13th Legion

Last Chancers #1

by Gav Thorpe

Across a hundred blasted war-zones, upon a dozen bloody worlds, the convict soldiers of the Thirteenth Legion fight a desperate battle for redemption in the eyes of the immortal Emperor. In this endless war against savage orks, merciless eldar and the insidious threat of Chaos, Kage and the Last Chancers penal battalion must fight not only to win but to survive!

Genres: Science Fiction, 40k, Fiction, Fantasy, Military Science Fiction, Audiobook, Science Fiction Fantasy

274 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Gav spent 14 years as a developer for Games Workshop, and started writing novels and short stories in the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 when the Black Library imprint was launched in 1997.

He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.

Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.

Reviews

[Ridel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. This is like Riddick, except in WH40K. The wild adventures, death worlds trying to kill the cast, and the general flavour of criminals getting their way in the universe. The body count is through the roof, the odds are ridiculous, and the protagonists are truly heroes. All the more because they're baseline humans, and not the usual posthuman super soldiers.

The plot is incredible as well, with seemingly self-contained war zones, vignettes, and general flashes of grimdark horrors coalescing into a superb third act.

And the ending is delectable. It really deserves a chef's kiss. The perfect finale for this universe.

Published in 2001. The author was really something, back in those days.

[Arbraxan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in the grim universe of Warhammer 40,000, this novel tells you about the joys and sorrows of slogging it off in an Imperial penal legion... actually, mostly, the sorrows. Life isn't easy in a penal legion, what with all the murderous aliens, heretics, traitors, fellow legionnaires, and the odd overambitious officer, and neither was reading this novel. Honestly, I think the concept of a penal legion is great: you have tons of people from different backgrounds who are forced to be in the legion for different reasons, but this potential is not fully exploited by the author: sure, here and there, you are reminded that XYZ was a baron in his past or that ABC has a religious knack, but so what? I didn't really feel that any of the protagonists' characteristics matter at all for the story. At page 250 I should have felt deeply affected by the Kage's - from whose perspective the novel is written - trials; but there came the dreaded words: "I do not care".
The background didn't feel well-developed either. Names, dates, lore - all of these things that bring other 40k stories to life, with Dan Abnett and William King springing to my mind - are sparse. The only redeeming quality, if you consider it to be one, are the detailed and very graphic descriptions of fighting. Overall, this was a second-rate swashbuckler novel.

[James Darnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 13th Legion was an obvious starting point for this Black Library journey. Of the few 40k books that I have read, this was my first one, 18 years ago. I remember the story fondly but did it live up to the good memories?…well yes and mainly no. We follow a group called the Last Chances which are part of penal legion which sets the bases for an array of potential polar opposite characters to come together which you might not find in other novels. This could have been easily explored if Gav Thorpe put any time into fleshing out his characters. What do I know about the secondary characters?? **tumble weed blows across the barren desert**. Almost no time was spent developing even the most potentially likable characters which left me without a care for any of them, even the main protagonist Kage. Kage was a very one dimensional, complicated man that was written as a hardened soldier that wouldn’t lose any sleep over the loss of his comrades however his actions clearly implied otherwise. I feel Gav was torn between the type of character he wanted Kage to be which resulted in a lead that was both unrelatable and unlikable. Gav sent a lot of time promoting the “fight to survive and no one care about anyone” feeling of life for the Last Chancers and this is certainly how I was feeling half way though about Kage.  

Sadly the background didn't feel well-developed either. My biggest bug when it came to this novel was the constant pointless planet hopping from conflict to conflict without any care for the narrative. This style of story does bring us face to face with Orks, Dark Eldar, ‘Rebal’ guard and a…god plant. This sounds like fun right? Well each conflict takes the same plot without any progression to the story. Im sure the same template was used for writing each battle, page for page. Gav attempts to link them all up at the end but this feels like an afterthought and a cheap excuse for the journeys they have taken. Overall the whole book felt like Gav sat down with an idea and just wrote without any thought of where he was going with it.  On occasions we meet new characters or events happen which were written with some weight of importance for it to be another pointless event which are forgotten a few pages latter.  

