Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

Horus Rising: The Beginning of the Horus Heresy

Horus Rising is the first novel in a series known as the Horus Heresy. It comes from the world of Warhammer 40,000 and thus is a widely known event by many fans. Having heard so much about it, I’ve decided that I’m going to dive in and tackle the entire series, one novel at a time. Yes, I know how intense that goal is – you don’t need to remind me!

Anybody who has spent time around a Warhammer 40K player has likely heard at least a little about the Horus Heresy. Understandably, that has probably piqued the interest of more than one reader out there.

As it turns out, the series is as massive as it is impactful. The novels in this series are in the double digits, branching this way and that to follow different characters throughout the events that follow.

So it’s a bit intimidating to get into, but is it worth it? Absolutely. Horus Rising is the perfect starting point, not just for this series but for any new fans who want to get into reading Warhammer novels. There is no required knowledge going into this book, as Dan Abnett takes the time to explain everything as he goes. The list of characters/titles in the front also helps keep things in order, making it a lovely feature for those of us with poor memories.

Writing

Horus Rising is one of the more epic novels I’ve read this year. Dan Abnett has infused so much more than I expected into the writing. This isn’t just a tale of Space Marines beating everything around them to a pulp. It’s also a tale of politics, brotherhood, loyalty, and more.

I love the concept of taking a character outside of the Primarchs for the primary perspective in this grand event. It makes everything feel more relatable. I almost said human, which feels a bit ironic. Loken is a brilliant leading character, but I’m not quite certain he fits the average definition of human. That is not a bad thing, just to be clear.

Looking back on it, there’s a certain amount of elegance in how Horus Rising was written. The warriors are proud and true (for now), their wars and epic, their leaders of the grandest scale possible. All of it is set within a galaxy full of politics and the unknown.

I can see now why so many people recommend the Horus Heresy as a starting point for the fiction. Yes, the sheer amount there is to read is a bit intimidating. But it’s also shockingly welcoming to newer fans. Everything is explained in due course. Everything has purpose and context, making the world feel real and alive.

Development

Horus Rising is a truly epic read, and while it isn’t exactly a small novel, it is still a quick read. That’s thanks mostly to the pacing and the fact that you won’t want to put this novel down. I know I didn’t.

This novel is broken into three parts. Each part initially feels distinct, with different events occurring (and sometimes different characters – at the start). They do eventually weave together, and how they do is fascinating. Once again, we’re shown the careful planning that created this world.

All of the events in this novel are merely leading up to the Horus Heresy itself. That’s a fact that becomes clearer with time. Yet there’s this constant tension – like something is on the cusp of occurring. That enhanced the reading experience and admittedly made me all the more eager to start reading False Gods.

Conclusion

Horus Rising was the novel I had hoped it would be – and then some. I was impressed by how frequently this novel managed to surprise me. More than that, I love how elegant they made the buildup feel. This is a series worth reading, regardless of your experience (or lack thereof) with the lore or gameplay. There’s a reason this whole event is talked about so much, and now I’m starting to understand that.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.

Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat’s Comics | The Book Review Crew | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Reedsy