# Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium



## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

Bought this book on friday. Wasn't really sure that it would be as good as some of the other BL books i have read. I have read the first 225 pages and I must say I am impressed. Particularly with the character development of Cain himself. Many of the other characteers are a little one dimensional and not as developed as the supporting characters in some of the other BL books. But on the whole i am really enjoying it. Cain him self is a brilliant character, more believable than many in the 40k universe because his atitude is more realistic.
I whole heartedly recommend this book.k:


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Ciaphas Cain is one of my favourite series, its light humour and enjoyable characters, who are a bit more realistic about war, are great changes from the typical 40k. Plus I like Cain's views on the Emperor. 'I ran, praying to the Emperor and confident that he wasn't listening.'


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## DestroyerHive (Dec 22, 2009)

Really? I read Duty Calls, and now Cain's Last Stand, and I didn't particularly enjoy them too much. I'm sticking with Dark Apostle/Disciple/Creed. :so_happy:


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## Graf Spee (Apr 29, 2009)

ciaphas kicks some serious ass. i really laughed hard at some points in "for the emperor".. and normally that happens quite seldom.


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## Galahad (Dec 21, 2006)

It's about the only BL fiction I can stand. I love it.


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

I was a bit dubious about buying this one as well, if for no other reason than the cover art turned me off (weak reason, I know). But I wholeheartedly agree, Ciaphas Cain is by far the most enjoyable character to read about in the 40k universe. He's hysterical and all-too real, as most of the military officers I know share at least parts of his attitude and outlook.

Absolutely phenomenal series, if you started midway through and didn't like it...try the beginning so you can understand more where the character is coming from.


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## Brother Emund (Apr 17, 2009)

I don't like him.. I think he is a c#ck. However, as there are so many of you in favour of him, I'll pick up the first book and try again. I might change my mind... :read:


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

Finished it, loved it and will buy the rest.


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

Brother Emund said:


> I don't like him.. I think he is a c#ck. However, as there are so many of you in favour of him, I'll pick up the first book and try again. I might change my mind... :read:


He is a cock, that's part of his appeal.


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## Geist (Mar 9, 2010)

After reading a lot of mediocre BL novels, I picked up this book last year and found that there are some BL I can stand reading.:wink:


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## Galahad (Dec 21, 2006)

Emund, you misspelled 'cock' 

But Boc is right, it's aprt of his appeal. He's flawed, which makes him interesting and makes him funny


The other BL stuff is all too serious and melodramatic for me.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

shaantitus said:


> Many of the other characteers are a little one dimensional and not as developed as the supporting characters in some of the other BL books. But on the whole i am really enjoying it. Cain him self is a brilliant character, more believable than many in the 40k universe because his atitude is more realistic.


I think the supporting characters are supposed to be one dimensional, as the story is being told from the point of view of a self obsessed, self interested and single minded individual. If they don't play a huge roll in keeping his hide intact (Jurgen) or putting his hide in harm's way (Amberley), they don't really play a part in his narrative. Everyone else are just walk-on extras.

On the whole this is my favourite BL series for many of the reasons already given. Personally, I think Jurgen is deserving of a big pay rise, a huge medal, or both.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Jurgen deserves to be a Saint for all his hard work, and not even a single morsel of glory.

The thing I like most about Jurgen is that nothing disturbs him. Not an entire WAAAAGH! rushing head-first at him, not a entire phalanx of Necrons blasting at him, not even the horrors of Chaos affect Jurgen. The only thing that does is flight, which is just ironic. All the worst things in the universe dont even make him pause, and yet such a simple thing disturbs him so.


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

So true, jurgen is very cool under fire. And he loves his meltagun. Flight.......not good.


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## Graf Spee (Apr 29, 2009)

Khorne's Fist said:


> On the whole this is my favourite BL series for many of the reasons already given. Personally, I think Jurgen is deserving of a big pay rise, a huge medal, or both.



i think some extra porno slates will do as well :biggrin:


just thinking of this stinking, skin desease ridden, sweaty guy fondling his meat is disturbing :laugh:


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Graf Spee said:


> just thinking of this stinking, skin desease ridden, sweaty guy fondling his meat is disturbing :laugh:


The fact you managed to come up with the image is the most disturbing thing.:shok::nono:uke:


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## dark angel (Jun 11, 2008)

I have read the Cain omnibus and the fourth novel, and if I am honest, I never really got into them. I loathe anything that is in first person for a number of reasons, something about the author claiming to be me just gets on my nerves:laugh: they are not the worst of novels, with that said however. The Ambull (I think...) in Caves of Ice was a cool addition, but it all seemed rushed in the end.


