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Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom
A Warhammer 40,000 Novel
The renegade leader of the Red Corsairs must adapt to an Imperium led by Roboute Guilliman, all while struggling to retain power in the face of dissension among his vicious followers.
READ IT BECAUSE
See how the galaxy has changed for the Red Corsairs after the Great Rift, through the eyes of their infamous reaving leader – Huron Blackheart – who once preyed freely on a weakened Imperium.
THE STORY
Huron Blackheart is the lord of the Red Corsairs, master of the lawless Maelstrom and its piratical denizens – but oathbreakers and renegades can seldom rely on the loyalty of their followers. With the galaxy thrown into turmoil by the return of Roboute Guilliman, the former Tyrant of Badab faces a renewed Imperium and fresh challengers emerging within his own ranks.
Huron must call on every trick he knows to stay in control – and alive. Yet even a warrior as ferocious and opportunistic as the Blood Reaver must be wary, for although there are many bargains he can strike, all power comes at a price…
The renegade leader of the Red Corsairs must adapt to an Imperium led by Roboute Guilliman, all while struggling to retain power in the face of dissension among his vicious followers.
READ IT BECAUSE
See how the galaxy has changed for the Red Corsairs after the Great Rift, through the eyes of their infamous reaving leader – Huron Blackheart – who once preyed freely on a weakened Imperium.
THE STORY
Huron Blackheart is the lord of the Red Corsairs, master of the lawless Maelstrom and its piratical denizens – but oathbreakers and renegades can seldom rely on the loyalty of their followers. With the galaxy thrown into turmoil by the return of Roboute Guilliman, the former Tyrant of Badab faces a renewed Imperium and fresh challengers emerging within his own ranks.
Huron must call on every trick he knows to stay in control – and alive. Yet even a warrior as ferocious and opportunistic as the Blood Reaver must be wary, for although there are many bargains he can strike, all power comes at a price…
208 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2022
23 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Mike Brooks
79 books548 followersMike Brooks was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and moved to Nottingham when he was 18 to go to university. He’s stayed there ever since, and now lives with his wife, two cats, two snakes and a collection of tropical fish. When not working for a homelessness charity he plays guitar and sings in a punk band, watches football (soccer), MMA and nature/science documentaries, goes walking in the Peak District or other areas of splendid scenery, and DJs wherever anyone will tolerate him.
And, y’know, writes.
And, y’know, writes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 8, 2022
Huron Blackheart, the Tyrant of Badab, has a longer history in 40K than Abaddon the Despoiler, the Tau Empire and the division of the Inquistion into separate Ordos. Huron has featured, memorably, in several stories, but only now is he getting to ‘star’ in one.
Mike Brooks has shown himself to be one of the most economical authors in the Black Library stable- and once again he manages to squeeze a lot into fewer than 200 pages. Readers hoping for an in-depth recount of the Badab War are going to be disappointed- that conflict is (hopefully) being saved for a series in it’s own right. Instead, we get a study of power. Blackheart is, both literally and figuratively, opposed to the Imperium of Man and this book shows us how he has managed to (Tyrant’s) Claw the significant power he has. The Tyrant of Badab is no longer able to count upon the implicit loyalty of his followers, instead having to rely on charisma and psychology as much as feats of martial prowess to maintain his empire.
Some of my favourite ever 40K books focus on Traitor Astartes- they’re intrinsically more interesting subjects for fiction to me- and this sits comfortably alongside them.
Mike Brooks has shown himself to be one of the most economical authors in the Black Library stable- and once again he manages to squeeze a lot into fewer than 200 pages. Readers hoping for an in-depth recount of the Badab War are going to be disappointed- that conflict is (hopefully) being saved for a series in it’s own right. Instead, we get a study of power. Blackheart is, both literally and figuratively, opposed to the Imperium of Man and this book shows us how he has managed to (Tyrant’s) Claw the significant power he has. The Tyrant of Badab is no longer able to count upon the implicit loyalty of his followers, instead having to rely on charisma and psychology as much as feats of martial prowess to maintain his empire.
Some of my favourite ever 40K books focus on Traitor Astartes- they’re intrinsically more interesting subjects for fiction to me- and this sits comfortably alongside them.
August 30, 2022
This novel does not have typical Brooks political ideas shoehorned into it but it's just pretty bland. Typical bolter porn with uninteresting characters, predictable and boring story about how chaos is chaotic. The only redeeming quality is that it's short so I did not waste too much time on it.
July 4, 2022
Mike Brooks is one of the most rabid leftwing extremists authors out there in the 40k sphere and it taints everything he writes to the point where they should be avoided at all costs.
May 20, 2022
Fantastic book and a really good look at the imperium from the outside. Huron is a typical anti hero and someone you can’t help supporting despite his obvious malice.
May 26, 2022
A rather short read, but it was entertaining. Makes me want to read more about the crusade started by Roboute. As well as further books dealing with The Red Corsairs and more importantly Huron, which is a great character who should be explored more in Black Library fiction.
July 13, 2022
What could have been a cool origin story of a morally grey space marine or something turned into another cardboard cutout baddie Chaos story. The least interesting part of Hurons story, brought to life.
May 21, 2022
Andrew really got into character for this reading. Great story.
June 23, 2025
very interesting
I really enjoyed this, shows Huron’s character well. Ending was good but I would have enjoyed more of a bang, it was still good
Hopefully there’s a lot more of Huron to come.
My only criticism is it was so short for the price point.
I really enjoyed this, shows Huron’s character well. Ending was good but I would have enjoyed more of a bang, it was still good
Hopefully there’s a lot more of Huron to come.
My only criticism is it was so short for the price point.
April 27, 2023
Rating of 4.25.
I am really in love with the Warhammer 40,000 universe at the moment as they are producing some incredible books. While many feature huge casts or examine vast conflicts, some of the very best Warhammer 40,000 novels provide greater context and insight into the game’s legendary characters. These major character driven novels often result in some intriguing and powerful reads, and I love the complex stories that they tell. One of the more interesting ones recently was the epic Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom by rising Warhammer 40,000 fiction author Mike Brooks. This was a great and exciting read from last year, which I unfortunately never got the chance to properly review. However, as I have just started listening to one of Brooks’s more recent novels, Warboss, I thought it would be beneficial to do a quick review of Huron Blackheart.
Brooks has produced a very awesome and enjoyable read with Huron Blackheart which drags you in with its intense and entertaining story. As the name suggests, the book primarily focuses on one of the more interesting characters from the wider Warhammer 40,000 canon, Huron Blackheart. Huron Blackheart is a particularly cool character with a well-established background as a former loyal space marine who turned traitor and become a notorious pirate lord, haunting vast swathes of the Imperium. Rather than diving into the full history of the character, Brooks instead tells a more contemporary narrative that shows the current actions of Huron Blackheart in the aftermath of the return of Roboute Guilliman.
The story sees Huron planning his next great offensive against the hated Imperium when one of his subordinates suddenly becomes a threat when he arrives with a mighty war prize, a legendary Ultramarines battle cruiser and Roboute Guilliman’s personal flagship, which the canny underling had managed to capture. Now faced with a potential rival, Huron is further blindsided when several of his underlings ensure that a powerful daemonic relic falls out of his hands, further weakening his hold on his minions. Forced into a corner, Huron soon finds himself caught between his murderous minions and the dark powers that surround him, and he’ll need to make a deadly decision that could change his existence and the remnants of his soul forever.
This is a pretty enjoyable and compelling overall narrative, and it is always quite a lot of fun to see events unfold from a villain’s perspective. The author did a good job of balancing out some of the elements of the story, and the reader is treated to a great mix of Chaos politics, intense action, and a focus on the always awesome figure of Huron Blackheart. Brooks makes good use of a multi-character perspective throughout Huron Blackheart, which is mostly effective in telling the fun and enjoyable narrative. The main one of course is from Huron itself, which gives you some very interesting views into his mind, but several other characters are also well featured, including a captured Tech Priest who is forcibly recruited into Huron’s ranks at the start of the novel. She provides a great outsider perspective to the entire story, and, when combined with Huron’s own cynical observances, you get a great view of the book’s events, especially all the backstabbing, politicking and carnage that emerges. Not every character is given this great treatment however, as several of the supporting cast end up being a bit one-dimensional in places, which make their subsequent perspective shots a bit hard to care about. Still, Brooks’s great use of perspective does capture the novel’s slightly darker and more bloody tone that some of the other Warhammer 40,000 novels out there as Brooks attempts to capture the villainous edge to every character. I particularly enjoyed several of the scenes that showed the entire elaborate nature of Huron’s corsair organisation, and it was a lot of fun to see all the different factions, as well as several different groups of Chaos Space Marines, working together for piratical purposes. I did think that the story itself was a little basic in places, especially when it came to its direction, and several of the twists or reveals were well telegraphed. Still, I was pretty entertained the entire way through Huron Blackheart, and readers are guaranteed a pretty good time with the story.
Naturally for a book titled Huron Blackheart, a lot of the story is built around the exploration of who Huron is and what role he fills in the galaxy. I must admit that this was one of those established Warhammer characters that I wasn’t particularly familiar with, so I was quite keen to see how the author would feature them. Unsurprisingly, Brooks does a good job of setting Huron up as a particularly intense and ghastly central character for the novel, and you soon get a good idea of his motivations and the rage burning within him. While Brooks was a little light on Huron’s full character history, readers fully understand his hatred, as well as other intriguing aspects of his character, such as his pragmatism, his deep-seated rage, and an actual understanding of the powers he has bound himself to. I loved seeing the world through Huron’s eyes in parts of the book, especially as you see all his canny and cynical insights into the motivations of his minions and the key players of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Watching Huron attempt to manipulate every situation to his advantage is a ton of fun, and he cuts quite a distinctive figure in this book, even when on the losing end of a potential scheme. Despite some of the setbacks he suffers in this novel, Huron comes away as a particularly strong and intelligent character, and it was fun to follow a Chaos leader that can control so many naturally treacherous beings. Brooks also does a good job of tying Huron’s story into the wider current canon of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and it was fascinating to see what role Huron envisions his raiders having in the current wars of the galaxy. There are some great references to other recent books and events, particularly when it comes the events around the captured Ultramarines ships, and I felt that this entire novel slid in nicely into this wider canon.
I ended up listening to Huron Blackheart on audiobook, which is always my preferred medium for Warhammer stories. The Huron Blackheart audiobook ended up being a pretty awesome listen, especially with the impressive narration of Andrew Wincott. Wincott captured every dark and bloody setting perfectly with his narration, and you got a real sense of the scale and menace of every scene, especially those focused on Huron himself. Wincott made sure to also feature some great voices which really showed the full range of crazed figures that made up the supporting cast. However, the best voice work was saved for Huron Blackheart himself, as Wincott wanted to inject some intensity into him. Wincott gives him a deep, loud, and croaky voice, that perfectly captures his inhuman nature and helps readers to envision his mutilated flesh. As such, the Huron Blackheart audiobook is an outstanding way to the enjoy the story, and with a run time of just under six and a half hours, it is one that you can power through pretty quickly.
Overall, Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom was a great Warhammer 40,000 book and I am glad that I got the chance to listen to it last year. Mike Brooks had a lot of fun bringing the intriguing central protagonist to life in this new book, and his subsequent story of treachery and survival was interesting and easy to get through. This was a particularly solid entry in the Warhammer canon, and all established fans of the franchise will have an excellent time with Huron Blackheart, especially in its audiobook format.
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
I am really in love with the Warhammer 40,000 universe at the moment as they are producing some incredible books. While many feature huge casts or examine vast conflicts, some of the very best Warhammer 40,000 novels provide greater context and insight into the game’s legendary characters. These major character driven novels often result in some intriguing and powerful reads, and I love the complex stories that they tell. One of the more interesting ones recently was the epic Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom by rising Warhammer 40,000 fiction author Mike Brooks. This was a great and exciting read from last year, which I unfortunately never got the chance to properly review. However, as I have just started listening to one of Brooks’s more recent novels, Warboss, I thought it would be beneficial to do a quick review of Huron Blackheart.
Brooks has produced a very awesome and enjoyable read with Huron Blackheart which drags you in with its intense and entertaining story. As the name suggests, the book primarily focuses on one of the more interesting characters from the wider Warhammer 40,000 canon, Huron Blackheart. Huron Blackheart is a particularly cool character with a well-established background as a former loyal space marine who turned traitor and become a notorious pirate lord, haunting vast swathes of the Imperium. Rather than diving into the full history of the character, Brooks instead tells a more contemporary narrative that shows the current actions of Huron Blackheart in the aftermath of the return of Roboute Guilliman.
The story sees Huron planning his next great offensive against the hated Imperium when one of his subordinates suddenly becomes a threat when he arrives with a mighty war prize, a legendary Ultramarines battle cruiser and Roboute Guilliman’s personal flagship, which the canny underling had managed to capture. Now faced with a potential rival, Huron is further blindsided when several of his underlings ensure that a powerful daemonic relic falls out of his hands, further weakening his hold on his minions. Forced into a corner, Huron soon finds himself caught between his murderous minions and the dark powers that surround him, and he’ll need to make a deadly decision that could change his existence and the remnants of his soul forever.
This is a pretty enjoyable and compelling overall narrative, and it is always quite a lot of fun to see events unfold from a villain’s perspective. The author did a good job of balancing out some of the elements of the story, and the reader is treated to a great mix of Chaos politics, intense action, and a focus on the always awesome figure of Huron Blackheart. Brooks makes good use of a multi-character perspective throughout Huron Blackheart, which is mostly effective in telling the fun and enjoyable narrative. The main one of course is from Huron itself, which gives you some very interesting views into his mind, but several other characters are also well featured, including a captured Tech Priest who is forcibly recruited into Huron’s ranks at the start of the novel. She provides a great outsider perspective to the entire story, and, when combined with Huron’s own cynical observances, you get a great view of the book’s events, especially all the backstabbing, politicking and carnage that emerges. Not every character is given this great treatment however, as several of the supporting cast end up being a bit one-dimensional in places, which make their subsequent perspective shots a bit hard to care about. Still, Brooks’s great use of perspective does capture the novel’s slightly darker and more bloody tone that some of the other Warhammer 40,000 novels out there as Brooks attempts to capture the villainous edge to every character. I particularly enjoyed several of the scenes that showed the entire elaborate nature of Huron’s corsair organisation, and it was a lot of fun to see all the different factions, as well as several different groups of Chaos Space Marines, working together for piratical purposes. I did think that the story itself was a little basic in places, especially when it came to its direction, and several of the twists or reveals were well telegraphed. Still, I was pretty entertained the entire way through Huron Blackheart, and readers are guaranteed a pretty good time with the story.
Naturally for a book titled Huron Blackheart, a lot of the story is built around the exploration of who Huron is and what role he fills in the galaxy. I must admit that this was one of those established Warhammer characters that I wasn’t particularly familiar with, so I was quite keen to see how the author would feature them. Unsurprisingly, Brooks does a good job of setting Huron up as a particularly intense and ghastly central character for the novel, and you soon get a good idea of his motivations and the rage burning within him. While Brooks was a little light on Huron’s full character history, readers fully understand his hatred, as well as other intriguing aspects of his character, such as his pragmatism, his deep-seated rage, and an actual understanding of the powers he has bound himself to. I loved seeing the world through Huron’s eyes in parts of the book, especially as you see all his canny and cynical insights into the motivations of his minions and the key players of the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Watching Huron attempt to manipulate every situation to his advantage is a ton of fun, and he cuts quite a distinctive figure in this book, even when on the losing end of a potential scheme. Despite some of the setbacks he suffers in this novel, Huron comes away as a particularly strong and intelligent character, and it was fun to follow a Chaos leader that can control so many naturally treacherous beings. Brooks also does a good job of tying Huron’s story into the wider current canon of the Warhammer 40,000 universe and it was fascinating to see what role Huron envisions his raiders having in the current wars of the galaxy. There are some great references to other recent books and events, particularly when it comes the events around the captured Ultramarines ships, and I felt that this entire novel slid in nicely into this wider canon.
I ended up listening to Huron Blackheart on audiobook, which is always my preferred medium for Warhammer stories. The Huron Blackheart audiobook ended up being a pretty awesome listen, especially with the impressive narration of Andrew Wincott. Wincott captured every dark and bloody setting perfectly with his narration, and you got a real sense of the scale and menace of every scene, especially those focused on Huron himself. Wincott made sure to also feature some great voices which really showed the full range of crazed figures that made up the supporting cast. However, the best voice work was saved for Huron Blackheart himself, as Wincott wanted to inject some intensity into him. Wincott gives him a deep, loud, and croaky voice, that perfectly captures his inhuman nature and helps readers to envision his mutilated flesh. As such, the Huron Blackheart audiobook is an outstanding way to the enjoy the story, and with a run time of just under six and a half hours, it is one that you can power through pretty quickly.
Overall, Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom was a great Warhammer 40,000 book and I am glad that I got the chance to listen to it last year. Mike Brooks had a lot of fun bringing the intriguing central protagonist to life in this new book, and his subsequent story of treachery and survival was interesting and easy to get through. This was a particularly solid entry in the Warhammer canon, and all established fans of the franchise will have an excellent time with Huron Blackheart, especially in its audiobook format.
For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/
July 15, 2022
Have you ever picked up a book, read the first chapter and didn’t put it down until you read the very last page? That was me with this novel.
Definitely pick this up if you are a fan of chaos marines. It balances combat with an action packed story about power struggles and Huron refusing to submit to the Chaos Gods, spiting them and the Imperium with each breath. He might be young compared to the warriors of the traitor legions but there are good reasons why his Red Corsairs have grown so strong so quickly.
The other povs are equally as enjoyable. Datasmith Griza might seem naive but this is fitting someone of low power/influence in the universe. She makes up for it by adapting quickly and playing her cards well. Likewise Valthex is everything you can expect from a loyal second-in-command type of character.
I am very curious to see what Huron does next.
Definitely pick this up if you are a fan of chaos marines. It balances combat with an action packed story about power struggles and Huron refusing to submit to the Chaos Gods, spiting them and the Imperium with each breath. He might be young compared to the warriors of the traitor legions but there are good reasons why his Red Corsairs have grown so strong so quickly.
The other povs are equally as enjoyable. Datasmith Griza might seem naive but this is fitting someone of low power/influence in the universe. She makes up for it by adapting quickly and playing her cards well. Likewise Valthex is everything you can expect from a loyal second-in-command type of character.
I am very curious to see what Huron does next.
December 26, 2022
Big, big disappointment. Huron Blackheart is one of my favorite characters in the 40K universe, so I was really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, it couldn’t hold my interest, I constantly found myself tuning out and it was a struggle to finish. There were a couple of interesting insights into Huron and the Red Corsairs, but that was about it.
April 15, 2023
A literal space pirate thats grounds for a very entertaining story on itself so spending half a book about a Mechanicum priest with some castellan automata and pretty much 2 pages on the power dynamic of maelstrom piracy is a bizarre decision to say the least.
August 23, 2022
Incredibly dull. A real wasted opportunity to bring to life am iconic Warhammer 40K character. Story was dull, style was dull. Just dull.
May 7, 2024
Overall I enjoyed the story. Though being written in the present tense was distracting for me and not something I like.
February 9, 2024
His safety is paramount; the rest of his warband are, ultimately, expendable. That is one reason why he is still alive, and why so many of his enemies are not.
A good book to remind me that I am a simple man.
Learn to play
Dallax will follow, or she will not. If she follows, she will live, at least for a while. If she stays, she will die. It is no true choice, but it is the same choice the Imperium gives its citizens every day.
Huron Blackheart is the literary version of a tutorial mission. It lays out what might lure an individual to Chaos, particularly the freedom it offers from the Imperium’s social constraints. The book also steps through what each Chaos God could offer Huron Blackheart to overcome a series of obstacles placed in his way. However, he rejects the putative offer on each occasion to avoiding binding him inexorably any one of them. Huron instead relies on (barely) more limited powers he already has, along with the classic acts of subterfuge and double crossing.
I weighed up putting a spoiler tag on the preceding paragraph as Huron Blackheart is that straightforward. The most interesting and complicated element of the story, the descent and redemption of the Mechanicum’s Dallax is a mere subplot, though its linking to the main plot is effective… …in a, well, straightforward way.
Despite my jibes, I will be a harsh judge. Huron Blackheart creates a plausible framework for how individuals can fall to Chaos other than by injesting Nurgle’s spores or doing a line of Slaanesh’s cocaine made from the grinded up bones of newborns. Huron’s avoidance of the full embrace of Chaos also gives flexibility – he can deal or fight with all four, and his acolytes can fall or hold to differing levels.
So while Huron Blackheart is a tutorial mission rather than the main plot, that makes sense considering that Brooks has 200 odd pages to work with, limited control of major plot points, and a character who’s background is that he’s a bit of a weirdo (but that page limit constraint prevents a full exploration of that). He even broadens the lore a bit and makes Chaos somewhat palatable.
The monologue is mightier than the sword
‘You can choose to die today, of course – end your existence on this miserable rock, and fail in your duty to care for the automata under your command. Or you can preserve your life, secure their ongoing function, and survive. Should you choose to, you can die tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that. I assure you that the galaxy is never short of ways to die, and my warband in particular is full of them.’
There is a side point that I would like to comment on: Brooks wants conversations to matter – they read like each character is selecting a branching dialogue of options where the wrong choice carries catastrophic consequences. At least twice he refers to Huron needing to avoid a conversational trap laid by his antagonist.
So here is where I want to give Huron Blackheart the most credit. My biggest kudos to Brooks isn’t whether this approach to dialogue reflects reality, it’s that Brooks knows that if the reader is going to buy into this style, you need to open with your best shot, even if one character does virtually all the talking during it.
Huron has an early choice of easy violence or convincing his foe to stand down and join him. How he makes that choice and carries it out while also providing an explanation/exposition on how Chaos works, thus directly linking to the book’s main theme is praiseworthy. Blackheart is not the most charismatic character throughout the book – but I’’ forgive and believe that he is based on his opening monologue. It also reinforces that the later conversations have stakes too, because Brooks has demonstrated a clear risk/reward system to us from the start.
There is no point explaining the situation; the tarellians will neither understand nor care. More importantly, Huron Blackheart does not beg the understanding of lesser beings. Had the tarellians fallen silent, they would have lived. Instead they valued their supposed honour more highly than they respected his authority, or valued their own lives. They have made their choice, and now they must live with it. Or more accurately, die with it.
I would emphasise that Huron Blackheart is not a hard book to work out, and the simplicity of it perhaps leaves a reader at an emotional remove from the characters. However, watching the blocks fit into place can be a lot of fun – I genuinely think with more “room” to write, Brooks would work in more – after all, it’s just the tutorial mission.
A good book to remind me that I am a simple man.
Learn to play
Dallax will follow, or she will not. If she follows, she will live, at least for a while. If she stays, she will die. It is no true choice, but it is the same choice the Imperium gives its citizens every day.
Huron Blackheart is the literary version of a tutorial mission. It lays out what might lure an individual to Chaos, particularly the freedom it offers from the Imperium’s social constraints. The book also steps through what each Chaos God could offer Huron Blackheart to overcome a series of obstacles placed in his way. However, he rejects the putative offer on each occasion to avoiding binding him inexorably any one of them. Huron instead relies on (barely) more limited powers he already has, along with the classic acts of subterfuge and double crossing.
I weighed up putting a spoiler tag on the preceding paragraph as Huron Blackheart is that straightforward. The most interesting and complicated element of the story, the descent and redemption of the Mechanicum’s Dallax is a mere subplot, though its linking to the main plot is effective… …in a, well, straightforward way.
Despite my jibes, I will be a harsh judge. Huron Blackheart creates a plausible framework for how individuals can fall to Chaos other than by injesting Nurgle’s spores or doing a line of Slaanesh’s cocaine made from the grinded up bones of newborns. Huron’s avoidance of the full embrace of Chaos also gives flexibility – he can deal or fight with all four, and his acolytes can fall or hold to differing levels.
So while Huron Blackheart is a tutorial mission rather than the main plot, that makes sense considering that Brooks has 200 odd pages to work with, limited control of major plot points, and a character who’s background is that he’s a bit of a weirdo (but that page limit constraint prevents a full exploration of that). He even broadens the lore a bit and makes Chaos somewhat palatable.
The monologue is mightier than the sword
‘You can choose to die today, of course – end your existence on this miserable rock, and fail in your duty to care for the automata under your command. Or you can preserve your life, secure their ongoing function, and survive. Should you choose to, you can die tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that. I assure you that the galaxy is never short of ways to die, and my warband in particular is full of them.’
There is a side point that I would like to comment on: Brooks wants conversations to matter – they read like each character is selecting a branching dialogue of options where the wrong choice carries catastrophic consequences. At least twice he refers to Huron needing to avoid a conversational trap laid by his antagonist.
So here is where I want to give Huron Blackheart the most credit. My biggest kudos to Brooks isn’t whether this approach to dialogue reflects reality, it’s that Brooks knows that if the reader is going to buy into this style, you need to open with your best shot, even if one character does virtually all the talking during it.
Huron has an early choice of easy violence or convincing his foe to stand down and join him. How he makes that choice and carries it out while also providing an explanation/exposition on how Chaos works, thus directly linking to the book’s main theme is praiseworthy. Blackheart is not the most charismatic character throughout the book – but I’’ forgive and believe that he is based on his opening monologue. It also reinforces that the later conversations have stakes too, because Brooks has demonstrated a clear risk/reward system to us from the start.
There is no point explaining the situation; the tarellians will neither understand nor care. More importantly, Huron Blackheart does not beg the understanding of lesser beings. Had the tarellians fallen silent, they would have lived. Instead they valued their supposed honour more highly than they respected his authority, or valued their own lives. They have made their choice, and now they must live with it. Or more accurately, die with it.
I would emphasise that Huron Blackheart is not a hard book to work out, and the simplicity of it perhaps leaves a reader at an emotional remove from the characters. However, watching the blocks fit into place can be a lot of fun – I genuinely think with more “room” to write, Brooks would work in more – after all, it’s just the tutorial mission.
April 2, 2023
Huron Blackheart, the master of the Maelstrom, former Astral Claw and the leader of the Red Corsairs shouldn’t be alive. However, with his indomitable will, resilience, mechanical enhancements, and unholy warp assistance he not only continues to live but also thrives.
This story by Mike Brooks focuses on Independence, free-will, power dynamics in a chaos warband, loyalty (to a cause or a person) and the nature of power: how to claim it, how to hold it and how to lose it.
Huron knows the divided loyalties of some of his assets and aldo the naked ambition of others, and he masterfully uses that knowledge to solve all challenges he faces. This charismatic and fiercely independent warlord will also struggle to keep is independence from the major chaos powers; their temptations are mighty and Huron might need the assistance of the gods to achieve his goals.
Some secondary characters are fascinating, especially the Adeptus Mechanicus Dallax and Verngar the Apostate, the former Angel Encarmine.
Races through the warp, contacts with malevolent entities, battles in exotic planets, a quest for a potent artifact, and mighty land and space battles will keep you reading this page turner really fast.
This story by Mike Brooks focuses on Independence, free-will, power dynamics in a chaos warband, loyalty (to a cause or a person) and the nature of power: how to claim it, how to hold it and how to lose it.
Huron knows the divided loyalties of some of his assets and aldo the naked ambition of others, and he masterfully uses that knowledge to solve all challenges he faces. This charismatic and fiercely independent warlord will also struggle to keep is independence from the major chaos powers; their temptations are mighty and Huron might need the assistance of the gods to achieve his goals.
Some secondary characters are fascinating, especially the Adeptus Mechanicus Dallax and Verngar the Apostate, the former Angel Encarmine.
Races through the warp, contacts with malevolent entities, battles in exotic planets, a quest for a potent artifact, and mighty land and space battles will keep you reading this page turner really fast.
April 18, 2024
This is probably the best depiction of CSM that I have read. I find that the depictions of Heretic Astartes tend not to elaborate upon (either explicitly or implicitly) what the "draw" of Chaos is for its followers. There are some exceptions to this, but I have not seen as thorough of an explanation (and demonstration) as what is offered in this novel.
Not only is this a great depiction of the draw of Chaos for characters like Huron Blackheart, but there is also some excellent elaboration on the internal and external politics and structure of a CSM warband. The divided and often shifting loyalties make for a really compelling dynamic where Huron is forced to demonstrate how he rules his subjects through strength, cunning, and fear. By the end of it, it's pretty easy to understand how he has remained in his position.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Chaos and its followers. I will say that this is not a good "starter" book for anyone getting into 40K as an IP as there is a lot of terminology and other concepts which I feel only really come through if you know something about the setting before reading.
Not only is this a great depiction of the draw of Chaos for characters like Huron Blackheart, but there is also some excellent elaboration on the internal and external politics and structure of a CSM warband. The divided and often shifting loyalties make for a really compelling dynamic where Huron is forced to demonstrate how he rules his subjects through strength, cunning, and fear. By the end of it, it's pretty easy to understand how he has remained in his position.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Chaos and its followers. I will say that this is not a good "starter" book for anyone getting into 40K as an IP as there is a lot of terminology and other concepts which I feel only really come through if you know something about the setting before reading.
July 29, 2022
Wow, I absolutely loved this book! I do think it pays to have knowledge on old and current 40k lore eg: badab war, gathering storm and the indomitus crusade before reading this will have something’s make more sense.
I really enjoyed the tie ins with gathering storm events and I feel it was fleshed out a little more from the “bad guys” perspective which I believe you didn’t get in book 3. I also felt Hurons connection to the badab war is still raw as if it happened yesterday for him. His wounds definitely reminding him how low he fell.
The story progressed in a fluid pace in my opinion, I never felt like the author dragged and bloated scenes unnecessarily. I could have read for another hundreds of pages but what the book gives is enough to make me want to read more red corsairs novels and even add some to my up coming chaos force on the tabletop.
Thank you mike brooks!!
I really enjoyed the tie ins with gathering storm events and I feel it was fleshed out a little more from the “bad guys” perspective which I believe you didn’t get in book 3. I also felt Hurons connection to the badab war is still raw as if it happened yesterday for him. His wounds definitely reminding him how low he fell.
The story progressed in a fluid pace in my opinion, I never felt like the author dragged and bloated scenes unnecessarily. I could have read for another hundreds of pages but what the book gives is enough to make me want to read more red corsairs novels and even add some to my up coming chaos force on the tabletop.
Thank you mike brooks!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2025
Decent story and characters, made somewhat boring because every thought and action is over-explained, leaving me with little to chew on as a reader. I get a strong sense that this book was simply too short and padded poorly, it'd have been nicer to spend more time with some of the side characters rather than having so much information regurgitated repeatedly.
Still I enjoyed the content, this is the first Chaos book I've read that has traitor marines from loyalist legions in it, and I love to see it. It also does an alright job showing what makes Huron unique as a leader and sets him and his methods apart from Abaddon.
The narrator made an absolute MEAL out of the audiobook. The majority of it is delivered like we're listening to a villainous monologue. It annoyed me somewhat at first, but by the end I was wholly on board.
Still I enjoyed the content, this is the first Chaos book I've read that has traitor marines from loyalist legions in it, and I love to see it. It also does an alright job showing what makes Huron unique as a leader and sets him and his methods apart from Abaddon.
The narrator made an absolute MEAL out of the audiobook. The majority of it is delivered like we're listening to a villainous monologue. It annoyed me somewhat at first, but by the end I was wholly on board.
July 31, 2022
A good delve into the power structure of a traitorlegion, that ends a bit too quickly for my liking. Mike Brooks is great at writing his characters, and Huron is a treat. However he is outshined by datasmith Griza Dallax, who sadly seems to be a bit forgotten by Brooks by the ending.
Brooks have a blunt tendency to overexplain things which had me going "yeah, I get it" alot, and left me with the feeling that the book might have been published a bit too hastily. It was still a fast and fun read which I dont regret, and I hope Brooks get to write more stories of Huron and the Red Corsairs.
Brooks have a blunt tendency to overexplain things which had me going "yeah, I get it" alot, and left me with the feeling that the book might have been published a bit too hastily. It was still a fast and fun read which I dont regret, and I hope Brooks get to write more stories of Huron and the Red Corsairs.
October 24, 2022
This was a fantastic delve into what makes Huron tick. Don't go in expecting much on the Badab war, (hopefully we get a series for it sometime) but what is here is an excellent look into the current state of the Red Corsairs and how they function in the wider faction of Chaos. Huron is not surprisingly or surprisingly depending on your view of chaos and his past a very likable evil shit head and Mike Brooks does a wonderful job with him. While very short, it is has a solid conclusion and left me wanting more in a good way. Hopefully the Badab war series of books is on the way.
October 31, 2022
Huron Blackheart, the anti-hero and leader of the Red Corsairs faces new challenges as he adapts to the new Imperium under the command of Roboute Guilliman. Facing more challenges from his own forces, he seeks to consolidate his power and control.
Mike Brooks does a great job of making Huron less than despicable, and at times almost likeable. It can be hard to portray Chaos worshippers as anything other than unthinking zealots and madmen. However, Huron is an interesting and somewhat nuanced character in this story, giving a greater depth to non-space marine novels.
Mike Brooks does a great job of making Huron less than despicable, and at times almost likeable. It can be hard to portray Chaos worshippers as anything other than unthinking zealots and madmen. However, Huron is an interesting and somewhat nuanced character in this story, giving a greater depth to non-space marine novels.
January 24, 2025
Книжка неплохая, но очень небольшая по объему. Скорее повесть. Есть неплохая попытка описать мировоззрение Гурона и то как он взаимодействует с хаосом и пытается балансировать по краю и не отдаться с потрохами Темным Богам...хотя бы слишком рано и задёшево. Есть ещё линия магоса, но она там короткая во что интересное не выливается в конце. Ещё неплохо показан быт и проблемы Красных корсаров. Cюжет есть и даже к общему лору вархаммера пристегнут, но эпизод скорее второстепенный, но тут конечно претензия не к самому автору скорей, а к редакторам.
Майк Брукс может лучше.
Оценка: 7.0/10
Майк Брукс может лучше.
Оценка: 7.0/10
August 5, 2024
I thought Mike Brooks did a solid job with "Huron Blackheart : Master of the Maelstrom". Brooks showed the everyday workings of the character of Huron Blackheart. This story in this novel is not some epic adventure, to Huron it is just a Tuesday. Overall I thought the book was good, but not great. I did feel like I had a better understanding of Huron Blackheart and his Red Corsairs who I believe are significant in the warhammer universe.
August 11, 2024
Mike Brooks did a fantastic job as always! It was a great look into how the red corsairs think and operate, as well as providing some lore about Huron himself. I was very interested in learning more about the Red Corsairs, and this book filled that role perfectly. My only complaint is that while the lore and characters were very interesting, the main plot point didn't hook me that much. Huron and his rival go to retrieve a McGuffin While a much more interesting plot point for a band of pirates - raiding a key imperial world - is mentioned but happens entirely offscreen.
January 8, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The dual perspectives and solid pacing keep it engaging, and I tore through it pretty quickly. It does a great job of capturing the essence of 40k and Huron both.
This is one of the first 40k books I'm reading, so I'm probably less tired of some of the 40k tropes that others complain about
This is one of the first 40k books I'm reading, so I'm probably less tired of some of the 40k tropes that others complain about
June 8, 2022
they changed the opening preface that starts every wh40k book from "he is master of mankind... and master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustible armies" to "by the night of his inexhaustible armies a million worlds stand against the dark" Sadge
November 23, 2023
A truly fantastic character study of an often mentioned but little explored character in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Really gripping action sequences punctuated with sardonic wit. Loved every page and I hope we get more.
January 7, 2025
A not insignificant portion of this book may have been enjoyed due to the amazing audiobook performance, still it felt like an enjoyable Chaos Space Marine romp which made good on all of the characters it introduced.
Mike Brook is a favourite Black Library author for good reason.
Mike Brook is a favourite Black Library author for good reason.
August 12, 2025
Not your average Chaos lord, Huron Blackheart bears the scars of his past defeat in the Badab War. Despite these apparent vulnerabilities he is able to muster a powerful force and maintain control of the cut-thoat band of the renegades who linger, waiting to exploit the first sign of weakness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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