Left for Dead, Steve Lyons’ first published Black Library story since 2015, continues his good work in covering the Death Korps of Krieg, after Dead Men Walking and Down Amongst the Dead Men (notice the recurring theme?). Having been called in to rid an Imperial world of the corruption of Chaos, the Death Korps have now left to continue their endless war elsewhere, leaving the survivors to rebuild and carry on. Left behind is a single Korpsman who makes the unthinkable choice to abandon his regiment and his duty, and attempt to forge a new life, free of war and death.
The Death Korps are a fascinating regiment, and this takes an unusual but compelling look at the potential that lies behind their faceless masks. It’s very, very 40k, a story that uses a familiar but effective technique to portray the cold, almost inhuman Korpsman in contrast with a much more human and relatable character, and cuts to the heart of what life is really like in this dark setting. It offers an intriguing look at a world after the war has concluded and the soldiers moved on, and resolves in a suitably grim but oh-so-appropriate way. Let’s hope there’s more to come along these lines from Lyons.
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