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The Horus Heresy: Primarchs #1
Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar
Roboute Guilliman, the Battle King of Macragge, leads his Legion, the mighty Ultramarines, in conquest of the galaxy as part of his father's Great Crusade. Faced with an alien empire, all his dreams of a shining galaxy of peace threaten to fall into ruin...
Long before the coming of the Imperium, the realm of Ultramar was ruled by Roboute Guilliman, the last Battle King of Macragge. Even after learning of his true heritage as a primarch son of the Emperor of Mankind, he strove to expand his domain as efficiently and benevolently as possible, with the XIII Legion Ultramarines as his alone to command. Now, facing a rival empire on the ork-held world of Thoas, Guilliman must choose his weapons carefully – otherwise his dream of a brighter future could be lost forever.
It's the start of a brand new series of 18 books focusing on the greatest of heroes, the primarchs themselves. This volume kicks it all off with a tale of Roboute Guilliman at the height of his powers, leading his legion into battle at the apex of the Great Crusade.
Long before the coming of the Imperium, the realm of Ultramar was ruled by Roboute Guilliman, the last Battle King of Macragge. Even after learning of his true heritage as a primarch son of the Emperor of Mankind, he strove to expand his domain as efficiently and benevolently as possible, with the XIII Legion Ultramarines as his alone to command. Now, facing a rival empire on the ork-held world of Thoas, Guilliman must choose his weapons carefully – otherwise his dream of a brighter future could be lost forever.
It's the start of a brand new series of 18 books focusing on the greatest of heroes, the primarchs themselves. This volume kicks it all off with a tale of Roboute Guilliman at the height of his powers, leading his legion into battle at the apex of the Great Crusade.
181 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
April 7, 2019
The armies raced towards each other. The brutish shrieking of the enemy became ecstatic as the orks caught sight of the Ultramarines.
'Someone should tell them they've lost their empire', Gage said.
'I doubt they even know what they had,' said Guilliman. The greenskins understood battle and the joy of pillage. He doubted their comprehension extended much beyond the frenzy of the moment. They were worthy foes if all one sought was the contest of strength. But they did not have true empires. They were infestations that spread across worlds. The Ultramarines had quarantined this particular multi-system disease. Now they were going to wipe out the final infection.
Vote:☆☆☆1/2
Not bad at all, but I was expecting from this book a story about Guilliman's past on Ultramar, his relationship with his adoptive father and his reunion with the Emperor, not another "Ultramarines smash puny Orks" tale like so many others.
Besides that I liked very much the storyline, the Great Crusade setting, the interactions between characters and the insights about the 22nd Chapter's Destroyers. I'm just more fond of Annandale's space/horror themed stories like The Damnation of Pythos.
November 13, 2016
Review also published here
Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar is pretty much what I expected and wanted out of the Primarchs series. It offers a closer look on Guilliman, pre-Heresy, giving him time with his Legion before the events of Calth and Imperium Secundus - something that was sorely lacking up to this point.
First off, the book is structured in a very neat way. Each of the nine chapters is presented with an interlude, taken from Roboute Guilliman's treatises and reflections on war, cultural upheaval and morale. These interludes put an interesting spin on their chapters, as Annandale attempts to explore these disparate themes in the ongoing storyline. In my eyes, he succeeded in making the Primarch's actions consistent and sensible, and fully in line with his belief system.
Obviously, Roboute Guilliman is the star here. Unlike his pencil-pusher presence in the Horus Heresy series, with few actual personal engagements to speak of, here he kicks serious ork backside. He is a god of war, shown the way you'd expect a Primarch to act, slaughtering xenos and being a symbol to his Legion. If you've been bored of bean-counter Guilliman during the Imperium Secundus arc, this is for you.
This doesn't mean that the book isn't full of introspection on Roboute's end, however. He reflects on history-changing events such as the humbling of Lorgar and the Word Bearers at Monarchia, and the need to show his Legion that they are not just destroyers, but also creators during the Great Crusade. That is a theme that goes through the whole book, putting the Ultramarines in a tough spot.
The plot comes down to a simple premise: The Ultramarines are busy eradicating an ork empire around Ultramar, and on the brink of utter victory they come across an infested world which shows signs of human civilization. While no humans are still alive, Guilliman wants to preserve the remaining architecture and raise the world up as an example of human indurance and reincorporate their findings into the Imperium and resettle the planet.
This means that Guilliman compromises his Legion's heavy weapon usage and has no desire to utilize the Destroyer companies of the Legion, serving with the Nemesis Chapter. Unhappy with the divide between the heavily terran Destroyers and the rest of the Legion, and unsettled by the resentment they have for their idleness during the Great Crusade, the Primarch attempts to shake things up by appointing a captain from a different Chapter as their new Chapter Master, in spite of tradition and the Destroyers' prefered candidate.
Loyalty is questioned and disobedience considered, throwing a wrench or two in the campaign, on top of the greenskins' dominance.
The Destroyer forces within the Legion were relative latecomers to the Horus Heresy series; it is safe to say that ForgeWorld's work on the tabletop system were the driving force behind their inclusion. So to me, this novel did a good job rationalizing their relative absence from at least the Ultramarines and by extension other Legions, and shows very well just how contradictory the devastating tactics of the forces are when the Legions are supposed to bring worlds into compliance. It is difficult to bring worlds into compliance after you nuke them and poison the ecosystem for decades if not centuries to come. Guilliman's distaste is fully justified, and also echoes forward to Gav Thorpe's Angels of Caliban , where Lion El'Johnson lets his own Dreadwing loose on potential traitors and terrorists on Macragge.
In my opinion, the biggest draw of the novel is Guilliman's characterization and his interactions with his Legion commanders. It is a great book to give you a feel of his style of leadership, and how his famed pragmatism is contrasted by his idealistic streak. He rationalizes various decisions throughout the campaign, despite some doubts remaining, and is willing to make concessions for idealistic goals. He is utterly competent, but not infallible.
Additionally, he also reflects on a few of his brothers and their ideologies, especially Fulgrim's search for perfect warfare, or Angron's brutality. There are some good nuggets here that are as of yet untouched by the Heresy, and I appreciate them. It also shows his distaste of what the XIIIth Legion had to do on Monarchia, and the wounds that left for the Legion; we had plenty of examples of how it affected the Word Bearers, including Annandale's own The Unburdened , but the Ultramarines had little on that front, as the treachery of the sons of Lorgar almost immediately overshadowed it.
Readers shouldn't go in expecting big revelations, however. The war itself isn't vital in itself, and the stakes seem relatively low early on; they do shoot up sky high about halfway through, however, resulting in some big, bombastic scenes and massive risks to the Ultramarines. But the real worth is in Annandale's characterizations of established and new characters alike, and showcasing the spirit of the Legion. It feels like an Ultramarines book at the core, with interesting implications and well-handled characters that iconify the Legion's philosophy and way of war. That is all I wanted, and I am happy that Roboute Guilliman delivered.
Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar is pretty much what I expected and wanted out of the Primarchs series. It offers a closer look on Guilliman, pre-Heresy, giving him time with his Legion before the events of Calth and Imperium Secundus - something that was sorely lacking up to this point.
First off, the book is structured in a very neat way. Each of the nine chapters is presented with an interlude, taken from Roboute Guilliman's treatises and reflections on war, cultural upheaval and morale. These interludes put an interesting spin on their chapters, as Annandale attempts to explore these disparate themes in the ongoing storyline. In my eyes, he succeeded in making the Primarch's actions consistent and sensible, and fully in line with his belief system.
Obviously, Roboute Guilliman is the star here. Unlike his pencil-pusher presence in the Horus Heresy series, with few actual personal engagements to speak of, here he kicks serious ork backside. He is a god of war, shown the way you'd expect a Primarch to act, slaughtering xenos and being a symbol to his Legion. If you've been bored of bean-counter Guilliman during the Imperium Secundus arc, this is for you.
This doesn't mean that the book isn't full of introspection on Roboute's end, however. He reflects on history-changing events such as the humbling of Lorgar and the Word Bearers at Monarchia, and the need to show his Legion that they are not just destroyers, but also creators during the Great Crusade. That is a theme that goes through the whole book, putting the Ultramarines in a tough spot.
The plot comes down to a simple premise: The Ultramarines are busy eradicating an ork empire around Ultramar, and on the brink of utter victory they come across an infested world which shows signs of human civilization. While no humans are still alive, Guilliman wants to preserve the remaining architecture and raise the world up as an example of human indurance and reincorporate their findings into the Imperium and resettle the planet.
This means that Guilliman compromises his Legion's heavy weapon usage and has no desire to utilize the Destroyer companies of the Legion, serving with the Nemesis Chapter. Unhappy with the divide between the heavily terran Destroyers and the rest of the Legion, and unsettled by the resentment they have for their idleness during the Great Crusade, the Primarch attempts to shake things up by appointing a captain from a different Chapter as their new Chapter Master, in spite of tradition and the Destroyers' prefered candidate.
Loyalty is questioned and disobedience considered, throwing a wrench or two in the campaign, on top of the greenskins' dominance.
The Destroyer forces within the Legion were relative latecomers to the Horus Heresy series; it is safe to say that ForgeWorld's work on the tabletop system were the driving force behind their inclusion. So to me, this novel did a good job rationalizing their relative absence from at least the Ultramarines and by extension other Legions, and shows very well just how contradictory the devastating tactics of the forces are when the Legions are supposed to bring worlds into compliance. It is difficult to bring worlds into compliance after you nuke them and poison the ecosystem for decades if not centuries to come. Guilliman's distaste is fully justified, and also echoes forward to Gav Thorpe's Angels of Caliban , where Lion El'Johnson lets his own Dreadwing loose on potential traitors and terrorists on Macragge.
In my opinion, the biggest draw of the novel is Guilliman's characterization and his interactions with his Legion commanders. It is a great book to give you a feel of his style of leadership, and how his famed pragmatism is contrasted by his idealistic streak. He rationalizes various decisions throughout the campaign, despite some doubts remaining, and is willing to make concessions for idealistic goals. He is utterly competent, but not infallible.
Additionally, he also reflects on a few of his brothers and their ideologies, especially Fulgrim's search for perfect warfare, or Angron's brutality. There are some good nuggets here that are as of yet untouched by the Heresy, and I appreciate them. It also shows his distaste of what the XIIIth Legion had to do on Monarchia, and the wounds that left for the Legion; we had plenty of examples of how it affected the Word Bearers, including Annandale's own The Unburdened , but the Ultramarines had little on that front, as the treachery of the sons of Lorgar almost immediately overshadowed it.
Readers shouldn't go in expecting big revelations, however. The war itself isn't vital in itself, and the stakes seem relatively low early on; they do shoot up sky high about halfway through, however, resulting in some big, bombastic scenes and massive risks to the Ultramarines. But the real worth is in Annandale's characterizations of established and new characters alike, and showcasing the spirit of the Legion. It feels like an Ultramarines book at the core, with interesting implications and well-handled characters that iconify the Legion's philosophy and way of war. That is all I wanted, and I am happy that Roboute Guilliman delivered.
January 4, 2017
I was expecting more. Plus I felt that some of it didn't really add up especially with how I understand the Ultramarines act and behave in concern toward order and most especially their primarch.
November 24, 2019
6/10
No es ni de lejos de lo mejor que he leído en este universo. Esperaba conocer más sobre Guilliman, y aunque se dicen cosas interesantes sobre él, tampoco descubren nada nuevo ni aportan un contexto demasiado interesante.
Solo recomendable para aquellos muy fans de la Herejía de Horus, y tampoco creo que incluso para esos, sea una lectura imprescindible.
No es ni de lejos de lo mejor que he leído en este universo. Esperaba conocer más sobre Guilliman, y aunque se dicen cosas interesantes sobre él, tampoco descubren nada nuevo ni aportan un contexto demasiado interesante.
Solo recomendable para aquellos muy fans de la Herejía de Horus, y tampoco creo que incluso para esos, sea una lectura imprescindible.
July 6, 2016
Ah the Primarchs! Such hugely iconic figures that the Heresy really brought to life for the first time, and now they have their own spin-off series, in which this is the first book.
Now, initially, I thought it a bit of an odd choice, considering the overall "vanilla flavor" the Ultramarines have in general, but having finished it, I think it works out pretty Damn Well.
Why not start with the poster boys of the 41st millennium? Here we get to see the Ultramarines really at their prime, conquering the galaxy and annihilating mankind's enemies as they were designed to.We really get to see the STC of Space Marines, as far as personality and methods of war go. And we get to see their Lord marching at the front of that idea.
The story itself was great, if a little unimaginative. Orks control a once human world and the Ultramarines are there to take it back. We have a few storylines following a few different characters in the XIII Legion, from New Chapter Masters to the big man his-self, though we definitely spend most of our time with Roboute. I think the Destoryer's plotline really deserves a mention as being particularly fun. Of course any part of the overall story with Roboute was a blast, and getting to see inside his head during a hard fought war of the Great Crusade was probably my favourite thing about the novel. We didn't only see angry papa-smurf being betrayed or angry papa-smurf angry/worried about his second Imperium.
The characters of the story were pretty awesome as well. Some fury I didn't expect from the Ultramarines, and a Roboute who was such a patronising ass I literally laughed, as well as seeing how the Ultramarines reacted to some unthinkable events. It was all pretty Damn good. He really did a phenomenal job with the Destroyer's characters as well, and I found myself honestly rooting for some or groaning at others!
The action really shines as well, which is something I was midly worried about since I normally prefer Annandale's more "ideals/horror" focused stuff, but it really was a blast here.
All in all, it was a very strong first entry for the series, and I can't wait to see where it goes!
Now, initially, I thought it a bit of an odd choice, considering the overall "vanilla flavor" the Ultramarines have in general, but having finished it, I think it works out pretty Damn Well.
Why not start with the poster boys of the 41st millennium? Here we get to see the Ultramarines really at their prime, conquering the galaxy and annihilating mankind's enemies as they were designed to.We really get to see the STC of Space Marines, as far as personality and methods of war go. And we get to see their Lord marching at the front of that idea.
The story itself was great, if a little unimaginative. Orks control a once human world and the Ultramarines are there to take it back. We have a few storylines following a few different characters in the XIII Legion, from New Chapter Masters to the big man his-self, though we definitely spend most of our time with Roboute. I think the Destoryer's plotline really deserves a mention as being particularly fun. Of course any part of the overall story with Roboute was a blast, and getting to see inside his head during a hard fought war of the Great Crusade was probably my favourite thing about the novel. We didn't only see angry papa-smurf being betrayed or angry papa-smurf angry/worried about his second Imperium.
The characters of the story were pretty awesome as well. Some fury I didn't expect from the Ultramarines, and a Roboute who was such a patronising ass I literally laughed, as well as seeing how the Ultramarines reacted to some unthinkable events. It was all pretty Damn good. He really did a phenomenal job with the Destroyer's characters as well, and I found myself honestly rooting for some or groaning at others!
The action really shines as well, which is something I was midly worried about since I normally prefer Annandale's more "ideals/horror" focused stuff, but it really was a blast here.
All in all, it was a very strong first entry for the series, and I can't wait to see where it goes!
September 24, 2019
“What kind of a culture was he rediscovering for Imperial history?”
In my humble opinion, no matter how alluring it may be to regard this first novel in the Primarchs sub-series as just another ‘bolterporn’ sample, it’s really far more than that. The entire Ultramarines vs. Orks planetary campaign – the clash of civilisation vs. barbarity in the 30K setting – actually presents only the outer layer of the story. In truth, ‘Roboute Guilliman’ is an instructive and much intriguing parable about the aftermath of a long-forgotten fratricidal war that obviously and cleverly foreshadows the grim events of one particular Heresy which, at the time, is just beginning to brew on the distant horizon. And, perhaps in a much greater measure, about what the human Imperium – this seemingly indomitable bastion of ultimate progress and radiant reason – shall one day become.
The story takes place during the Emperor’s Great Crusade whose primary goal is to make a decisive end to all wars and bring Mankind peace and prosperity. And this is when Primarch Guilliman and his sons discover the last traces of an extinct, obscure but once undeniably powerful human empire. Soon the master of the 13th Legion gets to learn much from those discoveries, vividly testifying to the sheer degree of atrocities that the very people the Adeptus Astartes were created to protect and glorify are capable of…
The many little hints and cues appearing throughout the story all work to contribute to the narrative in subtle and significant ways, linking this standalone tale to the greater history of the ascending Imperium of Man – and to the inevitable beginning of its end. The greenskins, these filthy xenos beasts, are deservedly and mercilessly wiped out in a proper Space Marine way. (Intentionally or not, the heart of their brutish ‘empire’ looks uncannily like a direct opposite to the golden throne of the Imperium…) However, as the warriors of the 13th Legion eventually understand in the cyclopean ruins of Thoas, it is the sheer innate brutality of Mankind itself that is the direst threat to its own Great Crusade – and, as the certain uprising of an embittered demigod shall soon reveal, to the humanity en masse.
May 17, 2016
When embarking on a new series, the first step is always the most difficult. Luckily David Annandale leaps to it with gusto.
For an age, fans have clamoured for a Primarchs series; a concept which is laden with its own potential pitfalls. Would they be simple origin stories, when we've already touched on them so repeatedly in the main narrative? Would they be blown up versions of classic lore and errata? These issues are sidestepped with an opening that is both novel and traditional, acknowledging the past while hinting tantalisingly at the future.
The short sharp sentences of Annandale propel us through a story that is equal parts action and meditation. Guilliman's insights pepper the novel and act as chapter breaks. The constant flick between practical and theoretical, the idea of what it means to be a superior culture fighting a superior form of warfare- and what comes after.
Annandale adds to the humanity and depth granted to Guilliman by Know No Fear, portraying a man caught between past mistake and future concerns. The supporting cast of characters are reasonably well developed, giving the XIII Legion an increasingly organic feel and fit.
All in all, this was an enjoyable and engaging story that showcases Annandale's fundamental understanding: that 30k/40k have always acted as mirrors to brutal past and impossible future.
For an age, fans have clamoured for a Primarchs series; a concept which is laden with its own potential pitfalls. Would they be simple origin stories, when we've already touched on them so repeatedly in the main narrative? Would they be blown up versions of classic lore and errata? These issues are sidestepped with an opening that is both novel and traditional, acknowledging the past while hinting tantalisingly at the future.
The short sharp sentences of Annandale propel us through a story that is equal parts action and meditation. Guilliman's insights pepper the novel and act as chapter breaks. The constant flick between practical and theoretical, the idea of what it means to be a superior culture fighting a superior form of warfare- and what comes after.
Annandale adds to the humanity and depth granted to Guilliman by Know No Fear, portraying a man caught between past mistake and future concerns. The supporting cast of characters are reasonably well developed, giving the XIII Legion an increasingly organic feel and fit.
All in all, this was an enjoyable and engaging story that showcases Annandale's fundamental understanding: that 30k/40k have always acted as mirrors to brutal past and impossible future.
August 1, 2019
Guilliman is one of the most iconic character in the Warhammer 30-40k universe and giving him a spin-off novel to show him what his role in this grim dark future is huge treat. Setting this novel before the heresy and showing the capability of his legion the "Utramarines" during there prime is something I was wanting to read for a long time. Specially that there basically the poster boys of the entire franchise (but I still prefer the blood angels.. wink. wink) and his back in the main storyline (spoilers from Gathering Storm 3)
The book is structure really well done. For example, every chapter starts with a point of view of Guilliman on his written codex and that interlude is the main focus of that specific chapter.
But for a big warhammer fan. This is also disappointing (don't worry it's a "It's me not you" thing). The story is little bit boring. Basically the main focus of the story is to retake a city from a horde of orks and showing the psyche of the ultramarine during a heat battle.
But all and all. The book was good written, had really good phasing and not hard hard to read at all. 3.5-4 purity seals out of 5 :)
May the emperor protec
The book is structure really well done. For example, every chapter starts with a point of view of Guilliman on his written codex and that interlude is the main focus of that specific chapter.
But for a big warhammer fan. This is also disappointing (don't worry it's a "It's me not you" thing). The story is little bit boring. Basically the main focus of the story is to retake a city from a horde of orks and showing the psyche of the ultramarine during a heat battle.
But all and all. The book was good written, had really good phasing and not hard hard to read at all. 3.5-4 purity seals out of 5 :)
May the emperor protec
December 4, 2016
I was sooo excited about this book , I expected it to give more insight into the character of Roboute Guilliman of the Ultramarines. My expectations were not met, the book is mostly about the battles on Thoas and eradicating the green skins and that didn't add anything to my knowledge about the primarch and boy that was disappointing. I was hoping for more events from his previous life, his human father, maybe some interaction with the Emperor which is always welcome ( in my opinion )
Another thing is the repetitiveness of words. I noticed the author used the same words almost consecutively which I find weird.
Another thing is the repetitiveness of words. I noticed the author used the same words almost consecutively which I find weird.
June 25, 2017
This was okay. Good enough for a filler story you'd casually read in between the major ones. Not good enough for something titled with a Primarch's name. I believe these books should've let us look closer at each Primarch and show us exactly who they are, I don't think this one really does that. It was not bad though.
January 8, 2020
It's.....meh. And I'm an Ultramarine fanboy. I was hoping for some insight into the mind of Guilliman, but what I got was a battle against the orks.
It's a fine story, but I don't think it deserves the title of importance it got, and it doesn't develop Guilliman as a character in any way.
You do get a lot of "theoretical" and "practical" snippets though......
It's a fine story, but I don't think it deserves the title of importance it got, and it doesn't develop Guilliman as a character in any way.
You do get a lot of "theoretical" and "practical" snippets though......
February 3, 2024
I am not having the best time with the Primarchs series so far. Lorgar's book wasn't great and reading about all the horrific things Lorgar was put through was unpleasant, but at least I was fully invested in the character and learning more about their life. I was hoping to get some of that here, but this is essentially just a story about an Ultramarines operation during the Great Crusade that doesn't really relate to the wider Horus Heresy Series or add interesting depth to the Warriors of Ultramar or their Primarch.
Guilliman is having some feelings about one of his Chapters that is less like the others and makes an unpopular decision regarding their leadership, ahead of taking on an Ork empire and doing a big fight in a vaguely ominous pyramid.
Cards on the table, I can't stand Roboute Guilliman and the Ultramarines as who Legion or Chapter, likewise with Rogal Dorn and the Imperial Fists. There are individuals I enjoy, like Thiel and Ventanus, and I love Know No Fear, but the general mien and culture of those Primarchs and Legions/ Chapters, in my personal opinion, fundamentally lack an interesting veneer or conflict that explains or allows them to justify what they do. There are obviously Legions, etc. who do far worse things, like the Word Bearers, but Lorgar's life, conflict, and corruption make it make sense within context and their who nightmare undivided paganism-meets-catholicism Chaos worship shtick is awesome. Erebus and Kor Phaeron are still the absolute worst.
All of that being said, coming to this for the first, and almost certainly last, time on the back of Know No Fear and Honour to the Dead, I was ready to really give the XIII Primarch a fair shake and was enjoying Annandale's prose and the strange politics and inscrutable logic of the Lord of Ultramar. I was even finding the constant Guilliman quotes, in every break in the text and in the dialogue, charming for a while.
It seemed like we were looking at a like father like son situation in terms of handling their progeny, as we know how the Emperor is the galaxy's worst dad, when Guilliman decided to shake things up. I was expecting some Roboute Night Shymalan twist where he knew what he was doing all along, but it didn't really end up being anything in particular.
Spending so much time with Guilliman brought home just how truly insufferable he his with his constant preaching giving New Atheism™ theoretical zealotory, which is exacerbated by the way his sycophantic officers are constantly quoting him back to him too. The problem you are faced with when writing about someone who is a great writer and thinker is delivering that. Thankfully, it's already been established that, while we're supposed to treat the last Battle King of Macragge as the combination of Marcus Aurelius and Sun Tzu combined, he just opines bits of logic and tactics in the most super smart person on reddit kinda way. This is amusing in small doses, but the sheer volume of quotes from Guilliman's various LiveJournals and tumblrs is maddening and really makes the 'joke' ware thin.
The highlight of the book for me was the serious and scary flavour Orks come in during the Heresy. Don't get me wrong, I love an absolutely ridiculous git with a ludicrous Cockney accent, but there's just something about how intense they are in this series. Reading about their ludicrous weapons and Inventions described in a serious and epic tone is a lot of fun, and there's a great description of some nightmare cut and shut vehicle that I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, the Orks stop being veery interesting or detailed, and the final confrontation sigh the Ork Emperor is powerfully underwhelming.
Listening to Ultramarines fighting Orks, while playing an Ultramarine fighting Orks in Space Marine was run though, but that's just my ridiculous and embarrassing life choices, rather than the book.
If you want some truly transcendent Horus Heresy Ork action, I thoroughly recommend the Wolf of Ash and Fire by Graham McNeill, which sees the Emperor and Horus go absolutely hogwild and has some of the most epic and mind-bending Ork stuff.
I think the problem I have is similar to the issues I raised with Battle for the Abyss, this doesn't really feel like a Horus Heresy or even a Primarch novel. There's a tiny bit of vaguely foreboding imagery in the pyramid and Guilliman deciding to do some repression and lying, which probably qualifies as dramatic irony, but this had it's limited run in 2016, ten years after the beginning of the series, and probably at least a few more years until it got a wider realise, so the dramatic irony well is pretty dry and needs something a bit more impactful to have that Heresy feeling.
Again, just like BFTA, this only needs the most minimum of changes to make is just a regular Warhammer 40K story, swap Calgar in for Guilliman and Ventris or another officer in for Calgar, if it's set before Roboute returns, or change practically nothing at all if you set in in the Dark Imperium. I actually think having Guilliman see the imagery and it causing him to remember Monarchia and reflect on the Heresy would actually be more powerful that this being set shortly after Monarchia.
I feel like I've gone in really hard on this, and I don't mean to be unfair, especially after performing such a powerful 180° on Honour to the Dead after listening to it again today. I am just reflecting on my honest experiences and holding this series that I respect and care deeply for to the high standard it set itself and, at least in this re-read suing the the Heresy Omnibus suggested reading order (www.heresyomnibus.com), has largely maintained. I absolutely wouldn't be this critical if this was a regular Warhammer 40K story.
Ultimately, I found this book to be seriously lacking the tragedy and pathos that, along with the mythic legendary tone, are the lifeblood of this series. Guilliman feels a wee bit perturbed by Monarchia and Lorgar's trauma, so he wants to focus more on preserving and creating than just war. He excuses his actions with the XVII as necessary, which is somehow worse than him being a mindless weapon. Sadly, that reflection isn't given any time or weight, just like the organisation drama that is the whole beginning of the book. It does play a part in the narrative, but there's no emotional connection.
Regardless, I do want to point out that Annandale's prose is good and Longworth's narration is spectacular as always. Unfortunately, it just felt like the longest 181 pages/ 5 hours book I have read in a while. You're mileage may vary.
I can only really recommend this for the completionists and those pledged to the 500 Worlds of Ultramar.
"Don't let you plans be dreams"
- Roboute Guilliman
I was going to do a bit of a These Words by Natasha Bedingfield parody - Theoretical Words, like I did with The Ballad of Tchure and Luciel for Know No Fear, but I only got as far as this as I jsif wasn't feeling as invested and inspired.
Read some Cadmus, Karkasy and Voss
Purged the Greenskins off of Thoas
I'm having trouble Hierax thinks I'm mean
But Nemesis is more Angron's scene
These words are my own
From my Codex
Theoretical, Theoretical, Practical
There's no other way
For the Astartes
Practical, Practical!
Guilliman is having some feelings about one of his Chapters that is less like the others and makes an unpopular decision regarding their leadership, ahead of taking on an Ork empire and doing a big fight in a vaguely ominous pyramid.
