Customer Reviews

First and Only (Warhammer 40,000 Novels)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Like Eye of Terror, another Warhammer 40,000 novel that I read with some apprehension, First & Only caught me by surprise. I read it to get some additional background for the WH40K game world. Where Eye of Terror was only partially combat-focused, First & Only is basically a war novel, with back to back battles. I thought it would bore me, but it didn't. Comic writer Dan Abnett, who does a number of comics for Game's Workshop, is a *very* good long-form writer. His descriptions of the 40K world are compelling and very "painterly" at times, his characters have real depth and charm and his battle descriptions keep you on the edge of your seat. What really makes this book work though,are the unique characters of Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and the Tanith First, the so-called Ghosts, who are a fighting force from a dead civilization. Every time one of the Tanith die, their race moves one step closer to extinction. Gaunt, who was promoted to Commissar ahead of the line, has made many enemies in the Imperium who constantly put him and his men in harm's way in hopes of getting rid of him. They always manage to pull through (albeit with tragic loses to the Tanith), which makes his Imperial detractors all the more determined to do him in.

The day I finished this book, I ordered the second volume in the series: Ghostmaker. I can't wait to read it and others in the Gaunt's Ghost series.

First off, I don't play Warhammer. Not because of any bias, but because I a)don't have the money required to buy all the pieces and game sets and b)I don't have the time, even if I had the money. But I've always been intrigued by the game, with its scenario and mythology. When I came across this novel, written by Dan Abnett, I picked it up. I've loved Abnett's comic book work on LEGION, and was sure I'd enjoy his work here, as well.

I did. The Warhammer universe is dark. Boy, is it dark. The opening half of the book is just one long, bone crunching battle. Even if you have no idea what the hell is going on, you can't help but feel involved. The second half of the book deals with more of a conventional plot, intriguing as it is. Even though this is a 'sharecropper novel', there is no stinting of creativity, and 'First and Only' reads like a good, solid dark SF novel. I felt shades of Heinlein's 'Starship Troopers' here, I felt nods towards Clive Barker horror, but most of all I just enjoyed Abnett's deft handling of characterization.

A fun read. Maybe I'll have to start saving up for my own Warhammer game.

As a middle-aged, over-educated person who has read tons of literature (Hemingway to Marquez, Tolkein to Lewis, Shakespeare to Beaudelaire), occasionally I need an easy, fun read with plenty of little hooks and tie-ins to keep me interested. Basically, the man's equivilent of the romance novel in terms of emotional satisfaction and interest. Abnett delivers in every chapter of this book. I found it hard to put down and distracting to real life at times. Fortunately, I was on a vacation, so there was plenty of airplane time to read the whole book in a couple of days.
As a former military officer and holding a degree in history, I found the book inoffensive regarding 'historical' detail. At times, one might almost say that it is TOO faithful to history as we know it now and TOO familiar. The trench warfare sequences are close to actually WWI battle stories, while the 'special mission' aspects are straight out of 'Guns of Navarone' movies and actual commando operations such as stories of the British SAS, etc. That having been said, I think it will satisfy people who do not like their sensibilities overly stretched with imaginative (and therefore unlikely in their view) battle scenes. However the Chaos plot aspects involve demons and insanity, so are best characterized as hard-core sci-fi.
Like most characters favored by authors, Col. Gaunt is heavily favored by fate and manages to survive many close calls. Like Col. Kurtz in 'Apocolypse Now', you just know that he's going to survive as dozens die near him. However he is a tragic, ruthless and yet somewhat compassionate character. Or at least as compassionate as a commissar of the Imperial Guard can be.
And if you are a 40K fan, I think you will find all the 'fluff' to be in synch with the rest of the 40K universe. The book centers on Chaos and the Empire, the heart of the 40K plot theme.
To finish, excellent and engaging light read, on par with any mystery novel, romance novel, action novel, hack literature on the market. Should appeal to anyone who is interested in military science fiction like David Drake.

I simply wanted to weigh in on this book. I was very pleasantly surprised at the action, storyline, characters, etc. This little book is far more than some sidline marketing tool. Mr. Abnett writes very well indeed, and I would rate this one right up there with some of the best in my collection.

First and Only is an excellent novel. Fans of Warhammer 40,000, and war novels in general will really enjoy this tale of Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and his "Ghosts" of Tanith.

Gaunt is a compelling protagonist, ruthless yet compassionate, and the characterization of the men of the Tanith First Regiment really lets you know and care about each soldier.

The plot has numerous twists, and the suspense builds until you won't be able to put this book down.

If you enjoyed First and Only, DO NOT MISS Dan Abnett's second Gaunt's Ghosts novel, Ghostmaker.

Picking up First and Only with only the most superficial knowledge of Warhammer 40,000, I wasn't expecting much. The book was a most pleasent surprise. Gaunt is one of the most intelligent military men I have encountered in science fiction. He managed to survive not through superior firepower but through his wits. A great book with a unique setting that I would recommend to anyone.

I wasn't familiar with the Warhammer universe, and really figured this would be another throw-away sci-fi action novel. However, Dan A. does an excellent job of capturing the gothic flavor of his imaginary universe. The overall plot is strong, and plays out well through flashbacks. I'd recommend it to other non-Warhammer 40k fans.