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It feels strange to write a review on this trilogy, given that it’s basically required reading for the Horus Heresy. Perhaps you’re wondering if you really need to read them to get started in the Horus Heresy. To that I would say, honestly, not really, but you will probably regret it if you don’t.
All in all, these books, whilst undeniably enjoyable, are not my favourite. But despite not being spectacular, they are foundational. The 31st millennium is a very different place from the 41st millennium and I think that even the most hardcore veterans of 40k lore would be greatly aided by the context and setup that this trilogy provides, not to mention the introductions to some key characters.
The trilogy starts about two years after the triumph at Ullanor, which I think was a good choice. It’s one of those larger-than-life events that would only be disappointing to read about in my opinion and is better expressed through the brief glimpses we get from the characters’ memories. The inclusion of the Remembrancers serves as a decent expositional device in my opinion, allowing the authors to get us acquainted with the history and the characters simultaneously. For example, without giving anything away, we learn a lot about Loken by what he chooses to share with the Remembrancers.
I’ve always believed that the secret to a good Warhammer story is finding the right balance between action and talking. Too much action, and I stop caring about the characters, too much talking, and I become bored. To my taste, this trilogy (except for ‘Galaxy in Flames’) leans a little too much towards the talking. There are a lot of human characters that do next to no fighting at all and learning their names and caring about them can sometimes feel like a thankless task. However, I assure you that pretty much every named human character is paid off in at least a semi-satisfying way.
The start of ‘Horus Rising’ is a little slow and I actually tried and failed once before to re-listen to it. If this is holding you back from getting started on the Horus Heresy, I do encourage you to push through as it does ramp up. This trilogy does have more than one slow point, but they become fewer and further between as time goes on and, by the end, I feel as though I’m being rewarded for sticking with it.
If you have read a lot of my reviews, you’ll know that I’m a sucker for primarchs. Getting to see a primarch speak and fight is a big plus for any story in my opinion. This trilogy contains six primarchs (I won’t spoil which) and four of them get at least one cool and memorable scene to introduce them to the reader. The focus on Horus, especially, is quite good and the authors take on a sort of less-is-more approach that I think really works, only really showing Horus through other eyes. More on that in my Spoiler Review.
In terms of the Astartes characters, there are some good and some not so good. As with the human characters, I found myself struggling to remember all of the names and personalities on the first listening and began to wonder what the point was. It was much easier on my second listening, especially after listening to other stories that include them. However, I do feel that some of the characters are just name dropped so that they don’t feel like they come out of nowhere later on in the series and I think that ‘Horus Rising’, especially, suffers because I’m trying to keep names in my head that won’t actually end up mattering in the short run. Having said all of that, some of the Astartes characters are really enticing and three books gives you a good amount of time to warm to them, even some of the less important characters.
The characters are a huge part of this trilogy and so it’s sad that they can sometimes be hit-and-miss (though there are many more hits than misses). There are times when I find myself thinking “So am I supposed to like these characters or not?” But I think that ultimately this is a positive thing. The fact that the characters have ups and downs, good moments and bad moments, serves to build them up as people rather than as characters. It makes them feel real and helps you to care about them (even if you don’t like them that much). Having said that, there are moments that feel a bit overblown. There was one character, in particular, who I thought was a bit over the top at times and felt unrealistic. I’m thinking you’ll probably guess who I’m talking about as you read it.
In each book, the Luna Wolves encounter a different alien civilisation and each one is well fleshed out and interesting to read about. They keep the narrative moving, keep the action coming, and most importantly, force the Astartes to ask big questions to themselves and each other. The arguments that the Astartes have with each other (and there are a lot in this trilogy) are filled with lots of hard hitting dilemmas that effectively portray the mindset of the Imperium and the Great Crusade.
Despite only being the start of a long series, this trilogy is pretty effective as a story on its own. It’s got a beginning, middle and end. It does a good job of establishing the setting and showing us what the Imperium looks like during the Great Crusade, before turning it all on its head. I’ll also commend this trilogy for its consistency of characters and narrative, despite being written by three separate authors.
None of these three books is the best Horus Heresy book I’ve read. But is that really a bad thing? Who would want to read a 52-book series that peaked in the first three? All in all, I think that this is a strong start to a great series, and if you’re unsure about getting into the Horus Heresy, I strongly recommend that you do. And if you’re wondering whether you can get away with skipping this trilogy before getting into the series, as a favour to yourself, please don’t.
The Emperor Protects