What do you think?
Rate this book
Black Library Advent Calendar 2018 #24
A Rose Watered with Blood
Advent Calendar 2018: Day Twenty-Four
On board the Conqueror, once-proud flagship of the World Eaters, strange events abound. The ship is changing – and shipmaster Lotara Sarrin fears what that means for her and her crew…
READ IT BECAUSE
It's an exploration of how the corruptions of Chaos affect everything they touch – and a look at how the warped nature of the Conqueror affects its crew.
THE STORY
The Conquerer, flagship of the World Eaters Space Marine Legion, has changed. As it makes the long journey to Terra, the vagaries of the warp – and the infernal nature of the beast chained in the bowels of the warship – are altering the very fabric of the vessel. For Lotara Sarrin, long-serving shipmaster of the once-proud craft, and her human crew, the ship has become dangerous. Some think it's trying to kill them. Sarrin has another theory… and it's one she likes even less.
On board the Conqueror, once-proud flagship of the World Eaters, strange events abound. The ship is changing – and shipmaster Lotara Sarrin fears what that means for her and her crew…
READ IT BECAUSE
It's an exploration of how the corruptions of Chaos affect everything they touch – and a look at how the warped nature of the Conqueror affects its crew.
THE STORY
The Conquerer, flagship of the World Eaters Space Marine Legion, has changed. As it makes the long journey to Terra, the vagaries of the warp – and the infernal nature of the beast chained in the bowels of the warship – are altering the very fabric of the vessel. For Lotara Sarrin, long-serving shipmaster of the once-proud craft, and her human crew, the ship has become dangerous. Some think it's trying to kill them. Sarrin has another theory… and it's one she likes even less.
24 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 24, 2018
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 27, 2018
I was expecting a little addition to the lore of some of my most beloved characters. I was not expecting a fully realized tale in less than 20 pages that will work without context around it. I truly think it works. It is a story of despair and perverted loyalty, framed with parts of a poem, beautiful on it's own. Lotara, exceptionally powerful human that arguably survived beyond her time due to Kharn's personal protection and her high status within the Wolrd Eaters legion, finds herself trapped inside a transforming ship that carries a creature of nightmares inside it's belly, a creatures that once was Angron. A ship that tries to please the Queen in questionable ways. It's like a cat that brings a dead mouse onto it's owner's dinner table as a special gift... escalated times million. The ending was expected to a point, but this did not take away from it in a slightest. Sometimes I think, do I praise Aaron's work way too often, am I completely biased at this point? Oh no. It's just that good. I realize it each time he writes something as powerful as this.
…and worshipful foes
Awarded medals carved upon flesh
In scars of shrapnel
And sourceless fire.
This flock
Her flock
Unburied
Within great drifting tombs
Of silent enemy iron.
…and worshipful foes
Awarded medals carved upon flesh
In scars of shrapnel
And sourceless fire.
This flock
Her flock
Unburied
Within great drifting tombs
Of silent enemy iron.
December 28, 2018
On his path to Terra, crew of the Conqueror, XII Legion's flagship, is dying because of the World Eaters' bloodthirst and because of their Primarch now turned into something else and making the same to his surroundings...
Captain Lotara Sarrin had not much screen time, but she quickly became one of most fan favourite characters in the Horus Heresy saga, giving birth to the hilarious "Fire the Ursus Claws!" meme and countless awesome fan arts.
At last the XII Legion Bloody Watered Rose has her moment of glory with a great, tragic and disturbing ,short tale of desperation, twisted loyalties, violence and space horror with a strong Event Horizon (1997) vibe.
A must read for all fans of Lotara, Khârn, Angron and the crazy bloodthirsty butcherers of the World Eaters XII Legion.
March 24, 2024
Big CW for Bugs, Lice, and Egg-laying, as well as Gory Injury Detail
March 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order - Omnibus X Shadow Crusade III Chosen of Chaos (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy saga and extras.
What a perfect end to an exalted omnibus!
The Conquerer is hurtling towards Terra in a murderous charge thar no-one would dare suggest is also a running retreat from the Ultramar Segmentum. In the bowls of the ship a monstrous, warped creature, once the brutal Primarch, Angron of the World Eaters, lays chained and bathed in blood, corrupting the very essence and structure of the ship and the souls on board through his Daemonic ascension. Blood-crazed Astartes periodically reave the serf decks leaving gore-choked charnel pits in their wake and the dank corridors lit only by hazard sirens and reflections on puddles of vitae are all the more perilous...
Within these nightmare conditions, flying through the unreality of warp space, human crew still have to do their best to survive and do their duties to see the ship retains a skerrit of cohesion and a chance of reaching its destination. This story explores what life is like aboard this vile vessel of unfettered fury and apoplectic corruption through the eyes of the woman at its head, Captain Lotara Sarrin, as she faces the unthinkable horror her ship has become and the terrifying, uncontrollable murderers her Legion has become.
One of ADB's strengths on display here and in the Night Lords trilogy is his ability to explore and expose what life would be like for the mortals aboard the chaotic and and Chaotic vessels they serve and/ or slave upon. This is something that works so well in this story as so often events are seen through the already heightened or more resilient eyes of transhumans, who have some capacity to cope with the nightmarish goings on. But when you're a steersperson on a ship whose drinkable water has turned to blood and atmosphere has become swelteringly hot, while you have to do your best to divest yourself of the lice filling your orifices and the killing machines all around you that could turn on you at any moment, that's truly horrifying.
Speaking of horrifying, this is one or the rare treat stories from the Horus Heresy that is actually horror, and one that is wonderfully effective and disturbing. In many ways it's a twist on the classic haunted house, with the corruption of the ship through the warping and possible possession of its machine spirit and physical material. I really don't want to spoil anything so I will remain vague, but sometimes the horror being benevolent can be more horrific than simple malevolence.
I could go on and on because I love this story and how well it all ties together from the flowery title and poetry that opens each chapter with some it the final lines to the poetry of a certain saying and the events that play out. I haven't even mentioned just how grotesque and obscenely beautiful in their awfulness the details and descriptions are!
I truly can't get over how great the whole Shadow Crusade III Chosen of Chaos omnibus has been! Opening with Matthew Farrer's After Desh'ea, my all time favourite short story and the only one to make me cry more than the first time I read The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu with James Swallow's Fear to Tread and Aaron Dembski-Bowden's Betrayer as the bloody filling and the utter perfection of Chris Wraight's Sanguinius: The Great Angel and Ian St. Martin's phenomenal Angron: Slave of Nuceria and Ghost of Nuceria prequel dovetailing exquisitely in After Desh'ea as superlative sanguine side dishes. A Rose Watered with Blood is ADB's victory lap and a decadent dessert of deserters, a murderess mousse if you will allow me to continue to abuse this metaphor.
Captain Lotara Sarrin is one of my favourite characters in all of Warhammer. She is the apotheosis of an exactingly brutal and efficient captain, with the unique strength of will required to helm the once Adamant Resolve, forever The Conquerer, one of the only humans to meet Angron's furious desires and not be consumed within their immolating heat, and the only human, possibly the only soul save for that one cleaved in twain with a Daemon residing within, Argal Tal, to actually be able to name Khârn a friend. My love for her, her ship, her Legion, her close allies, and master know no bounds, so I was ecstatic to see her take centre stage in this story.
This story actually inspired me to dust off my Sarrin deck in Horus Heresy: Legions for the first time since she was nerfed and I'm having a lot of fun with the wild aggro.
Great story is great and exaltant omnibus is exaltant.
Also, the person behind the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project saw one of my reviews, which is awesome, and this is a good opportunity to say just how thankful I am for all their work and that I cannot recommend the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project (www.heresyomnibus.com) more strongly for the best possible experience reading the Horus Heresy!
Through using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project (www.heresyomnibus.com) and my own choices, I have currently read 19.41 Horus Heresy novels, 11 novellas, 54 short stories/ audio dramas, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, 10 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels...this run. I can't say enough good about the way the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project suggestions. I'm loving it! Especially after originally reading to the releases and being so frustrated at having to wait so long for a narrative to continue.
March 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order - Omnibus X Shadow Crusade III Chosen of Chaos (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy saga and extras.
What a perfect end to an exalted omnibus!
The Conquerer is hurtling towards Terra in a murderous charge thar no-one would dare suggest is also a running retreat from the Ultramar Segmentum. In the bowls of the ship a monstrous, warped creature, once the brutal Primarch, Angron of the World Eaters, lays chained and bathed in blood, corrupting the very essence and structure of the ship and the souls on board through his Daemonic ascension. Blood-crazed Astartes periodically reave the serf decks leaving gore-choked charnel pits in their wake and the dank corridors lit only by hazard sirens and reflections on puddles of vitae are all the more perilous...
