Customer Reviews

The Sabbat Worlds Crusade: The Ongoing History of this Famous Stuggle Against Chaos (Warhammer 40000)

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This giant, over sized book is a comprehensive account of the first twenty years of The Sabbat Worlds Crusade. The Imperial Guard, Space Marines, and Navy fight crushing battles against the dread menace of Chaos. This is detailed/narrated by Antonid Biota, a senior tactician on the front line, assigned to the staff of Lord General Van Voytz. Biota has been in the thick of the combat right from the beginning and is able to tell it like it is.

Illustrations abound within the covers and you will find many maps and notes. There are even copies of the Casualty Listings. Pictures, not just illustrations, show the details of the hardware and weapons used by the brave souls that hold Chaos at bay. Confidential orders are spread out for you to read. There are even detailed spreadsheets showing the layers within the Hive cites, such as Sangrel Hive (page 16). Troopers, majors, captains, ranks of all types tell about the battles they faced and the horrors they witnessed. By the end you will feel as though you were there yourself.

All the plans and politics are laid bare for all to see, such as a chart detail showing Cybon's proposed rimward expedition, circa 463, and the trailing zones of the Cabal Systems, showing the border worlds assaulted during Macaroth's initial phase in 770-771 (page 68). The Blood Pact is thoroughly explained, squadron badges are shown, and you even get to see, up close, the ships flown. (The Navy Thunderbolt, Cypra-Mundi Pattern XXI, of the One Hundred and First Pacificus Navy Elite Wing, the 'Apostles' Plane, serial 4548456, flown by Major Dario Quint, "Ace of Aces", is shown on page 82).

***** If you think you know all there is to know about the Warhammer 40,000 universe, then you are sadly mistaken. Your imagination cannot possibly do the battles and weapons justice. This is your one chance to own a piece of the action, to see it through the eyes of those who fought in the bloody clashes. As the Saint Sabbat, Epistles cites, "There are no miracles. There are only men." *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Dan Abnett's The Sabbat Worlds Crusade for Games Workshop's Black Library line of books is a must-have for readers of Abnett's series of novels featuring Gaunt and his Ghosts. Though it only makes passing mention to the exploits of Gaunt and his regiment, The Tanith First and Only, it does fill in alot of the background of what the Sabbat Worlds Crusade is all about.

The book describes in detail what the Sabbat Worlds are and how it was founded in the Imperium's past, but it also gives more information to the important characters mentioned only by name in the novels: Warmaster Slaydo and his successor Macaroth up to the many generals and commanders of both the crusading armies and their enemies. Other information included are descriptions of battle and campaign tactics for the early part of the Sabbat Worlds Crusade before Gaunt and his Tanith made their appearance.

The only negative thing i can say about the book is that it ends right up to the point of the latest Gaunt novel. This means there will be a second or maybe even a third book detailing the Sabbat Worlds Crusade and some may not call that a bad thing, but a good thing indeed.

The book is excellent giving a more indepth look at the Sabbat Worlds Crusade. Gives a broader picture than individual books in the 40K series.

I got this book expecting it to be full of WH40K artwork, but most graphics are pictures that have been digitally altered such as taking a picture of a planet and throwing some blurry outlines of starships in it. Lack of clarity is attributed to warp distortion. I know they probably did this to add a sense of realism, but I thought it made a poor product. If the picture says it is a White Scars Astartes then you shouldn't have to stare at a blurry image trying to figure out if the caption is a typo.

The maps are so basic they are pointless.

The few illustrations are very nice, and the text is very good and informative. However, I didn't think this book was worth the price.