by Dan Abnett
Sci-Fi/Warhammer
Preparing for battle on Monthax, Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt considers the men under his command. When battle finally begins, the Tanith First And Only are spurred on by a strange force that convinces them they are still on Tanith, fighting for their planet's survival.
Ghostmaker is a collection of short stories, each focusing on one of Gaunt's men. While the stories themselves are well written and interesting, the conceit barely holds the novel together; it gives you no reason to keep coming back to it. The final battle is blood- and mud-splattered but is also more bogged down in Warhammer 40k details than the rest of the novel, making it harder for the non-gamer to follow. All of which means that Ghostmaker is nowhere near as much fun as Abnett's first novel in the series. Disappointing.