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The Horus Heresy #1
Сходження Гора
Триває 31-ше тисячоліття. Під великодушним правлінням Безсмертного Імператора, Імперіум Людей простягся через усю Галактику. Це золотий вік відкриттів і завоювань. Але зараз, напередодні перемоги, Імператор залишає фронт і доручає великий хрестовий похід своєму улюбленому синові Гору. Чи зможе ідеалістичний Гор, отримавши підвищення до Магістра Війни, втілити грандіозний задум Імператора, чи ж це посіє зерна єресі поміж його братів?
«Сходження Гора» — це перша частина епічної оповіді «Єресь Гора» про галактичну громадянську війну, яка поставила людство на межу вимирання.
«Сходження Гора» — це перша частина епічної оповіді «Єресь Гора» про галактичну громадянську війну, яка поставила людство на межу вимирання.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,624 reviews
September 17, 2011
So on the one hand (i.e., the overly hairy, knuckle-dragging one), this is Manwich-sized chunk of meaty, SF gun-porn dripping with sweat and oozing locker-room musk. HOWEVER, on the other manicured, latte- holding hand, this is a quality, well written tale with surprising character depth and a layered plot with real complexity and an unusual amount of nuance for a popcorn page-turner.
At the risk of a DUH moment, let me point out that this is Warhammer 40000 tie in. I knew nothing about the Warhammer 40K universe before picking up this book…nothing. Therefore, if you’ve thought about checking out the series but didn’t know where to begin…TA DA…you have found your entry vehicle. If you haven’t thought about checking out the series, keep reading and you may change your mind.
Here’s a quick back-story and plot summary...
BACK STORY
This story is the first of a series that takes place 10000 years before the main Warhammer 40K events and explains how the galactic civil war (known as the Horus Heresy) got started. It’s the 31st Millennium. Thousands of years ago mankind scattered from Earth in a great Diaspora and populated the stars. For the last 2 centuries, the Imperium of Man guided by theiron-fisted, blood dripping benevolent hand of the immortal Emperor has been conducting the Great Crusade in order to (1) reunite all of the various groups of humans (whether they want to or not) and (2) exterminate all alien life from the galaxy.
Assisting the Emperor in hisviolent conquest mighty endeavor are the Space Marines, Seven and a half foot tall, genetically enhanced, immortal super soldiers in battle armor that would make Boba Fett full of dark green envy. Chief among the Space Marines are the ruling “Primarchs,” NINE FOOT tall genetically enhanced, immortal super DUPER soldiers who eat bad-ass and crap awesome.
PLOT SUMMARY
The Emperor has unexpectedly left the front lines of the Great Crusade and returned to Earth (maybe for some celebratory rape and pillaging). In his place, the Emperor has raised his favorite Primarch, Horus, to the rank of War Master and put him in complete control over the mission and the other primarchs. This development does not sit well with some of the other 9 foot nasties and schemes, plots, rumors, conspiracies, machinations, cabals, ops and maneuvers ensue.
We following the Great Crusade under Horus through a series of conquests while learning about the back-story of the Imperium and watching the Space Marines in action (some very, very cool scenes by the way). At the same time, events begin to unfold that set the stage for the conflict that will develop as the series progresses, leading eventually to the split between Horus and the Emperor and the beginning of the great civil war.
THOUGHTS
This book is a blast and I had a lot of fun reading it. However, it was also quite a bit more and that’s what I found surprising. While there are certainly a number of stock characters and not everyone gets evenly developed, the main players are drawn with considerable depth and distinct personalities. This is not exactly an easy thing to do dealing with soldiers that physically are almost identical. In addition, the exploration of religion and philosophy and the arguments on these themes from multiple viewpoints added a nice layer to the plot.
The writing is certainly better than what I anticipated and was of high quality. Abnett has a crisp, easy flow to his prose and is able to write both with humor and the darker emotions as called for by the narrative. I was impressed enough with his writing that I will seek out other books he’s written as I enjoy his style.
Finally, I thought the idea of the Museum of Conquest (i.e., a huge starship where examples of every alien race exterminated are preserved for posterity) was diabolically cool. Didn’t have anything to do with the story, but was just one of those concepts that add to the overall back-story and that I found clever.
Overall, this is highly entertaining. This is one of those that if you think you would enjoy it based on the plot description or the subject matter, than I am confident that you will. It is an easy, breezy read loaded with action and enough depth to raise it above the norm.
4.0 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
At the risk of a DUH moment, let me point out that this is Warhammer 40000 tie in. I knew nothing about the Warhammer 40K universe before picking up this book…nothing. Therefore, if you’ve thought about checking out the series but didn’t know where to begin…TA DA…you have found your entry vehicle. If you haven’t thought about checking out the series, keep reading and you may change your mind.
Here’s a quick back-story and plot summary...
BACK STORY
This story is the first of a series that takes place 10000 years before the main Warhammer 40K events and explains how the galactic civil war (known as the Horus Heresy) got started. It’s the 31st Millennium. Thousands of years ago mankind scattered from Earth in a great Diaspora and populated the stars. For the last 2 centuries, the Imperium of Man guided by the
Assisting the Emperor in his
PLOT SUMMARY
The Emperor has unexpectedly left the front lines of the Great Crusade and returned to Earth (maybe for some celebratory rape and pillaging). In his place, the Emperor has raised his favorite Primarch, Horus, to the rank of War Master and put him in complete control over the mission and the other primarchs. This development does not sit well with some of the other 9 foot nasties and schemes, plots, rumors, conspiracies, machinations, cabals, ops and maneuvers ensue.
We following the Great Crusade under Horus through a series of conquests while learning about the back-story of the Imperium and watching the Space Marines in action (some very, very cool scenes by the way). At the same time, events begin to unfold that set the stage for the conflict that will develop as the series progresses, leading eventually to the split between Horus and the Emperor and the beginning of the great civil war.
THOUGHTS
This book is a blast and I had a lot of fun reading it. However, it was also quite a bit more and that’s what I found surprising. While there are certainly a number of stock characters and not everyone gets evenly developed, the main players are drawn with considerable depth and distinct personalities. This is not exactly an easy thing to do dealing with soldiers that physically are almost identical. In addition, the exploration of religion and philosophy and the arguments on these themes from multiple viewpoints added a nice layer to the plot.
The writing is certainly better than what I anticipated and was of high quality. Abnett has a crisp, easy flow to his prose and is able to write both with humor and the darker emotions as called for by the narrative. I was impressed enough with his writing that I will seek out other books he’s written as I enjoy his style.
Finally, I thought the idea of the Museum of Conquest (i.e., a huge starship where examples of every alien race exterminated are preserved for posterity) was diabolically cool. Didn’t have anything to do with the story, but was just one of those concepts that add to the overall back-story and that I found clever.
Overall, this is highly entertaining. This is one of those that if you think you would enjoy it based on the plot description or the subject matter, than I am confident that you will. It is an easy, breezy read loaded with action and enough depth to raise it above the norm.
4.0 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
March 23, 2008
I feel remarkably dirty giving a book about the Horus Heresy 4 stars. Some other things I've given 4 stars include: On The Road, Paradise Lost, The Great Gatsby, and other classics spanning centuries of upper-middle and high literature--if there is such a thing, at least. So when I give this book, which is unabashedly pulp and a step away from fanfiction, 4 stars, I need to disclaim a good many things. You're not going to find layers of complexity here. The book sets out to do one thing and one thing only: to recount a momentous event in the Warhammer 40k timeline in an accurate and straightforward manner. Does it do this? Yes, and remarkably well at that.
This was a quick, fun, and easy read, which makes for a nice break from several years of English Lit stuff. I was interested in expanding my knowledge of the 40k universe, so where better to start than with the one thing that screwed humanity over more than a galaxy full of belligerent xenos? This book doesn't detail the heresy itself, but rather sets the stage. Things are looking good for mankind; we're unmatched at kicking ass, the Imperium is steadily growing and absorbing stray human cultures, and we're at a point of logic and reason thanks to the still-kickin' Emperor. However, there's serious foreshadowing every other page, and knowing what happens next gives the whole book an insidious, depressing tone. What a difference ten thousand years can make!
So yeah, I enjoyed it. Yeah, I'm going to pick up the next in the series. And yeah, I'm probably going to talk about it here. It's not great literature, but so what? It does what it sets out to do, and without pretense. When I want to read something that will make me question humanity or my own sanity, I'll pick up Blindness again. When I want to read about the Adeptus Astartes doing the very same thing, Dan Abnett works as good as anyone.
This was a quick, fun, and easy read, which makes for a nice break from several years of English Lit stuff. I was interested in expanding my knowledge of the 40k universe, so where better to start than with the one thing that screwed humanity over more than a galaxy full of belligerent xenos? This book doesn't detail the heresy itself, but rather sets the stage. Things are looking good for mankind; we're unmatched at kicking ass, the Imperium is steadily growing and absorbing stray human cultures, and we're at a point of logic and reason thanks to the still-kickin' Emperor. However, there's serious foreshadowing every other page, and knowing what happens next gives the whole book an insidious, depressing tone. What a difference ten thousand years can make!
So yeah, I enjoyed it. Yeah, I'm going to pick up the next in the series. And yeah, I'm probably going to talk about it here. It's not great literature, but so what? It does what it sets out to do, and without pretense. When I want to read something that will make me question humanity or my own sanity, I'll pick up Blindness again. When I want to read about the Adeptus Astartes doing the very same thing, Dan Abnett works as good as anyone.
December 14, 2020
"Perhaps we are cursed to crave something which does not exist. There are no gods, no spirits, no daemons. So we make them up, to comfort ourselves."
After centuries spent fighting to bring mankind out of its dark ages and campaigning to eradicate religion, the Emperor returns to Terra, leaving command of the Great Crusade to his loyal Warmaster, Horus. But the struggles are nowhere near done, as the threat of nefarious corruption lurks in the background.
Horus Rising is a remarkably good book. Surprisingly so, even. The reader can happily throw all predispositions aside and relish in the fact that this a spectacular story with intriguing characters, excellently written and filled with well thought out philosophical background. Not only is it a tale of space marines conquering world for the Emperor and the cause, it also sparks deep questions on religion, race, freedom, warfare and enlightenment.
The introduction to the Horus Heresy provides a brilliant background framing for the defining event of what is eventually to become the occult, twisted and Grimdark with a capital G Warhammer 40K universe. It truly is a seed-sowing book, as the description hammers in, although in addition to sowing the seeds of heresy, it sows the seeds of excellent worldbuilding and a unique and fascinating narrative.
More so than anything I have read from the Black Library, this book does not read like a tie-in novel. It reads like the first dip into an intelligent and captivating science fiction series. Possibly the best military science fiction series ever written.
Horus Heresy reviews:
#1 Horus Rising
#2 False Gods
#3 Galaxy in Flames
#4 The Flight of the Eisenstein
#5 Fulgrim
#6 Descent of Angels
#7 Legion
After centuries spent fighting to bring mankind out of its dark ages and campaigning to eradicate religion, the Emperor returns to Terra, leaving command of the Great Crusade to his loyal Warmaster, Horus. But the struggles are nowhere near done, as the threat of nefarious corruption lurks in the background.
Horus Rising is a remarkably good book. Surprisingly so, even. The reader can happily throw all predispositions aside and relish in the fact that this a spectacular story with intriguing characters, excellently written and filled with well thought out philosophical background. Not only is it a tale of space marines conquering world for the Emperor and the cause, it also sparks deep questions on religion, race, freedom, warfare and enlightenment.
The introduction to the Horus Heresy provides a brilliant background framing for the defining event of what is eventually to become the occult, twisted and Grimdark with a capital G Warhammer 40K universe. It truly is a seed-sowing book, as the description hammers in, although in addition to sowing the seeds of heresy, it sows the seeds of excellent worldbuilding and a unique and fascinating narrative.
More so than anything I have read from the Black Library, this book does not read like a tie-in novel. It reads like the first dip into an intelligent and captivating science fiction series. Possibly the best military science fiction series ever written.
Horus Heresy reviews:
#1 Horus Rising
#2 False Gods
#3 Galaxy in Flames
#4 The Flight of the Eisenstein
#5 Fulgrim
#6 Descent of Angels
#7 Legion
November 14, 2025
"Nel lontano futuro ci sarà solo guerra"
"L'ascesa di Horus" è il primo romanzo dedicato alla immensa ambientazione di Warhammer 40k che nasce come gioco di simulazione tattico con miniature negli anni 80. Quando si parla di un universo espanso di questa portata la paura di trovare romanzi di bassa qualità e semplice mezzo pubblicitario era ciò che temevo di più.
Invece, e ne sono contento perché penso che sarò felice di ospitarne molti, l' "Ascesa di Horus" mi ha positivamente colpito.
Una plauso ai dialoghi che reggono meravigliosamente al pari delle grandiose scene di combattimento. Non un capolavoro ma superiore a molte delle mie ultime letture. Sarà stata la curiosità di scoprire una nuova ambientazione così vasta, ed anche nella trama presentata in un progressivo sviluppo di tensione.
È un romanzo diviso in tre parti.
Prima parte: Pianeta 63.19
Dove l' Imperium riconquista e controlla imperi lontani.
Senza dubbio la cosa migliore in questa prima parte è stata la presenza costante del dubbio:
Dubbio sulla natura della guerra, sul controllare e distruggere civiltà diverse, sulle responsabilità dell' operato dell' Imperium e della Crociata, sulla natura sovraumana dei Primarchi, sulla Verità e le certezze.
Dubbi che nascono e si presentano nelle menti dei personaggi, primo fra tutti il Capitano Loken, per evidenziare il contrasto con quello che li attenderà in futuro.
Il cosmo è oscuro e pieno di terrore.
Seconda parte: pianeta 140.20
Una richiesta di soccorso porterà la legione di Horus sul pianeta 140.20. Sarà un Massacro.
Tanta azione e una tensione palpabile che mi ha ricordato film come "Aliens scontro finale", ma c'è di più. C'è brama repressa di umanità che questi soldati prodotti esclusivamente per la guerra anelano nel profondo delle loro anime.
Armi essi stessi, sempre pronti alla battaglia e ad eseguire gli ordini dei loro superiori senza indugio, come automi disciplinati ad un unico scopo, eppure la scintilla è lì, pronta ad emergere.
Terza parte:
Arrivi inattesi accrescono sempre di più i dubbi. Immaginate la Federazione dei Pianeti di Star Trek che incontra i bellicosi Klingon ma in questo universo i Klingon siamo noi.
Meditate gente, meditate.
--------------------------------------------
"In the distant future there will only be war"
"The Rise of Horus" is the first novel dedicated to the immense setting of Warhammer 40k that was born as a tactical simulation game with miniatures in the 80s. When talking about an expanded universe of this size, the fear of finding low-quality novels and simple advertising media was what I feared most.
Instead, and I'm happy about it because I think I'll be happy to host many of them, "The Rise of Horus" has positively impressed me.
A round of applause for the dialogues that hold up wonderfully on a par with the grandiose combat scenes. Not a masterpiece but superior to many of my latest readings. It must have been the curiosity of discovering such a vast new setting, and also in the plot presented in a progressive development of tension.
It is a novel divided into three parts.
First part: Planet 63.19
Where the Imperium reconquers and controls distant empires.
Without a doubt the best thing in this first part was the constant presence of doubt:
Doubt about the nature of war, about controlling and destroying different civilizations, about the responsibilities of the actions of the Imperium and the Crusade, about the superhuman nature of the Primarchs, about Truth and certainties.
Doubts that arise and present themselves in the minds of the characters, first of all Captain Loken, to highlight the contrast with what awaits them in the future.
The cosmos is dark and full of terror.
Second part: planet 140.20
A distress call will bring the Horus legion to planet 140.20. It will be a Massacre.
Lots of action and a palpable tension that reminded me of films like "Aliens (1986)", but there is more. There is repressed longing for humanity that these soldiers produced exclusively for war yearn for in the depths of their souls.
Weapons themselves, always ready for battle and to carry out the orders of their superiors without delay, like automatons disciplined for a single purpose, yet the spark is there, ready to emerge.
Part Three:
Unexpected arrivals increase the doubts more and more. Imagine the Federation of Planets of Star Trek meeting the warlike Klingons but in this universe the Klingons are us.
Meditate people, meditate.
"L'ascesa di Horus" è il primo romanzo dedicato alla immensa ambientazione di Warhammer 40k che nasce come gioco di simulazione tattico con miniature negli anni 80. Quando si parla di un universo espanso di questa portata la paura di trovare romanzi di bassa qualità e semplice mezzo pubblicitario era ciò che temevo di più.
Invece, e ne sono contento perché penso che sarò felice di ospitarne molti, l' "Ascesa di Horus" mi ha positivamente colpito.
Una plauso ai dialoghi che reggono meravigliosamente al pari delle grandiose scene di combattimento. Non un capolavoro ma superiore a molte delle mie ultime letture. Sarà stata la curiosità di scoprire una nuova ambientazione così vasta, ed anche nella trama presentata in un progressivo sviluppo di tensione.
È un romanzo diviso in tre parti.
Prima parte: Pianeta 63.19
Dove l' Imperium riconquista e controlla imperi lontani.
Senza dubbio la cosa migliore in questa prima parte è stata la presenza costante del dubbio:
Dubbio sulla natura della guerra, sul controllare e distruggere civiltà diverse, sulle responsabilità dell' operato dell' Imperium e della Crociata, sulla natura sovraumana dei Primarchi, sulla Verità e le certezze.
Dubbi che nascono e si presentano nelle menti dei personaggi, primo fra tutti il Capitano Loken, per evidenziare il contrasto con quello che li attenderà in futuro.
Il cosmo è oscuro e pieno di terrore.
Seconda parte: pianeta 140.20
Una richiesta di soccorso porterà la legione di Horus sul pianeta 140.20. Sarà un Massacro.
Tanta azione e una tensione palpabile che mi ha ricordato film come "Aliens scontro finale", ma c'è di più. C'è brama repressa di umanità che questi soldati prodotti esclusivamente per la guerra anelano nel profondo delle loro anime.
Armi essi stessi, sempre pronti alla battaglia e ad eseguire gli ordini dei loro superiori senza indugio, come automi disciplinati ad un unico scopo, eppure la scintilla è lì, pronta ad emergere.
Terza parte:
Arrivi inattesi accrescono sempre di più i dubbi. Immaginate la Federazione dei Pianeti di Star Trek che incontra i bellicosi Klingon ma in questo universo i Klingon siamo noi.
Meditate gente, meditate.
--------------------------------------------
"In the distant future there will only be war"
"The Rise of Horus" is the first novel dedicated to the immense setting of Warhammer 40k that was born as a tactical simulation game with miniatures in the 80s. When talking about an expanded universe of this size, the fear of finding low-quality novels and simple advertising media was what I feared most.
Instead, and I'm happy about it because I think I'll be happy to host many of them, "The Rise of Horus" has positively impressed me.
A round of applause for the dialogues that hold up wonderfully on a par with the grandiose combat scenes. Not a masterpiece but superior to many of my latest readings. It must have been the curiosity of discovering such a vast new setting, and also in the plot presented in a progressive development of tension.
It is a novel divided into three parts.
First part: Planet 63.19
Where the Imperium reconquers and controls distant empires.
Without a doubt the best thing in this first part was the constant presence of doubt:
Doubt about the nature of war, about controlling and destroying different civilizations, about the responsibilities of the actions of the Imperium and the Crusade, about the superhuman nature of the Primarchs, about Truth and certainties.
Doubts that arise and present themselves in the minds of the characters, first of all Captain Loken, to highlight the contrast with what awaits them in the future.
The cosmos is dark and full of terror.
Second part: planet 140.20
A distress call will bring the Horus legion to planet 140.20. It will be a Massacre.
Lots of action and a palpable tension that reminded me of films like "Aliens (1986)", but there is more. There is repressed longing for humanity that these soldiers produced exclusively for war yearn for in the depths of their souls.
Weapons themselves, always ready for battle and to carry out the orders of their superiors without delay, like automatons disciplined for a single purpose, yet the spark is there, ready to emerge.
Part Three:
Unexpected arrivals increase the doubts more and more. Imagine the Federation of Planets of Star Trek meeting the warlike Klingons but in this universe the Klingons are us.
Meditate people, meditate.
April 4, 2023
"Yo estaba allí. Yo estaba allí el día que Horus mató al emperador"
Esta historia es la primera de una serie que tiene lugar 10000 años antes de los eventos principales de Warhammer 40K y explica cómo comenzó la guerra civil galáctica conocida como la Herejía de Horus.
Es el milenio 31.
Hace miles de años la humanidad se dispersó desde la Tierra en una gran diáspora y pobló las estrellas.
Durante los últimos 2 siglos, el Imperio de la Humanidad, guiado por la mano benévola del Emperador inmortal, con puño de hierro y goteando sangre, ha llevado a cabo la Gran Cruzada para reunir a todos los diversos grupos de humanos, quieran o no, y exterminar toda vida extraterrestre de la galaxia.
Seguimos la Gran Cruzada bajo Horus a través de una serie de conquistas mientras a su vez aprendemos sobre la historia de fondo del Imperio y vemos a los Marines Espaciales en acción.
Al mismo tiempo, comienzan a desarrollarse eventos que preparan el escenario para el conflicto que se desarrollará a medida que avanza la serie, lo que finalmente conducirá a la división entre Horus y el Emperador y al comienzo de la gran guerra civil.
Los Marines Espaciales, son supersoldados inmortales, genéticamente mejorados y del tamaño de dos hombres con una armadura de batalla bestial, son el instrumento que ayudará al Emperador en su violento esfuerzo de conquista.
Los principales entre los Marines Espaciales son los "Primarcas" son gobernantes, los primeros.. son la hostia..
Esta satisfactoria introducción a la Herejía de Horus proporciona un marco de fondo brillante para el evento de lo que eventualmente se convertirá en el universo oculto, retorcido y Grimdark.
Además de sembrar las semillas de la herejía, sin duda, siembra las semillas de una excelente construcción de mundos y una buena narrativa y fascinante historia.
La escritura es ciertamente mejor de lo que esperaba, de alta calidad. Abnett tiene una prosa nítida y fluida y es capaz de escribir tanto con humor como con las emociones más oscuras que exige la narrativa.
La exploración de la religión y la filosofía y los argumentos sobre estos temas desde múltiples puntos de vista agregaron una buena capa a la trama.
Comienza aquí un viaje hacia la ascensión y la caída.. Una herejía.. ⚔️
Esta historia es la primera de una serie que tiene lugar 10000 años antes de los eventos principales de Warhammer 40K y explica cómo comenzó la guerra civil galáctica conocida como la Herejía de Horus.
Es el milenio 31.
Hace miles de años la humanidad se dispersó desde la Tierra en una gran diáspora y pobló las estrellas.
Durante los últimos 2 siglos, el Imperio de la Humanidad, guiado por la mano benévola del Emperador inmortal, con puño de hierro y goteando sangre, ha llevado a cabo la Gran Cruzada para reunir a todos los diversos grupos de humanos, quieran o no, y exterminar toda vida extraterrestre de la galaxia.
Seguimos la Gran Cruzada bajo Horus a través de una serie de conquistas mientras a su vez aprendemos sobre la historia de fondo del Imperio y vemos a los Marines Espaciales en acción.
Al mismo tiempo, comienzan a desarrollarse eventos que preparan el escenario para el conflicto que se desarrollará a medida que avanza la serie, lo que finalmente conducirá a la división entre Horus y el Emperador y al comienzo de la gran guerra civil.
Los Marines Espaciales, son supersoldados inmortales, genéticamente mejorados y del tamaño de dos hombres con una armadura de batalla bestial, son el instrumento que ayudará al Emperador en su violento esfuerzo de conquista.
Los principales entre los Marines Espaciales son los "Primarcas" son gobernantes, los primeros.. son la hostia..
Esta satisfactoria introducción a la Herejía de Horus proporciona un marco de fondo brillante para el evento de lo que eventualmente se convertirá en el universo oculto, retorcido y Grimdark.
Además de sembrar las semillas de la herejía, sin duda, siembra las semillas de una excelente construcción de mundos y una buena narrativa y fascinante historia.
La escritura es ciertamente mejor de lo que esperaba, de alta calidad. Abnett tiene una prosa nítida y fluida y es capaz de escribir tanto con humor como con las emociones más oscuras que exige la narrativa.
La exploración de la religión y la filosofía y los argumentos sobre estos temas desde múltiples puntos de vista agregaron una buena capa a la trama.
Comienza aquí un viaje hacia la ascensión y la caída.. Una herejía.. ⚔️
February 7, 2017
Very entertaining read.
First of all if you are unfamiliar with Warhammer 40k it's set in distant future and it's combination of dystopian military sci-fi, Tolkein and H.P. Lovecraft .Next to fanatical humanity there are classical fantasy races like Orcs, Elfs (Eldar), Undead, Lovecraftian horrors like demons and malicious otherworldy gods and diverse menagerie of different sci-fi inspired races.
Prior to this book my knowladge of Warhamer 40k was limited. I mostly know about this setting from combination of Relic entretainment's Dawn of war games and Warhammer40k.wikia page.My obscure knowlage didn't stop me from enjoying this, in a fact this is great place to start with Warhammer 40k universe.
I came in expecting some good Warhammer 40k action but I got way more than that.Don't get me wrong this is sci-fi military novel set in Warhammer 40k universe but it's not cheap action blockbuster it's well written book with author who knew what he was doing. Characters are surprisingly well defined and distinctive considering most of main cast are (protagonist included) 2.5 meters tall, specially bred, genetically modified super-soldiers of Imperium. Super-soldiers are pointless without some super action and here action is delightful with tons of blood, guts, guns blazing and sword fights.
Recommendation if you are looking for some good sci-fi action whether you know about Warhammer universe or not.
First of all if you are unfamiliar with Warhammer 40k it's set in distant future and it's combination of dystopian military sci-fi, Tolkein and H.P. Lovecraft .Next to fanatical humanity there are classical fantasy races like Orcs, Elfs (Eldar), Undead, Lovecraftian horrors like demons and malicious otherworldy gods and diverse menagerie of different sci-fi inspired races.
Prior to this book my knowladge of Warhamer 40k was limited. I mostly know about this setting from combination of Relic entretainment's Dawn of war games and Warhammer40k.wikia page.My obscure knowlage didn't stop me from enjoying this, in a fact this is great place to start with Warhammer 40k universe.
I came in expecting some good Warhammer 40k action but I got way more than that.Don't get me wrong this is sci-fi military novel set in Warhammer 40k universe but it's not cheap action blockbuster it's well written book with author who knew what he was doing. Characters are surprisingly well defined and distinctive considering most of main cast are (protagonist included) 2.5 meters tall, specially bred, genetically modified super-soldiers of Imperium. Super-soldiers are pointless without some super action and here action is delightful with tons of blood, guts, guns blazing and sword fights.
Recommendation if you are looking for some good sci-fi action whether you know about Warhammer universe or not.
May 19, 2016
“I was there the day Horus slew the Emperor.”
Ten years ago amazing cover artist Neil Roberts, Dan Abnett and an host of other great authors started something epic.
The Horus Heresy is just the best sci-fi military saga ever, with good touches of fantasy and horror (orcs and elves are alien races here and there are demons and lovecraftian horrors too).
In ten years I've read this novel 3 times: first one when it was released, second one when it was translated in Italian (sadly the only one, but translations and editions of Black Library books here were never too much good so maybe is better this way) and now a third time in the omnibus collecting the first act of the saga.
Of my most favourite books this is the only one I remember reading thrice and it get better and better, maybe because in ten years I've read like 100 Black Library novels and my knowledge of the Warhammer 40000 lore raised a lot, but you really not need that to appreciate it.
Higly reccomended to all fans of military sci-fi and "sword & laser" sagas.
This novel is just a masterwork, read it and science fiction will never be the same for you.
December 4, 2024
Prostota jest czasami piękna. Na przykład w tej książce.
I pierogach ruskich.
I makaronie.
I tak dalej.
I pierogach ruskich.
I makaronie.
I tak dalej.
December 22, 2019
Another killer book in what is shaping up to be a really amazing and imaginative universe. I'm glad I did not start my Warhammer 40K reading with this book though, I read the Night Lords and Eisenhorn omnibuses prior to this, because there's a lot of information being thrown at you right from jump street and I probably would have been lost and a little confused. There's action, character development, intrigue, history, aliens, augmented-superhumans, secrets galore, and shit tons of good writing. This is not someone trying to make a buck off a generic low-quality tie-in, these books, at least the ones I've read so far, are carefully constructed novels written by authors who give a crap about what they're doing. Very cool and very cinematic book and I can't wait to dive into the next one in this massive series.
June 6, 2023
[ESP/ENG]
Como muchos otros, siendo chaval tuve una fase rolera, pero me quedé en El señor de los anillos y el Warhammer fantasía. Hace un tiempo me cayó de rebote algo de Warhammer 40000, y aunque ahora no me llama mucho lo del rol, sí me llaman, y de qué manera, las historias de trasfondo del juego. Cuando me enteré de la saga llamada La herejía de Horus leí bastante en internet, pero era algo reticente a meterme en los libros (no dejan de ser 54 novelas más lo que aún queda por publicar) pero cuando Minotauro sacó este libro en esta edición no pude dejarlo pasar.
"Yo estaba allí - acostumbraba a decir después, hasta que después se convirtió en un tiempo que no producía ninguna risa. Yo estaba allí el día que Horus mató al emperador"
El Emperador, amado por todos, ha dejado su lugar en el campo de batalla espacial para volver a Terra a hacer algo importante. Ha dejado sus ejércitos imperiales (ejércitos regulares en enorme número) y sus Astartes (soldados creados genéticamente en menor cantidad pero de un tamaño y ferocidad superior) al mando de sus hijos, los Primarcas (seres aún más grandes que los Astartes, casi semi dioses), de entre los que destaca Horus, nombrado señor de la guerra para dirigirlos a todos en su misión de poner paz en el universo con los medios que necesiten.
Con esta premisa conocemos a uno de los más destacados protagonistas, el capitán Garviel Loken, de la Legión de los Lobos lunares, y con él seguiremos durante todo el libro, mezclando otros personajes que también aportarán su punto de vista. Les seguiremos en sus batallas, pero también en sus procesos de toma de decisiones, pues no todo va a ser entrar a machete sin miramientos. También les veremos enfrentar ciertas cosas que darán el toque de drama, aunque también hay algún chascarrillo divertido.
Hay que decir que está muy bien escrita, no escatima a la hora de narrar las refriegas, pero no usa el gore como elemento narrativo. Y también es de justicia decir que este libro está muy estudiado para que lo puedan leer todos los fans del juego de rol, pero también para que se pueda acercar cualquiera que no tenga tantos conocimientos sobre ello o incluso un neófito que se inicie en ello.
No se si leeré toda la saga, pero ya tengo echado el ojo a unos pocos que por ahora me interesan más, y quizá luego siga con los otros. Pero son muy buena opción para leer algo de sci-fi sin más pretensiones.
----------------
First of all, I've read the book translated, so some (or many) of the technical words may be wrong.
Like many others, as a teenager I had a role-playing phase, but I stayed with The Lord of the Rings and Warhammer Fantasy. Some time ago something about Warhammer 40,000 got on my radar, and although now the role-playing doesn't appeal to me much, the background stories of the game do appeal to me, and in what way. When I found out about the saga called The Horus Heresy I read a lot on the internet, but I was somewhat reluctant to get into the books (there are still 54 novels plus what is still to be published) but when it was released in this edition (just 7 euros) I didn't want to let it slip.
"I was there - he used to say later, until later became a time that did not produce any laughter. I was there the day Horus killed the emperor"
The Emperor, loved by all, has left his place on the space battlefield to return to Terra to do something important. He has left his imperial armies (regular armies in huge numbers) and his Astartes (soldiers genetically created in smaller numbers but of superior size and ferocity) in command of his sons, the Primarchs (beings even larger than the Astartes, almost demi-gods) among which Horus stands out, appointed warlord to lead them all in their mission to bring peace to the universe with the means they need.
With this premise we meet one of the most outstanding protagonists, Captain Garviel Loken, of the Luna Wolves Legion, and with him we will continue throughout the book, mixing other characters who will also contribute their point of view. We will follow them in their battles, but also in their decision-making processes, because not everything is going to be storming into the enemy without hesitation. We will also see them face certain things that will give the touch of drama, although there are also some funny jokes.
It must be said that it is very well written, it does not skimp when narrating the skirmishes, but it does not use gore as a narrative element. And it is also fair to say that this book is well studied so that all fans of the role-playing game can read it, but also so that anyone who does not have much knowledge about it or even a neophyte who is just starting out can approach it.
I don't know if I'll read the entire saga, but I've already had my eye on a few that interest me more for now, and maybe I'll continue with the others later. But they are a very good option to read some light sci-fi.
Como muchos otros, siendo chaval tuve una fase rolera, pero me quedé en El señor de los anillos y el Warhammer fantasía. Hace un tiempo me cayó de rebote algo de Warhammer 40000, y aunque ahora no me llama mucho lo del rol, sí me llaman, y de qué manera, las historias de trasfondo del juego. Cuando me enteré de la saga llamada La herejía de Horus leí bastante en internet, pero era algo reticente a meterme en los libros (no dejan de ser 54 novelas más lo que aún queda por publicar) pero cuando Minotauro sacó este libro en esta edición no pude dejarlo pasar.
"Yo estaba allí - acostumbraba a decir después, hasta que después se convirtió en un tiempo que no producía ninguna risa. Yo estaba allí el día que Horus mató al emperador"
El Emperador, amado por todos, ha dejado su lugar en el campo de batalla espacial para volver a Terra a hacer algo importante. Ha dejado sus ejércitos imperiales (ejércitos regulares en enorme número) y sus Astartes (soldados creados genéticamente en menor cantidad pero de un tamaño y ferocidad superior) al mando de sus hijos, los Primarcas (seres aún más grandes que los Astartes, casi semi dioses), de entre los que destaca Horus, nombrado señor de la guerra para dirigirlos a todos en su misión de poner paz en el universo con los medios que necesiten.
Con esta premisa conocemos a uno de los más destacados protagonistas, el capitán Garviel Loken, de la Legión de los Lobos lunares, y con él seguiremos durante todo el libro, mezclando otros personajes que también aportarán su punto de vista. Les seguiremos en sus batallas, pero también en sus procesos de toma de decisiones, pues no todo va a ser entrar a machete sin miramientos. También les veremos enfrentar ciertas cosas que darán el toque de drama, aunque también hay algún chascarrillo divertido.
Hay que decir que está muy bien escrita, no escatima a la hora de narrar las refriegas, pero no usa el gore como elemento narrativo. Y también es de justicia decir que este libro está muy estudiado para que lo puedan leer todos los fans del juego de rol, pero también para que se pueda acercar cualquiera que no tenga tantos conocimientos sobre ello o incluso un neófito que se inicie en ello.
No se si leeré toda la saga, pero ya tengo echado el ojo a unos pocos que por ahora me interesan más, y quizá luego siga con los otros. Pero son muy buena opción para leer algo de sci-fi sin más pretensiones.
----------------
First of all, I've read the book translated, so some (or many) of the technical words may be wrong.
Like many others, as a teenager I had a role-playing phase, but I stayed with The Lord of the Rings and Warhammer Fantasy. Some time ago something about Warhammer 40,000 got on my radar, and although now the role-playing doesn't appeal to me much, the background stories of the game do appeal to me, and in what way. When I found out about the saga called The Horus Heresy I read a lot on the internet, but I was somewhat reluctant to get into the books (there are still 54 novels plus what is still to be published) but when it was released in this edition (just 7 euros) I didn't want to let it slip.
"I was there - he used to say later, until later became a time that did not produce any laughter. I was there the day Horus killed the emperor"
The Emperor, loved by all, has left his place on the space battlefield to return to Terra to do something important. He has left his imperial armies (regular armies in huge numbers) and his Astartes (soldiers genetically created in smaller numbers but of superior size and ferocity) in command of his sons, the Primarchs (beings even larger than the Astartes, almost demi-gods) among which Horus stands out, appointed warlord to lead them all in their mission to bring peace to the universe with the means they need.
With this premise we meet one of the most outstanding protagonists, Captain Garviel Loken, of the Luna Wolves Legion, and with him we will continue throughout the book, mixing other characters who will also contribute their point of view. We will follow them in their battles, but also in their decision-making processes, because not everything is going to be storming into the enemy without hesitation. We will also see them face certain things that will give the touch of drama, although there are also some funny jokes.
It must be said that it is very well written, it does not skimp when narrating the skirmishes, but it does not use gore as a narrative element. And it is also fair to say that this book is well studied so that all fans of the role-playing game can read it, but also so that anyone who does not have much knowledge about it or even a neophyte who is just starting out can approach it.
I don't know if I'll read the entire saga, but I've already had my eye on a few that interest me more for now, and maybe I'll continue with the others later. But they are a very good option to read some light sci-fi.
July 13, 2020
Some time ago I stumbled over several Warhammer 40K (or 40,000) books in Mckay's books for like $.05 each. I had never played the game (nor had I played Warhammer Fantasy battles for that matter) but I am/was aware of them. The local game shop where I'd played D&D for years also had groups of these gamers (and a good friend of mine was also at one time REALLY into the game.)
So, anyway being a big fan of military science fiction I picked up the books...and now I've gotten around to reading one of the seemingly thousands of books in existence for this universe.
Well, it's always nice to know there are books out there waiting to be read...right?
Anyway what we have here is the book I was advised by all good authorities (you know...Wikipedia) as the best place to start my sojourn into the 41st millennium of humanity. This is the beginning of the Hours Heresy. It takes place at the ending of the Great Crusade (actually it seems to have been what brought the Great Crusade to an end...I think). the Imperium of Humanity (actually the books call it the Imperium of Man but I'm sure that will cause howls of rage from some of our more politically correct members) has some very LARGE internal problems during the Hersey...billions or trillions dead, you know, problems.
Anyway (did I say that before?) we get some interesting infighting here, some political maneuvering, some beginning disillusionment and some battles...you know, lots of Stuff.
I liked it, planning to go on to the next and maybe have a lot of good pointless reads ahead of me.
Cool. I can recommend them as brain candy...or possibly brain blood sausage.
So, anyway being a big fan of military science fiction I picked up the books...and now I've gotten around to reading one of the seemingly thousands of books in existence for this universe.
Well, it's always nice to know there are books out there waiting to be read...right?
Anyway what we have here is the book I was advised by all good authorities (you know...Wikipedia) as the best place to start my sojourn into the 41st millennium of humanity. This is the beginning of the Hours Heresy. It takes place at the ending of the Great Crusade (actually it seems to have been what brought the Great Crusade to an end...I think). the Imperium of Humanity (actually the books call it the Imperium of Man but I'm sure that will cause howls of rage from some of our more politically correct members) has some very LARGE internal problems during the Hersey...billions or trillions dead, you know, problems.
Anyway (did I say that before?) we get some interesting infighting here, some political maneuvering, some beginning disillusionment and some battles...you know, lots of Stuff.
I liked it, planning to go on to the next and maybe have a lot of good pointless reads ahead of me.
Cool. I can recommend them as brain candy...or possibly brain blood sausage.
May 27, 2019
I waded into this book wearing a layer of scepticism as thick as that dude’s armour on the cover art. Now I’ve emerged from this haemic virulent bloodbath, I’m glad - and more than a little surprised - to report: it is awesome.
It begins with this messy large-scale war scene filled with military jargon and corny macho bravado that to me was almost instantly off-putting. But I noticed the writing quality was considerably better than that of certain highly acclaimed sci-fi novels I’d read this year (cough Leviathan Wakes cough), and that was enough to peak my interest and keep me trudging through this first section... and boy am I happy I did.
The series has to start with an overblown action scene because, you know, it is a Warhammer novel, and that’s kind of its selling point. But once the compulsory OTT violence is out of the way and the politicking kicks off, it’s great. The course of events felt extremely natural and the story was told with much more narrative command than certain highly acclaimed sci-fi novels I’ve read this year (cough Ancillary Justice cough).
Not only is the worldbuilding fantastic, the sheer scale of this thing is enough to make you crawl into a corner and cry. It’s quite clear this first book only scratches the surface of the sprawling monstrous mess that is the Warhammer universe, and it leaves one hungry for more.
This 50-or-so-book series, The Horus Heresy®, is a collaborative project written by several authors. I’m curious to see whether the quality and characters' personalities hold up in subsequent books penned by different authors. Dan Abnett, the guy responsible for this first delicious goreburger, clearly knows what he's doing. He can do alien, he can do gross, he can even do poetic. I detect the influences of Robert Heinlein, Dan Simmons and even Olaf Stapledon’s Last and First Men.
You don’t even have to be into Warhammer to enjoy this series. If, like me, you're simply world-curious and want to give spending some time in a dark, war-ridden, extremely violent universe for a change, then clasp on your helm, grab your bolter and sink your genhanced fist into the pulp of these pages. Lupercal!
It begins with this messy large-scale war scene filled with military jargon and corny macho bravado that to me was almost instantly off-putting. But I noticed the writing quality was considerably better than that of certain highly acclaimed sci-fi novels I’d read this year (cough Leviathan Wakes cough), and that was enough to peak my interest and keep me trudging through this first section... and boy am I happy I did.
The series has to start with an overblown action scene because, you know, it is a Warhammer novel, and that’s kind of its selling point. But once the compulsory OTT violence is out of the way and the politicking kicks off, it’s great. The course of events felt extremely natural and the story was told with much more narrative command than certain highly acclaimed sci-fi novels I’ve read this year (cough Ancillary Justice cough).
Not only is the worldbuilding fantastic, the sheer scale of this thing is enough to make you crawl into a corner and cry. It’s quite clear this first book only scratches the surface of the sprawling monstrous mess that is the Warhammer universe, and it leaves one hungry for more.
This 50-or-so-book series, The Horus Heresy®, is a collaborative project written by several authors. I’m curious to see whether the quality and characters' personalities hold up in subsequent books penned by different authors. Dan Abnett, the guy responsible for this first delicious goreburger, clearly knows what he's doing. He can do alien, he can do gross, he can even do poetic. I detect the influences of Robert Heinlein, Dan Simmons and even Olaf Stapledon’s Last and First Men.
You don’t even have to be into Warhammer to enjoy this series. If, like me, you're simply world-curious and want to give spending some time in a dark, war-ridden, extremely violent universe for a change, then clasp on your helm, grab your bolter and sink your genhanced fist into the pulp of these pages. Lupercal!
January 13, 2025
And so begins my (perhaps long) journey through the grim darkness of the far future where there is only war. ;)
This is the first book in the Horus Heresy though not my first encounter with this vast universe.*
Humanity has spread across the stars. Back on Earth (now named Terra), an individual called the Emperor has unified the various factions and abolished religion altogether. Naturally, he is now setting his sights on all human colonies. Thus, we're at the end of the big crusade. The Emperor has gone home and left his son, Horus, new promoted to Warmaster, in charge of the troops. At the heart of this volume, the troops are on a planet also calling itself Terra that is governed by an "emperor" of its own. However, defeating the forces is the least of it for there is something lurking in the dark crevasses of one of the newly conquered worlds and you could say it's the beginning of the end.
Just imagine some honest-to-god demon suddenly appearing even in the middle of the Vatican and the kind of panic that would cause. Now imagine that happening to people who have sworn off religion long ago. I mean, lucky coincidence it happened to genetically engineered super-human soldiers (Astartes). And even that ended in calamity. Though it could have been WAY worse.
But that is still not all. We also get vast battles, space monsters, philosophy and much more.
* I have not played the game(s), I don't have any of the figurines, but none of that has kept me from reading up (wiki articles) and watching related videos on YouTube.
Thus, not all the names here were unfamiliar to me. While I wouldn't say this book's cast is overwhelming, I'm glad I did because I got more out of it. Naturally, that means you can read this book over and over again and get something more/new out of it every time.
All that combined with a really wonderful, detailed, riveting, action-laden writing style made for one hell of a reading experience. The audiobook was awesome, too.
Now I can only hope that the others will hold up (they are not all written by the same author), but even if not (quite): there is so much to explore and there are so many layers to this intricate universe that I'm sure I'll thoroughly enjoy myself.
This is the first book in the Horus Heresy though not my first encounter with this vast universe.*
Humanity has spread across the stars. Back on Earth (now named Terra), an individual called the Emperor has unified the various factions and abolished religion altogether. Naturally, he is now setting his sights on all human colonies. Thus, we're at the end of the big crusade. The Emperor has gone home and left his son, Horus, new promoted to Warmaster, in charge of the troops. At the heart of this volume, the troops are on a planet also calling itself Terra that is governed by an "emperor" of its own. However, defeating the forces is the least of it for there is something lurking in the dark crevasses of one of the newly conquered worlds and you could say it's the beginning of the end.
Just imagine some honest-to-god demon suddenly appearing even in the middle of the Vatican and the kind of panic that would cause. Now imagine that happening to people who have sworn off religion long ago. I mean, lucky coincidence it happened to genetically engineered super-human soldiers (Astartes). And even that ended in calamity. Though it could have been WAY worse.
But that is still not all. We also get vast battles, space monsters, philosophy and much more.
* I have not played the game(s), I don't have any of the figurines, but none of that has kept me from reading up (wiki articles) and watching related videos on YouTube.
Thus, not all the names here were unfamiliar to me. While I wouldn't say this book's cast is overwhelming, I'm glad I did because I got more out of it. Naturally, that means you can read this book over and over again and get something more/new out of it every time.
All that combined with a really wonderful, detailed, riveting, action-laden writing style made for one hell of a reading experience. The audiobook was awesome, too.
Now I can only hope that the others will hold up (they are not all written by the same author), but even if not (quite): there is so much to explore and there are so many layers to this intricate universe that I'm sure I'll thoroughly enjoy myself.
February 1, 2011
I know the target audience for this book are fans of the Warhammer 40k universe but I wish that being the first book of the series, the author would have taken more time to explain the different terminologies in the book. Abnett actually took more care detailing how the poet's notebook is made than most of the mythos that appears in the book.
The first quarter of the book is extremely confusing as there are just too many characters making a brief appearance and that sometimes they are referred to by their first name and sometimes by their last name so it was very hard to remember who's who. The author also likes to use overly complicated words to describe something simple which made it even more difficult to read when paired up with the unfamiliar terms in the Warhammer 40k universe.
The main character Loken feels like a kid or an extremely regimented soldier who does not know how to think for himself except when facing battle. I am looking forward to see if he will succumb to the seduction of Chaos in the latter books.
However what I feel redeemed the book are the battles that occur within the book, the corruption of Jubal; battles on Murder and with the Interex. You really feel sorry that the Imperium got into a mess with the Interex due to the manipulation of Chaos. It is also interesting to note the little banters and jibes between the Astartes.
The first quarter of the book is extremely confusing as there are just too many characters making a brief appearance and that sometimes they are referred to by their first name and sometimes by their last name so it was very hard to remember who's who. The author also likes to use overly complicated words to describe something simple which made it even more difficult to read when paired up with the unfamiliar terms in the Warhammer 40k universe.
The main character Loken feels like a kid or an extremely regimented soldier who does not know how to think for himself except when facing battle. I am looking forward to see if he will succumb to the seduction of Chaos in the latter books.
However what I feel redeemed the book are the battles that occur within the book, the corruption of Jubal; battles on Murder and with the Interex. You really feel sorry that the Imperium got into a mess with the Interex due to the manipulation of Chaos. It is also interesting to note the little banters and jibes between the Astartes.
April 26, 2025
2.5
La Lore è sicuramente un punto forte del libro ed è davvero ben curata e approfondita, tuttavia ho trovato uno stile a tratti elementare e piatto. I personaggi, salvo qualche rara eccezione, mi sono sembrati stereotipati e monodimensionali. È un romanzo che comunque si fa leggere e intrattiene, ricco di azione anche se manca di pathos. Purtroppo non mi ha convinto e non continuerò la serie.
La Lore è sicuramente un punto forte del libro ed è davvero ben curata e approfondita, tuttavia ho trovato uno stile a tratti elementare e piatto. I personaggi, salvo qualche rara eccezione, mi sono sembrati stereotipati e monodimensionali. È un romanzo che comunque si fa leggere e intrattiene, ricco di azione anche se manca di pathos. Purtroppo non mi ha convinto e non continuerò la serie.
September 15, 2025
This was my first foray into the Warhammer 40K universe and call me impressed! Being a 40K virgin, I was a bit intimidated about where to start, but this definitely fit the bill. In the 31st millennium, a new Emperor of Man has emerged on Terra who seeks to unite the disparate sections of humanity lost when there was some sort of collapse of civilization. To bring about this mission, the Emperor initiated a vast 'crusade', consisting of several space armadas to go forth and see what is out there. After leading this crusade for 200 years or so, the 'immortal' Emperor returned to Earth (Terra) and deemed Horus the new Warmaster; the man in charge of the crusade.
Our main protagonist, Loken, starts off the novel as a captain of an elite military band; something like the marines. He quickly becomes elevated to basically an advisor to Horus, one of four selected from the armed forces. Abnett deftly fills in the background to the story without onerous info dumps and keeps the pace moving at a fast clip. Horus's armada, one of several, contains not just ships, but companies of soldiers, so the elite like Loken, who have been genetically modified to be super soldiers, and the majority who are simple ground pounders.
The overall mission of the crusade is make space safe for humanity, and by that, the Empire of Man. isolated systems settled by humanity must be brought into the fold, and hostile aliens eradicated. What I found fascinating with the Empire of Man resides in the core beliefs it seeks to spread via the crusade. For too long, humanity has been splintered by religion and superstition; the Empire is secular to the core! I also loved the subtle debates among the various characters-- will the war ever end? How long will the empire last? What happens if we find a splinter human colony (or rival empire)? Should they be allies or foes? Much more depth than I anticipated for sure! For action junkies, Horus Rising possesses that in spades as well! Overall, again, call me impressed. 4 stellar stars!!
Our main protagonist, Loken, starts off the novel as a captain of an elite military band; something like the marines. He quickly becomes elevated to basically an advisor to Horus, one of four selected from the armed forces. Abnett deftly fills in the background to the story without onerous info dumps and keeps the pace moving at a fast clip. Horus's armada, one of several, contains not just ships, but companies of soldiers, so the elite like Loken, who have been genetically modified to be super soldiers, and the majority who are simple ground pounders.
The overall mission of the crusade is make space safe for humanity, and by that, the Empire of Man. isolated systems settled by humanity must be brought into the fold, and hostile aliens eradicated. What I found fascinating with the Empire of Man resides in the core beliefs it seeks to spread via the crusade. For too long, humanity has been splintered by religion and superstition; the Empire is secular to the core! I also loved the subtle debates among the various characters-- will the war ever end? How long will the empire last? What happens if we find a splinter human colony (or rival empire)? Should they be allies or foes? Much more depth than I anticipated for sure! For action junkies, Horus Rising possesses that in spades as well! Overall, again, call me impressed. 4 stellar stars!!
September 30, 2019
Mangasm in print right here!!
What an opening "Horus Rising" has. I recall reading it for the first-time many years ago and thinking "surly the end can't be the beginning of the novel." I was so confused. How wrong I was, we're now thirty novels into the series, with no sign of it ending.
Dan Abnett introduces us to the Luna Wolves, Space Marines from the planet Cathonia. You could argue that "Horus Rising" becomes overawed by a type of celebrity-showcasing of a who's-who of the 30K universe. It really doesn't though. What really makes this book stand out are the foundations laid. There is great emphasis placed on a shared-brotherhood, a camaraderie we see lacking in current 40K novels (in my opinion), along the lines of honour and a resolute secularism. There's intelligent prose to be found here, it's not all about being a superhuman with unmatched strength and stamina - there's also a philosophy of being. Loken is certainly searching for this throughout.
That being said, there's bolter-porn to be found here also, from the outset in fact. Do not fear, this isn't a philosophical treatise to bore you to death. It's a novel about conquest, that being the crusade that the Emperor has tasked/burdened the Astrates and humanity with (let's be honest, it's a big world out there). What really was a joy to read was the foes arranged against the Space Marines. You'd think it would be Orks or Elder, no no. Dan Abnett comes up with some of his own races. The Megarachnid are a biological being, they breed and consume, they seem to be an earlier existence of the Tyranids. There is also the Interex, former colonists from Terra who have found themselves devoid of contact with their human brothers due to the Age of Strife (warpstorms stopping space travel).