Within these nightmare conditions, flying through the unreality of warp space, human crew still have to do their best to survive and do their duties to see the ship retains a skerrit of cohesion and a chance of reaching its destination. This story explores what life is like aboard this vile vessel of unfettered fury and apoplectic corruption through the eyes of the woman at its head, Captain Lotara Sarrin, as she faces the unthinkable horror her ship has become and the terrifying, uncontrollable murderers her Legion has become.
One of ADB's strengths on display here and in the Night Lords trilogy is his ability to explore and expose what life would be like for the mortals aboard the chaotic and and Chaotic vessels they serve and/ or slave upon. This is something that works so well in this story as so often events are seen through the already heightened or more resilient eyes of transhumans, who have some capacity to cope with the nightmarish goings on. But when you're a steersperson on a ship whose drinkable water has turned to blood and atmosphere has become swelteringly hot, while you have to do your best to divest yourself of the lice filling your orifices and the killing machines all around you that could turn on you at any moment, that's truly horrifying.
Speaking of horrifying, this is one or the rare treat stories from the Horus Heresy that is actually horror, and one that is wonderfully effective and disturbing. In many ways it's a twist on the classic haunted house, with the corruption of the ship through the warping and possible possession of its machine spirit and physical material. I really don't want to spoil anything so I will remain vague, but sometimes the horror being benevolent can be more horrific than simple malevolence.
I could go on and on because I love this story and how well it all ties together from the flowery title and poetry that opens each chapter with some it the final lines to the poetry of a certain saying and the events that play out. I haven't even mentioned just how grotesque and obscenely beautiful in their awfulness the details and descriptions are!
I truly can't get over how great the whole Shadow Crusade III Chosen of Chaos omnibus has been! Opening with Matthew Farrer's After Desh'ea, my all time favourite short story and the only one to make me cry more than the first time I read The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu with James Swallow's Fear to Tread and Aaron Dembski-Bowden's Betrayer as the bloody filling and the utter perfection of Chris Wraight's Sanguinius: The Great Angel and Ian St. Martin's phenomenal Angron: Slave of Nuceria and Ghost of Nuceria prequel dovetailing exquisitely in After Desh'ea as superlative sanguine side dishes. A Rose Watered with Blood is ADB's victory lap and a decadent dessert of deserters, a murderess mousse if you will allow me to continue to abuse this metaphor.
Captain Lotara Sarrin is one of my favourite characters in all of Warhammer. She is the apotheosis of an exactingly brutal and efficient captain, with the unique strength of will required to helm the once Adamant Resolve, forever The Conquerer, one of the only humans to meet Angron's furious desires and not be consumed within their immolating heat, and the only human, possibly the only soul save for that one cleaved in twain with a Daemon residing within, Argal Tal, to actually be able to name Khârn a friend. My love for her, her ship, her Legion, her close allies, and master know no bounds, so I was ecstatic to see her take centre stage in this story.
This story actually inspired me to dust off my Sarrin deck in Horus Heresy: Legions for the first time since she was nerfed and I'm having a lot of fun with the wild aggro.
Great story is great and exaltant omnibus is exaltant.
Also, the person behind the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project saw one of my reviews, which is awesome, and this is a good opportunity to say just how thankful I am for all their work and that I cannot recommend the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project (www.heresyomnibus.com) more strongly for the best possible experience reading the Horus Heresy!
Through using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project (www.heresyomnibus.com) and my own choices, I have currently read 19.41 Horus Heresy novels, 11 novellas, 54 short stories/ audio dramas, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, 10 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels...this run. I can't say enough good about the way the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project suggestions. I'm loving it! Especially after originally reading to the releases and being so frustrated at having to wait so long for a narrative to continue.
April 24, 2025
i love the captain!
December 17, 2025
ADB is truly the GOAT. He really brings the horror of the Conqueror to life in this one
December 27, 2018
I've actually never read anything with Lotara Sarrin before and know her only from discussions on the 40klore subreddit and ADB's social media. The idea of an ordinary human successfully standing up to one of the most brutal and savage Space Marine legions and earning Angron's admiration initially seemed rather Mary Sueish but ADB actually makes it work. I also enjoyed the poetry excerpts and the touches of the same dark humor found in the Night Lords trilogy.
March 16, 2020
I love anthologies in all genres, but it's rare that I find one without even one story that I dislike. This, pleasantly, has been one of those anthologies. Each of the six stories was well-crafted and engaging, with interesting characters and a variety of fascinating settings. My thoughts on each story :
A Rose Watered With Blood - this was a very suspenseful double-agent kind of tale, ruthless but clever.
Man of Iron - fascinating intelligent robot that has acquired sentience but has to hide it for self-protection - short, but intriguing.
Mercy - a good Sisters story with an ultimately sympathetic "villain."
One, Untended - my favorite story of the bunch, a Frye-master dwardin and (former?) dark elf go in search of a missing child with mixed motives - but a happy ending, woohoo!
Blood Gold - reveals the intriguing history of the fyre-slayer dwardin which I'd been wondering about since the last story!
The Marauder Lives - oof. Hard subject matter to deal with in this one, with a former dark-elf captive recovering while attempting to give vital intelligence to her inquisitor mentor, even as her fragmented mind sparks constant paranoia - but the fragmented style and unreliable - narrator-ish concept is dealt with very well.
A Rose Watered With Blood - this was a very suspenseful double-agent kind of tale, ruthless but clever.
Man of Iron - fascinating intelligent robot that has acquired sentience but has to hide it for self-protection - short, but intriguing.
Mercy - a good Sisters story with an ultimately sympathetic "villain."
One, Untended - my favorite story of the bunch, a Frye-master dwardin and (former?) dark elf go in search of a missing child with mixed motives - but a happy ending, woohoo!
Blood Gold - reveals the intriguing history of the fyre-slayer dwardin which I'd been wondering about since the last story!
The Marauder Lives - oof. Hard subject matter to deal with in this one, with a former dark-elf captive recovering while attempting to give vital intelligence to her inquisitor mentor, even as her fragmented mind sparks constant paranoia - but the fragmented style and unreliable - narrator-ish concept is dealt with very well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2024
One would think you'd actually attempt to abandon ship when all the water on board keeps turning to blood. I guess I don't have the same sense of duty that World Eater's support personnel due. I'm guessing that would mean I'm getting Ursus Clawed pretty quick.
December 25, 2018
Good short story
Title says it all. Good short story delving into the decay of everyone's bloodthirsty legion. Aaron captured the brutality and desperation of the World Eaters.
Title says it all. Good short story delving into the decay of everyone's bloodthirsty legion. Aaron captured the brutality and desperation of the World Eaters.
December 27, 2018
Utterly amazing story, great ending and simply wonderful!
June 15, 2019
Read as part of Advent Calendar 2018.
September 20, 2021
An excellent little tale that gives us a closer look at the World Eaters as they head to Terra. Lotara Sarrin is a wonderful character and any increased time we can spend with her is well worth it.
July 23, 2023
Sarrin is such a unique and yet uniquely Warhammer character and this story is the quintessence of what makes her compelling.
January 2, 2025
Lotara, my beloved. They can never make me hate you.
July 11, 2025
An excellent little horror story, like a haunted house IN SPACE!!!
You can't be scared all the time. Terror takes energy and exhaustion is inevitable. The incomprehensible becomes the mundane and that, in itself, is horror.
A grimdark delight, one of the best.
You can't be scared all the time. Terror takes energy and exhaustion is inevitable. The incomprehensible becomes the mundane and that, in itself, is horror.
A grimdark delight, one of the best.
November 11, 2025
Lotara es un personaje muy interesante, muy poético.
August 1, 2025
"All souls aboard felt the translation from the Sea of Souls back into the cold void; the ship juddered around then with a momentary flicker of switching gravities - and something in the Conqueror's guts, which had one been the Emperor's son, sent it's rage vibrating through the vessel's bones.
Set shortly after "Betrayer", the Conqueror flagship of the World Eaters is changing. It's floors are soaked with blood, the crew are haunted by ghosts, and the systems seem to have taken on something akin to life. This story is as much about the Conqueror as it is about the crew. Lotarra Sarrin, is as brutal and efficient a captain as can be found, but even she cannot take it much longer, and so a mutiny is planned.
ADB writes such compelling character, it's hard not to care deeply about them, whether it's Argel Tal of the Word Bearers or Lotarra Sarrin.
Set shortly after "Betrayer", the Conqueror flagship of the World Eaters is changing. It's floors are soaked with blood, the crew are haunted by ghosts, and the systems seem to have taken on something akin to life. This story is as much about the Conqueror as it is about the crew. Lotarra Sarrin, is as brutal and efficient a captain as can be found, but even she cannot take it much longer, and so a mutiny is planned.
ADB writes such compelling character, it's hard not to care deeply about them, whether it's Argel Tal of the Word Bearers or Lotarra Sarrin.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews