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The Horus Heresy #Novella
Prince of Crows
The Thramas Crusade draws to its inevitable conclusion, with the forces of the Dark Angels and the Night Lords locked in a struggle that neither side can bring themselves to abandon. The Night Haunter lies comatose after being mauled by his primarch brother Lion El’Jonson, and in his absence it falls to First Captain Sevatar and the remaining members of the Kyroptera to command the Legion. But the self-styled ‘Prince of Crows’ has his own plans to save the VIII Legion from annihilation – plans he intends to follow, with or without his comrades in tow...
First printed in Shadows of Treachery, Aaron Dembski-Bowden's Horus Heresy novella is presented in Hardback format.
First printed in Shadows of Treachery, Aaron Dembski-Bowden's Horus Heresy novella is presented in Hardback format.
Hardcover
First published September 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
September 30, 2018
To me this one is a masterpiece, one of the few Horus Heresy pieces that I am never tired of re-reading or listening to. This novella had an impact on me and became a source of inspiration. Sevatar is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating characters in the franchise and it is always extremely interesting to follow him both in action (as in Prince of Crows) and in loneliness (as in the Long Night). He is one of the most well developed, multinational, complicated astartes, even though we don't have much written about him. This is the reason why I cherish every little piece of lore that shows more of his personality. I can properly share my initial thoughts from the first time reading it since it was a long time ago, but this story will always have a special place in my heart. The scene that describes his background on Nostramo, a boy talking to the crows, is what I always have in mind when thinking of Jago, it is eerie and beautiful, frightening and luring, just as he is as a whole. I can't find words to truly represent my love for this piece so I will leave this review just like that. I love it with all my heart.
March 4, 2015
If the Night Haunter (Konrad Curze) is the Batman of the 31st Millennium, only a complete murdering psychotic and not a "no killing" avenging angel, then Jago Sevatar is the Clown Prince of Mayhem himself. Maybe it is just the way the reader acted as Jago, but I often found myself laughing at the way he delivered his often dry sarcasm so perfectly as to conjure up the Joker in my mind. Jago has got a LOT of problems in that old head of his, and realizing he is actually crazy AINT one of them. I loved this story, and I loved the character development. Much like ADBs Night Lords trilogy he once again nails this legion and its characters. The VIII's lore is definitely a universe of his own making, and one I really enjoy. I highly recommend this story, if for nothing else than sheer enjoyment of Sevetar as a character, he is great, and one you can't help but root for.
I am not sure why ADB has such a love affair with crazy fighter pilots, and OP characters hanging on to the exteriors of their ships while they fly through a battle to deliver them to another ship in lieu of a drop pod or a transporter, but this is the second time he has done just that. Still wonderful, but glaringly repetitive a plot device. Anyway, take it as you will. I am a bit of an ADB fan-boy at this point, so I am totally willing to let this go.
Read or listen to this, you will thank me.
I am not sure why ADB has such a love affair with crazy fighter pilots, and OP characters hanging on to the exteriors of their ships while they fly through a battle to deliver them to another ship in lieu of a drop pod or a transporter, but this is the second time he has done just that. Still wonderful, but glaringly repetitive a plot device. Anyway, take it as you will. I am a bit of an ADB fan-boy at this point, so I am totally willing to let this go.
Read or listen to this, you will thank me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2024
March 2024 Re-Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order - Omnibus VIII Angels of Darkness (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy saga and extras.
So, this is genuinely one of the entries in the Horus Heresy I have enjoyed the most this time through, especially for those that didn't make me cry lol. This is about as perfect as a Horus Heresy novella can be.
In the wake of the Night Lords getting all sorts of messed up by the Dark Angels and the Nighthaunter being on death's door, the Legion flee into the dark to lick their wounds. Sevatar, Mr I was saying death to the False Emperor before it was cool himself, steps up in his inimitable style setting the Legion on a new path.
ADB is true Dream Eater when it comes or the Night Lords and this is him at his best with a story dripping in darkness, sarcasm, and genuine emotion that it purposely doesn't let you wallow in. The characterisation and aesthetics of the Legion and our main man are phenemonal, the action is great (and I'm always complaining about boring action), and the sheer depth and sides of the Prince of Crows that is shown without compromising his mien in anyway is nothing short of spectacular. Plus, there's some wonderful character development and backstory thrown in.
This truly is the full package and I loved it so much I'm struggling to articulate it and talk about it! Numbers for art are silly, but I give this a VIII out of 5.
***
Stayed up late to finish this and got to get up early, so review to come, but for now... Perfect novella is perfect and a phenemonal way to end the Angels of Darkness Omnibus!
