Bjorn: Lone Wolf

Black Library Advent Calendar 2013 #1

by Chris Wraight

As daemons swarm across the fields of Velbayne, bringing madness and Chaos to all that they touch, Leman Russ and the Rout stand arrayed against them. Packs fight back to back, brothers protecting one another except for one. The Lone Wolf, the warrior without a pack, stands alone. And somewhere on the battlefield is a foe against which he will have vengeance.

Read it because
It's a small but perfectly formed look at Bjorn of the Space Wolves in the later years of the Heresy, taking revenge against the beast that massacred his pack. Through the story, he reaches his defining moment and his purity of purpose is revealed.

Genres: 40k, Short Stories, Audiobook, Science Fiction

9 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2013

About the author

Chris Wraight is a British author of fantasy and science fiction.

His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.

He is based in the south-west of England.

Reviews

[RatGrrrl · Rating 5 out of 5]

April 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order Omnibus XVII Shadow of the Warmaster III Jaws of Defeat (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras.

I don't have a lot to say about this, but everything I can say is absolutely glowing!

Bjorn tracks down and slays the Daemon that slayed his pack and made him a lone wolf, breaking the silence he has held since their pyres to exalt their names in the deed.

There's not much to say about this one beyond it being visceral, emotionally charged, beautifully written by Wraight, and exquisitely performed by Keeble. Truly the perfect kind of Advent Calendar short as its compact, but rich and compelling, adds a lot of flavour and depth to an important character, but isn't 100% essential for the main narrative.

A wonderful little, but mighty, vignette and a perfect kind of treat for a Black Library Advent Calendar story.

Through using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project (www.heresyomnibus.com) and my own choices, I have currently read 32 Horus Heresy novels (including a repeat), 19 novellas (including 2 repeats), 107 short stories/ audio dramas (including 6 repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, 15 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and a short story...this run. I can't say enough good about the way the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project suggestions. I'm loving it! Especially after originally reading to the releases and being so frustrated at having to wait so long for a narrative to continue.

***

Initial Review 4/5

Bjorn plays Let Me Solo Her to Malenia, Blade of Miquella, in the form of the Bloodthirster (or similar greater sized daemon) that wiped out his squad. After taking a vow of silence and to remain a lone wolf until the abomination was slain on the pyres of his fallen brothers, Bjorn tracked the nightmare across the stars and years. With his vengeance at hand he speaks the names of the lost, remembering each of them and their deaths.

Short, sharp, and sweet with an actual whole situation, opposed the the other Wraight Horus Heresy Advent Calendar offering I read, Brotherhood of the Moon. This has some gnarly daemon description and visceral combat, nicely coupled with the heartfelt fraternal remembrances.

Just a good ole micro dose of Horus Heresy.

[DarkChaplain · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story full of well-written action in the style of the Space Wolves. However, I don't feel like it contributed anything to the Heresy as of yet.

As a wolf action story, I felt it was very satisfying, and would recommend it. If you expect a meaningful Horus Heresy story, better lower your hopes.

Since the story is just about 1300 words in length, I'll keep the plot aspects of the review in spoiler tags.

The battle fought is unknown to me. The pack the Lone Wolf seeks to avenge is an unknown. From Wraight's Horus Heresy novel Scars we know that the Wolves have just returned from Prospero, where Bjorn became the One-Handed. From there on, they were engaged by the Alpha Legion, and as of old lore, the White Scars would come to their aid against the Hydra, before the Wolf King would tell the Khan to leave for Terra.

However, in this story, Bjorn already has his trademark-Claw. The Wolves are fighting daemons, and Bjorn avenges his fallen pack (none of which I recognized, with no mention of Godsmote and the rest from Scars) fighting a big daemon who was guilty of slaying his brethren.
I do not remember Bjorn to be a Lone Wolf from last I saw him.


It would appear that this story is set way past the events of Scars and maybe even beyond. The Wolf King still fights, but there are no mentions of Horus or the Heresy. It is an action piece, and a good one at that, but lacks context and meaning.

As it is written, it may very well be set during the scouring era, after the Siege of Terra, but before Russ's departure. This makes the story feel inconsequential and, as of yet, irrelevant to the Horus Heresy series.

[Bookcat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, yeah...the badassery of the Space Dogs 🙄

[Regan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't like how Bjorn was presented in this one, doesn't fit with the other books he's in.

[Seb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably works best if read as an epilogue to the right Heresy book (cf. Heresy Omnibus Project or another source).

[Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collected in legacies of betrayal book.

[Matt Argueta · Rating 3 out of 5]

9 pages of a vague battle sequence with Bjorn being the surviving victor. Not bad, not great, didn't seem to move too much forward

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short scene, very in keeping with Bjorn.

[Urgewyrm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bjorn takes care of business. The end.

[Ross Cudmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A basic enough story that is well-executed. Bjorn finally gets his revenge on the Daemon that slew his packmates. His long solitude can finally come to an end. Exciting visceral action that also adds some depth to a pre-established important character.

[Dylan Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun micro short(only 1000 words) that shows Bjorne of the Space Wolves as a man, rather than a Dreadnought. He was a lone wolf after his pack was killed by a daemon, and this short rather extraordinarily shows him getting revenge and killing the daemon that killed his pack. I assume this is based some time after the Heresy, but I have no idea for sure.

[David Conroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a quick story to introduce a Warhammer character then this is it. After reading this I immediately made plans to collect the model of Bjorn in the table top game.