Characters really make a novel, this being no expectation. Dan Abnett has created some of the best characters in both 30/40K to date. We're introduced to the concept of 'The Mournvial' who are akin to an advisory council to Horus. Made up of 'worthy' captains of merit, such as Abaddon, the first captain, Aximand, Loken and Torgaddon. They rather remind me of the A-Team. Abaddon as Hannibal, who comes across as a brilliant tactician, if a little hot headed. Torgaddon as the wise-cracking comedy relief, who becomes staunch friends with Garvial. Aximand is much more the level-headed member, so I guess that would make him Face. That leaves Garvial Loken, an individual who is the dissenting voice. He offers his own views, which help him to fit his role as devil's advocate within the Mournvial - he certainly isn't BA Baracus, but then I could see him saying "crazy fool" for my own amusement. He's too much of a starch arse for that.
There are some fantastic side characters of note. Eidelon, commander of The Emperor's Children, arrogant, aloof and altogether what I would call 'a tool.' Saul Tarvitz and Lucius are a wonderful foil, one being a pragmative and shall we say grounded captain and the other hot-headed and cock-sure. They really complement each other. Although the Space Marines are the centre stage, the more human characters that populate "Horus Rising" are just as interesting. A primary iterator Sindermann and the remembrancer Euphrati Keeler are both interesting and very well written. Obviously Abnett uses them to give effective contrast to the Astrates. Did I mention First Chaplain Erebus of the Word Bearers? No, fuck him then!
It's obviously worth mentioning Horus *sarcasm*. He is charismatic, a leader. He is both humble and aloof - without appearing so. The Primarch uses such tools as the Mournvial to maintain, if you like, a neutral perspective, especially when engaging with military personnel. This is shown throughout the book and works fairly well, but at times did make me think that a leader should speak his mind at all times.
"Horus Rising" is one of those benchmark books, not just in Black Library's arsenal, but in the whole science fiction genre. The series as a whole is getting more and more exposure, it's a New York bestseller. It's one of the best novels in the series, being the first, this is no small feat. Give it ago, even if you aren't a fan of Warhammer 40K, this series stands on its own. What do you have to lose? Do it, do it NOW.
What an opening "Horus Rising" has. I recall reading it for the first-time many years ago and thinking "surly the end can't be the beginning of the novel." I was so confused. How wrong I was, we're now thirty novels into the series, with no sign of it ending.
Dan Abnett introduces us to the Luna Wolves, Space Marines from the planet Cathonia. You could argue that "Horus Rising" becomes overawed by a type of celebrity-showcasing of a who's-who of the 30K universe. It really doesn't though. What really makes this book stand out are the foundations laid. There is great emphasis placed on a shared-brotherhood, a camaraderie we see lacking in current 40K novels (in my opinion), along the lines of honour and a resolute secularism. There's intelligent prose to be found here, it's not all about being a superhuman with unmatched strength and stamina - there's also a philosophy of being. Loken is certainly searching for this throughout.
That being said, there's bolter-porn to be found here also, from the outset in fact. Do not fear, this isn't a philosophical treatise to bore you to death. It's a novel about conquest, that being the crusade that the Emperor has tasked/burdened the Astrates and humanity with (let's be honest, it's a big world out there). What really was a joy to read was the foes arranged against the Space Marines. You'd think it would be Orks or Elder, no no. Dan Abnett comes up with some of his own races. The Megarachnid are a biological being, they breed and consume, they seem to be an earlier existence of the Tyranids. There is also the Interex, former colonists from Terra who have found themselves devoid of contact with their human brothers due to the Age of Strife (warpstorms stopping space travel).
Characters really make a novel, this being no expectation. Dan Abnett has created some of the best characters in both 30/40K to date. We're introduced to the concept of 'The Mournvial' who are akin to an advisory council to Horus. Made up of 'worthy' captains of merit, such as Abaddon, the first captain, Aximand, Loken and Torgaddon. They rather remind me of the A-Team. Abaddon as Hannibal, who comes across as a brilliant tactician, if a little hot headed. Torgaddon as the wise-cracking comedy relief, who becomes staunch friends with Garvial. Aximand is much more the level-headed member, so I guess that would make him Face. That leaves Garvial Loken, an individual who is the dissenting voice. He offers his own views, which help him to fit his role as devil's advocate within the Mournvial - he certainly isn't BA Baracus, but then I could see him saying "crazy fool" for my own amusement. He's too much of a starch arse for that.
There are some fantastic side characters of note. Eidelon, commander of The Emperor's Children, arrogant, aloof and altogether what I would call 'a tool.' Saul Tarvitz and Lucius are a wonderful foil, one being a pragmative and shall we say grounded captain and the other hot-headed and cock-sure. They really complement each other. Although the Space Marines are the centre stage, the more human characters that populate "Horus Rising" are just as interesting. A primary iterator Sindermann and the remembrancer Euphrati Keeler are both interesting and very well written. Obviously Abnett uses them to give effective contrast to the Astrates. Did I mention First Chaplain Erebus of the Word Bearers? No, fuck him then!
It's obviously worth mentioning Horus *sarcasm*. He is charismatic, a leader. He is both humble and aloof - without appearing so. The Primarch uses such tools as the Mournvial to maintain, if you like, a neutral perspective, especially when engaging with military personnel. This is shown throughout the book and works fairly well, but at times did make me think that a leader should speak his mind at all times.
"Horus Rising" is one of those benchmark books, not just in Black Library's arsenal, but in the whole science fiction genre. The series as a whole is getting more and more exposure, it's a New York bestseller. It's one of the best novels in the series, being the first, this is no small feat. Give it ago, even if you aren't a fan of Warhammer 40K, this series stands on its own. What do you have to lose? Do it, do it NOW.
October 26, 2024
Space Marines and Chaos, blood and guns, astartes and xenos. A fascinating exploration of power and humans. This book is pretty iconic.
August 17, 2017
I am really enjoying the Warhammer 40k books. I never played any of the games, so I feel like there's backstory that I'm missing. Who is the emperor? Where did his power come from? Why does everyone follow him? His goal was to rid the universe of religion and superstition (which sounds good to me), but then he makes himself a god and creates the Primarchs who are demi-gods and proceeds to wage war on any world or people that don't fall in line with his ideology.
I know the ultimate outcome of what happens with Horus and the emperor, which so far doesn't seem like such a terrible thing. I really liked Horus, although Torgaddon was my favorite. I'm trying not to get too attached to anyone since I figure it's going to end badly for a lot of them. The next book will be the first one I've read that isn't by Dan Abnett....hopefully it's still as good.
I know the ultimate outcome of what happens with Horus and the emperor, which so far doesn't seem like such a terrible thing. I really liked Horus, although Torgaddon was my favorite. I'm trying not to get too attached to anyone since I figure it's going to end badly for a lot of them. The next book will be the first one I've read that isn't by Dan Abnett....hopefully it's still as good.
October 14, 2016
Although this is a franchise novel you don't need to understand the context to enjoy it.
January 31, 2022
I've finally found it. I've finally discovered what I have been looking for since I first picked up a book.
I read a lot. I've been reading a book then throwing it over my shoulder when I'm done to move on to the next one for years. I read with a fervor; as if I might be looking for something; as if I'm just waiting patiently to be swept away by the exact genre of storytelling I'm longing for. Well, I bloody well found it. This is my first 40k book, and you can consider me on board for this whole hobby. This is precisely the kind of narrative that I love the most. I'm jumping into this fandom and never looking back.
P.S. Nothing beats the Halo universe for me, but this is turning out to be a top contender for the future.
I read a lot. I've been reading a book then throwing it over my shoulder when I'm done to move on to the next one for years. I read with a fervor; as if I might be looking for something; as if I'm just waiting patiently to be swept away by the exact genre of storytelling I'm longing for. Well, I bloody well found it. This is my first 40k book, and you can consider me on board for this whole hobby. This is precisely the kind of narrative that I love the most. I'm jumping into this fandom and never looking back.
P.S. Nothing beats the Halo universe for me, but this is turning out to be a top contender for the future.
August 20, 2014
This was my first exposure to anything Warhammer 40,000. When I was a kid I would often see the starter sets at the hobby/gaming shops I'd go to with my dad, but I never really had much interest for a few reasons...mostly that Warhammer tabletop stuff is expensive as fuck and the universe has always seemed kind of impenetrable, due to the fact that the history/setting seemed to be originally explained only in the manuals/codexes associated with the game. Thankfully someone had the great idea to start a 500-book series explaining one of the key events in the recent past of the 40k setting; the Horus Heresy. Obviously due to the size of this series book one isn't gonna explain everything, so while I'm completely sure yet I have a good idea of what the actual Heresy is. What I do know, however is that the 40k universe is a load of fun and surprisingly deep and detailed, and that Dan Abnett is a very good writer.
The 40k universe, characters and setting all make me often feel like a kid again--everything just seems so over the top and sensationally violent, dark and horrific. Every other page in this book contains something that can only be described as awesome; an Emperor that unites Earth and then proceeds to send legions of giant genetically engineered space marines all over the universe spreading the Terran ideals of secular rationalism via slaughtering stuff; man-eating biomechanical spiders that build giant stone trees that generate intense storms, preventing invasion from space; a strange dimension called the "warp" that seems to harbor sinister, parasitic energies that can corrupt living beings and fun stuff like that. It's all just so ridiculously cool. That said, while I would happily read 500 pages of space marines fucking shit up that's not what Abnett is all about here, at all. It's just the first thing that's gonna grab you.
Despite the over-the-top darkness and violence of the setting, Abnett does take the 40k universe seriously and approaches it as an intelligent, creative person would. The book certainly does touch on deeper topics like the morality of the Great Crusade, man's place in the stars and the nature of camaraderie in war. He also seems to make an effort to look at the book's world and events from a human perspective, rather than relying on the clearly superhuman space marines to deliver the narrative. To be honest, I kind of wrote this whole universe off as cheesy fluff existing only to support tabletop excursions. That was dumb of me, and consequently I've been missing out. I have to remind myself that even uber-serious and literate epics like Malazan Book of the Fallen started out as tabletop games. It's a rare thing to enjoy being exposed to oneself as a pretentious and close-minded douche! That said, it does kinda worry me that Abnett only writes a few entries in the entire Horus Heresy series, leaving the way open for inconsistency in all its ugly forms. I'm gonna stay optimistic, though.