By now you probably think that I didn’t enjoy the book. Well surprisingly I did. The redeeming factor in this story was the way that Gav Thorpe writes. His detail and very graphic descriptions of fighting picked this story up off the floor and kept me turning pages. Scenes of ribs breaking and heads being blown off were enough to make anyone go queasy. The way he writes without over complicating things is very refreshing.  Ultimately this book does not try to be something it is not with its small pool of characters, simplified writing style and single narrative. I saw one review describe this as an average swashbuckling story which I think describes it very well. I know this is an old book in different simpler Black Library times. I look forward to reading more of Gav Thorpe book to see how his style changes over the year. Hopefully for the better.  

[Jonathan Martindale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mediocre Offering at Best.

While the potential is here to tell a great sci-fi military story, Thorpe mishandles a cool concept. I was expecting a bit more from this book, but I will admit the last hundred pages or so are a compelling read. Two things stood out:
First, Thorpe doesn’t invest a lot in character development. As a result readers do not really care if the characters live or die over the course of the narrative. Even Kage, is somewhat underdeveloped as the primary protagonist.
Second, the plot is very disjointed. In addition to being choppy and disconnected, some of the scenarios the Last Chancers face are ridiculous. I feel like for the first part of the book they just marched around in extreme environments without ever seeing the enemy…not the type of action-packed narrative we’ve come to expect from Warhammer 40k books. All that being said, I think this book does at least lay down a decent foundation for future ‘Last Chancer’ novels.

[Sebastian · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of Suicide Squad or movies similar to The Dirty Dozen then this is made for you.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great piece of older Black Library fiction. It fits in a similar vein to Gaunt's Ghosts, but where they are heroic and tragic, Kage and the Last Chances are more desperate and tragic.

The 13th legion has a really interesting range of situations and enemies that are faced during the story, particularly for a relatively short book. This is helped by its narrative style of short story like missions, connected together by the reader grimly being forced to watch the Last Chancers get whittled away to next to nothing.

Our end mission was suitably dramatic, if a bit oddly explained in places.

My biggest gripe with this series, and it's end, is that it is a series at all. It should have been one and done. But the ending felt a bit like... well ok...

Overall enjoyably, but I won't be reading further.

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating of 4.5.

Welcome back to my Throwback Thursday series, where I republish old reviews, review books I have read before or review older books I have only just had a chance to read. For this latest Throwback Thursday, I check out a classic Warhammer 40,000 novel that has been on my to-read list for a while with 13th Legion by Gav Thorpe.

In the far future of the 40th millennium, the Imperium of Man boasts innumerable regiments of loyal and brave Imperial Guard. However, no Imperial Guard regiment is as despised, desperate and doomed as the infamous 13th Penal Legion, also known as the Last Chancers. Made up of former Imperial Guard who have committed terrible crimes against their fellow soldiers or the Imperium and under the command of the steely and mysterious Colonel Schaeffer, each member of the 13th Legion is given one last chance to achieve redemption in the eyes of the Emperor by dying in battle.

But, after fighting on some of the harshest battlefields in the Imperium, the 13th Legion is starting to run out of men. Out of the thousands of convicts originally drafted into the fray, only a few hundred remain, and that number is whittled down with every single conflict. Worse, Schaeffer continues to lead them into some of the worst scenarios imaginable, and with no reinforcements in sight, it looks like his bloodlust will see every single Last Chancer killed.

However, Schaeffer is playing a far more deadly game than anyone, including convict officer Lieutenant Kage, is aware of. Soon the remaining Last Chancers are given an opportunity that none of them expected, a full pardon and a return to service in the Imperial Guard. But to get their pardon they need to complete one last mission: infiltrate an impregnable stronghold in the middle of a deadly battlefield and end a rebellion. However, with deadly enemies all around, including their own commander, the Last Chancers are about to find out just how expendable they truly are.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2023/02/25/...

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

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm aware of the Warhammer games, but not familiar with the details. Still, I enjoyed this and it's a good standalone work. It's essentially a collection of short stories with a thin thread that weaves its way into the final section. The overall saga didn't concern me, but I really enjoyed the more individual campaigns.

It's fluff, but fun, written by a skilled writer who enjoy their subjects.

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this book and I enjoy it.
If you've read Sven Hassell or Leo Kessler then you know you are going on a treat.
In this story we follow in the first perspective of Lt Kage of the 13th Penal Legion of the Last Chancers.
First of all let me tell you that the book it's a compilation of several short stories plus one novella.

You can easily read one short story and then another without losing much - although the novella (the last story) I supposed it must be read with the conjunction you've read all other stories because there are some instances they talk about them.

So, this is a penal legion that goes from warzone to warzone, killing the enemies of mankind and being killed. In each story we get to know about Kage, Schaeffer (The colonel and the only one who is not a prisioner) and plus a dozen other characters. Some are just background to be killed while others we get to know a little better and transition from story to story.

It's very interesting to see Kage struggle between a sadistic boss and keeping all penal legionnaires in rein. It's also interesting to see Kage struggle to try to escape, while doing his duty and trying to amend his own sins.

Penal Legions were used in WW2 either by Germans and Russians. They are cannon fodder and forlorn hope. They exist to die and redeem themselves in the name of the Emperor (in the novel - not reality). It was also interesting some political debates - even in the last story - when they are invading a citadel full of heretics and the heretics thing the Imperium surrounding their city are the heretics and Kage, Schaeffer and a Inquisitor debate the meaning of "traitor" and so on.

The only part I didn't enjoy was the epilogue. I understand the reason - after all Gav Thorpe had to write more stories BUT it wasn't that well executed.

As a grimdark fanboy I would give this a try as I said to anyone who enjoys novels focus on war and action. I would like to add that this is a good entry point for 40K because it doesn't dwell on lore.

I will read the next two in the couple of months ahead.

[Isaiah Z.-McGuire · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really interesting to read this as such an early book for WH40k, given how many of the more recent books I've read, and how different in tone they are! In part, this delivers much more on the critiques of the Imperium as a Totalitarian Empire that treats its citizens with cruel indifference that's largely absent from newer books. I especially appreciate how much of this book centers on small vignettes of conflict and how much each costs The Last Chancers, however, the final chapter/mission feels entirely separate from the previous chapters in tone, and besides the phenomenal last couple of pages, really missed the mark for me. Kage goes back and forth from this self-interest that far exceeds any commitments that he has, to this obsession with his oaths and duty to the Imperium. It's not that these contradictions can't work, but they're just never addressed.

[Jiří Pavlovský · Rating 2 out of 5]

Solidní věc, takových brutálnějších Tucet špinavců ve světě Warhammeru, ale až na finále mě to nechalo celkem chladným. Je to spíš sled povídek či situací, kdy je jednotka odsouzenců, kteří mají poslední šanci si vysloužit svobodu, posílána na nebezpečná místa a její členové postupně umírají. Což mě ale moc nebralo, protože i když jim autor dodává osobnost, mají tak malou plochu na představení, že jsem si k nim nestačil udělat nějaký vztah. Jak píšu, je to solidní čtivo, ale nic víc. Chyběla tomu ta monumentálnost a velkolepost, kterou mají Abnettovy díly. Tohle je akční odpočinková sci-fi, od které už další díly číst nemusím. Ty věci od Abnetta, i když mají taky spoustu much, jsou prostě o řád lepší. Mají styl... a něco navíc, co je vyvyšuje nad šedý průměr. A tady mi to chybělo.

[Atz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoilers

This was a fantastic 40k read. It really captured the hopelessness and endless war of 40K. Normally Astra Militarum troops are treated as expendable, but here, as penal legion soldiers, their lives and safety weren’t even considered on missions. They were treated as nothing. The structure feels like a series of missions, almost like a mini anthology, that all build toward one big final mission, and every part was engaging. The characters were all interesting and surprisingly likeable, even the officers you’re meant to hate still had depth. The audiobook narration was excellent, too. Overall, just a great book, one of the better 40k stories I’ve gone through.

[Yurriaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I liked the read. For the "twist" being seen from miles away, I still wanted to see (read) how the story gets there. The various locations are great and given about equal attention as part of the story and character development. Events from other novels/stories/fluff are woven into the story, which is a fun gesture. The story is fairly linear without too many plot holes or magical plot devices, but they're there to some annoyance, mostly in the final. The Epilogue is the weakest part of the story and that's saying enough. It could've been deleted, in my opinion.

[Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Few books could better be summarized with the line "In the grim dark future there is only war".

Instead of being divided into chapters, it feels like the book is made up of separate short stories with the main plot constructed more as an afterthought. They cover many different settings and adverseries in the w40k universe, yet with surprisingly thin plot and shallow characters. Besides one thrench scene that had a strong "All Quiet on The West Front" feeling, I don't know why I liked it so much. Perhaps it was the dark downward spiral and the pragmatism that was born from it?

[Maxim · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this book isn't the best 40k book by far and probably not worth the 5 stars. I feel as if it is one of Gav's best novels especially given some other 40k novels released at a similar point of time. some 40k books feel like they toe the line with feeling like the imperium is in the right. But this story feels like it hits the head for the tone of the setting.
Human lives in 40k are a resource in abundance and freely spent with few checks on flagrant abuse of power, and of course, in the grim dark future there is only war.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this was probably the second Warhammer book I ever read. It’s ok. A series of battle stories with interludes in between leading up to the grand heist. This author has grown much more skilled as he’s gotten older and this is clearly an early book. Was eager to continue the series when young, but it’s not something I’ve ever reread until now. I was fond enough of the series as a whole to have recently bought the old minis at a big upcharge, so as a sales pitch I think that’s pretty successful.

[Erik Sapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second time I've tried to read this book. The first time I gave up because it starts off so slow. This time, I managed to fight my way through the very slow parts to the exciting ending. Sadly, much of the book is the "slow parts." If the author wanted to give a feeling of what the Last Chancers went through, he could have written about all three years. Instead, he wrote about a collection slogs (some of which ended with a few pages of action).

[Key Holiday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good ol' campy sci-fi in the grim darkness of the far future. A little bit meandering around the middle, until it all builds up to a satisfyingly epic climax. I was worried that this book might be a little dated but if it is, it's only in a "lovably cheesey action horror" way and not in the "no longer canon or relevant" way. You can absolutely enjoy this book as a modern Warhammer fan. Especially if you're a guard player like myself. Can't wait to get started on the next one!

[Zaphied · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what it says about my mindscape that I'm into grim and hopeless grind-you-down novels lately. To be in the Imperial Guard in 40k is bad enough but to be a penal soldier? Some of the characters were interesting enough I wish they were more fleshed out. But then they died. And almost no one cares about the dead.

[E.J. Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's be honest, if you want a book that's a light read, or where there are heroes for you to cheer on...well, on the latter point most 40k fans would ask why you're reading a 40k novel looking for traditional heroes. But if you want action, anti-heroes and don't mind characters quite likely dying then this is...not a fun read, but one you certainly won't regret.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a quick, easy read that really doesn’t try to be more than it is. If you like 40k or the Suicide Squad or Gears of War style stories, this is an enjoyable read. It doesn’t break any new ground, but it’s interesting to see so much of the scale of the Imperium that the wars that Kage fights in are mere background noise to the real heavy hitters

[Gabriel Tubec · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's like it was written by Sven Hassel. Actually, being focused more on the fighting, it could be argued that it's less grimdark than the Legion of the Damned books (the last chapters more than makes up for this)

[Станислав · Rating 2 out of 5]

Начало довольно рваное и все эти эпизоды не вызывают особого интереса. Их много и они бессмысленны и просто обрываются. Ближе к концу становится чуть интересней, по крайней мере появляется некоторый смысл.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

13th Legion as a book is probably worth four stars - a fun read that does capture the grimness of the Warhammer 40K future. For my enjoyment level and the audiobook narration 5 stars, if you are going to go on an adventure with the Last Chancers would definitely recommend the audiobook.

[Iri · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Tato kniha opravdu překonala všechna očekávání. Netuším, jak moc je mezi fanoušky WH 40k populární, ale podle mě se docela vymyká ze šedého průměru.

[Ben Rieger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy reading, beach book, etc. Entertaining, not challenging. Nothing wrong with it.

[Christopher Byram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this when I was 12, pretty interesting book.

[J.P. Harker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit rambling but a fun read. Kage was a great protagonist, balancing rogue and hero very nicely

[Michael Zhou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as Gaunt's Ghosts or Ciaphas Cain but still a decent IG read from the Black Library

[Timbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pure popcorn book that's light on plot but full of fun with a ragtag group of convict-turned-soldiers fighting an unwinnable fight for one last chance of freedom - if they can survive!