Kasrkin

Warhammer 40,000

by Edoardo Albert

An Astra Militarum Novel

An elite squad of Cadian Kasrkin are tasked with a critical mission behind enemy lines. They must rescue their general in xenos-held territory before his dangerous knowledge falls into enemy hands. But not all is as it seems…

READ IT BECAUSE
Hear the legendary elite soldiers of Cadia in action as they take on a mission so dangerous it could only be trusted to troops with their training and equipment.

THE STORY
When the perfidious t’au bring down a valkyrie containing an Astra Militarum general on the besieged Imperial world of Dasht i-Kevar, all could be lost – what the general knows could break the war effort, and see the planet fall under the control of the vile xenos.

Only the Kasrkin stand a chance at bringing him back. They are the elite of the elite, but the enemy that Captain Bharath Obeysekera and his squad are called upon to fight is unlike any they have faced before – the desert itself, endless and implacable.

With sandstorms cutting them off from support, Obeysekera has only his soldiers to rely on. As the Kasrkin journey deeper into the wastes, they begin to realise they’re not the only hunters searching for the missing general, and that their war has caught the attention of something ancient lurking beneath the desert sands…

Genres: 40k, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction

323 pages, Hardcover

First published October 22, 2022

About the author

Edoardo Albert is a writer of Sri Lankan and Italian extraction based in London. He writes about history and archaeology, particularly of the early Medieval period, as well as writing historical and speculative fiction.

Find out more about him and his work at www.edoardoalbert.com. Follow him on Twitter @EdoardoAlbert or like him on Facebook.

Reviews

[Michael Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

All told there’s a lot to like in Kasrkin. It’s hard not to see a degree of editorial intervention in the somewhat over-complicated plot – the book did come out alongside Games Workshop’s Kasrkin-vs-Necrons Kill Team box, so draw from that whatever conclusions you want – but for the most part it does all fit together, and make for an entertaining tale. This is helped throughout by Albert’s excellent prose, which brings the story to life with evocative description and strong characterisation, clearly looking beyond the existing body of 40k fiction for inspiration (which always feels good) and maintaining its own tone, a little different to anything else in BL’s range. Well worth checking out, in particular for the slow-build first half.

Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2023/09/...

[Harriet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a riveting read, read it in two sittings because life interrupted me. I don't want to give anything away as that would spoil an excellent read but I will say it is about war, loyalty, decisions and how those decisions both form your personality and are a product of your personality. There is something about Albert's writing that makes what he creates unforgettable, the descriptions that masterfully create the world and its interaction with the creatures that inhabit it and of course the Kasrkin.

[Skywatcher Adept · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It was the smell of man.
A rank smell, of turbid flesh and violent mind, with tangs of metal and chemical and underlying it all, the distinctive smell of tumour.
For humanity smelled like cancer”
- Kroot Tracker Cirict in "Kasrkin" by Edoardo Albert.

[Benjamin Ho · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting and insightful read!

There is always the formula of two races and a surprise third, a traitor among the ranks, and some form of Pyrrhic victory. That said, the character development of Commissar Roshant, CPT Obeysekera, Lord Nebusemek, and Shaper Tcheck are all memorable, dynamic, and meshes well within the narrative. The dogmas of the Imperium are challenged and the approach to questioning one’s beliefs in them with each soldier is well thought out. This is why I love reading Astra Militarum over Astartes books; they’re more human.

[AA_Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book that does a good job of distinguishing between the ‘regular’ Cadian soldiers and the elite Kasrkin; they certainly feel distinct from other portrayals of Astra Militarum grunts, in terms of their training, deployment and even philosophy.

Albert also does a great job of world building, setting the action on a nicely detailed, distinct planet. I’m not going to spoil anything, but I also especially enjoyed the PoV chapters from the antagonists, though I’m less enamoured with the (presumably editorial decision given we’ve seen in a few recent books) ease with which Imperial and Xenos characters are able to communicate.

[Luke Mcpartland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the short lived team up between the guard and the kroot

[Devin Overmeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The dialog and character progression were great. The Captain and Comissar's discussion on theocracy was fresh. Seeing a character bend the rules instead of blindly following imperial creed was very enjoyable. My favorite 40k novel so far.

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating of 4.5.

Get ready for some high-concept action in the latest awesome and exciting Warhammer 40,000 novel by Edoardo Albert, Kasrkin.

Welcome to the deadly desert world of Dasht i-Kevar, an Imperial planet currently under siege by the advanced xenos, the T’au, who have turned the usually baren planet into a bloody battlefield. But the war is about to get even more interesting as the T’au have succeeded in shooting down an Imperial Valkyrie containing an important Astra Militarum general, whose knowledge of the Imperial Guard strategy and disposition could cause the planet to fall.

Only one group of Imperial soldiers have a chance of journeying into the harsh desert of the planet, an elite squad of Cadian Kasrkin. Led by Captain Bharath Obeysekera, the Kasrkin are tasked to travel deep into the Great Sand Sea behind enemy lines to find the general and either recover him or kill him to keep him out of enemy hands. The best of the best, the Kasrkin are trained to operate in any terrain and face off against any enemy. But none of them have every encountered anything as endless, hot, or deadly as the deserts on Dasht i-Kevar.

Cut off by sandstorms and forced to journey over impossible obstacles, the Kasrkin are firmly on their own and can only rely on themselves. But the deeper they journey in the wastes, the more they begin to realise that they are not as alone as they thought. Other hunters are searching for the missing general, and the mysterious locals have their own games to play. However, none of them are prepared for an ancient evil lurking far beneath the desert sands, determined to kill everything it encounters.

Another week, another exceptional Warhammer 40,000 novel that I had so much damn fun listening to. Kasrkin was an excellent, fast-paced read that follows a compelling group of characters on an epic adventure tale. Loaded with action, compelling characters, and a story that makes perfect use of its setting and the fantastic lore of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Kasrkin in an epic read from Edoardo Albert that I absolutely powered through.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2022/12/12/...

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

[A Lost Grunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a massive obssesed imperial guard fan, more specifically the Cadians. I was ecstatic to hear that a book on the kasrkins was coming out. Since the kasrkins are the elite stormtroopers of Cadia the best of the best. I came in with specific expectations based on the title of the book.

But as I began to read through the chapters, I soon learned this book was not what I was expecting. I believed this book was going to be focused on the famous kasrkins. Who they are, what they are and what it means to be a kasrkin. But instead it was very focused on the story the author was telling rather than the faction. I don't think I was wrong to have believe this based on the title. I just think it should of been called something else.

Though I was disappointed at first. I soon got over it, as at the end of the day this is a superb book. It tells a great story and the build ups payed off with moments that kept me hooked. The characters are interesting enough, and provided unique perspectives from different characters. Which adds to the flavour of the Warhammer 40k universe. From perspectives of kasrkin characters (I loved the references to Cadia and its Kasr, wildlife and environments), a Commissar, a militarum general, the kamshet people, Kroot Kinband and a ancient lord with a interesting situation to say the least.

Overall a great addition to the Astra Militarum libary. I just was expecting more from the title. Hoping it truly lived up to a 'kasrkin' book. I imagined some reaction characters. Regular imperial guardsmen fighting a powerful enemy and to see their faces as kasrkins deploy by rappling down from valkryies. And using the peak of human conditioning, elite training and intelligence to dispatch the enemy with ease. To show a comparison from regular forces to these infamous stormtroopers. Hell maybe even see the asartes being impressed. Though I understand this is more what I wanted which is "look how badass the kasrkins are". At least many people can enjoy a great story and join Captain Obeysekera's journey. CADIA STANDS!...no matter what Sergeant Malick says.

[Alej · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two books in a day?! That’s the beauty of unemployment. Anyway, you must be thinking,

Alejandro, that’s a pretty high score for what amounts to a pulpy military sci fi adventure with not a lot of substance. You would be correct. This book is probably not a 4 star book, but my god, it has KROOT in it. To be fair that is the main reason I bought it. I love the Kroot, they’re my favorite faction in all of 40k. I don’t even like the T’au that much, I just love the Kroot. A story with a Kroot POV immediately gets bumped up a star in my world.

The book itself is pretty decent. I actually had fun with it. It’s a 40k story centering around the Imperium, very military focused as you’d expect, and very dogmatic at times, after all the Imperium of Man is hellish. I did find some of the characters compelling, I actually really liked and sympathized with both the Commissar and the General the squad got tasked with saving. Lotta “heresy” in this book, Imperium allying with not just one race of Xenos but two (small Necron alliance at the end). The beginning of the book is boring as hell though. It’s like 100 pages of bad Dune.

Overall I had fun with it. Do I recommend it? Probably not unless you’re already steeped in the universe. I usually don’t like 40k novels though, so me enjoying this is rare. I usually find them pointless as the setting can’t ever change too much. You’ll never catch me reading the Horus Heresy saga, that’s for sure

[Bibotot · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty disappointed with this one. This story is quite derivative and is little more than a shameless ripoff of Dune. One of the desert tribal characters is even named Amazigh, which is literally translated to Free Man or Berber.

The actions are so few and the stakes are just not there. The final betrayal at the end was both predictable and unfun to read. I also dislike how the Kasrkin and Kroots are portrayed. The Kasrkin should dominate in range combat but lose in melee. This fact is never seen and both are equally competent in melee and range.

Since the T'au are suited for desert life (because their home planet is a barren wasteland), I have to wonder why they send the Kroot on this mission in the first place. There are so many contrivances like this and it really takes me out of the story.

[Laurence · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warhammer 40k does Dune. There's a desert planet, with a native populace that extracts a vital resource for the Imperium through unknown means.

My main problem with this book is the central concept of the title: these are meant to be the elite of the Imperial Guard, the very best soldiers, but the way they are portrayed I never saw them as anything but regular grunts. They never come across as especially disciplined or effective in my eyes.

A rival team of kroot comes off better, and if they acted as a direct contrast to our human group that would be something, but the book waits too long to introduce them, and their impact is diminished.

[Massimo · Rating 2 out of 5]

good premise, however the title is decidedly unsuitable given that the story focuses on something else (the karskins behave like normal soldiers, just with a little more experience and a bit of special training). some considerations from the characters are interesting but the second part of the story (especially the ending) are banal, honestly the fact that there is such a contemporary moralistic component is very out of place in a setting like that of 40k. I don't want to say that the characters must all be psychopaths, but there is certainly some forced and out-of-context behavior (especially in the ending).

[James Wetherill · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Spoilers**

Kasrkin are off to find a general who crash landed in the desert and the Tau send some Kroot to capture him as well - Oh look! Turns out it’s a Necron tomb world and they are waking up! And now the Kasrkin and Kroot have to team up to survive! Yawn.
amazing prose covering over an over complicated plot - and then the general tries to defect to the Tau and after all that effort rescuing him they kill him as a traitor and the story is done.

[Paul Sparks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a homage to Dune in my opinion as there are so many similarities at first I thought I had got the wrong book playing in my audible library, there is nothing new in this book but that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable, all the usual tropes are here, hard bitten troops, world weary officer, pompous commissar, it doesn’t advance the world of 40k but as a Guard book it’s a good tale

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a different kind of feel from the usual Black Library books. I really enjoyed some of the dialogue that pointed at the horror of the setting. The ending was both horrifying and appropriately depressing and hopeless and monstrous. There’s really not too too much in terms of the plot but the characters are really key. It was a decent to good read. I appreciated that Proust connection.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly good story. I was unfamiliar with the author and went in with low expectations but I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this. The characters were great, the story was fun, and it tied together multiple elements of 40k that were unexpected. The story did drag a little towards the mid-end but some of the details of the Necrons and the Kroot make the book worth a read.

[Matthew Wake · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story that takes some unexpected turns. A wide variety of characters, from very differing backgrounds that are all very well fleshed out.
However, it did feel disjointed at times, as the main story arc seemed to change without needing to.

[Matt Salyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you get ten percent through the book you may get the idea of what's going on and groan. But about the halfway mark it changes and becomes interesting- not great but much more readable. But alas the first half is.. exhausting.

[Nick LaRue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a bit of a slog. It felt like it was 50 pages too long. The action picks up in the second half, and the ending is the only reason I bumped it up from 2 stars to 3. If I could give half stars I would. A solid 2.5, honestly.

[catweaseloz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok not bad for a light read, splashes of interest, especially the Kroot. Maybe it was a written to order sort of book rather than a story that had to be told. Edoardo certainly seems to have gotten multiple lore threads right.

[Armistead B · Rating 2 out of 5]

The usual warhammer sci-fi mil schlock. I love warhammer enough to enjoy a mediocre book by virtue of the setting but this one was particularly bland. I wouldn't really recommend this book even to imperial gaurd fans. The necrons were fun though.

[Atz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoilers!

Audiobook version.

I really enjoyed the world-building in this book, it felt fresh and original. The characters and storyline were also well crafted. While it's not as dark as typical Warhammer 40K material, it still delivers solid action and strong character development.

[Alberto · Rating 1 out of 5]

No conecté. Me molestó demasiado desde un principio la poca originalidad del argumento. Esto es Dune forzado al universo Warhammer y sencillamente para mi no funcionó.

[Jude Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely mix of action and philosophy - fans of the Astra Militarum and Albert's other work won't be disappointed.

[Jackson Handley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good here. I would like to read more Xenos written by the author, especially Necrons.

[Laurence · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite a boring read with a lot of the book just on tbe squad battling the desert.

Not really about Cadians or Kasrkin either. Title is misleading.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is all over the place with the main force of imperial guards not having any impact what so ever. They often seem to be the third wheel instead of main protagonist.

[Mathias Jedborg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good "hands on"-depiction of how a mission can be for a small band of specialist Kasrkin, and how morality in its absolute is subjective as well as relative.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice little twist at the end.