Quote Originally Posted by Cheesegear View Post
That doesn't mean it doesn't have to have any depth. That doesn't mean that every plot in every book needs to be the same formula with Deus Ex Jurgens abound.

Maybe if they explored the fact that they can't actually find where Cain comes from, nor can they find which Progenium/Commissariat he went to. Maybe if they actually explored that Cain might not be what he seems then I'd be interested.

Rincewind the 'Wizzard' has a much better story, even though he's the same character.
Eh, I don't think exploring Cain's origins will do anything besides giving a name to his homeworld. I mean, they could make a story about how his parents were mistakenly executed by a commissar who thought they were guard deserters or something, but I don't think that would really do much.

Exploring that Cain "Might not be what he seems" is kind of tricky, because the books are written from Cain's perspective. Cain SEEMS like some sort of Superhero commissar, he believes himself to be a pragmatic coward with bad luck, but his actions don't quite hold that out. The result is that he's effectively the guy everybody thinks he is, just snarkier. His character is already pretty well explored, his Big Secret is that he's scared, but ends up doing heroic stuff anyway.

Yes, we know nothing horrible will happen to Cain because these are written from the perspective of an Old, respected, and fairly intact Cain, but "The Heroes Succeed" is the rule for a hefty majority of fiction, especially Adventure and genre fiction like the Cain series. That's why authors like GRRM are famous for their willingness to kill off characters, because it's so unusual.

Now, that said, the Cain books do have a certain lack of depth or drama beyond "Oh No, look what that Wacky Cain guy has gotten himself into this time", but it's a little too late to fix that. We know Cain turns out okay, and he never really grows attached to other characters enough to raise the stakes on their behalf.

Basically, every charge you have leveled against the Cain books is 100% true. Cain is going to walk out of every problem unscathed and drowning in glory. We know the Formula.

And here's the thing, I still like the Cain books. I like that I can read a W40k story that dosn't feel obliged to make everything Dark and Gritty. Even Dan Abnett, whose work I very much enjoy, occasionally seems to mistake Tragedy for Depth and cynicism for intelligence. Cain stories are fun, in the same way that watching formulaic crime shows is fun.