What do you think?
Rate this book
The Horus Heresy #50
Born of Flame
This Horus Heresy collection contains the novellas Promethean Sun and Scorched Earth, the novel Sons of the Forge and two connected short stories.
Born of the fiery world of Nocturne, the Salamanders believe in self sacrifice and the sanctity of human life. Their father Vulkan was raised on this world, a blacksmith's son from humble origins who became a primarch of the Emperor of Mankind and forged his sons into a Legion. Their saga is one of heroism, betrayal, tragedy and rebirth. They have returned from the edge of extinction more than once, forever embattled, never bowed, the Legion and their primarch the epitome of defiance in the face of adversity. Unto the anvil, born of flame.
Born of the fiery world of Nocturne, the Salamanders believe in self sacrifice and the sanctity of human life. Their father Vulkan was raised on this world, a blacksmith's son from humble origins who became a primarch of the Emperor of Mankind and forged his sons into a Legion. Their saga is one of heroism, betrayal, tragedy and rebirth. They have returned from the edge of extinction more than once, forever embattled, never bowed, the Legion and their primarch the epitome of defiance in the face of adversity. Unto the anvil, born of flame.
473 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2018
108 people are currently reading
1343 people want to read
About the author
Nick Kyme
279 books162 followersNick Kyme (b. 1977) writes mostly for Black Library. His credits include the popular Salamanders series and several audio dramas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 11, 2024
May 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order (www.heresyomnibus.com) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras.
With Born of Flame done that's another anthology down and only a handful of stories across a handful of anthologies left, plus the rest not in the main ones, Cthonia's Reckoning, and all the Primarchs ones for short stories lol.
I have reviewed all of these individually on here.
I've said it many times before, but I absolutely adored Feat of Iron and think it's quintessential Horus Heresy metaphysical mythological metaphorical mayhem, but I don't think I've enjoyed anything Kyme's written half as much since I read that. I think the inhuman bleakness and cold brokeness they imbue their Iron Hands with really works and there are some wonderful moments with the Iron X, but I want just a little bit more.
Sadly, for being the Salamanders person, I just haven't felt moved by or engaged with Kyme's Salamanders in the Heresy and that's why I am sorry to say this is my lowest rated anthology in the series.
There are parts far better than 3/5, but that really is the average for me here.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read 41 Horus Heresy novels (inc. 1 repeat and 4 anthologies), 23 novellas (inc. 2 repeats), 126 short stories/ audio dramas (inc. 10+ repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, 3 Characters novels, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
With Born of Flame done that's another anthology down and only a handful of stories across a handful of anthologies left, plus the rest not in the main ones, Cthonia's Reckoning, and all the Primarchs ones for short stories lol.
I have reviewed all of these individually on here.
I've said it many times before, but I absolutely adored Feat of Iron and think it's quintessential Horus Heresy metaphysical mythological metaphorical mayhem, but I don't think I've enjoyed anything Kyme's written half as much since I read that. I think the inhuman bleakness and cold brokeness they imbue their Iron Hands with really works and there are some wonderful moments with the Iron X, but I want just a little bit more.
Sadly, for being the Salamanders person, I just haven't felt moved by or engaged with Kyme's Salamanders in the Heresy and that's why I am sorry to say this is my lowest rated anthology in the series.
There are parts far better than 3/5, but that really is the average for me here.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read 41 Horus Heresy novels (inc. 1 repeat and 4 anthologies), 23 novellas (inc. 2 repeats), 126 short stories/ audio dramas (inc. 10+ repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, 3 Characters novels, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
December 11, 2025
5.5/10
Es una pena porque este libro tiene muy buenos mimbres, pero la historia es muy lenta y además tiene un exceso de páginas. Sin duda podrían haber contado lo mismo en la mitad de hojas.
Seguiré con la saga, que ya se va acercando a Terra, pero es cierto que libros como este a estas alturas no creo que sean necesarios.
Es una pena porque este libro tiene muy buenos mimbres, pero la historia es muy lenta y además tiene un exceso de páginas. Sin duda podrían haber contado lo mismo en la mitad de hojas.
Seguiré con la saga, que ya se va acercando a Terra, pero es cierto que libros como este a estas alturas no creo que sean necesarios.
February 10, 2019
Promethean Sun:☆☆☆1/2
Scorched Earth:☆☆☆☆☆
Artefacts:☆☆☆☆
Immortal Duty:☆☆☆
Sons of the Forge:☆☆☆
Not bad at all and Scorched Earth is a real grimdark masterpiece, but with the HH saga closing to its end, it's sad for me that novels about Sons of Vulkan are something like the same number of the whole ones dedicated to traitor legions and we still not had one about Death Guard, a fan favourite of mine since I've read first time about them in classic old Realm of Chaos: The Lost and The Damned handbook.
Such a shame.
August 28, 2020
Yet another collection of previously published material some of which has even been been published in other anthologies like Shattered Legions, Meduson and Sedition's Gate. Some are even in more than one previous anthology so make damn sure you haven't read them all before bothering with this one. Sons of the Forge is probably the easiest one to have missed.
May 31, 2021
As the Horus Heresy series finally trudges to its conclusion, we see the final throes of filler content, this time in the form of yet another short story anthology.
The various anthologies in the series inevitably contain a mixed bag in terms of their quality (and indeed, relevance). But the best one of this particular collection was a 15-pager called Artefacts. Others have interesting characters, interesting moments, but I find myself completely apathetic towards this book.
Unfortunately, I think Born of Flame typifies everything I dislike about the Horus Heresy series. Uninteresting, slow moving narrative, which for me is of little or no consequence to the overall story arc of the series. Particularly disappointing though was the fact that the prose of the closing segments of the story Artefacts was reused pretty much verbatim as the prologue of Sons of the Forge from later in the collection.
The various anthologies in the series inevitably contain a mixed bag in terms of their quality (and indeed, relevance). But the best one of this particular collection was a 15-pager called Artefacts. Others have interesting characters, interesting moments, but I find myself completely apathetic towards this book.
Unfortunately, I think Born of Flame typifies everything I dislike about the Horus Heresy series. Uninteresting, slow moving narrative, which for me is of little or no consequence to the overall story arc of the series. Particularly disappointing though was the fact that the prose of the closing segments of the story Artefacts was reused pretty much verbatim as the prologue of Sons of the Forge from later in the collection.
August 8, 2025
Promethean Sun ***
This short story takes place during the Great Crusade, after the events of “Vulkan: Lord of the Drakes” where the Terran and Nocturnean halves of the Legion are unified. It also takes place alongside “Feat of Iron” which was also written by Nick Kyme.
Deep on a jungle world, the Salamanders battle against the Exodites, the dinosaur-riding cousins of the Drukhari (or Dusk Raiders for you Nocturneans) that Vulkan especially loathes. Dinosaurs v Salamanders feels a little on the nose, but it provides some fun action.
Perhaps the best aspect of the story is the recounting of Vulkan’s life on Nocturne. There is almost a Superman like quality to his origin. A strange powerful being adopted by a normal father who he loves despite his son’s apparent strangeness. You can see how the kindness and compassion of N’bel would be passed on to his adopted son Vulkan. We also see “The Outlander” come to Nocturne, which was nice to have contained in a BL book.
Another part of the story I enjoyed were the interactions between Vulkan and his brothers Ferrus and Mortarion. All three have been tasked with bringing this world into compliance, but Vulkan struggles to keep his two brothers from each other’s throats.
Numeon Captain of the First Company whose earliest canonical story is told in “Vulkan: Lord of Drakes” reappears here, and he later features in “Vulkan Lives” and “Deathfire”.
Hekat’tan Captain of the 14th Company is one of the protagonists of this story, and he later appears in the story “Forgotten Sons”. Captain Gravius of the 5th Company also appears, and can be read about in the 40k novel “Salamanders”.
If I’m being critical, the story felt a little too long with too much focus on action to keep me engaged. The parts I enjoyed I really liked, but the parts I didn’t enjoy seemed to drag a little. Still worth reading for fans of the Salamanders.
Scorched Earth *****
“Despair is the moment when all hope dies and the inevitability of ending crashes in like the sword blow aimed squarely at your neck or the hot muzzle of a gun pressed to your temple. If you are fortunate, if mercy is favouring you, then your despair will be quick. But not all of us are fortunate; for some the realisation of despair is a slow creep, an eroding denial like flesh giving way to age or metal to rust. It hollows you out, cuts away everything that you were and replaces it with blackness.”
The story opens on the black sands of Isstvan V as the remaining loyalists are hunted down and executed. Brutal and sadistic imagery really nails the tone of the betrayal, as Marines are crucified or added to death pyres, their bodies desecrated, and the survivors left broken in mind and body. The story plays out like a hellish odyssey, as surviving Salamanders trudge through the killing fields to search for their father.
“No honour, no glory in this pit of the dead. Here was a place that heroes went to die, unremembered and unmourned. We were barrow-worms, crawling amongst them.
Honestly this might be my favourite Salamander story and my favourite depiction of Isstvan V. It is such a bleak and harsh story, not pulling any punches as it depicts mental anguish, hellish warzones, and profane rituals.
Artefacts ****
Shortly before the events of Isstvan V on Nocture, Vulkan tells his Master of the Forge T'Kell of terrible destruction.
Vulkan solemnly recalls the destruction of Nostramo by his brother Curze. Vulkan was horrified by his brother’s acts, knowing that they were not merely the petulant tantrum of a child, but that they were pre-mediated vengeance. Word has only just reached him of Horus’ betrayal, and he readies for Istvaan V. Sorrow in his heart for what has become of his brothers.
Vulkan is perhaps the most brotherly and kind of the Primarchs, so to see him struggle with the weight of his brothers’ treachery crates powerful and emotional scenes.
T'kell Master of the Forge reappears in Deathfire and Sons of the Forge.
Immortal Duty ****
I’m usually not a big fan of the Iron Hands, but this story of a boarding action above Istvaan V offered some intense and exciting action. Ahrem Gallikus is an Immortal of the Iron Hands. The Immortals of are made up of Legionaries that have erred, that have brought shame on the Legion, and so they fight in suicidal fashion. There is no honour for them. Some fun action.
Sons of the Forge
This short story takes place during the Great Crusade, after the events of “Vulkan: Lord of the Drakes” where the Terran and Nocturnean halves of the Legion are unified. It also takes place alongside “Feat of Iron” which was also written by Nick Kyme.
Deep on a jungle world, the Salamanders battle against the Exodites, the dinosaur-riding cousins of the Drukhari (or Dusk Raiders for you Nocturneans) that Vulkan especially loathes. Dinosaurs v Salamanders feels a little on the nose, but it provides some fun action.
Perhaps the best aspect of the story is the recounting of Vulkan’s life on Nocturne. There is almost a Superman like quality to his origin. A strange powerful being adopted by a normal father who he loves despite his son’s apparent strangeness. You can see how the kindness and compassion of N’bel would be passed on to his adopted son Vulkan. We also see “The Outlander” come to Nocturne, which was nice to have contained in a BL book.
Another part of the story I enjoyed were the interactions between Vulkan and his brothers Ferrus and Mortarion. All three have been tasked with bringing this world into compliance, but Vulkan struggles to keep his two brothers from each other’s throats.
Numeon Captain of the First Company whose earliest canonical story is told in “Vulkan: Lord of Drakes” reappears here, and he later features in “Vulkan Lives” and “Deathfire”.
Hekat’tan Captain of the 14th Company is one of the protagonists of this story, and he later appears in the story “Forgotten Sons”. Captain Gravius of the 5th Company also appears, and can be read about in the 40k novel “Salamanders”.
If I’m being critical, the story felt a little too long with too much focus on action to keep me engaged. The parts I enjoyed I really liked, but the parts I didn’t enjoy seemed to drag a little. Still worth reading for fans of the Salamanders.
Scorched Earth *****
“Despair is the moment when all hope dies and the inevitability of ending crashes in like the sword blow aimed squarely at your neck or the hot muzzle of a gun pressed to your temple. If you are fortunate, if mercy is favouring you, then your despair will be quick. But not all of us are fortunate; for some the realisation of despair is a slow creep, an eroding denial like flesh giving way to age or metal to rust. It hollows you out, cuts away everything that you were and replaces it with blackness.”
The story opens on the black sands of Isstvan V as the remaining loyalists are hunted down and executed. Brutal and sadistic imagery really nails the tone of the betrayal, as Marines are crucified or added to death pyres, their bodies desecrated, and the survivors left broken in mind and body. The story plays out like a hellish odyssey, as surviving Salamanders trudge through the killing fields to search for their father.
“No honour, no glory in this pit of the dead. Here was a place that heroes went to die, unremembered and unmourned. We were barrow-worms, crawling amongst them.
Honestly this might be my favourite Salamander story and my favourite depiction of Isstvan V. It is such a bleak and harsh story, not pulling any punches as it depicts mental anguish, hellish warzones, and profane rituals.
Artefacts ****
Shortly before the events of Isstvan V on Nocture, Vulkan tells his Master of the Forge T'Kell of terrible destruction.
Vulkan solemnly recalls the destruction of Nostramo by his brother Curze. Vulkan was horrified by his brother’s acts, knowing that they were not merely the petulant tantrum of a child, but that they were pre-mediated vengeance. Word has only just reached him of Horus’ betrayal, and he readies for Istvaan V. Sorrow in his heart for what has become of his brothers.
Vulkan is perhaps the most brotherly and kind of the Primarchs, so to see him struggle with the weight of his brothers’ treachery crates powerful and emotional scenes.
T'kell Master of the Forge reappears in Deathfire and Sons of the Forge.
Immortal Duty ****
I’m usually not a big fan of the Iron Hands, but this story of a boarding action above Istvaan V offered some intense and exciting action. Ahrem Gallikus is an Immortal of the Iron Hands. The Immortals of are made up of Legionaries that have erred, that have brought shame on the Legion, and so they fight in suicidal fashion. There is no honour for them. Some fun action.
Sons of the Forge
July 30, 2020
A collection of short stories and novellas dealing with the Salamander Legion. Promethean Sun finds Vulkan and two of his brothers; Mortarion of the Death Guard and Ferrus Manus of the Iron Hands conquering a world from the Eldar and shows the difference in approach between the three ostensibly similar legions. Scorched Earth takes place on Isstvan after the Dropsite Massacre where a surviving Salamander Legionnaire searches for his Primarch refusing to believe he's fallen. In Artefacts Vulkan has a task for one of his sons before he sets off to face his wayward brother at Isstvan. Immortal Duty is a story about the Iron Hands rather than the Salamanders but needed as part of a trilogy including the stories either side of it. Sons of the Forge features the Unscarred, the legionaries left to guard the fortress monastery, going on an important mission in the wake of the news from Isstvan.
I really enjoy reading about the Salamanders as they are probably my favourite of the original legions. These stories don't really add much to the story of the Horus Heresy but they do explain a lot of what the Legion was like in the 30th millennium and how they got to where they are in the 41st.
I really enjoy reading about the Salamanders as they are probably my favourite of the original legions. These stories don't really add much to the story of the Horus Heresy but they do explain a lot of what the Legion was like in the 30th millennium and how they got to where they are in the 41st.
June 29, 2024
I struggled a lot with this one because it has a lot of really interesting ideas, that, in my personal view was poorly executed. I think the tipping point that makes it a 2, and this is not necessarily the fault of the author, is that the two short stories were repeated. That felt like a bizarre lack of trust in the reader that is present nowhere else in the other 50 books of the Horus Heresy Thus far. As for a particular breakdown: Promethian Sun was good until . Scorched Earth was fine. I believe I'm on record as liking the two repeated short stories although I'm not a fan of them here. Sons of the Forge could have been fine except for the like, structure and motivations and everything felt tonally schizophrenic. It felt like nothing was being set up but not in the cool subversive way and more a confusing and disorienting way. Still had some good ideas and scenes.
September 3, 2025
DO NOT READ. half of these are in other anthologies lol. ironically the only good ones in this anthology.. are the ones found in the other anthologies..
but on the bright side, i think this is officially the last stuff i “have” to read by kyme!!!
promethean sun: 2/5
- ugh. kymes dialogue is written like it’s some cheesy ass action movie or anime. everything is so just so blah and god dam cheesy. “vulkan turned his eyes to the heavens and saw.. a promethean sun”. *what i’ve done by linkin park starts playing*. DIRECTED BY MICHAEL BAY.
scorched earth: 3/5
- the premise was cool. **spoilers** but a marine destroyed mentally with ptsd was unique. however.. the writing itself.. again as always, just meh. absolute meh. the salamanders could have been so much more then just “vulkan lives”. we get it. give us DEPTH in characters.
artefacts: 4/5
- in another anthology…
immortal duty: 4/5
- again. in another anthology.
sons of the forge: 3/5
- vulkan lives. yeah yeah. vulkan lives and artifacts are hidden. this was 200 pages longer then it should have been.
but on the bright side, i think this is officially the last stuff i “have” to read by kyme!!!
promethean sun: 2/5
- ugh. kymes dialogue is written like it’s some cheesy ass action movie or anime. everything is so just so blah and god dam cheesy. “vulkan turned his eyes to the heavens and saw.. a promethean sun”. *what i’ve done by linkin park starts playing*. DIRECTED BY MICHAEL BAY.
scorched earth: 3/5
- the premise was cool. **spoilers** but a marine destroyed mentally with ptsd was unique. however.. the writing itself.. again as always, just meh. absolute meh. the salamanders could have been so much more then just “vulkan lives”. we get it. give us DEPTH in characters.
artefacts: 4/5
- in another anthology…
immortal duty: 4/5
- again. in another anthology.
sons of the forge: 3/5
- vulkan lives. yeah yeah. vulkan lives and artifacts are hidden. this was 200 pages longer then it should have been.
July 1, 2019
This was a good anthology of collected Salamanders / Shattered Legion (1) material.
Promethean Sun: (4.5) I genuinely enjoyed this one quite a bit. I liked the Great Crusade era Primarch tales the best. The relationship between Vulkan and Ferrus is a nice one. It was a nice, action-packed adventure fighting Aeldari on dinosaurs. So, yeah, all-in-all, stellar.
Scorched Earth: (5/5) Vulkan Lives! All I will say... big 30K fan, so this blew me away.
Artefacts: (3/5) It was alright. I kind of enjoyed it and the way Vulkan had set up his fail safe to prevent his work from being put into the wrong hands.
Immortal Duty: (3/5) Meh, I did not like it so much. I wish the Iron Hands got proper love that they deserve instead of them being killed off left and right, and only dealing with massive identity and depression issues. But hey, it's the grim-dark far future.
Sons of the Forge: (3.5) It was alright. I liked the beginning but it was a mixed bag for me.
Promethean Sun: (4.5) I genuinely enjoyed this one quite a bit. I liked the Great Crusade era Primarch tales the best. The relationship between Vulkan and Ferrus is a nice one. It was a nice, action-packed adventure fighting Aeldari on dinosaurs. So, yeah, all-in-all, stellar.
Scorched Earth: (5/5) Vulkan Lives! All I will say... big 30K fan, so this blew me away.
Artefacts: (3/5) It was alright. I kind of enjoyed it and the way Vulkan had set up his fail safe to prevent his work from being put into the wrong hands.
Immortal Duty: (3/5) Meh, I did not like it so much. I wish the Iron Hands got proper love that they deserve instead of them being killed off left and right, and only dealing with massive identity and depression issues. But hey, it's the grim-dark far future.
Sons of the Forge: (3.5) It was alright. I liked the beginning but it was a mixed bag for me.
April 18, 2023
Born of Flame, cast into the fires of Goodreads, another fine and underrated work from Nick Kyme.
There's been a fair bit of criticism thrown at this book. I've read it. I didn't let it put me off. Nick Kyme is a storyteller that isn't afraid to do things that are unexpected or out of the ordinary. For some people, this wasn't what they were expecting, and that's fair enough. I loved it.
I loved it because it takes the short story collection volume formula that the Heresy has, and actually makes it work. Yes this is a collection of short stories and novellas, and yes I believe one of them was published in an earlier volume, however, in this case, they are all leading up to the main event. And it works. It works really well.
Nick Kyme has always shown great prose, and this collection is no exception. Each story is beautifully written. I particularly enjoyed Scorched Earth, and Artefacts. Sons Of The Forge felt quite a bit longer than a novella to me, and I was glad of it. It gives you something to really sink your teeth into after having all the groundwork laid by the previous stories. It has a great cast of characters, an engaging plot, an excellent B story, and a satisfying finale. The epilogue sections are also refreshing, teasing a bridge between the 30k and 40k eras, that left me pondering.
It saddens me that this might be the last Heresy novel by Nick Kyme. Hopefully there will be more available at a later date.
There's been a fair bit of criticism thrown at this book. I've read it. I didn't let it put me off. Nick Kyme is a storyteller that isn't afraid to do things that are unexpected or out of the ordinary. For some people, this wasn't what they were expecting, and that's fair enough. I loved it.
I loved it because it takes the short story collection volume formula that the Heresy has, and actually makes it work. Yes this is a collection of short stories and novellas, and yes I believe one of them was published in an earlier volume, however, in this case, they are all leading up to the main event. And it works. It works really well.
Nick Kyme has always shown great prose, and this collection is no exception. Each story is beautifully written. I particularly enjoyed Scorched Earth, and Artefacts. Sons Of The Forge felt quite a bit longer than a novella to me, and I was glad of it. It gives you something to really sink your teeth into after having all the groundwork laid by the previous stories. It has a great cast of characters, an engaging plot, an excellent B story, and a satisfying finale. The epilogue sections are also refreshing, teasing a bridge between the 30k and 40k eras, that left me pondering.
It saddens me that this might be the last Heresy novel by Nick Kyme. Hopefully there will be more available at a later date.
May 12, 2022
I can’t prove it, but I am pretty sure this is the longest Horus Heresy book thus far. I KNOW it is the worst, and I KNOW it is the least essential. I KNOW that if you have read the numbered books, you’re gonna reread a dumb Salamanders story and then have it recounted to you again in another story.
Fuck Nick Kyme. He is the 9/11 of Black Library authors. I don’t know if he works for free or has blackmail on senior management but he has never written a story or character I care about, and I hate Shattered Legions because they are all him. I could go into substantive criticism, but he could do some substantive writing, and neither is going to happen.
If I ever meet Nick Kyme, regardless of the situation, I will demand my money back.
Plus side this HAS to be the end of Salamanders stories.
Fuck Nick Kyme. He is the 9/11 of Black Library authors. I don’t know if he works for free or has blackmail on senior management but he has never written a story or character I care about, and I hate Shattered Legions because they are all him. I could go into substantive criticism, but he could do some substantive writing, and neither is going to happen.
If I ever meet Nick Kyme, regardless of the situation, I will demand my money back.
Plus side this HAS to be the end of Salamanders stories.
July 7, 2024
Not quite sure how to rate this, given that I was partly frustrated by inclusion of stories already in prior Horus Heresy main range anthologies, so feel like I'm partly double paying - albiet can see why they were included here.
Outside of that, a more tightly linked series of stories here dealing mainly with the Salamanders Legion, which at the same time has a reasonable arc here, but also resolves some dangling threads from prior books - albeit the stories may be the same in prior books as here as such :(
Had a good finish though, tying things up nicely and resolving one frustrating plot line for me, and nicely linking to the future 40k setting.
Outside of that, a more tightly linked series of stories here dealing mainly with the Salamanders Legion, which at the same time has a reasonable arc here, but also resolves some dangling threads from prior books - albeit the stories may be the same in prior books as here as such :(
Had a good finish though, tying things up nicely and resolving one frustrating plot line for me, and nicely linking to the future 40k setting.
April 30, 2025
Ein Buch mit mehreren Geschichten zu 2 Legionen finde ich eigentlich sehr gut. Da ich bis dahin alle Bücher der Reihe gelesen habe, hat es mich sehr geärgert das die beiden Kurzgeschichten Artefakt und Unsterbliche Pflicht schon kannte. Ich hab extra nochmal nachgeschaut und die gibt es wirklich in der endlose Krieg und die zerschlagene Legion. Kann sein das es Black Library nicht aufgefallen ist oder vielleicht andere Gründe hat, nichtsdestotrotz kann man es anders handhaben. Ansonsten waren die anderen Storys sehr gut. Ich hätte sehr gern mehr Sterne, aber aus genannten Gründen kann ich nicht über meinen Schatten springen.
October 22, 2021
I wanted to like this book and I did like characters in the book and even like the Salamanders Legion. But this was not a good story, nor did it further the overall Heresy. Placing it here as the 50th book is an absolute waste of placement as it stalls the overall story towards the end of it all. The large novella at its end has a good concept but should have been a short story. Overall this is one of the poorest additions to the overall series and I would not have read it as a standalone. I wish I had skipped it and moved on, but I do want to complete the series.
November 14, 2020
I've said before that this series is a mixed bag - this is definitely the weakest I've read. It reads like a shell-shocked teenager's first outing into fan-fiction, so it was with some shock that I read the afterword setting out Kyme's other novels and how he thought it all fit together. Very bad writing, entirely missing plot and characters, and a fundamental lack of understanding of the mythos and IP.
August 6, 2019
I truly dreaded reading this as the salamander’s books seriously drag. Not because they are written boring or anything but because hey can never get a break and it gets old. Same with iron hands. This one thankfully was different. Sort of. Actually, it wasn’t different at all now that I think about it, but it was still far more enjoyable than they’re past books.
October 11, 2021
3.5 stars. It's a tricky book. It's a collection of short stories related to salamanders and the shattered legions. Some really nice stuff and I like the shattered legions (I collect this as an army). But, at book 50 in the series, its a tough ask to return to Istavaan 5. It adds to the setting, but doesn't really progress the story. For this reason, I have mixed feelings.
April 24, 2024
I'm going to be honest, at this point, I don't want to read about Istvann V again. Too many times already. They milked this cow dry and I'm not going to read the same event 50 times.
The first story was so weird to read. I get the gimmick of the blacksmith and everything, but how many times they wrote about anvils and temper, by the Emperor, this was tiresome.
The first story was so weird to read. I get the gimmick of the blacksmith and everything, but how many times they wrote about anvils and temper, by the Emperor, this was tiresome.
April 23, 2019
An enjoyable "filler" HH novel, bridging many stories and linking to some of the lore of the current 40k setting, but overall a slightly disappointing offering from the rather over-exposed Salamanders chapter.
May 25, 2020
Whole lot of meh in here, though the main story not only covers the Horus Heresy but 10k years into the future. Typical Black Library stuff so don't expect anything different. Most everyone dies and the future is a grim, dark place.
September 16, 2022
Not bad but .. something about the Salamanders makes it tough to read about them.
Promethean sun 3/5
Scorched earth 4/5 Quite surprising twists. loved it!
Artefacts 3.5/5
Immortal Duty & Sons of the forge 2/5 might revisit later on.
Promethean sun 3/5
Scorched earth 4/5 Quite surprising twists. loved it!
Artefacts 3.5/5
Immortal Duty & Sons of the forge 2/5 might revisit later on.
September 22, 2023
Stop trying to make "Vulkan Lives" happen. A whole load of recycled material and a massive waste of time (even moreso than the previous Salamanders collections, if you found them a slog do your brain a favour and just skip this one) - God only knows why this is a numbered HH title.
November 29, 2023
Definitely the least essential entry in the Horus Heresy as nothing in this book has much weight, but it was a solid enough read.
There are definitely some odd lessons to take from the first story but the others are fun enough.
There are definitely some odd lessons to take from the first story but the others are fun enough.
March 10, 2025
Although another anthology, the stories we more of less all related to Vulkan, his sons and the hunt for the hidden artifacts. I am not entirely sure I could follow the generell approach of the antagonist or the might of those artifacts, but the stories itself were written well and entertaining.
September 7, 2025
I am very glad to be done with the last Nick Kyme book in the Horus heresy. This is the only book in the entire series that I DNF and read a synopsis of.
I want to like the salamanders, but holy shit the books so far (looking at you too, iron hands) have been abysmal.
I want to like the salamanders, but holy shit the books so far (looking at you too, iron hands) have been abysmal.
September 2, 2018
Some nice bits but struggled to enjoy how it all went together
September 14, 2018
Nice collection of Novellas and a Novel, giving more insight into the Salamanders Legion.
October 18, 2019
There's been quite a range of quality in this long book series. Unfortunately this particular book wasn't the most appealing to me.
August 20, 2020
Despite not typically getting excited about the Salamanders, I really enjoyed this book. Some of the best stories by Kyme here. Would give it a 4.5 if I could.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews