It took me a while to get through this one, but it was mostly because I have been reading other things, not a reflection of the book, which was excellent. Mitchell kept the excitement running all the way to the end making you wonder if the wily commissar would make it out alive. This is certainly a fine addition to the Ciaphas Cain series.

In this series, the commissar and his Valhallans have to help quell civil disturbances in Periremunda. However, the situation turns out to be much more complicated than just some riots and civil unrest. It seems there may be an active Chaos cult or two behind the scenes. And what is the interest of the Inquisition, which seems to be a very active interest? And all happening while there is a Tyranid invasion going on. Will Commissar Cain be able to make it out in one piece and find the easy life he so likes? Maybe, maybe not as he once again, albeit reluctantly, becomes the hero of the day. Life is not easy for the commissar who knows that once you have a reputation, you have to maintain it, and his reputation is that of a hero of the Imperium.

Mitchell takes us into the story right away from the beginning, reveals the plots and the intricacies a bit at a time, and the tale does not let you go until you reach the end. Sure, this is military scifi, but it is military scifi with humor in it; these books are really fun to read. I am already looking forward to the next installment. ( )

Ciaphas Cain finds himself in the middle of a political and civil skirmish on Periremunda, and discovers an evil scheme designed to bring the wrath of the tyranids to the plateaus of the planet. Not as humorous as the previous four Cain novels, but no less enjoyable as the mounting tension present from the soon to be arriving 'nids mixes well with the chemistry Cain exhibits with Amberley Vail, Jurgen, and other well-developed characters. Part of the great lure of this line of books is Cain's reluctance to be the heroic leader and yet somehow escaping long odds of survival and coming out smelling like a White Rose. The descriptions of swarming tyranids near the end of the book is frightening, told from Cain's point of view in an escaping shuttle overhead as he once again dodges the proverbial lascannon. ( )

The fifth Ciaphas Cain novel is entertaining enough. The author continues to be creative enough to make the one-note premise (the brave hero who isn't really brave) last through multiple novels.

The story moves along at a similar pace to previous Cain novels. It could have benefited from the addition of a few explanatory sentences for the uninitiated, but I suspect these would have been edited out.

This means the novel is more for those already familiar with the setting, but that's hardly a fault in a fifth book of a series. ( )