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The Horus Heresy #Novella
Sons of the Forge
Charged by his primarch with removing the mighty power of Vulkan's cache of deadly artefacts from the grasp of friend and foe alike, the first Forgefather embarks on what might be his final mission.Charged with a solemn duty by the primarch himself, Forgefather T’kell of the Salamanders prepares for what may well be his final journey. Along with a chosen few of the Legion’s elite Firedrakes, he must bear the last seven of Vulkan’s greatest weapons away to the secret vault known as the Wrought, putting them forever beyond the reach of treacherous enemy and well-intentioned ally alike. But word has already spread of these legendary artefacts, and there are many who would see T’kell’s endeavour fail for their own gain – the Salamanders must remain true, no matter what horrors they might face...Exclusive to blacklibrary.com, this lavish Limited Edition includes the following – 240-page hardback novel with integrated marker ribbon– Wraparound full colour dustjacket– Internal colour section– Limited run of 2,000 copies, each individually numbered and signed by the authorNick Kyme expertly bridges the Salamanders' past and future with a tale that shows the secret origins of the Chapters's ten thousand year long quest to retrieve Vulkan's fabled artefacts.
Hardcover
First published November 21, 2016
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About the author
Nick Kyme
279 books161 followersNick Kyme (b. 1977) writes mostly for Black Library. His credits include the popular Salamanders series and several audio dramas.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 10, 2019
‘We had them, brother. The Ravens were abroad, guerrilla fighting even then. The Gorgon and his warriors… well, they were hell-bent on Fulgrim. But we had the Drakes, surrounded, outnumbered, at the mercy of the high ground and our entrenched artillery. You should have seen the Iron Warriors pummel them…’ He shook his head as if remembering the events he was describing in vivid detail. ‘Any other foe would have died and died fast, and they did,’ he said, and his voice grew low and more menacing, ‘but those Drakes refused to yield. They fought even as the bombs rained and their brethren fell in droves. Even when the Gorgon died and the Lord of Drakes fell soon after, and when the Raven fled… they kept on. And on. Some had lost limbs, others were impaled or blind, wounded beyond any reasonable capacity to function, even for legionaries.’
Kurnan backed off, but his eyes still burned into Nevok’s through his retinal lenses.
Not bad at all, the Sons of Horus antagonists were far more developed and interesting than main characters for me, but the conflict between Shattered Legions' loyalists was sometimes a real tragic and emotional one and liked the retelling of Artefacts from a different point of view.
Final tie-in to 40K Salamanders was nice and unexpected, sadly having not read those novels made me not fully appreciate it, I guess.
Kurnan backed off, but his eyes still burned into Nevok’s through his retinal lenses.
Not bad at all, the Sons of Horus antagonists were far more developed and interesting than main characters for me, but the conflict between Shattered Legions' loyalists was sometimes a real tragic and emotional one and liked the retelling of Artefacts from a different point of view.
Final tie-in to 40K Salamanders was nice and unexpected, sadly having not read those novels made me not fully appreciate it, I guess.
November 25, 2016
Ok that was painful — plainly painful, boring and horrible to read. I can't even quote great philosophers or writers here.
No where wouldn't be any but — this novella that pretends to be 'an important' novel is an abomination. I never ever in my life posted such a negative review. But Kyme did it — he became first author whom I will skip from now on till the end of eternity.
Like a scarecrow sewed from pieces — so is that 'book' (it's hard to call it even that). It tried to be an epic war story — instead it ends up being a ditry dozen story about superhumans who clad in green.
Narrative. The story of 'should have never been born' novella is pointless up to the bollocks. It even as a prologue repeats the short story 'Artefacts' (bad move… bad move) and further focuses on T’kell, Forgemaster, now named Forgefather of Nocturne on his search for a good hiding place to put the leftovers of the Vulkan artefacts collection. (Fortified homeworld of the Legion — does not counted as one? Instead — let's fly the Galaxy searching for a dark dirty hole. Of course it would be safer!)
To have a bodyguard cadre (after all galaxy could be a dangerous and scary place) he took garnisson of 'Unscarred' which are led by the Rahz Obek, ‘Firebearer’, Firedrakes captain.
Several other Salamanders tried to be on a main stage of the novel but still ended up on a secondary one. The most prominent is Ak’nun Xen, ‘Flamesmote’, Firedrake swordsman.
