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The Horus Heresy: Primarchs #Short Story
The Abyssal Edge
A Horus Heresy story
An accidental discovery puts an archivist in danger when he finds evidence of a time that the the Night Lords and Thousand Sons almost went to war against one another…
READ IT BECAUSE
Aaron Dembski-Bowden crafts a tale that looks at a pair of primarchs through new eyes, revealing them in all their majesty, glory… and terror.
THE STORY
When an archivist uncovers an unthinkable truth, he comes to the attention of the First Captain of the Night Lords, the dreaded ""Prince of Crows"" himself. Terrified yet enrapt, Ulatal listens as Sevatar tells him a tale that cannot exist in any Imperial archive. It is a tale from the world of Zoah, of the moment when Konrad Curze and Magnus the Red almost went to war...
This story is also available in the Sons of the Emperor anthology.
29 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 5, 2025
The Abyssal Edge is a short story that somehow packs high tension, excellent humour, and a likeable Night Lord with a neat bow wrapping it all together.
May 24, 2024
May 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order (https://www.heresyomnibus.com) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras - Now in Immaterium of everything outside the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project working on the Primarchs and other stories, before the Siege of Terra.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and it shows just how much more rewarding a plot can be within an interesting framing story.
A fighter pilot who suffered a horrific crash and somehow survived injuries that should have seen him dead refuses to covalesce, despite his abused and barely held together body and skull, takes on a bit of light Joint Expeditiary Armada interpersonal conflict resolution...between the Thousand Sons and Night Lords...
It's been a while since I read some ADB and this is a wonderful showcase of the way he blends the grounded, intimate, and human of characters, whether they are base human or other, with the heightened, ridiculous nightmare of the Imperium and the Dark Millennia, all with his trademark acerbic wit.
The character and relationship of the former pilot, Ulatal, and his former wingmate, Perdita, is wonderfully observed and written, and contrasts beautifully with the interaction he has with the Night Lords First Captain, Sevatar, as well as his nauseating shuttle to the Nightfall. Everything is so rich, immediate, personal, and visceral, from the strained and genuine camaraderie of former wingmates discussing a report, while variously avoiding and addressing just how debilitating Ulatal's injuries are and Perdita's promotion and effective replacement of him, the strangely familiar awkward public transport interaction and embarrassment, to the truly disarming and unsettling frankness, and surreal normality and true otherness of Sevatar.
The conflict between Magnus and Curze is also great with the fundamental nature of their beings, quite literally how they were designed to be by the Emperor when he made them, being in opposition. This also shows the constant cognitive dissonance and lies of the Emperor, the Imperial Truth, and the Emperor's personal machinations and desires. The unstoppable force of Magnus' (and by extention the Emperor's) thirst for knowledge and acquisition of the esoteric meets the immovable object of Curze's embodiment of the Emperor's decree that everything thr does not conform to the Imperial Truth must be eradicated with extreme prejudice.
The only way any authoritarian system works is through varying applications of cognitive dissonance, which makes for fascinating tension and conflict in media...and the real world a total nightmare.
I think the thing I appreciate most about a story like this is that not only does it have its cental concept, the conflict between the legions, but there is so much thought, care and detail around that concept, but even more around the way that concept is portrayed and told. There's genuinely interest, engagement, care, and talent being displayed by the author, creating a much deeper and more interesting, engaging, and rewarding experience for the reader. It's these sparks that give a narrative life and make me love stories, making it so I really want to engage with and get lost in them. It's this energy and interest, and lack thereof, that are the reason I can be so critical of other stories, and end up feeling unbelievably bummed out, like I wasted my time, and returning insulting offerings like Cthonia's Reckoning*.
*Again, no shade to the new authors and Thorpe. They're new and/ or can, have, and will do better with time with better development and editing, which is seeming to increasingly be an issue with Black Library.
Anyways, great, but completely non-essential flavour story is great and unbelievably more compelling than a lot of 'new-lore*' for all the reasons listed above.
(*Because the Warhammer fanbase has a lot of hate in it, I want to be clear than 'new-lore' was how Cthonia's Reckoning was introduced and this is not shade at the new Custodes lore, which I think is good, actually)
***
Absolutely loved this!
Proper review when not in agony and have the brain to do so.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), 25 novellas (+2 repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 3 Characters novels, and 164 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 10+ repeats and Cthonia's Reckoning). Plus, 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best
I thoroughly enjoyed this and it shows just how much more rewarding a plot can be within an interesting framing story.
A fighter pilot who suffered a horrific crash and somehow survived injuries that should have seen him dead refuses to covalesce, despite his abused and barely held together body and skull, takes on a bit of light Joint Expeditiary Armada interpersonal conflict resolution...between the Thousand Sons and Night Lords...
It's been a while since I read some ADB and this is a wonderful showcase of the way he blends the grounded, intimate, and human of characters, whether they are base human or other, with the heightened, ridiculous nightmare of the Imperium and the Dark Millennia, all with his trademark acerbic wit.
The character and relationship of the former pilot, Ulatal, and his former wingmate, Perdita, is wonderfully observed and written, and contrasts beautifully with the interaction he has with the Night Lords First Captain, Sevatar, as well as his nauseating shuttle to the Nightfall. Everything is so rich, immediate, personal, and visceral, from the strained and genuine camaraderie of former wingmates discussing a report, while variously avoiding and addressing just how debilitating Ulatal's injuries are and Perdita's promotion and effective replacement of him, the strangely familiar awkward public transport interaction and embarrassment, to the truly disarming and unsettling frankness, and surreal normality and true otherness of Sevatar.
The conflict between Magnus and Curze is also great with the fundamental nature of their beings, quite literally how they were designed to be by the Emperor when he made them, being in opposition. This also shows the constant cognitive dissonance and lies of the Emperor, the Imperial Truth, and the Emperor's personal machinations and desires. The unstoppable force of Magnus' (and by extention the Emperor's) thirst for knowledge and acquisition of the esoteric meets the immovable object of Curze's embodiment of the Emperor's decree that everything thr does not conform to the Imperial Truth must be eradicated with extreme prejudice.
The only way any authoritarian system works is through varying applications of cognitive dissonance, which makes for fascinating tension and conflict in media...and the real world a total nightmare.
I think the thing I appreciate most about a story like this is that not only does it have its cental concept, the conflict between the legions, but there is so much thought, care and detail around that concept, but even more around the way that concept is portrayed and told. There's genuinely interest, engagement, care, and talent being displayed by the author, creating a much deeper and more interesting, engaging, and rewarding experience for the reader. It's these sparks that give a narrative life and make me love stories, making it so I really want to engage with and get lost in them. It's this energy and interest, and lack thereof, that are the reason I can be so critical of other stories, and end up feeling unbelievably bummed out, like I wasted my time, and returning insulting offerings like Cthonia's Reckoning*.
*Again, no shade to the new authors and Thorpe. They're new and/ or can, have, and will do better with time with better development and editing, which is seeming to increasingly be an issue with Black Library.
Anyways, great, but completely non-essential flavour story is great and unbelievably more compelling than a lot of 'new-lore*' for all the reasons listed above.
(*Because the Warhammer fanbase has a lot of hate in it, I want to be clear than 'new-lore' was how Cthonia's Reckoning was introduced and this is not shade at the new Custodes lore, which I think is good, actually)
***
Absolutely loved this!
Proper review when not in agony and have the brain to do so.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), 25 novellas (+2 repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 3 Characters novels, and 164 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 10+ repeats and Cthonia's Reckoning). Plus, 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best
September 11, 2022
Sevatar is great
I think Sevatar is one of the most fascinating characters of the heresy and though we don't really get into his head space or see what drives him we get him as a prominent part of this story and for that it is absolutely worth the few minutes it will take you to get through it.
I think Sevatar is one of the most fascinating characters of the heresy and though we don't really get into his head space or see what drives him we get him as a prominent part of this story and for that it is absolutely worth the few minutes it will take you to get through it.
January 3, 2025
Interesting vignette between the Magnus and Curze. The narrative wrapped in getting to the confrontation between them with Ulatal did feel a bit drawn out for what this was though
Loved the dialogue and tension between the Primarchs and the conversation with Captain Sevatar
Loved the dialogue and tension between the Primarchs and the conversation with Captain Sevatar
June 30, 2022
Quintessential Night Lords
Aaron Dembski-Bowden brings to life another iconic character with a unique perspective in a sometimes two-dimensional setting. A must read
Aaron Dembski-Bowden brings to life another iconic character with a unique perspective in a sometimes two-dimensional setting. A must read
September 27, 2022
Pretty interesting character work here even if I don't have enough insight yet to see how if fits into the broader lore.
September 12, 2023
En esta historia interactúan Ahriman y Sevatar y a mí casi me da una embolia leyéndoles en la misma escena, 10/10 would recommend.
January 22, 2024
I enjoyed it. I wish it had gone on for a touch longer.
December 5, 2024
This is actually such a good story… I was surprised how much of a punch it packed for how short it was. I recommend to all TSons and Night Lords fans
August 1, 2025
‘And so it comes to be that we stand here in the ashes, sifting through the powdery remains of revelation. It is too late to change a thing. Too late to do anything but mourn what was lost. Everything is gone. All is dust.’
Honestly an amazing short story. An ace-pilot, horrifically injured now works as an archivist. Finding a damning tale of the Night Lords from an officer of the Thousand Sons, he heads for the Night Lord’s flagship to find the truth.
Sevetar and the Night Lords are refreshingly different from the other Legionnaires of the Heresy. Honour is a foreign concept to them, they joke and chide, speaking with sarcastic venom and their words drip with sadistic violence. So of course there would be tensions when they must work with the Thousand Sons, who pride themselves in being honest and strive to act with integrity in all matters.
ADB’s writing is addictive, his characters can be the most flawed, cruel monsters, but you can’t help but root for them. His characters have a sort of humanity baked into them that makes you connect with them.
Honestly an amazing short story. An ace-pilot, horrifically injured now works as an archivist. Finding a damning tale of the Night Lords from an officer of the Thousand Sons, he heads for the Night Lord’s flagship to find the truth.
Sevetar and the Night Lords are refreshingly different from the other Legionnaires of the Heresy. Honour is a foreign concept to them, they joke and chide, speaking with sarcastic venom and their words drip with sadistic violence. So of course there would be tensions when they must work with the Thousand Sons, who pride themselves in being honest and strive to act with integrity in all matters.
ADB’s writing is addictive, his characters can be the most flawed, cruel monsters, but you can’t help but root for them. His characters have a sort of humanity baked into them that makes you connect with them.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews