Hello and welcome to this 40k Reading Order article – there’s a whole range of these articles here on Track of Words, but for this one I’m focusing on Justin D. Hill’s fantastic Minka Lesk series of Cadian Shock Troops stories. Black Library’s Cadians range has grown a lot recently, and there are loads of options for where to start, but the Minka Lesk series is really the backbone of the whole range. At the time of writing there are eight stories in this series – four novels and four short stories (although I’m also going to mention a few additional short stories that subtly tie in with the Minka Lesk series) – and with Justin’s generous help I’ve put together a comprehensive list of the whole lot, based on their in-universe chronological order.

As well as the recommended reading order, I’ve also included a breakdown of each story with the publisher’s synopsis, and links out to my reviews (and a couple of interviews) where they’re available. But first…

Who are the Cadian Shock Troops, and who is Minka Lesk?

I could write something here to give an overview of the Cadian Shock Troops as a regiment, and Minka Lesk as a character…but you don’t want to hear from me if you can hear from Justin himself, do you? So over to the author himself:

Justin D. Hill: I’ve always loved the viewpoint of the common grunt in the Warhammer 40k universe. Nothing beats the jeopardy of a lone trooper, armed only with a flashlight, standing firm against the horrors of the Grimdark future. For me*, these are some of the most compelling stories the 40k universe has to offer, so it seemed fated that I would end up writing Cadians.

The Cadian Shock Troops are the elite fighting force who have held the Cadian Gate shut against Chaos for thousands of years – but that grand history came to a spectacular end with the Fall of Cadia in Abaddon’s Thirteenth Black Crusade, when Cadia was broken, and their long watch was ended.

While the Fall of Cadia is a disaster for the Cadian Shock Troops, in storytelling terms it’s gold dust. It instantly made the Cadians much more complex. There’s a lot of guilt and recrimination washing about, both for the Cadians who were there at the Fall of Cadia and those who were not, and both groups feel that they and the others failed their home world. On top of that, there are memories of things that humans should not have seen, and just as they’re recovering there’s a third kind thrown into the mix – those who have been drafted in since the Fall of Cadia to keep the whole operation running.

This makes for a wonderfully complex set of characters, relationships and conflicts, and I’ve been lucky to have a character who allows me to trace these changes: Minka Lesk.

Darren Tan’s beautiful depiction of Minka Lesk for the cover of Cadian Honour

I’ve talked about her genesis in the afterword to the Collector’s Edition of Shadow of the Eighth; suffice to say, she was a pretty accidental find and there were no plans for her after Cadia Stands…but once the last page was written, she kept nagging away at me, and now she is the star of a host of short stories, and (at time of writing) four novels.

Minka has the advantage of spanning both the old and the new. She was a Whiteshield cadet when the invasion of Cadia began, and was one of the last to get off-planet, after fighting a rearguard action through the ruins of her home world.

Whiteshield cadets can only graduate to full Shock Troopers once they have killed in battle, so Minka enters the regiment in its darkest hour. A fresh recruit in a world full of wounded and broken warriors…

She serves at the coalface within the Cadian 101st, Hell’s Last, fighting battles while the Shock Troops try to reconstitute themselves as they come to terms with their loss. Cadian regiments go through a process of cannibalisation at first, throwing the survivors of regiments together as they try to demonstrate their continuing relevance. But as there are no new recruits they’re offered the choice of die out or change, and the Cadians choose to survive.

Of course, Minka is just one person, trying to stay alive, and to keep those about her alive, as the Imperium puts down rebellion through the Gallows Cluster – where a heady mix of heresy, deviant Imperial religious cults, and disorder have plunged large areas of the sector into crisis.

There’s been a steady rate of attrition, and there are always gaps that need to be filled, and Minka’s risen rapidly through the ranks until now she is one of those officers overseeing the transformation of the Shock Troops from being a Cadian force, to one that will live on after Cadia has gone.

*I should be clear: this article expresses my personal opinion…I’m not a Games Workshop spokesperson, nor should this be taken as an expert opinion on 40k lore!

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Thanks Justin for this great overview! I think Minka is a great character, and I love that she’s actually the very first character seen in Cadia Stands (at age 4, in the prologue)! Interestingly, Cadia Stands isn’t labelled as a Minka Lesk story, as she’s one of many characters rather than the main protagonist (and, as you can see from Justin’s comments, she obviously wasn’t initially intended to be a lead character!). While Cadian Honour was the first novel to have her name on the front cover though, they’re all still part of the same series really, aren’t they?

Reading Order

As usual, I’ve gone for a chronological reading order with these stories – I asked Justin for this, so you can consider it the ‘official’ timeline! Interestingly, that shuffles things around a tiny bit for the short stories, as Justin has gone back and written a couple of stories slightly out of order, so you could read them in release order if you wanted…but I think chronological works well.

You’ll notice that I’ve also included a trio of Ursarkar E. Creed short stories on the timeline – more on those shortly.

Last Step Backwards (Creed short story)
Lost Hope (Creed short story)
The Battle of Tyrok Fields (Creed short story)
Cadia Stands
Ghosts of Kasr Myrak (short story)
The Place of Pain and Healing (short story)
The Battle For Markgraaf Hive (short story)
Cadian Honour
Traitor Rock
Arcady Pride (short story)
Shadow of the Eighth

Story Breakdown

In this next section I’ve gone through each individual story in the same chronological order, adding in the synopsis from the Black Library website (where available – one of them hasn’t had a full release yet) and linking out to reviews/interviews where possible.

Ursarkar E. Creed

Published a few years before the Gathering Storm timeline began to play out (see my ‘New 40k’ Reading Order article for more information about that), these three short stories from Justin D. Hill all focus on the character of Lord General Ursarkar E. Creed and build up to the events of the Fall of Cadia. You don’t need to read these to enjoy and understand the Minka Lesk stories, but personally I think they’re excellent, and well worth getting hold of to get a sense of what was happening shortly before the Fall. There are also a few subtle connections between these three and the Minka series, including the occasional shared character, which is really why I’ve included them here.

All three of these short stories are available as individual e-shorts, or alternatively you could pick up the Legends of the Dark Millennium: Astra Militarum anthology which contains all three along with loads of other Imperial Guard stories.

Last Step Backwards – 2014

As the dread forces of the Chaos-worshipping Anckorites spread from world to world, Cadian Shock Troop Whiteshields – new troopers tasting battle for the first time – are all that stand between the enemy and utter destruction. But when the famed general Ursarkar E Creed enacts a dangerous battle plan to outmanoeuvre the foe, there may just be hope for survival, or even victory.

The first of the three Creed stories (first published as a standalone e-short), this sees Ursarkar joining a beleaguered company of Whiteshields away from Cadia, in a stubborn defence against the Archenemy.

Check out my review of Last Step Backwards

Lost Hope – 2015

In desperate need of fresh troops for his long campaign against traitors and renegades, General Creed of the Cadian 8th and his aide, Colour Sergeant Kell, head to the world of Lost Hope, a frozen and dangerous prison planet. But when they discover that the prisoners have revolted and the world is in the grip of heresy, their mission becomes much more complicated, and they realise that their foes’ plans are greater and more convoluted than they could have ever imagined…

This is a little different to your usual Guard story, focusing on Creed and Colour Sergeant Kell as they attempt to rally penal legionnaires to their cause.

Check out my review of Lost Hope

The Battle of Tyrok Fields – 2015

Every hero has a moment that defines their legend, a battle that sets them on the path they are meant to walk. For Ursarkar Creed, that moment is here. Cadia itself is under threat – the hordes of Chaos emerge once more from the Eye of Terror, and the forces of the Imperium muster to meet them. But on Tyrok Fields, an act of base treachery, spurred on by an old enemy of Creed’s, will change everything and provide General Creed a chance to prove his worth once and for all, and embrace his destiny as Lord Castellan of Cadia.

This is the only one of the three Creed stories that’s definitively linked in with the 13th Black Crusade, but it’s pretty momentous. It covers the events of the titular battle, in which Cadian forces were caught unawares by the treachery of their allies, and Creed steps up to rally the survivors in defence of their homeland. It’s one of my favourite Imperial Guard stories, and the only downside is that it’s a short story and not a full-length novel. There’s also a little overlap between this and Cadia Stands.

Check out my review of The Battle of Tyrok Fields

Minka Lesk

All of the Minka Lesk stories are set during or after the Fall of Cadia. In terms of availability, you can pick up an anthology titled Minka Lesk: The Last Whiteshield which contains three of the novels (Cadia Stands, Cadian Honour and Traitor Rock) and two of the short stories (The Place of Pain and Healing and The Battle for Markgraaf Hive). I don’t think any of the novels are available in other physical formats at the moment, but everything (except for Ghosts of Kasr Myrak) is available digitally

Cadia Stands by Justin D. Hill – 2017

Under almost constant besiegement by the hosts pouring from the Eye of Terror, Cadia acts as a bulwark against tyranny and death. Its fortresses and armies have held back the hordes of Chaos for centuries, but that grim defiance is about to reach its end. As Abaddon’s Thirteenth Black Crusade batters Cadia’s defences, and armies of the Imperium flock to reinforce this crucial world, a terrible ritual long in the making comes to fruition and the delicate balance of this brutal war shifts… From the darkness, a hero rises to lead the beleaguered defenders, Lord Castellan Ursarkar Creed, but even with the armoured might of the Astra Militarum and the strength of the Adeptus Astartes, will it be enough to avert disaster and prevent the fall of Cadia? While Creed lives, there is hope. While there is breath in the body of a single defender, Cadia stands… but for how much longer?

The first BL fiction released to explore the events of the Fall of Cadia, this begins just before the events of The Battle of Tyrok Fields but mostly covers the main thrust of Abaddon’s invasion, shown from a variety of Cadian perspectives. Interestingly, while Ursarkar E. Creed does briefly appear, this is definitely not his story – instead it introduces Major Isaia Bendikt and a certain Whiteshield named Minka Lesk (as well as carrying over a few characters from Hill’s Creed stories), and offers a sort of ‘grunts-eye’, boots-on-the-ground view of the planet’s final hours. It’s really good, just don’t expect the full big picture – that’s not quite what this is.

Check out my review of Cadia Stands

RAPID FIRE: Justin D. Hill Talks Cadia Stands

Ghosts of Kasr Myrak – 2023

At the time of writing this short story is only available in the Special Edition hardback of Shadow of the Eighth, which I don’t have, so I haven’t read it and it doesn’t have an official synopsis. Don’t worry though – Justin has very kindly provided this excellent summary:

In the final hours before the Thirteen Black Crusade, Whiteshield Minka Lesk is deep in one of the bastions of Kasr Myrak, bunked alongside industrial workers and Cadian veterans. Waiting for the battle to begin, some of the veterans begin to tell stories of the supernatural. As the battle draws near reality begins to fracture, testing Minka Lesk’s sanity and resolve.

So technically this is set during the events of Cadia Stands – somewhere after the prologue but before the climax of the story. You could read this before Cadia Stands if you wanted, but I think it’s probably best read afterwards.

The Place of Pain and Healing – 2021

In the immediate aftermath of Cadia Stands, a whiteshield named Minka Lesk is rescued from her sundered planet by a Space Marine of the Space Wolves Chapter. Follow her recovery as she gets to grips with the loss of her home world and the notion that, while Cadia itself is gone, she remains.

This one is a direct sequel to Cadia Stands, picking up Minka’s story after she left Cadia in the company of another Cadian survivor, and a Space Wolf named Skarp-Hedin. It’s a quiet, introspective story for the most part, exploring Minka’s immediate emotional response to the awful events she lived through on Cadia, and what the loss of her homeworld meant to her.

The Battle For Markgraaf Hive – 2017

The Cadian 101st regiment wages war in the depths of Hive Markgraaf. Trooper Minka, wracked by doubts and fears about the future of her regiment and her people, grits her teeth and gets on with the job of defeating the heretics who haunt the hive city. Mounting a dangerous assault into the darkest reaches of the ancient structure, they prepare to defend the planet in its darkest hour – as they failed to do with Cadia.

Taking place a little further after the events of Cadia Stands, this is back to the usual full-on war story approach, as Minka (now no longer a Whiteshield) and the 101st battle heretics in the titular hive. I always thought this one felt a bit like the setup for a bigger story, but it’s worth reading to see Minka settling into the life of a soldier a little.

Check out my review of The Battle For Markgraaf Hive

Cadian Honour – 2018

For ten thousand years, Cadia stood as a bastion against the daemonic tide spewing forth from the Eye of Terror. But now the Fortress World lies in ruins, its armies decimated in the wake of Abaddon the Despoiler and his Thirteenth Black Crusade. Those who survived, though haunted by the loss of their beloved homeworld, remain bloodied and unbarred, fighting ruthlessly in the Emperor’s name.

Amongst them is the indomitable Sergeant Minka Lesk. Sent to the capital world of Potence, Lesk and the Cadian 101st company soon discover that a rot runs through the very heart of the seemingly peaceful world. Lesk knows she must excise this taint of Chaos, for it is not only her life and those of her company at stake, but also the honour of Cadia itself.

After the full-on chaos of Cadia Stands, the second novel in the series is still very much a war story but it also expands out to encompass a little bit of political and religious intrigue. The plot is based around the 101st defending the world of Potence from Chaos forces, fighting to survive while still adjusting to their new post-Cadia reality. Despite its billing as a Minka Lesk story I’d say it’s still more about the wider 101st than just Minka, but it’s a good continuation of the series. I know we’re not supposed to judge books by their covers, but this one definitely has my favourite cover of any Cadian novel!

Check out my review of Cadian Honour

RAPID FIRE: Justin D. Hill Talks Cadian Honour

Traitor Rock – 2021

Cadia, ten thousand years a stalwart bastion against Chaos, is broken. Its collapse at the hands of Abaddon and the Thirteenth Black Crusade has fractured the Imperium of Man, and in its wake spreads the seeds of heresy, lies, and insurrection. It falls to Cadia’s survivors to fight on, bloodied but unyielding, in the name of the Emperor.

On the world of Malouri, traitorous forces have retreated to the impregnable island fortress of Crannog Mons. After years of stalemate warfare, the task of breaking the siege is given to Minka Lesk and the Cadian 101st, who find themselves fighting a meat-grinder mission that threatens to devour them. In the midst of slaughter, sacrifice, and brutal attrition, a question must be answered: what does it mean to be Cadian in a galaxy without Cadia?

Despite having had this on the shelf since it came out, I haven’t yet got around to reading it, so I can’t say too much about it from experience. Sounds great, though!

Arcady Prime – 2023

In the immediate aftermath of Traitor Rock, Minka Lesk drinks with Blanchez and Yedrin in the ruins of the city they’ve finally conquered, telling somewhat sanitised stories of old Cadia… before an irate colour sergeant intervenes, wanting to hear what actually happened.

I’m saving this for once I’ve read Traitor Rock, as it seems like a good way to follow on from that novel. I think a nice quiet, reflective short story should work really well at this point in the chronology.

Shadow of the Eighth – 2023

When Minka Lesk and the Cadian 101st discover a relic of the missing Cadian 8th – thought lost in the planet’s defence – they see an opportunity to right a past wrong, and follow the trail to Telken’s Rest, a world at the core of the Chaos warlord Drakul-zar’s collapsing regime. But the Imperium are not the only force to pounce upon the carcass of Telken’s Rest, and Minka soon discovers that there are dark secrets hidden amidst the icy sprawl of hab blocks and manufactoria. As the past comes back to haunt them, the Cadian 101st face a choice – will they stand firm and do what needs to be done, or will the spectre of what they have lost lead them astray?

As I haven’t read Traitor Rock yet, it’s no surprise that I also haven’t read Shadow of the Eighth. I’ve heard a lot of good things though!

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40k Reading Order: Minka Lesk – Justin D. Hill

Who are the Cadian Shock Troops, and who is Minka Lesk?

Reading Order

Story Breakdown