Review: Cain's Last Stand

Cain's Last Stand by Sandy Mitchell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Cain’s Last Stand, everyone’s favorite Commissar takes on Space Hitler, mixed with the mule from Asimov’s Foundation series. Having spent the better part of a century taking the good fight to the Emperor’s numerous enemies, the hero of Imperium finds himself spending the last light of the 42nd Millenium back in Perlia.

For those unaware, Perlia was the planet where previously our hero had led a ragtag group of resistance fighters to drive out the numerically superior Ork invasion force. Thus, earning him the moniker of ‘The great Liberator’. Detailed in one of stronger of the Caiphas Cain Novels #4 ‘ Death or Glory Death or Glory’.

At the ripe old age of 200, Cain & his faithful aide Jurgen, have been assigned to the Schola Progenium founded on the planet, to train a new generation of Commissarial Cadres. (Yes, you heard that right; In the world of 40k if you’re someone of worth, or happen to be born into nobility, you can afford to regularly administer the expensive age rejuvenation technology, extending your lifespan for several times that of the regular mook. Not that this would help you much, in a galaxy where everything and their mother are out to kill you in a hundred different brutal ways).

Expecting a cushy little piece of heaven, in a world which venerates him, surrounded by rookies and colleagues who idolize his legends, Cain however wasn’t expected to be hosting the heretical invasion force of some charismatic traitor general, who was able to bring multiple worlds to heal within hours, and with little to no bloodshed.

With a severely depleted PDF, untrained militia, and novice cadets with little to no field experience, Cain and his cohorts face the insurmountable task of making their home battle ready, against the ravenous hordes worshipping the ruinous powers.

All the while, keeping under wraps the highly protected Inquisitorial project which is located in the valley of daemons, location of ‘Cain’s last stand’, the eponymous event wherein Cain the liberator uprooted thousands of ork invaders ‘single handedly’.

‘Cain’s last stand’, offers a new outlook of our seasoned and world weary protagonist. Still manipulative and self-serving on the inside, he has nonetheless seemed to embrace the responsibility borne by his age and past feats gracefully; at least on the outside. Despite being a self-proclaimed coward and opportunistic, the commissar nonetheless uses his considerable talent, intellect and preternatural luck to once again turn the tides in his favor, and by extension, that of the defenders. He is after all the definition of the saying ‘beware of the old man in a profession where men usually die young’.

One thing I don’t agree on, is how it’s shown that an entire convent of Adepta Sororitas became the mindless slaves to our mule Hitler. Sisters of Battle don’t fall to chaos corruption damn it! They get manipulated into heresy by some evil power-hungry ecclesiarch. Or they get manipulated into heresy by some inquisitor on a power trip. But my sisters don’t fall into chaos.

Other than that, the action this time seems almost muted, something happening in the background. Perhaps it’s to show how used our protagonist has become to this particular series of events, where he ends up going from one world ending threat to another, despite his best efforts to do otherwise.

There is quite the climactic battle, where (view spoiler)[Cain fights space hitler in single combat (Aided by the blank powers of Jurgen to remain immune to his mind control), and kicks him off a height down into the depths, sparta style; which I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t gratifying. (hide spoiler)]

As the feats of the commissar, have finally caught up to the dark days following the fall of Cadia, let’s hope for more stories as to how our good Commissar unwittingly intervenes in galactic events, in favor of the Imperium, and in service of the Emperor.


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