I will be reading the Lion's Primarchs book, before getting Mechanicum with it in the next omnibus, but will save Nighthaunter's and Luther's for later in the series due to their content. I also might have to do the Night Lords trilogy and extras because I forgot how much I love the scary VIII and ADB!
Through using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project (www.heresyomnibus.com) and my own choices, I have currently read 16.41 Horus Heresy novels, 9 novellas, 42 short stories/ audio dramas, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, 8 Primarchs novels, 3 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels...this run. I can't say enough good about the way the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project suggestions. I'm loving it! Especially after originally reading to the releases and being so frustrated at having to wait so long for a narrative to continue
So, this is genuinely one of the entries in the Horus Heresy I have enjoyed the most this time through, especially for those that didn't make me cry lol. This is about as perfect as a Horus Heresy novella can be.
In the wake of the Night Lords getting all sorts of messed up by the Dark Angels and the Nighthaunter being on death's door, the Legion flee into the dark to lick their wounds. Sevatar, Mr I was saying death to the False Emperor before it was cool himself, steps up in his inimitable style setting the Legion on a new path.
ADB is true Dream Eater when it comes or the Night Lords and this is him at his best with a story dripping in darkness, sarcasm, and genuine emotion that it purposely doesn't let you wallow in. The characterisation and aesthetics of the Legion and our main man are phenemonal, the action is great (and I'm always complaining about boring action), and the sheer depth and sides of the Prince of Crows that is shown without compromising his mien in anyway is nothing short of spectacular. Plus, there's some wonderful character development and backstory thrown in.
This truly is the full package and I loved it so much I'm struggling to articulate it and talk about it! Numbers for art are silly, but I give this a VIII out of 5.
***
Stayed up late to finish this and got to get up early, so review to come, but for now... Perfect novella is perfect and a phenemonal way to end the Angels of Darkness Omnibus!
I will be reading the Lion's Primarchs book, before getting Mechanicum with it in the next omnibus, but will save Nighthaunter's and Luther's for later in the series due to their content. I also might have to do the Night Lords trilogy and extras because I forgot how much I love the scary VIII and ADB!
Through using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project (www.heresyomnibus.com) and my own choices, I have currently read 16.41 Horus Heresy novels, 9 novellas, 42 short stories/ audio dramas, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, 8 Primarchs novels, 3 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels...this run. I can't say enough good about the way the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project suggestions. I'm loving it! Especially after originally reading to the releases and being so frustrated at having to wait so long for a narrative to continue
September 28, 2023
Ierindota The Horus Heresy sērijā ar kārtas numuru #22, Shadows of Treachery interesantā veidā iekļauj sevī stāstus, kuri norisinās vēl pavisam īsi pēc fakta, kad Horus atklāj visiem, kam rūp, savu nodevību. Kā arī krājumu noslēdzošā novele krietni labāk tematiski iederētos iepriekšējā krājumā šajā sērijā Primarchs, ka gandrīz ir vēlēšanās aplūkot šo krājumu sastādītājus.
https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...
https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...
October 25, 2025
Well, we know how it ends, but it was still painful. Nevertheless, it was once again very well written by ADB and a good setup for "The Long Night." I just hope that's not all we ever hear from our best boy Sev. He's simply too great a character to just let him rot and die offscreen.
October 21, 2020
A very enjoyable read
Like many of the other nightlords books this one is full of charm and macabre humour that is just a delight
Like many of the other nightlords books this one is full of charm and macabre humour that is just a delight
July 30, 2023
Hacía muchísimo tiempo que no leía a un personaje astartes con el carisma de Sevatar (yo qué le hago si me gustan los hombres que no están bien).
February 8, 2025
A great HH novella. ADB shows his mastery of the Night Lords in a short sharp tale, showing their bleak beginnings and brutal ways. We learn a lot about Curze and his motivations, and Sevatar is a great character, his laconic humour mixed with his cruelty and cunning. Well worth a read.
June 1, 2020
Just finished prince of crows more genius from @adembskibowden The character of Jago Sevatarion was brilliantly written and the Narration of Jonathan Keeble hilarious. It was like the joker's personality in batman's body lol Bravo sir 👏
March 24, 2021
This book is one of the reasons why Sevatar is my favourite 30k character.
January 31, 2025
Oh those silly Night Lords and the things they get up to.
December 26, 2019
I finally finished the audio version of this - as I could not find a copy of the novella. I absolutely loved it! Sev, and the entire Night Lords legion is a character study of Curze himself in a way. Each unique facet placed within them that Curze neither resents nor condones. It feels different than most Heresy works, yet it is exactly what I want from the Heresy.
I will say the scene where Sevatar is able to get into the Invincible Reason is hilarious. As serious as 30K can be - humor is always a trusted ally to help create character for such dour individuals at first glance.
I will say the scene where Sevatar is able to get into the Invincible Reason is hilarious. As serious as 30K can be - humor is always a trusted ally to help create character for such dour individuals at first glance.
July 30, 2025
An absolutely superb telling of the night lords during the closing moments of the Thramas crusade
ADB just gets the Night lords, there flavour there character, there feel, he undoubtably is the defacto author of these vile adeptus astartes.
His character work is also on point here with the story told mainly told from Sevatar's perspective, and its here that ADB does such a fantastic job of. Sevatar has to be the most under utilised character from the Horus Heresy by far, he's such a great character to read and follow. Overall a brilliant look into the mind of a very troubled but also (in his own way) noble character of Jago Sevatarion.
The other cast are also great, we see an aspect of Konrad Curze that is all not too surprising and yet he definitely in some weird way has a soft spot of Sevatar. Erka the sin -eater was a great addition into plumbing the depths of Konrad psyche, showing us that Konrad's mental state is far and above borderline insanity and to keep it at bay is a real trial.
Why black library did not do a full novel of this crusade is beyond my understanding, however 'Prince of Crows' does satisfy some of the craving, ADB does cram a good amount of Night lords action and dialogue into this novella and he does successfully sends them out into the void to do what they do best!
ADB just gets the Night lords, there flavour there character, there feel, he undoubtably is the defacto author of these vile adeptus astartes.
His character work is also on point here with the story told mainly told from Sevatar's perspective, and its here that ADB does such a fantastic job of. Sevatar has to be the most under utilised character from the Horus Heresy by far, he's such a great character to read and follow. Overall a brilliant look into the mind of a very troubled but also (in his own way) noble character of Jago Sevatarion.
The other cast are also great, we see an aspect of Konrad Curze that is all not too surprising and yet he definitely in some weird way has a soft spot of Sevatar. Erka the sin -eater was a great addition into plumbing the depths of Konrad psyche, showing us that Konrad's mental state is far and above borderline insanity and to keep it at bay is a real trial.
Why black library did not do a full novel of this crusade is beyond my understanding, however 'Prince of Crows' does satisfy some of the craving, ADB does cram a good amount of Night lords action and dialogue into this novella and he does successfully sends them out into the void to do what they do best!
January 10, 2022
Sevatar es una auténtica bestia de personaje. De lo mejor de la herejía. En general la octava es mi legión favorita ya desde hace tiempo, y todo gracias a Dembski-Bowden. Tengo entendido que todas las novelas y relatos de los Night Lords son suyos y doy gracias por eso porque es justo lo que necesita la octava. Las demás legiones tienen matones, guerreros, asesinos y soldados pero la octava es diferente a todos y lo demuestran siempre. Ni siquiera son herejes de verdad, no están mutados genéricamente ni nada, pero están mal de la cabeza todos, y que el autor haya conseguido que esa locura sea hilarante merece un aplauso.
Hay tanto que puedo decir de la octava... son unos cobardes, no se destacan realmente como guerreros, son unos mentirosos, no tienen ni honor ni lo buscan, son mezquinos y rencorosos, tampoco son buenos estrategas ni tienen grandes generales, pero son los mejores. Son macabros y siniestros, sus personalidades son variadas, hay un mundo desde Talos a Sevatar (Jago) y eso me encanta. La octava tiene algo tan especial que ni siquiera les hace falta que aparezca su primarca para que el lector se interese, los capitanes ya de por sí son increíblemente interesantes.
Solo hay que leer la entrada que hace Sevatar en este libro. Sólo esa parte me hizo reír a carcajadas, y en general no suelo divertirme tanto con los libros de Warhammer.
Curze es un Batman hasta las cejas y Sevatar es el puto Joker
Hay tanto que puedo decir de la octava... son unos cobardes, no se destacan realmente como guerreros, son unos mentirosos, no tienen ni honor ni lo buscan, son mezquinos y rencorosos, tampoco son buenos estrategas ni tienen grandes generales, pero son los mejores. Son macabros y siniestros, sus personalidades son variadas, hay un mundo desde Talos a Sevatar (Jago) y eso me encanta. La octava tiene algo tan especial que ni siquiera les hace falta que aparezca su primarca para que el lector se interese, los capitanes ya de por sí son increíblemente interesantes.
Solo hay que leer la entrada que hace Sevatar en este libro. Sólo esa parte me hizo reír a carcajadas, y en general no suelo divertirme tanto con los libros de Warhammer.
Curze es un Batman hasta las cejas y Sevatar es el puto Joker
January 17, 2025
The Prince of Crows is a novella set during the aftermath of the Thramas Crusade, mainly focusing on the fractured unity of the Night Lords Legion & their tormented primarch, Konrad Curze. This story is much less of a large scale battle narrative & more delves into the psychological depths of its characters, namely Curze & his lieutenant, Sevatar. With Aaron Dembski-Bowden masterfully intertwining the shattered concepts of justice & chaos whilst exhibiting them through Curze as we’re given his extremely gruesome but surprisingly psychological backstory, which ends up crafting a narrative that’s honestly pretty tragic as we see how wrongly mixed him & his legion’s sense of justice & morality really is, in addition to how it could’ve easily been steered in a much better direction if given the effort by The Emperor.
April 27, 2023
A wonderful, entertaining short story that makes you root for a awful, evil man. Sevetar is a fun, malicious character that a tiny heart of gold. Like other great villians such as Walter White or Tony Soprano, you root for this guy no matter how awful his actions are. It doesn't help that this short story has one of the coolest space battles I've ever seen in a science fiction story. A must read for 40k fans.
August 16, 2025
A “quick and dirty” read (in the best possible way). This is the first Night Lords book I’ve ever read, because of their “dark edgy” reputation I’ve stayed away from NL for a good long while. But after reading this, I’m kinda into it. Sevatar is a greatly written and well rounded character who is conscious of his own flaws and maybe resembles the closest thing to a “good man” in a legion of murderers and mad men. I thoroughly enjoyed this!
March 12, 2023
Enjoyable short story that humanises vile men. Such as Jago Sevetar. Sevetar is always a fun character, a smarmy man with a hidden heart of gold.
Its fascinating to see so many Night Lords legionnaires hate or dislike their primarch. This, added with the fact that so many Night Lords have interesting, relatable or non-homicidal tendencies makes them likeable. Aaron Dembski-Bowden does it again!
Its fascinating to see so many Night Lords legionnaires hate or dislike their primarch. This, added with the fact that so many Night Lords have interesting, relatable or non-homicidal tendencies makes them likeable. Aaron Dembski-Bowden does it again!
December 12, 2024
This is about Sevatar, the "son" of Curze, and gives a lot of background on Curze, who I think is a primarch I hadn't seen much of before. Despite all of this confusing business these stories are highly readable, and when you skip the descriptions of armor and guns and just read the character scenes it goes quickly.
November 25, 2018
Top 10 in the hh series
Aaron is by far the best author in all the hh world. I reccomend reading all his things. He understand the night lords better than an otter. It’s a shame he didn’t write the Konrad cruZe book.
Aaron is by far the best author in all the hh world. I reccomend reading all his things. He understand the night lords better than an otter. It’s a shame he didn’t write the Konrad cruZe book.
April 30, 2025
If First Captain Sevatar isn't your favorite heretic captain, he will be after this one. Prince of Crows is action-packed, funny, and informative. I really enjoyed seeing a legion with a very unique relationship to its Primarch.
November 12, 2025
Good writing, nice bit of lore, adds lots of atmosphere. Night Lords are always fun and Sevatar especially so.
Thus far everything I've read by Aaron Dembski-Bowden is a lot of fun.
Thus far everything I've read by Aaron Dembski-Bowden is a lot of fun.
July 26, 2022
What a brilliant novella. Sevatar is a fantastic character which keeps you racing through the pages. I’ve no idea where he will turn up next but more of the same please.
September 20, 2023
Listened to this one over and over and it NEVER gets old
February 1, 2024
Sevatar being large and in charge. He's my favorite psychopathic transhuman butcher that occasionally does the right thing.
April 7, 2024
I kept falling asleep whilst listening this. It took me 4 days!! I really enjoyed it. The Night Lords are fast becoming one of my most liked legions.
September 3, 2024
Do you hate everybody? Do you think that might makes right? Well, I have a legion for you.
Great story about the most derranged legion in the warhammer universe.
Great story about the most derranged legion in the warhammer universe.
November 9, 2024
GOOD SOUP
January 27, 2025
Another really good night lords vs dark angels story.
Collected in shadows of treachery anthology.
Collected in shadows of treachery anthology.
March 13, 2025
SEEEVVAAAATAAARRRRRR
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews