Eisenhorn: The Omnibus. Warhammer 40,000

by Dan Abnett

In the grim far future, the Inquisition moves amongst mankind like an avenging shadow, striking down daemons, aliens and heretics with uncompromising ruthlessness. Written by Gaunt’s Ghosts creator, Dan Abnett, this volume charts the career of Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn as he changes from being a zealous upholder of the truth to collaborating with the very powers he once swore to destroy. Part detective story, part interplanetary Epic, this omnibus brings together the novels Xenos, Malleus, Hereticus and The Magos, as well as four short stories.

Genres: Science Fiction, 40k, Fiction, Fantasy, Collections, Anthologies, Science Fiction Fantasy

944 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2022

Reviews

[MacKenzie Tafil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first Warhammer 40,000 book that I have read, and I didn't have high expectations. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book(s) and the world building that continued to develop based on where the inqisitor went.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just shy of a 1000 pages for this trilogy and it flew past. Recommended for anyone liking their stories on the darker side.

[Bart Landman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, hits all the aspects of 40k. Love it.

[Cj · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a long journey. 4 short stories, 4 novels. Back to back to back. Very different tone than the typical WH40k Space Marines, explosions, and epic space battles.

At first I didn't think I would enjoy it since the scope of the story was relatively small compared to a lot of the other WH40k books I've read. Then I got a couple novels into this omnibus and it started clicking. The individual character development of Eisenhorn and his shifting crew was very well done and seeing all the pieces of the overarching story fall into place after each investigation was awesome.

While some of the individual short stories and novels hovered around a 3.5-4 star range, the overall story contained in this omnibus was amazing and the ending left me with the desire to run out and immediately start the Ravenor series.

4.5/5

[Girish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the novels which had gone through start and stop many times. The starting of this book doesn't hook you as much as its latter half of the book is. Getting into Warhammer 40K world this book is a mixed feelings introduction. There are good and bad bits to it. Eisenhorn as the character carries this novel, we have less emotional connect to many characters and their arcs. The world building is the most fascinating and intriguing throughout. Very solid ending to the novel.

[Set Sytes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Xenos review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Malleus review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Hereticus review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Magos review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Justin Partridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I thought you hated me for pulling you out of that cage,” said Drusher.

“I’ve had time to reflect,” said Eisenhorn. “If you hadn’t, it would have ended badly.”

“That’s what ending WELL looks like?” Asked Drusher.

“Often.”

And with The Magos (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) my time in the company of the legendary Gregor Eisenhorn comes to a bittersweet end. At least…FOR THE TIME BEING! Or at least until I can get my hot little hands on the Ravenor and Bequin books, but just to cut to it, yeah, these fucking rip.

And I think beyond what amazing introductions and explorations they are of 40k, they really just sing because of their characters and plots. By now you probably know the game of these being essentially detective novels set throughout this vastly insane expansive universe, but even that doesn’t really even capture what all these end up being.

They are mysteries, sure, but also just incredible action pieces and sterling examples of how tie in stuff can far outshine the make up of its parts. And ALSO show you how the scope and range of time these things can cover can be handled really compellingly and not as just papering over the stuff an author doesn’t want to cover.

It’s almost amazing besides, these kinda work as single novels too! I think maybe The Magos would be the most inscrutable of the four but every novel really stood up well as its own thing and then handily delivered something different than the one before it. It was very impressive to get to experience them all in one chunk (though the ending of Hereticus likely would have made me mad had I had to wait that long for the follow up)

But yeah, killer stuff here. Something I’m really happy to have finally come around on as I’ve always heard they were great as their own things and also great 40k things so it’s nice to be proven right in both those regards.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like everything but the magos, I've read that some extra short stories included in the standalone magos publication are needed to get the most out of the novel, so I'll pick it up at some point and read it then.

[Filip Darida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eisenhorn je jedna z najviac odporucanych knih pre novacikov do 40k. Ja uplne novy nie som, ale musim priznat, ze som precital len par knih a aj to v cestine a naozaj roky dozadu. Preto som sa rozhodol, ze sa do tohto celeho pustim nanovo a teda zacnem s niecim, co je odporucane pre novacikov.

A musim uznat, ze ako zaciatok je to super. Nenasiel som asi nic, comu by som nerozumel. Zaroven je tu velmi pekne zobrazene vseobecne fungovanie Imperia, najma teda zo strany Inkvizicie, ale aj inych zloziek. Aby bolo jasno, toto nie je seria plna obrovskych bitiek (Gauntovi duchovia), space marinov a podobne. Je to v podstate detektivka v univerze W40k. S tym, ze dany detektiv ma autorizaciu na znicenie planety.

Tento omnibus obsahuje celu povodnu trilogiu plus dve poviedky, takze som ho cital prerusovane, prekladany inymi knihami. Rovno mozem povedat, ze prva poviedka (Missing in Action) je to najlepsie, co kniha obsahuje a naopak druha poviedka (Backcloth For A Crown Additional) to najhorsie.

Co sa tyka romanov, bavili ma vsetky. Kazdy ma svoje problemy a svoje silne stranky. Prvy sa podla mna rozbieha pomerne pomaly, ale zhruba od polovice sa zenie ku koncu skvelym tempom. Druhy obsahuje jedno z mojich najmenej oblubenych klise opakujucich sa v detektivkach (interne oddelenie podozrieva hrdinu z porusovania zakona), ale zaroven obsahuje aj najlepsiu pasaz v celej serii (nechcem spoilerovat, tak poviem len ze suvisi s armadnou prehliadkou na pocest vitazstva). Povedal by som ale, ze tento diel je najslabsi zo serie, pretoze obsahuje aj pomerne zdlhave nudne pasaze, bez ktorych by som sa zaobisiel.

No a tretia kniha ma urcite najvyrovnanejsie tempo a asi je aj najlepsia. Nic moc o nej hovorit nebudem, kedze by sa jednalo o spoilery, len poviem ze su tu pekne zobrazene nasledky rozhodnuti urobenych pocas predoslych knih. A inkvizitor lahke rozhodnutia nerobi nikdy.

Vseobecne sa mi seria naozaj pacila a pre novacikov ju mozem smelo odporucit. Urcite takisto pojdem do dalsich, nepriamych, pokracovani (trilogia Ravenor a dalej), ale najprv sa zastavim pri niecom viac military, pri prvej trilogii Gaunts Ghosts od rovnakeho autora.

[Billy Kid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warhammer 40k novels seem to be the male equivalent of romantasy novels. The pulpy over-the-top grimdark action set in a technofascist dystopian world checks all of the boxes that the average cishet man with autistic tendencies might be looking for.

Suffice to say, that what I've read so far of the Eisenhorn series would immediately crumble under a crude feminist analysis (of the three women introduced in the text thus far, one dies immediately, the second is in an asylum and the third is a sex worker with the preternatural ability to repulse everyone around her).

The first book in the Eisenhorn series, Xenos, reads like a Micheal Bay movie adapted into a novel. The text is the text, if you're looking for subtext you won't find it.

But, there's value in critically thinking about any and all art and Warhammer 40k novels are no exception to this. Especially, when they're this much fun, bold and satirical.

Bonus points for at least one interesting autistic depiction...

‘Most perturbatory,’ said Aemos. It was his most frequent expression.

[...]

"Uber Aemos was my savant, and my longest serving companion."

[...]

I saw how Aemos watched the work with keen interest, making notes tohimself on a data-slate strapped to his wrist. At the age of forty-two, he hadcontracted a meme-virus that altered his brain function for ever, driving him tocollect information – any sort of information – whenever he got the chance. Hewas pathologically compelled to acquire knowledge, a data-addict. That madehim an aggravating, easily sidetracked companion, and a perfect savant, asfour inquisitors had discovered.

... which I'm excited to unpack over the course of the series.
- Xenos: ⭐⭐⭐⭐▫️
- Malleus:
- Hereticus:

[Sebastien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this book five stars—for what it is, not for its general literary value!

If you enjoy the Warhammer 40,000 universe, this is everything you could ask for. If you don’t, well, don’t touch it with a ten-foot pole!

This is unapologetically pulpy science fiction, crafted solely to give those iconic plastic models some thrilling backstory.

The omnibus collects the main Eisenhorn trilogy, where we follow Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn as he hunts for heresy in the Helican subsector of Imperial space, the Magos novel, which takes place later in Eisenhorn’s distinguished career, and a couple of short stories. Suffice it to say, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck.

The narrative takes us to a variety of exotic locales, from the tranquil hills of Gudrun to the bustling ecumenopolis of Thracian Prime, and beyond to alien worlds. Along the way, we meet a plethora of colorful characters, all seemingly plucked from the expansive range of Games Workshop’s miniature collection!

Since Eisenhorn is an Inquisitor, there’s a touch more mystery here than in your average Warhammer novel. Plots and counterplots unfold, and the author keeps things engaging, even though we all know that, in the end, the heretics will inevitably meet their demise in the name of the God-Emperor.

And of course, there’s battle—glorious battle! Eisenhorn faces off against mutants, aliens, and heretics of every variety. Guns blaze, swords clash, and spacecraft roar through the void. The action is fast-paced, vividly described, and undeniably heart-pounding.

All in all, anyone interested in the Warhammer 40,000 universe should give this omnibus a shot. It’s a must-read for fans looking to immerse themselves in the grim darkness of the far future.

[Radu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not regret dropping the cash to buy this collection of novels and short stories as my first Warhammer 40k reading experience.

I give this book 5 stars so that it joins my S tier of select books that I thought were amazing, in spite of me having a few criticisms of it.

First of all, I wasn't a huge fan of The Magos, the last novel in the omnibus. Secondly, while I really love Abnett's writing style and worldbuilding, I think some of the endings, particularly to the novels, feel a bit... abrupt, underwhelming.

Nevertheless, this is a very well written book and I love the writing style the author uses here. The fact that it is a investigative meets epic sci fi type of story, focused around some of the more human characters in the WH40k universe makes this book very approachable to someone who doesn't know much about Warhammer 40k. While this universe might not be for everyone, if you are a Warhammer 40k fan, or are trying to get into it, this right here, is completely worth your time and attention.

[Sebastiaan Vanbesien · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m rereading the Eisenhorn en Ravenor series in preparation for tackling the Bequin series. And by the Golden Throne, I’ve forgotten what an insane ride the Eisenhorn series was. Although Abnett does repeat some themes too much for my liking (daughters and dead fathers for instance) he does know how to do world building on a masterful level. I was all the way in with this one and it was great seeing everything including the short stories tying into the bigger narrative and setting it up for something even crazier. Loved it!

[Preston Schaap · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really upsetting that it took two novels to see how Eisenhorn was going to turn to chaotic means of getting the job done. As is a problem with a LOT of 40K books, this story is mainly a bunch of strung together sci fi set pieces with depthless characters being constantly butchered for the development of a snail pace plot line. However, Hereticus comes in and actually starts kicking ass with its narrative. However, it was too little too late for me and I stopped at the trilogy and will be shelving The Magos until my 40K fatigue disperses.

[this_curious_thing · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10 overall. I found Eisenhorn in general to be very solid WH40K fiction. It's often recommended as a great entry for newcomers to the WH40K universe, but I think perhaps that Gaunt's Ghosts is still a better entry point. One short story in particular ("Missing in Action") I found to be a true 9/10, and it's a testament to its excellence that it's a story that I think about still.

[Tarash_bulba · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Eisenhorn and Ravenor omnibuses are not only excellent 40k books but they are also very good gothic scifi adventure crime horror action thrillers that might appeal even to readers who are not into 40k (knowing the lore enriches the experience but is not a must).
It is also highly recommended for newbies who want to learn more about 40k but don't know where to start.

[Tim Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first W40k book I have read and it did not disappoint. A must read for anyone who is curious to understand more about the lore of the universe; while not explicitly educational it allows a far greater understanding of terms and the psyche.

Long time Dawn of War enjoyer, this was unputdownable for the final instalments.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun book. I really tried to savor it, and now I feel a little lost. Actual rating would be 4¼ to 4½ stars. It's not high-brow literature, but it's quite well written. I've come to really appreciate Abnett's contributions to the Black Library.

[Laszlo Vad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Xenos: 2 stars, Malleus: 1 star, Hereticus: 3 stars, The Magos: 3 stars. It’s a good romp, wish I wouldn’t have had to suffer Malleus.

[Tasos Manouras]

Not for me.

[Kelton Zacharias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent fiction, something like a supernatural FBI officer in the far future.

[Ricardo Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun stories that keep you wanting for more, the short stories are a bit different in tone, but they are pretty good

[Jamie Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An omnibus of stories about Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn and it was an enjoyable introduction to the Warhammer world. Eisenhorn is an interesting character along with his band of followers.