Customer Reviews

The 13th Black Crusade (Warhammer Novels)

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After reading the 13th Black Crusade, I have to say that this is one of those works that any true Warhammer 40k fan MUST have. Detailing the events of the infamous Games Workshop international gaming campaign during the summer of 2003, this book provides a battle-by-battle account of Abaddon the Despoiler's invasion of the Cadian Gate during 999.M41. The book is presented as a compilation of journal entries written by one of Lord Castellan Creed's generals and includes various other articles such as pictures, personal letters and accounts, and many astropathic, Inquisition, and Mechanicus reports, all contributing to give the reader the feeling that he/she is in the midst of a horrible war. I must add that many of the pictures are in a style I've never seen before in a Warhammer 40k publication; the pictures look incredibly realistic, including snapshots of military vehicles and space fleets, satellite imagery, and other images very similar to a 20th century press release. The 13th Black Crusade truly captures the feelings of horror, triumph, and despair that were felt by all Imperial forces throughout that Campaign of Terror.

How often does one encounter a company so invested in its completely fictional setting that they spend significant amounts of money publishing historical tomes, background books really, detailing various conflicts and within their fictional universe? How much rarer is it that said company would spare no production cost to create coffee-table sized versions of these tomes with high quality gloss pages and high resolution photographs. How much rarer is it for a company to have a fan-base that is so fascinated by the diverse science-fiction futuristic universe they have created that these books sell with relative like hotcakes? Safe for perhaps the teeming multitudes of works published regarding the inhabitants of Tolkien's Middle Earth, I would venture the guess that Games Workshop's Warhammer 40k setting is the only one able to claim all of this fame.

From the perspective Adjutant General Alexis Grail, staff officer of Cadian High Command, the Thirteenth Black Crusade chronicles the darkest and most dire days of the Imperium of Mankind. The worlds and sub-sectors surrounding the Cadian Gate are invaded by the most feared foe of man, the dreaded forces of Chaos. This invasion of terrifyingly mutated battle fleets, dark servants of ancient malevolent gods, hordes of mutants, and throngs of corrupted faith spewing heretics is preceded by an explosion of cult activity across dozens of worlds. This conflict, which will erupt like a volcano into a war involving hundreds of millions of soldiers from across the Imperium will eventually rip across nearly three dozen worlds, is the setting for the Black Crusade.

While some of the photographs mentioned in the another review are obviously taken from terrestrial sources this book is filled with nuance and detail of the conflict and reads exactly like the memoirs of a high ranking general. I would have preferred more detail on the forces and personalities involved in the conflict and their histories but this could be the subject of an entire historical tome of its town. It is interestingly paced and can, with only a little imaginative effort on the part of the reader, allow you to for a moment to envision yourself in this nearly unimaginably horribly and brutal conflict.

i was expecting a lay out of the whole campaign. with pictures and art work. the whole book was from only 1 prosective. and the pics sucked the vast majority of them were real satilite pics of earth and the moon. it was really garbage anyway if your gonna buy this book buy it when its cheaper................i thought it would detail the regiments envolved aswell as the astartes units. it could of used more info on who fouhght and who died. aswell as where and why.