Teaser

Ciaphas Cain, reluctant hero of the Imperium, is caught on the frontline between humanity and eldar. Yet the greater danger comes from the Chaos cults buried deep in Imperial society . . .

Review

There’s been a fair old gap since the release of the ninth Ciaphas Cain novel. Though with an eleventh novel, Vainglorious, recently announced, it looks like Cain is back at full steam. But what of the tenth? Choose Your Enemies officially marks Ciaphas Cain’s becoming a long-running series, and with any long series, you have to wonder if the adventures will remain fresh and engaging after so many years. Having read each of the previous books in omnibus form, and with this being the first I’ve tackled on audiobook, I can happily report that Ciaphas Cain is as alive as ever.

The great strength of the Ciaphas Cain series has always been its episodic nature. Sling the stories together into a coherent narrative, and the jokes would wear thin, the action repetitive, and the overall story bogged down. But that’s not the way Micthell tells a story. Instead the series skips and jumps (and likely hops too) from place to place. Cain has fought numerous xenos, but here we see him primarily squaring off against a cult of Chaos worshippers. I have to say, this is the single best depiction of a Slaaneshi cult I’ve ever read. It make sit clear just how debauched the goings-on are, without dwelling on them overly. The suggestion of sin is more enticing than sin itself.

While all good and exciting, the actual story here is pretty standard fare. Action, adventure, a dash of horror. exactly what Warhammer readers want. As ever, what elevates Cain’s antics is the delivery. First there is Cain’s self-centred narrative, which reveals he’s not the hero everyone makes him out to be. Then there’s Inquisitor Vale’s footnotes, which dance between pointing out people’s foibles, and wondering if Cain isn’t the precise man the Imperium needs. Scattered throughout are in-universe reports on military matters, local history, and anti-xenos propaganda. laced through everything is a very British sense of humour that holds the whole thing together marvellously.

As i said earlier, this was my first Ciaphas Cain audio. I’m sure it won’t be my last. In a rare move, I think audio has become my preferred format for this story. Not only is Stephen Perring’s Cain an absolute delight throughout, audio serves the structure brilliantly. the footnotes are inserted as appropriate, with Vale’s interruptions, additional thoughts, and scathing remarks cutting through Cain’s self-indulgent prose to hilarious effect. The entire cast (one for each in-universe narrator) deserves praise for their performances. I simply can’t imagine anyone else in these roles.

In short, Choose Your Enemies is a triumphant return for Ciaphas Cain, and I look forward to seeing what danger he stumbles into next.

Audio Stats

• Narrated by Stephen Perring, Penelope Rawlings, Emma Gregory, Richard Reed & Andrew James Spooner
• Ciaphas Cain (#10)
• First published 2022 (Audiobook 2023)
• Published by Black Library
• 10hrs 4 mins runtime