The Horus Heresy is an ongoing series of science fantasy set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 setting of tabletop miniatures wargame company Games Workshop. Penned by several authors, the series takes place during the Horus Heresy, a fictional galaxy-spanning civil war occurring 10,000 years prior to the far future of Warhammer 40,000. The war is described as a major contributing factor to the game's dystopian environment.
The books are published in several media by the Black Library, a Games Workshop division, with the first title released in April 2006; as of October 2017 the work consist of 46 published volumes, with more in the pipeline.
The series has developed into a distinct and successful product line for the Black Library; titles have often appeared in bestseller lists, and overall the work has received critical approval despite reservations. It is an established, definitive component of Game Workshop's Horus Heresy sub-brand, and authoritative source material for the entire Warhammer 40,000 shared universe and its continuing development.
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Overview
The Horus Heresy is a dark, far future military space opera concerning an intergalactic civil war within the nascent Imperium of Man, and which constitutes a cornerstone event of the dystopian science fantasy Warhammer 40,000 universe. The Horus Heresy is presented as a major chapter of conflict in the Warhammer 40,000 lore: it is caused by a Chaos plot to foil the Imperium's leader and founder, the mysterious Emperor of Man, by fomenting rebellion and internecine warfare in the expanding Imperium of Man. The story focusses on the Emperor's 20 genetically engineered lieutenants, the Primarchs, and the legions of genetically-enhanced superhuman soldiers that they lead, the Legiones Astartes, which find themselves divided into loyalist and traitor factions a the struggle for religious hegemony.
The shared universe was originally created in 1987 by Games Workshop, parent company of series publisher Black Library, as the campaign setting for the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniatures wargame and in 2006 Black Library began publishing The Horus Heresy series. The series consists of full-length novels, and novel-length compilations of novellas or short stories, written by a number of authors. The series includes new characters as well as establishing the background of previously-established Warhammer 40,000 characters who play an important role in the post-Heresy fictional universe.
The first three novels in The Horus Heresy are an opening book trilogy. This trilogy presents some of the background and causes of the Heresy, and describes the start of the conflict. The arc's focus is on Warmaster Horus, the principal antagonist, and covers about two years in the overall Heresy timeline; most of this period elapses before the rebellion begins. Following the trilogy, the narrative is not strictly sequential and is often presented in nonlinear fashion from book to book. Apart from the initial trilogy, the stories often concern events that happen earlier or later than their position in the series would suggest, or may include time periods already covered in other series titles.
The majority of stories in The Horus Heresy are set around the start of the fictional universe's 31st millennium, in contrast to most Warhammer 40,000 material, which takes place in the 41st millennium. The stories in The Horus Heresy routinely cover the conflict's background, with some going back centuries before the war (and the 31st millennium) begins. In narrower scope, the entire conflict (including the Heresy proper and its proximate formative period), is depicted as having lasted less than a decade. With few exceptions, the sequence and dating of Heresy events is implied rather than stated in The Horus Heresy stories.
Black Library Audio Books Video
Titles
The following lists pertain to regular or general-availability UK first editions. For special and other editions, and additional information, see § Media and editions.
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Contributors
Contributors in the series include artists, audiobook narrators, and compilation or abridgement editors. Each may have contributed in stories that utilise different forms; where applicable, the number of (multiple) contributions per form - or other pertinent information - is indicated in parentheses.
Artists
- Karl Richardson - Internal illustrations ("premium" editions)
- Neil Roberts - Cover art, front matter illustration; main series artist (all titles except where cited otherwise)
- Philip Sibbering - Cover art, front matter illustration
- Adrian Wood - Front matter map
Audiobook narrators
- Gareth Armstrong - Unabridged novel (4), novella (2), short story (4)
- Sean Barrett - Novella
- Martyn Ellis - Abridged (3) and unabridged (1) novel, short story (3)
- Jonathan Keeble - Unabridged novel (3), novella, short story (6)
- David Timpson - Unabridged novel (2), novella, short story (3)
Editors
- Christian Dunn - Novel abridgement (3); mixed-form compilation, novella compilation, short story compilation
- Laurie Goulding - Mixed-form compilation
- Nick Kyme - Mixed-form compilation, short story compilation
- Lindsey Priestley - Short story compilation
Synopsis
Story setting
Early in the 31st millennium, the Galaxy is in the throes of the Great Crusade. Originating from Terra (Earth), it is an interstellar crusade that claims the galaxy as the rightful domain of Humankind, and aims to reunite the multitude of scattered human colonies remaining from earlier space exploration under the domain of an "Imperium of Man". Organised in numerous expeditions, the Crusade fields huge fleets and vast armies; at its forefront, led by the Primarchs, are Legions of Space Marines - genetically-enhanced supersoldiers numbering in the millions. Over the course of two Terran centuries, the Crusade has reached star systems more than 50,000 light years away from its original staging point in the Sol (Solar) System, has assimilated millions of worlds into the Imperium, and has given Humankind a dominant position among the galaxy's species. Its grand mastermind is the "Emperor of Mankind", a mysterious superhuman of unknown origin.
The Emperor, founder and head of the Imperium, is a being of towering charisma, prowess, conviction, and ability. He has declared an atheistic worldview, the "Imperial Truth", which promotes science, rationalism, and human primacy. Unknown to the common citizenry, he is also the most powerful human (or humanlike) psychic, referred to as psykers, and is overall one of the most formidable psychics in the galaxy. Officially, the Imperium denies the exist of psychic phenomenon, including its manifestations as witchcraft and sorcery, and punishes its belief as ignorant and superstitious; yet the Imperium is also dependent on psychic activity in order to achieve faster-than-light travel between its scattered dominions. The Emperor knows that psychic phenomena originate in The Warp, a parallel dimension reflecting the events of the material world at its most emotional. Within the Warp exist Daemons, sentient vortices of concentrated feeling that are chiefly malignant. The Daemons are themselves in service to the Chaos Gods, also known as the Ruinous Powers, titanic collectives of dark will whose rulership over the parallel dimension is supreme. These malign immaterial entities forever seek to breach the material universe and subject all life within it to foul and debased whims. Awareness and perception of the Chaos Gods and their Daemons serves as the basis of numerous faiths and religions in the setting, both human and alien in origin. Knowing followers of the Chaos Gods, though rare, refer to their faith as the Primordial Truth, or the Primordial Annihilator.
Humankind's continuing biological and psycho-spiritual evolution includes the gradual development of widespread Warp-related psychic abilities that will make the species far more susceptible to Chaotic influence; united under the Imperium of Man, the Emperor seeks to protect all of mankind by using faith in the Imperial Truth as a shield. The powers of Chaos desire change and conflict by nature, and seek to destabilise and subvert the Imperium's order over the galaxy from within.
Book 1 to Book 10
1. Horus Rising: the seeds of Heresy are sown
Horus Rising, the series opener, starts in the early years of the 31st millennium, during the 203rd year of the Great Crusade. It describes the rise to power of Horus Lupercal, Primarch of the "Luna Wolves" Legion of Space Marines, and the most versatile and favoured "son" of the Emperor. The Emperor has recently appointed him Warmaster, overall commander of Imperial military forces, and has renamed his Legion the "Sons of Horus" in his honour, while also leaving him in charge of the rest of the Crusade; the Emperor meanwhile returns to Terra, where in relative isolation he undertakes a secret project to which not even Horus is privy. The focus and perspective of the novel centres on a Space Marine Captain, Garviel Loken, leader of the Luna Wolves' 10th Company. He becomes a member of the Mournival, an informal advisory body to Horus, and participates in Crusade campaigns against anti-Imperial human populations and aliens, referred to in the series as "xenos". The story also hints at tensions in the nascent Imperium, exacerbated by the Emperor's absence and contentious actions and inactions - these are common themes in following books.
