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The Horus Heresy #48
The Burden of Loyalty
From the radiation-soaked wastes of Mars to the Space Wolves fleet, and from the heart of Imperium Secundus to the depths of Prospero, this collection of Horus Heresy tales brings together a host of tales from across the war-ravaged Imperium.
As the darkness of the war slowly consumes the galaxy, those who still serve the Throne are faced with a struggle for their survival and the continued existence of everything they hold dear. With the threat of the Warmaster's fleet looming ever closer to Terra, if will fall to such heroes to halt the tide, but the enemies arrayed against them are powerful and the burden of loyalty is great...
As the darkness of the war slowly consumes the galaxy, those who still serve the Throne are faced with a struggle for their survival and the continued existence of everything they hold dear. With the threat of the Warmaster's fleet looming ever closer to Terra, if will fall to such heroes to halt the tide, but the enemies arrayed against them are powerful and the burden of loyalty is great...
485 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2018
135 people are currently reading
1318 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Goulding
66 books43 followersL. J. Goulding is a British novelist, scriptwriter and editor, living and working in Los Angeles, California. His credits include 'League of Legends: Realms of Runeterra', the Black Library audio dramas 'Malcador: First Lord of the Imperium', 'The Heart of the Pharos', 'Scythes of the Emperor: Daedalus', and 'Mortarion's Heart', the novel 'Slaughter at Giant's Coffin', and many short stories for publishers in the UK and US.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
December 6, 2018
The Thirteenth Wolf by Gav Thorpe: ☆☆☆
Into Exile by Aaron Dembski-Bowden: ☆☆☆☆
Cybernetica by Rob Sanders: ☆☆☆☆
Ordo Sinister by John French: ☆☆☆
The Heart of the Pharos by L.J. Goulding: ☆☆☆☆
Wolf King by Chris Wraight: ☆☆☆☆
The Binary Succession by David Annandale: ☆☆☆☆☆
Perpetual by Dan Abnett: ☆☆☆
A more then good anthology, but with the Horus Heresy closing in to its ending at last, lots of the stories here included seemed to me just something like lost chapters of previous novels, but the two novella were excellent reads and David Annandale's tale about the birth of the Adeptus Mechanicus/Titanicus was just a masterpiece.
September 17, 2021
Alas! Another collection of short stories that should have arrived earlier in the series. These collections continue to be like hitting the brakes on a downhill slope, even when you encounter s few gems in the mix.
August 21, 2019
Not often a fan of compilations, but this one is pretty solid! ‘Cybernetica,’ along with Rob Sanders’ other works, makes me wonder why he wasn’t tapped to write a full Heresy novel.
I am curious about the timing between ‘Wolf King’ and ‘Wolfsbane,’ because the Rout decides to go to Terra here but suddenly they’re leaving again in the next book. Perhaps the story here takes place further back in the series than the publishing order would have it seem.
I am curious about the timing between ‘Wolf King’ and ‘Wolfsbane,’ because the Rout decides to go to Terra here but suddenly they’re leaving again in the next book. Perhaps the story here takes place further back in the series than the publishing order would have it seem.
November 4, 2019
This is one of those anthologies that would have better been skipped. It's loosely held together, but overall the story jumps all over the universe. You get a longer look at Lehman Russ post Propsero, and a quick catch up with All Person, but other than that, this book is mostly forgettable.
December 23, 2024
This anthology gets a 5 star but that is purely for the 2 space wolves stories in it. The thirteenth wolf and wolf king. Both were very interesting, the wolf king features leman russ and Bjorn the fell handed which is always great to see those mythical charecters.
May 13, 2024
May 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order (https://www.heresyomnibus.com) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras.
With Perpetual, that's another one of these anthologies finished!
I've reviewed everything in here separately, but as I say with almost all of the anthologies, tbe quality of what's inside vacillates across the collection, but they all have an amount of awesome in them.
While I do think Cybernetica is one of the weakest novellas in the series, this does have Ordo Sinister, which absolutely knocked my tits off, The Binary Succession, which is dry, but fascinating and extols the virtues of bringing a Titan to a council meeting if you want to get shit done, and a pair of Space Wolves tales that show the duality of ridiculouness and heartbreak, so it still gets full marks, even if Cybernetica absolutely does not.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read 43 Horus Heresy novels (inc. 1 repeat and 5 anthologies), 23 novellas (inc. 2 repeats), 127 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 Perpetual, that's another one of these anthologies finished!
I've reviewed everything in here separately, but as I say with almost all of the anthologies, tbe quality of what's inside vacillates across the collection, but they all have an amount of awesome in them.
While I do think Cybernetica is one of the weakest novellas in the series, this does have Ordo Sinister, which absolutely knocked my tits off, The Binary Succession, which is dry, but fascinating and extols the virtues of bringing a Titan to a council meeting if you want to get shit done, and a pair of Space Wolves tales that show the duality of ridiculouness and heartbreak, so it still gets full marks, even if Cybernetica absolutely does not.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read 43 Horus Heresy novels (inc. 1 repeat and 5 anthologies), 23 novellas (inc. 2 repeats), 127 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).
August 6, 2024
A number of these stories seemed to be placed too late in the Horus Heresy series. I think it was really a bit too late in general for an anthology like this.
August 25, 2018
Another anthology finished. Some of these stories I’ve read a while ago, others I consumed recently. Some of them were really good, others – not so much. I give it 3 stars as a middle score, it’s not bad in any way and I really enjoyed some of the stories, but overall it’s not my favorite, plus I’m just not a fan of anthologies. As always, small commentary on each novella or short can be found below.
1. The Thirteenth Wolf by Gav Thorpe - ***
Probably would’ve enjoyed this one more if I was a Space Wolves fan.
2. Into Exile by Aaron Dembski-Bowden - ****
An interesting little story about the legendary Arkham Land, told in reverse. I appreciate the original approach, but it did make things a bit less intriguing. Still enjoyable.
3. Cybernetica by Rob Sanders - ***
Nah... Another 50/50, and quite literally. Started strongly, first half of the novella was intriguing, like a good beginning of an even better story. But that's not how things turned out. I had a hard time enjoying the second half, even the plot twists were unable to do it for me. On to the next one...
4. Ordo Sinister by John French - ***
Interesting, but I feel like this story is harder to consume for those who are not too deep into the Titanicus lore, including myself.
5. The Heart of the Pharos by L.J. Goulding - ****
Listened to this in an mp3 format a while ago. Another beautiful audio drama. Great voice acting and effects. Adds a bit to already amazing novel Pharos. Actually enjoyed every bit of it, can't give it 5 start though because I was impressed even more by other shorts that are also that small. Still a wonderful piece.
6. Wolf King by Chris Wraight - ****
I've had a bit of a Heresy burnout in the process of reading this so it took me way longer than it normally would, yet I enjoyed it quite a lot after I finally finished it. Interesting to see Russ reflecting, questioning and even reevaluating his thoughts and actions, of course only to a certain point. Might read it again in the future just to make sure I did not miss out on anything due to the pause I had to take.
7. The Binary Succession by David Annandale - *****
A wonderful story, my favorite part of this anthology. An important piece of lore. We learn how the Adeptus Mechanicus came to be a powerful force within the Adeptus Terra. Very well written, extremely engaging.
8. Perpetual by Dan Abnett - ***
This one I did not hate. Which is weird. I decided to listen to the audio drama instead of reading it as a part of Burden of Loyalty anthology, this was a smart choice to make. Dan Abnett's ability to write and voice actors' ability to perform had saved it for me since perpetuals, Cabal and specifically John Grammaticus represent the elements of the Horus Heresy that I would prefer to never exist. This was surprisingly interesting to listen to.
1. The Thirteenth Wolf by Gav Thorpe - ***
Probably would’ve enjoyed this one more if I was a Space Wolves fan.
2. Into Exile by Aaron Dembski-Bowden - ****
An interesting little story about the legendary Arkham Land, told in reverse. I appreciate the original approach, but it did make things a bit less intriguing. Still enjoyable.
3. Cybernetica by Rob Sanders - ***
Nah... Another 50/50, and quite literally. Started strongly, first half of the novella was intriguing, like a good beginning of an even better story. But that's not how things turned out. I had a hard time enjoying the second half, even the plot twists were unable to do it for me. On to the next one...
4. Ordo Sinister by John French - ***
Interesting, but I feel like this story is harder to consume for those who are not too deep into the Titanicus lore, including myself.
5. The Heart of the Pharos by L.J. Goulding - ****
Listened to this in an mp3 format a while ago. Another beautiful audio drama. Great voice acting and effects. Adds a bit to already amazing novel Pharos. Actually enjoyed every bit of it, can't give it 5 start though because I was impressed even more by other shorts that are also that small. Still a wonderful piece.
6. Wolf King by Chris Wraight - ****
I've had a bit of a Heresy burnout in the process of reading this so it took me way longer than it normally would, yet I enjoyed it quite a lot after I finally finished it. Interesting to see Russ reflecting, questioning and even reevaluating his thoughts and actions, of course only to a certain point. Might read it again in the future just to make sure I did not miss out on anything due to the pause I had to take.
7. The Binary Succession by David Annandale - *****
A wonderful story, my favorite part of this anthology. An important piece of lore. We learn how the Adeptus Mechanicus came to be a powerful force within the Adeptus Terra. Very well written, extremely engaging.
8. Perpetual by Dan Abnett - ***
This one I did not hate. Which is weird. I decided to listen to the audio drama instead of reading it as a part of Burden of Loyalty anthology, this was a smart choice to make. Dan Abnett's ability to write and voice actors' ability to perform had saved it for me since perpetuals, Cabal and specifically John Grammaticus represent the elements of the Horus Heresy that I would prefer to never exist. This was surprisingly interesting to listen to.
August 18, 2025
"The Thirteenth Wolf" by Gav Thorpe ****
The Thirteenth Company fought beside Leman Russ as mortal men, and when given the opportunity to stand beside him as enchanced warriors of the Imperium, they gladly did so, even though the mortality rate was high. These legendary warriors were said to have disappeared, but where they went was unknown.
The story opens as Prospero burns. The action is intense and ties in well to McNeill's novel. The Thirteenth Legion give chase to a fleeing Thousand Sons Psyker, who evades the Rout by passing through portals. The Thirteenth Company refuses to give up the chase, as they are lead into a labyrinth with no exit in sight.
There is something tragic and bleak about the chase. The Rout are so dedicated to their role of Executioners that it has blinded them to anything else.
(Ashes of Prospero also by Gav Thorpe serves as a sequel to this story, for anyone interested in more Space Wolf action).
"Into Exile" by Aaron Dembski-Bowden *****
"The Legionary lies in the dirt, his duty done."
Arkham Land of the Mechanicum is guided to safety by a lone Imperial Fist. A relatively straightforward forward story, except for the fact that it is told backwards! The story begins at the end and ends at the beginning. Despite that, it is a relatively easy story to follow, but is worth reading it again in the "conventional" order.
The story isn't particularly complex but it is effective, Arkhan Land is well characterised as a smary intellectual type with a pumped up ego, but there is a likeable charm to him all the same.
ADB has such command of language, each scene was exciting and captivating.
Cybernetica by Rob Sanders ****
The story begins at around the same point as “Mechanicum” and converges with the Malcador “Knight Errant” plotline. This story follows members of the Legion who had been sent to Mars to train as Tech-Marines. But with a Martian Civil War underway, and the Fabricator General sworn to Horus, the forces of Mars have decided it best to wipe the Marines off the surface of Mars.
The main protagonist, Dravion Klayde “The Carrion” is of the Raven Guard Legion, but a battle against vicious Xenos cost him an arm and two legs. The bionic replacements were considered too cumbersome and noisy by his brothers, who valued stealth above all else. So, he was sent to Mars, to learn the ways of the Machine Cult. It’s a strong hook to begin the story, he was cast out for not meeting the requirements of his Legion and so he is left feeling like he doesn’t belong anywhere.
The action is intense but easy to follow. It also works well on an emotional level. The Space Marines are confused and furious at the betrayal, they don’t know if this factionalism or if all of Mars has turned against Terra.
The second portion of the story begins on Terra. Zagreus Kane, the leader of the loyal Mechanicum faction appears alongside Rogal Dorn and Malcador, which treats us to a fantastic debate as they consider the future of Mars.
"Ordo Sinister" by John French
"The Heart of the Pharos" (short story) by L. J. Goulding ****
The Pharos is a piece of Xenos-technology with unknown origins and capabilities. Despite that, it is the key to Imperium Secundus’ success. Without it Guilliman would never have been joined by his brother’s Lion El’Jonson or Sanguinius.
Since the events of “Unremembered Empire” both Barbarus Dantioch and Alexis Polux have worked to discover the secrets of the Pharos and the planet Sotha. Servitors have been sent deep down into the caverns underneath Mount Pharos, but none returned. Ultramarine Scouts have been sent down into the darkness, to discover what lurks in the abyss.
I really enjoyed the tense uncomfortable nature of the story. I particularly dislike the idea of cave spelunking or getting trapped down in the dark so this was especially terrifying for me. The Ultramarine Scouts are young neophytes, just boys really, unprepared for the danger that lurks in the dark.
This story also shows us that not all is well in Imperium Secundus, as the Lion continues to keep secrets from his brothers, and is more invested in hunting the Night Haunter than in his other duties as Defender of the Realm.
A strong setup for the novels “Pharos” and “Angels of Darkness”.
Wolf King by Chris Wraight ****
Russ has broken the back of Magnus and Prospero has been sacked. Now the Heresy is underway and the Wolves are being hunted down by the Alpha Legion.
The Wolf King is weary, his brothers betrayal weighs heavily on his mind, and he must come to terms with his own shortcomings. For so long he clad himself in the costume of the Barbarian King, the Emperor's executioner, but now the costume has become the flesh, the act is now reality. He knows that for his Legion to survive they must change, evolve, but first they will have to survive the Alpha Legion!
Fun void-combat and I really enjoyed the characterisation of Russ, and his relationship with Bjorn One-Hand.
"The Binary Succession" by David Annandale *****
One of my favourite Heresy Audio dramas. Very little in the way of action, but heavy on political drama and intrigue.
The Mechanicum of Mars and the Imperium of Terra were a united force drawn together into a single entity by the Treaty of Olympus Mons. But at the onset of the Heresy, a schism in the Mechanicum saw Loyalists to the Emperor fleeing Mars in search of refuge. Now on Terra, the Mechanicum hold little sway in the politics of the Lords of Terra. Worse there are two beings who both proclaim to be the Fabricator-General of Mars. To reconcile these problems, drastic actions must be taken. The Mechanicum must become the Adeptus Mechanicus and be folded into the administration of the Imperium.
Very well written and engaging.
"Perpetual" (short story) by Dan Abnett ****
Oll Persson is a perpetual who was first introduced in "Know no Fear" appeared breifly in the short story "Athame" and appeared again in the short story "Unmarked" which acts as a direct sequel to "Know no Fear". This audio drama follows up on "Unmarked".
Oll and his band of Calth survivors have been cutting their way through reality, travelling across time and space to reach Terra, only to find themselves trapped in the doldrums, unable to move forward.
Abnett does a good job giving Oll some nice little character moments in this audio drama to further humanise him and make him a more sympathetic character to the reader.
Oll appears again throughout the Siege of Terra series.
The Thirteenth Company fought beside Leman Russ as mortal men, and when given the opportunity to stand beside him as enchanced warriors of the Imperium, they gladly did so, even though the mortality rate was high. These legendary warriors were said to have disappeared, but where they went was unknown.
The story opens as Prospero burns. The action is intense and ties in well to McNeill's novel. The Thirteenth Legion give chase to a fleeing Thousand Sons Psyker, who evades the Rout by passing through portals. The Thirteenth Company refuses to give up the chase, as they are lead into a labyrinth with no exit in sight.
There is something tragic and bleak about the chase. The Rout are so dedicated to their role of Executioners that it has blinded them to anything else.
(Ashes of Prospero also by Gav Thorpe serves as a sequel to this story, for anyone interested in more Space Wolf action).
"Into Exile" by Aaron Dembski-Bowden *****
"The Legionary lies in the dirt, his duty done."
Arkham Land of the Mechanicum is guided to safety by a lone Imperial Fist. A relatively straightforward forward story, except for the fact that it is told backwards! The story begins at the end and ends at the beginning. Despite that, it is a relatively easy story to follow, but is worth reading it again in the "conventional" order.
The story isn't particularly complex but it is effective, Arkhan Land is well characterised as a smary intellectual type with a pumped up ego, but there is a likeable charm to him all the same.
ADB has such command of language, each scene was exciting and captivating.
Cybernetica by Rob Sanders ****
The story begins at around the same point as “Mechanicum” and converges with the Malcador “Knight Errant” plotline. This story follows members of the Legion who had been sent to Mars to train as Tech-Marines. But with a Martian Civil War underway, and the Fabricator General sworn to Horus, the forces of Mars have decided it best to wipe the Marines off the surface of Mars.
The main protagonist, Dravion Klayde “The Carrion” is of the Raven Guard Legion, but a battle against vicious Xenos cost him an arm and two legs. The bionic replacements were considered too cumbersome and noisy by his brothers, who valued stealth above all else. So, he was sent to Mars, to learn the ways of the Machine Cult. It’s a strong hook to begin the story, he was cast out for not meeting the requirements of his Legion and so he is left feeling like he doesn’t belong anywhere.
The action is intense but easy to follow. It also works well on an emotional level. The Space Marines are confused and furious at the betrayal, they don’t know if this factionalism or if all of Mars has turned against Terra.
The second portion of the story begins on Terra. Zagreus Kane, the leader of the loyal Mechanicum faction appears alongside Rogal Dorn and Malcador, which treats us to a fantastic debate as they consider the future of Mars.
"Ordo Sinister" by John French
"The Heart of the Pharos" (short story) by L. J. Goulding ****
The Pharos is a piece of Xenos-technology with unknown origins and capabilities. Despite that, it is the key to Imperium Secundus’ success. Without it Guilliman would never have been joined by his brother’s Lion El’Jonson or Sanguinius.
Since the events of “Unremembered Empire” both Barbarus Dantioch and Alexis Polux have worked to discover the secrets of the Pharos and the planet Sotha. Servitors have been sent deep down into the caverns underneath Mount Pharos, but none returned. Ultramarine Scouts have been sent down into the darkness, to discover what lurks in the abyss.
I really enjoyed the tense uncomfortable nature of the story. I particularly dislike the idea of cave spelunking or getting trapped down in the dark so this was especially terrifying for me. The Ultramarine Scouts are young neophytes, just boys really, unprepared for the danger that lurks in the dark.
This story also shows us that not all is well in Imperium Secundus, as the Lion continues to keep secrets from his brothers, and is more invested in hunting the Night Haunter than in his other duties as Defender of the Realm.
A strong setup for the novels “Pharos” and “Angels of Darkness”.
Wolf King by Chris Wraight ****
Russ has broken the back of Magnus and Prospero has been sacked. Now the Heresy is underway and the Wolves are being hunted down by the Alpha Legion.
The Wolf King is weary, his brothers betrayal weighs heavily on his mind, and he must come to terms with his own shortcomings. For so long he clad himself in the costume of the Barbarian King, the Emperor's executioner, but now the costume has become the flesh, the act is now reality. He knows that for his Legion to survive they must change, evolve, but first they will have to survive the Alpha Legion!
Fun void-combat and I really enjoyed the characterisation of Russ, and his relationship with Bjorn One-Hand.
"The Binary Succession" by David Annandale *****
One of my favourite Heresy Audio dramas. Very little in the way of action, but heavy on political drama and intrigue.
The Mechanicum of Mars and the Imperium of Terra were a united force drawn together into a single entity by the Treaty of Olympus Mons. But at the onset of the Heresy, a schism in the Mechanicum saw Loyalists to the Emperor fleeing Mars in search of refuge. Now on Terra, the Mechanicum hold little sway in the politics of the Lords of Terra. Worse there are two beings who both proclaim to be the Fabricator-General of Mars. To reconcile these problems, drastic actions must be taken. The Mechanicum must become the Adeptus Mechanicus and be folded into the administration of the Imperium.
Very well written and engaging.
"Perpetual" (short story) by Dan Abnett ****
Oll Persson is a perpetual who was first introduced in "Know no Fear" appeared breifly in the short story "Athame" and appeared again in the short story "Unmarked" which acts as a direct sequel to "Know no Fear". This audio drama follows up on "Unmarked".
Oll and his band of Calth survivors have been cutting their way through reality, travelling across time and space to reach Terra, only to find themselves trapped in the doldrums, unable to move forward.
Abnett does a good job giving Oll some nice little character moments in this audio drama to further humanise him and make him a more sympathetic character to the reader.
Oll appears again throughout the Siege of Terra series.
August 31, 2025
overall - this was pretty good!! one of the better anthologies.
the thirteenth wolf: 8373738/5
- holy shit!!!!! yes yes yes. I am obsessed with the Great Thirteenth Company. This was perfect. yes yes holy shit yes.
into exile: 4/5
- i know these “bolder” writing styles aren’t for everyone but i really liked it. i actually feel like it made the story better lol.
cybernetica: 3.75/5
- ugh. this had so much promise. that opening chapter had me hooked! the premise was awesome. but then it kind of just fell apart? i’m not a fan of constant battles, and then it just kinda fell flat at the end. & i’m not normally against “pointless” stories but this one is an exception.
ordo sinister: 5/5
- ya. that was cool as hell.
the heart of the pharos: 4/5
- this was a splendid surprise. i absolutely loved Pharos and i feel like its implications (the ending) are wildly overlooked and this confirms a lot of that.
wolf king: 3.5/5
- i liked the lore it provided for the vi legion and though it seemed as a “passing” sentence, this is a very important turning point in russ’ arc. however... void warfare is not my thing at all.
the binary succession: 5/5
- this was the kind of mechanicus story i wanted! a nice political ride. this was exactly my style. i could care less about big battles. i want dialogue.
perpetual: 5/5
- loved loved loved. this may be one of the first short stories i got sad that i ended!
the thirteenth wolf: 8373738/5
- holy shit!!!!! yes yes yes. I am obsessed with the Great Thirteenth Company. This was perfect. yes yes holy shit yes.
into exile: 4/5
- i know these “bolder” writing styles aren’t for everyone but i really liked it. i actually feel like it made the story better lol.
cybernetica: 3.75/5
- ugh. this had so much promise. that opening chapter had me hooked! the premise was awesome. but then it kind of just fell apart? i’m not a fan of constant battles, and then it just kinda fell flat at the end. & i’m not normally against “pointless” stories but this one is an exception.
ordo sinister: 5/5
- ya. that was cool as hell.
the heart of the pharos: 4/5
- this was a splendid surprise. i absolutely loved Pharos and i feel like its implications (the ending) are wildly overlooked and this confirms a lot of that.
wolf king: 3.5/5
- i liked the lore it provided for the vi legion and though it seemed as a “passing” sentence, this is a very important turning point in russ’ arc. however... void warfare is not my thing at all.
the binary succession: 5/5
- this was the kind of mechanicus story i wanted! a nice political ride. this was exactly my style. i could care less about big battles. i want dialogue.
perpetual: 5/5
- loved loved loved. this may be one of the first short stories i got sad that i ended!
February 6, 2020
An anthology of tales from the Horus Hersey:
The Thirteenth Wolf: Bulveye leads his pack of Space Wolves though the battle of Prospero facing the traps set by Magnus' sons head on as is their way.
Into Exile: Arkhan Land needs rescuing from a Mars fallen into civil war. An interesting story told backwards.
Cybernetica: The Carrion is a Raven Guard badly wounded and patched up with bionics. Sent to Mars to train as a techmarine he's present when the civil war breaks out on the planet and the Space Marines assumed loyal to Terra and are the first target for the traitors.
Ordo Sinister: In the Webway a Psi-Titan holds the line against a horde of demons.
Heart of Pharos: A squad of Space Marine Scouts investigate the tunnels under the Pharos.
Wolf King: The greater part of the Space Wolves and Leman Russ are cornered by the Alpha Legion in a dangerous nebula. Can the Wolves fight their way out?
The Binary Succession: Exiled from Mars the loyalist of the Mechanium need to reinstate their authority and place within the Imperium without breaking their bonds or losing allies.
Perpetual: Oll Perrson and his companions are trying to get to Terra for reasons but are stuck. It's a whole thing.
A nice mix of stories from a variety of scales that fill in a few interesting details about the wider story without really moving anything forward in the greater narrative.
The Thirteenth Wolf: Bulveye leads his pack of Space Wolves though the battle of Prospero facing the traps set by Magnus' sons head on as is their way.
Into Exile: Arkhan Land needs rescuing from a Mars fallen into civil war. An interesting story told backwards.
Cybernetica: The Carrion is a Raven Guard badly wounded and patched up with bionics. Sent to Mars to train as a techmarine he's present when the civil war breaks out on the planet and the Space Marines assumed loyal to Terra and are the first target for the traitors.
Ordo Sinister: In the Webway a Psi-Titan holds the line against a horde of demons.
Heart of Pharos: A squad of Space Marine Scouts investigate the tunnels under the Pharos.
Wolf King: The greater part of the Space Wolves and Leman Russ are cornered by the Alpha Legion in a dangerous nebula. Can the Wolves fight their way out?
The Binary Succession: Exiled from Mars the loyalist of the Mechanium need to reinstate their authority and place within the Imperium without breaking their bonds or losing allies.
Perpetual: Oll Perrson and his companions are trying to get to Terra for reasons but are stuck. It's a whole thing.
A nice mix of stories from a variety of scales that fill in a few interesting details about the wider story without really moving anything forward in the greater narrative.
July 6, 2025
Quite uneven, but - as so often with these later Horus Heresy series anthologies - rescued by a great Chris Wraight short story. His Wolf King ought to have been a novel, about twenty novels back in the series (although it would have been very structurally similar to Path of Heaven...). David Annandale's The Binary Succession probably deserved a longer page count as well, or maybe just incorporation into a larger story about the Council of Terra and the civilian politics of the Imperium. Watchers of the Throne has proven that the Black Library can actually do that kind of thing.
Elsewhere Rob Sanders' Cybernetica has an eerie portrayal of demon-code infested Mars. And Ordo Sinister features a walking cathedral that uses psychic humans as ammunition (WARHAMMER 40K!!!!!!!!). I question the inclusion of The Thirteenth Wolf - why waste pages on a story about a battle that occurred thirty three novels ago?
Burden of Loyalty kept emphasising the weird pacing of this series. We're only six books away from the siege of Terra, and we still haven't had a novel about Mortarion, or a recent update on the Sons of Horus, or much of anything about Luther, and I'm about to read another book about the Salamanders...
Elsewhere Rob Sanders' Cybernetica has an eerie portrayal of demon-code infested Mars. And Ordo Sinister features a walking cathedral that uses psychic humans as ammunition (WARHAMMER 40K!!!!!!!!). I question the inclusion of The Thirteenth Wolf - why waste pages on a story about a battle that occurred thirty three novels ago?
Burden of Loyalty kept emphasising the weird pacing of this series. We're only six books away from the siege of Terra, and we still haven't had a novel about Mortarion, or a recent update on the Sons of Horus, or much of anything about Luther, and I'm about to read another book about the Salamanders...
December 6, 2019
My problem with The Burden of Loyalty isn't so much the content (although The 13th Wolf was pretty mediocre), as it is the point of release. This book needed to be released 20 novels ago in the series. Since it wasn't, almost every story is narratively and chronologically wildly out of place, and it shows. Black Library has regretfully always had a bit of a problem with releasing stories for this series in a coherent order, and this book is case-in-point. It's an assembly of stories that were previously e-shorts, audio dramas, and limited-release novellas. Great to release those things in a more general and widely-available format! Utterly ridiculous to do so 20 books later than you should have.
Ahh well. I suppose people who haven't been following the series as it gets released can certainly just read this anthology 20 books early, and that'll work just fine. That'd certainly be my recommendation.
Ahh well. I suppose people who haven't been following the series as it gets released can certainly just read this anthology 20 books early, and that'll work just fine. That'd certainly be my recommendation.
June 22, 2024
I think this was a good little short story collection. Thirteenth Wolf was good but I think lacked punch, similar with cybernetica although I'm glad to see the 30k take on the trope. Into Exile was excellent with a well executed gimmick. Ordo Sinister was also cool. Subjectively, I want to like Light of the Pharos more because I love that they managed to work tyranids into 30k, but I realize that in terms of how it was written it was very akin to the HP Lovecraft story Dagon, which in my view is one of the lesser. I really liked Wolf King and Binary succession. Overall I think it was good to have a what the mechanicum have been up to as well as an illustration of how the First and the Last are both Like That. Perpetual was actually awesome with it's DAOT depicions. Still, overall just sort of one of the update collections so I can't push it past three.
January 18, 2026
A messy disappointment with terrible editing. Eight total stories of which two are novella sized, makes the anthology feel disjointed and hard to read due to the swift changes in focus, theme and narrative. From very short stories that are less than ten minutes, to novellas tan can take around two hours to fully read.
Not to mention that, personally, I'm just not a fan of most of the factions featured in this book, including the Space Wolves, the Perpetuals, and the AdMech. There's more of course, but the way the book is structured makes those in particular standout more.
Anyway, wasn't fond of this one and felt like a waste of space that didn't really add up anything of quality to the already expansive lore of the Heresy. Sure, it does show some reveals and twists, but nothing I'd call incredible.
Not to mention that, personally, I'm just not a fan of most of the factions featured in this book, including the Space Wolves, the Perpetuals, and the AdMech. There's more of course, but the way the book is structured makes those in particular standout more.
Anyway, wasn't fond of this one and felt like a waste of space that didn't really add up anything of quality to the already expansive lore of the Heresy. Sure, it does show some reveals and twists, but nothing I'd call incredible.
July 7, 2024
Initially I enjoyed this as it seemed to call back to some earlier events in the Heresy, as we near the end, but after initial enjoyment it really slowed down, especially with Cybernetica for me, and while some of the stories were interesting, it didn't stop a feeling of dragging throughout.
Binary Succession also started well, but then seemed to devolve somewhat, and the whole idea of 'binary succession' was somewhat alluded to, but while mentioned lots seemed tangential to the actual plot.
Overall while not a bad read, somewhat of a frustrating one to have this late in the game.
Binary Succession also started well, but then seemed to devolve somewhat, and the whole idea of 'binary succession' was somewhat alluded to, but while mentioned lots seemed tangential to the actual plot.
Overall while not a bad read, somewhat of a frustrating one to have this late in the game.
February 18, 2018
This was a very necessary update to some threads especially concerning Mars and Oll. I had been looking forward to reading Cybernetica for a very long time and it did not disappoint. There is something to be said for reading a tragedy from the very start. The Binary Succession was a piece of momentous Imperium history and Perpetual updates what Oll has been up to. I would like to see more psi-titans though...
January 14, 2025
There are so many anthologies in the late book so the series, which I am, not really fond of. Still, this one includes some interesting stories. My personal favourite pieces of information are the general binary split of the mechanicum and obviously the statement the Vlka Fenryka has been tricked to engage the Thousand Sons.
Also noteworthy are the grey artworks of the titan marching on terra, which really captures the huge size of the engines, although the images aren't proper canon.
Also noteworthy are the grey artworks of the titan marching on terra, which really captures the huge size of the engines, although the images aren't proper canon.
February 8, 2018
Perpetual by Dan Abnett - 4/5
The Binary Succession by David Annandale - 5/5
Into Exile by Aaron Dembski-Bowden - 5/5
Ordo Sinister by John French - 3/5
The Heart of the Pharos by L J Goulding - 4/5
Cybernetica by Rob Sanders - 4/5
The Thirteenth Wolf by Gav Thorpe -2/5
The Wolf King by Chris Wraight - 4/5
The Binary Succession by David Annandale - 5/5
Into Exile by Aaron Dembski-Bowden - 5/5
Ordo Sinister by John French - 3/5
The Heart of the Pharos by L J Goulding - 4/5
Cybernetica by Rob Sanders - 4/5
The Thirteenth Wolf by Gav Thorpe -2/5
The Wolf King by Chris Wraight - 4/5
July 30, 2018
An excellent selection of stories, featuring mainly Imperial Fists legion and the Mechanicum. Most of the stories focus on the period immediately after the fall of Mars. There is also an Ultramarine story that feels out of place but is one of the best horror stories in the Warhammer universe I have read.
September 22, 2019
One thing I don't normally read is an anthology. I find it difficult to transition so rapidly from characters to settings, to, well you get the picture. These particular stories span the galaxy and are slightly more defined than the larger books. The Horus Heresy is my weak spot though so I guess I'll keep reading. Good fillers for the war that aren't being told.
October 14, 2024
Horus Hersey #48 (Anthology): Hit or miss, I thin this is hopefully the last anthology in the series. First novel featuring Space Wolves on Prospero was forgettable. The second story follows a tech-marine training on Mars during the rebellion. It took me awhile to complete the full anthology with the ebook.
May 11, 2019
Nice collection of short stories and novellas that helps to advance some of the subplots that had languished for lack of attention elsewhere. If you're this deep into the Heresy, it's a must read. If you're a casual reader of the series, you can probably pass.
September 4, 2019
An average anthology with some that stand out very prominently. Was a bit of a hard read because of my dislike of the space wolves in general, for the story Wolf King specifically. It looks like it was worth the time reading it though.
April 23, 2020
Another collection of previously published stories and prose versions of some of the audio plays. Some good stuff in there but if you've been keeping up there may not be anything new making this one skippable.
September 10, 2020
A good collection of short stories. The binary succession in particular was a very interesting tale and piece of heresy history. However, this book is more for those who enjoy the heresy as a setting as opposed to a singular narrative.
October 3, 2025
40k in 40 words: *The Burden of Loyalty* is one of my favorite anthologies, and its low rating is wildly unfair. It delves deeply into torn allegiances, exploring loyalty split between opposing sides. A powerful, thought-provoking collection that deserves far greater acclaim.
September 6, 2018
Excellent collection of short stories and novellas.
February 20, 2019
Both novellas that make up the majority of this anthology are of very high quality.
April 28, 2019
Good collection, some interesting stories, but not crucial to The series
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