Keeping with my thoughts on the author, I already bought the first three in the Gaunt's Ghosts series. I was very impressed with him; he's thoughtful, writes believable characters, and consistently paints thrilling action sequences. Kinda makes me wonder if he's written stuff outside of the 40k universe, but he certainly has written enough inside it to keep me happy for a good while, and I'll also be happily continuing with Horus Heresy. This book was relatively heresy-free, as it seems to start a decent ways away from...whatever happened happening. It's mostly setup-via-action, which is certainly a great way to introduce a novice to your universe. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to people who think the setting might yield some good times for them. It was a wonderful way to be introduced to the universe, and a hell of a lot of fun.
The 40k universe, characters and setting all make me often feel like a kid again--everything just seems so over the top and sensationally violent, dark and horrific. Every other page in this book contains something that can only be described as awesome; an Emperor that unites Earth and then proceeds to send legions of giant genetically engineered space marines all over the universe spreading the Terran ideals of secular rationalism via slaughtering stuff; man-eating biomechanical spiders that build giant stone trees that generate intense storms, preventing invasion from space; a strange dimension called the "warp" that seems to harbor sinister, parasitic energies that can corrupt living beings and fun stuff like that. It's all just so ridiculously cool. That said, while I would happily read 500 pages of space marines fucking shit up that's not what Abnett is all about here, at all. It's just the first thing that's gonna grab you.
Despite the over-the-top darkness and violence of the setting, Abnett does take the 40k universe seriously and approaches it as an intelligent, creative person would. The book certainly does touch on deeper topics like the morality of the Great Crusade, man's place in the stars and the nature of camaraderie in war. He also seems to make an effort to look at the book's world and events from a human perspective, rather than relying on the clearly superhuman space marines to deliver the narrative. To be honest, I kind of wrote this whole universe off as cheesy fluff existing only to support tabletop excursions. That was dumb of me, and consequently I've been missing out. I have to remind myself that even uber-serious and literate epics like Malazan Book of the Fallen started out as tabletop games. It's a rare thing to enjoy being exposed to oneself as a pretentious and close-minded douche! That said, it does kinda worry me that Abnett only writes a few entries in the entire Horus Heresy series, leaving the way open for inconsistency in all its ugly forms. I'm gonna stay optimistic, though.
Keeping with my thoughts on the author, I already bought the first three in the Gaunt's Ghosts series. I was very impressed with him; he's thoughtful, writes believable characters, and consistently paints thrilling action sequences. Kinda makes me wonder if he's written stuff outside of the 40k universe, but he certainly has written enough inside it to keep me happy for a good while, and I'll also be happily continuing with Horus Heresy. This book was relatively heresy-free, as it seems to start a decent ways away from...whatever happened happening. It's mostly setup-via-action, which is certainly a great way to introduce a novice to your universe. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to people who think the setting might yield some good times for them. It was a wonderful way to be introduced to the universe, and a hell of a lot of fun.
May 15, 2025
Długo się broniłem przez wejściem w to uniwersum. Z jednej strony od dawna mnie do niego ciągnęło, ale cholera... ponad 300 książek. TRZYSTA KSIĄŻEK. I do tego wszędzie słyszałem, że bez wcześniejszego researchu będzie ciężko. A teraz mogę powiedzieć, że to nie prawda. Wywyższenie Horusa nie wymaga prawie żadnej znajomości lore. Może jedynie przydatne byłoby poczytanie o Prymarchach (ale jednym okiem, żeby nie wpaść na spoilery). Ogrom tego uniwersum wciąż przytłacza, ale jeśli będzie podawane w takiej formie, jak ta książka, to może okazać się wyjątkowo zjadliwe.
January 11, 2025
I’ve never read any Warhammer books before, and I must admit, it was quite a thrilling experience. While I’ve heard people refer to these books as "bolter porn," and yes, it is certainly intense with action, it offered much more than I initially anticipated. The story blends action with several deeper themes and provides more depth. The author's writing is sharp and engaging, with prose that keeps the immersion and tension high. The action scenes are plentiful and gripping—though they’re central to the story, they never overwhelm the plot. What stands out is how well the sense of brotherhood is conveyed among the characters, adding emotional weight to the narrative, particularly as we look ahead. The bonds between the soldiers feel genuine, and the exploration of loyalty, trust, and camaraderie is handled with far more depth than typical pulp fiction.
Speaking of pulp, there is certainly that vibe to the story, but it’s the kind of pulp that’s well-executed. Abnett clearly put a lot of care into crafting a world that’s both complex and captivating. The characters, especially Horus, are compelling, and their motivations feel grounded, even within the fantastical setting. There isn't much to complain about, except that the pacing and the tone can feel a bit uneven sometimes, because of time skips and exposition dumps. The side characters are also kinda lacking, but I don't mind it in this scenario, because they get their job done, and the focus is meant to be 'larger than life' characters. The story is still setting up the pieces on the board anyway, so I'm sure some of them will get more attention in the upcoming books. People have mentioned that this might not be the best entry point into the Warhammer universe, but I’m sold already and am committed to reading the rest unless the series takes such a nosedive that makes me want to DNF.
Speaking of pulp, there is certainly that vibe to the story, but it’s the kind of pulp that’s well-executed. Abnett clearly put a lot of care into crafting a world that’s both complex and captivating. The characters, especially Horus, are compelling, and their motivations feel grounded, even within the fantastical setting. There isn't much to complain about, except that the pacing and the tone can feel a bit uneven sometimes, because of time skips and exposition dumps. The side characters are also kinda lacking, but I don't mind it in this scenario, because they get their job done, and the focus is meant to be 'larger than life' characters. The story is still setting up the pieces on the board anyway, so I'm sure some of them will get more attention in the upcoming books. People have mentioned that this might not be the best entry point into the Warhammer universe, but I’m sold already and am committed to reading the rest unless the series takes such a nosedive that makes me want to DNF.
July 26, 2018
So after checking out the first Fabius Bile book in the 40k catalogue, I decided I wanted to try some others, and the Horus Heresy saga has always been interesting to me. So I asked a few friends and they came up with a reading list, somewhat predictably starting with book 1.
This is the story of the Space Marines and the rise of Chaos. More specifically it's about the rise and fall of Horus, the Emperor of Mankind's favourite son.
It's a fairly tough book to review in many ways as it's obviously part of a much larger franchise with books firing out all over the place, but I'll certainly give it a damned good go.
It's fantastically written for a start. Dan Abnett definitely knows his stuff and part of that is how to spin a good yarn. Extremely engaging and you get a real feel for the universe and technology. There's a fair amount of 40k porn, which is to say lavish descriptions of weapons/armour and what not, but it never really stands out as obtrusive, and it's quite cool to learn more about how some of the weapons work (not to mention the Space Marine physiology... they're kinda like humans+).
The pace varies pretty wildly. It's starts off blistering, slows to a crawl, then picks up, only to slow back to a crawl for the finale. And there isn't really a finale. Things just kind of happen, and then we get a few hints about how they're going to develop... in later books.
So what I'm saying is this. I really enjoyed Horus Rising. It kept me thoroughly entertained for all 12 hours of listening, but it's definitely a book that's setting up future volumes. So I guess I'll be getting book 2 next.
A quick note on the narration. Toby Longworth knocks it out of the park. His performance was brilliant and really fit with what little I know of the Space Marines.
This is the story of the Space Marines and the rise of Chaos. More specifically it's about the rise and fall of Horus, the Emperor of Mankind's favourite son.
It's a fairly tough book to review in many ways as it's obviously part of a much larger franchise with books firing out all over the place, but I'll certainly give it a damned good go.
It's fantastically written for a start. Dan Abnett definitely knows his stuff and part of that is how to spin a good yarn. Extremely engaging and you get a real feel for the universe and technology. There's a fair amount of 40k porn, which is to say lavish descriptions of weapons/armour and what not, but it never really stands out as obtrusive, and it's quite cool to learn more about how some of the weapons work (not to mention the Space Marine physiology... they're kinda like humans+).
The pace varies pretty wildly. It's starts off blistering, slows to a crawl, then picks up, only to slow back to a crawl for the finale. And there isn't really a finale. Things just kind of happen, and then we get a few hints about how they're going to develop... in later books.
So what I'm saying is this. I really enjoyed Horus Rising. It kept me thoroughly entertained for all 12 hours of listening, but it's definitely a book that's setting up future volumes. So I guess I'll be getting book 2 next.
A quick note on the narration. Toby Longworth knocks it out of the park. His performance was brilliant and really fit with what little I know of the Space Marines.
January 28, 2023
Well this was an experience long time coming.
This novel is the first one in a 54 novel experience. This is where everything started. You know what's coming (If you know the minimum of 40K) and you know several names, mainly chaos names you should know like Abaddon, Lucius and all other primarch names. What you probably don't know is other names that had impact on imperium like... ahh you thought I was giving you spoilers? Nope.
In this novel you are expected to love Horus, Abnett ensure that you probably loved him more than the Emperor guy you heard so much about. As you read you see the similarities between Horus & Emperor as Jesus & God. Okay maybe that's a far fetch scenario but it exists. By the end he even says "Emperor why have you forgotten me?" I hope you recognize that from Jesus.
You have a Abaddon that wants to do Emperor bidding going clashing with Horus because Horus thinks that you shouldn't take the orders from the emperor quite literal. Although he is a violent guy (Abaddon) he really adores the Emperor - well everyone loves him dearly. There is Loken who has risen in ranks and is now in the Mournival (a small entourage that counsels Horus). You get to learn a bit more of Emperor's Children and you already know that they are going to Slaanesh, or Word Bearers's Erebeus. You get to see and learn that the best friends of Horus is Sanguinius (two sides of the same coin - very tragic) & Lorgar.
It's interesting to learn much about these people from another eyes that not the ones we know from the 40K universe. It's also interesting to see the politics behind everything and even some start of dissident between what humanity wants and the Emperor wishes. I see also this as the bible. Something was written there on the name of the God and then different religious interpret in one or the other.
Some batttle scenes happen here and they were okay - it's nice to see the reverence the SM (angels from 40K never bow to anyone) being in awe of Primarch. It's like troopers when seeing SM. Now I can't even imagine how the writer will talk about meeting the Emperor.
Another interesting point that will be talk more in the second novel and third I guess it's the Kaos/Chaos stuff. why did the emperor didn't tell the primarchs. Why did they fell to Chaos. before reading anything - I think this could have been avoidable, probably. Let us see.
Btw, 30K is a different from 40K. This is a time where Necrons, Tyranids or other alien races are almost non-existent (references to Eldar) While Orks are the main enemies of the crusade. In this novel there are no Orks. Only Humans and somekind of spider beings.
This novel is the first one in a 54 novel experience. This is where everything started. You know what's coming (If you know the minimum of 40K) and you know several names, mainly chaos names you should know like Abaddon, Lucius and all other primarch names. What you probably don't know is other names that had impact on imperium like... ahh you thought I was giving you spoilers? Nope.
In this novel you are expected to love Horus, Abnett ensure that you probably loved him more than the Emperor guy you heard so much about. As you read you see the similarities between Horus & Emperor as Jesus & God. Okay maybe that's a far fetch scenario but it exists. By the end he even says "Emperor why have you forgotten me?" I hope you recognize that from Jesus.
You have a Abaddon that wants to do Emperor bidding going clashing with Horus because Horus thinks that you shouldn't take the orders from the emperor quite literal. Although he is a violent guy (Abaddon) he really adores the Emperor - well everyone loves him dearly. There is Loken who has risen in ranks and is now in the Mournival (a small entourage that counsels Horus). You get to learn a bit more of Emperor's Children and you already know that they are going to Slaanesh, or Word Bearers's Erebeus. You get to see and learn that the best friends of Horus is Sanguinius (two sides of the same coin - very tragic) & Lorgar.
It's interesting to learn much about these people from another eyes that not the ones we know from the 40K universe. It's also interesting to see the politics behind everything and even some start of dissident between what humanity wants and the Emperor wishes. I see also this as the bible. Something was written there on the name of the God and then different religious interpret in one or the other.
Some batttle scenes happen here and they were okay - it's nice to see the reverence the SM (angels from 40K never bow to anyone) being in awe of Primarch. It's like troopers when seeing SM. Now I can't even imagine how the writer will talk about meeting the Emperor.
Another interesting point that will be talk more in the second novel and third I guess it's the Kaos/Chaos stuff. why did the emperor didn't tell the primarchs. Why did they fell to Chaos. before reading anything - I think this could have been avoidable, probably. Let us see.
Btw, 30K is a different from 40K. This is a time where Necrons, Tyranids or other alien races are almost non-existent (references to Eldar) While Orks are the main enemies of the crusade. In this novel there are no Orks. Only Humans and somekind of spider beings.
November 20, 2022
If the quality of this story is anything to go by then I have a great deal to look forward to with this long Warhammer 40k series.
The only thing that didn't quite seem right to me was that a Titan was described as being over 100-meters-tall, and that seemed unlikely to me. A war-machine that tall would be too slow and top-heavy to be effective.
Thanks for reading.
The only thing that didn't quite seem right to me was that a Titan was described as being over 100-meters-tall, and that seemed unlikely to me. A war-machine that tall would be too slow and top-heavy to be effective.
Thanks for reading.
December 30, 2020
La ciencia ficción es uno de esos géneros que tímidamente he tocado hasta el momento y debido a la insistencia de mi pareja (que es un fan acérrimo de Warhammer 40k ya sea de los videojuegos como de los libros) pues decidí empezar por un libro un poco más "fuerte" en comparación con lo que había leído hasta ahora, cedí y comencé Horus, Señor de la Guerra —espera por mí Dune, pronto iré a por tí—.
A ver, como empiezo... el comienzo es terrible, de lo peor que he leído. Estuve a punto de abandonar en la página doce, así como suena. Lo siento pero ha resultado ser tal cual. Demasiado caótico y rápido son esas... ¿veinte, aproximadamente? primeras páginas. Pero una vez se "calma" todo un poco... viene lo bueno.
Debo mencionar que apenas probé un videojuego de Warhammer 40k por lo que mis conocimientos sobre el universo en el cual se desarrolla es casi nulo antes de leer este libro. Y me ha encantado, sin más.
La manera de pensar tan leal e inquebrantable del Imperio de la Humanidad (ojo, no quiero decir que esté de acuerdo con ella), como van de mundo en mundo y se enfrentan a lo que se avecina, como el humilde e inteligente Loken piensa ante las nuevas culturas y como peligrosamente puede "romper" todas sus creencias, algunos de los personajes presentados son realmente carismáticos (y no me refiero solamente al mencionado Loken o a Horus (quien está presente en el título del libro), la camaradería que hay entre personajes y algunos diálogos que me han encantado, las salvajes y sangrientas batallas...
Y, sobre todo, el amplio abanico de posibilidades que ofrece un universo así... porque después del final de Horus, Señor de la Guerra queda claro que esto es tan solo un "pequeño prólogo" para toda la riqueza que puede ofrecer este.
En resumidas cuentas, tras un comienzo un tanto decepcionante me alegro de haber continuado leyendo ya que me he topado con toda una sorpresa de saga. Desde aquí ánimo, seas fan de la ciencia ficción o no, independientemente de si conoces los videojuegos o no, que des una oportunidad a lo que puede ofrecer esta primera entrega de la serie.
A ver, como empiezo... el comienzo es terrible, de lo peor que he leído. Estuve a punto de abandonar en la página doce, así como suena. Lo siento pero ha resultado ser tal cual. Demasiado caótico y rápido son esas... ¿veinte, aproximadamente? primeras páginas. Pero una vez se "calma" todo un poco... viene lo bueno.
Debo mencionar que apenas probé un videojuego de Warhammer 40k por lo que mis conocimientos sobre el universo en el cual se desarrolla es casi nulo antes de leer este libro. Y me ha encantado, sin más.
La manera de pensar tan leal e inquebrantable del Imperio de la Humanidad (ojo, no quiero decir que esté de acuerdo con ella), como van de mundo en mundo y se enfrentan a lo que se avecina, como el humilde e inteligente Loken piensa ante las nuevas culturas y como peligrosamente puede "romper" todas sus creencias, algunos de los personajes presentados son realmente carismáticos (y no me refiero solamente al mencionado Loken o a Horus (quien está presente en el título del libro), la camaradería que hay entre personajes y algunos diálogos que me han encantado, las salvajes y sangrientas batallas...
Y, sobre todo, el amplio abanico de posibilidades que ofrece un universo así... porque después del final de Horus, Señor de la Guerra queda claro que esto es tan solo un "pequeño prólogo" para toda la riqueza que puede ofrecer este.
En resumidas cuentas, tras un comienzo un tanto decepcionante me alegro de haber continuado leyendo ya que me he topado con toda una sorpresa de saga. Desde aquí ánimo, seas fan de la ciencia ficción o no, independientemente de si conoces los videojuegos o no, que des una oportunidad a lo que puede ofrecer esta primera entrega de la serie.
March 5, 2025
War! Battle! Fight scenes! This was a lot of fun, a popcorn read in more ways than one. It is entertaining while also including some clusters of quotes that really pop. I highlighted some quotes that stood out on cycles of power. I was entertained but Warhammer is not necessarily something I need more of in my life.
July 27, 2018
5/5
THE HORUS HERESY is a book series which is too big for me to read and I was disappointed to find out it was a series which was its own personal library. This is a shame because it's such an incredibly strong start to the series. Dan Abnett knows Warhammer 40K the same way Timothy Zahn knows Star Wars. Here, we get the prequel to the Warhammer 40K universe before the God Emperor of Mankind was a god, before Horus was a traitor, and before the forces of Chaos invaded reality through the Eye of Terror (which doesn't exist yet).
The funny thing about this book, I think 90% of how good it is comes from the fact it deconstructs a huge number of "traditional" ideas about Warhammer 40K. Fans have always believed the Emperor was a genius hero who, if he ever managed to heal from his brain damage or ascended to godhood, would become the savior of mankind.
Instead, this novel portrays the Emperor as a mega-Hitler. He is a genocidal, brutal, awful person who has outlawed religion as well as bent himself on a conquest of all human territory with his army of merciless fanatics. As bad as 40K is, I think the year 30K is probably worse because of how efficient a monstrous regime it is.
The forces of Chaos are definitely looming threats but they just underscore how corrupt and brutal the Imperium was at its so-called height. Horus and company loathe a Star Trek utopia of tolerance and peace because it isn't a fascist regime. It's a nice moment that reminds people that the worst elements of the setting aren't justified but were made by the bad guys making choices--and the bad guys are very often the protagonists.
I consider this to be a decent work of grimdark fiction because it is a work which has no real "good guys" in it. Horus may be the hero of the hour but he's someone who is racist, xenophobic, corrupt, and fanatical. His anger is as much for the Emperor returning to Earth and giving the crusade to him (abandoning him so to speak) as it is for the vision he has of the future. He's a spoiled and petty child who is, nevertheless, terrifying and impressive from a distance.
In conclusion, I recommend most Warhammer 40K fans pick up this book even if they don't have plans of reading the rest of the series. It is a nice little welcome check that even if we hate the xenos, heretics, and the mutant--we should beware the Emperor's servants more.
THE HORUS HERESY is a book series which is too big for me to read and I was disappointed to find out it was a series which was its own personal library. This is a shame because it's such an incredibly strong start to the series. Dan Abnett knows Warhammer 40K the same way Timothy Zahn knows Star Wars. Here, we get the prequel to the Warhammer 40K universe before the God Emperor of Mankind was a god, before Horus was a traitor, and before the forces of Chaos invaded reality through the Eye of Terror (which doesn't exist yet).
The funny thing about this book, I think 90% of how good it is comes from the fact it deconstructs a huge number of "traditional" ideas about Warhammer 40K. Fans have always believed the Emperor was a genius hero who, if he ever managed to heal from his brain damage or ascended to godhood, would become the savior of mankind.
Instead, this novel portrays the Emperor as a mega-Hitler. He is a genocidal, brutal, awful person who has outlawed religion as well as bent himself on a conquest of all human territory with his army of merciless fanatics. As bad as 40K is, I think the year 30K is probably worse because of how efficient a monstrous regime it is.
The forces of Chaos are definitely looming threats but they just underscore how corrupt and brutal the Imperium was at its so-called height. Horus and company loathe a Star Trek utopia of tolerance and peace because it isn't a fascist regime. It's a nice moment that reminds people that the worst elements of the setting aren't justified but were made by the bad guys making choices--and the bad guys are very often the protagonists.
I consider this to be a decent work of grimdark fiction because it is a work which has no real "good guys" in it. Horus may be the hero of the hour but he's someone who is racist, xenophobic, corrupt, and fanatical. His anger is as much for the Emperor returning to Earth and giving the crusade to him (abandoning him so to speak) as it is for the vision he has of the future. He's a spoiled and petty child who is, nevertheless, terrifying and impressive from a distance.
In conclusion, I recommend most Warhammer 40K fans pick up this book even if they don't have plans of reading the rest of the series. It is a nice little welcome check that even if we hate the xenos, heretics, and the mutant--we should beware the Emperor's servants more.
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