Know No Fear

The Horus Heresy #19

by Dan Abnett

A Horus Heresy novel

Unaware of the wider Heresy and following the Warmaster’s increasingly cryptic orders, Roboute Guilliman returns to Ultramar to muster his Legion for war against the orks massing in the Veridian system.

READ IT BECAUSE
It's the beginning of one of the Horus Heresy's most infamous and epic battles. Dan Abnett's story grabs you by the shoulders and throws you into the midst of the Betrayal at Calth. The moment when the build-up ends and the battle begins is breathtaking and brutal and the rest of the novel doesn't let up.

THE STORY
Unaware of the wider Heresy and following the Warmaster's increasingly cryptic orders, Roboute Guilliman returns to Ultramar to muster his Legion for war against the orks massing in the Veridian system. Without warning, their supposed allies in the Word Bearers Legion launch a devastating invasion of Calth, scattering the Ultramarines fleet and slaughtering all who stand in their way. This confirms the worst scenario Guilliman can imagine – Lorgar means to settle their bitter rivalry once and for all. As the traitors summon foul daemonic hosts and all the forces of Chaos, the Ultramarines are drawn into a grim and deadly struggle in which neither side can prevail.

Genres: Science Fiction, 40k, Fiction, Fantasy, Audiobook, War, Space Opera

412 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2012

Reviews

[Chris Berko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Shit, what a F'ing book!!!

The happenings in this book are no secret. We already know what happened on Calth, we just never got the details. We now have those details.

The first thirty percent of this book set the stage. We get to know everyone that is going to be involved and where they are and what they're doing. I think it is that foreknowledge of what happens that makes this part of the book so suspenseful, we as readers know what is coming and we can't do a damn thing. There is backstabbing and treachery and deceit but there is also heroics and camaraderie and triumph in equal measures. I also cannot remember the last time I read a book that literally had me cheering out loud on more than one occasion. There is some serious comeuppance for some mother f'ers in here that is about ten books in the making and well worth the wait.

Dan Abnett is an amazing writer and this is easily one of the better Horus Heresy books so far in the series. Five stars as this was a totally awesome reading experience.

[Andrew Ziegler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really hate Dan Abnett. He pours so much reality into character and relationships when he writes that it rips you up when you finish a book. Abnett breathed new life in the Ultramarines for me in this book, a Space Marine Legion that I was quite happy to have had fleshed out so well by the masterful G McNeill in his Ultramarines series.

Know No Fear was a uniquely written book, with a coherent narrative throughout, but broken into stages of the Battle of Calth, and further sub divided by times during the battle. honestly, after having read D-Day by Ambrose recently this reminded me of that.

Because of the unique styling and what seems like 100s of characters it was hard for me to really invest early on. It took about 150 pages for me to kind of wade through all the new names and places and grasp onto who was going to be really important.

In the end though, like pretty much everything Dan Abnett writes, I was in love with the book as a whole and sad when I finished it.

[Olethros · Rating 3 out of 5]

-Momentos García Márquez, a su manera.-

Género. Ciencia ficción.

Lo que nos cuenta. En el libro La batalla de Calth (publicación original: Know No Fear, 2012), construido a partir de un archivo operativo y de los escritos del primarca Roboute Guilliman, nos trasladamos a Calth, planeta principal del sistema Veridian y parte de Ultramar, un sub-sector de la galaxia bajo la dirección de los Ultramarines. Allí, y por instrucción del Señor de la Guerra Horus, se concentra un enorme ejército que hará frente a los orkos desplegados en Veridian. La mayoría de las fuerzas son de Ultramarines y Guardia Imperial, pero también están llegando Portadores de Palabra. Lo que Guilliman y los demás desconocen, excepto los traidores entre ellos, es que la guerra civil ya ha empezado y que Horus prepara un golpe devastador en el planeta. Libro número diecinueve de la saga La Herejía de Horus.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is kind of a weird one, in that there’s so many things that this book does badly, and yet somehow it transcends all that and becomes something that’s not only much more than the sum of its parts but is easily one of the best books in the series up to this point. The character work isn’t great here, there’s quite a few plots that are either under developed or are intentionally left dangling so they can serve as teasers for future books, side characters who go nowhere, the entire book is written in this weird present tense narrative voice that’s supposed to sound like a work of in-universe history, or maybe some kind of after action report, but it’s a conceit that falls apart when you start scrutinizing how this in-universe historian is aware of some of the wilder parts of this story, like the list goes on and on and on. And yet.

And yet this book kicks ass. This is basically a Warhammer book written as a summer blockbuster movie. What it lacks in art and craftsmanship it makes up for in incredible action scenes and over the top spectacle. It feels like the platonic ideal of “turn your brain off and watch a gajillion guys get shot in the face while the whole universe explodes.” It’s awesome. This isn’t the kind of thing I expect out of Dan Abnett (especially not after reading Prospero Burns) but damn it turns out he’s really good at just this kind of thing.

Highlights for me were pretty much anytime demons were running around. I love when these books get weird, or creepy, or characters just start freaking out in general. There’s not a ton of that here, but what there is is really satisfying.

The other highlight was the character of Roboute Gulliman. I really expected to dislike him just as much as I’ve disliked most of the Primarchs up to this point, but I ended up kind of loving him. Abnett essentially writes him, and by extension all the Ultramarines, as that player at your DnD table who has zero interest in role playing and is just there to run a character they’ve min/maxed to hell through some dungeons. Boring players to have around when you’re trying to solve a puzzle or talk through a scene, but brilliant to have around when you’re fighting the big bad of a campaign. I think the same dynamic is at work here. Gulliman is kind of a boring doofus when he isn’t killing anybody (just look at him in the scene where he’s trying to threaten Lorgar, what a fucking dork this man is) but as soon as the shooting starts he’s great.

Really fun read overall. This isn’t my favorite Horus Heresy book, but it’s certainly up there. Highly recommend this one.

[Drawock · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is a lot of high praise for this novel in the other reviews, but I have to say this is the first of Abnett's entries in the Horus Heresy series that has fallen flat for me.

The standard of writing (or possibly the editing) just seemed to drop when compared to his earlier works. At times it reads like a set of hastily written notes, with a full stop coming every two or three words. Possibly a stylistic choice intended to keep the pace of the action scenes up, but for me it was just annoying to read.

There were also a couple of instances of repetition where a paragraph just rephrased what was said immediately before - I found myself wondering if I was reading an unfinished draft and he had forgotten to delete the filler text after he fleshed it out or something - repetition for dramatic effect didn't work in any case.

Also there is an over-zealous approach to punctuation, with some, sentences being, broken up by, way too many commas.

I know he is a prolific author but I greatly enjoyed his other books so I did find myself wondering if he has been under too much pressure to keep cranking them out? Or maybe he was just trying something new here and unfortunately it just rubs me up the wrong way.

There is also a greater problem in the story (and the series as a whole) of the logic not really adding up (spoilers follow!):

The Word Bearers came to destroy everything that lived (as the Ultramarines put it). Their ultimate goal was to destroy the solar system itself by exploding the sun. It was quite an elaborate plan and one that required a lot of effort to keep the Ultramarines from being in a position to fight back. The issue here is that in the 3rd book of the Heresy series it was already established that the Imperium has super-virus bombs that can entirely cleanse a planet of life in a few minutes. So why wouldn't they just fire off a few of those?

To be fair the blame for that flaw lies with the 3rd book. Even taking this as a stand-alone story though, a similar problem exists. The orbital defence grid which can annihilate anyone on the planet surface, anywhere, at any time, but which the Word Bearers only use to shoot at objects up in space...

Last complaint - there are several plot threads that go nowhere. Some are clearly set-ups for future novels, but others serve no purpose at all except possibly boosting the word count. Why exactly did we spend time with Erebus? His actions on the surface had no impact on anyone or anything, and at the end he just simply leaves.

Turn off your brain and ignore the hasty and clipped writing style and I guess there is entertainment to be had here. 2 out of 5.

[Amie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Idk what's sadder, the amount of debugging I still have left or this ending. Either way, I want to cry.

[Simon Mee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m very proud of Prospero Burns, and wouldn’t have written it any other way, and I’m happy to take the criticism of those who wanted to see more shooty-death-kill in it. But I did want to write a massive dollop of unashamed action while cackling ‘Is this what you want? Is it? Is it? Well, be careful what you wish for!’

Five stars. Brilliant encapsulation of the “bolter porn” style. A classic for the ages. Etc, etc. Perhaps not the best book of the Horus Heresy, but genuinely in every conversation, and a testament to the variety of Abnett’s writing. It’s mainly an action story, but there are interesting psychological and horror elements to it.

I could explain all the reasons why this book is five stars. Instead, I am going to explain what this book is missing. Because Abnett is right, you should be careful what you wish for, even if it is a five-star book, above Prospero Burns.

Impersonal

Know No Fear does try some moments of death and loss, but never really hits the right emotional beats. The closest is with the death of the Mechanicum’s Hesst, and how their partner Tawren copes with it in the context of what Hesst was trying to do. Their interactions and Tawren working through the loss in a catastrophic situation fits with the tone of the book.

It was why he kept going until the very last moment, Tawren now realises. It was why he wouldn’t leave his post, even when the scrapcode had maimed his mind. He had to finish. He was determined to finish. He was hanging on as long as he could to get it done.

It is totally reliant on scenes that move the plot forward, rather than reflection, but that’s fine and works relatively organically.

The problem is that is about it, and there’s a long list of inadequate portrayals. Trooper Rane’s mooning for his fiancé is forced, as it is merely a vehicle for the idea that monsters can disguise themselves as loved ones, while Ollanius Persson’s doleful widower personality is a hackneyed, rushed job. Thiel, who starts off as the most interesting Space Marine, is wasted in this book: He’s meant to have been censured for coming up with tactics for fighting other space marines but barely does so. Instead he’s the reader’s eyes with which to watch the amazingness of his Primarch as a warrior… …who is ok.

How many beings could measure favourably against him? Honestly? All seventeen of his brothers? Not all seventeen. Nothing like all seventeen. Four or five at best. At best.

…And I mean “ok” in that Guilliman the most developed character overall, with plenty of explanations about his perceived role… …but the emotional setpieces written for him are not memorable (even if one is on the cover). His confrontation with Lorgar is longer than the precursor The First Heretic, but far weaker. Abnett deliberately puts a gap between them – there’s some good reasons for that in terms of how Lorgar has changed, but the cost is that we watch two people trying to chat over a bad phone line. As for Guilliman’s triumphant re-entry into the narrative by way of battling without a helmet in space… …cool for sure, but there’s plenty of cool primarch fighting scenes, with this being midrange.

Unsatisfying

Abnett’s well known crutch is to have a critical moment right at the end of a book, with a sudden resolution close to the last page. I don’t have an issue whether Abnett properly moved the pieces in place for that resolution because (a) he did and (b) if the actual climax is done well, I don’t mind too much, notwithstanding my complaint in The Outcast Dead. It is just that it’s not quite long enough…

…the Betrayal at Calth is a major plot point in the Horus Heresy – the Word Bearers scoring a decisive victory over the Ultramarines. But, as Know No Fear is at pains to point out, the Word Bearers didn’t finish the job. The brief epilogue on the Word Bearer’s homeworld of Colchis is a nice coda to that point. I personally (and this is more preference than criticism) would have liked to seen a stronger response, a more expanded “counterattack”.

It’s a weak complaint, and more applies to Abnett generally where he, uh, finishes a little too quickly. In its defence, perhaps it is important that Know No Fear is generally a depressing story, in service to the wider Horus Heresy - we need our villains to be truly a threat.

Calth is dead. The XIII is crippled and finished. His ritual is complete, and it is entirely successful.

Five Stars

Five Stars.

[Milo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original Post: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/02/...


The Horus Heresy is one of my favourite novel series, and bar a couple of exceptions (Descent of Angels, Fallen Angels and Battle for the Abyss), I’ve enjoyed every single novel that the series had to offer me, from Horus Rising, the fantastic series opener, to Deliverance Lost, Gav Thorpe’s first entry of this mighty series, and the latest novel that is available in the series (in stores) to date. Know No Fear is the next novel on the market, released in stores, in March. However, for some reason, you can currently buy not only the eBook version, but also the paperback copy, and the much more expensive MP3 download of the novel.

Any long-term fan of Warhammer 40,000 lore will know about the Battle of Calth, the clash between Ultramarines and Word Bearers, and indeed – it has been one of the highly anticipated battles in the entire Horus Heresy, which also plays host to such incredible scenes as the Burning of Prospero, the Dropsite Massacre of Isstvan V, and the yet-to-come Siege of Terra. Well, as the sub-title explains, this novel is all about the Battle of Calth. Nothing else. So, you can expect Know No Fear to be a bolter-porn novel, right from the outset. Normally, I’m often on the fence about whether a bolter-porn novel will be any good or not before diving into it, however, with Know No Fear, there are a few notable reasons why I had extremely high anticipations of this novel. First of all, the obvious reason – is that it’s a Horus Heresy novel, and you’ve just read why I like them so much. Of course, any Horus Heresy novel that arrives at my door will get read sooner or later. Second of all, it’s Dan Abnett, who is my favourite Black Library author, and I’ve enjoyed every single novel by him so far that I’ve read.

And, I’m quite glad to say, that Abnett not only met my expectations, but exceeded them. In fact, he exceeded them so much, that I’m going to go ahead and say it – Know No Fear might just be the best Horus Heresy novel yet. It was that awesome. I couldn’t put it down, and I spent most of the night reading it despite the fact that I knew I had to get up at 6:45am in the morning. I polished off the book in a couple of sittings, and as far as I’m concerned, the novel only had one flaw in it, and one that I find to be common about most bolter-porn novels that I’ve read.

The characters. In previous Horus Heresy novels (well, most of them) the characters have been pretty well developed and likeable. Heck, even Horus Lupercal, the arch-traitor (albeit before he turned renegade) was made likeable – something that I didn’t think would happen in a Warhammer 40k book. Ever. The Horus Heresy also gave us some fantastic characters such as Gavriel Loken, Saul Tarvitz, Nathaniel Garro, Argel Tal, but there was none in Know No Fear, no character that boasted depth, and no characterization. In fact, there’s only one character in the whole book who stood out from the others, and for me – that’s the censured sergeant Aeonid Thiel.

However, this didn’t really faze me as much as it probably should have, mainly because the action in this novel is possibly some of the most well-written of the Horus Heresy so far. The pacing is truly page-turning, and the battle-scenes are equally enthralling, as we watch loyalist and traitor alike to battle for Calth, in what, for Horus Heresy fans – will be a novel not to be missed.

Yes, even the most anti-Ultramarines Horus Heresy fan will enjoy this novel. Still have doubts? Go out and read it, and enjoy it.

Sure, the dramatis personae may be perhaps one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in the Horus Heresy so far. The action told across these pages will satisfy anyone who didn’t like Prospero Burns, Abnett’s last Horus Heresy novel, and there is no overuse of flashbacks or the phrase “Wet-leopard growl” to slow down the fast-paced action that you will find in Know No Fear.

There are even several enjoyable cameos that a Horus Heresy fan will be delighted to find in this book, a nod to Garro: Oath of Moment by James Swallow, as well as a nod to the first novel, Horus Rising, by the same author. Even Captain Ventanus, the 4th Company Captain that first appeared in Rules of Engagement by Graham McNeill, appears in Know No Fear. And, to top it all off – there’s even a reference to Jason and the Argonauts.

Verdict: 5/5

[Michael Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 19th book in Horus Heresy series, and I think it's the best so far. That's not really surprising to me, it's written by Dan Abnett, and I find him to be one of the best writers that the Black Library has.
Know No Fear deals with the Battle of Calth, the epic battle between the XIII and XVII legions. The Ultramarines and the Word Bearers respectively. From the word go, this book is non stop, fast paced action. This is a huge, epic battle between two legions, and the book definitely expresses that. There is fighting on the ground, fighting on ships, space combat, and surrounding it all is the grievous betrayal by the Word Bearers. It begins with their sneak attack, and it so brutal, so overwhelming that it's almost impossible to see how the Ultramarines could survive, let alone retaliate. It's a roller coaster, and it's fantastic.
Dan Abnett does a wonderful job communicating his story. He is constantly shifting scenes. There is so much going on concurrently that you're never in the same place for more than a couple of pages. It does a lot to help show the huge scale of the conflict. There is also an abundance of characters, over 75 just from checking the dramatis personae at the beginning of the book. He uses them all, and he uses them well. By the end of the book you've come to know these characters very well indeed. A great read.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the relative disappointment that was Gav Thorpe's Deliverance Lost, the previous Horus Heresy book I read, I knew I could trust Abnett to bring the series back up to form. Know No Fear is simply stunning - intelligent, visceral and immensely compelling.

The depiction of the destruction unleashed by the treacherous Word Bearers on the Ultramarines is by turns jaw dropping and gut wrenching. Following the catastrophe through betrayals, massacres and atrocities is as heart rending as world shattering events, like this should be, (even fantastical fictional ones). The description at one point of a colossal dead starship dropping through the atmosphere to impact upon an inhabited cityscape was especially evocative.

The sneak attack on the heroic Ultramarines is so complete and effective that it was hard to see how they would prevail or even if they would prevail. As any 40k nut like me knows the basics of the outcome already, (as it is enshrined in the background of the 40k universe), it is a brilliant achievement to instill such uncertainty into the reader.

Magnificent - and left me thirsting for more.

[Edoardo Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

There really is no one better at writing military science fiction than Dan Abnett, and there is something about the grim future of the Warhammer 40k universe that brings out the best in him as a writer. I've been trying to analyse what he brings to the genre, and, apart from a gift for storylines and tight dialogue and writing, I think he has a genius for conveying place, information and strangeness in a single, carefully chosen word. 'Scrapcode' is a good example. The computer chatter of the forces of Chaos, the word beautifully sums up its function and madness in two syllables.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t expecting a story about the Ultramarines to be interesting. Well played, Games Workshop, well played. Now I want to read about the Underworld War!

[Arnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nezinot par plašāka mēroga Horusa plānotu sacelšanos pret cilvēces Imperatoru, Ultramarines (UM) leģions pulcē vienkopus sen neredzētu spēku, 20 no 25 Nodaļām (katrā no tām pa 10 kompānijām un katrā kompānijā pa tūkstotim astartes). Turklāt vēl kampaņā pret orku draudu, kas varbūt pat vien topošā ienaidnieka izdomāts, jo Know No Fear ietvaros tiem neparādās pat uz fragmentu, UltraKājniekiem norīkoti palīdzēt WordBearers(WB) leģions ar pašu primarku Lorgaru un tā tuvākajiem palīgiem Erebusu un Kor Phareon.

https://poseidons99.com/2025/01/18/da...

[Cameron Maxworthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes the best way to switch off is to listen to stories about armies of transhuman super soldiers beating each other up.

[Dylan Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh man, Know No Fear. A truly amazing book. I think it is probably my favourite of any Abnett has written. Better than Legion(Which I LOVED) better than the Ravenor series(Which I loved even more than Legion). The pacing of the novel was superb, and the whole "mark" thing really made each and every scene so intense and heavy. Amazing work.
Also getting to see the Word Bearers from the perspective of the loyalists was awesome. The betrayal was perfect, the way they carried out the attack was jaw-dropping-ly amazing. I mean, I love the Word Bearers, but I never thought they could orchistrate something on THIS large a scale. It was perfect. The novel, quite literally, could not have been better. We get to see the Word Bearers in all their glory, doing their thing. The army regiments on both sides doing theirs*. The Ultramarines being absolutely MURDERED, which is always a plus.
And the stars of the novel, Lorgar and Girlyman were extremely well done. Drawing on The First Heretic, it was awesome to see Girlyman's side of the feud.
Great novel, and I cannot wait for the stuff that follows it! Like the Unremembered Empire, Maccragge's Honour, etc.

* I love that Abnett makes the human characters actually human. The server being in love with her boss was awesome, though that was probably just the romance lover in me lol

[Wouter Dhondt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Theoretical: Ultramarines getting the bitch slap they deserve.

Practical: The Ultramarines are still boring goody two shoes. "Oh no, how could they ever betray us. Surely they don’t hold a grudge after we killed one of their planets and humiliated their primarch.". Lots of reviewers say this book made them finally like the Ultramarines. It made me hate them even more.

Too many characters to my liking, and too much bolter-porn (especially in the latter part of the book). Sometimes fun due to the horrific nature of combat, but most of the time I fell asleep each time combat happened. Somewhere between two and three stars for me. Making it two due to the ridiculous plot armor of the Ultramarines and several deus ex machina saves. And Abnett needs to stop his "wet leopard growl" shtick, reading "theoretical", "practical" or "know no fear" every 5 pages gets old after 50 pages, let alone 400+ pages.

[Lexicanum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite nice read. Bit pissed off how "quick" the Ultramarines' counterstrike was wrapped up in the end. I mean come on, 90% of the book Dan does his best to make you hate the Word Bearers with all your heart and then we get so little "revenge"? :(

[chilledgricken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Abnett continues to be the goat

i was so wary when i first started this book. present tense is typically something that i don't enjoy, but i love the structure here. getting the "battle report" rundown of Catlh is such a cool way to frame this story, such an interesting way to have you jump from perspective to perspective

and man, there are many perspectives, as you would hope for from a story like this. i love how this book captures the micro and macro scale of a battle this large and ruthless. you get the POVs of the big important space marines around Guilliman and the small scared group of civillians (mostly) trying to just survive an apocalypse.

the way that scenes of utter carnage were captured in this book was so good. Dan (i'm calling him Dan) has a way of really hammering home the impact of these battles. it's not chaos and destruction in all the grand terms, you see the little moments and small details of something like a massive space ship crashing into a planet. stuff you wouldn't really think of but that makes you go "oh, yeah i guess that would happen, whoah"

this book is a downward spiral in the way that warhammer books should be. there are no happy endings in warhammer and god damn if this book doesn't stick to that

[Barrison Boyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, many thanks to Harry for this lovely (if violent) gift.

This book was bangin full of betrayal, combat and tension. Been wanting to read this one for a long time as an Ultramarines fan and it did not disappoint. It was interesting to see the ‘Theoretical, Practical’ mindset of the ultramarines which is not seen as much in 40K books which I’ve read.

Great to see the Word Bearers get some love outside of Erebus’s shenanigans and they come across a vile and barbaric villains. Also love to see Bobby G having a punch up while floating in space.

Only real gripe with this book is the dating system which is a problem I have with Warhammer 40K as a whole. Need to read First Heretic and Betrayer as well to get the whole picture of this ‘unofficial’ trilogy within the greater Hours Heresy, as well as the follow up Mark of Calth.

Good read for Ultramarine and Word Bearers fans alike as well as those who want to see the working of Mechanicum Magi.

[RatGrrrl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this as part of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project reading guide Omnibussies: The Shadow Crusade I: Only the Faithful (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) and Shadow Crusade: II The Underworld War
(https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the series.

Too much time is passing for me to really give this the detail I wanted, but I have felt the hand of the ship, Warsingers, and Butcher's Nails all signing and willing me to consume the Horus Heresy series voraciously. At one point I was just going to do the opening quadrilogy and then start alternating with other stuff, but the only other things I've found myself reading are Warhammer comics and background books... I also cover most of what I wanted to say in my initial re-read reaction below and my excitement at plunging headlong on and being inspired to write the parody of the Rancid song, The Ballad of Jimmy and Johnny about Tchure and Luciel from this book all speak to my positive feelings about this book an series as a whole.

There are a few points I wanted to mention:

Abnett truly does an astounding job is conducting events on such a titanic scale. I can barely wrap my head around the amount of perspectives and moving parts there are, all brought into continuity through the Mark, that create such an phenomenal three-dimensional view of the cataclysmic events without the narrative of characterisations becoming too diffuse or unwieldy. The mental logistics involved are beyond my comprehension, but he makes it looks easy. That's astounding.

In doing the above he still imbues minor characters and their scenes with depth and emotional weight. The Ballad of Tchure and Luciel is a single scene split into tow parts and is incredibly powerful. Telemachrus as an unlikely hero and the devastating insights into the life of a Dreadnought, which he goes on to expand in Prospero Burns, are unreal. Oll and the Sliders gang are great. Thiel and naughty bunch. It's seriously impressive.

I had such a different emotional investment in previous reads with coming from absolutely housing all the Word Bearers stuff leading up to this right before, which gave me much less sympathy for Guilliman and the Ultramarines as a whole, while Abnett did make me care about the individuals and the situations going on. I don't remember what I felt when I first read this, but I am sure that the epilogue didn't absolutely destroy me with its perfect nihilistic, grimdarkness. But, yeah, there is an end to this book that can be read as ooh-ra!, but was powerfully upsetting and depressing with the implications (complimentary).

While I am finding myself falling more deeply in love with more of the intimate and more personally tragic characters and stories that has pushed this out of my absolute favourites in the series, it remains a firm favourite and one of the best examples of dealing with such cyclopean events in a way that makes them feel appropriately titanic, while also being accessible and entertaining as a narrative.

It's a phenomenal books and Graham McNeill's Calth That Was novella in the Mark of Calth anthology is a wonderful continuation of the story, as well as being great for him to get involved with he Battle of Calth, being Mr Ultramarines as he is, and unable to write the main BoC book because of scheduling.

***

The Ballad of Tchure and Luciel

(The Ballad of Jimmy and Johnny by Rancid [http://tinyurl.com/mwcxz7bm] Know No Fear Parody)

Tchure and Luciel, two friends of mine
Astartes what they claim
Outside similarities, but Lorgar don't feel the same
See, Tchure thought the Emperor was god
And Luciel razed Monarchia to dust
Luciel's heart is Ultramar
And Tchure's is pledged to the Warp
Tchure and Luciel on Samothrace
Blood sacrifice
Dining allies ahead of the fight
Gotta prove commitment to feel alright
Eightfold tats, Ultra legionary
Company hall became a cemetery
Sacrificial rite, sealed in blood
‘I really wish you understood’

Tchure and Luciel tell me you're not knowing
Fear fear fear fear

***

Intitial Re-read Reaction:

It's been such a different experience revisiting this book!

The audiobook is perfect for a repeat reading and my now unmasked ADHD. I am normally a Bearer of the Word of Toby Longworth, but listening to more audiobooks and audio dramas has made me appreciate different performers for different stories and characters, and Gareth Armstrong is perfect for this novel.

I am feeling unbelievably drained and so much more emotional and down than I remember feeling. That epilogue really hit different this time. It's so spartan and bleak, perfectly Ultramarines and the Mark of Calth. The never ending tumbling tower of hatred and violence repeating in eternal cycles of viciousness that cause pain and suffering for so many not even aware or participating in the perfidious fratricide until the final eight times eight times eight times thirteenth piece is played, bringing the tower and all life in the galaxy down into the abyss.

The Word Bearers and Ultramarines are the perfect tragedy of jealousy, shame, resentment, and grief--yes--but so much more those negative emotions, naive loyalty, and insidious manipulation from one brother damned by 'just following orders' and the other tainted by a life of abuse, being forced to be the weapon he wasn't in his heart, and simply wanting answers to life's great mysteries.

Seriously feeling so choked up and bummed out right now in that gloriously bittersweet way art can illicit.

Will share more of a review of the whole book later and decide whether I can face listening to Honour to the Dead for, hopefully, the last time.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great HH read from Abnett as always, showing the scale of 40k in the planet-wode devastation of Calth. I rated this 4 stars instead of 5 because, as good as it is, it is quite bleak. Our heroes the ultramarines spend around 80% of the book being pummeled and killed, the whole book is an exercise in extracting anything of value from an impossible situation. I understand this as being emblematic of the ultramarines, as well as the fact that this work is merely part of a much larger body of work, AND 40k is unendingly grimdark, the HH even more so, but even so, i felt the balance of this work was slightly out of kilter. All that said, still a great piece of action sci fi, and definitely one of the HH books people should read, both for canon and for enjoyment.

[Frank Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

In general, I'm disinclined to enjoy going backwards, even when another perspective may be of value. This here, though, was definitely a worthwhile look back at what actually went down on Calth. And Abnett's characters are truly alive, well, until he kills them and breaks your fugging heart right on the page in front of you.

This one expanded the lore quite a bit with some stuff about Perpetuals that I believe hadn't come up in the series so far.

I found myself able to picture some of the battles being played out on a tabletop with dice and rulers which I thought was neat.

[Stef Hagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devastating; a single battle (mind you, that is a full-scale planetary war in the madness that is 40k), told from various perspectives as it unfolds and goes by so very quickly.

Honestly, a bit overrated - the community praise for this book was immense, but I have enjoyed others more. Nonetheless, we march for Macragge.

[Alasdair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang every time Guilliman is in a book he gets better and more human and a good boy. Along with a stand bearer good boy. Abnett covers the story of the betrayal at Calth in a way that really humanizes the Ultramarines and their primarch in a good way. A solid addition to the HH lineup.

[Jozua · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just had to start this after the First Heretic, continuing the retribution of the Word Bearers...this time against the Ultramarines and Roboute Guilliman.
World/star destroying space and ground battles + an insane death toll.
This is Warhammer 40k at its best.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH HELL YEAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

`what I wouldn't give to be an ultramarine

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

dude this book is SO good

[Efraim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars in the context of Warhammer books. Interesting to read about major plot events in the Horus Heresy

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic read. Definitely in my Top 5 for the Horus Heresy and across all of Black Library. Ultramarines. Everyone loves to hate them. The "golden boys" of Games Workshop. Template for all Codex Chapters. Ultra-smurfs. Vanilla marines. Dan Abnett puts that to the test and knocks it out of the park.

Roboute Guilliman and his Ultramarines are the very model of efficiency. They think in terms of practical experience and theoretical knowledge, balance the two then act. They also have a big blindside. The are true believers in the Emperor, the crusade and their brother legions. They drank the kool-aid and never even consider the possibility of deception and betrayal. They pay for this. Bigtime.

The Word Bearers Legion sets up an elaborate trap and the Ultramarines take the bait. Hook, line and sinker. I can't express how apocalyptic the effects are without spoiling the story.

As always Dan Abnett takes a potentially bland subject and characters that are quite literally two-dimensional and breaks them down. He hurts them. He pushes them till they make mistakes. The Golden Boys show actual flaws, make bad decisions, and show their weaknesses in ways the reader doesn't expect and it really makes you have an appreciation for the protagonist and associates in a way never done before. The author made the perfect supermen seem...real. You need to read it to see what I mean. It's really amazing.

The antagonists as well really shine. BIG names. There are some fantastic reveals in this one.

There are tertiary characters that are also revealed to be core to the heresy itself and how it plays out. No more on this lest I spoil it. It's HUGE.

Overall, I loved this book. Blew my socks off. Perfect? No. I got lost in some of the carnage, but really, it's pretty damn close to perfect for the subject matter. This is a MUST READ.

Artwork by Neil Robertson is of course stellar.

[Emil Söderman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fairly simple, yet entertaining book: Basically one huge set-piece battle as the Word Bearers tries to get revenge for the stuff at the beginning of The First Heretic, and thus attacks the Ultramarines.

It's basically balls-to-the-wall action, with everything a good 40K arsenal has: Giant robots, spaceships, computer hacking, daemon summoning... The works. It features incredibly improbably stunts (ROBOUTE GUILLIMAN CAN BREATHE IN SPACE!) and simply unequalled amounts of sheer testosterone in that particular way that only 40K can do. It's basically superhumans having a big punch-up. If that's your thing you'll like this, if you expect y'know... Character development, or characters who aren't eleven-foot tall power-armored psychopaths wielding fully-automatic rocket launchers and swords made out of chainsaws, this isn't your thing, there's other stuff that is, even 40K stuff that is. (different from this I mean, not neccessarily your thing, because 40K is an acquired taste)

The battle opens with Betrayal, and there's some genuinely good scenes of shock and confusion, as people who you never thought would betray you (despite you having publicly humiliated them earlier, yeah, no one said Space Marines were bright) do. And then compound the betrayal by kicking every puppy they can see as hard as they can, while crossing every moral line faster than... Something very fast.

It's good (well, this is 40K, so relatively speaking, they're still space commie-nazi-feudal knights) against evil (and note that despite the earlier description of the Ultramarines, there's no moral ambiguity whatsoever, yeah, the Word Bearers are just that horrible people :p)