Another anthology of WH40K stories related to the Horus Heresy. Took a while on this one as I put it down several times to work on other novels, but still enjoyed the stories when I got to them.

Getting back to the Horus Heresy after a somewhat lengthy break was easier than I thought it would be, helped greatly by how good this novel was. Dan Abnett, to me, has been one of the leading writers in the WH40K galaxy, and this book again proves just how good his novels are.

Unaware of the treachery of Horus Lupercal, the Ultramarines and their primarch, Roboute Guilliman, prepare for war with orks in the Ultramar system. Their supposed ally in this battle, the Word Bearers and their primarch, Lorgar, have different ideas. Following the traitorous Horus, Lorgar and his legions attack Calth and the Ultramarines in what can only be surmised as the ultimate betrayal.

Abnett's descriptions of the battle both on the surface and in orbit of Calth are outstanding. He also once again does an excellent job with characterization of factions of the Ultramarines and Word Bearers. The reader can feel the emotions leaping off the pages as the battle ensues. I would definitely put this one among the top 3 of the Heresy novels I have read so far....well written, fast-paced, and an emotional roller-coaster as well.

Now I am remembering why I love the WH40K: Horus Heresy books so much.  Abnett was made for this stuff...

I have to thank one of my lifelong friends for hooking me on this universe. The inner geek in me ate this one up, and I see potential for viewing this series of books as far superior to what I used to read in my Star Wars reading days. As my friend said, "This is not Jar-Jar's universe", and aptly put. This deals with literally universal war, and it is not pretty, but there's a real element and characters more identifiable to readers than anything Star Wars could ever produce. Bottom line: 30000 to 40000 years in the future, mankind has evolved on Terra to venture out across the galaxy to exterminate any and all who are not subservient to them or of similar genetic make-up. Yes, gruesome, but it hits the reader with brutal honesty than cannot be ignored in a science fiction tale. I cannot wait to start absorbing the infinite possibilities this genre could make.

Continuing the brutal reality started in the first book, this one deftly interweaves a political scheme where Horus is injured to the precipice of death, brought to a religious environment for healing, recovers, then totally reverses his meaning for universal conquest from man-controlled peace to total annihilation of all not deemed worthy. This conveniently includes usurping the Emperor and taking his place. I enjoyed how Chaos was injected into this and how the Astartes Mournival was basically split in two. This novel basically sets up an arena of future conflict for all parties, and sets the galaxy on a path for destruction. Told you this was pure geek...RTYB.