2. False Gods: the Heresy takes root
False Gods picks up a few weeks after the conclusion of Horus Rising in the series timeline, and tells the story of Horus' fall. In a complicated conspiracy implemented by followers of Chaos, Horus is mortally wounded during a Crusade mission by a Chaos-tainted xenos weapon. In a desperate action by his lieutenants to ensure his survival - one taken in strict contradiction to Imperial doctrine - Horus is brought to a local temple with a reputation for healing. The temple is the seat of a powerful Chaos cult, and both Horus' wound and its supposed healing makes him susceptible to Chaos' influence. He ultimately turns against his "father", the Emperor, and sets in motion the entire Heresy. This novel further highlights the institutional and personal tensions that accompany the Imperium's maturity into the preeminent power of the galaxy; they include rifts among the Primarchs, as well as both between and within their Space Marine Legions. Conflicts and characters flaws are repeatedly and effectively manipulated by Chaos in pursuit of their agenda throughout the series. A parallel storyline, also present in several other books, involves the growing influence - both within the Crusade Expeditionary forces and across the wider Imperium - of a forbidden religious cult, whose members, while loyal to the Emperor and Imperium, defy the Imperial Truth by worshipping the Emperor as a god.
3. Galaxy in Flames: the Heresy revealed
Galaxy in Flames starts shortly after the end of False Gods. It outlines the corrupted Warmaster's descent into madness, which leads to the formentation of his plot to betray the Imperium. Horus pursues his secret planning of the rebellion in earnest, seeking and finding allies among his disgruntled fellow Primarchs, their Legions, and the Imperium's other organisations and key personalities. The novel details the first open move of the Heresy, the "Betrayal of Istvaan III", wherein factions of four Astartes Legions who were deemed unconvertible by their traitor brethren are ambushed during a planetary invasion of the fictional Isstvan star system. The novel marks the first distinguishment of the "Loyalists" and "Traitor" factions within the Legions and other rebel forces, including the unmodified soldiers of the Imperial Army.
4. The Flight of the Eisenstein: the Heresy unfolds
The Flight of the Eisenstein follows the eponymous Eisenstein, a space frigate of the "Death Guard" 14th Legion of Space Marines. The story follows the ship's escape from the Betrayal of Istvaan III, crewed by surviving loyalists of the four Legions present at the battle and commanded by Battle-Captain Nathaniel Garro of the Death Guard 7th Company and one of the few Commanders in the Traitor Legions that remain loyal to the Emperor - followed by the perilous voyage the vessel must take across the galaxy in an effort to reach Terra and raise the alarm over the developing rebellion. Garro and the others on board the vessel face suspicion and incredulity from Imperial authorities; apart from the inconceivable news of Horus' betrayal, the situation is complicated by the fact that many of the travellers on the Eisenstein now openly proclaim their belief in the Emperor's divinity, itself a heresy.
5. Fulgrim: Visions of Treachery
Fulgrim centers on the eponymous Primarch of the 3rd Legion, the "Emperor's Children". Characterised as flamboyant perfectionists, the novel tracks the descent of Fulgrim and his Legion into the service of Chaos roughly simultaneously with that of time Horus in (Book 2). Fulgrim is delivered a warning about Horus' imminent betrayal and the disaster that may follow by the alien Eldar race, but he and his staff dismiss it. The Emperor's Children eventually become the "Chosen" of Slaanesh, one of the four Gods of Chaos, with which Fulgrim is slowly and unwittingly drawn into grotesque communion. Primarch Ferrus Manus and his "Iron Hands" Space Marines (the 10th Legion) also play a prominent role in the novel as Fulgrim attempts to lure them into betrayal, and several other Primarchs and Legions make appearances. Described in passing is the pivotal Battle of Isstvan V, also known as the Dropsite Massacre, where several entirely Loyalist Legions are slaughtered in another Traitor ambush in the Isstvan star system. The battle fully reveals the scale and ferocity of the rebellion.
6. Descent of Angels: Loyalty and Honour
Descent of Angels is a pre-Heresy story that concludes about 50 years before the start of that conflict. It introduces the "Dark Angels", 1st of the Space Marine Legions, and their Primarch Lion El'Jonson. The story is mainly told from the viewpoint of Zahariel El'Zurias, a native of the fictional planet Caliban. Caliban is an isolated, low-technology world that resembles a feudal medieval fantasy setting. Zahariel is introduced in the story as an Aspirant of the Order, an organisation of techno-barbarian knights. The first half of the novel is set on Caliban and covers the final battles of the Order under the leadership of Jonson, the future Primarch. The book's second half describes Caliban's unification with the Imperium of Man as well as the actions of the Dark Angels during the early years of the Great Crusade. In this part of the story, Zahariel, selected as a candidate Space Marine, is accepted as a Dark Angel Neophyte. A future schism within the Legion is intimated towards the end of the book.
7. Legion: Secrets and Lies
Legion focuses on the "Alpha Legion", the 20th and last of the Space Marine Legions. Characterised in earlier publications as clandestine and inscrutable, the book constitutes a major development of the entire canon of the setting with the revelation that the Legion's Primarch is actually a pair of twins, Alpharius and Omegon. The book also features the Imperial Army, the regular unmodified human fighting force of the Imperium, covering several officers and their units. Lastly, the novel introduces a new organisation to the setting, the enigmatic and ancient Cabal - an interspecies organisation opposed to Chaos. The human John Grammaticus is introduced as a prominent Cabal member. The story takes place over roughly a 6-month period, about two years before the Heresy starts; it describes the events that eventually lead Alpharius and Omegon (publically a single figure named Alpharius Omegon) to support Horus.
8. Battle for the Abyss: My Brother, My Enemy
Battle for the Abyss concerns the lead-up to a Traitor invasion of Ultramar, a remote star system and the home base of the unshakeably-Loyalist 13th Legion, the "Ultramarines" (Book 19 and 24). Early in the Heresy, the Traitor Word Bearers Legion is tasked with organising and leading the invasion; they plan to use an immense, secretly commissioned warship, the Furious Abyss, to spearhead the surprise attack. The vessel, commanded by Fleet Captain Zadkiel, launches from shipyards near Jupiter around the time of the events on Isstvan III (Book 3), and sets course for Macragge, Ultramar's capital world. Leading the cast of Loyalist protagonists is Cestus, Fleet Commander and Captain of the 7th Company of the Ultramarines. They become aware of the powerful capital ship's true purpose, and engage in long pursuit; they will seek to prevent the Furious Abyss from participating in the invasion and from reaching Macragge.
9. Mechanicum: War comes to Mars
Mechanicum is the first book in the series not to focus on either the Primarchs or their Space Marines Legions. The novel centres on the eponymous "Mechanicum", a cult of machine-worshipping technologists based on the real-life planet Mars and which serves as the chief engineering authority in the nascent Imperium. The machinations of Horus and the Chaos-worshipping Traitors affects the Martian cult as much as every other Imperial organisation, leading to a civil war on Mars itself. Kelbor-Hal, Fabricator General of Mars and the technocracy's supreme leader, declares for Horus, and together they carry out a coup d'état to eliminate Techpriest and Magos adherents of the Cult who are loyal to Terra and the Emperor. As the Mechanicum is the sole power responsible for all civil and military technology in the Imperium, the conflict has vast implications for whichever side of the broader intergalactic civil war receives Mars' crucial support.
10. Tales of Heresy
Tales of Heresy is a collection of short stories introducing and expanding upon numerous threads within the greater happenings of the Heresy. Various stories centre on the 'Custodian Guard, the elite Praetorian Guard-esque retinue of the Emperor, and the Sisters of Silence, a classified Imperial organisation of anti-psychic warrior-nuns originally introduced in Book 4. Most stories are concurrent with the Heresy, with some occurring in the years prior. It includes two stories that take place on Terra, one of which occurs long before the Heresy and adds to the background regarding the Imperial Truth; another entry in the compilation is a Primarch origin story, covering the contentious circumstances under which the gladiatorial Primarch Angron takes command of the 12th Space Marine Legion, which he renames from the "Warhounds" to the "World Eaters". The book contains seven stories by various authors; several stories relate to full-length novels in the series.
This anthology contains the following stories: Blood Games by Dan Abnett, Wolf at the Door by Mike Lee, Scions of the Storm by Anthony Reynolds, The Voice by James Swallow, Call of the Lion by Gav Thorpe, The Last Church by Graham McNeill and After Desh'ea by Matthew Farrer.
Book 11 to Book 20
11. Fallen Angels: deceit and betrayal
Fallen Angels continues the Dark Angels tale begun in Book 6, Descent of Angels. The novel starts around the time of Book 6's conclusion, about 50 years before the Heresy, but forwards to just about the time of the Heresy's beginning in the opening chapters. It tells two stories: one concerns the effort of Primarch Lion El'Jonson and a small group of Dark Angels to deny a forge world (a planet devoted to manufacturing, especially of weapons) to Horus' forces; the other is the story of Luther (Lion El'Jonson's second), Zahariel El'Zurias (by now a full Space Marine), and a Dark Angels contingent sent back to Caliban, the Dark Angels Legion home world. They get involved in the fight against a growing insurgency that seeks to free the planet from under the Imperium's thumb.
12. A Thousand Sons: all is dust...
A Thousand Sons is the story of Primarch Magnus and the "Thousand Sons" Space Marines, the 15th Legion; it mainly takes place before the Heresy begins. Following a reprimand by the Emperor for dabbling in sorcery, Magnus and his Legion secretly continue to study the forbidden subjects. Then, around the time of Horus' corruption (Book 2), Magnus learns through sorcery of his brother's impending betrayal. He tries - again through sorcery - to warn the Emperor, believing that the gravity of the news justifies his disobedience. However, he overreaches with his powers and damages the vital and secret project the Emperor is undertaking (Book 1), endangering the safety of Terra itself in the process. The Emperor is enraged and orders Leman Russ, Primarch of the 6th Legion (the "Space Wolves"), to Prospero, the Thousand Sons Legion's in-series home world. The Space Wolves, accompanied by other Imperial forces, are to bring Magnus and his Legion to Terra to account for themselves.
13. Nemesis: war within the shadows
Nemesis is set about two years after the events on Isstvan V described in Book 5, Fulgrim. It is a look at the war behind the war, the covert operations undertaken by the opposing sides in order to influence the visible conflict. Specifically, it deals with a plan by a secret Imperial organisation, the Officio Assassinorum, to eliminate Horus; an "Execution Force" consisting of operatives from all of the Officio's disciplines, and led by top-rated sniper Eristede Kell, is tasked with the mission. There have been several previous unsuccessful attempts against Horus' life, and this gives a high-ranking officer of the Traitor Word Bearers Legion the idea to field a nemesis weapon of his own: a highly specialised assassin, who is to be used in an audacious scheme to kill the Emperor.
14. The First Heretic: fall to Chaos
The First Heretic details the fall to Chaos of Primarch Lorgar and the 17th Space Marine Legion, the "Word Bearers". Decades before the start of the rebellion they become heretics relative to the Imperial Truth by introducing religious worship. This results in public and humiliating censure of Lorgar and the entire assembled Legion, by the Emperor himself. The despairing Lorgar is subsequently swayed by two of his most trusted lieutenants, who are in secret allegiance with Chaos; eventually both Primarch and Legion covertly embrace (and promote) the Primordial Truth, many years before Horus' corruption. The story is largely told from the point of view of Argel Tal, a Captain of the Word Bearers, who becomes commander of a Chaos-possessed elite Legion unit. It spans several decades, starting 43 years before the events on Isstvan V (Book 5) and concluding around the time the Word Bearers are on their way to assault Calth (Book 19).
15. Prospero Burns: the Wolves unleashed
Prospero Burns is part of the story arc of Book 12, however it follows a different but related timeline. The story begins more than a century before the Space Wolves-led mission to Prospero, and the concurrent start of the Heresy. It is presented from the point of view of Kasper Hawser, formerly a noted Terran academic who becomes a Crusade Remembrancer, and then the Oral Historian or skjald of the 3rd Company of the Space Wolves Legion. On the surface it is his story; the important understory concerns the long-term machinations of Chaos, whose aim is the destruction of both Space Wolves and Thousand Sons. Chaos attempts to exploit the weaknesses of the Primarchs and their Legions in order to pit them against each other - the ultimate result is the confrontation on Prospero. While this confrontation is taking place, Horus' previously covert rebellion becomes visible (Book 3). The novel also adds background to Horus' fall and to the planning of the Heresy campaign by Chaos and its forces.
16. Age of Darkness
Age of Darkness is a compilation of nine short stories by various authors. They take place during the seven-year period between the Dropsite Massacre on Isstvan V (Book 5), and the conclusion of Horus' campaign. The stories present various facets of the unfolding conflict, as suspicion, insecurity, and paranoia spread through the galaxy on the wake of the Warmaster's betrayal. Subjects include: a Primarch prepares for the end of the Imperium; a Traitor PSYOP topples an Imperial planet; an unusual diplomatic contest will decide which side will be chosen by a world on the fence; a non-combatant may be a rebel agent or a herald of unpalatable truths for the Imperium; a Loyalist Space Marine in a Traitor Legion holds his own against his erstwhile brothers. Several of the included stories are linked through continuity; some are also prequels or sequels to stories in other series books.
This anthology contains the following stories: Rules of Engagement by Graham McNeill, Liar's Due by James Swallow, Forgotten Sons by Nick Kyme, The Last Remembrancer by John French, Rebirth by Chris Wraight, The Face of Treachery by Gav Thorpe, Little Horus by Dan Abnett, The Iron Within by Rob Sanders, Savage Weapons by Aaron Dembski-Bowden.
17. The Outcast Dead: the truth lies within
The Outcast Dead is the first novel-length story in the series to take place almost entirely on Terra. It covers a relatively short period, starting several months before Magnus' catastrophic psychic visit at the Imperial Palace (Book 12), and concluding several months after this event. The unauthorised visit is central to the story: apart from damaging the Emperor's top secret project (Book 1) and the planet's defense, it massively disrupts Terra's long-range communications infrastructure. The ensuing isolation and confusion cause indecision and delays for the Loyalist side. The story's main character is Kai Zulane, previously a gifted Imperial astropath attached to the Ultramarines Legion. He unwittingly becomes the keeper of a secret that could decide the victor in the developing galactic civil war. The secret has additional implications regarding the Heresy's conclusion and the future course of the Imperium of Man. "The Outcast Dead" are other protagonists: a small, disparate group of Space Marines suspected as traitors, with whom Zulane falls in during the second half of the book.