And from that point it's adventure/bolter porn and bolter porn again and pathetic attempts in character building. (with standard 'Vulkan lives' and religious zeal yada yada)
Then enemy did appear — you totally expect them to be cartoonish villains. And guess what — they are! Absolutely unmechanical Regulus appears in person. But he is not the worst — Sons of Horus moustache SM led by company captain Vosto Kurnan beat most cartoonish villains with their evilness. Until we saw Rayko Solomus, Legionary torturer — who has even bigger evil moustache.
Then Iron Hands appear and more uninspiring void warfare and bolter porn follow.
In the end - novella remembers that it should have followed somewhere — but it's to late to be it's saving grace. As the only saving grace for it could be the abcense of a repetitive 'Vulkan Lives' on each page! Here it goes for every 4 pages.
If you want to read an unnispiring bolter porn novella of the worse kind — read it. If you like to suffer while reading horrible prose and blank story — read it. If you think that Salamanders as a Legion has the best author to their name — read it.
In any other case — feel free to skip this one. I cursed all the Gods of the Warp while reading it. Which was my fault — cause I should have remembered that 'hope is a road to disappointment'.
You will save yourself a lot of suffocating depression while skipping. I'll give you 1 out of 5 stars — horrible warp daemon. I expel you - in the name of the Emperor of Mankind!
No where wouldn't be any but — this novella that pretends to be 'an important' novel is an abomination. I never ever in my life posted such a negative review. But Kyme did it — he became first author whom I will skip from now on till the end of eternity.
Like a scarecrow sewed from pieces — so is that 'book' (it's hard to call it even that). It tried to be an epic war story — instead it ends up being a ditry dozen story about superhumans who clad in green.
Narrative. The story of 'should have never been born' novella is pointless up to the bollocks. It even as a prologue repeats the short story 'Artefacts' (bad move… bad move) and further focuses on T’kell, Forgemaster, now named Forgefather of Nocturne on his search for a good hiding place to put the leftovers of the Vulkan artefacts collection. (Fortified homeworld of the Legion — does not counted as one? Instead — let's fly the Galaxy searching for a dark dirty hole. Of course it would be safer!)
To have a bodyguard cadre (after all galaxy could be a dangerous and scary place) he took garnisson of 'Unscarred' which are led by the Rahz Obek, ‘Firebearer’, Firedrakes captain.
Several other Salamanders tried to be on a main stage of the novel but still ended up on a secondary one. The most prominent is Ak’nun Xen, ‘Flamesmote’, Firedrake swordsman.
And from that point it's adventure/bolter porn and bolter porn again and pathetic attempts in character building. (with standard 'Vulkan lives' and religious zeal yada yada)
Then enemy did appear — you totally expect them to be cartoonish villains. And guess what — they are! Absolutely unmechanical Regulus appears in person. But he is not the worst — Sons of Horus moustache SM led by company captain Vosto Kurnan beat most cartoonish villains with their evilness. Until we saw Rayko Solomus, Legionary torturer — who has even bigger evil moustache.
Then Iron Hands appear and more uninspiring void warfare and bolter porn follow.
In the end - novella remembers that it should have followed somewhere — but it's to late to be it's saving grace. As the only saving grace for it could be the abcense of a repetitive 'Vulkan Lives' on each page! Here it goes for every 4 pages.
If you want to read an unnispiring bolter porn novella of the worse kind — read it. If you like to suffer while reading horrible prose and blank story — read it. If you think that Salamanders as a Legion has the best author to their name — read it.
In any other case — feel free to skip this one. I cursed all the Gods of the Warp while reading it. Which was my fault — cause I should have remembered that 'hope is a road to disappointment'.
You will save yourself a lot of suffocating depression while skipping. I'll give you 1 out of 5 stars — horrible warp daemon. I expel you - in the name of the Emperor of Mankind!
January 29, 2017
Ah Sons of the Forge, one of Black Library's latest non-main line novel for the Horus Heresy series, and the latest work for the Salamanders by Nick Kyme.
The novel follows up on a few of the scattered plot lines of the Heresy, but mainly has to do with Vulkan's Artifacts. The novel as a whole was decent, telling the relatively self-contained story of Tkell's mission to hide Vulkan's artifacts, and showing us what a vital Sons of Horus ally has been up to.
The novel was a roller coaster of quality, with a handful of awesome characters and some scenes/aspects that really spoke to me, and were extremely well done.
but for every high point on a roller coaster, there is a fall, and the novel frequently stutters, with chunks of poor writing and bland characters scattered throughout the novel.
I definitely don't regret reading the novel, and for Salamanders fans/HH completionists it's definitely worth the read.
The novel follows up on a few of the scattered plot lines of the Heresy, but mainly has to do with Vulkan's Artifacts. The novel as a whole was decent, telling the relatively self-contained story of Tkell's mission to hide Vulkan's artifacts, and showing us what a vital Sons of Horus ally has been up to.
The novel was a roller coaster of quality, with a handful of awesome characters and some scenes/aspects that really spoke to me, and were extremely well done.
but for every high point on a roller coaster, there is a fall, and the novel frequently stutters, with chunks of poor writing and bland characters scattered throughout the novel.
I definitely don't regret reading the novel, and for Salamanders fans/HH completionists it's definitely worth the read.
May 11, 2024
May 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order Omnibus XIX Through the Neath (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras.
I can confidently say this is infinitely better than Deathfire in every way, but that's all I can really say.
Following directly on from Artefacts, which it includes an abridged version of in its opening, as well as a variety of Shattered Legion tales, particularly those of the Iron Hands and their Revenants, Sons of the Forge is the story of a Salamanders Forge Father doing everything he can to keep the vow he made to Vulkan before Isstvan, keeping the Lord of Drakes, precious, deadly Artefact weapons out of all hands, beyond the few relics granted to the Legion. This is made infinitely more difficult by the Sons of Horus and their Dark Mechanicus allies coveting them as much as those Iron Hands who have eschewed their humanity, mortality, and grasped the forbidden Keys of Hel...
I really need to stop talking about Deathfire and I think reading and reviewing this novella will hopefully be the last time because this is much more like the Kyme I for the most part vaguely enjoy than that novel. The amount of energy, characterisation, themes, and basic development and editing on display here is night and day, and I that's wonderful.
Without getting overexcited, did I actually enjoy this or really engage with it at all? Not really.
I really do appreciate the concepts of weapons, morality, honour, and duty and the meta element of Astartes being immoral weapons themselves from Artefacts writ large here and expanded by taking the idea a step further with the inclusion of the Iron Hands that have already crossed the line of accessing and literally embodying forbidden technology and weapons. There are definitely some big ideas at play here and some of that classic duality and mirroring so often seen in pairs of Legions and/ or Primarchs. The Iron Hands, as the least human, literally removing as much of their flesh and being as solitary and cold as iron and the Salamanders as the passionate with fires of anger and a passion for humanity make the obvious comparison, so taking the extremes of what they will do to keep to their oaths and/ or reasons for breaking them for a cause is all sorts of fertile ground for conflict.
I think my biggest problem is that, as much as I genuinely enjoy the bleak bitterness of Kyme's Iron Hands that are fundamentalists of their Legions tenets and how much they contrast to Wraight's Iron Hands, which I also love, who are growing and evolving to open up and be more human, I just don't care about the Salamanders in the Horus Heresy.
Now, that's not exactly fair or true. I am fascinated by them as individuals and in mixed company, more often than not in Wraight's writing, but the main Salamanders focused stuff that Kyme has been doing just hasn't done anything for me. It's as of they desperate need foils to have anything that distinguishes them and when it's all Drakes you don't get that. Beyond aesthetics and jargon, I struggle to see how Kyme gives them any character as a Legion and that has just turned me off. Yes, this actually has characters with some depth and motivation for a change, but the narrative feels rather nebulous and unengaging, and, frankly, I'm struggling to care.
I don't feel enough for the Salamanders from my time with them to care. And I certainly don't care about relics that aren't even really relics yet. It's not enough to say something is important so it needs to be seen that way. I need to see and feel why, and I just don't. This is where the ideas from Artefacts that are the heart of this, for me personally, fail to become anything more than surface level. It's all a bit too gesturing towards something deeper, but not really getting beyond the 'I want the MacGuffin' and 'Don't use the MacGuffins because I said so'.
On the plus side, Kyme's prose is actually pretty good in this and there are some genuinely interesting and emotional scenes and the action, while not anything to write home about, is much less perfunctory.
For me, Vulkan Lives lived, at least in the Labyrinth, Deathfire died a death, and Sons of the Forge are Revenants on life support, but there is a spark there.
I really need a solid a shot in the arm to get me out of this Heresy slump and treading water, but I'm keeping on keeping on and still really pumped to eventually get to the Siege!
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read 40 Horus Heresy novels (inc. 1 repeat and 4 anthologies), 23 novellas (inc. 2 repeats), 126 short stories/ audio dramas (inc. 10+ repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, 3 Characters novels, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
I can confidently say this is infinitely better than Deathfire in every way, but that's all I can really say.
Following directly on from Artefacts, which it includes an abridged version of in its opening, as well as a variety of Shattered Legion tales, particularly those of the Iron Hands and their Revenants, Sons of the Forge is the story of a Salamanders Forge Father doing everything he can to keep the vow he made to Vulkan before Isstvan, keeping the Lord of Drakes, precious, deadly Artefact weapons out of all hands, beyond the few relics granted to the Legion. This is made infinitely more difficult by the Sons of Horus and their Dark Mechanicus allies coveting them as much as those Iron Hands who have eschewed their humanity, mortality, and grasped the forbidden Keys of Hel...
I really need to stop talking about Deathfire and I think reading and reviewing this novella will hopefully be the last time because this is much more like the Kyme I for the most part vaguely enjoy than that novel. The amount of energy, characterisation, themes, and basic development and editing on display here is night and day, and I that's wonderful.
Without getting overexcited, did I actually enjoy this or really engage with it at all? Not really.
I really do appreciate the concepts of weapons, morality, honour, and duty and the meta element of Astartes being immoral weapons themselves from Artefacts writ large here and expanded by taking the idea a step further with the inclusion of the Iron Hands that have already crossed the line of accessing and literally embodying forbidden technology and weapons. There are definitely some big ideas at play here and some of that classic duality and mirroring so often seen in pairs of Legions and/ or Primarchs. The Iron Hands, as the least human, literally removing as much of their flesh and being as solitary and cold as iron and the Salamanders as the passionate with fires of anger and a passion for humanity make the obvious comparison, so taking the extremes of what they will do to keep to their oaths and/ or reasons for breaking them for a cause is all sorts of fertile ground for conflict.
I think my biggest problem is that, as much as I genuinely enjoy the bleak bitterness of Kyme's Iron Hands that are fundamentalists of their Legions tenets and how much they contrast to Wraight's Iron Hands, which I also love, who are growing and evolving to open up and be more human, I just don't care about the Salamanders in the Horus Heresy.
Now, that's not exactly fair or true. I am fascinated by them as individuals and in mixed company, more often than not in Wraight's writing, but the main Salamanders focused stuff that Kyme has been doing just hasn't done anything for me. It's as of they desperate need foils to have anything that distinguishes them and when it's all Drakes you don't get that. Beyond aesthetics and jargon, I struggle to see how Kyme gives them any character as a Legion and that has just turned me off. Yes, this actually has characters with some depth and motivation for a change, but the narrative feels rather nebulous and unengaging, and, frankly, I'm struggling to care.
I don't feel enough for the Salamanders from my time with them to care. And I certainly don't care about relics that aren't even really relics yet. It's not enough to say something is important so it needs to be seen that way. I need to see and feel why, and I just don't. This is where the ideas from Artefacts that are the heart of this, for me personally, fail to become anything more than surface level. It's all a bit too gesturing towards something deeper, but not really getting beyond the 'I want the MacGuffin' and 'Don't use the MacGuffins because I said so'.
On the plus side, Kyme's prose is actually pretty good in this and there are some genuinely interesting and emotional scenes and the action, while not anything to write home about, is much less perfunctory.
For me, Vulkan Lives lived, at least in the Labyrinth, Deathfire died a death, and Sons of the Forge are Revenants on life support, but there is a spark there.
I really need a solid a shot in the arm to get me out of this Heresy slump and treading water, but I'm keeping on keeping on and still really pumped to eventually get to the Siege!
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read 40 Horus Heresy novels (inc. 1 repeat and 4 anthologies), 23 novellas (inc. 2 repeats), 126 short stories/ audio dramas (inc. 10+ repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, 3 Characters novels, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
October 16, 2017
Nick Kyme continues to prove his inability to craft a story that makes sense on any level. I really want to know who his editors are and why they aren't doing more to demand a coherent story from Black Library's worst author.
February 25, 2023
I literally can't fucking stand Nick Kyme
This goes for all of his Salamander books. It's so shitty that HE is the one who only gets to write for them because Holy fuck do I hate him
This goes for all of his Salamander books. It's so shitty that HE is the one who only gets to write for them because Holy fuck do I hate him
March 27, 2020
Salamanders are probably most hardly hit Legion of them all (only Legion to fare worse is Iron Hands). After the slaughter on Istvaan remaining Salamanders are trying to gain the momentum and decide how to move on - great part of the Legion is missing in action, Vulkan is missing and presumed dead while those left to garrison the Salamanders home world are trying to find their purpose in the changed world and circumstances.
Tasked by Vulkan himself Forgefather K'tell leads the troops from Prometheus to hide all of the weapons forged by Vulkan. These weapons, extremely deadly must not fall into the hands of the traitors so K'tell strike force moves into the void searching for the very weapons and the safe location where to hide them.
This will lead them to contested planet where Vulkan hid his greatest weapon cache. On the planet they will encounter both the traitors and the allies ..... but who can be trusted in these days of betrayal.
While Salamanders themselves are all presented rather stoic rest of the dramatis personae aremore diverse. Traitor legions trying to make peace with their actions on Istvaan and the fact they have become no better than assassins and warlords they fought against and extinguished in the past. Shattered Legions contingent so desperate they are trying very hard to lose their lives by fighting against the impossible odds, only goal is to hurt the traitors no matter the way or means.
At times story tends to stall a bit, especially when Salamanders take the stage. I don't know why but they seem too perfect - stoic, heroic and never flinching. Only two characters here are .... more humane I suppose - old hand leading flame-throwing cadre of the strike force, Space Marine with serious issues with fire-loving and Salamander constantly haunted by burning man images. One led into battle by what is definitely insanity and other shocked by the visions and trying to overcome the feeling of unease that does inhibit him while in combat.
This is a very sad story (almost all of the Salamander and Shattered Legion stories are like this) but ending gives the glimpse of hope. And in the bleak world of W40K hope is more than one can hope for.
Recommended to all fans of Salamander Legion and Warhammer 40k universe in general.
Tasked by Vulkan himself Forgefather K'tell leads the troops from Prometheus to hide all of the weapons forged by Vulkan. These weapons, extremely deadly must not fall into the hands of the traitors so K'tell strike force moves into the void searching for the very weapons and the safe location where to hide them.
This will lead them to contested planet where Vulkan hid his greatest weapon cache. On the planet they will encounter both the traitors and the allies ..... but who can be trusted in these days of betrayal.
While Salamanders themselves are all presented rather stoic rest of the dramatis personae aremore diverse. Traitor legions trying to make peace with their actions on Istvaan and the fact they have become no better than assassins and warlords they fought against and extinguished in the past. Shattered Legions contingent so desperate they are trying very hard to lose their lives by fighting against the impossible odds, only goal is to hurt the traitors no matter the way or means.
At times story tends to stall a bit, especially when Salamanders take the stage. I don't know why but they seem too perfect - stoic, heroic and never flinching. Only two characters here are .... more humane I suppose - old hand leading flame-throwing cadre of the strike force, Space Marine with serious issues with fire-loving and Salamander constantly haunted by burning man images. One led into battle by what is definitely insanity and other shocked by the visions and trying to overcome the feeling of unease that does inhibit him while in combat.
This is a very sad story (almost all of the Salamander and Shattered Legion stories are like this) but ending gives the glimpse of hope. And in the bleak world of W40K hope is more than one can hope for.
Recommended to all fans of Salamander Legion and Warhammer 40k universe in general.
August 16, 2018
Excellent collection of Salamander stories and the nice tie-in novella bridges the gap between the Horus Heresy and the present 40K universe. Vulkan gave a command before he left for Istavann V and his sons try to carry out the mission only to run into the traitors even so far from Terra. Of all the Relics that Vulkan created, most were devastating in their destructive nature and most of them were destroyed to avoid them falling into the wrong hands. One Salamander talked his gene father into saving just seven of them, the seven that becomes the quest of the Salamanders over the millennia. This is the story of those Relics and those that gave their lives to protect them.
January 27, 2019
A Horus Heresy story but with a number of different stories coalesing into one, I found it a little difficult to follow at times. It was a reasonable story, but didn't add too much to the Horus Heresy story line, which is suffering from having a lot of separate moving parts... understandable in a galaxy spanning war, but none-the-less a difficult as a reader.
February 28, 2018
This was an interesting if somewhat depressing read of loyalists vs. traitors and then, in desperation, loyalists vs. loyalists. It also ties into the Salamanders in the present era. It passed the time.
April 11, 2018
A decent Salamanders book, without really excelling. The 3 acts are so disjointed as to be completely different novellas that have been squashed together for printing.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews