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Imperial Guard
Desert Raiders
When an Imperial listening station receives an enigmatic call for help from a far-flung planet, a regiment of Tallarn Desert Raiders is sent to investigate. Pretty soon, the Imperial Guard find themselves locked in a desperate running battle with wave upon wave of Tyranids. Is there any way they can ever triumph against such numberless alien hordes?
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2007
13 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
Lucien Soulban
64 books28 followersI hate bios - it's the only time I have writer's block - but, in a nutshell, I was:
1) Born in Saudi Arabia
2) Lived there for 12 years
3) Went to school in Hell… er… Houston, Texas for 8 years.
4) Moved to Montreal, Quebec and in doing so, found the glove that fit my hand.
5) I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
So instead of those dry boring tidbits, I present the Frequently Asked Questions concerning Lucien Soulban. You know you've been waiting for it! The following questions come from the patient folks who frequent my Live Journal as well as some of the questions I've heard in my lifetime.
1) Born in Saudi Arabia
2) Lived there for 12 years
3) Went to school in Hell… er… Houston, Texas for 8 years.
4) Moved to Montreal, Quebec and in doing so, found the glove that fit my hand.
5) I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
So instead of those dry boring tidbits, I present the Frequently Asked Questions concerning Lucien Soulban. You know you've been waiting for it! The following questions come from the patient folks who frequent my Live Journal as well as some of the questions I've heard in my lifetime.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 7, 2021
As long as you're okay with the Tallarn being Arabs and the Emperor of Mankind being Allah, then this book shouldn't throw you too far away from the feel of WarHammer 40,000.
There's also a neat little twist at the end of the book (if not completely original) that is quite fitting for the universe, and has been used a couple of times (including by myself in one particular campaign).
Otherwise, the action is pretty well-crafted, I very much get the feel of an Imperial Guard regiment, the Commissar isn't a one-dimensional asshole (like they are sometimes portrayed), and the Tyranids are an enemy frightening enough to provide some real tension.
And if hopelessness and despair get you going, this book has it in spades. :)
There's also a neat little twist at the end of the book (if not completely original) that is quite fitting for the universe, and has been used a couple of times (including by myself in one particular campaign).
Otherwise, the action is pretty well-crafted, I very much get the feel of an Imperial Guard regiment, the Commissar isn't a one-dimensional asshole (like they are sometimes portrayed), and the Tyranids are an enemy frightening enough to provide some real tension.
And if hopelessness and despair get you going, this book has it in spades. :)
June 2, 2012
Having read the previous novels on this series, Fifteen Hours by Mitchel Scanlon, DeathWorld by Steve Lyons and Rebel Winter by Steve Parker and loved them all I had to read this one straight away. It does continue the good reputation of this series. As the previous novels brought to the ribald the Catachan Jungle Fighters or the Vostroyans or in the later novels the Valhallan Ice Warriors or Cadia this one brought the Tallarn Desert Raiders. I like reading about the Imperial Guard Armies. I must say I like more of them than the Space Marines.
This was the first book I read of Lucien Soulban (he wrote another book a year before called Fleshworks in the Necromunda setting which Ifailed to read so far) and I was impressed. I really hope to see more of him in the following years. (For the time sone he doesn't have any book to be release until January. Maybe Black Library will not give him another book. The other authors of the Imperial Guard are well estabelished... Steve Lyons that penned the Death Guard already wrote a lter novel called the Ice Guard and is going to write Dead Men Walking later in December. Steve Parker tht wrote Rebel Winter already wrote another book called Gunheads (also in the imperial series) Michael Scanlon who wrote the first book already penned the Descent of Angels in HH series and in the coming months will be releasing, this time in fantasy, Call to Arms. The last author Aaron Dembski-Bowden that penned Cadian Blood (Which I will review later) is a rising star in Black Libray because he going to release three books in one year, first Soul Hunter in Mars, HellReach in May and the First Heretic in November. But enough of this and lets talk about the review...
This book is a straight forward novel with a good plot. The plot is simple... a Enigmatic call for help in a planet and the Tallarn are sent to investigate. There they find they are not alone in the planet. That's where the tyrannids appear. Always love a good tyrannid battle and this one was not the exception. The ending was predictable and it was a good story that makes you think of time travel or such...
But the book is not all that straightforward. Being a new regiment composed of Turenag and Banna (arab/berbers alike) alliance there are some divergences (as it happenned in our own history when several arabs tribes allied). The author does a great job building the tension between them. When they find a Cavern filled with layers of verdant jungle both alliances want permision to colonize Khadar. That's when a new threat arrives... the Tyranid Horde. But who needs Tyranids when the humans are fighting themselves so nicely...
So as I said.. Half the book is about in-fighting between the Imperial Guard Regiment and the other is the fighting of the tyranids. Both are great.
In the end I enjoyed the book and it gave me a feeling of satisfying... As the previous novels I would advice you all to read this book if you want to read a good war/intrigue novel. (To 40k fans or not).
This was the first book I read of Lucien Soulban (he wrote another book a year before called Fleshworks in the Necromunda setting which Ifailed to read so far) and I was impressed. I really hope to see more of him in the following years. (For the time sone he doesn't have any book to be release until January. Maybe Black Library will not give him another book. The other authors of the Imperial Guard are well estabelished... Steve Lyons that penned the Death Guard already wrote a lter novel called the Ice Guard and is going to write Dead Men Walking later in December. Steve Parker tht wrote Rebel Winter already wrote another book called Gunheads (also in the imperial series) Michael Scanlon who wrote the first book already penned the Descent of Angels in HH series and in the coming months will be releasing, this time in fantasy, Call to Arms. The last author Aaron Dembski-Bowden that penned Cadian Blood (Which I will review later) is a rising star in Black Libray because he going to release three books in one year, first Soul Hunter in Mars, HellReach in May and the First Heretic in November. But enough of this and lets talk about the review...
This book is a straight forward novel with a good plot. The plot is simple... a Enigmatic call for help in a planet and the Tallarn are sent to investigate. There they find they are not alone in the planet. That's where the tyrannids appear. Always love a good tyrannid battle and this one was not the exception. The ending was predictable and it was a good story that makes you think of time travel or such...
But the book is not all that straightforward. Being a new regiment composed of Turenag and Banna (arab/berbers alike) alliance there are some divergences (as it happenned in our own history when several arabs tribes allied). The author does a great job building the tension between them. When they find a Cavern filled with layers of verdant jungle both alliances want permision to colonize Khadar. That's when a new threat arrives... the Tyranid Horde. But who needs Tyranids when the humans are fighting themselves so nicely...
So as I said.. Half the book is about in-fighting between the Imperial Guard Regiment and the other is the fighting of the tyranids. Both are great.
In the end I enjoyed the book and it gave me a feeling of satisfying... As the previous novels I would advice you all to read this book if you want to read a good war/intrigue novel. (To 40k fans or not).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2023
Far and away my favourite Warhammer story.
March 1, 2013
The first 3rd is filled with way too many characters with way to many names. Sure a litle cheat sheet is provided with the names and ranks, but even then it is quite unnecessary to give a character 3 or 4 names and then 2 ranks and then on top of that a title of nobility. This and makes the first act of the story very unpleasant to read.
The second and third acts are much better. Very fast and very dynamic. Although the supposed mystery is completely nullified if you had taken time to inspect the cover of the book on which you can clearly see the tyranids. It would have added a bit more suspense if you did not know that from the start. On top of that the little twist at the end was very easy to predict.
Although where some of the regiments and chapters in the 40K universe draw inspiration from historical armies/cultures this story blatantly copies the arab world.
All in all it is a pretty average 40K book. The action makes up for a lot of flaws.
The second and third acts are much better. Very fast and very dynamic. Although the supposed mystery is completely nullified if you had taken time to inspect the cover of the book on which you can clearly see the tyranids. It would have added a bit more suspense if you did not know that from the start. On top of that the little twist at the end was very easy to predict.
Although where some of the regiments and chapters in the 40K universe draw inspiration from historical armies/cultures this story blatantly copies the arab world.
All in all it is a pretty average 40K book. The action makes up for a lot of flaws.
July 7, 2023
Guardsmen, desert, and tyranids. A good mix, a bad result.
Desert Raiders follows the story of the Tallarn regiment as they are sent on a search and rescue mission after receiving a mysterious transmission of uncertain origin.
The concept of the novel itself is quite appealing and has some potential, but, for brevity, I just didn't find it as fun and engaging as I had hoped. The Tallarn are an almost exact copy of the Arab tribes; they feel more like a cheap pastiche than a tribute. The conflict is really based on the internal drama of two tribes in the same regiment, and, at times, I must admit, it just made me raise an eyebrow.
The characters are, meh, decent, acceptable at best, but there are none that really stand out. I didn't manage to feel enough attachment to any of them, and the scenes ended with less impact than expected.
The first part of the novel is really slow, but the rest of the novel picks up a little more speed as its intensity becomes more palpable. The ending is a fairly iconic one, and one mentioned among fans of Black Library literature, but, to be honest, I think it was poorly done.
I would have expected more. I wouldn't recommend it overall. There are better short novels.
Desert Raiders follows the story of the Tallarn regiment as they are sent on a search and rescue mission after receiving a mysterious transmission of uncertain origin.
The concept of the novel itself is quite appealing and has some potential, but, for brevity, I just didn't find it as fun and engaging as I had hoped. The Tallarn are an almost exact copy of the Arab tribes; they feel more like a cheap pastiche than a tribute. The conflict is really based on the internal drama of two tribes in the same regiment, and, at times, I must admit, it just made me raise an eyebrow.
The characters are, meh, decent, acceptable at best, but there are none that really stand out. I didn't manage to feel enough attachment to any of them, and the scenes ended with less impact than expected.
The first part of the novel is really slow, but the rest of the novel picks up a little more speed as its intensity becomes more palpable. The ending is a fairly iconic one, and one mentioned among fans of Black Library literature, but, to be honest, I think it was poorly done.
I would have expected more. I wouldn't recommend it overall. There are better short novels.
March 2, 2020
I did enjoy the action scenes in this book as well as some of the characters and the sense of hopelessness of their situation involving the never ending attacks from the Tyranids, at some points in the story it did seem like they were going to make it, but I wasn't a fan of how it ended with it seeming to try and fix the way the way the story evolved from the first chapter but it seemed from the epilogue that had the opening first chapter exactly how it happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2024
Its a good book however I wanted the ending to be a a little bit happier but it is 40k and it is tyranids so it kind of makes sense. But I got confused with the names of the characters cuz they sound oddly close or wouldn't very close to another character's name. So I get mixed up sometimes but yeah give it a try.
August 1, 2025
A fun read that does the Imperial Guard and Tyranids justice. The story takes its time to develop all major players but, due to the many names, it can be a little overwhelming. As I noticed only later, there is a dramatis personae at the end of the book. The usual Warhammer quick-draw ending is this time done better due the a twist.
January 19, 2018
Read this as an intro to the warhammer universe as I always found the tyranids fascinating. A decent book, in the style of a military Sci fi escapade. Nothing to write home about but short, sweet and to the point.
June 10, 2019
It's paints a realistic image of how certain aspects of the 40k universe works.
Story was just ok, but it made up with it's fast paced large scale combat and tension through constant overhang of impending death of any character indiscriminately.
Story was just ok, but it made up with it's fast paced large scale combat and tension through constant overhang of impending death of any character indiscriminately.
June 12, 2020
From a promising start of two warring clans forced to fight together against a common enemy, this novel degenerates into a series of frustrating pyrrhic victories ending in irrelevance. A female character is included in order to shoehorn in a minor romance. Disappointing.
January 1, 2025
A decent treatment of a named but under represented regiment. Action scenes were good but got a little repetitive (I suppose there is only so much you can do fighting Tyranids). Characters were decent. It is short and doesn't overstay.
April 21, 2019
A bit confusing at times but still a solid story.
June 4, 2020
A total entertaining mind trip.
January 13, 2022
Pretty fun.
July 20, 2025
This was my introduction to the world of 40k novels, and let me just say that if you go in expecting a 3 star mediocre story about tyranids, prepare for your socks to get blown off
July 12, 2021
Its easy to root for the enemies in this book because of how awful literally every single character in the book is.
The most satisfying parts are when the main characters are losing.
The most satisfying parts are when the main characters are losing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2025
Tallarn desert raiders are sent to a planet to scout and investigate following a received call for help.
The regiment being made up of different tribemen that have some checkered history between them ensured some in regiment fighting, or at least until a ship appeared.... a Xenos ship. Can they set their differences aside and fight as one unit?
New regiment on a sand planet. It was somewhat hard to follow at the beginning, with the author throwing names at you, spiced with some fighting, while giving you background to the characters and setting.
After getting past that and the suspense started, the story was pretty straightforward. Impossible odds, brotherhood tested and wave after wave of enemies. The Imperial Guard formula we all love.
I had a hard time getting into the story, but about 1/3 into the book, I was glued to the pages. The descriptive of the action was on point, I could truly feel the mindset of the warriors and I was engulfed into the story.
And a funny coincidence as I'm going through the Horus Heresy, alongside the Imperial Guard Series. I happened to read this story at the same time I was listening to the Tallarn (Anthology). So I got a great insight into the Desert Raiders mindset.
Another great Imperial Guards novel amd looking forward to my next instalments.
The regiment being made up of different tribemen that have some checkered history between them ensured some in regiment fighting, or at least until a ship appeared.... a Xenos ship. Can they set their differences aside and fight as one unit?
New regiment on a sand planet. It was somewhat hard to follow at the beginning, with the author throwing names at you, spiced with some fighting, while giving you background to the characters and setting.
After getting past that and the suspense started, the story was pretty straightforward. Impossible odds, brotherhood tested and wave after wave of enemies. The Imperial Guard formula we all love.
I had a hard time getting into the story, but about 1/3 into the book, I was glued to the pages. The descriptive of the action was on point, I could truly feel the mindset of the warriors and I was engulfed into the story.
And a funny coincidence as I'm going through the Horus Heresy, alongside the Imperial Guard Series. I happened to read this story at the same time I was listening to the Tallarn (Anthology). So I got a great insight into the Desert Raiders mindset.
Another great Imperial Guards novel amd looking forward to my next instalments.
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April 25, 2013Praise be to the Abu Abu Manashir (God-Emperor)! This was a great read about the Tallarn Imperial Guard based off of Arabic culture. The reader sees the tribal infighting and how the mixed regiment comes together through adversity. It's quite a touching novel and two scenes in particular stood out for me: 1) The main force is unprepared to withstand the tyranid planetary assault so a sacrificial rearguard of 50 men must be chosen to buy some time. It was quite poignant reading how men embraced their friends for the last time and sang of their wives and children who they would not see again in this life but who they hoped to see in Paradise and 2) A soldier was in agony being burnt all over his body by a plasma fire and was in so much pain he actually hoped a tyranid beast came and killed him quickly. A very good, last stand read of military science fiction.
August 19, 2016
This was a solid read for someone looking for those looking for Tribal differences with giant space bugs to make those differences seem moot. This book may not be the best at building true drama between the two desert tribes that are forced to work with each other because of the military but what this book does right it does in spades, the action. It is very fast paced in the second half with a lot of destruction. If you want Crusader style Muslims fighting space bugs with a lot of Bromance then look no further then this book.
March 1, 2008
great book on the "muslims" of the world of Warhammer 40k
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews