It’s great to see some of the Verghastites bedding in and getting page time, although for longstanding fans of the series it does mean that we also get our first glimpses of the menace-to-be of Lijah Cuu. Thematically it carries on the series’ depiction of the Tanith as a regiment looked down upon and mistreated by their superiors, but with an influx of new (or newer) characters who help keep it feeling fresh and interesting. It’s also interesting to see Abnett playing more with the idea of Gaunt’s two roles clashing, and the implications of that for Gaunt and the Ghosts. Out of the first four books, this is Gaunt at his most flawed and human, and arguably the most sympathetic we’ve seen him. For the first time it shows Gaunt really on the back foot, lacking his usual confidence and self-belief, which humanises him beyond the standard Imperial Hero stylings (which aren’t bad in any way…but he definitely needed some additional depth). Well structured and tightly plotted, this is your classic Quest story, predominantly focused on Gaunt leading the bulk of the Tanith on the main mission, but with an interesting subplot revolving around some fan-favourite characters and a few new faces. With his career in tatters and Chaos reinforcements inbound, he’s sent on a desperate mission to save the most important of the world’s holy relics – the body of the Saint herself – and reclaim some small measure of personal glory. Set on the shrineworld Hagia, birthplace of Saint Sabbat, it sees Gaunt tasked with leading the Imperial liberation efforts, which soon go horribly wrong. Published just two years after the start of the series, Dan Abnett’s Honour Guard is the fourth Gaunt’s Ghosts book, and kicks off the second arc within the series – The Saint.

The Saint by Dan Abnett