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Misbegotten
Dan Abnett’s Misbegotten is a Primarchs short story set just prior to the Ullanor campaign, in which Horus joins Captain Hastur Sejanus to see out the bitter end of a grinding compliance action. Where other systems have welcomed the Imperium with open arms, Velich Tarn resists with deadly force, its tiny population utilising horrifying biomechanical constructs in battle against the Lunar Wolves. To Sejanus it’s a blot against the record of the 63rd Expeditionary Fleet, but Horus believes he sees the root of what would drive someone to fight so hard against an Imperium promising hope for mankind.
- GenresShort Stories
Unknown Binding
First published February 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 25, 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 - Now in Immaterium of everything outside the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project working on the Primarchs and other stories, beige the Siege of Terra.
I love it when a story goes from good to great in a final flourish of ideas.
Misbegotten takes place during the Great Crusade, before the final incision into the heart of the Ork empire at Ullanor. Horus' favourite, Sejanus, is having difficulties with a world populated with nightmares of metal and flesh. Horus believes he knows their source and knows not the ability to self-reflect and introspect....
This is a really interesting story that found a new gear at the end and went somewhere tbe opening had really set me up to not expect.
The first thing that is rather unique about this story is the 'voice' of the opening narration. It's omniscient in its awareness of great swathes of history, but the way that history is coloured and presented is pointedly from an generally naive and ill-informed. There's almost an air of the Dark Millennia's version of Once Upon a Time or A Long, Long Time Ago. In a Galaxy Far Away... to it, without being too twee.
I have to believe this was an intentional move on Abnett's part, especially considering the events and ideas of the story, but it is interesting to not that this rosy, propaganda perspective of the Imperium and it's history and present that the vast majority of Warhammer 40,000 lore, games, media, and marketing are presented, and a shocking number of people consume at face value. I read some 1D4Chan-adjacent site's bio on ADB today, after it being where I found the truly bizarre, Dude, Where's My Land Speeder by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. A very silly and very forum posting very unofficial very short story about why Chaos Space Marines don't have access to the various vehicles and wargear they had during the Great Crusade. One of the various criticsisms that apparently come ADB's way, alongside putting diversity in his books and support Custodes of a broader range of sex and gender identities, was that he make the Imperium, but especially look bad and mean...
Like, there's all the everything all the time that you can read in the books about how bad the Imperium is. Everything is bad, It's grimdark and the only good comes from individual moments and choices within the eternal nightmare. Case in point, this story, which is all about highlighting the horrific amalgamations of genetic manipulation and technology created to kill, maim, destroy, and subjugate...and them coming to kill some other nasty stuff Sejanus needed help with. You literally don't have to even read between the lines as the antagonist literally points out how monstrous and scary Horus is, but some people will say, but he's the bad guy. Yes, they all are.
The sheer delusion of Horus (and some of the fans) at believing the obviously monstrous and making no effort to hide it Dr Frankenstein is the only baddie because him and his brothers are smart and pretty is incredible. The Emperor did far more horrifying things creating the Primarchs, he's just much better at marketing and aesthetics.
The dark turn into this took in calling out this hypocrisy was a real standing ovation moment for me, especially as the opening tone left me bemused and concerned. Let's also not forget lto mention the oubliette our antagonist was thrown in and left to rot and lose any semblance of mental health for, at absolute minimum 50 or so years, but easily could have been hundreds or more, when he just wanted to die. Bodily autonomy includes the right not be forced to live, albeit ideally with a caring and informed community with mental health support because depression and ideation are a whole things I am very familiar with and if anyone is feeling like that and reading this please know there is still good in this world and many reasons to live. Also, prisons, especially solitary, as a punishment, and intending to induce suffering isn't good or something 'goodies' do...
How did I get up on this soap box. My apologies. For the ranting. Not it content. But yeah, Imperium bad, fleshweaver guy also bad. Story good.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), 25 novellas (+2 repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 3 Characters novels, and 168 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 11+ repeats and Cthonia's Reckoning). Plus, 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).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best.
I love it when a story goes from good to great in a final flourish of ideas.
Misbegotten takes place during the Great Crusade, before the final incision into the heart of the Ork empire at Ullanor. Horus' favourite, Sejanus, is having difficulties with a world populated with nightmares of metal and flesh. Horus believes he knows their source and knows not the ability to self-reflect and introspect....
This is a really interesting story that found a new gear at the end and went somewhere tbe opening had really set me up to not expect.
The first thing that is rather unique about this story is the 'voice' of the opening narration. It's omniscient in its awareness of great swathes of history, but the way that history is coloured and presented is pointedly from an generally naive and ill-informed. There's almost an air of the Dark Millennia's version of Once Upon a Time or A Long, Long Time Ago. In a Galaxy Far Away... to it, without being too twee.
I have to believe this was an intentional move on Abnett's part, especially considering the events and ideas of the story, but it is interesting to not that this rosy, propaganda perspective of the Imperium and it's history and present that the vast majority of Warhammer 40,000 lore, games, media, and marketing are presented, and a shocking number of people consume at face value. I read some 1D4Chan-adjacent site's bio on ADB today, after it being where I found the truly bizarre, Dude, Where's My Land Speeder by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. A very silly and very forum posting very unofficial very short story about why Chaos Space Marines don't have access to the various vehicles and wargear they had during the Great Crusade. One of the various criticsisms that apparently come ADB's way, alongside putting diversity in his books and support Custodes of a broader range of sex and gender identities, was that he make the Imperium, but especially look bad and mean...
Like, there's all the everything all the time that you can read in the books about how bad the Imperium is. Everything is bad, It's grimdark and the only good comes from individual moments and choices within the eternal nightmare. Case in point, this story, which is all about highlighting the horrific amalgamations of genetic manipulation and technology created to kill, maim, destroy, and subjugate...and them coming to kill some other nasty stuff Sejanus needed help with. You literally don't have to even read between the lines as the antagonist literally points out how monstrous and scary Horus is, but some people will say, but he's the bad guy. Yes, they all are.
The sheer delusion of Horus (and some of the fans) at believing the obviously monstrous and making no effort to hide it Dr Frankenstein is the only baddie because him and his brothers are smart and pretty is incredible. The Emperor did far more horrifying things creating the Primarchs, he's just much better at marketing and aesthetics.
The dark turn into this took in calling out this hypocrisy was a real standing ovation moment for me, especially as the opening tone left me bemused and concerned. Let's also not forget lto mention the oubliette our antagonist was thrown in and left to rot and lose any semblance of mental health for, at absolute minimum 50 or so years, but easily could have been hundreds or more, when he just wanted to die. Bodily autonomy includes the right not be forced to live, albeit ideally with a caring and informed community with mental health support because depression and ideation are a whole things I am very familiar with and if anyone is feeling like that and reading this please know there is still good in this world and many reasons to live. Also, prisons, especially solitary, as a punishment, and intending to induce suffering isn't good or something 'goodies' do...
How did I get up on this soap box. My apologies. For the ranting. Not it content. But yeah, Imperium bad, fleshweaver guy also bad. Story good.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), 25 novellas (+2 repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 3 Characters novels, and 168 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 11+ repeats and Cthonia's Reckoning). Plus, 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).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best.
November 15, 2024
My boy Basilio Fo, just hanging out, making his own friends out of spare parts, gets a rude interruption from the brattiest son of the Emperor.
July 25, 2025
“Years later, long after the Triumph of Ullanor, and the great bloodshed of the Heresy, and the darkness of the Fall that ended it, men forgot the hope they had once shared.”
Dan Abnett opened the series with “Horus Rising” painting the Warmaster as a noble, intelligent man capable of charm and guile. All that changed on the Moon of Davin, and from that point on Horus was ruthless and ferocious.
This story takes place before Horus Rising, before Ullanor and the title of Warmaster, when Horus was still honourable. Sejanus favoured son of Horus is dealing with a difficult compliance, and his father comes to aid him.
Dan Abnett opened the series with “Horus Rising” painting the Warmaster as a noble, intelligent man capable of charm and guile. All that changed on the Moon of Davin, and from that point on Horus was ruthless and ferocious.
This story takes place before Horus Rising, before Ullanor and the title of Warmaster, when Horus was still honourable. Sejanus favoured son of Horus is dealing with a difficult compliance, and his father comes to aid him.
September 27, 2022
I see why people like Abnett. Probably the most satisfying return on time invested of these stories I've read thus far.
November 18, 2025
Honestly, I found it kind of mid. I love reading more of Sejanus in action, especially next to Horus, but it is unfortunate there's not much to this short story. Not horrible, but ok at best.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews