bloodravenlib's review
3.0
Quick impressions: Overall, the novel maintains its formula, but it may feel at times a bit too close to previous works. Pacing is not consistent, which is why it took me a while to read it, but the humor is good. The book is entertaining, but it does not feel memorable, and there was an opportunity or two missed. I liked it, but I feel it could have been better.
(Full review on my blog)
(Full review on my blog)
paulopaperbooksonly's review
3.0
Having read all previous novels I would say that this one was a bit disappointing.
The reason is that I expected more Tau action or at lease presence and they are not even there for 90% of the book.
So what's this tale about? The war is brewing in the Damocles Gulf and the Tau are basically winning a war in a planet where Cain is. After being defeated the Tau approach Ciaphas and ask him a truce with the Imperium. The reason is unknown but after the innitial meeting we learn Tyranids are coming and they must be fight together to save Damocles (and fight one another).
One interesting unknow point is who decided fromt he Imperium they fcould accept peace or is this a sector governemnt representive or did the high lords of terra had any knowledge of this peace? Tau are only present in that sector - so if they were presented in other sectors would that be valid? Ah.. small questions but I remembering having after reading them.
Then as both Tau & Imperium start protecting their worlds a small representative force attach themselves to Ciaphas (the same with the Imperium on Tau world but we never learn anything).
Then there is a initial problem with machines and for 30 or so pages is the only place where imperium and tau (well 3 or 4) are fighting together. Afterwards they are almost absent fromt he book. They didn't die. They just went away in other part of the world.
We've got some glimpses of Reclaimers Space Marine Chapter, some more interesting points on Magos Biologis from the Adeptus Mechanicus and some interesting points on Tyranids mentality and physiology. Apart from that we almost have no grand action or great battle. We've got Ciaphas Cain trying to stay alive with Jurgen and it was very interesting to see his feelings towards Jurgen go a bit further.
Another interesting story, and we always know that the covers of the books are propaganda takes where he has a bolter and a chainsword whereas we always see him fight with a las-pistol & chainsword. Now we know where the bolter is from... So either, these pictures since the first novel are taken from his later years or something is wrong lol.
Either way.. It's not a bad book. I prefer per example Caves of Ice & For the Emperor better. Both had Tyranids and Tau and interesting or not both are connected to this novel.
Interesting or not of the 9 books I've read so far, the first 6 I gave 4 stars and the last three I gave 3. So... only one more book to go and the series is over (unless they write more stories... )
The reason is that I expected more Tau action or at lease presence and they are not even there for 90% of the book.
So what's this tale about? The war is brewing in the Damocles Gulf and the Tau are basically winning a war in a planet where Cain is. After being defeated the Tau approach Ciaphas and ask him a truce with the Imperium. The reason is unknown but after the innitial meeting we learn Tyranids are coming and they must be fight together to save Damocles (and fight one another).
One interesting unknow point is who decided fromt he Imperium they fcould accept peace or is this a sector governemnt representive or did the high lords of terra had any knowledge of this peace? Tau are only present in that sector - so if they were presented in other sectors would that be valid? Ah.. small questions but I remembering having after reading them.
Then as both Tau & Imperium start protecting their worlds a small representative force attach themselves to Ciaphas (the same with the Imperium on Tau world but we never learn anything).
Then there is a initial problem with machines and for 30 or so pages is the only place where imperium and tau (well 3 or 4) are fighting together. Afterwards they are almost absent fromt he book. They didn't die. They just went away in other part of the world.
We've got some glimpses of Reclaimers Space Marine Chapter, some more interesting points on Magos Biologis from the Adeptus Mechanicus and some interesting points on Tyranids mentality and physiology. Apart from that we almost have no grand action or great battle. We've got Ciaphas Cain trying to stay alive with Jurgen and it was very interesting to see his feelings towards Jurgen go a bit further.
Another interesting story, and we always know that the covers of the books are propaganda takes where he has a bolter and a chainsword whereas we always see him fight with a las-pistol & chainsword. Now we know where the bolter is from... So either, these pictures since the first novel are taken from his later years or something is wrong lol.
Either way.. It's not a bad book. I prefer per example Caves of Ice & For the Emperor better. Both had Tyranids and Tau and interesting or not both are connected to this novel.
Interesting or not of the 9 books I've read so far, the first 6 I gave 4 stars and the last three I gave 3. So... only one more book to go and the series is over (unless they write more stories... )
trackofwords's review
4.0
Now into its ninth novel, Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphas Cain series is one of Black Library's longest running and most well loved ranges. Since the publication in 2003 of his first adventure, Cain's memoirs have seen him fighting all sorts of menaces across the galaxy, from orks to tyranids, necrons and the forces of Chaos. In the latest novel, The Greater Good, we see him facing an old foe in the shape of the tau, as he bravely (sort of) defends the world of Quadravidia from the upstart aliens. The situation soon changes however, as the threat of a new tyranid hive fleet forces the Imperium and the tau into an uneasy alliance. Caught in the middle of this, Cain's reputation as a Hero of the Imperium sees him called to act as intermediary between the Imperium, the Adeptus Mechanicus and the tau.
Read the rest of the review at http://trackofwords.wordpress.com/2014/09/04/the-greater-good-sandy-mitchell/
Read the rest of the review at http://trackofwords.wordpress.com/2014/09/04/the-greater-good-sandy-mitchell/
utbw42's review
4.0
A very enjoyable, well-paced Ciaphas Cain novel, this one throws in a curveball as Cain joins forces with the Xenos race Tau to defend Fecundia from a mass tyranid invasion straight from the depths of the the warp itself. Straight up, this novel would have been very readable on its own, but throw in the background comedy and heroic reluctance Cain is so well known for, not to mention a lot of extremely good fortune, and this book really delivers. The plot element that really cemented this book for me was Cain's involvement with the Adeptus Mechanicus on the wasteworld Fecundia. Cain discovers a nefarious plot involving the Mechanicus and the tyranids (trying to avoid spoilers here) and from that point on the novel really sails. I am caught up now with Cain novels and I hope Mitchell pens another one soon.
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