Hero of the Imperium (Ciaphas Cain Series) Book

If epic science fiction stories aren't your thing, don't be thrown off by the total. The tag line of the 40K Universe setting may be "In the grim future of the 40th millennium, there is only war" but in the 41st millenium Commissar Ciaphas Cain is nothing so much as Flashman reborn.

The collection consists of three novels and three short stories starring Cain, and all take the form of the man's memoirs, arranged and annotated by the mysterious yet charming Inquisitor he frequently worked beside. In them the self-proclaimed coward trips, is thrust, or is promoted into one dangerous situation after another only to survive through a combination of luck, the loyalty of his taciturn aide, a powerful ability to bullshit, and some skill with the weapons of the day.

Overall I'd rate the book rather highly, finding it to be an easy and enjoyable read with multiple stopping points for those intimidated by its sheer size.