Hacía más de dos horas que se habían internado en los bosques sombríos de las ciénagas de Voltemand. Los camiones rezumaban fango maloliente y el rugido de los motores resonaba en las malsanas frondas que los cubrían. Fue entonces que el coronel Ortiz vio a la muerte. Iba vestida de rojo y estaba entre los árboles, a la derecha de la pista, inmóvil y al descubierto, observando a la columna de Basilisk. La ausencia total de movimiento fue lo que dejó helado a Ortiz. Doblaba casi en estatura a un hombre y resultaba aterradora con su armadura rojo sangre oxidada rematada por una curva cornamenta de bronce.

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Title: Ghostmaker
Series: Warhammer 40K: Gaunt's Ghosts #2
Author: Dan Abnett
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 416
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

The Imperials are on the world of Mothraxx trying to prevent the forces of Chaos from taking it. On the morning of the final assault Gaunt walks among his troops and talks to various ones. Each time he talks with a trooper we get a story flashback from that soldier about a previous battle. We get 5-10 of these and then move on to the battle.

Mothraxx was home to a Lord of Nature (I don't know the proper term in WH40K vernacular) and there is a gateway to a Homeworld that Chaos wants to invade. Humanity has been drawn there by the will of the Nature Lord even while thinking they're doing it for themselves. A huge battle ensues, the Nature Lord gives his life to hold off the Chaos Forces and one of the Psykers, an Inquisitor goes to the Homeworld to close the gate.

Humanity destroys the forces of Chaos and everyone is less sad.

My Thoughts:

Having a bunch of short stories to fill in past battles worked really well. Considering how many troopers die, getting some backstory before they die feels more satisfying. At the same time, you don't get invested enough in somebody that you're emotionally scarred when they get their head ripped off by some Chaos warrior or their guts torn out and eaten or something like that.

The psyker who gave her life was introduced with just a hint of possible romance for Gaunt, so I knew she had to disappear. Can't have attachments in this universe! Outside of Gaunt, his cabin boy and some of the ranking officers, anybody is liable to be killed off. I've adjusted my thinking for these books so it doesn't bother me.

What does bother me though, still, is the very nature of this universe. If Chaos is bad, and the Inquisitors hunt down any human with psychic powers, using psychic powers, how does that work? And the Emperor. I'm going to have problems with him just existing, so get used to me complaining about him. He is as Chaos'y as Chaos so why does Humanity worship him? Grrr, I just don't understand.

As Ground Pounder SF goes though, this is pretty enjoyable. Gaunt's Ghosts are scouts and fighters so no spaceship to spaceship battles. I'm all for that!

★★★☆½ ( )