Book Review: 13th Legion (Gav Thorpe) Last Chancers 1 - Black Library

 

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.