18. Deliverance Lost: ghosts of Terra
Deliverance Lost is mainly concerned with the actions of Primarch Corvus Corax and his Space Marine Command, the 19th Legion or "Raven Guard", during the year following the Dropsite Massacre (Book 5). However, operatives and the Primarch of the Alpha Legion play a prominent role. The story starts about 3 months after the Dropsite Massacre, with the unexpected rescue of Corax and the remnants of his Legion (at less than 5% strength due to casualties in that battle). Arriving at Terra a few months after the events described in The Outcast Dead take place, Corax convinces the Emperor to impart to him the knowledge and material that may accelerate the rebuilding of his Legion. The second part of the novel describes the effort to reconstitute the Raven Guard, undertaken on Deliverance (its home world in Warhammer 40,000 fiction), and the pursuit of opposite objectives by the Alpha Legion. The novel features the reappearance of The Cabal (Book 7), and of other well-known characters; it also adds information about the developing strategies and subterfuge applied by the opposing sides, including reasons for Horus' timetable and for the Emperor's actions during the initial stages of the Heresy.
19. Know No Fear: the battle of Calth
Know No Fear documents the rebels' surprise assault on Calth, an ascendant Ultramar system world. It is planned and led by the Traitor Word Bearers Legion, now fully and openly committed to the spread of the Primordial Truth. The narrative starts close to where the timelines of Book 8 and Book 14 converge (in their respective conclusions), with the invasion force en route to, or near the planet. The rebel mission has aims beyond just delivering a crippling blow to the Ultramarines Legion and their home system; its objectives may affect the entire Heresy campaign. The story tracks the Calth assault from its opening covert phases, and the actions of several characters. Unaware of the developing rebellion and the Word Bearers' true role and allegiance, Primarch Roboute Guilliman and his Ultramarines are unprepared for the underhand invasion: it is total, bloody war, with ritualistic undertones, scorched earth tactics, decisive use of technology, and the considerable involvement of Chaos; the inconceivable treachery and its implications forever change the Loyalists' view of reality.
Between book 19 and 20 we can read the following short novels: Macragge's Honour by Dan Abnett and art by Neil Roberts, The Honoured by Rob Sanders and The Unburdened by David Annandale.
20. The Primarchs
The Primarchs is a compilation of four novellas by different authors, each story starring one of the "sons" of the Emperor. The novellas further develop these characters, who make multiple appearances in the series: following the Dropsite Massacre (Book 5), Fulgrim, perversely empowered by his own corruption, reveals his true nature and future plans to top officers of his compromised Legion; during a Great Crusade campaign against the enigmatic Eldar, Ferrus Manus, already beset by unsettling dreams, is subjected by alien sorcerers to stark, portentous visions and warnings about his future and role in the soon to be revealed Heresy; with Horus' rebellion in full swing after the events of Isstvan V, a suspicious and isolated Lion El'Jonson accepts the newly revealed realities of the Warp and decides on an independent course of action for the Dark Angels in the unfolding conflict; around the same time, and plotting a typically indecipherable course in the expanding war, the twinned Primarch of the Alpha Legion is involved in a unique counterintelligence operation that extends the Legion's customary deceptions inwards.
This anthology contains the following stories: The Reflection Crack'd by Graham McNeill, Feat of Iron by Nick Kyme, The Lion by Gav Thorpe and The Serpent Beneath by Rob Sanders.
Book 21 to Book 30
Between book 20 and 21 we can read the following novella: Cybernetica by Rob Sanders.
21. Fear to Tread: the Angel falls
Fear to Tread describes an operation by the forces of Chaos that is supposed to turn Primarch Sanguinius and the 9th Space Marine Legion, the "Blood Angels", to their cause. To succeed, Chaos plans to take advantage of a genetic flaw in Sanguinius' and the Legion's DNA. As the Heresy is getting under way, the outwardly still loyal Warmaster orders the entire 9th Legion and their unsuspecting Primarch to a remote star system. There they find themselves isolated and ambushed, fighting a new kind of war - against Chaos entities and daemons - designed to trigger the Legion's flaw. The plan almost succeeds; yet conflicting agendas among anti-Imperial protagonists, as well as the fortitude and unorthodox tactics of quick-to-adapt Blood Angels, narrowly result in Loyalist victory. In the meantime Horus' rebellion erupts openly and the Loyalists suffer catastrophic losses in the Dropsite Massacre (Book 5). Sanguinius and his Legion, now fully aware of the great betrayal and the reality of Chaos, race to the defense of Terra and the Emperor while buffeted by unprecedented navigational difficulties; it is hinted that these are related to the action in the Ultramar system of Calth (Books 19 and 24).
22. Shadows of Treachery
Shadows of Treachery is a compilation that collects five short stories previously published in limited editions, art books, or other formats, and also contains two new novellas. Most of the stories involve the 7th or 8th Space Marine Legions, respectively the Loyalist "Imperial Fists" and Traitor "Night Lords", and their Primarchs Rogal Dorn and Konrad Curze. Other Legions and Primarchs are also featured, while one short story takes place on Mars and illuminates an aspect of the Traitor Mechanicum's conspiracy. One of the novellas is mainly about an all-out close-quarters space battle, between a Loyalist Retribution Fleet sent to punish Horus following the events of Isstvan III (Book 3) and the Traitor fleet that ambushes it; the other new novella deals with the aftermath of another naval engagement in space that cripples the Night Lords Legion. The narratives of all stories fill gaps in the series or add further details about the Heresy and its actors; they cover periods that range from several decades before the conflict to around the time frame of Book 18 (one short story is a prequel to that novel).
This anthology contains the following stories: The Crimson Fist by John French, The Dark King by Graham McNeill, The Lightning Tower by Dan Abnett, The Kaban Project by Graham McNeill, Raven's Flight by Gav Thorpe, Death of a Silversmith by Graham McNeill and Prince of Crows by Aaron Dembski-Bowden.
23. Angel Exterminatus: Flesh and Iron
Angel Exterminatus covers a Traitor operation in uncharted and dangerous galactic space, that may purportedly decide the war in favour of the rebels. The story provides further glimpses of disparate motivations and conflicting objectives among traitor factions as the Heresy campaign continues. It is taking place some time after the Dropsite Massacre (Book 5), shortly following the events described by two novellas (Books 20 and 22). Featured are the 4th Legion of Space Marines, the "Iron Warriors", renowned siege masters of the Great Crusade, and their Primarch Perturabo. However the core plot is set in motion by Fulgrim and the Emperor's Children, who share the spotlight. The embittered Iron Warriors have aligned with Horus out of frustration with the ignominious and unheralded role assigned them by the Imperium; before the story begins, they lash out in unforgivable genocide. In the story, they are invited to the freelance operation (which is unknown to the Warmaster) by Fulgrim and his Legion, who have their own agenda. The operation's true goal is kept secret from Perturabo and his Space Marines, who come to realise that not all fellow rebels can be trusted. A side thread involves Fabius Bile, the chief medical officer of the Emperor's Children, and the Traitors' top geneticist; he is on a no-holds-barred quest to exceed the Emperor's genetic achievements.
Between book 23 and 24 we can read the following novellas and short stories: Tallarn: Executioner, Tallarn: Siren, Tallarn: Ironclad and Tallarn: Witness all by John French. (The four stories will form book 45 of the great saga)
24. Betrayer: blood for the Blood God
Betrayer returns the series to the action in the Ultramar theatre; it starts around the time the events of Book 19 begin to unfold. Unlike that story, Betrayer is presented from the perspective of the rebels, in this case the World Eaters and Word Bearers Legions, and often through the particular viewpoint of Khârn, Captain of the 8th Company of the World Eaters and Equerry to Primarch Angron. In tenuous and fragile cooperation, the two very different Traitor Legions lay waste to worlds across Ultramar; it is a "Shadow Crusade" meticulously planned by Primarch Lorgar of the Word Bearers, who deploys Abyss-class spaceships. The campaign's strategic goal is the destruction or isolation of the powerful Ultramarines Legion, its home star system, and the system's considerable resources; removing Ultramar as a factor in the war is one of Horus' primary objectives. The scheming Primarch of the Word Bearers orchestrates genocide in unprecedented scale, as a way to summon the powers of Chaos. With their help, he hopes to generate the so-called Ruinstorm, an immense interdimensional disturbance that will create an impenetrable veil around Ultramar. As the final piece of his plan, Lorgar engineers the "ascension" into daemonhood of the increasingly unstable Angron: the event is to act as the conduit for the unnatural storm.
25. Mark of Calth
Mark of Calth is the fifth compilation to appear in the series; it contains seven short stories and one novella, each by a different author. The stories further describe aspects of the rebels' Ultramar campaign, as close prequels or sequels of Books 19 and 24. "Premium" editions and the e-audiobook version were released April 2013; text-based general release editions were expected mid-to-late 2013.
This anthology contains the following stories: The Shards of Erebus by Guy Haley, Calth That Was by Graham McNeill, Dark Heart by Anthony Reynolds, The Traveller by David Annandale, A Deeper Darkness by Rob Sanders, The Underworld War by Aaron Dembski-Bowden and Unmarked by Dan Abnett.
Between book 25 and 26 we can read the following novellas: Promethean Sun and Scorched Earth all by Nick Kyme.
26. Vulkan Lives: Unto the Anvil
In the wake of the Dropsite Massacre at Isstvan V, the survivors of the Salamanders Legion searched long and hard for their fallen primarch, but to no avail. Little did they know that while Vulkan might have wished himself dead, he lives still. As the war continues without him, all eyes turn to Ultramar and Guilliman's new empire there, and Vulkan's sons are drawn into an insidious plot to end the Heresy by the most underhand means imaginable.
27. The Unremembered Empire: Imperium Secundus
The unthinkable has happened - Terra has fallen to the traitor forces of Warmaster Horus! Nothing else could explain the sudden disappearance of the Astronomican's guiding light at the heart of the Imperium, or so Roboute Guilliman would believe. Ever the pragmatist, he has drawn all his forces to Ultramar and begun construction of the new empire known as Imperium Secundus. Even with many of his primarch brothers at his side, he still faces war from without and intrigue from within - with the best of intentions, were the full truth to be known it would likely damn them all as traitors for all eternity.
28. Scars: A Legion divided
Of all the Legiones Astartes, the White Scars of Jaghatai Khan remain the most enigmatic and elusive. Born of a civilisation that prizes honour, speed and fearsome loyalty, their allegiance has yet remained unclear even as the galaxy is torn apart by Horus's treachery, and both sides have apparently counted them among their potential allies in the war to come. But when the Alpha Legion launch an unexplained and simultaneous attack against the White Scars and Space Wolves, the Khan must decide once and for all whether he will stand with the Emperor or the Warmaster... or neither.
Between book 28 and 29 we can read the following novella: Wolf King by Chris Wraight.
29. Vengeful Spirit: the Battle of Molech
Once the brightest star in the Imperium and always first among his primarch brothers, Horus has dragged the Space Marine Legions into the bloodiest conflict that the galaxy has ever seen. While their allies wage war on a thousand different fronts, the XVIth Legion descend upon the Knight world of Molech - home to the ruling House Devine, and a principal stronghold of the Imperial Army. The forces loyal to the Emperor stand ready to defy the Warmaster, but just what could have drawn Horus to attack such a well defended planet, and what might he be willing to sacrifice to fulfill his own dark destiny?
30. The Damnation of Pythos: Thinning the veil
In the aftermath of the Dropsite Massacre at Isstvan V, a battered and bloodied force of Iron Hands, Raven Guard and Salamanders regroup on a seemingly insignificant death world. Fending off attacks from all manner of monstrous creatures, the fractious allies find hope in the form of human refugees fleeing from the growing war, and cast adrift upon the tides of the warp. But even as the Space Marines carve out a sanctuary for them in the jungles of Pythos, a darkness gathers that threatens to consume them all...
Book 31 to Book 40
31. Legacies of Betrayal: Let the galaxy burn
Only from out of great conflict can true heroes arise. With the galaxy aflame and war on an unimaginable scale tearing the Imperium apart, champions of light and darkness venture onto countless fields of battle in service to their masters. They ask not for remembrance or reward - simply to meet their destiny head-on, and only by embracing that destiny will they come to learn what the unseen future may yet hold for them. This Horus Heresy anthology contains eighteen short stories by authors such as Graham McNeill, Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Nick Kyme and many more.
This anthology contains the following stories: Veritas Ferrum by David Annandale, Butcher's Nails by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Heart of the Conqueror by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Serpent by John French, Riven by John French, Warmaster by John French, Hunter's Moon by Guy Haley, Strike and Fade by Guy Haley, Censure by Nick Kyme, Kryptos by Graham McNeill, Thief of Revelations by Graham McNeill, Lucius, The Eternal Blade by Graham McNeill, The Eightfold Path by Anthony Reynolds, Honour to the Dead by Gav Thorpe, The Divine Word by Gav Thorpe, Guardian of Order by Gav Thorpe, Brotherhood of the Storm by Chris Wraight, Wolf's Claw by Chris Wraight and Lone Wolf by Chris Wraight.
32. Deathfire: Into the Ruinstorm
Vulkan lies in state beneath the Fortress of Hera, and yet many of his sons still refuse to believe that he is truly dead. After a seemingly miraculous rescue by the Ultramarines, Artellus Numeon, once captain of the Pyre Guard, urges the other Salamanders on Macragge to leave Imperium Secundus and return their primarch's body to the home world of Nocturne - there to be reborn in the flames of Mount Deathfire. But Numeon grapples endlessly with his doubts and fears for the future of the Legion, while their foes seek to carve out new destinies of their own...
33. War Without End: Heresy Begets Retribution
The Emperor's vision of mankind ascendant lies in tatters. The Great Crusade is naught but a fading memory. The dream of Unity is no more. But with Horus's rebellion spreading to every corner of the Imperium and war engulfing new worlds and systems almost daily, there are some who now ask: were the signs there to be seen all along? In these dark times, only one thing is certain - the galaxy will never know peace again, not in this lifetime or a thousand others...
This anthology contains the following stories: Sermon of Exodus by David Annandale, Howl of the Hearthworld by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Lord of the Red Sands by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Black Oculus by John French, The Laurel of Defiance by Guy Haley, A Safe and Shadowed Place by Guy Haley, Twisted by Guy Haley, Artefacts by Nick Kyme, The Phoenician by Nick Kyme, Imperfect by Nick Kyme, Chirurgeon by Nick Kyme, The Devine Adoratrice by Graham McNeill, Wolf Mother by Graham McNeill, Hands of the Emperor by Rob Sanders, The Harrowing by Rob Sanders, Virtues of the Sons by Andy Smillie, All That Remains by James Swallow, Gunsight by James Swallow, By the Lion's Command by Gav Thorpe, Allegiance by Chris Wraight and Daemonology by Chris Wraight.
Between book 33 and 34 we can listen to the following audio drama: The Heart of the Pharos by L.J. Goulding.
34. Pharos: the Dying of the Light
With the noble Emperor Sanguinius ruling from Macragge, Imperium Secundus stands as a lone beacon of hope even as the Warmaster's forces continue to ravage the rest of the galaxy. Roboute Guilliman, still Master of Ultramar, has convinced his brother that Terra has fallen and that the mysterious Mount Pharos on Sotha now holds the key to mankind's future. But the Night Lords, those cruel and pitiless sons of Konrad Curze, have been watching from the shadows, and make ready to launch their long-planned attack on the Pharos itself...
Between book 34 and 35 we can read the following novellas and short stories: Meduson by Dan Abnett, Unforged by Guy Haley, Unspoken by Guy Haley, Immortal Duty by Nick Kyme, Grey Talon by Chris Wraight, Hand Elect by Chris Wraight, The Keys of Hel by John French, The Noose by David Annandale, Deeds Endure by Gav Thorpe, The Either by Graham McNeill and The Seventh Serpent by Graham McNeill. (All the stories presented here are currently the book 43 of the great saga)
35. Eye of Terra: I Am the Emperor's Vigilance
The galaxy burns at Horus's command, and a billion more lives are lost with each passing moment - though it was not always so. Once, the title of Warmaster stood for honour, loyalty and a fierce pride in the strength of the Space Marine Legions. But perhaps by following the myriad lines of destiny and defiance that were already woven around the primarchs and their sons, we may yet come to understand the bitterness that can eat away at even the most steadfast of souls...
Also includes the novella 'Aurelian' revisiting Lorgar's pilgrimage within the Eye of Terror, and examining just what could convince a true servant of the Emperor to embrace the powers of Chaos once more.
This anthology contains the following stories: The Wolf of Ash and Fire by Graham McNeill, Aurelian by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, The Long Night by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Massacre by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, Brotherhood of the Moon by Chris Wraight, Inheritor by Gav Thorpe, Master of the First by Gav Thorpe, Vorax by Matthew Farrer, Ironfire by Rob Sanders, Red-Marked by Nick Kyme, Stratagem by Nick Kyme, Sins of the Father by Andy Smillie, The Herald of Sanguinius by Andy Smillie, The Eagle's Talon by John French, Iron Corpses by David Annandale and The Final Compliance of Sixty-Three Fourteen by Guy Haley.
36. The Path of Heaven: Riding Out from the Storm
The full powers of Chaos are revealed as the Horus Heresy blazes towards Terra. For too long had the Vth Legion ranged out beyond the sight of the wider Imperium, remaining ignorant of the Warmaster's rebellion and the war that inevitably followed. Only once their primarch, Jaghatai Khan, had satisfied himself that the path before them was just and true did the White Scars choose a side, taking the fight to the traitors on every front. But, four years later, the Legion's unfettered spirit has been broken by relentless attritional warfare against the Death Guard and the Emperor's Children - the Khan's Stormseers must find a clear route to Terra if they are to take part in the final, apocalyptic battle.
37. The Silent War: Chosen of the Sigillite
Anthology of tales about the secret missions that underpin the entire Horus Heresy series. While loyalist and traitor forces clash on a thousand battlefields across the galaxy, a very different kind of war is being fought in the shadows. Rogal Dorn and his Legion prepare to defend the Solar System against the armies of Warmaster Horus, even as Malcador the Sigillite charges his many agents and spies with missions of the utmost secrecy. The future of the Imperium is being shaped by unseen hands... This Horus Heresy anthology contains fourteen stories by some of Black Library's top authors, including James Swallow, Chris Wraight, John French, Anthony Reynolds and many more.
This anthology contains the following stories: The Watcher by C.Z. Dunn, Child of Night by John French, Grey Angel by John French, Templar by John French, The Gates of Terra by Nick Kyme, Luna Mendax by Graham McNeill, Wolf Hunt by Graham McNeill, The Purge by Anthony Reynolds, Army of One by Rob Sanders, Distant Echoes of Old Night by Rob Sanders, Ghosts Speak Not by James Swallow, Lost Sons by James Swallow, Patience by James Swallow and The Sigillite by Chris Wraight.
38. Angels of Caliban: Emperors and Slaves
Two infamous Space Marine Primarch rivals clash for the final time. With the Dark Angels spread across a hundred systems, primarch Lion El'Jonson stands as Lord Protector of Ultramar - though his true motives are known to few indeed, and old rivalries on the home world threaten to tear the Legion in half. But when word comes of the Night Lords' attack on Sotha, the Lion's brutal actions bring Imperium Secundus once again to the brink of civil war. Not even the most fearsome warriors of the Dreadwing, nor any arcane secret of the Order, can guarantee victory if he sets himself against his loyal brothers.
39. Praetorian of Dorn: Alpha to Omega
The Horus Heresy reaches the Solar System - will the defences of Rogal Dorn and his Imperial Fists hold against the onslaught? Recalled from the Great Crusade after Ullanor, Rogal Dorn and the VIIth Legion were appointed as the Emperor s praetorians but only after the Warmaster s treachery was revealed did the full extent of that sacred duty become apparent. Now, the Solar System comes under attack for the first time since the war began, and many of the seemingly impregnable defences wrought by the Imperial Fists prove inadequate. With all eyes fixed firmly upon this new threat beyond the gates of Terra, whowill protect Dorn from the enemy within?"
40. Corax: Nevermore
As the Horus Heresy gathers pace, the Raven Guard primarch Corax and the remnants of his once mighty Legion now wage an entirely different kind of war - liberating worlds oppressed by the traitor forces. After Isstvan, after Deliverance, the Raven Guard still endure. Their primarch Corvus Corax has rallied countless warriors to his banner, striking back at the forces of the Warmaster on every front - from the degenerate hereteks of the Mechanicum to the cruel legionaries of the Sons of Horus, none shall escape his wrath. But although Corax has managed to stall the physical corruption of his own Space Marines, what of their spirit? And what sinister end must await those who dwell forever in the darkness? This anthology contains all of Gav Thorpe's tales of the Raven Guard in the Horus Heresy - the novellas Soulforge and Ravenlord, along with the short stories 'The Shadowmasters', 'The Value of Fear' and 'Raptor'. Also included is the brand new novella Weregeld, bringing Corax's legend to its grim conclusion.
This anthology contains the following stories: Soulforge, Ravenlord, Weregeld, The Shadowmasters, The Value of Fear and Raptor all by Gav Thorpe.
Book 41 to...
41. The Master of Mankind: War in the Webway
While Horus' rebellion burns across the galaxy, a very different kind of war rages beneath the Imperial Palace. The 'Ten Thousand' Custodian Guard, along with the Sisters of Silence and the Mechanicum forces of Fabricator General Kane, fight to control the nexus points of the ancient eldar webway that lie closest to Terra, infested by daemonic entities after Magnus the Red's intrusion. But with traitor legionaries and corrupted Battle Titans now counted among the forces of Chaos, the noose around the Throneworld is tightening, and none but the Emperor Himself can hope to prevail.
42. Garro: Weapon of Fate
From out of the shadows of the Silent War, a hero emerges. Clad all in grey, an errant warrior of the Legiones Astartes kneels before the Regent of Terra, and accepts a solemn new duty - Battle-Captain Garro, once commander of the Eisenstein, now Agentia Primus of Malcador the Sigillite. From the desolation of Isstvan to the halls of the Imperial Palace itself, he stands as a paragon of loyalty and protector of the innocent, ever ready to strike back at the traitorous allies of the Warmaster. But Garro is walking a path of his own, one that may lead him to question his own place in the Imperium... and what if he, too, should falter?
This anthology contains the following stories: Oath of Moment, Legion of One, Burden of Duty, Sword of Truth, Shield of Lies, Oath of Fealty and Vow of Faith all by James Swallow.
43. Shattered Legions
After the massacre at Isstvan V, the broken remnants of three Legions formed a guerrilla force dedicated to slowing Horus's advance on Terra. The ten tales in this volume relate exceptional stories of heroism by these Shattered Legions. Driven almost to the brink of self-destruction at Isstvan V, the Iron Hands now seek vengeance for the murder of their primarch Ferrus Manus. Gathering survivors from the Raven Guard and the Salamanders aboard any vessels capable of warp travel, these Shattered Legions wage a new campaign of annihilation against the traitor forces across the galaxy - a campaign masterminded by legendary warleader Shadrak Meduson.
(This anthology contains all the stories you can read between the book 34 and the 35, now presented like part of the great saga, being the book 43)
44. The Crimson King: A Soul Divided
After the razing of Prospero, Magnus the Red spirited the Thousand Sons away to the aptly unnamed Planet of the Sorcerers, deep within the Eye of Terror. Removed from the concerns of the galaxy at large and regarding the Warmaster's unfolding Heresy with cold detachment, he has dedicated his hollow existence to the preservation of all the knowledge once held in the great libraries of Tizca, should mankind ever seek such enlightenment again. But his sons can see the change in their primarch - he is a broken soul, whose mind and memories are slipping away into the tumult of the warp. Only by returning to the scenes of his greatest triumphs and tragedies can they hope to restore him, and allow the Crimson King to be crowned anew by the Ruinous Powers.
45. Tallarn: War for a Dead World
As the Warmaster's campaign of galactic domination continues, his generals seek out fresh battlefields to conquer. After leaving the Crone World of Iydris behind, Perturabo strikes for Tallarn. A bitter, vengeful primarch, the lord of the Iron Warriors unleashes a deadly bombardment against the world, killing millions but entrenching the survivors. A brutal, all-consuming armoured conflict ensues, the greatest of the war, and one that grinds down all combatants over more than a year of relentless battles. But Perturabo's reasons for the attack are about more than unleashing punitive destruction against the Imperium - he has an entirely darker purpose in mind.
(This anthology contains all the stories you can read between the book 23 and the 24, now presented like part of the great saga, being the book 45)
46. Ruinstorm: Destiny unwritten...
Imperium Secundus lies revealed as a heretical folly. Terra has not fallen, though it remains inaccessible. Sanguinius, Guilliman and the Lion El'Johnson, the primarchs of the Triumvirate, must reach Terra at all costs. They seek to defend the Emperor, and to atone for their sins. But the Ruinstorm, a galaxy-wide maelstrom of chaos, hides the Throneworld from the primarchs. Now the fleets of three Legions depart Macragge, and the primarchs will stop at nothing to overcome the Ruinstorm. Yet an insidious enemy watches their every move, and plots against the weaknesses of the errant sons of the Emperor. Each has his own inner storm, and each marches towards his own ruin.
47. Old Earth: To the Gates of Terra
Reborn in body and spirit beneath Mount Deathfire, the primarch Vulkan gathers his most trusted sons and prepares for the final part of his journey. The Legions shattered at Isstvan V have stalled the Warmaster's advance across the galaxy, but fresh cracks are spreading through the alliance between the Iron Hands, Salamanders and Raven Guard, along with mysterious rumours of the return of Ferrus Manus. Haunted by a sense of destiny unfulfilled, Vulkan must choose between joining their war of vengeance against the traitors, or following his own barely understood path all the way to the Throneworld itself.
48. The Burden of Loyalty
As the darkness of mankind's internecine war slowly consumes the galaxy, those who still serve the Throne are forced to fight for both their own survival and the continued existence of everything they hold dear. With the threat of the Warmaster Horus' fleet looming ever closer to Terra, if will fall to such heroes to halt the tide, but the enemies arrayed against them are powerful and the burden of loyalty is great...
Yet to come
49. Wolfsbane
Leman Russ, the primarch of the Space Wolves, a legion of Space Marines, acts in order to fulfill a certain vow, withdrawing the Space Wolves legion from Terra. A warrior of Fenris would never willingly abandon his oaths, but is it possible that Leman Russ has now doomed himself?
50. Born of Flame
Born of the fiery world of Nocturne, the Salamanders believe in self sacrifice and the sanctity of human life. Their father Vulkan was raised on this world, a blacksmith's son from humble origins who became a primarch of the Emperor of Mankind and forged his sons into a Legion. Their saga is one of heroism, betrayal, tragedy and rebirth. They have returned from the edge of extinction more than once, forever embattled, never bowed, the Legion and their primarch the epitome of defiance in the face of adversity. Unto the anvil, born of flame.
Slaves to Darkness
Media and editions
Series titles are released in multiple versions: in print as paperbacks and hardcovers (with paperback editions printed in mass-market and trade formats); as e-books; and as either abridged or unabridged audiobooks and e-audiobooks (respectively, in compact disc and audio file formats - the Black Library has partnered with specialist UK company Heavy Entertainment for audio production).
As of April 2013, print editions were generally between 400 and 500 pages, though some mass market versions have rendered in more; total series length in first paperback edition was about 10,600 print pages (24 titles). Digital editions ranged in size from less than a megabyte (some e-book releases) to over a gigabyte (some e-audiobook releases); the totals run from a low of about 10 MB (for 22 e-book titles, in EPUB format) to a high of about 11 GB (for 13 unabridged titles, in MP3 format). Durations of audio versions spread from about 6 hours for the abridged editions to anywhere between 11 and 19 hours for the unabridged editions; the total length of the unabridged edition was about 168 hours, divided among 13 titles. CD audiobooks were published in packages of 5 discs per abridged title; two unabridged titles were available on CD, with the longest packaged in 13 discs.
Outside the UK, series titles are published in several countries and languages by Black Library divisions or as co-editions with local associates. As of April 2013, other-language renditions lagged the English-language series in the number of released titles, and had followed distinct publication schedules and release sequences. Also as of April 2013, editions in other languages were published in paperback and e-book formats.
Starting November 2010, new titles have often been released simultaneously in multiple media; occasionally since then, new titles' digital or audio releases have preceded the print versions, in reverse of previous practice (see table "Published" above). Stories in series compilations have also been published individually, as e-books, and as MP3 or CD "audio shorts".
Series stories have appeared in whole or in part in other Black Library publications, sometimes before the corresponding series books have become generally available; prepublications have included stand-alone releases of compilation stories. "Prerelease" copies of series volumes have been regularly offered months before official publication, in Games Workshop- and Black Library-sponsored events such as the various Games Days.
There have been a number of special editions and bundles published in a variety of media; bundles have included the "Horus Heresy Collections", which mix editions and media of the same or different titles. In concert with established industry practice, certain special editions are available in limited distribution months before the release of the corresponding regular, or wider-release, versions.
The books' cover art has been separately released, in poster and other formats. Series bundles and special offers have also contained the separate artwork releases of the included titles.
"Premium" editions
English-language series releases include publishing of the titles in special "premium" editions: "Premium Hardback" (print) and "Enhanced Ebook" (digital). These versions contain additional material and artwork, and are published several months before their general-availability or regular edition counterparts. The first title to appear in "premium" editions, in October 2012, was Angel Exterminatus (Book 23). The earlier catalogue of the series is also republished in these editions, again beginning October 2012 with the series-opening novel trilogy.
Other special editions (selections)
- Horus Rising - Dan Abnett. "5th Anniversary Edition" to mark the 5-year publishing history of the series. With "'titanium blue' foil treatment on the cover" and it includes "an exclusive new introduction by author Dan Abnett" - April 2011
- Limited Edition Horus Heresy Audio Boxset - Dan Abnett, Ben Counter, Graham McNeill. Contains the abridged CD-audio versions of the series' opening trilogy narrated by Martyn Ellis. Abridged by Christian Dunn. Includes an exclusive bonus CD containing the short story "Little Horus" by Abnett, from the Age of Darkness compilation, also read by Ellis. Total duration is about 18 hours, contained in 16 discs. Edition limited to 2,000 copies worldwide - November 2011
- Xmas 2011 Horus Heresy eBundle - Series authors. E-book edition of the first 17 Books in the series. One of several series bundles, this was offered as a "Christmas 2011 Special" - November 2011
Reception
Several novels in The Horus Heresy series have appeared in UK and US science fiction charts, have occupied high positions in Nielsen BookScan genre lists, and since early 2010 have often charted in The New York Times Bestseller List for mass-market paperbacks.
Critical reception of individual titles has been mixed, yet the general tone of reviews has been mostly positive. Although the series overall has been viewed favourably, there have been complaints about its length, the multitude of characters and narrative threads, and the timeline jumps or repetitions caused by the nonlinear storytelling. The evolving series is said to have gradually acquired a backstory and terminology of its own; this has led reviewers to question the accessibility of individual stories to new or casual readers.
Sales
Early in its publishing history, the series became a sales success in its category. Horus Rising by Dan Abnett, the opening title, set the pace shortly after its release, topping Locus magazine's "Locus Bestsellers: Gaming-Related" list of August 2006; as of Book 22 (September 2012), practically every title in the series had achieved the same or similar performance on this chart. Horus Rising's January 2011 CD audiobook release also appeared in ranked sales lists: the (abridged) edition was number 15 in a related chart published by The Bookseller, covering 2011 UK sales up to September.
Legion by Abnett, and Battle for the Abyss by Ben Counter, were listed in Nielsen BookScan's list of top-20 fictional works by small publishers for the year ending 23 August 2008; the books appeared in eighth and sixteenth place respectively. The next published title, Mechanicum by Graham McNeill, entered The Bookseller's "Top 20 Fiction Heatseekers" chart of December 5, 2008, shortly after its release, at number 10; series titles have consistently appeared in this list.
A Thousand Sons by McNeill was released in February 2010 and arrived at number 22 on The New York Times Bestseller List, the first ever novel on the Black Library imprint to do so. Nemesis by James Swallow followed, reaching number 26 on the List in August 2010. The First Heretic, by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, reached number 28 in the weekly chart in November 2010 and stayed on the List for a second week, at number 33. Abnett's Prospero Burns was next, reaching number 16 in January 2011; this title also topped a science fiction and fantasy book chart published by The Times (London) in March of the same year.
The compilation Age of Darkness, edited by Christian Dunn, also entered The New York Times Best Sellers List, in May 2011, at number 31. Book 19, Know No Fear, again by Abnett, continued the trend: it appeared at number 21 in March 2012. It was followed on the List by the next series title, The Primarchs, a compilation edited by Dunn, which occupied position 29 during the week of 17 June 2012; in addition, The Primarchs had placed first in Publishers Weekly's science fiction bestsellers listing for the week of 28 May 2012. In September 2012 Fear to Tread by Swallow entered The New York Times Best Sellers List at number 13, at the time the highest entry on that chart for a series novel; the book remained on the List the week after (week of September 23), at number 33.
Related works
Between the late-1980s introduction of the Horus Heresy and the start of this series publication in 2006, Games Workshop and affiliates released Horus Heresy-branded products that expanded the concept's standing as Warhammer 40,000 background material. The release of such works, which include literature independent of this series, continued as of 2013; the works may relate to it as prequels, sequels, or expansions of its stories.
Pre-series Horus Heresy literature and other related works may have been superseded or rendered obsolete, while other similar material may no longer be authoritative even as it remains in Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 canons; still other non-series Horus Heresy material has been eventually incorporated into the work.
A significant development was the 2012 initial release of the Horus Heresy miniatures wargame expansion, which repositioned the concept as a foreground element within the Warhammer 40,000 gaming system - while highlighting the importance of the Horus Heresy to Games Workshop's product lineup and the related universe. The expansion is reputedly developed in coordination with the book series, and includes new material and information about the Horus Heresy and the fictional universe; it joins the series and other works as an authoritative source of Heresy material and Warhammer 40,000 background.
The Black Library and Games Workshop have released novels, game rulebooks, and other products not branded or classified as Horus Heresy, yet directly relating to story arcs or events described in the series. An example is listed in the section below.
Selections
- Collected Visions: Iconic Images of the Imperium, Betrayal and War - Alan Merrett (writer), John Blanche (conceptual art), Nick Kyme and Matt Ralphs (editors), and many additional contributors. Omnibus edition of the four-volume Horus Heresy art book series (2004-06); it outlines the entire Horus Heresy in art and prose. As of February 2013 it was partially superseded, amended, or expanded by the continuing book series and the newer Horus Heresy rulebook series (see below). As of the same month it remained the most comprehensive official roadmap for the complete Heresy storyline - June 2007
- Battle of the Fang - Chris Wraight. Warhammer 40,000 novel in the Space Marine Battles series. The story takes place a thousand years after the Horus Heresy, and is a continuation of the arc presented in Books 12 (A Thousand Sons), and 15 (Prospero Burns) - June 2011
- Aurelian - Aaron Dembski-Bowden. Subtitled The Eye stares back, this "Horus Heresy novella" is part of a story arc along with The First Heretic, Book 14 in the series - October 2011
- Betrayal - Alan Bligh (writer), and Forge World artists and designers. "Volume One" in the Horus Heresy rulebook series. This series is part of the stand-alone Horus Heresy expansion for the Warhammer 40,000 game system; the expansion is produced by Games Workshop modelling subsidiary Forge World. Betrayal is centered on the events of Isstvan III, also described in Galaxy in Flames, Book 3 of the book series - September 2012
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