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## thesteelclaw (Jul 20, 2008)

I am reading Cain now and I can't get Edmund Blackadder and baldrick out of my head ( the UK heretics will know who they are) this is not a bad thing as I enjoy the humour. over all one of my fav BL books so far


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

thesteelclaw said:


> I am reading Cain now and I can't get Edmund Blackadder and baldrick out of my head ( the UK heretics will know who they are) this is not a bad thing as I enjoy the humour. over all one of my fav BL books so far


Totally agree. It was one of the first things that struck me about. The cooking, the body odour, and being too stupid to be scared. Baldric and Jurgen have more than a coincidental similarity.


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## Toten (Dec 26, 2008)

Ciaphas Cain, "Hero of the Imperium"
He´s a brilliant, son of a b****, who does naught but mock the imperium for its stupidity, and bad habit of putting him in harms way.

Also shedding little light over a mangfold of characters, would make it simply too much, you dont need to know most of the side-characters well, since simply, theyre side characters, and they´re mostly replaced over the books, with either transfers, or unlucky shots (which were dubiously avoided by the Commisar himself).

Ciaphas Cain is without doubt, the most laughable coward, in the Imperium of Man, also the most unlucky, since afterall, nomatter which direction he runs, he´s bound to run into new, and more dangerous, enemies, than which was in the original direction.

I love the series


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## joechip (Mar 4, 2010)

What I love about Ciaphas Cain is that he's like a modern day guy if you dropped in him in the 40K universe. He sees a Tech-priest worshiping machines and thinks "that's stupid!". He sees a Sister of Battle in power-armor but no helmet rushing into combat and thinks "that's stupid!". Cain sees that the Imperial guard has artillery that can hit targets on the next continent over but they still use massed bayonet charges and he thinks "that's really stupid!". That's what makes Cain great in my opinion, he's the only character I know of who looks around at the the insanity of 41st millennium and calls it what it is.

Definitely a series of books I'd recommend.


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## comrade (Jun 30, 2008)

of course the saying of SoBs as stupid comes after Cain wipes the slobber off his face and mumbles something about them being too stuck up.


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## joechip (Mar 4, 2010)

comrade said:


> of course the saying of SoBs as stupid comes after Cain wipes the slobber off his face and mumbles something about them being too stuck up.


Actually, the part I was talking about came right after a Sister of Battle got shot in the face by a Fleshborer. Cain was like "That armor sure did her alot of good with no helmet. Why so many Sisters go into battle without them is beyond me."


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

I completely agree on the rather one-dimensional nature of the side characters, but it is this way simply due to the sheer power of Cain's own persona. Not only because he's slightly self-involved and narcisistic, but because of his charisma, humour, courage, etc etc. He's the fraggin man, and entertaining enough that none of the others really _need_ to be gone into in order to make the stories engaging or believable.


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## comrade (Jun 30, 2008)

joechip said:


> Actually, the part I was talking about came right after a Sister of Battle got shot in the face by a Fleshborer. Cain was like "That armor sure did her alot of good with no helmet. Why so many Sisters go into battle without them is beyond me."


yeah, I know. It was humor. Anyways, we all agree that He is the only man with some common sense left.


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## Brother Emund (Apr 17, 2009)

Galahad said:


> Emund, you misspelled 'cock'


I cannot write cock at work, they would be onto me in seconds :security: and whisk me away to a darkened room where they would then subject me to horrible forms of torture...:blackeye: damn! I wrote the word didn't I...:suicide:


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## Kettu (Nov 20, 2007)

joechip said:


> Actually, the part I was talking about came right after a Sister of Battle got shot in the face by a Fleshborer. Cain was like "That armor sure did her alot of good with no helmet. Why so many Sisters go into battle without them is beyond me."





comrade said:


> yeah, I know. It was humor. Anyways, we all agree that He is the only man with some common sense left.


Wait, doesn't he go into battle all the time without a helmet?
Large hat but I don't recall a helmet.


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

Point is his armor doesn't come with a helmet. Theirs does.


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## Daemonetteboobs (May 31, 2010)

I really enjoy the Cain novels as well for all the aforementioned reasons. Cain is a real son of a bitch and Sandy Mitchel has breathed some real life into this character that I don't generally find in other Black Library works, even those of the esteemed Dan Abnett.


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## emporershand89 (Jun 11, 2010)

Cains good, he's a coward but they play it like its just his human faults. He's like Gaunt, doesn't want a fight, but fights like a beast when he's in a scrap

I beleivfe another books coming out in December


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## Brother Arnold (Aug 29, 2010)

It is a lot like Blackadder Goes Fort(y-first Millennium)h.
Cain and Jurgen are almost Blackadder and Baldrick by other names, and Divas is like George in his bullheaded enthusiasm and belief in Cain.
But it's still quite funny, and the part in For the Emperor where Amberley feigns surprise at the idea that Inquisitors are at work on Gravalax is hilarious. The part where we are told what changes Cain implemented to the 296/301st Vostroyan left me with a grin as well.


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## AK74Bob (Oct 2, 2010)

^I think you meant Valhallan.


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