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Krieg
A Death Korps Novel
The Death Korps of Krieg are deployed to a soul-crushing siege in the Octarius War Zone. They’re the right regiment for the job, though victory might come at a price that some might balk to pay.
READ IT BECAUSE
Steve Lyons lifts the mask on the enigmatic Death Korps of Krieg, to show us the true horror that lies at the heart of this storied regiment. If you’re looking for a meat-grinder war, you’ve found it.
THE STORY
Krieg is a dead world.
Fifteen hundred years ago, it declared its independence from the Imperium of Man, and paid the price. One loyal soul defied its treacherous rulers, and laid the world to waste. From these ashes emerged a unique fighting force, forged and tempered in nuclear fire�
Today, the Death Korps of Krieg lay siege to a captured hive ctiy on the outskirts of the system-spanning Octarius War, in a desperate attempt to secure the cordon that stops untold masses of Orks and Tyranids from spilling out into the Imperium at large. The Korpsmen are relentless, ruthless, implacable, and unstoppable, even in the face of a war that seems unwinnable. How far will they go to achieve victory, and is history doomed to repeat itself?
The Death Korps of Krieg are deployed to a soul-crushing siege in the Octarius War Zone. They’re the right regiment for the job, though victory might come at a price that some might balk to pay.
READ IT BECAUSE
Steve Lyons lifts the mask on the enigmatic Death Korps of Krieg, to show us the true horror that lies at the heart of this storied regiment. If you’re looking for a meat-grinder war, you’ve found it.
THE STORY
Krieg is a dead world.
Fifteen hundred years ago, it declared its independence from the Imperium of Man, and paid the price. One loyal soul defied its treacherous rulers, and laid the world to waste. From these ashes emerged a unique fighting force, forged and tempered in nuclear fire�
Today, the Death Korps of Krieg lay siege to a captured hive ctiy on the outskirts of the system-spanning Octarius War, in a desperate attempt to secure the cordon that stops untold masses of Orks and Tyranids from spilling out into the Imperium at large. The Korpsmen are relentless, ruthless, implacable, and unstoppable, even in the face of a war that seems unwinnable. How far will they go to achieve victory, and is history doomed to repeat itself?
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2022
255 people are currently reading
1,035 people want to read
About the author
Steve Lyons
185books97followersSteve Lyons is a science fiction writer, best known for writing television tie-ins of Doctor Who for BBC Books, and previously, Virgin. The earliest of these was Conundrum in 1994, and his most recent was 2005's The Stealers of Dreams. He has also written material for Star Trek tie-ins, as well as original work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
February 15, 2022
Several BL books of late have weighed up weighty moral issues and the psychological implications of life in a society wholly devoted to eternal, grinding war. Krieg holds it’s own in such company. As you might expect from the faction this lacks the tales of camaraderie in the face of adversity that typifies much Astra Militarum fiction, but this leaves room for a really interesting story about sacrifice, both personal and social.
The book consists of two narratives, one set in the ‘past� and covering the key events of Krieg Civil War, and one in the post-rift ‘present� where the DKoK are deployed alongside a Cadian regiment and some Inquisitoral forces in a war against Orks and a surprising number of Squigs. Of the two threads, I’d say that the one concerning the Civil War is more engaging as the conflict escalates and genuinely difficult decisions seem to be agonised over; the contemporary scenes lack the same levels of moral ambiguity and in the face of Xenos invaders the Imperium’s actions are not deliberated over to the same extent. The Krieg-set chapters also feel grander in scope; we see many theatres of conflict and get different perspectives, whilst Ork perspectives are sadly absent- these can be really fun to read so would have added to my enjoyment.
Krieg is a really solid 40K novel, one that contains enough deep lore dives and genuinely tense action scenes as well as emotional and moral conflict to satisfy most readers. The only sour note in the book for me is an (unintentional?) allusion to the infamous 14 words; the moral ambiguity of the characters and situation in which this is made just made me a little uncomfortable; tying in fictional repugnant actions to real-world repugnant ones that a significant number of people support is perhaps a little too nuanced for tie-in fiction to handle. The Imperium of Man is already a totalitarian fascistic horror, it doesn’t need ambiguous dogwhistle phrases to emphasise this. Or maybe I read far too much into it.
The book consists of two narratives, one set in the ‘past� and covering the key events of Krieg Civil War, and one in the post-rift ‘present� where the DKoK are deployed alongside a Cadian regiment and some Inquisitoral forces in a war against Orks and a surprising number of Squigs. Of the two threads, I’d say that the one concerning the Civil War is more engaging as the conflict escalates and genuinely difficult decisions seem to be agonised over; the contemporary scenes lack the same levels of moral ambiguity and in the face of Xenos invaders the Imperium’s actions are not deliberated over to the same extent. The Krieg-set chapters also feel grander in scope; we see many theatres of conflict and get different perspectives, whilst Ork perspectives are sadly absent- these can be really fun to read so would have added to my enjoyment.
Krieg is a really solid 40K novel, one that contains enough deep lore dives and genuinely tense action scenes as well as emotional and moral conflict to satisfy most readers. The only sour note in the book for me is an (unintentional?) allusion to the infamous 14 words; the moral ambiguity of the characters and situation in which this is made just made me a little uncomfortable; tying in fictional repugnant actions to real-world repugnant ones that a significant number of people support is perhaps a little too nuanced for tie-in fiction to handle. The Imperium of Man is already a totalitarian fascistic horror, it doesn’t need ambiguous dogwhistle phrases to emphasise this. Or maybe I read far too much into it.
November 3, 2024
You know how I love reading stories featuring our favorite shovel boys, right? But the problem with reading a full-length novel named Krieg, despite the solid lore and action, is just how morose it seems to get.
Who knew, reading about an irradiated planet full of religion fueled child soldiers who venerate a cult of suicide can be so depressing; go figure.
For context, the infamous Death Korps of Krieg are a regimental army hailing from the death world of, you guessed it, Krieg. Hailing from a world where horrendous nuclear fallout had turned the surface into a frozen, dark, irradiated wasteland where nothing can survive, the Kriegsman carried a great burden. Of treason and betrayal against the emperor, by their ancestor some millennia ago.
Even after the loyalist factions won, and rejoined the imperium, their subsequent generations were forever scarred and changed due to what they see as this ultimate treachery. For context, if asked who the greater traitor is, the Arch vile Horus himself, or the counsel of Autocrats who seceded their planet from the Imperium, your average Kriegsman would reply without missing a beat, their own traitorous leaders. Such deeply ingrained is the collective generational hatred against those they saw as responsible for leading them away from the light of the Emperor.
Unfortunately for Krieg, everything from their day-to-day life, survival, conduct and battlefield tactics were shaped, in part due to their hostile planet, and in part their hatred.
You would often see online in meme circles, how the Krieg armies are renowned for two things: their unparalleled siege tactics, and their suicidal charges with utter disregards to their own life. The latter is partially true.
Yes, the Krieg regiments on average have a disturbingly high number of casualties and turnover. And yes, they see their lives as ultimately expendable in service to the emperor. But that doesn’t exactly make them suicidal.
The soldiers of Krieg are pragmatic, disciplined and with an unhealthy amount of fatalism. They view themselves as tools, no different from the guns they carry or the bullets within them. Resources to be spent for the glory of the Emperor. So, in the battlefield, their commanders always formulate how most efficiently their human resources can be expended to defeat the enemy.
If a particularly tough enemy can be defeated by sacrificing 1000 of their rank, they would do so, no question, no fear, no doubt. For each of them know, by expanding those 1000 lives, they might be saving many more. On the other hand, if the same enemy can be defeated using just 500 soldiers, by incorporating a different, more efficient tactic, they would prefer that. For the lives of a Krieg soldier is a resource to be consumed, not to be merely wasted. But if the objectives require that tens of thousands of them need to be sacrificed in what is ultimately a failed suicide charges, that too would be acceptable for them.
Whatever humanity and empathy they have, is either wiped out, or suppressed deep within their psyche, after generations of indoctrination. And what you’re left with, are an army full of unfeeling, uncaring, unerring machines like soldiers, who tank losses like nobody's business, and whose ferocity in attack is enough to give pause to even the conflict loving Orks.
This story, Krieg, by Steve Lyons, explores in essence this dehumanization of arguably normal people, shaped through collective trauma, suffering and war, into entities whose only purpose is war and glorious death. And Lyons, with this and his previous short story, ‘� has showcased he has a deft handle in exploring this particular form of fatalism endemic to Krieg.
