Interesting question. In my head they were always like 95th Rifles Napoleonic-era ones, probably from the subconscious association between Gaunt and Sharpe;
…His skin was hot and watery. It was alive, belonging to the strong body of the living soul. As contrasted with it, Dantioch’s skin was like a dry piece of old parchment, carrying the dull remembrances of the old battles. How long ago was the last time, when he feels something by his own skin, not by the sensors of his power armour? Despite all that changes that his memory had going through, the warsmith couldn’t recall. May it was the red-hot metal of his mask when it was burning his face and fingers. The touches of Alexis’ hands were burning his skin too, but it wasn’t painful, biting heat – but soft and tender warmth. This fire wasn’t bringing destruction but was warming to life what was frozen to death deep within. For the first time in forever Dantioch wasn’t cold without his tough shell.
Some of these are actually kinda wild though especially the bases on Vulkan and Perty, Perty’s hammer looks snazzy and that design on knockoff Corax ain’t actually that bad.
Finished it yesterday and now that I have collected my thoughts I shall review the first Gaunt’s Ghosts omnibus The Founding.
Short version it is very good, probably the best 40k fiction I have read, or at least tied with the Caiphas Cain series (still need to read Eisenhorn though I own the series, I have a huge book backlog I need to read).
Part of what works is that is a more realistic take on war compared to a lot of other 40k stuff I have read. Battles resemble the accounts I have read in the journals of actual soldiers I read during my high school military phase (don’t judge) rather then more dramatized tabletop battle-reports that some BL stuff tends to be (like gods I can hear the dice rolling during bad BL stuff, not joking). It also goes deeper into the politics and logistics of war which again something I can get behind.
The characters are well done though with they can kind of blend together at times, though that is a problem I get a lot in BL stuff personally (I tend not to get attached to characters I think are going to die). The titular Gaunt however ranks probably among my favorite Warhammer characters, possibly in my favorite literary characters period. Dude is the right balance of humanly flawed yet awe-inspiring badass that he needs to be in order for the book to work. It can be a difficult balance and the way Abnett handles it is something to be applauded. A good metaphor for the book actually, right balance of grimdark battle and cathartic victory.
Not sure how good it would be for those without some investment in 40k fiction, but for fans it is probably the best of the Black Library stuff available. Check it out.
lookashiny 