Cards on the table, I can't stand Roboute Guilliman and the Ultramarines as who Legion or Chapter, likewise with Rogal Dorn and the Imperial Fists. There are individuals I enjoy, like Thiel and Ventanus, and I love Know No Fear, but the general mien and culture of those Primarchs and Legions/ Chapters, in my personal opinion, fundamentally lack an interesting veneer or conflict that explains or allows them to justify what they do. There are obviously Legions, etc. who do far worse things, like the Word Bearers, but Lorgar's life, conflict, and corruption make it make sense within context and their who nightmare undivided paganism-meets-catholicism Chaos worship shtick is awesome. Erebus and Kor Phaeron are still the absolute worst.
All of that being said, coming to this for the first, and almost certainly last, time on the back of Know No Fear and Honour to the Dead, I was ready to really give the XIII Primarch a fair shake and was enjoying Annandale's prose and the strange politics and inscrutable logic of the Lord of Ultramar. I was even finding the constant Guilliman quotes, in every break in the text and in the dialogue, charming for a while.
It seemed like we were looking at a like father like son situation in terms of handling their progeny, as we know how the Emperor is the galaxy's worst dad, when Guilliman decided to shake things up. I was expecting some Roboute Night Shymalan twist where he knew what he was doing all along, but it didn't really end up being anything in particular.
Spending so much time with Guilliman brought home just how truly insufferable he his with his constant preaching giving New Atheism™ theoretical zealotory, which is exacerbated by the way his sycophantic officers are constantly quoting him back to him too. The problem you are faced with when writing about someone who is a great writer and thinker is delivering that. Thankfully, it's already been established that, while we're supposed to treat the last Battle King of Macragge as the combination of Marcus Aurelius and Sun Tzu combined, he just opines bits of logic and tactics in the most super smart person on reddit kinda way. This is amusing in small doses, but the sheer volume of quotes from Guilliman's various LiveJournals and tumblrs is maddening and really makes the 'joke' ware thin.
The highlight of the book for me was the serious and scary flavour Orks come in during the Heresy. Don't get me wrong, I love an absolutely ridiculous git with a ludicrous Cockney accent, but there's just something about how intense they are in this series. Reading about their ludicrous weapons and Inventions described in a serious and epic tone is a lot of fun, and there's a great description of some nightmare cut and shut vehicle that I thoroughly enjoyed. Unfortunately, the Orks stop being veery interesting or detailed, and the final confrontation sigh the Ork Emperor is powerfully underwhelming.
Listening to Ultramarines fighting Orks, while playing an Ultramarine fighting Orks in Space Marine was run though, but that's just my ridiculous and embarrassing life choices, rather than the book.
If you want some truly transcendent Horus Heresy Ork action, I thoroughly recommend the Wolf of Ash and Fire by Graham McNeill, which sees the Emperor and Horus go absolutely hogwild and has some of the most epic and mind-bending Ork stuff.
I think the problem I have is similar to the issues I raised with Battle for the Abyss, this doesn't really feel like a Horus Heresy or even a Primarch novel. There's a tiny bit of vaguely foreboding imagery in the pyramid and Guilliman deciding to do some repression and lying, which probably qualifies as dramatic irony, but this had it's limited run in 2016, ten years after the beginning of the series, and probably at least a few more years until it got a wider realise, so the dramatic irony well is pretty dry and needs something a bit more impactful to have that Heresy feeling.
Again, just like BFTA, this only needs the most minimum of changes to make is just a regular Warhammer 40K story, swap Calgar in for Guilliman and Ventris or another officer in for Calgar, if it's set before Roboute returns, or change practically nothing at all if you set in in the Dark Imperium. I actually think having Guilliman see the imagery and it causing him to remember Monarchia and reflect on the Heresy would actually be more powerful that this being set shortly after Monarchia.
I feel like I've gone in really hard on this, and I don't mean to be unfair, especially after performing such a powerful 180° on Honour to the Dead after listening to it again today. I am just reflecting on my honest experiences and holding this series that I respect and care deeply for to the high standard it set itself and, at least in this re-read suing the the Heresy Omnibus suggested reading order (www.heresyomnibus.com), has largely maintained. I absolutely wouldn't be this critical if this was a regular Warhammer 40K story.
Ultimately, I found this book to be seriously lacking the tragedy and pathos that, along with the mythic legendary tone, are the lifeblood of this series. Guilliman feels a wee bit perturbed by Monarchia and Lorgar's trauma, so he wants to focus more on preserving and creating than just war. He excuses his actions with the XVII as necessary, which is somehow worse than him being a mindless weapon. Sadly, that reflection isn't given any time or weight, just like the organisation drama that is the whole beginning of the book. It does play a part in the narrative, but there's no emotional connection.
Regardless, I do want to point out that Annandale's prose is good and Longworth's narration is spectacular as always. Unfortunately, it just felt like the longest 181 pages/ 5 hours book I have read in a while. You're mileage may vary.
I can only really recommend this for the completionists and those pledged to the 500 Worlds of Ultramar.
"Don't let you plans be dreams"
- Roboute Guilliman
I was going to do a bit of a These Words by Natasha Bedingfield parody - Theoretical Words, like I did with The Ballad of Tchure and Luciel for Know No Fear, but I only got as far as this as I jsif wasn't feeling as invested and inspired.
Read some Cadmus, Karkasy and Voss
Purged the Greenskins off of Thoas
I'm having trouble Hierax thinks I'm mean
But Nemesis is more Angron's scene
These words are my own
From my Codex
Theoretical, Theoretical, Practical
There's no other way
For the Astartes
Practical, Practical!
March 25, 2025
Seeing an unorganized Ultramarines was really interesting knowing what they become. Guilliman making any comparison to Thaos to Calth was just devastating. He called the time between an age of innocence, that broke my heart.
I also loved seeing Guilliman think fondly of Agron and Fulgrim, this man loved his brothers. The tragedy of the Primarchs will always hurt.
I also loved seeing Guilliman think fondly of Agron and Fulgrim, this man loved his brothers. The tragedy of the Primarchs will always hurt.
October 21, 2021
Now that I’ve read two of the Primarch series titles, I think I misjudged what they would be about. I thought they would be origin stories, and they are not. The extremely heavy foreshadowing of Thoas’ history was admittedly pretty funny given the Horus Heresy, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
December 17, 2020
Guilliman is one of the "good" guys in Warhammer 40k. Completely coincidentally, he's an extreme Ayran caricature. He has to be handled with care, otherwise you've written a pretty explicit white supremacist piece.
I Want My Fantasies to be Accurate
Guilliman is sold to the reader as a brilliant strategist/tactician/logician/management type. He and his soldiers operate on some "theoretical/practical" call and response style that loses its edge after the first five times and doesn't get it back over the next fifty.
Anyway, Guilliman is actually not very good... ...at all. Even in the confusing Warhammer 40k universe, where close quarters combat intertwines with ranged, it's kind of obvious. Here, concepts of mass and envelopment are as fantastical as lasers. Guilliman deliberately surrenders the opportunity to use his most effective weapons because he has less patience than my two year old demanding Thomas the Tank Engine. When we read this exchange:
'You're not going to guess by how much, are you?'
'The attempt would be irresponsible'
...it doesn't come off as humble professionalism, instead it's an admission that after multiple battles the Ultramarines still haven't worked out how to count. If you've got seven bullets left, it's kind of important to know if you still have seven men to kill or seventy.
This isn't me Monday morning quarterbacking about tactics in a fantasy universe. Rather it's about the basic concept of showing rather than telling. Magnus controlling a gigantic starship with his psychic energy is "accurate" to me, because it shows his psychic powers, and the strain it inflicts. Guilliman blundering round like he stepped on Lego in the dark while quoting from a codex about how brilliant he is shows me nothing.
Triumph of the Will
It was the difference between destructive instinct and purpose-led order. The difference between the monstrosity of the past and the infinite hope of the future.
So there's a lot of awkward Deus Vult imagery in this book, shabbily covered with that go-to cultural concept of "Reason":
'The orks are unreason. They cannot hope to win. They have no defence against our most powerful weapon. Reason.'
The space ork antagonists and their desire for battle can be portrayed in interesting ways. That is not the case here. They are a horde, brutish, animalistic, and unreason. It doesn't matter who the orks particularly represent, just that they stand in opposition to this very white man and his very vanilla-heroic troops.
Warhammer 40k isn't exactly politically correct, where diversity amongst the Primarchs devolves into a guy coloured black, a guy coloured red (as in red red), and a walking Asian stereotype, but I still shouldn't be reading spank bank material for the Fourth Reich. We are being lead to celebrate the aggressors in a war of extermination. If there's some deeper subversive meaning hidden in this, congrats on finding it, because I'm still scratching my head.
There's some fluff at the end about Guilliman destroying traces of a civilisation devoted to war, because that's bad but in the context of him being on a Great Crusade, it's really a weak shrug of the shoulders, a mumble about how peace is good, then pressing the button to commence orbital bombardment.
I feel like this book is an unambiguous miss. The writing is fine but I am unhappy with the direction it took.
I Want My Fantasies to be Accurate
Guilliman is sold to the reader as a brilliant strategist/tactician/logician/management type. He and his soldiers operate on some "theoretical/practical" call and response style that loses its edge after the first five times and doesn't get it back over the next fifty.
Anyway, Guilliman is actually not very good... ...at all. Even in the confusing Warhammer 40k universe, where close quarters combat intertwines with ranged, it's kind of obvious. Here, concepts of mass and envelopment are as fantastical as lasers. Guilliman deliberately surrenders the opportunity to use his most effective weapons because he has less patience than my two year old demanding Thomas the Tank Engine. When we read this exchange:
'You're not going to guess by how much, are you?'
'The attempt would be irresponsible'
...it doesn't come off as humble professionalism, instead it's an admission that after multiple battles the Ultramarines still haven't worked out how to count. If you've got seven bullets left, it's kind of important to know if you still have seven men to kill or seventy.
This isn't me Monday morning quarterbacking about tactics in a fantasy universe. Rather it's about the basic concept of showing rather than telling. Magnus controlling a gigantic starship with his psychic energy is "accurate" to me, because it shows his psychic powers, and the strain it inflicts. Guilliman blundering round like he stepped on Lego in the dark while quoting from a codex about how brilliant he is shows me nothing.
Triumph of the Will
It was the difference between destructive instinct and purpose-led order. The difference between the monstrosity of the past and the infinite hope of the future.
So there's a lot of awkward Deus Vult imagery in this book, shabbily covered with that go-to cultural concept of "Reason":
'The orks are unreason. They cannot hope to win. They have no defence against our most powerful weapon. Reason.'
The space ork antagonists and their desire for battle can be portrayed in interesting ways. That is not the case here. They are a horde, brutish, animalistic, and unreason. It doesn't matter who the orks particularly represent, just that they stand in opposition to this very white man and his very vanilla-heroic troops.
Warhammer 40k isn't exactly politically correct, where diversity amongst the Primarchs devolves into a guy coloured black, a guy coloured red (as in red red), and a walking Asian stereotype, but I still shouldn't be reading spank bank material for the Fourth Reich. We are being lead to celebrate the aggressors in a war of extermination. If there's some deeper subversive meaning hidden in this, congrats on finding it, because I'm still scratching my head.
There's some fluff at the end about Guilliman destroying traces of a civilisation devoted to war, because that's bad but in the context of him being on a Great Crusade, it's really a weak shrug of the shoulders, a mumble about how peace is good, then pressing the button to commence orbital bombardment.
I feel like this book is an unambiguous miss. The writing is fine but I am unhappy with the direction it took.
November 8, 2017
You likely already know if you'll enjoy this book before even reading my (or any) review.
Not having read any Warhammer 40k fiction before, but knowing how ridiculous and over-the-top the universe is (in a fun way, usually) I was fully expecting this to be filled to the brim with testosterone-infused macho bullshit. I wasn't entirely wrong:
Additionally, at novella length, the focus of this entry is narrow enough that I think only readers already familiar with (and fans of) Warhammer 40k will find much to latch onto here. That said, the dialogue (when they're not fighting) is surprisingly solid, and the story hints enough at interesting bits of lore elsewhere in the universe, that I didn't dislike my time spent reading. In fact, I had enough mindless fun here (while often rolling my eyes) that I'll likely pick up the more substantive (in page count, if nothing else) first book of the main Horus Heresy series to see how that is.
God help me.
Not having read any Warhammer 40k fiction before, but knowing how ridiculous and over-the-top the universe is (in a fun way, usually) I was fully expecting this to be filled to the brim with testosterone-infused macho bullshit. I wasn't entirely wrong:
"He sprayed a wide arc of the ground before the Proteus with the double-timed hammering of his shells. Mass-reactive warheads punched into the bodies of the greenskins and exploded. They vaporised blood. They turned bone into shrapnel. Fountains of ruptured flesh and xenos blood sprayed upwards on all sides of the Proteus. It rained down on Guilliman. His face was soaked with the death of the foe." - p 69
Additionally, at novella length, the focus of this entry is narrow enough that I think only readers already familiar with (and fans of) Warhammer 40k will find much to latch onto here. That said, the dialogue (when they're not fighting) is surprisingly solid, and the story hints enough at interesting bits of lore elsewhere in the universe, that I didn't dislike my time spent reading. In fact, I had enough mindless fun here (while often rolling my eyes) that I'll likely pick up the more substantive (in page count, if nothing else) first book of the main Horus Heresy series to see how that is.
God help me.
February 3, 2019
A disappointing first outing for the Primarch novella series, I would describe this tale as clunky at best.
The Ultramarines as depicted in the Horus Heresy are a surprisingly relateable bunch when compared to their descendants. Sadly, here however they stray back into the clicky and quite frankly, un-relatable mindset of playing by the book and never straying from the book. Codex Astartes flashbacks anyone?
Indeed, perhaps that is the idea by Annandale, to remind us of the future the Ultramarines will inevitably go down but it was boring to read with the constant talk to "practicals" and "assessments,' what, are these guys robots or something? Uuuugh, sleepy inducing.
Positive note, I found it interesting to get a narrative that focuses on the Destoryers and their role within the story, it is the only positive that I can think of but it gives us some much needed elaboration on these soldiers of Terran origin.
Sadly though, with a title of Roboute Guilliman, this book sure goes out of its way to not focus on him. Overall a disappointing venture.
The Ultramarines as depicted in the Horus Heresy are a surprisingly relateable bunch when compared to their descendants. Sadly, here however they stray back into the clicky and quite frankly, un-relatable mindset of playing by the book and never straying from the book. Codex Astartes flashbacks anyone?
Indeed, perhaps that is the idea by Annandale, to remind us of the future the Ultramarines will inevitably go down but it was boring to read with the constant talk to "practicals" and "assessments,' what, are these guys robots or something? Uuuugh, sleepy inducing.
Positive note, I found it interesting to get a narrative that focuses on the Destoryers and their role within the story, it is the only positive that I can think of but it gives us some much needed elaboration on these soldiers of Terran origin.
Sadly though, with a title of Roboute Guilliman, this book sure goes out of its way to not focus on him. Overall a disappointing venture.
April 27, 2021
This was just a short battle story interspersed with Gulliman saying things he's already said a thousand times, such as "us warriors will have to become obsolete for the empire to flourish". Pointless book, and not worth the read, except for the battle scenes.
May 30, 2022
Pretty good! Not what I was expecting but enjoyable because of it. Any one interested in Ultramarines needs to read this.
November 6, 2016
If this very average novella is indicative of what the Primarchs series of novels will be, they won't be worth the money or the hype.
October 10, 2024
Sadly these primarch novels have been a let down so far. They are far less then what they could have and should have been. Each primarch has there own novel that looks great, good artwork and hardback editions but the stories arnt good. What we should have got was origin stories of all the primarchs, their upbringing on the worlds they conquered before joining the emperor, yes we can look some of that info up and we get some brief flash backs in the horus heresy books but an actually full novel of the details would be much better. Instead these novels seam to be nothing more then a random battle in a random part of the universe having no real significance at all. This book was just guillimen and the ultramarines fighting orks. I've red this one, vulkans and Magnus and each one was a let down and quite similar. Just some random battle. Nothing extra really added to the primarchs. Which is what I would want for a book about each one.
January 11, 2018
Good. In fact, wonderful. I loved that clearly DA read other DA’s novel - Know No Fear, and modeled his Ultramarines after Abnett’s. I loved their Theoreticala and Practical speech patterns and thought process. Something I thought Abnett added to the sons of Ultramar that gave them a little more personality. This novel and hopefully this series proved to be a great side or companion piece to the HH series. I am excited about Russ. Recommend if you like the Horus Heresy, Ultramarines, bolter porn, and thoughtful irony.
September 4, 2025
*Listened to the audiobook
This was very middle of the road for me. It is very slow and dry to start. I do enjoy world building and character moments but this wasn't a great example of that. Once the action started, things picked up a bit and it became standard 40k faire. I didn't dislike this but it wasn't as good as other 40k material that I have engaged with.
This was very middle of the road for me. It is very slow and dry to start. I do enjoy world building and character moments but this wasn't a great example of that. Once the action started, things picked up a bit and it became standard 40k faire. I didn't dislike this but it wasn't as good as other 40k material that I have engaged with.
January 31, 2021
I was hoping for a WH40k novel with a lot of combat and action so I guess I got what I wanted. Most of the book is just battle. But there is an issue, the language. I understand short sentences can be used as an effect when lots of things are happening and it is very hectic (like in battle). But reading so many very short sentences is just annoying. Without this excessive use of short sentences I think the book would have been amongst the average WH40k novels I have read (nothing exceptional, nice to read) but I must admit it was now the weakest so far.
September 7, 2024
Primarch and his Legion are cleansing some lost world from Orcs. Early in Great Crusade his chapters still have some different backgrounds and ideas about use of force. Shows Guilliman's character and how much thought and planning comes into each action and what he aims to achieve in his units.
June 18, 2025
Pas mal mais ça manque de description, on a parfois du mal à imaginer les décors ce qui enlève un peu au sentiment de gigantisme du combat qui a lieu.
July 22, 2018
Roboute Guilliman, Lord of Ultramar by David Annandale. I read this book last month, and after re-reading it, I can confidently write a review on it. This is one of my top two favorites, thus far, from the 'The Horus Heresy' Primarch series.
No Spoilers...
Annandale deserves an applause for the world he developed in this book. The literary richness that is found within is exceptional. The ability to manifest a realm of reality, for the Ultramarine Legion, in a light that does not portray them as the vanilla, poster-boy saviors of the Imperium. The book follows the legion through a rocky patch during the, Horus Heresy and picks up with Guilliman leading the fight against the Orks on the world of Thoas.
The conflict, although fictional, is all too real to ignore. It is as much a campaign of physiological discourse and evolution from start to finish; as it is a military campaign to liberate the world from Orkish control. The narrative also elaborates more closely and paints in vivid detail the inner workings of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman. It creates new dimensions that up to this point arguably were left untapped and waiting to be explored. Furthermore, Annandale applies the philosophy of Guilliman in a multitude of varying circumstances that offers a consistent, yet unique, outlook onto the challenged Primarch.
To conclude, this is definitely worth the read. Whether you are a fan of the Ultramarines, Guilliman, 40k or just a good adventure. This book stands alone and really portrays a true-human perception of this beautiful universe.
Best.
No Spoilers...
Annandale deserves an applause for the world he developed in this book. The literary richness that is found within is exceptional. The ability to manifest a realm of reality, for the Ultramarine Legion, in a light that does not portray them as the vanilla, poster-boy saviors of the Imperium. The book follows the legion through a rocky patch during the, Horus Heresy and picks up with Guilliman leading the fight against the Orks on the world of Thoas.
The conflict, although fictional, is all too real to ignore. It is as much a campaign of physiological discourse and evolution from start to finish; as it is a military campaign to liberate the world from Orkish control. The narrative also elaborates more closely and paints in vivid detail the inner workings of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman. It creates new dimensions that up to this point arguably were left untapped and waiting to be explored. Furthermore, Annandale applies the philosophy of Guilliman in a multitude of varying circumstances that offers a consistent, yet unique, outlook onto the challenged Primarch.
To conclude, this is definitely worth the read. Whether you are a fan of the Ultramarines, Guilliman, 40k or just a good adventure. This book stands alone and really portrays a true-human perception of this beautiful universe.
Best.
February 7, 2022
Roboute Guilliman : Lord of Ultramar was my first foray into the lore of Warhammer 40,000. I'd play the games (Dawn of War is STILL fantastic!) and had a basic knowledge of the setting, but this was my first -real- look at the world of 40K, thanks to the brilliant Humble Bundle of Warhammer and 40k audiobooks.
As an entry point... well, it was okay. I listened to this before Dark Imperium, which I felt would've been a better way to jump in, but for the most part I was able to follow the concepts and whatnot being thrown at me. It took me a hot second to realize that this wasn't set in the 40th Millenium, despite 40k being in the settings name, but ten thousand years earlier, before everything went to goddamn hell. Thankfully, Guilliman was a pretty good pick to start with, as he and his Ultramarines are more or less the vanilla ice cream of the Space Marines. You get a bit of everything from them, which I think is a good way to describe this book. Not everything about them is interesting, but it's enough to pull you through.
The highlights of this book are easily the interpersonal conflicts within the XIII Legion, and Roboute Guilliman's own inner musings on the history of the planet, and what it would be mean for humanity. Despite my guess at Guilliman being a testosterone fueled murder-machine - which he is - I was surprised by how introspective and deep he actually was.
The rest of the cast isn't quite as interesting as our beloved Primarch, but the internal factions of the XIII Legion were interesting to see play out - the natural destructive nature of the Destroyer company, played against the benevolence of Guilliman and his followers made for some interesting worldbuilding of how a Legion operates.
The action, the main course of the novel, is just okay. It's never quite bad, but the second half of the book is chock full of various descriptions of bolters and swords tearing Orks of various sizes down to various other sizes, but it's never quite boring. It just sort of blends together. David Annandale, however, does do a great job of describing the sheer size of the Ork army - I don't think I ever really got tired of hearing varying descriptions of the Green Tide, or how the battlefield seem to waver in the sea of Orks. The fact is, the second half of this novel is just one long battle, stretched out far to finely. It is peppered with Gulliman's introspective nature, but it doesn't really break up the constant action enough.
Roboute Guilliman, Lord of Ultramar was a fun entry into the Warhammer 40,000 universe for me. I was a little lost, but that wasn't really the fault of the novel. It surprised me with it's introspective first half, and somewhat bored me by it's action-heavy second half. This probably isn't the best place to start - I recommend Dark Imperium, as that takes place in the most modern era of the timeline.
But, I digress. Lord of Ultramar is a fun time, perfectly encapsulating what I understand to be the bread and butter of Warhammer 40K - Orks, Space Marines, a hell of a lot of slaughter, and a bit of thoughtful introspection to boot.
As an entry point... well, it was okay. I listened to this before Dark Imperium, which I felt would've been a better way to jump in, but for the most part I was able to follow the concepts and whatnot being thrown at me. It took me a hot second to realize that this wasn't set in the 40th Millenium, despite 40k being in the settings name, but ten thousand years earlier, before everything went to goddamn hell. Thankfully, Guilliman was a pretty good pick to start with, as he and his Ultramarines are more or less the vanilla ice cream of the Space Marines. You get a bit of everything from them, which I think is a good way to describe this book. Not everything about them is interesting, but it's enough to pull you through.
The highlights of this book are easily the interpersonal conflicts within the XIII Legion, and Roboute Guilliman's own inner musings on the history of the planet, and what it would be mean for humanity. Despite my guess at Guilliman being a testosterone fueled murder-machine - which he is - I was surprised by how introspective and deep he actually was.
The rest of the cast isn't quite as interesting as our beloved Primarch, but the internal factions of the XIII Legion were interesting to see play out - the natural destructive nature of the Destroyer company, played against the benevolence of Guilliman and his followers made for some interesting worldbuilding of how a Legion operates.
The action, the main course of the novel, is just okay. It's never quite bad, but the second half of the book is chock full of various descriptions of bolters and swords tearing Orks of various sizes down to various other sizes, but it's never quite boring. It just sort of blends together. David Annandale, however, does do a great job of describing the sheer size of the Ork army - I don't think I ever really got tired of hearing varying descriptions of the Green Tide, or how the battlefield seem to waver in the sea of Orks. The fact is, the second half of this novel is just one long battle, stretched out far to finely. It is peppered with Gulliman's introspective nature, but it doesn't really break up the constant action enough.
Roboute Guilliman, Lord of Ultramar was a fun entry into the Warhammer 40,000 universe for me. I was a little lost, but that wasn't really the fault of the novel. It surprised me with it's introspective first half, and somewhat bored me by it's action-heavy second half. This probably isn't the best place to start - I recommend Dark Imperium, as that takes place in the most modern era of the timeline.
But, I digress. Lord of Ultramar is a fun time, perfectly encapsulating what I understand to be the bread and butter of Warhammer 40K - Orks, Space Marines, a hell of a lot of slaughter, and a bit of thoughtful introspection to boot.
May 29, 2019
Forgettable, formulaic, stereotype characters, forced drama, some genuine character development, shoe-horned product placements in the form of specific unit types.
In short, if you want a good Annandale 30/40K story, look elsewhere. This is just a cash cow at this point. Hope he made good money filling a slot that BL had open. Any book about any primarch will sell to a now-captive audience.
In short, if you want a good Annandale 30/40K story, look elsewhere. This is just a cash cow at this point. Hope he made good money filling a slot that BL had open. Any book about any primarch will sell to a now-captive audience.
January 10, 2017
This is a Horus Heresy novel, and is set before the events of the actual betrayal. I read this in one sitting because it is not a large book. The Ultramarines are my favorite Space Marine chapter and they are represented well in this book.
This novel starts off with Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines leading his sons to the Ork held planet of Thoas, to destroy the greenskins. The full might of the legion is brought to bear here, with the exception of a single deployment chapter, called the Destroyers. Guilliman has a plan for Thoas that involves a full scale war, but yet structures have been discovered on the planet, therefore Guilliman wants to not destroy thoroughly, just remove the Orks. The war goes as Guilliman plans it and the forces of the Ultramarines enter the structures, finding them as vast pyramids that are built as parallel complexes, mountain-sized and connected. The Orks rally and start fighting back into the pyramids, now known as some form of military complex. In addition, there are vast amounts of Orks that come up from the depths of the structure to attack the legionnaires. What the reason for the Orks occupying the complex is, is unknown until the Chapter Master of the Destroyers, still undeployed in the battle barge above realizes there is a vast radiation siganture in the lower heart of the complex. Guilliman leads his sons to the crux of the Orks power and the battle that ensues there is legendary. After all is said and done, Guilliman realizes that the inhabitants of Thoas rad-bombed themselves to extinction. This is a cautionary tale for humanity according to Guilliman, and something he will refer to his father, The Emperor of Mankind.
This was a great book and a really awesome read!
Danny
This novel starts off with Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines leading his sons to the Ork held planet of Thoas, to destroy the greenskins. The full might of the legion is brought to bear here, with the exception of a single deployment chapter, called the Destroyers. Guilliman has a plan for Thoas that involves a full scale war, but yet structures have been discovered on the planet, therefore Guilliman wants to not destroy thoroughly, just remove the Orks. The war goes as Guilliman plans it and the forces of the Ultramarines enter the structures, finding them as vast pyramids that are built as parallel complexes, mountain-sized and connected. The Orks rally and start fighting back into the pyramids, now known as some form of military complex. In addition, there are vast amounts of Orks that come up from the depths of the structure to attack the legionnaires. What the reason for the Orks occupying the complex is, is unknown until the Chapter Master of the Destroyers, still undeployed in the battle barge above realizes there is a vast radiation siganture in the lower heart of the complex. Guilliman leads his sons to the crux of the Orks power and the battle that ensues there is legendary. After all is said and done, Guilliman realizes that the inhabitants of Thoas rad-bombed themselves to extinction. This is a cautionary tale for humanity according to Guilliman, and something he will refer to his father, The Emperor of Mankind.
This was a great book and a really awesome read!
Danny
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