The narrative is split into two time periods. One set during the golden period of Krieg, where treachery and sedition laid the ground for what would be the ultimate fate of the planet. And another set after the fall of Cadia, with the now ubiquitous Krieg regiments engaged in pitched battle across the deadliest battlefields across the galaxy. There are also appearances by the Cadian Shock troops and a couple of Inquisitors from the Ordo Hereticus. But their presence is largely as a proof for the audience into the functioning of your standard Krieg regimen.
Alternating each chapter, between the past and present narratives, we get a neat parallel to the decisions that shaped the people of the planet for the near future, as well as how they act and are perceived in the current era.
Or particular note, is the dramatization of Colonel Jurgen, the hero of Krieg, arguably the man who through his actions is single handedly responsible for how the people turned out; for better or worse. Even when you know the final outcome, seeing the story unfold through his eyes puts into perspective the weight and enormity of the decisions in face of insurmountable circumstances. Just from his narrative standpoint, the story might as well have been titled as ‘The Tragedy of Krieg�.
While largely sticking to the action format that the genre is famous for, the whole plot revolves around the Imperium trying to retake an Ork infested hive world, the setting serves as a backdrop almost, for a character study of Krieg as a whole.
It enlightens you in regard to the essence of their war doctrine, in fact their entire doctrine to life and death, while removing several misconceptions one might have about the group. For example, despite how they come across, with their gas masks, WWI era Prussian aesthetic, complete with pointy helmets, your average Krieg soldier is perfectly polite when it comes to dealing with their non-Krieg colleagues. They follow the rules, obey all orders, regardless of how dangerous, and even reply to your queries with courtesy. Just don’t ask them to remove their gas masks, which at this point have become like a second skin to them.
Little needs to be said in regard to their valor in battle. They don't fear, don’t falter, never buckle under pressure, never dip in morale. And even at the cost of their collective lives, will complete the mission objective.
One fun tidbit, originating from anecdotes and lore, is in regard to their relationship with Imperial Commissars. You know, those Soviet inspired battlefield slave drivers, who give your average soldier a choice, death by enemy, or death by commissar. Well, in normal guard regiments, the attached Commissars job is to whip up morale, and to make sure your average rank and file charge with reckless abandon, against tyranids, chaos, orks, whatnot. But in Soviet Russia, I mean the Death Korps of Krieg, the Commissar gets shot for being not ruthless enough. Truly, they are there just to make sure that the morale of the Kriegsman is not too high, and also to reign them in, not to engage in suicidal charges.
The story shares this whole fatalistic ambience as if nothing that you do would amount to anything significant. But while to your average person, this can soon devolve into nihilism, for the soldiers of Kreig they just accept this as reality and do their duty. Sadly, this is not because of some stoic sense of peace, rather because they lack a particular sense of self, and to them, death, in line of duty is a forgone conclusion.
They represent a corrupted tragic iteration of what Lord Krishna told Arjuna. To perform your duty selflessly and righteously, without attachment to the results, and to trust in the divine will.
Who knew, reading about an irradiated planet full of religion fueled child soldiers who venerate a cult of suicide can be so depressing; go figure.
For context, the infamous Death Korps of Krieg are a regimental army hailing from the death world of, you guessed it, Krieg. Hailing from a world where horrendous nuclear fallout had turned the surface into a frozen, dark, irradiated wasteland where nothing can survive, the Kriegsman carried a great burden. Of treason and betrayal against the emperor, by their ancestor some millennia ago.
Even after the loyalist factions won, and rejoined the imperium, their subsequent generations were forever scarred and changed due to what they see as this ultimate treachery. For context, if asked who the greater traitor is, the Arch vile Horus himself, or the counsel of Autocrats who seceded their planet from the Imperium, your average Kriegsman would reply without missing a beat, their own traitorous leaders. Such deeply ingrained is the collective generational hatred against those they saw as responsible for leading them away from the light of the Emperor.
Unfortunately for Krieg, everything from their day-to-day life, survival, conduct and battlefield tactics were shaped, in part due to their hostile planet, and in part their hatred.
You would often see online in meme circles, how the Krieg armies are renowned for two things: their unparalleled siege tactics, and their suicidal charges with utter disregards to their own life. The latter is partially true.
Yes, the Krieg regiments on average have a disturbingly high number of casualties and turnover. And yes, they see their lives as ultimately expendable in service to the emperor. But that doesn’t exactly make them suicidal.
The soldiers of Krieg are pragmatic, disciplined and with an unhealthy amount of fatalism. They view themselves as tools, no different from the guns they carry or the bullets within them. Resources to be spent for the glory of the Emperor. So, in the battlefield, their commanders always formulate how most efficiently their human resources can be expended to defeat the enemy.
If a particularly tough enemy can be defeated by sacrificing 1000 of their rank, they would do so, no question, no fear, no doubt. For each of them know, by expanding those 1000 lives, they might be saving many more. On the other hand, if the same enemy can be defeated using just 500 soldiers, by incorporating a different, more efficient tactic, they would prefer that. For the lives of a Krieg soldier is a resource to be consumed, not to be merely wasted. But if the objectives require that tens of thousands of them need to be sacrificed in what is ultimately a failed suicide charges, that too would be acceptable for them.
Whatever humanity and empathy they have, is either wiped out, or suppressed deep within their psyche, after generations of indoctrination. And what you’re left with, are an army full of unfeeling, uncaring, unerring machines like soldiers, who tank losses like nobody's business, and whose ferocity in attack is enough to give pause to even the conflict loving Orks.
This story, Krieg, by Steve Lyons, explores in essence this dehumanization of arguably normal people, shaped through collective trauma, suffering and war, into entities whose only purpose is war and glorious death. And Lyons, with this and his previous short story, ‘� has showcased he has a deft handle in exploring this particular form of fatalism endemic to Krieg.
The narrative is split into two time periods. One set during the golden period of Krieg, where treachery and sedition laid the ground for what would be the ultimate fate of the planet. And another set after the fall of Cadia, with the now ubiquitous Krieg regiments engaged in pitched battle across the deadliest battlefields across the galaxy. There are also appearances by the Cadian Shock troops and a couple of Inquisitors from the Ordo Hereticus. But their presence is largely as a proof for the audience into the functioning of your standard Krieg regimen.
Alternating each chapter, between the past and present narratives, we get a neat parallel to the decisions that shaped the people of the planet for the near future, as well as how they act and are perceived in the current era.
Or particular note, is the dramatization of Colonel Jurgen, the hero of Krieg, arguably the man who through his actions is single handedly responsible for how the people turned out; for better or worse. Even when you know the final outcome, seeing the story unfold through his eyes puts into perspective the weight and enormity of the decisions in face of insurmountable circumstances. Just from his narrative standpoint, the story might as well have been titled as ‘The Tragedy of Krieg�.
While largely sticking to the action format that the genre is famous for, the whole plot revolves around the Imperium trying to retake an Ork infested hive world, the setting serves as a backdrop almost, for a character study of Krieg as a whole.
It enlightens you in regard to the essence of their war doctrine, in fact their entire doctrine to life and death, while removing several misconceptions one might have about the group. For example, despite how they come across, with their gas masks, WWI era Prussian aesthetic, complete with pointy helmets, your average Krieg soldier is perfectly polite when it comes to dealing with their non-Krieg colleagues. They follow the rules, obey all orders, regardless of how dangerous, and even reply to your queries with courtesy. Just don’t ask them to remove their gas masks, which at this point have become like a second skin to them.
Little needs to be said in regard to their valor in battle. They don't fear, don’t falter, never buckle under pressure, never dip in morale. And even at the cost of their collective lives, will complete the mission objective.
One fun tidbit, originating from anecdotes and lore, is in regard to their relationship with Imperial Commissars. You know, those Soviet inspired battlefield slave drivers, who give your average soldier a choice, death by enemy, or death by commissar. Well, in normal guard regiments, the attached Commissars job is to whip up morale, and to make sure your average rank and file charge with reckless abandon, against tyranids, chaos, orks, whatnot. But in Soviet Russia, I mean the Death Korps of Krieg, the Commissar gets shot for being not ruthless enough. Truly, they are there just to make sure that the morale of the Kriegsman is not too high, and also to reign them in, not to engage in suicidal charges.
The story shares this whole fatalistic ambience as if nothing that you do would amount to anything significant. But while to your average person, this can soon devolve into nihilism, for the soldiers of Kreig they just accept this as reality and do their duty. Sadly, this is not because of some stoic sense of peace, rather because they lack a particular sense of self, and to them, death, in line of duty is a forgone conclusion.
They represent a corrupted tragic iteration of what Lord Krishna told Arjuna. To perform your duty selflessly and righteously, without attachment to the results, and to trust in the divine will.
