Horus Rising by Dan Abnett
The seeds of heresy are sown
Can you believe it has been 10 years since this book was published?
As an introductory novel to a series I don't think there could be any better. Abnett delivers memorable and likable characters, quotable lines that stuck in my mind for a decade after ("I was there, the day Horus slew the Emperor") and cool locations and races like the Mega Arachnid on Murder.
The true beauty of Horus Rising is in its ability to set up the depth of characters as traditionally badly portrayed as astartes through their complex and emotional relationships with mortals. It even manages to humanise the unknowable demi-god primarchs, which before this novel were just myths, yet all the while keeps them majestic.
It is the brief glimpse at the glory of the great crusade - how wonderful things could have been - which fills us with real dread about the tragedy to come.
Holy F*ck moment: When Horus is first introduced by teleporting into the Emperor's throne room and blasting him away. What a great guy!
5 Iterators out of 5
False Gods by Graham McNeil
The heresy takes root
False Gods would have had a hard job trying to top Horus Rising, so it doesn't, instead it tries to copy it in style. Graham McNeil is good at this kind of writing, with tight plot threads which are easy to follow, with minimal new character introductions.
Altogether a more philosophical novel, this story deals with the changing heart of the legion as the not-quite-mustache-twirling-yet Erebus exposes Horus to the weakness in himself which will lead to his downfall. With it, the warp and the nature and presence of daemons is explored a little more, particularly with the human contingent aboard the Vengeful Spirit, Horus's flagship. Everyone's established paradigm of the Imperial Truth is shaken - how they react is cool to see. It's generally handled well but comes apart when some characters (I'm looking at you Abaddon) start to seem a little one dimensional.
I like the tension generated between the astartes as things start to fall apart but this novel does drag on at times, and much like the daemons on Davin, it's a little bloated.
Holy F*ck moment: Angron, buried alive, explodes out of the rubble after the war is over and goes on a bloody rampage among the surrendered enemy!
4 Mournivals out of 5
Galaxy in Flames by Ben Counter
The heresy revealed
This is not a subtle story, and Mr Counter is definitely not a subtle author. All the nuance of earlier books goes out the window to allow this book to happen. The stage has been set. Now the bad stuff has to happen. And damn, it manages to deliver.
This is the opening gambit of the Heresy. The mass purging of of the loyalists from the traitor legions' ranks. It's very on the nose but it has some excellent set piece moments, some brutal descriptions of the conflict and some shining moments of heroism and defiance that get to the heart of what makes good pulp sci-fi.
It won't move you emotionally like the preceding novels (most of the characters are now caricatures of themselves) but you'll still be alternately pumping your fist in the air and getting real mad about it. When the final bombs fell the sense of horrific tragedy set in for me. The Emperor's glorious vision for humanity was dead! Great fun to read.
Holy F*ck moment: After the virus bombing a heroic but doomed contemptor sacrifices himself to save his brother Death Guard. It's okay to shed a manly tear!
Bonus moment: Kharn gets run over by a spartan in the middle of a fist fight with Loken!
Extra Bonus moment: The Mournival tears itself apart in frantic close combat!
4 Bolter Porns out of 5
Hope you liked this style of post, I'm looking forward to doing more!
Syra out.
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