For his second Black Library story – Last Flight – Edoardo Albert delivers a tale of courage and survival in the skies over a war-torn water world. The war on Sagaraya reaches a turning point when the heretic fleet is forced into attack range of the Imperial Navy…just. Pilot Commander Baruch Neriah leads his Marauder squadron on a daring attack run against a gargantuan aircraft carrier that forms the backbone of the Chaos forces, despite knowing that his bomber, the Spirit of St. Pascale, doesn’t have the range to safely return to the following Imperial fleet.
Reading like a classic air combat story transplanted into the crazy world of the 41st millennium, while this features plenty of thrilling aerial maneuvers it’s primarily a story about the strange realities of life for the crew of a Marauder at war, in the close confines of their aircraft. From the risks of getting lost in a wave-induced trance over the endless seas to the emotional trauma of watching helplessly as close comrades die, it’s a powerful depiction of human bravery and determination against all odds. It’s actually a little less bleak than many Black Library stories, but wonderfully characterful and beautifully written, and a fresh take on the aerial combat 40k story.
Thank you, Michael, for another great review. I did put a lot of work into making Sagaraya vivid, and thought into what it would be like to fight on such a world, so I’m glad that came across to you.