February 19, 2022
I enjoyed reading the full origins of Krieg and the death korps as well as views on them from Cadians and the the inquisition but I felt the story set in modern day wasn’t as enjoyable as I the other perspective.
October 18, 2023
I never like to do negative reviews, and I wonder if I haven't missed the point of the novel entirely...
Basically, I loved Mr Lyons' previous book about the Death Korps of Krieg, Dead Men Walking because it struck a fine balance between the satirical aspect of the setting and fascinating questions about human nature. I loved it as much as I love 15 hours or Fire Caste, because it did not make the error that some recent Black Library novels do, which is to take the setting at face value and forget about its satirical aspect.
And... well, I have the feeling that it's exactly what Krieg does. The story is told with a 100% serious tone, with no perspective making it fun or thought-provoking, the opposite of Dead Men Walking. It's almost as if the author had been told to tone down what made (in my eyes) Dead Men Walking so great.
One of the things I loved in Dead Men Walking was how the book left subtle clues that the Death Korps of Krieg were inhuman killing machines, which made them in a way very efficient, and in another way very inefficient to the point of absurdity.
There's none of that in Krieg where all the actions of the Krieg characters are justified one way or another and even praised. Even when they commit genocide...
Without any perspective or satirical elements to counterbalance this, the novel is an uncomfortable read, that will probably be more enjoyed by the portion of the 40k community with stances such as "The Imperium is justified in its actions" and who are usually pretty close to the far right (or are part of the far right).
Another thing which kind of sums up the differences between the two books are the antagonists. In Dead Men Walking, the antagonists' actions could be understood and be seen as legitimate. In Krieg, the human antagonists felt like caricatural moustache-twirling villains opposed to characters who have a more noble attitude. In such a case, how doubt can there be of who you should be rooting for?
So... reading this book was a disappointment as I hoped it would be as enjoyable as Dead Men Walking, which it wasn't.
It is entirely possible I'm being unfair because I had high expectations with this book which makes me less able to see its qualities. It is well written, has good pacing with compelling action scenes, but wasn't what I was hoping for as I'm uncomfortable with the justification and glorification of the inhuman way the Death Korps of Krieg behaves. That being said, if you do read it, I hope you'll enjoy it more than me.
Basically, I loved Mr Lyons' previous book about the Death Korps of Krieg, Dead Men Walking because it struck a fine balance between the satirical aspect of the setting and fascinating questions about human nature. I loved it as much as I love 15 hours or Fire Caste, because it did not make the error that some recent Black Library novels do, which is to take the setting at face value and forget about its satirical aspect.
And... well, I have the feeling that it's exactly what Krieg does. The story is told with a 100% serious tone, with no perspective making it fun or thought-provoking, the opposite of Dead Men Walking. It's almost as if the author had been told to tone down what made (in my eyes) Dead Men Walking so great.
One of the things I loved in Dead Men Walking was how the book left subtle clues that the Death Korps of Krieg were inhuman killing machines, which made them in a way very efficient, and in another way very inefficient to the point of absurdity.
There's none of that in Krieg where all the actions of the Krieg characters are justified one way or another and even praised. Even when they commit genocide...
Without any perspective or satirical elements to counterbalance this, the novel is an uncomfortable read, that will probably be more enjoyed by the portion of the 40k community with stances such as "The Imperium is justified in its actions" and who are usually pretty close to the far right (or are part of the far right).
Another thing which kind of sums up the differences between the two books are the antagonists. In Dead Men Walking, the antagonists' actions could be understood and be seen as legitimate. In Krieg, the human antagonists felt like caricatural moustache-twirling villains opposed to characters who have a more noble attitude. In such a case, how doubt can there be of who you should be rooting for?
So... reading this book was a disappointment as I hoped it would be as enjoyable as Dead Men Walking, which it wasn't.
It is entirely possible I'm being unfair because I had high expectations with this book which makes me less able to see its qualities. It is well written, has good pacing with compelling action scenes, but wasn't what I was hoping for as I'm uncomfortable with the justification and glorification of the inhuman way the Death Korps of Krieg behaves. That being said, if you do read it, I hope you'll enjoy it more than me.
February 23, 2025
What a book!! I've always been a more of a fan of the Cadians and never really had much time for the Krieg as I always felt that they lacked significant depth this book changed my mind the book jumping back and forward from the present day to the Civil War showing you what they were and what they have become I was so invested on what happens to the the planet of Krieg knowing what happens but not how it happened a part of me is saddest of the people of Krieg to give their lives so winningly to atoned of the sins of their past
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2024
Lo único que me ha fallado del libro es que no tiene grandes giros de argumento pero uno va a lo que espera encontrarse.
February 2, 2025
A really fantastic explanation and intro to the Krieg and while the current story is good, the recounting or the origin is outstanding and really elevates an already interesting faction
April 12, 2023
Enjoyed it the whole way through, although I read it before reading the wiki page about Krieg itself so I could compare. I really loved all the main characters here, and the switches between the past and the present weren't as confusing as I expected them to be. Definitely a recommend.
October 15, 2024
3.8
-Pretty good first 40K book, I am still new so I did have to look a bunch of stuff up in the beginning
-Van Bruin is really interesting, he was an Inquisitor set out to route out traitors and yet at some points, his thoughts could maybe make him a traitor to the Imperium
-I liked how each chapter kept jumping back and fourth to the present and the past to show how they are similar
-Greel seems like a little snake, like he was trying to push Jurten to use the weapons from the dark ages
-They really hammer home how screwed people are in this universe as well lol
-I had a feeling the Death Korps was like clones of Jurten, it makes sense why they are all so dedicated
-The armored horses are so sick
-The Orks are crazy and I definitely want to read more about them lol
-Pretty good first 40K book, I am still new so I did have to look a bunch of stuff up in the beginning
-Van Bruin is really interesting, he was an Inquisitor set out to route out traitors and yet at some points, his thoughts could maybe make him a traitor to the Imperium
-I liked how each chapter kept jumping back and fourth to the present and the past to show how they are similar
-Greel seems like a little snake, like he was trying to push Jurten to use the weapons from the dark ages
-They really hammer home how screwed people are in this universe as well lol
-I had a feeling the Death Korps was like clones of Jurten, it makes sense why they are all so dedicated
-The armored horses are so sick
-The Orks are crazy and I definitely want to read more about them lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2025
Fun read overall.
Pacing and story overall wasn't super good especially for the part of the story that was set in the "present". But i really liked the look into the past and the different perspectives even when they didn't go too deep. The ending while a little rushed felt satisfying in because of the ultimate changes of said perspectives.
Great look into the past of Kriegs civilwar and to get a feel of the units themselve but dont expect great fightscenes or super captivating story. So even if the story slacks a bit in the middle if you are interested in Krieg and how it became the Deathworld it is today give it a read.
Pacing and story overall wasn't super good especially for the part of the story that was set in the "present". But i really liked the look into the past and the different perspectives even when they didn't go too deep. The ending while a little rushed felt satisfying in because of the ultimate changes of said perspectives.
Great look into the past of Kriegs civilwar and to get a feel of the units themselve but dont expect great fightscenes or super captivating story. So even if the story slacks a bit in the middle if you are interested in Krieg and how it became the Deathworld it is today give it a read.
September 18, 2024
La novela no está mal, los personajes son llamativos y las tramas interesantes. Me ha gustado ver cómo protagonistas a los soldados de Krieg, y conocer el temor que crean no sólo entre sus enemigos.
Ahora la falta una "mega batalla" que demuestre de que están hechos, y más trincheras.
También le echo en falta alguna que otra página de más, hay momentos en los que se pasa muy por encima y no hay un buen desarrollo.
Es una novela muy rápida de leer.
Ahora la falta una "mega batalla" que demuestre de que están hechos, y más trincheras.
También le echo en falta alguna que otra página de más, hay momentos en los que se pasa muy por encima y no hay un buen desarrollo.
Es una novela muy rápida de leer.
July 27, 2023
Boring, hard to follow, not much really happens.
March 15, 2024
A interesting look behind the masks of the infamous Death Corps of Krieg
November 29, 2024
It starts a bit slow, but it really gets going as soon as the loyalists start getting outnumbered. This is a great WWI/WW2 style Warhammer 40k novel which focuses more on the civil war on a small planet rather than epic space battles with space Marines and chaos demons and higher stakes. The choices that have to be made by the loyalist leaders and the origin story for Krieg and their beliefs are a highlight for sure. An army that was created by the cold and unfeeling machine that is Warhammer 40k's imperium, but just the regiment they needed
November 29, 2024
Flops the landing, that seems to be a theme among black library books.
November 8, 2024
For the mf emperor
October 25, 2023
Excellent stand alone novel from the 40K universe. It’s hard to say for sure, because at this point I find myself deeper into the lore than someone just starting out, but I do think this may appeal to someone just looking for a single sci-fi military book that isn’t completely familiar with Warhammer 40,000. The bits of the expanded lore are there, but summed up in a way to allow the story to progress without the reader feeling lost to the grander narrative.
The story plays out with alternating chapters of the Krieg origin story, and the Death Korps of Krieg currently. As you may tell from the cover, the Krieg aesthetic is very WW1 and we see some of that play out in an over the top sci-fi setting; tanks, trenches, etc. We see their past civil war and have many questions answered as to who they are. We also see who they are now, and their undying loyalty as they assist other units in fighting multiple aliens species.
There were some great themes touched on that I really appreciate in my war fiction. The author plays with the idea of us even questioning the story we are reading because “history is written by the winners.� I couldn’t help but smile about that very true that is attributed to Napoleon today. The reader has to listen to struggles, or out right support, of heinous acts done for the “greater good.� It also has a large theme of national atonement through war. Even though this has a WW1 European aesthetic, my American-Civil-War-history-metaphor-alarm kept going off. I’m sure this is a theme not exclusive to the post-1800’s United States, but as an American reader I took a lot of enjoyment in diving into these philosophical and psychological concepts in that way.
For the established Warhammer fan, this book confirms why I find the Krieg the most interesting of the Astra Militarum. Cadians, Orks and Tyranids make an appearance. Krieg captures the grim dark futility of the brand’s narrative perfectly.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
It’s Warhammer and the book is about war, so it is violent. It’s intended to be, but, for what it’s worth, it does seem much less gratuitous than some of the other 40K books I’ve read.
The language is relatively clean as well. Damn is only used as a curse a couple of times, some of those times in more of a religious use, otherwise we are just told someone “curse”d or said “profanities�.
The story plays out with alternating chapters of the Krieg origin story, and the Death Korps of Krieg currently. As you may tell from the cover, the Krieg aesthetic is very WW1 and we see some of that play out in an over the top sci-fi setting; tanks, trenches, etc. We see their past civil war and have many questions answered as to who they are. We also see who they are now, and their undying loyalty as they assist other units in fighting multiple aliens species.
There were some great themes touched on that I really appreciate in my war fiction. The author plays with the idea of us even questioning the story we are reading because “history is written by the winners.� I couldn’t help but smile about that very true that is attributed to Napoleon today. The reader has to listen to struggles, or out right support, of heinous acts done for the “greater good.� It also has a large theme of national atonement through war. Even though this has a WW1 European aesthetic, my American-Civil-War-history-metaphor-alarm kept going off. I’m sure this is a theme not exclusive to the post-1800’s United States, but as an American reader I took a lot of enjoyment in diving into these philosophical and psychological concepts in that way.
For the established Warhammer fan, this book confirms why I find the Krieg the most interesting of the Astra Militarum. Cadians, Orks and Tyranids make an appearance. Krieg captures the grim dark futility of the brand’s narrative perfectly.
⚠️Parental Warning ⚠️
It’s Warhammer and the book is about war, so it is violent. It’s intended to be, but, for what it’s worth, it does seem much less gratuitous than some of the other 40K books I’ve read.
The language is relatively clean as well. Damn is only used as a curse a couple of times, some of those times in more of a religious use, otherwise we are just told someone “curse”d or said “profanities�.
February 27, 2023
Krieg was a good book, there were a lot of things that I enjoined about it. I liked how they gave an ominous vibe to the Death Korps soldiers and how they are surrounded by mystery. It also gave some good characters like Jurgen, a general of the Krieg's 83rd regiment. I would recommend this book to people who like fast pace action and lore. This book does tend to get graphic sometimes, but that is what makes it better. It adds an even darker tone and some reality to what is already a dark book. Not a lot of people come to mind who would like a book like this but, I would say two of my friends Colton and Maxl because this book has a WW1 vibe to the Death Korps.
I honestly did not have a lot of things I did not like about this book. I would say though, that I kind of got confused about where the book is all taking place. Was it on a different planet or on Krieg that's where it gets me? I did wish that we got some more dialog on Greel because he is a mysterious Tech-Mechanics. We don't know how old he is and we are left to believe he may have been hundreds of years old.
The themes of this book are all over the place, but they do stick to one thing war. The Krieg was a world thought to be dead, after a civil war that destroyed almost all life, but they somehow managed to survive. The Krieg are usually always silent unless they are a general. The age, we don't know some tend to be young, but some are old like Jurten. The book gets graphic on how the Orks and soldiers die. A good instance is when a Krieg solder is crushed in between a vehicle. This book does somehow teach a lesson to never give up. Like Krieg, it has been fighting for years in a war and after so long they finally win it after all their hard work. I believe that the lesson in this book is valuable because you may want to give up, but if you have a reason to not give up you will strive to reach it.
I would give this book five stars because it is a good pacing book and there is a lot of action to make up some parts that I may not even understand.
I honestly did not have a lot of things I did not like about this book. I would say though, that I kind of got confused about where the book is all taking place. Was it on a different planet or on Krieg that's where it gets me? I did wish that we got some more dialog on Greel because he is a mysterious Tech-Mechanics. We don't know how old he is and we are left to believe he may have been hundreds of years old.
The themes of this book are all over the place, but they do stick to one thing war. The Krieg was a world thought to be dead, after a civil war that destroyed almost all life, but they somehow managed to survive. The Krieg are usually always silent unless they are a general. The age, we don't know some tend to be young, but some are old like Jurten. The book gets graphic on how the Orks and soldiers die. A good instance is when a Krieg solder is crushed in between a vehicle. This book does somehow teach a lesson to never give up. Like Krieg, it has been fighting for years in a war and after so long they finally win it after all their hard work. I believe that the lesson in this book is valuable because you may want to give up, but if you have a reason to not give up you will strive to reach it.
I would give this book five stars because it is a good pacing book and there is a lot of action to make up some parts that I may not even understand.
December 10, 2024
Admittedly, I chose to listen to this book because my brother was a fan of his X-men: Legacy Quest trilogy back in high school. And while I never did get around to reading those, now that I'm making my way through the Black Library catalog, I noticed he had taken on some stories involving the Death Korps of Krieg, and it felt like it would be a great faction to explore. So I wanted to start with the story that described the beginning of it all.
How did Krieg become a deathworld? And how did they become one of the (if not most) loyal servants to the imperium?
This book answers those questions by using story lines from the past and present day perspectives.
I don't always love dual-timelines, but in doses and if done right they can be a lot of fun. For me, the trick to a good dual-timeline story is that the timelines build upon each other and add a certain amount of gravitas to each situation. This can be a tricky thing to do when you have to think of ways that the future storyline builds suspense for the past storyline, and in the case of this book, how can consequences of actions across 1,000 years still be felt?
Obviously, in the case of the Death Korps of Krieg, it wouldn't be hard to make nuclear war a consequence felt across a millenia, but the trick that Lyons pulls off is just how layered and nuanced those consequences are. The themes that build up the suspense of these two timelines (for me) can be broken down to:
1) History repeating itself
2) Courage in the face of impossible decisions
3) Value and worth of a single life
4) Morality of decisions (lesser of two evils is still evil)
5) Is victory by any means still a victory?
7) Loyalty
6) Propaganda (this is mainly a theme in the earlier timeline, but it's shown in the unquestioning loyalty of the present day Death Korps of Krieg soldiers and their interactions and the disbelief of outsiders at how devoted to the cause they are)
7) Atonement
"In life, war. In death, peace. In life, shame. In death, atonement."
We hear these words a lot throughout the book. And the meaning behind these words grows as the story does. These soldiers are paying the price of the choices their ancestors made, and the sad truth is that not one of them believe that they will ever live to see the atonement. Death is what they have to offer, and they'll all give it without question.
It's hard to really examine this book without giving spoilers, so I want to avoid that for those that want to read it and figure out what happens as the story progresses. I normally provide a most memorable scene in my reviews and there were plenty for me to choose from, but most of the "memorable scenes" for me were pages long and towards the end of the book where everything starts falling into place for both timelines, as past and present slowly merge to its inevitable conclusion.
Because of this, and because many of those scenes are sections whose true impact is only seen in the context of the book as a whole, I went with an earlier scene.
Most memorable scene:
(Krieg, Chapter 4: The Siege, Steve Lyons - audiobook)
"Renick’s second taste of action came when squigs invaded the encampment. She had come across these stunted aberrations before: little balls of pus and fury, barely more than heads on stumpy legs, scampering on clawed feet. Their features varied. Some had six eyes, others had none. Some bristled with spines or had vestigial horns or tails. All had great slavering mouths with fangs.
No one quite knew what they were. A genetic resemblance to the orks could not be denied � though Renick had once seen a squig snatched up by an ork and thrust down its gullet.
They had appeared in the trenches two days earlier, seemingly from nowhere � until someone worked out that they were being catapulted from the hive. Some splattered upon landing, while Renick had heard tell of one impaled upon a Krieg helmet. Others rolled to their feet with astonishing resilience, and set about creating mayhem.
Renick was roused by urgent shouts, at exactly the moment that a squig tore its way through the side of her tent. The creature’s eyes were wide, lips pursed, its cheeks expanding. She threw up her blanket between them as it spat a jet of steaming liquid at her. Its bile ate through the thick fabric and stinging droplets splashed her arm. She hurled the blanket over the squig’s head, blinding it as she went for her lasgun, always kept within arm’s reach. The blanket fell from the squig in tatters.
It leapt at her, coiled legs propelling it three times its height into the air. The squig’s jaws parted, and Renick stared down the cavern of its throat over a forked, black, slobbering tongue. She felt its sticky breath, its stench curling her nostril hairs. Never had she felt as exposed as she did in that moment, bereft of her armour � but at least she had her weapon.
She fired a full-auto burst at the dangling target of the creature’s uvula. It screeched in agony as it cannoned into her shoulder. She was twisted around, stumbling into the tent’s side, tearing through its canvas. She felt teeth grazing her skin, but then the squig fell limply away from her. It hit the ground and burst, spilling out putrid offal. Voices were still raised outside and there was gunfire too, and somewhere a small explosion.
Renick grabbed and quickly donned her breastplate. She jammed her helmet onto her head, but left her boots behind. She emerged from her tent, as bright floodlumens glared from the roofs of the nearby huts. She blinked and, for a moment, could only discern silhouettes rushing about her. Then a squatter shape scampered across a small patch of open ground. She pursued it, and cornered the squig against the side of the latrines. It turned to leer at her, and she caught a glimpse of dark metal under its tongue.
‘Grenade!� she cried. ‘It has a grenade in its mouth!�
She had been aware of comrades rushing up behind her. Her warning stopped them in their tracks. They backed away, as did she, separating from each other, working their lasgun triggers for all they were worth. The squig tensed its legs to spring at them, but a beam flashed between its teeth before it could. Renick threw herself down and covered her head, as sizzling chunks of rancid flesh rained upon her.
By the medicae hut, she saw another squig impaled upon two troopers� bayonets. She spotted another squat body splayed beside the dwindling watchfire. A pair of feelers sprouting from its temples twitched, and she kicked the squig into the flames with a shudder of revulsion.
The Cadians spent the next ninety minutes searching every nook and cranny of the encampment. They ferreted another three squigs out of various holes, and blasted them to pieces. One managed to latch its filthy teeth on to a trooper’s leg before it expired, leaving the limb mangled, bloody and probably, if Renick were any judge, infected. They also found two more troopers dead in their beds, one’s throat torn out, the other’s skin blistered and black from head to toe. They stoked the watchfire and doubled the guard for the remainder of the night, while the Cadian officers quietly closed the windows of their huts."
How did Krieg become a deathworld? And how did they become one of the (if not most) loyal servants to the imperium?
This book answers those questions by using story lines from the past and present day perspectives.
I don't always love dual-timelines, but in doses and if done right they can be a lot of fun. For me, the trick to a good dual-timeline story is that the timelines build upon each other and add a certain amount of gravitas to each situation. This can be a tricky thing to do when you have to think of ways that the future storyline builds suspense for the past storyline, and in the case of this book, how can consequences of actions across 1,000 years still be felt?
Obviously, in the case of the Death Korps of Krieg, it wouldn't be hard to make nuclear war a consequence felt across a millenia, but the trick that Lyons pulls off is just how layered and nuanced those consequences are. The themes that build up the suspense of these two timelines (for me) can be broken down to:
1) History repeating itself
2) Courage in the face of impossible decisions
3) Value and worth of a single life
4) Morality of decisions (lesser of two evils is still evil)
5) Is victory by any means still a victory?
7) Loyalty
6) Propaganda (this is mainly a theme in the earlier timeline, but it's shown in the unquestioning loyalty of the present day Death Korps of Krieg soldiers and their interactions and the disbelief of outsiders at how devoted to the cause they are)
7) Atonement
"In life, war. In death, peace. In life, shame. In death, atonement."
We hear these words a lot throughout the book. And the meaning behind these words grows as the story does. These soldiers are paying the price of the choices their ancestors made, and the sad truth is that not one of them believe that they will ever live to see the atonement. Death is what they have to offer, and they'll all give it without question.
It's hard to really examine this book without giving spoilers, so I want to avoid that for those that want to read it and figure out what happens as the story progresses. I normally provide a most memorable scene in my reviews and there were plenty for me to choose from, but most of the "memorable scenes" for me were pages long and towards the end of the book where everything starts falling into place for both timelines, as past and present slowly merge to its inevitable conclusion.
Because of this, and because many of those scenes are sections whose true impact is only seen in the context of the book as a whole, I went with an earlier scene.
Most memorable scene:
(Krieg, Chapter 4: The Siege, Steve Lyons - audiobook)
"Renick’s second taste of action came when squigs invaded the encampment. She had come across these stunted aberrations before: little balls of pus and fury, barely more than heads on stumpy legs, scampering on clawed feet. Their features varied. Some had six eyes, others had none. Some bristled with spines or had vestigial horns or tails. All had great slavering mouths with fangs.
No one quite knew what they were. A genetic resemblance to the orks could not be denied � though Renick had once seen a squig snatched up by an ork and thrust down its gullet.
They had appeared in the trenches two days earlier, seemingly from nowhere � until someone worked out that they were being catapulted from the hive. Some splattered upon landing, while Renick had heard tell of one impaled upon a Krieg helmet. Others rolled to their feet with astonishing resilience, and set about creating mayhem.
Renick was roused by urgent shouts, at exactly the moment that a squig tore its way through the side of her tent. The creature’s eyes were wide, lips pursed, its cheeks expanding. She threw up her blanket between them as it spat a jet of steaming liquid at her. Its bile ate through the thick fabric and stinging droplets splashed her arm. She hurled the blanket over the squig’s head, blinding it as she went for her lasgun, always kept within arm’s reach. The blanket fell from the squig in tatters.
It leapt at her, coiled legs propelling it three times its height into the air. The squig’s jaws parted, and Renick stared down the cavern of its throat over a forked, black, slobbering tongue. She felt its sticky breath, its stench curling her nostril hairs. Never had she felt as exposed as she did in that moment, bereft of her armour � but at least she had her weapon.
She fired a full-auto burst at the dangling target of the creature’s uvula. It screeched in agony as it cannoned into her shoulder. She was twisted around, stumbling into the tent’s side, tearing through its canvas. She felt teeth grazing her skin, but then the squig fell limply away from her. It hit the ground and burst, spilling out putrid offal. Voices were still raised outside and there was gunfire too, and somewhere a small explosion.
Renick grabbed and quickly donned her breastplate. She jammed her helmet onto her head, but left her boots behind. She emerged from her tent, as bright floodlumens glared from the roofs of the nearby huts. She blinked and, for a moment, could only discern silhouettes rushing about her. Then a squatter shape scampered across a small patch of open ground. She pursued it, and cornered the squig against the side of the latrines. It turned to leer at her, and she caught a glimpse of dark metal under its tongue.
‘Grenade!� she cried. ‘It has a grenade in its mouth!�
She had been aware of comrades rushing up behind her. Her warning stopped them in their tracks. They backed away, as did she, separating from each other, working their lasgun triggers for all they were worth. The squig tensed its legs to spring at them, but a beam flashed between its teeth before it could. Renick threw herself down and covered her head, as sizzling chunks of rancid flesh rained upon her.
By the medicae hut, she saw another squig impaled upon two troopers� bayonets. She spotted another squat body splayed beside the dwindling watchfire. A pair of feelers sprouting from its temples twitched, and she kicked the squig into the flames with a shudder of revulsion.
The Cadians spent the next ninety minutes searching every nook and cranny of the encampment. They ferreted another three squigs out of various holes, and blasted them to pieces. One managed to latch its filthy teeth on to a trooper’s leg before it expired, leaving the limb mangled, bloody and probably, if Renick were any judge, infected. They also found two more troopers dead in their beds, one’s throat torn out, the other’s skin blistered and black from head to toe. They stoked the watchfire and doubled the guard for the remainder of the night, while the Cadian officers quietly closed the windows of their huts."
