Horus Rising by Dan Abnett

As the starting point for what is probably the most well known event in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Horus Rising has a lot of pressure put on it from page one.

If you don't already know, the Horus Heresy (yes, there are a few spoilers ahead but this one is printed right on the front cover as the series title) is a huge series of books, starting with Horus becoming the Warmaster of the Imperium when his 'father', the Emperor of Mankind, decides he has a few things to sort out back on Terra (earth). If you are new to the world of 40k, this is a pretty good start if you want to understand what is probably THE defining event of it all, background wise at least. That said, there are over fifty books in this series, as well as some graphic novels so while it can be quite a daunting prospect it will certainly be a rewarding one too.

If you are buckled in for the ride, Horus Rising definitely kicks it all off in typical Abnett style - that is to unashamedly say, fantastically. For those who know, the opening line is a master stroke of double bluffing the reader and prophetic foreshadowing.

"I was there the day Horus killed the Emperor"

But wait! You likely cry out. You said there were a bajillion books in this series. Surely he doesn't end it all on the first line of the first book?

Luckily, it's not the 'real' Emperor, but an aping of events that have both happened and will happen again. This is not the only time Abnett masterfully inserts these references. Fear not, if you are unaware of the events to which they refer you will likely remain none the wiser at this time. However, if you are a long time fan of the games and books, each time it happens it is difficult to not squeal out in delight. That might just me be though.

The story is actually rather fast paced; throwing us into the heart of the crusade as the Space Marines attempt to connect with the stranded islands of humanity spread throughout the galaxy. I feel that the story is relatively 'newbie friendly', in that it makes little assumption as to the readers prior knowledge of the Warhammer universe. In this case Abnett makes good use of an array of human characters called 'remembrancers', who have been attached to the Luna Wolves legion as documenters of the crusade. Through their eyes Abnett introduces the reader to the power, majesty and brutality of the Astartes, the almost god-like stature of Horus and the grim 'reality' of the war they fight in. When not giving the story an almost documentary like feel, Abnett shows us this universe through the eyes of Captain Loken. Loken is effectively used by Abnett to explore the early mentality of the Astartes and sound out how they would logically react to, and mentally cope with certain philosophical ideas and moral dilemmas. That is, at least, when he is not busy doing what Astartes do best and slaughtering all that would stand in the way of the Emperor’s great plan of galactic unification.

While it doesn't end of a cliffhanger as such, due to the nature of this series it certainly nudges us into the second book, False Gods. On the plus side, it doesn't feel forced or rushed in this regard, and is a testament to how clearly well planned out this book, and from what I gather, the rest of the series actually is. Just as well, given the length of time and number of people involved in this series!

I first read this nearly fifteen years ago, but was still delighted by Abnett's opening to this epic saga on the read-through. He blends the gritty darkness of the setting with burns of light in the form of his excellent characters, and despite working with a cast of warriors who are genetically engineered for war, he carefully builds them all with their own unique personality. With this in mind, I think that whether you are a Warhammer 40,000 newbie or borderline lore-master, you would do well to give this one a read.