A rare non-Ciaphas Cain short story from Sandy Mitchell, Hidden Depths is nevertheless linked to the Cain series by virtue of featuring the virtuous Commissar’s chronicler, Inquisitor Amberley Vail. On the hunt for smugglers in xenos technology on the hive world of Ironfound, Vail and her warband find a trail leading from the spire top to the deepest underhive. As their search takes them ever deeper they’re forced to contend with the many indigenous peoples and perils of the underhive, as a secret of Ironfound’s past is gradually revealed.
If you’re hoping for the exact same tone and humour of the Cain series you might be a little disappointed, as while this has glimmers of Mitchell’s trademark wit (a trading post called Ebon Flow, for example – read it out loud) it’s deliberately toned down. As such it’s perhaps not as characterful as Mitchell’s other writing, but carries more mainstream appeal with its Inquisition stylings and slightly more serious tone. Vail is nicely engaging as a character, and while her warband are a touch derivatory (a data-obsessed savant sound familiar?) there’s a lot to enjoy with their familiar banter and the overall sense of action and adventure in the pacy, entertaining narrative. Don’t expect Abnett-esque depth and detail, but it’s worth reading to explore an interesting tangent to Cain’s stories.
