While not as deep or developed as some of the Horus Heresy books I've read, this is probably the best pure WH40K book I've read to date. The overwhelming scope of a massive ork invasion and the fairly linear plot make this a fairly fast and damn interesting read. I really liked the author's description of the surviving Crimson Fists and how they fought overwhelming odds not only to survive but to hold on to control of the planet until help arrives from Imperial fleets beyond the warp. Parker manages to make the super-human Space Marines seem downright human in these impossible situations. This is how you know you've read an outstanding novel: by the end of the book you really care quite a bit about the fate of the protagonists and desperately want all the orks to DIE. This book is also not for the feint of heart, as it contains graphic descriptions of characters demise, but this is not Star Wars either.... ( )