First and Only (book)

Infobox Book
name = First and Only


image_caption = "First and Only 2^nd edition front cover. Illustration by Clint Langley."
author = Dan Abnett
language = English
series = Gaunt's Ghosts
publisher = Black Library
pub_date = 2000
isbn = 1-84416-164-1
preceded_by = --
followed_by = Ghostmaker

"First and Only" is the title of a book published by the British author Dan Abnett and set in the fictional futuristic world of "Warhammer 40,000". The book is the first of the "Gaunt's Ghosts" series and revolves around the adventures of Imperial Guard Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and his regiment, the Tanith First-And-Only, nicknamed the Ghosts because of both their stealth skills and their status as last survivors of a doomed homeworld.

Plot Summary

The Tanith First-and-Only are deployed on Fortis Binary to win back the world from Chaos forces. Led by Ibram Gaunt and supported by the Vitrian Dragoons, they succeed in their task. Gaunt and his men celebrate on another planet where Gaunt is given a crystal encoded Vermillion level, the highest of all colour security levels. Gaunt deciphers it and realizes that a unique artifact is located on Menazoid Epsilon, a planet overrun by Chaos which is due to be assaulted soon. With the aid of a few high-ranking friends, the Tanith ghosts are deployed on Menazoid Epsilon where they battle their way to a very special artifact: a Standard Template Construct machine that can create "Men of Iron", robots which are vastly superior soldiers to men. However, Gaunt destroys it, as it has been contaminated by Chaos. Indeed, the first new robot created is obviously corrupted and Gaunt barely escapes with his life.