James Swallow

I was surprised to find that I hadn't read this one. I think I must have skipped it last time round because I hate James Swallow's works. Very sensible, tbh. But this one wasn't bad. It certainly wasn't unreadable like most of his nonsense. OK, some some of the characters (Imperial hierarchy especially) are particularly hammy, but the main characters aren't bad, the plot makes kind of sense, mostly, and there's some fine world-building and background stuff going on. In general not bad. I wouldn't make it the first warhammer book you read, mind.… (altro)

I genuinely feel ashamed about ever talking about the opening trilogy as the phenomenal first founding of this saga. It truly is the the opening quadrilogy with Flight of the Eisenstein closing the initial chapter of the Horus Heresy spectacularly that is essential and exquisite. I often think many of the things that break me on Isstvan III are only in Galaxy in Flames, but it is Huron Fal and Temeter in the middle of this book that has had me absolutely bawling every (at least four) times I've read this.

This book is bloody brilliant and seriously one of Swallows crowning achievements of his great, if vacillating in quality, work with Black Library. It's incredible how many things are still just being introduced and expanded upon, which are handled wonderfully. Swallows dynamic writing in dramatic and action moments is impressive, as is his ability to get really weird and gross with the Nurgle stuff without going too far.

This continues to be a mythic foundational narrative with avatars of archetypes playing their parts, but with a level of individuality and immediacy that I love from these kinds of works.

I had planned to go back and give False Gods, Galaxy in Flames, and this a more in depth look as I did with Horus Rising, as well as taking a break to catch up on some other reading, but I am absolutely on the grips of the worst pain, fatigue, and conversion symptoms flare up I've had in years, so I can barely think or move a lot of the time.

Plan is to charge on with the saga using the suggested order from https://www.heresyomnibus.com, tackling each omnibus in order which, means I have a few stories to catch up with before getting to Fulgrim.

If you've made it this far, yeah you've read some of the best books in this series and from Black Library and the quality might start to vacillate quite wildly from here on, but there is so much more phenomenal stuff here and I'm excited and determined to cross the Rubicon.… (altro)

Great conclusion of Garro's storyline.

Always loyal to the throne, always ready to do what is required, Nathaniel Garro, dismissed from the Malcadore's service, is roaming the battlefields of Terra and assisting where required. Suddenly he comes across the information that will put him in the direct path of his old Legion and his Primarch, now Chaos Daemon waging terrible war of destruction on one of the directions towards Emperor's Palace on Terra.

I wont say anything more to avoid spoilers. I will just say that all characters are wonderfully portrayed, and our hero, Garro, gets the conclusion on par with great heroic epics.

Excellent novella, highly recommended to all fans of Horus Heresy story arc and of W40K in general.… (altro)