not exclusive to the post-1800’s United States, but as an American reader I took a lot of enjoyment in diving into these philosophical and psychological concepts in that way.
For the established Warhammer fan, this book confirms why I find the Krieg the most interesting of the Astra Militarum. Cadians, Orks and Tyranids make an appearance. Krieg captures the grim dark futility of the brand’s narrative perfectly.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
It’s Warhammer and the book is about war, so it is violent. It’s intended to be, but, for what it’s worth, it does seem much less gratuitous than some of the other 40K books I’ve read.
The language is relatively clean as well. Damn is only used as a curse a couple of times, some of those times in more of a religious use, otherwise we are just told someone “curse”d or said “profanities”.
The story plays out with alternating chapters of the Krieg origin story, and the Death Korps of Krieg currently. As you may tell from the cover, the Krieg aesthetic is very WW1 and we see some of that play out in an over the top sci-fi setting; tanks, trenches, etc. We see their past civil war and have many questions answered as to who they are. We also see who they are now, and their undying loyalty as they assist other units in fighting multiple aliens species.
There were some great themes touched on that I really appreciate in my war fiction. The author plays with the idea of us even questioning the story we are reading because “history is written by the winners.” I couldn’t help but smile about that very true that is attributed to Napoleon today. The reader has to listen to struggles, or out right support, of heinous acts done for the “greater good.” It also has a large theme of national atonement through war. Even though this has a WW1 European aesthetic, my American-Civil-War-history-metaphor-alarm kept going off. I’m sure this is a theme not exclusive to the post-1800’s United States, but as an American reader I took a lot of enjoyment in diving into these philosophical and psychological concepts in that way.
For the established Warhammer fan, this book confirms why I find the Krieg the most interesting of the Astra Militarum. Cadians, Orks and Tyranids make an appearance. Krieg captures the grim dark futility of the brand’s narrative perfectly.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
It’s Warhammer and the book is about war, so it is violent. It’s intended to be, but, for what it’s worth, it does seem much less gratuitous than some of the other 40K books I’ve read.
The language is relatively clean as well. Damn is only used as a curse a couple of times, some of those times in more of a religious use, otherwise we are just told someone “curse”d or said “profanities”.
February 27, 2023
Krieg was a good book, there were a lot of things that I enjoined about it. I liked how they gave an ominous vibe to the Death Korps soldiers and how they are surrounded by mystery. It also gave some good characters like Jurgen, a general of the Krieg's 83rd regiment. I would recommend this book to people who like fast pace action and lore. This book does tend to get graphic sometimes, but that is what makes it better. It adds an even darker tone and some reality to what is already a dark book. Not a lot of people come to mind who would like a book like this but, I would say two of my friends Colton and Maxl because this book has a WW1 vibe to the Death Korps.
I honestly did not have a lot of things I did not like about this book. I would say though, that I kind of got confused about where the book is all taking place. Was it on a different planet or on Krieg that's where it gets me? I did wish that we got some more dialog on Greel because he is a mysterious Tech-Mechanics. We don't know how old he is and we are left to believe he may have been hundreds of years old.
The themes of this book are all over the place, but they do stick to one thing war. The Krieg was a world thought to be dead, after a civil war that destroyed almost all life, but they somehow managed to survive. The Krieg are usually always silent unless they are a general. The age, we don't know some tend to be young, but some are old like Jurten. The book gets graphic on how the Orks and soldiers die. A good instance is when a Krieg solder is crushed in between a vehicle. This book does somehow teach a lesson to never give up. Like Krieg, it has been fighting for years in a war and after so long they finally win it after all their hard work. I believe that the lesson in this book is valuable because you may want to give up, but if you have a reason to not give up you will strive to reach it.
I would give this book five stars because it is a good pacing book and there is a lot of action to make up some parts that I may not even understand.
I honestly did not have a lot of things I did not like about this book. I would say though, that I kind of got confused about where the book is all taking place. Was it on a different planet or on Krieg that's where it gets me? I did wish that we got some more dialog on Greel because he is a mysterious Tech-Mechanics. We don't know how old he is and we are left to believe he may have been hundreds of years old.
The themes of this book are all over the place, but they do stick to one thing war. The Krieg was a world thought to be dead, after a civil war that destroyed almost all life, but they somehow managed to survive. The Krieg are usually always silent unless they are a general. The age, we don't know some tend to be young, but some are old like Jurten. The book gets graphic on how the Orks and soldiers die. A good instance is when a Krieg solder is crushed in between a vehicle. This book does somehow teach a lesson to never give up. Like Krieg, it has been fighting for years in a war and after so long they finally win it after all their hard work. I believe that the lesson in this book is valuable because you may want to give up, but if you have a reason to not give up you will strive to reach it.
I would give this book five stars because it is a good pacing book and there is a lot of action to make up some parts that I may not even understand.
December 10, 2024
Admittedly, I chose to listen to this book because my brother was a fan of his X-men: Legacy Quest trilogy back in high school. And while I never did get around to reading those, now that I'm making my way through the Black Library catalog, I noticed he had taken on some stories involving the Death Korps of Krieg, and it felt like it would be a great faction to explore. So I wanted to start with the story that described the beginning of it all.
How did Krieg become a deathworld? And how did they become one of the (if not most) loyal servants to the imperium?
This book answers those questions by using story lines from the past and present day perspectives.
I don't always love dual-timelines, but in doses and if done right they can be a lot of fun. For me, the trick to a good dual-timeline story is that the timelines build upon each other and add a certain amount of gravitas to each situation. This can be a tricky thing to do when you have to think of ways that the future storyline builds suspense for the past storyline, and in the case of this book, how can consequences of actions across 1,000 years still be felt?
Obviously, in the case of the Death Korps of Krieg, it wouldn't be hard to make nuclear war a consequence felt across a millenia, but the trick that Lyons pulls off is just how layered and nuanced those consequences are. The themes that build up the suspense of these two timelines (for me) can be broken down to:
1) History repeating itself
2) Courage in the face of impossible decisions
3) Value and worth of a single life
4) Morality of decisions (lesser of two evils is still evil)
5) Is victory by any means still a victory?
7) Loyalty
6) Propaganda (this is mainly a theme in the earlier timeline, but it's shown in the unquestioning loyalty of the present day Death Korps of Krieg soldiers and their interactions and the disbelief of outsiders at how devoted to the cause they are)
7) Atonement
"In life, war. In death, peace. In life, shame. In death, atonement."
We hear these words a lot throughout the book. And the meaning behind these words grows as the story does. These soldiers are paying the price of the choices their ancestors made, and the sad truth is that not one of them believe that they will ever live to see the atonement. Death is what they have to offer, and they'll all give it without question.
It's hard to really examine this book without giving spoilers, so I want to avoid that for those that want to read it and figure out what happens as the story progresses. I normally provide a most memorable scene in my reviews and there were plenty for me to choose from, but most of the "memorable scenes" for me were pages long and towards the end of the book where everything starts falling into place for both timelines, as past and present slowly merge to its inevitable conclusion.
Because of this, and because many of those scenes are sections whose true impact is only seen in the context of the book as a whole, I went with an earlier scene.
Most memorable scene:
(Krieg, Chapter 4: The Siege, Steve Lyons - audiobook)
"Renick’s second taste of action came when squigs invaded the encampment. She had come across these stunted aberrations before: little balls of pus and fury, barely more than heads on stumpy legs, scampering on clawed feet. Their features varied. Some had six eyes, others had none. Some bristled with spines or had vestigial horns or tails. All had great slavering mouths with fangs.
No one quite knew what they were. A genetic resemblance to the orks could not be denied – though Renick had once seen a squig snatched up by an ork and thrust down its gullet.
They had appeared in the trenches two days earlier, seemingly from nowhere – until someone worked out that they were being catapulted from the hive. Some splattered upon landing, while Renick had heard tell of one impaled upon a Krieg helmet. Others rolled to their feet with astonishing resilience, and set about creating mayhem.
Renick was roused by urgent shouts, at exactly the moment that a squig tore its way through the side of her tent. The creature’s eyes were wide, lips pursed, its cheeks expanding. She threw up her blanket between them as it spat a jet of steaming liquid at her. Its bile ate through the thick fabric and stinging droplets splashed her arm. She hurled the blanket over the squig’s head, blinding it as she went for her lasgun, always kept within arm’s reach. The blanket fell from the squig in tatters.
It leapt at her, coiled legs propelling it three times its height into the air. The squig’s jaws parted, and Renick stared down the cavern of its throat over a forked, black, slobbering tongue. She felt its sticky breath, its stench curling her nostril hairs. Never had she felt as exposed as she did in that moment, bereft of her armour – but at least she had her weapon.
She fired a full-auto burst at the dangling target of the creature’s uvula. It screeched in agony as it cannoned into her shoulder. She was twisted around, stumbling into the tent’s side, tearing through its canvas. She felt teeth grazing her skin, but then the squig fell limply away from her. It hit the ground and burst, spilling out putrid offal. Voices were still raised outside and there was gunfire too, and somewhere a small explosion.
Renick grabbed and quickly donned her breastplate. She jammed her helmet onto her head, but left her boots behind. She emerged from her tent, as bright floodlumens glared from the roofs of the nearby huts. She blinked and, for a moment, could only discern silhouettes rushing about her. Then a squatter shape scampered across a small patch of open ground. She pursued it, and cornered the squig against the side of the latrines. It turned to leer at her, and she caught a glimpse of dark metal under its tongue.
‘Grenade!’ she cried. ‘It has a grenade in its mouth!’
She had been aware of comrades rushing up behind her. Her warning stopped them in their tracks. They backed away, as did she, separating from each other, working their lasgun triggers for all they were worth. The squig tensed its legs to spring at them, but a beam flashed between its teeth before it could. Renick threw herself down and covered her head, as sizzling chunks of rancid flesh rained upon her.
By the medicae hut, she saw another squig impaled upon two troopers’ bayonets. She spotted another squat body splayed beside the dwindling watchfire. A pair of feelers sprouting from its temples twitched, and she kicked the squig into the flames with a shudder of revulsion.
The Cadians spent the next ninety minutes searching every nook and cranny of the encampment. They ferreted another three squigs out of various holes, and blasted them to pieces. One managed to latch its filthy teeth on to a trooper’s leg before it expired, leaving the limb mangled, bloody and probably, if Renick were any judge, infected. They also found two more troopers dead in their beds, one’s throat torn out, the other’s skin blistered and black from head to toe. They stoked the watchfire and doubled the guard for the remainder of the night, while the Cadian officers quietly closed the windows of their huts."
How did Krieg become a deathworld? And how did they become one of the (if not most) loyal servants to the imperium?
This book answers those questions by using story lines from the past and present day perspectives.
I don't always love dual-timelines, but in doses and if done right they can be a lot of fun. For me, the trick to a good dual-timeline story is that the timelines build upon each other and add a certain amount of gravitas to each situation. This can be a tricky thing to do when you have to think of ways that the future storyline builds suspense for the past storyline, and in the case of this book, how can consequences of actions across 1,000 years still be felt?
Obviously, in the case of the Death Korps of Krieg, it wouldn't be hard to make nuclear war a consequence felt across a millenia, but the trick that Lyons pulls off is just how layered and nuanced those consequences are. The themes that build up the suspense of these two timelines (for me) can be broken down to:
1) History repeating itself
2) Courage in the face of impossible decisions
3) Value and worth of a single life
4) Morality of decisions (lesser of two evils is still evil)
5) Is victory by any means still a victory?
7) Loyalty
6) Propaganda (this is mainly a theme in the earlier timeline, but it's shown in the unquestioning loyalty of the present day Death Korps of Krieg soldiers and their interactions and the disbelief of outsiders at how devoted to the cause they are)
7) Atonement
"In life, war. In death, peace. In life, shame. In death, atonement."
We hear these words a lot throughout the book. And the meaning behind these words grows as the story does. These soldiers are paying the price of the choices their ancestors made, and the sad truth is that not one of them believe that they will ever live to see the atonement. Death is what they have to offer, and they'll all give it without question.
It's hard to really examine this book without giving spoilers, so I want to avoid that for those that want to read it and figure out what happens as the story progresses. I normally provide a most memorable scene in my reviews and there were plenty for me to choose from, but most of the "memorable scenes" for me were pages long and towards the end of the book where everything starts falling into place for both timelines, as past and present slowly merge to its inevitable conclusion.
Because of this, and because many of those scenes are sections whose true impact is only seen in the context of the book as a whole, I went with an earlier scene.
Most memorable scene:
(Krieg, Chapter 4: The Siege, Steve Lyons - audiobook)
"Renick’s second taste of action came when squigs invaded the encampment. She had come across these stunted aberrations before: little balls of pus and fury, barely more than heads on stumpy legs, scampering on clawed feet. Their features varied. Some had six eyes, others had none. Some bristled with spines or had vestigial horns or tails. All had great slavering mouths with fangs.
No one quite knew what they were. A genetic resemblance to the orks could not be denied – though Renick had once seen a squig snatched up by an ork and thrust down its gullet.
They had appeared in the trenches two days earlier, seemingly from nowhere – until someone worked out that they were being catapulted from the hive. Some splattered upon landing, while Renick had heard tell of one impaled upon a Krieg helmet. Others rolled to their feet with astonishing resilience, and set about creating mayhem.
Renick was roused by urgent shouts, at exactly the moment that a squig tore its way through the side of her tent. The creature’s eyes were wide, lips pursed, its cheeks expanding. She threw up her blanket between them as it spat a jet of steaming liquid at her. Its bile ate through the thick fabric and stinging droplets splashed her arm. She hurled the blanket over the squig’s head, blinding it as she went for her lasgun, always kept within arm’s reach. The blanket fell from the squig in tatters.
It leapt at her, coiled legs propelling it three times its height into the air. The squig’s jaws parted, and Renick stared down the cavern of its throat over a forked, black, slobbering tongue. She felt its sticky breath, its stench curling her nostril hairs. Never had she felt as exposed as she did in that moment, bereft of her armour – but at least she had her weapon.
She fired a full-auto burst at the dangling target of the creature’s uvula. It screeched in agony as it cannoned into her shoulder. She was twisted around, stumbling into the tent’s side, tearing through its canvas. She felt teeth grazing her skin, but then the squig fell limply away from her. It hit the ground and burst, spilling out putrid offal. Voices were still raised outside and there was gunfire too, and somewhere a small explosion.
Renick grabbed and quickly donned her breastplate. She jammed her helmet onto her head, but left her boots behind. She emerged from her tent, as bright floodlumens glared from the roofs of the nearby huts. She blinked and, for a moment, could only discern silhouettes rushing about her. Then a squatter shape scampered across a small patch of open ground. She pursued it, and cornered the squig against the side of the latrines. It turned to leer at her, and she caught a glimpse of dark metal under its tongue.
‘Grenade!’ she cried. ‘It has a grenade in its mouth!’
She had been aware of comrades rushing up behind her. Her warning stopped them in their tracks. They backed away, as did she, separating from each other, working their lasgun triggers for all they were worth. The squig tensed its legs to spring at them, but a beam flashed between its teeth before it could. Renick threw herself down and covered her head, as sizzling chunks of rancid flesh rained upon her.
By the medicae hut, she saw another squig impaled upon two troopers’ bayonets. She spotted another squat body splayed beside the dwindling watchfire. A pair of feelers sprouting from its temples twitched, and she kicked the squig into the flames with a shudder of revulsion.
The Cadians spent the next ninety minutes searching every nook and cranny of the encampment. They ferreted another three squigs out of various holes, and blasted them to pieces. One managed to latch its filthy teeth on to a trooper’s leg before it expired, leaving the limb mangled, bloody and probably, if Renick were any judge, infected. They also found two more troopers dead in their beds, one’s throat torn out, the other’s skin blistered and black from head to toe. They stoked the watchfire and doubled the guard for the remainder of the night, while the Cadian officers quietly closed the windows of their huts."
June 19, 2022
Krieg tells two seperate tales but neither do well enough to accent the other. Instead of one great story you get two fairly half baked ones. But the action is good.
The biggest problem this novel has is its desire to tell the history of the Krieg and tell a seperate and stereotypical war story. Most of the "modern" stuff is a rehashing of Lyons previous Krieg centric novel Dead Men Walking but without the flair of the necrons or the phenomenonal civilian perspectives. It's not bad, but if you enjoy this half of the story than Dead Men Walking is a more naunced and enjoyable story.
The "past" story follows the history of the Krieg through it's most influential figure. This is far more interesting to see and the characterization of the lead in this section is by in far the best in this book. However the novels split stories mean that there isn't enough room to develop the surrounding figures or events, leaving this sadly shallow for what could be a far better story.
These stories rarely overlap in meaningful ways except at the end which even then isn't enough to justify the split. All in all, either of these perspectives could have done with more breathing room that was not afforded with the split done like this. Neither are bad. They offer serviceable Warhammer action with the scale you'd expect but when you take as a whole, this would've been better as two books instead of two halves mushed into one disjointed novel.
The biggest problem this novel has is its desire to tell the history of the Krieg and tell a seperate and stereotypical war story. Most of the "modern" stuff is a rehashing of Lyons previous Krieg centric novel Dead Men Walking but without the flair of the necrons or the phenomenonal civilian perspectives. It's not bad, but if you enjoy this half of the story than Dead Men Walking is a more naunced and enjoyable story.
The "past" story follows the history of the Krieg through it's most influential figure. This is far more interesting to see and the characterization of the lead in this section is by in far the best in this book. However the novels split stories mean that there isn't enough room to develop the surrounding figures or events, leaving this sadly shallow for what could be a far better story.
These stories rarely overlap in meaningful ways except at the end which even then isn't enough to justify the split. All in all, either of these perspectives could have done with more breathing room that was not afforded with the split done like this. Neither are bad. They offer serviceable Warhammer action with the scale you'd expect but when you take as a whole, this would've been better as two books instead of two halves mushed into one disjointed novel.
June 12, 2023
Krieg functions better as a mood piece than an actual novel. It is split essentially into two timelines that it alternates between. The first, set in the past, is how Krieg fell and the Death Korps were created. This is easily the most interesting part, as it shows a very human face of war, as neither side can be said to be evil. The second, during modern times, deals with the Korps fighting a xenos threat on a world that may soon be lost. This part of the story is interesting only in that it shows how the Korps function today, and how inhuman they seem to the rest of the Imperium.
It's a hard book to rate. On one hand, the mood is point on. The Death Korps are awesome and the tone is grim but human. On the other hand, there just isn't enough meat to the book. Unless you're a fan of the idea of the Death Korps, I just can't see anything in this book that you would want. In a world with hundreds of Warhammer novels, I would struggle to recommend this over a lot of other books.
It's a hard book to rate. On one hand, the mood is point on. The Death Korps are awesome and the tone is grim but human. On the other hand, there just isn't enough meat to the book. Unless you're a fan of the idea of the Death Korps, I just can't see anything in this book that you would want. In a world with hundreds of Warhammer novels, I would struggle to recommend this over a lot of other books.
April 22, 2023
A well paced story, giving a compelling account of the origins of the Death Korps of Krieg. The story is both well told and has a great pace. The characters are interesting and see great development throughout the story. I think you could enjoy this book outside of the Warhammer context and as long as you're a fan of military / political science fiction. For me, this tied in nicely with the Kill Team Octarius boxed set that I'm in the middle of painting. I can't wait to get the figures on the table now!
September 14, 2024
A great 40k book about the Death Korps of Krieg. I love the WW1 trench style of warfare and how the soldiers are so committed to the cause that they'll just die by the thousands to get the task done.
I enjoyed the two branches to this story, one set in the past and one in the present. Great to learn more about the lore of these soldiers and the planet they came from, I thoroughly enjoyed both arcs and it was therefore a pretty speedy read even for a slow reader like me.
Great book and I'll read more from this author.
I enjoyed the two branches to this story, one set in the past and one in the present. Great to learn more about the lore of these soldiers and the planet they came from, I thoroughly enjoyed both arcs and it was therefore a pretty speedy read even for a slow reader like me.
Great book and I'll read more from this author.
August 26, 2023
Man nukes his entire planet, proceeds to embrace squalorcore. People love it and form a culture based on the glory of death. Mindset very relatable to retail workers, students and 3-year olds.
The man then comes back to nuke again. The moral of the story is to honor tradition or something, I dont know.
The man then comes back to nuke again. The moral of the story is to honor tradition or something, I dont know.
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