First and Only (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) [Mass Market Paperback]

Dan Abnett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2000

In the nightmare future of Warhammer 40,000, the galaxy-spanning Imperium is riven with dangers. In the Chaos-infested Sabbat system, Imperial Commissar Gaunt must lead his men through as much in-fighting amongst rival regiments as against the forces of Chaos. First and Only is an epic saga of planetary conquest, grand ambition, treachery and honour.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dan Abnett combines the pace and action to keep you turning pager after page... - Enigma A writer with a strong sense of plot and pacing. - SFX --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Games Workshop; Reissue edition (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671783750
• ISBN-13: 978-0671783754
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dan Abnett is a novelsit and award-winnig comic book writer. He has written twenty-five novels for the Black Library, including the acclaimed Gaunt's Ghosts series and the Eisenhorn and Ravenor trilogies, and with Mike Lee, the Darkblade cycle. His Black Library novel Horus Rising and his Torchwood novel Border Princes (for the BBC) were both bestsellers. He lives and works in Maidstone, Kent.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good old-fashioned war story w/ a scifi twist., August 2, 2004

By 

A. Sandoc "sussarakhen" (San Pablo, California United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: First and Only (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have enjoyed playing the Warhammer 40,000 games from Games Workshop and even collected several hundred painted figures. When I found out that they were going to start publishing novels based on this game, I made sure to pick up copies of the books when they appear.

One of the first I picked up is Dan Abnett's satisfying novel about an Imperial Guard Regiment and its commander: Colonel-Commissar Ibrahim Gaunt. The regiment is called Tanith First and Only for the fact that the homeworld they were recruited from was destroyed by a surprise attack on the day of their deployment. This fact gives the story and its many characters a certain humanity that most scifi action novel do not have. These are people who have lost everything they know and love. The only thing they have left is each other.

The action in this novel is fast-paced and very brutal. Its very reminiscent of the dime novels about battles during World War 2. This story doesn't glorify war and actually shows war at its most brutal and ugliest.

Dan Abnett has set up a good base from which to write successive sequel novels dealing with Gaunt and his Ghosts. This book really conveys the theme and idea behind the Warhammer 40k games. Fans of the games will love this book and fans of scifi books as well.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Intro to Warhammer 40K, June 8, 2000

By 

Douglas M. Wilson - See all my reviews

This review is from: First and Only (Warhammer 40,000 Novels) (Mass Market Paperback)

The book First & Only is a great read for fans of Sci-Fi or just military fiction in general. This book introduces highly defined characters and a story line that is truly unique. The Imperial Guard regiment in this book are from a destroyed planet. When each member of the unit perishes this culture is one step closer to utter extinction. The whole story line captures the reader as the members of Gaunt's Ghosts fight the evil of chaos and the natural survival instinct given to us all. Whether or not you are already a fan of Warhammer, it does not matter. This book can stand alone as a great Sci-Fi novel while keeping the integrety of the Warhammer Universe as developed by the members of Games Workshop. If Dan Abnett continues this level of writing in the upcoming sequel, he could very easily become one of my personal favorite Sci-Fi writers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Non-stop, page-turning action!, June 18, 2005

By 

C. T. Hunter "chips_books" (Gainesville, FL United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: First & Only (Gaunt's Ghosts) (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the first Warhammer 40k book I've read, but there's no way it'll be the last. In this first of the Gaunt's Ghost books, the Tanith First and Only and their inspiring leader are introduced. The team of warriors is lead through terrible battles in which characters are brought to life with vivid detail and killed off in gory fashion. This book is not for the faint of heart but is great for someone seeking a thrilling adventure in the dark and unforgiving universe of the 41st millenium. I ended up reading the entire second half of the book in one day (instead of doing chores that really needed doing) because I couldn't put it down. Just had to see what was going to happen!

The book was just what I expected: a dark and fast-paced war story with elements of honor, bravery, deciet and betrayal. The world of Warhammer 40k is absolutely brutal and engulfing and I really look forward to reading more novels in this unique setting.