June 19, 2022
Krieg tells two seperate tales but neither do well enough to accent the other. Instead of one great story you get two fairly half baked ones. But the action is good.
The biggest problem this novel has is its desire to tell the history of the Krieg and tell a seperate and stereotypical war story. Most of the "modern" stuff is a rehashing of Lyons previous Krieg centric novel Dead Men Walking but without the flair of the necrons or the phenomenonal civilian perspectives. It's not bad, but if you enjoy this half of the story than Dead Men Walking is a more naunced and enjoyable story.
The "past" story follows the history of the Krieg through it's most influential figure. This is far more interesting to see and the characterization of the lead in this section is by in far the best in this book. However the novels split stories mean that there isn't enough room to develop the surrounding figures or events, leaving this sadly shallow for what could be a far better story.
These stories rarely overlap in meaningful ways except at the end which even then isn't enough to justify the split. All in all, either of these perspectives could have done with more breathing room that was not afforded with the split done like this. Neither are bad. They offer serviceable Warhammer action with the scale you'd expect but when you take as a whole, this would've been better as two books instead of two halves mushed into one disjointed novel.
The biggest problem this novel has is its desire to tell the history of the Krieg and tell a seperate and stereotypical war story. Most of the "modern" stuff is a rehashing of Lyons previous Krieg centric novel Dead Men Walking but without the flair of the necrons or the phenomenonal civilian perspectives. It's not bad, but if you enjoy this half of the story than Dead Men Walking is a more naunced and enjoyable story.
The "past" story follows the history of the Krieg through it's most influential figure. This is far more interesting to see and the characterization of the lead in this section is by in far the best in this book. However the novels split stories mean that there isn't enough room to develop the surrounding figures or events, leaving this sadly shallow for what could be a far better story.
These stories rarely overlap in meaningful ways except at the end which even then isn't enough to justify the split. All in all, either of these perspectives could have done with more breathing room that was not afforded with the split done like this. Neither are bad. They offer serviceable Warhammer action with the scale you'd expect but when you take as a whole, this would've been better as two books instead of two halves mushed into one disjointed novel.
April 22, 2023
A well paced story, giving a compelling account of the origins of the Death Korps of Krieg. The story is both well told and has a great pace. The characters are interesting and see great development throughout the story. I think you could enjoy this book outside of the Warhammer context and as long as you're a fan of military / political science fiction. For me, this tied in nicely with the Kill Team Octarius boxed set that I'm in the middle of painting. I can't wait to get the figures on the table now!
August 26, 2023
Man nukes his entire planet, proceeds to embrace squalorcore. People love it and form a culture based on the glory of death. Mindset very relatable to retail workers, students and 3-year olds.
The man then comes back to nuke again. The moral of the story is to honor tradition or something, I dont know.
The man then comes back to nuke again. The moral of the story is to honor tradition or something, I dont know.
November 4, 2023
Really enjoyed this one because the story of the Krieg is REALLY a microchasm of all the problems with the Imperium. Making the story NOT involve chaos at all and instead being a story about humans being awful to each other for absolutely NO gains. The fascist rule of the Imperium only leaves you with a dead world and an unending war.
March 25, 2022
Watch my full review here:
May 21, 2022
Et bien, ce fut un roman que je n'avais pas vu venir mais j'étais impatient de le lire. Je ne connaissais rien de la Death Korps of Krieg auparavant mais j'ai appris le minimum en regardant une vidéo youtube sur le sujet. Je vous joindrai le lien de la vidéo très intéressante.
Maintenant, passons au roman. Pour commencer, nous avons deux trames différentes : l'une se déroule dans le présent si l'on peut dire où la Death Korps et des troupes cadiennes affrontent des orks sur une planète du système Octarius ; l'autre trame de l'histoire se déroule un peu avant l'hérésie qui s'est déroulée sur Krieg jusqu'à sa toute fin. Autant la première histoire que l'autre, je dois vous dire que c'est assez intense.
Concernant l'histoire du début de l'hérésie sur Krieg, on y voit le Président de la planète et son régime d'autocrate. D'ailleurs, on remarque vite qu'il n'est nommé que par certains termes : le Président, Votre Excellence ... mais jamais par « Président » suivi de son nom ; son nom est d'ailleurs effacé de toute archive impériale ... Donc, on voit vite que le Président et les autocrates vivent dans le luxe et dans les pages plus loin dans le roman, nous avons les pensées d'une ancienne autocrate en disant : « Dans la Haute Ville, j'étais quelqu'un, j'avais de l'influence, je pouvais montrer tout mon luxe » etc etc et l'ancienne autocrate explique bien que, maintenant, dans les bas-fonds, elle n'a rien, personne pour l'aider, elle n'est rien ... Bref, on suit le colonel Jurten à travers divers évènements, de la trahison jusqu'à la fin et c'est très intense et c'est un homme capable, et prêt à tout pour sauver sa planète, si vous voulez c'est, comme cité dans la vidéo : « Jurten a décidé que la planète appartiendrait à l'Empereur ou n'appartiendrait à personne ».
L'autre partie concerne donc le siège d'une ruche dans le système Octarius par des forces impériales cadiennes. Un Inquisiteur arrive, accompagné de ses gardes puis voilà qu'arrive la Death Korps. Les Cadiens sont intrigués par la tenue et le masque à gaz des hommes de Krieg. Les combats pour reprendre la ruche sont très intenses, il y a d'énormes pertes mais la Death Korps considère cela comme normal car c'est l'un des moyens pour eux d'expier la faute de leurs ancêtres. D'ailleurs, on voit souvent ce crédo récité : Vivants, la guerre. Morts, la paix. Vivants, la honte. Morts ... Enfin, je dois dire qu'ils sont plus qu'efficaces et je dois dire que ça m'a un peu touché ce que dit l'Inquisiteur à propos de la Death Korps vers la fin du roman.
En conclusion, un excellent tome, on en apprend beaucoup sur Krieg et leur façon de faire, de pensées ... Un tome qu'on dévore assez rapidement et j'adore vraiment leurs tenues, tenue qui vous fera penser aux tenues de la première guerre mondiale d'ailleurs, vu que les ennemis utilisaient du gaz sur les champs de bataille. Un tome que je conseille bien évidemment ! Un énorme must-have.
Maintenant, passons au roman. Pour commencer, nous avons deux trames différentes : l'une se déroule dans le présent si l'on peut dire où la Death Korps et des troupes cadiennes affrontent des orks sur une planète du système Octarius ; l'autre trame de l'histoire se déroule un peu avant l'hérésie qui s'est déroulée sur Krieg jusqu'à sa toute fin. Autant la première histoire que l'autre, je dois vous dire que c'est assez intense.
Concernant l'histoire du début de l'hérésie sur Krieg, on y voit le Président de la planète et son régime d'autocrate. D'ailleurs, on remarque vite qu'il n'est nommé que par certains termes : le Président, Votre Excellence ... mais jamais par « Président » suivi de son nom ; son nom est d'ailleurs effacé de toute archive impériale ... Donc, on voit vite que le Président et les autocrates vivent dans le luxe et dans les pages plus loin dans le roman, nous avons les pensées d'une ancienne autocrate en disant : « Dans la Haute Ville, j'étais quelqu'un, j'avais de l'influence, je pouvais montrer tout mon luxe » etc etc et l'ancienne autocrate explique bien que, maintenant, dans les bas-fonds, elle n'a rien, personne pour l'aider, elle n'est rien ... Bref, on suit le colonel Jurten à travers divers évènements, de la trahison jusqu'à la fin et c'est très intense et c'est un homme capable, et prêt à tout pour sauver sa planète, si vous voulez c'est, comme cité dans la vidéo : « Jurten a décidé que la planète appartiendrait à l'Empereur ou n'appartiendrait à personne ».
L'autre partie concerne donc le siège d'une ruche dans le système Octarius par des forces impériales cadiennes. Un Inquisiteur arrive, accompagné de ses gardes puis voilà qu'arrive la Death Korps. Les Cadiens sont intrigués par la tenue et le masque à gaz des hommes de Krieg. Les combats pour reprendre la ruche sont très intenses, il y a d'énormes pertes mais la Death Korps considère cela comme normal car c'est l'un des moyens pour eux d'expier la faute de leurs ancêtres. D'ailleurs, on voit souvent ce crédo récité : Vivants, la guerre. Morts, la paix. Vivants, la honte. Morts ... Enfin, je dois dire qu'ils sont plus qu'efficaces et je dois dire que ça m'a un peu touché ce que dit l'Inquisiteur à propos de la Death Korps vers la fin du roman.
En conclusion, un excellent tome, on en apprend beaucoup sur Krieg et leur façon de faire, de pensées ... Un tome qu'on dévore assez rapidement et j'adore vraiment leurs tenues, tenue qui vous fera penser aux tenues de la première guerre mondiale d'ailleurs, vu que les ennemis utilisaient du gaz sur les champs de bataille. Un tome que je conseille bien évidemment ! Un énorme must-have.
March 16, 2023
A rocky novel with ups and downs.
Krieg is a novel that makes us experience the harsh reality of the lovers and experts of trench warfare. The Death Korps of Krieg. Regiments specialized in attrition warfare in the most terrible conditions possible. The theme itself is an attractive one that presents us with a series of fantastic scenes.
Now, as for the book, I feel it left me wanting more than it satisfied me. Steve Lyons has an interesting way of writing that I don't appreciate as much. He makes quite a bit of use of commas and pauses in sentences, and he likes to use dialogue breaks, particularly when there are several people talking at the same time. His descriptions, on the other hand, tend to be more direct, to the point, but evocative and detailed enough to allow scenes to flow quickly and effectively. The dialogue itself is not a problem, it's simply the execution of it and the odd way in which pauses are set up. It's a particular style, no doubt.
Now as for the story, that's probably what bothers me the most. I can handle certain narrative styles depending on the authors, but in Krieg, the problem lies in the fact that the story is divided in two parts, one that sees the origin of the Death Korps, and another in the present during an invasion of orks, where a company of Cadians is assisted by a few thousand Kriegs. Simple (though minuscule considering the scale of things in the big picture). The stories are decent, and each one presents different situations in different time periods that give us an evolving perspective on these characters... but that's where it ends. The stories weave back and forth, and sometimes get in each other's way. Each story could have been developed into a full novel, but instead we just have chapters that run us through multiple years and multiple events. The book tries to cover too much, but manages to squeeze in too little.
For this reason, the development of the characters is almost nothing, only Jurten, the protagonist of the origin story, manages to have some spotlight for a prolonged part of the time, but even so, his character arc always ends up being the same.
I think the beginning of the novel is the weakest, particularly for those who are bothered by the fact that Black Library writers tend to use extremely small numbers for the situation. Krieg is not spared from this. On the other hand, as the story progresses and the situation gets more tense, things pick up a good pace and the scenes are fantastic to admire, especially when the climax comes.
So, I think Krieg is an entertaining novel despite its short length, but it could have been much better, no doubt.
Krieg is a novel that makes us experience the harsh reality of the lovers and experts of trench warfare. The Death Korps of Krieg. Regiments specialized in attrition warfare in the most terrible conditions possible. The theme itself is an attractive one that presents us with a series of fantastic scenes.
Now, as for the book, I feel it left me wanting more than it satisfied me. Steve Lyons has an interesting way of writing that I don't appreciate as much. He makes quite a bit of use of commas and pauses in sentences, and he likes to use dialogue breaks, particularly when there are several people talking at the same time. His descriptions, on the other hand, tend to be more direct, to the point, but evocative and detailed enough to allow scenes to flow quickly and effectively. The dialogue itself is not a problem, it's simply the execution of it and the odd way in which pauses are set up. It's a particular style, no doubt.
Now as for the story, that's probably what bothers me the most. I can handle certain narrative styles depending on the authors, but in Krieg, the problem lies in the fact that the story is divided in two parts, one that sees the origin of the Death Korps, and another in the present during an invasion of orks, where a company of Cadians is assisted by a few thousand Kriegs. Simple (though minuscule considering the scale of things in the big picture). The stories are decent, and each one presents different situations in different time periods that give us an evolving perspective on these characters... but that's where it ends. The stories weave back and forth, and sometimes get in each other's way. Each story could have been developed into a full novel, but instead we just have chapters that run us through multiple years and multiple events. The book tries to cover too much, but manages to squeeze in too little.
For this reason, the development of the characters is almost nothing, only Jurten, the protagonist of the origin story, manages to have some spotlight for a prolonged part of the time, but even so, his character arc always ends up being the same.
I think the beginning of the novel is the weakest, particularly for those who are bothered by the fact that Black Library writers tend to use extremely small numbers for the situation. Krieg is not spared from this. On the other hand, as the story progresses and the situation gets more tense, things pick up a good pace and the scenes are fantastic to admire, especially when the climax comes.
So, I think Krieg is an entertaining novel despite its short length, but it could have been much better, no doubt.
March 10, 2022
Rating of 4.5.
Death, dishonour and duty all collide as impressive author Steve Lyons returns to the epic Warhammer 40,000 universe with Krieg, which dives into the origins of one the most iconic regiments of Imperial guard out there, the Death Korps of Krieg.
In the grim future of the universe, there is only bloodshed and death, especially near the system-spanning Octarius War, where two brutal alien races battle for supremacy, and Imperial forces fight to stop their conflict spilling out into the greater Imperium. However, the latest round of fighting sees a massive orc ship break through Imperial lines and crash into the massive city of Hive Arathron. As the desperate Imperial forces fail to contain the invading orcs, all hope looks lost until a new set of deadly reinforcements arrive: the Death Korps of Krieg.
The Death Korps of Krieg are a legendary unit of peerless soldiers who are utterly fearless in battle, fanatically loyal to the Emperor, and who seem to harbour an unnatural desire to die in battle. But who are the men of Krieg under their gasmasks and coats, and why do they fight so hard to regain their lost honour? The answer lies thousands of years ago when Krieg attempted to cede from the Imperium, thrusting the planet into a brutal civil war. In the end, one man stepped forward to end the fighting, and his decision doomed Krieg to become a blasted wasteland where only soldiers are grown.
As the fighting around Hive Arathron continues, many of their fellow soldiers and inquisitorial observers begin to doubt the loyalty and sanity of the Death Korps, especially when their unusual habits and creeds keep them apart from the other members of the Astra Militarium. However, a deadly discovery deep inside the Hive will show the Imperium just how invaluable the men of Krieg are, especially when history seeks to repeat itself. Can the Death Korps succeed against the xenos, or will Hive Arathron and its planet soon share a similar fate to Krieg?
The Warhammer 40,000 hits just keep on coming as Krieg turned out to be a truly awesome read. Steve Lyons has produced an epic and intense novel here, and I loved the brilliant story that not only showcased a dangerous alien threat but which also examined the past of an iconic and captivating faction.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
Death, dishonour and duty all collide as impressive author Steve Lyons returns to the epic Warhammer 40,000 universe with Krieg, which dives into the origins of one the most iconic regiments of Imperial guard out there, the Death Korps of Krieg.
In the grim future of the universe, there is only bloodshed and death, especially near the system-spanning Octarius War, where two brutal alien races battle for supremacy, and Imperial forces fight to stop their conflict spilling out into the greater Imperium. However, the latest round of fighting sees a massive orc ship break through Imperial lines and crash into the massive city of Hive Arathron. As the desperate Imperial forces fail to contain the invading orcs, all hope looks lost until a new set of deadly reinforcements arrive: the Death Korps of Krieg.
The Death Korps of Krieg are a legendary unit of peerless soldiers who are utterly fearless in battle, fanatically loyal to the Emperor, and who seem to harbour an unnatural desire to die in battle. But who are the men of Krieg under their gasmasks and coats, and why do they fight so hard to regain their lost honour? The answer lies thousands of years ago when Krieg attempted to cede from the Imperium, thrusting the planet into a brutal civil war. In the end, one man stepped forward to end the fighting, and his decision doomed Krieg to become a blasted wasteland where only soldiers are grown.
As the fighting around Hive Arathron continues, many of their fellow soldiers and inquisitorial observers begin to doubt the loyalty and sanity of the Death Korps, especially when their unusual habits and creeds keep them apart from the other members of the Astra Militarium. However, a deadly discovery deep inside the Hive will show the Imperium just how invaluable the men of Krieg are, especially when history seeks to repeat itself. Can the Death Korps succeed against the xenos, or will Hive Arathron and its planet soon share a similar fate to Krieg?
The Warhammer 40,000 hits just keep on coming as Krieg turned out to be a truly awesome read. Steve Lyons has produced an epic and intense novel here, and I loved the brilliant story that not only showcased a dangerous alien threat but which also examined the past of an iconic and captivating faction.
To see the full review, click on the link below:
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
January 31, 2025
I try to get my Warhammer lore from primary sources as much as I can, avoiding the wikis whenever possible.
I came to this book fresh, wanting to get a deeper look at the Death Korps of Krieg because I love their aesthetic, knowing nothing more than their penchant for trench warfare and sacrifice.
The book starts great - the Imperium has just "rediscovered" Krieg, after believing the planet was completely dead following the devastation it suffered during the Krieg civil war; we get to see the first contact with the faction as we know it now. The last line of this prologue is perfect.
After that, the story follows 2 plotlines - in the past, we witness the start, development and end of the Krieg civil war; the present (40k) story serves as a counterweight, showing us how the Krieg wage war side by side with other forces of the Astra Militarum, and how their approach differs from the rest of the human forces - in philosophy, strategy, structure, and everything in between.
Sometimes it felt like Mr Lyons was trying to mirror ADB's , by adding the PoVs of common soldiers to expand the story. And sometimes, this felt a little forced - it is very difficult to care for these secondary characters, since, aside from a couple, most of them aren't developed beyond the point of a third person narrator.
However, as I progressed through the narrative (quite near the end of the book) it suddenly became clear - this slow-burn story is presented like the Krieg themselves, slowly advancing in a war of attrition to reach the objective. The last chapters are perfect; the book instantly jumped from 3 to 4 stars as I reached the end. It rewards your patience, and presents the "big reveal" in a clever, subtle and implicit way that feels so rewarding, you will forgive the slow parts of the story.
If anything, a little extra time with the secondary characters is all that's missing, and maybe some tweaks in pace.
If you want to know the backstory of the Krieg and truly understand them, this book is perfect. I don't know if the "big secret" was stablished in the lore before this book, but, if possible, leave the wikis and earn that knowledge as the Death Korps - advancing slowly but inexorably to the last chapters of Krieg.
In life, war.
In death, peace.
In life, shame.
In death, atonement.
I came to this book fresh, wanting to get a deeper look at the Death Korps of Krieg because I love their aesthetic, knowing nothing more than their penchant for trench warfare and sacrifice.
The book starts great - the Imperium has just "rediscovered" Krieg, after believing the planet was completely dead following the devastation it suffered during the Krieg civil war; we get to see the first contact with the faction as we know it now. The last line of this prologue is perfect.
After that, the story follows 2 plotlines - in the past, we witness the start, development and end of the Krieg civil war; the present (40k) story serves as a counterweight, showing us how the Krieg wage war side by side with other forces of the Astra Militarum, and how their approach differs from the rest of the human forces - in philosophy, strategy, structure, and everything in between.
Sometimes it felt like Mr Lyons was trying to mirror ADB's , by adding the PoVs of common soldiers to expand the story. And sometimes, this felt a little forced - it is very difficult to care for these secondary characters, since, aside from a couple, most of them aren't developed beyond the point of a third person narrator.
However, as I progressed through the narrative (quite near the end of the book) it suddenly became clear - this slow-burn story is presented like the Krieg themselves, slowly advancing in a war of attrition to reach the objective. The last chapters are perfect; the book instantly jumped from 3 to 4 stars as I reached the end. It rewards your patience, and presents the "big reveal" in a clever, subtle and implicit way that feels so rewarding, you will forgive the slow parts of the story.
If anything, a little extra time with the secondary characters is all that's missing, and maybe some tweaks in pace.
If you want to know the backstory of the Krieg and truly understand them, this book is perfect. I don't know if the "big secret" was stablished in the lore before this book, but, if possible, leave the wikis and earn that knowledge as the Death Korps - advancing slowly but inexorably to the last chapters of Krieg.
In life, war.
In death, peace.
In life, shame.
In death, atonement.
February 8, 2025
With the release of all the new Krieg kits (which I will get someday) I thought I'd jump on this particular band wagon and review "KRIEG a death korps novel" by Steve Lyons.
So I've read this in five days which for me is pretty speedy although it always helps to be on holiday.
The book is essentially two stories that take it in turns in telling their tale by leap frogging each other chapter by chapter (hope that makes sense).
The first story is the creation of what we know today as the death korps of Krieg. The second is a fairly straight forward ork infestation of a hive tale. What unites them is the finale of each narrative.
I enjoyed the lore of the home planet and ensuing civil war immensely but I do love any lore to do with the beginning of pretty much anything in the universe. It is a story of supreme sacrifice and what are you prepared to do for your beliefs.
The second story is set 1500 years after the Krieg were rediscovered and shows what the famous army of this planet has become and what it does so well. Like I said above the plot is nothing revolutionary but serves to illustrate the consequences of the first story.
One thing I really liked about both stories is that there are very few named characters and none that I really cared about. I've read the siege of terra series recently and I was desperate for some of the protagonists to survive and was genuinely upset if they didn't make it but I didn't care who lived or died in either story.
I don't know if this was deliberate on the authors part because I thought it mirrored the attitude of the korps men that their deaths are irrelevant but I choose to believe it was.
Really enjoyed the book and I'd recommend it as a great quick read and very good introduction to the Krieg. I've pre-ordered the siege of vraks novel and am looking forward to blasting through that to.
So I've read this in five days which for me is pretty speedy although it always helps to be on holiday.
The book is essentially two stories that take it in turns in telling their tale by leap frogging each other chapter by chapter (hope that makes sense).
The first story is the creation of what we know today as the death korps of Krieg. The second is a fairly straight forward ork infestation of a hive tale. What unites them is the finale of each narrative.
I enjoyed the lore of the home planet and ensuing civil war immensely but I do love any lore to do with the beginning of pretty much anything in the universe. It is a story of supreme sacrifice and what are you prepared to do for your beliefs.
The second story is set 1500 years after the Krieg were rediscovered and shows what the famous army of this planet has become and what it does so well. Like I said above the plot is nothing revolutionary but serves to illustrate the consequences of the first story.
One thing I really liked about both stories is that there are very few named characters and none that I really cared about. I've read the siege of terra series recently and I was desperate for some of the protagonists to survive and was genuinely upset if they didn't make it but I didn't care who lived or died in either story.
I don't know if this was deliberate on the authors part because I thought it mirrored the attitude of the korps men that their deaths are irrelevant but I choose to believe it was.
Really enjoyed the book and I'd recommend it as a great quick read and very good introduction to the Krieg. I've pre-ordered the siege of vraks novel and am looking forward to blasting through that to.
November 17, 2024
Even after so many decades of warhammer 40k and black library novels, authors still can't get the scale of warfare in the 41st millenium right!
In 40k there are worlds with multiple hive cities housing in the 10's of milions (if not 100's of million) and space ships with crews upwards of several 10's of thousands of crew but we see time and again forces which would be paltry even by the standards of 19th century warfare, being sent to reclaim these vast megastructures covering vast amounts of land and going from several kilometers in the ground to the stratosphere in some cases. In such mind boggling constructions, several thousand soldiers wouldn't even be enough to patrol a level or a district, yet the authors keep using relatively small forces of several thousands soldiers battling it out to save an entire planet, and if we might make the case of that being believable in the case of the super soldiers of the Imperium or Chaos, the vaunted Space Marines, when we are talking about regular humans with tech just a bit more advanced then current day, it is hard to suspend disbelief.
Case in point, in this book we have a force of about 5k infantry with assorted support (armor, artillery, some air) taking on a hive infested by orks. That's it. I understand that keeping numbers manageable makes things more relatable, but then why not write about small fights , special ops, ambushes, etc...not about fighting to save an entire world with a force which wouldn't be enough to crew one of the regular sized ships in this universe. Smh.
Rant over :)
In 40k there are worlds with multiple hive cities housing in the 10's of milions (if not 100's of million) and space ships with crews upwards of several 10's of thousands of crew but we see time and again forces which would be paltry even by the standards of 19th century warfare, being sent to reclaim these vast megastructures covering vast amounts of land and going from several kilometers in the ground to the stratosphere in some cases. In such mind boggling constructions, several thousand soldiers wouldn't even be enough to patrol a level or a district, yet the authors keep using relatively small forces of several thousands soldiers battling it out to save an entire planet, and if we might make the case of that being believable in the case of the super soldiers of the Imperium or Chaos, the vaunted Space Marines, when we are talking about regular humans with tech just a bit more advanced then current day, it is hard to suspend disbelief.
Case in point, in this book we have a force of about 5k infantry with assorted support (armor, artillery, some air) taking on a hive infested by orks. That's it. I understand that keeping numbers manageable makes things more relatable, but then why not write about small fights , special ops, ambushes, etc...not about fighting to save an entire world with a force which wouldn't be enough to crew one of the regular sized ships in this universe. Smh.
Rant over :)
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