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Dropsite Massacre: The Horus Heresy
A Horus Heresy Novel
Horus has revealed his dark plans, but nobody is prepared for just how far he will go. The force sent to end the Warmaster's rebellion doesn't realise they are heading towards a slaughter unlike anything the galaxy has seen.
LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE
It's the deepest exploration so far of one of the most horrific battles of the Horus Heresy. You may know what happened during the Dropsite Massacre, but you don't know it all. It's far worse than you thought as the treachery is revealed.
THE STORY
Horus has rebelled against the Emperor by purging his and his brother's Legions, but what was supposed to be a secret act of murder has been revealed. In the Emperor's name, Rogal Dorn and Malcador the Sigillite dispatch the largest force of legionaries and primarchs ever assembled to end Horus' rebellion before it can begin.
But the loyalists, on their way to enact vengeance, do not know the depth of the betrayal they face. They will not be the perpetrators of a massacre, but its victims. The last hope of returning to the Great Crusade and the unity of the Imperium will die in the dust of Isstvan V, and those who survive will live in a new age of darkness.
Written by John French. Narrated by Jonathan Keeble. Runtime 11 hours and 27 minutes approx.
Horus has revealed his dark plans, but nobody is prepared for just how far he will go. The force sent to end the Warmaster's rebellion doesn't realise they are heading towards a slaughter unlike anything the galaxy has seen.
LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE
It's the deepest exploration so far of one of the most horrific battles of the Horus Heresy. You may know what happened during the Dropsite Massacre, but you don't know it all. It's far worse than you thought as the treachery is revealed.
THE STORY
Horus has rebelled against the Emperor by purging his and his brother's Legions, but what was supposed to be a secret act of murder has been revealed. In the Emperor's name, Rogal Dorn and Malcador the Sigillite dispatch the largest force of legionaries and primarchs ever assembled to end Horus' rebellion before it can begin.
But the loyalists, on their way to enact vengeance, do not know the depth of the betrayal they face. They will not be the perpetrators of a massacre, but its victims. The last hope of returning to the Great Crusade and the unity of the Imperium will die in the dust of Isstvan V, and those who survive will live in a new age of darkness.
Written by John French. Narrated by Jonathan Keeble. Runtime 11 hours and 27 minutes approx.
Audible Audio
Published October 24, 2025
154 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
John French
160 books8 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 27, 2025
I've always wanted a full book on the Dropsite Massacre, as the Horus Heresy novel series despite being 54 books long had maybe 200 pages devoted to the event across all of the books.
John French was the perfect one to tackle this as the first half of the book feels like he's playing in the same sandbox as he was in 'Slaves to Darkness' one of the absolute best books of the heresy. Seeing Mal try to wrangle all of these competing personalities and keep everyone in line was super fun. Some great points of perspective chosen as well with Kharn's being particularly memorable.
Similar to his work in Praetorian of Dorn, French is fantastic at writing the Alpha Legion, with their espionage melding together very well with established lore.
I think this about 95% melds in with the existing stuff we know on the event fairly seamlessly, with little bits of added lore from the newest edition of the game (IE The new Terminator designs), however this does not seem like a book anyone could just pick up and read. There are a lot of moving parts and to really appreciate them I feel like you need to have some idea about whose who.
This book could have really used another hundred pages or so to dive into the direct aftermath because that's where there is always a bit of confusion as to the exact timetable of whose where and for how long post massacre.
All that being said a high recommend and if you're reading this alongside the Horus Heresy I'd probably slot it either RIGHT after Fulgrim (book 5) or wait until after The First Heretic (book 14).
John French was the perfect one to tackle this as the first half of the book feels like he's playing in the same sandbox as he was in 'Slaves to Darkness' one of the absolute best books of the heresy. Seeing Mal try to wrangle all of these competing personalities and keep everyone in line was super fun. Some great points of perspective chosen as well with Kharn's being particularly memorable.
Similar to his work in Praetorian of Dorn, French is fantastic at writing the Alpha Legion, with their espionage melding together very well with established lore.
I think this about 95% melds in with the existing stuff we know on the event fairly seamlessly, with little bits of added lore from the newest edition of the game (IE The new Terminator designs), however this does not seem like a book anyone could just pick up and read. There are a lot of moving parts and to really appreciate them I feel like you need to have some idea about whose who.
This book could have really used another hundred pages or so to dive into the direct aftermath because that's where there is always a bit of confusion as to the exact timetable of whose where and for how long post massacre.
All that being said a high recommend and if you're reading this alongside the Horus Heresy I'd probably slot it either RIGHT after Fulgrim (book 5) or wait until after The First Heretic (book 14).
November 26, 2025
COMPETANT BOOKS ABOUT THINGS THAT DON'T MATTER
John French excels at these procedural zen-garden novels; less perfect than the stone spheres that make them up. but competent. and, like a zen garden, about nothing at all.
in French's 'Cypher' we get an incursion into an actual Cypher; no-one knows his motivation! By the end, we still don't! A lot of time is spent musing over; what does this guy really actually want? _What is his actual deal?_ Well, we don't know.
Or Frenches Fourth 'Ahriman' book, where (spoilers) Ahriman gets himself into a time loop and 'wins' by manipulating his own timestream so that he never enters the loop, becoming his own saviour and worst enemy. The narrative eats itself. Very appropriate for Ahriman the unwilling slave of Tzeetch. Really super on-point. And pointless.
From the guy who hangs around being mysterious and still is, to the book about a sorcerer wiping out the very events of the book he is in, making it a narrative dead-end, we come to another dead-end; the Dropsite Massacre. The Horus Heresy has a fifty-plus book series of fictional stories, the Forgeworld 'Black Book' procedural military-history texts, and articles and so on and so on. We have gone over all this TWICE at least. Now we are going to go over it again.
And like those mentioned above, this is _not a bad book_. There is much to be said for it. But why does it exist? And are we, (god help us), going to get more and more and more books going over the SAME imaginary battles again and again?
I mean I did actually buy and read/Audible all these books so; spoken preference/revealed preference, however I am still going to cope.
GRANULAR DUMB IS STILL DUMB
There is a strong tradition in Horus Heresy writing of the authors angrily re-writing each other because one of them did something dumb. And to be fair, many of them are genuinely pretty stupid.
In this case the 'something dumb' exists more *in* the text than in its writers, and is the now maybe forty year old decision by Ferrus Mannus to dominate the other legions and bet everything on just throwing all his military mass at one spot on one planet, knowing that its a trap but not knowing how much of one it is.
The policy of "this is clearly a trap" followed by "and we are going to walk right into it" happens mainly in fiction. In real life people do not walk into traps intending to overcommit and thus break the trap open because that is a dumb thing to do. If you can overcommit your opponent can too and so you end up in the same position. Ferrus, and the Imperium, did a real dumb thing.
People have probably done dumber things in real history. It's not completely immersion or sanity-breaking. Now instead of the grand tragedy of 'Then their doom came upon them', we are taken into meeting rooms, cross-channel communications, men in rooms making plans about men in rooms. It sketches in the details, impulses and drives of a big bad decision, but doesn't make it any less dumb. People just not thinking clearly in 4k is still bumbling. The question is; does John French doing a deep, granular dive on the decision process make good fiction, good pseudohistory, good art?
Kinda, yes, and no.
There are so many fun an interesting bits and pieces. Corax hanging out in an empty room with only an antique grandfather clock, all the procedural dicking around as the Alpha Legion instantiate PLANS, Kharn feeling sad, the birth of the Noise Marines. A kaleidoscope social novel with all these smaller and previously un-regarded points of view, a scene of mass incredible events told through this constellation of vivid pinpricks. *Everyone* is better written in this book and what they say and do makes sense. French would be a perfect Alpha-Legion writer, his plans are magnificent and intelligent in the details, but pointless. Like a well drawn map with a multi-stage riddle sequence that unerringly leads you to the toilet in your own house.
Its consistently interesting to read, (though might flag *badly* as an audiobook, there is no strong narrative drive), 'fills in' and, let’s be generous, enlivens, deepens, and makes more detailed and therefore more emotionally telling, the great machinery of this titanic event. Its not good art because there is no reason for it to exist, it isn’t 'doing anything'. Its like a photograph of the model for the Mona Lisa, or more like a photograph of the scene outside Van Goughs asylum window, where he would see a starry night.
John French excels at these procedural zen-garden novels; less perfect than the stone spheres that make them up. but competent. and, like a zen garden, about nothing at all.
in French's 'Cypher' we get an incursion into an actual Cypher; no-one knows his motivation! By the end, we still don't! A lot of time is spent musing over; what does this guy really actually want? _What is his actual deal?_ Well, we don't know.
Or Frenches Fourth 'Ahriman' book, where (spoilers) Ahriman gets himself into a time loop and 'wins' by manipulating his own timestream so that he never enters the loop, becoming his own saviour and worst enemy. The narrative eats itself. Very appropriate for Ahriman the unwilling slave of Tzeetch. Really super on-point. And pointless.
From the guy who hangs around being mysterious and still is, to the book about a sorcerer wiping out the very events of the book he is in, making it a narrative dead-end, we come to another dead-end; the Dropsite Massacre. The Horus Heresy has a fifty-plus book series of fictional stories, the Forgeworld 'Black Book' procedural military-history texts, and articles and so on and so on. We have gone over all this TWICE at least. Now we are going to go over it again.
And like those mentioned above, this is _not a bad book_. There is much to be said for it. But why does it exist? And are we, (god help us), going to get more and more and more books going over the SAME imaginary battles again and again?
I mean I did actually buy and read/Audible all these books so; spoken preference/revealed preference, however I am still going to cope.
GRANULAR DUMB IS STILL DUMB
There is a strong tradition in Horus Heresy writing of the authors angrily re-writing each other because one of them did something dumb. And to be fair, many of them are genuinely pretty stupid.
In this case the 'something dumb' exists more *in* the text than in its writers, and is the now maybe forty year old decision by Ferrus Mannus to dominate the other legions and bet everything on just throwing all his military mass at one spot on one planet, knowing that its a trap but not knowing how much of one it is.
The policy of "this is clearly a trap" followed by "and we are going to walk right into it" happens mainly in fiction. In real life people do not walk into traps intending to overcommit and thus break the trap open because that is a dumb thing to do. If you can overcommit your opponent can too and so you end up in the same position. Ferrus, and the Imperium, did a real dumb thing.
People have probably done dumber things in real history. It's not completely immersion or sanity-breaking. Now instead of the grand tragedy of 'Then their doom came upon them', we are taken into meeting rooms, cross-channel communications, men in rooms making plans about men in rooms. It sketches in the details, impulses and drives of a big bad decision, but doesn't make it any less dumb. People just not thinking clearly in 4k is still bumbling. The question is; does John French doing a deep, granular dive on the decision process make good fiction, good pseudohistory, good art?
Kinda, yes, and no.
There are so many fun an interesting bits and pieces. Corax hanging out in an empty room with only an antique grandfather clock, all the procedural dicking around as the Alpha Legion instantiate PLANS, Kharn feeling sad, the birth of the Noise Marines. A kaleidoscope social novel with all these smaller and previously un-regarded points of view, a scene of mass incredible events told through this constellation of vivid pinpricks. *Everyone* is better written in this book and what they say and do makes sense. French would be a perfect Alpha-Legion writer, his plans are magnificent and intelligent in the details, but pointless. Like a well drawn map with a multi-stage riddle sequence that unerringly leads you to the toilet in your own house.
Its consistently interesting to read, (though might flag *badly* as an audiobook, there is no strong narrative drive), 'fills in' and, let’s be generous, enlivens, deepens, and makes more detailed and therefore more emotionally telling, the great machinery of this titanic event. Its not good art because there is no reason for it to exist, it isn’t 'doing anything'. Its like a photograph of the model for the Mona Lisa, or more like a photograph of the scene outside Van Goughs asylum window, where he would see a starry night.
November 2, 2025
Boy, am I ever glad I had read the first five books in the Horus Heresy before this. I’d be lost otherwise! This is definitely not a good starting place for the uninitiated, but coming into this after having read FULGRIM it feels like a smart continuation — or at least a necessary bit of storytelling — of one of the most consequential battles following the holocaust of Isstvan III.
December 19, 2025
I sobbed the last half of the book. I never wanted to go back to Isstvaan but the Alpha Legion is always worth the pain. I think the worst part of reading this book is knowing what is coming to men and being able to do nothing but watch. John French never disappoints, he is so talented.
So you’re going to suffer but you’re going to be happy about it.
So you’re going to suffer but you’re going to be happy about it.
November 8, 2025
The Dropsite Massacre was one of the most important events of the Horus Heresy and occurred early on. Nevertheless, as readers, we have not had a conclusive story about it until now, only different and short-lived perspectives.
John French now provides us with an unexpected but magnificent work. He does so in a manner that deserves much praise. The story will not change the outcome of this event, but the narrative gives us much more insight that fits perfectly into the gaps left open. The plans and motivations on the part of both the loyalists and the traitors are now much easier to understand.
Many previously held views are now changing:
-Was it really just Ferrus' anger that led to a hasty and ill-considered attack?
-How united were Horus' allies?
-Would different decisions have led to different outcomes?
All these questions are answered by French.
The focus remains on a cast of new and old characters, but never really on the primarchs. In my opinion, this is actually a good thing, as we are finally introduced to Astrates such as Alvarex Maun and Castrmen Orth (known from the Forge World Black Books)
It also drives home the long lost feeling of reading the Horus Heresy: Being excited for all the tragic actions knowing the outcome but loving the journey.
There is one downside, however:
SPOILER ALERT:
Unfortunately, I feel that the perspective of the actual ambush is neglected and could have been given 20-30 more pages.
John French now provides us with an unexpected but magnificent work. He does so in a manner that deserves much praise. The story will not change the outcome of this event, but the narrative gives us much more insight that fits perfectly into the gaps left open. The plans and motivations on the part of both the loyalists and the traitors are now much easier to understand.
Many previously held views are now changing:
-Was it really just Ferrus' anger that led to a hasty and ill-considered attack?
-How united were Horus' allies?
-Would different decisions have led to different outcomes?
All these questions are answered by French.
The focus remains on a cast of new and old characters, but never really on the primarchs. In my opinion, this is actually a good thing, as we are finally introduced to Astrates such as Alvarex Maun and Castrmen Orth (known from the Forge World Black Books)
It also drives home the long lost feeling of reading the Horus Heresy: Being excited for all the tragic actions knowing the outcome but loving the journey.
There is one downside, however:
SPOILER ALERT:
Unfortunately, I feel that the perspective of the actual ambush is neglected and could have been given 20-30 more pages.
November 8, 2025
If not in the top 10 Horus Books, it’s close to it. John French has gone from strength to strength in the last couple of years, and this might be one of his best.
This slots in chronologically after flight of the Eisenstiein and adjacent to ‘Fulgrim’, but puts the battle of Istvan V front and centre. Half the book is buildup, and the other half the actual massacre itself.
French does a marvellous job at expanding what you already knew about the battle; and doesn’t rewrite anything already expounded upon. Various characters from the series make an appearance. In particular, and very satisfyingly, a certain moderati princeps that hasn’t appeared since ‘Galaxy in Flames’ almost 20 years ago. Let’s just say everyone in the story get their time to shine, and for some reason- their just deserts.
A must read.
This slots in chronologically after flight of the Eisenstiein and adjacent to ‘Fulgrim’, but puts the battle of Istvan V front and centre. Half the book is buildup, and the other half the actual massacre itself.
French does a marvellous job at expanding what you already knew about the battle; and doesn’t rewrite anything already expounded upon. Various characters from the series make an appearance. In particular, and very satisfyingly, a certain moderati princeps that hasn’t appeared since ‘Galaxy in Flames’ almost 20 years ago. Let’s just say everyone in the story get their time to shine, and for some reason- their just deserts.
A must read.
November 17, 2025
Listened on Audible
French created one of the best illustrations of the grand nature of ridiculous grimdark space battles with Dropsite Massacre and I am so happy about it. This was unexpected, but not because of any ill will towards John French; au contraire, the bar was set quite high because of my nostalgia for Ahriman: The Omnibus. It handily cleared it.
The narrative tells a play-by-play of the titular event on Istvaan V, which previously had only really been deep-dove in Fulgrim, another Black Library favorite of mine. This book shows each aspect of each side of the Horus Heresy, with great characters both standalone and legends from the rest of the series. Maloghurst, Kor Phaeron & Kharn in particular were incredible returning faces, and Iron Hands Orth, Emperor's Children Calpurnius, Raven Guard Maun and the normal human soldier Astraea killed it for new characters. The action was all driven differently based on the characters' assignments and personalities throughout the battle, with brilliant descriptions almost bloating this book(in a good way).
If that was not enough, the characterization is absolutely A+. Seeing the loyalist view of how much Istvaan V caught them by surprise and almost seemed like an end to the Heresy before it started really gave more perspective of why the entirety of the war was built around prepping for the Siege of Terra.
I do actually really, really recommend specifically the audiobook for this. Keeble is so in his element it elevated the story beyond the highs it was already reaching.
French created one of the best illustrations of the grand nature of ridiculous grimdark space battles with Dropsite Massacre and I am so happy about it. This was unexpected, but not because of any ill will towards John French; au contraire, the bar was set quite high because of my nostalgia for Ahriman: The Omnibus. It handily cleared it.
The narrative tells a play-by-play of the titular event on Istvaan V, which previously had only really been deep-dove in Fulgrim, another Black Library favorite of mine. This book shows each aspect of each side of the Horus Heresy, with great characters both standalone and legends from the rest of the series. Maloghurst, Kor Phaeron & Kharn in particular were incredible returning faces, and Iron Hands Orth, Emperor's Children Calpurnius, Raven Guard Maun and the normal human soldier Astraea killed it for new characters. The action was all driven differently based on the characters' assignments and personalities throughout the battle, with brilliant descriptions almost bloating this book(in a good way).
If that was not enough, the characterization is absolutely A+. Seeing the loyalist view of how much Istvaan V caught them by surprise and almost seemed like an end to the Heresy before it started really gave more perspective of why the entirety of the war was built around prepping for the Siege of Terra.
I do actually really, really recommend specifically the audiobook for this. Keeble is so in his element it elevated the story beyond the highs it was already reaching.
December 1, 2025
Good!
A wave of nostalgia from years pass ... and a good book!
A wave of nostalgia from years pass ... and a good book!
December 29, 2025
Space Marines doing Space Marine things whilst being Space Marines. If you have read any of Horus Heresy Novels and enjoyed them, you will enjoy this one.
October 29, 2025
I like John French and this is a Siege of Terra level of quality book.
Why though? Why are we reading about the dropsite massacre in 2025? None of this is untrod ground. It's another shattered legions book covering the dropsite massacre. This wasn't timed to release with Saturnine or any wave of models, It's just comic universe style nonsense and greed and I'm sure we will see a limited edition in due time.
I would much rather have another Hollow King book from Mr French.
Why though? Why are we reading about the dropsite massacre in 2025? None of this is untrod ground. It's another shattered legions book covering the dropsite massacre. This wasn't timed to release with Saturnine or any wave of models, It's just comic universe style nonsense and greed and I'm sure we will see a limited edition in due time.
I would much rather have another Hollow King book from Mr French.
November 21, 2025
This does a great job of expanding on the bits of Isstvan V we see in the novel Fulgrim. I appreciate how well the cast of characters gets developed, and it was interesting to see things from a different perspective this go around.
November 18, 2025
we're so back. fits in perfectly post fulgrim as a return to the early days of the horus heresy, the character development French puts in for Ferraus Manus is long overdue; exploring the immediate character reaction to the betrayal of Horus and how it becomes known - less of a massacre itself book; more of the machinations leading up to it; but it hits home really well.
November 17, 2025
I thought that all that could be covered for the drop site massacre had already been done but was surprised by this book.
The last few chapters where you know what was coming but the loyalist characters didn’t was great.
Adds more depth and interest to Angron which was great.
Forgot how fun the Heresy books can be and looking forward to Ashes of the Imperium next month.
The last few chapters where you know what was coming but the loyalist characters didn’t was great.
Adds more depth and interest to Angron which was great.
Forgot how fun the Heresy books can be and looking forward to Ashes of the Imperium next month.
November 8, 2025
Fun read. Nice to inspire a heresy project.
Whilst I sort of wish I’d re read Horus rising up to Fulgrim before reading this I think it works as a stand alone.
I don’t think it tread on any toes of the early Heresy novels; and I’d fully expected it to read like an advert for the newer minis that recently came out (genuinely expected the characters to be all Saturnine armour folk) but it doesn’t!
Minor structural spoiler
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I’m not sure if the 4th act felt a bit of a sudden ending but that’s probably where the books Fulgrim and First Heretic take over.
Whilst I sort of wish I’d re read Horus rising up to Fulgrim before reading this I think it works as a stand alone.
I don’t think it tread on any toes of the early Heresy novels; and I’d fully expected it to read like an advert for the newer minis that recently came out (genuinely expected the characters to be all Saturnine armour folk) but it doesn’t!
Minor structural spoiler
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-
-
I’m not sure if the 4th act felt a bit of a sudden ending but that’s probably where the books Fulgrim and First Heretic take over.
October 31, 2025
IThe Istavaan massacre all Horus Heresy fans needed
This was the one story that needed telling in more detail than any other of the other horus heresy events, and oh boy, does John French deliver!
John French does a superb job of laying out all of the details and characters that made up this event, such as why and how Horus achieved such a near complete victory over three legions. Who let's not forget, in their very own rite, are exceptionally accomplished legions that are led by highly intellectual and tactical leaders. The groundwork laid out before, and the amount of forethought gone into such an ambush was very fulfilling to witness.
I also enjoyed seeing from the the other point of view as to why the retaliatery force attacked them way they did, they didn't just charge in with no plan, it was carefully considered from all angles.
Overall, this really felt like a story told not just to the fans of the series but also to those who would like to witness firsthand how this momentous event took place.
This was the one story that needed telling in more detail than any other of the other horus heresy events, and oh boy, does John French deliver!
John French does a superb job of laying out all of the details and characters that made up this event, such as why and how Horus achieved such a near complete victory over three legions. Who let's not forget, in their very own rite, are exceptionally accomplished legions that are led by highly intellectual and tactical leaders. The groundwork laid out before, and the amount of forethought gone into such an ambush was very fulfilling to witness.
I also enjoyed seeing from the the other point of view as to why the retaliatery force attacked them way they did, they didn't just charge in with no plan, it was carefully considered from all angles.
Overall, this really felt like a story told not just to the fans of the series but also to those who would like to witness firsthand how this momentous event took place.
November 7, 2025
i have to be honest! what a pleasant surprise.
when i first saw this released, i had my doubts. (why do we need another heresy book / dropsite massacre book?) but i was proven wrong!
this added a lot of depth to some of the primarchs, especially ferrus, as well as give some very interesting details ‘post betrayal’!
i still think this was a little bit of classic gw cash grab, timing this with the super recent ‘saturnine’ models.. but whatever. gw be gw-ing.
anyways.. 3.75 rounded up.
when i first saw this released, i had my doubts. (why do we need another heresy book / dropsite massacre book?) but i was proven wrong!
this added a lot of depth to some of the primarchs, especially ferrus, as well as give some very interesting details ‘post betrayal’!
i still think this was a little bit of classic gw cash grab, timing this with the super recent ‘saturnine’ models.. but whatever. gw be gw-ing.
anyways.. 3.75 rounded up.
November 4, 2025
4.5 stars.
I usually find John French's books to be not the best, but he proved me wrong with this one. We already know the events of Istavaan 5 through other Heresy novels, but this the first time we get a coherent telling of the event. Book contains great primarch interactions, which are always fun to listen. Great pacing and very little fluff. Gives much needed character development to Ferrus Manus.
I would recommend this book to everyone who is reading the Horus Heresy. Try reading this before/ after Book 5 Fulgrim.
Great narration by Jonathan Keeble as usual
I usually find John French's books to be not the best, but he proved me wrong with this one. We already know the events of Istavaan 5 through other Heresy novels, but this the first time we get a coherent telling of the event. Book contains great primarch interactions, which are always fun to listen. Great pacing and very little fluff. Gives much needed character development to Ferrus Manus.
I would recommend this book to everyone who is reading the Horus Heresy. Try reading this before/ after Book 5 Fulgrim.
Great narration by Jonathan Keeble as usual
October 27, 2025
A story about Istvan V got me excited and being narrated by mr keeble ! What’s not to love, it’s a good book but nothing new revealed, we have some HH icons appear Kharn, Fabius not forgetting the Primarchs, should have been better given the amount of time BL has had to bring this book to fruition
November 3, 2025
My fav John French book so far. He did an amazing job of filling in the blanks of istvann V
November 27, 2025
A surprisingly good event/bolter-porn warhammer book. Potentially, THE bolter-porn book because half of this novel is one massive battle that takes place over four hours. I don't really rate these types of warhammer books highly but this one here essentially has something for everyone who knows their 40K lore.
This book had: Primarch vs. Primarch, void battling, Titan battling, Astartes battling.
I have my preferences when it comes to what types of battles I like but honestly, none of the above really outstay their welcome. So instead, what the reader gets it a pretty good view of this epic battle from multiple levels of the engagement and multiple points of view characters. If it seems too much, it really isn't because essentially, "RawR! For the Emperor! Spes Merenes!" or "Grrr, gnashing of teeth, Horus!"
I recommend this book to warhammer fans who know their lore very well and want to have a solid action packed Horus Heresy novel that also delivers some insights into the thoughts and action of many Primarchs.
This book had: Primarch vs. Primarch, void battling, Titan battling, Astartes battling.
I have my preferences when it comes to what types of battles I like but honestly, none of the above really outstay their welcome. So instead, what the reader gets it a pretty good view of this epic battle from multiple levels of the engagement and multiple points of view characters. If it seems too much, it really isn't because essentially, "RawR! For the Emperor! Spes Merenes!" or "Grrr, gnashing of teeth, Horus!"
I recommend this book to warhammer fans who know their lore very well and want to have a solid action packed Horus Heresy novel that also delivers some insights into the thoughts and action of many Primarchs.
December 26, 2025
Loved this return to the Heresy. A complementary perspective to the events of Istvaan V, with sufficient emotional depth and character development not to be a standard, dreary Warhammer bolt-fest.
Some characterisation was disappointing to me personally (I have lost all hope of Angron having any form of respectability as a primarch, and Horus’ superiority over his brothers never really seems to be justified, for example).
The military strategy and tactics of Istvaan V seem to me to be the most heretical thing of the entire Heresy, and this book makes a decent attempt at trying to justify them, but I admit to being left unconvinced. But it is what it is, and in that the book is operating within parameters already set…
You do get a great sense for a battle performed with a sense of urgency.
Some characterisation was disappointing to me personally (I have lost all hope of Angron having any form of respectability as a primarch, and Horus’ superiority over his brothers never really seems to be justified, for example).
The military strategy and tactics of Istvaan V seem to me to be the most heretical thing of the entire Heresy, and this book makes a decent attempt at trying to justify them, but I admit to being left unconvinced. But it is what it is, and in that the book is operating within parameters already set…
You do get a great sense for a battle performed with a sense of urgency.
October 28, 2025
"The why is everything"
I was a bit skeptical on why we needed another Dropsite Massacre story as it may be the most covered moment in the Horsey Hersey. We hear about it first hand in Fulgrim, The First Hertic, and Deliverance Lost. Multiple short stories around the Salamanders, Ravenguard, and Nightlords, and Shattered Legions show us the battle and fall out of the Massacre itself.
What the Dropsite Massacre novel gives us is a prequel of sorts, a setting of the stage on why some of the events played out the way they did on both sides. How hubris and politics of gods resulted in the greatest catastrophe in Warhammer history. Unfortunately this book feels incomplete and should've detailed the entire battle far more thoroughly instead of just the first half. It is frustrating enough that I wanted to lower the score even further but the writing itself was the best John French has done in the Hersey and made what was there enjoyable.
I was a bit skeptical on why we needed another Dropsite Massacre story as it may be the most covered moment in the Horsey Hersey. We hear about it first hand in Fulgrim, The First Hertic, and Deliverance Lost. Multiple short stories around the Salamanders, Ravenguard, and Nightlords, and Shattered Legions show us the battle and fall out of the Massacre itself.
What the Dropsite Massacre novel gives us is a prequel of sorts, a setting of the stage on why some of the events played out the way they did on both sides. How hubris and politics of gods resulted in the greatest catastrophe in Warhammer history. Unfortunately this book feels incomplete and should've detailed the entire battle far more thoroughly instead of just the first half. It is frustrating enough that I wanted to lower the score even further but the writing itself was the best John French has done in the Hersey and made what was there enjoyable.
December 1, 2025
I want to love this book, French has done an outstanding job setting the scene, the tension and new details and point of views are fantastic and really varied. The issue, as often is, comes with the final act. We know how it has to go and I completely understand not wanting to revisit certain fights or flights, but the massacre itself is too fast and short for an entire titled book. We have those details elsewhere but across so many books, short stories, years, a decade now. It's so fragmented and hard to find reliably this could have went over and adressed it for modern readers, unfortunately it assumes you've read it all and even as someone who has, it's a shame
November 20, 2025
This was actually disappointing, without adding spoilers, the novel focuses on the preparations for the Dropsite Massacre from the POV of the Loyalists and the Traitors.
If you were expecting lots of fighting, you'll only find some at the end of the novel.
The one really good thing about this novel is that we get a look at the mentality of Ferrus Manus as he prepares for the attack, who is notably absent from Horus Heresy novels for obvious reasons.
If you have limited time or money and not a fan of the Iron Hands, then you can give this one a miss.
If you were expecting lots of fighting, you'll only find some at the end of the novel.
The one really good thing about this novel is that we get a look at the mentality of Ferrus Manus as he prepares for the attack, who is notably absent from Horus Heresy novels for obvious reasons.
If you have limited time or money and not a fan of the Iron Hands, then you can give this one a miss.
November 5, 2025
4.5 stars. I think the build up and multiple legion point of view was excellent and exploring a little more of Ferrus. I do think it could have added a little more perspective post betrayal but then again it be ret conning parts of other books I assume. I did like the fact that the alpha legion was one of the main reasons for why so many loyalists managed to get away as that felt more realistic then simple luck like other books hinted at.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2025
Dropsite Massacre managed to restore my enthusiasm about the Horus Heresy after The End and the Death killed it. It's filled me both with nostalgia as well as solved some lingering problems with the way the early Heresy was handled. It doesn't step on the toes of existing Isstvan V stories, but skillfully works around them to complement and complete the picture previously painted.
December 25, 2025
Where the fuck do I fucking start……this book was everything for me. Had my favorite legion the salamanders truly showed the hero human side. Didn’t expect tho for the alpha legion to hook me so bad. They are literally so fucking cool with never knowing truly if they’re bad or not
November 16, 2025
Awesome book. The very best of the Horus Heresy. Among my top 5 of the Horus Heresy series.
November 18, 2025
For a GW book it’s quite good tbh.
November 26, 2025
bastante bueno
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