Written in first person from Erebus’ perspective, it makes a point of emphasising that this isn’t an attempt to justify what Erebus does in the Heresy, or to try and make readers sympathise with him. As Horus Heresy characters go, Erebus has got to be up there with the most-loathed of them all, but in the space of just a few thousand words Chris Wraight brings him to life in a way I’ve never really seen before. You might think I’m only including this because I don’t have a third Heresy novel to talk about, and I suppose that’s technically true…but regular readers will know how much I love a good short story, and this really is an excellent example of what the short story format can deliver. As it is, I would definitely say that this is a valuable addition to the series.Ĭheck out my review of Sons of the Selenar, and also my interview with Graham McNeill about it It’s great to see how these characters fit in (however tangentially) with the events of the Siege, but more than that it’s rewarding simply to read the conclusion to their arc – bear in mind Kryptos dates back to 2012, so if you’ve been following these characters then it’s been an eight-year journey! Graham doesn’t pull any punches in terms of what he puts them through, but I think that’s what makes this work so well, and ensures that the novella feels like a satisfying story rather than just an afterthought. I went back to Kryptos, Angel Exterminatus and The Seventh Serpent before tackling this one, to make sure I was fully up to speed on the adventures of Sharrowkin, Wayland and the Sisypheum, and if you have time then I would definitely recommend you do the same. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the first Siege of Terra novella, so I really wasn’t prepared for the emotional impact that this had alongside all the expected action and excitement. It also has probably my favourite Black Library action scene of all time – I won’t spoil anything for you, but it is SO good!Ĭheck out my review of Saturnine, and also my interview with Dan Abnett about it Abnett is the absolute master of the multiple viewpoint war story, but this one might just be his best yet, packing in an incredible number of plot threads and character arcs into a single cohesive story that’s thrilling from start to finish. It’s a story that really hammers home the apocalyptic scale of the Siege while still providing some of the most powerful character-driven events of the story to date, and even throws in a handful of moments which shed unexpected light on some fundamental aspects of Heresy lore. As the fourth Siege of Terra novel it was always going to tackle some big events, but I genuinely can’t think of a better way of marking the halfway point of the Siege than this grand, sweeping, action-packed gut punch of a book. The hardest thing when talking about Saturnine is reining in the hyperbole and enthusiasm, because this book is quite simply magnificent. Without further ado then, let’s get straight to it. Now I know Greg has DEFINITELY read more than two Heresy novels this year! Where I included some ‘honourable mentions’ in my 40k article, for this one I thought it would be more interesting to chat to a hardcore Heresy fan to get their favourites too – so I got in touch with Greg Dann, host of the Imperial Truth podcast, who graciously agreed to write up a few thoughts about his top 3 of 2020. I’ll include a quick commentary on each of the three stories I’ve chosen, with links out to my reviews and/or interviews where appropriate. I’m sure I’ll read the other 2020 Heresy novels at some point, but these three are genuinely my favourites of the year – and all three were excellent! To be honest though, I really loved that short story, so I’m actually very happy to include it in this list. For various reasons – including the fact that 2020 was a little bit of a slow year in terms of quantity of Heresy stories, and that I largely can’t afford to buy Limited Edition releases – I’ve only actually read two Horus Heresy novels this year! You’ve probably noticed that the header image I’ve put together for this article includes two novels and a short story – well now you know why. As I mentioned in the 40k article, these are just my own choices based on what I’ve read this year – I’ve limited myself to Heresy stories (both the main range and the Siege of Terra) that I’ve read in 2020, and which were published this year too. Take a look at my 40k roundup if you haven’t already, but for this article I’ve picked out the three Heresy stories I’ve enjoyed reading the most during 2020. It’s almost the end of 2020, so I’m taking a look back at the Black Library stories I’ve read this year and choosing a few highlights for each of the main settings – and this time it’s the turn of the Horus Heresy.
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