David Annandale

Warhammer 40k stories are stories of heroes fighting against impossible odds, stories of legendary warriors fighting unimaginable horrors [and sometimes failing], grand epics of humankind's constant struggle among the stars.... and sometimes pure bolter-porn as it is colloquially known. Horus Heresy books (and quality-wise this is also case with newer Warhammer 40k in general) tend to avoid the bolter-porn approach and present very rich HH background, Primarchs and Imperium at its peak. show more Military actions, while present, are usually given in broad strokes, as actions set in the background of greater undertaking - Great Crusade or actions against Traitor legions. Even when Legions clash on the battlegrounds of Istvaan V battle is broken down to numerous conflicts between champions and veterans of Space Marines legions.

This is the first time I came across Warhammer 40k military conflict described in a similar vein as in [b:Hammers Slammers|1355339|Hammer's Slammers|David Drake|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1227562577s/1355339.jpg|2530540], [b:Insurrection (Starfire #1)|504366|Insurrection (Starfire, #1)|David Weber|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1205768715s/504366.jpg|492420] and [b:Crusade (Starfire #2)|260987|Crusade (Starfire, #2)|David Weber|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1321607575s/260987.jpg|252956] to name the few well known military SF novels.

Troops deployed are moving to the battlefield with the both air and armored support, direct contact of sole infantry (be it even famed Space Marines) against artillery and heavy tanks has the expected outcome, navy ships get pounded until they can move away from the devastating planetary defenses and space stations are true space castles capable of withstanding anything thrown their way. Boarding torpedoes are a gamble - those that get through need time to organize their surviving forces and move on with boarding actions. In space even the small freighter on a collision course is great threat even to the mighty battleships of the Imperium.

Actions of the small element of Iron Warriors with all the traps, use of terrain to their own advantage and sheer determination to fight to the last man are more than it is required to stop the furious Ultramarines' progress and delay Guilliman's overall progress towards Terra.
I liked Iron Warrior's determinism and ingenuity - their fall to the Chaos was truly a great loss for the loyalists. Although their fall started long before in my opinion - with Perturabo as Legion master and his total attrition approach to war thousands of capable and loyal were lost years before HH. After such terrifying losses it is not surprising that remaining Iron Warriors turned against the Empire (although company fighting the Ultramarines holds Horus in same regard as the Emperor).

Although final result is never brought into question - Ultramarines outnumber the Iron Warriors completely - Guilliman is tested and bloodied. More than anything else he is brought to the verge of destroying the whole world in order to move on towards Terra. Where does one stop with attrocities if he justifies his actions as necessities to achieve set goal(s)? If one fights monsters for too long does the one become the monster in the process?

Excellent story showing that loyalists are not the only ones feeling that time is slipping away - traitors are aware that they are losing the initiative and are pressed into final push to Terra before their momentum is completely lost.

Highly recommended to all fans of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40k. show less

In Warhammer 40k universe psykers are loosed guns - people tormented by gargantuan powers that if not controlled act as portals for horrors from the Immaterium.

Because of this unsanctioned psykers (those unable to control their powers) are collected by the infamous Imperial Black Ships to keep everyone safe - both psykers and people they live with.

Does it sound like a specially horrible asylum in space? It does. And being set in Warhammer 40k it is especially violent and without mercy. show more Lessons learned during the Long Night where uncontrolled witches and psykers tore entire populations asunder have brought very strict and ruthless rules into play.

What happens when single psyker prisoner tries to get free by following the sign that marked his entire life? Is he following path to the salvation or is his entire effort just a bloody joke, futile attempt organized by and for the amusement of creatures beyond the veil?

Very interesting short horror story. Recommended to all fans of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40k in general. show less

After the first book of this duology I was not expecting this to pop out of the Warp, put a Vengeance Cannon against my head and absolutely blow my mind!

I truly cannot fathom why so many ratings and reviews for this are so tepid.

I've listened to around 40 hours of audiobooks and audio dramas covering Monarchia through the Battle of Calth and the Underworld War to Gage's Wild Ride and Kor Phaeron finding new digs, and this is absolutely up there with Know No Fear, Calth That Was, and The show more Underworld War, as well as having some of the greatest reflections and reactions to the razing of the Perfect City and the shaming of the XVII, a Son of Lorgar with enough depth, character, and emotion to rival Argal Tal, and just some of the richest and visceral touches and details around the rituals of Chaos and all things heretical.

I am flabbergasted that this literally did everything I said the last book lacked and eschewed everything I took issue with. I no way does this feeling like a rushed, unplanned tie-in to a box set.

I absolutely intend to do more of a deep dive review because I have a lot to say and I truly think this book deserves the praise and recognition I think it deserves because I am positively giddy with how good this was and how happy it made me! show less

After so many years and collections the number of Horus Heresy audio dramas I haven't heard at least once is rapidly dwindling, but this was one I knew absolutely nothing about before going in and I absolutely loved it.

Tallarn is a theatre I'm not too familiar with, but inferring from this there was a big war between the Iron Warriors and at least Mechanicum/ Legio Titanicus with the IV Legion taking the day, only for the Loyalists to virus bomb the battlefield, including their own show more survivors? That seems to be the perspective of one battered Warsmith who makes a desperate march hoping to do something before he dies a horrible death of disease.

I really enjoy these small focus stories that make for wonderful audio dramas and would make spectacular short films. The impossible nightmare situation, the horror of the battlefield and ashes of victory, and the indomitable will to survive are visceral and consuming. The vast majority is just inside the head one dying Astartes deteriorating by the moment but determined to keep on keeping on.

Sean Barrett's tense, terse, almost breathless narration is utterly perfect for this.

One other aspect I really appreciated about this story is that it is from a Traitor Extremis perspective, but it doesn't treat the Warsmith as an explicit baddie, until something towards the end. This is great to see because the Loyalist and Traitor Legions, and even the Space Marine Chapters and Chaos Space Marines 'are not so different you and I'. There is a zeal and relish that's actually more honest, if not better with the Traitors as the Imperium--they are both utterly awful and cause untold unnecessary and totally unjustifiable suffering and death--but everything is always from the Imperium's perspective, so they are painted as good. Sometimes even otherwise great Black Library authors forget this fact... There is only war. It is grimdark and everything is awful. It's only individual actions and situations that can contain any goodness and light.

I really had a cracking time with this and there are some incredible moments I'll mention in spoilers below. It definitely is more of a mood/ survival piece that adds a little colour to the end of a battle, so it isn't essential listening. However, I absolutely do recommend it, especially if you enjoy Riddick and that one great Star Wars fan film about the Rebel pilot shot down and left behind on Hoth. This is one where it seeks apparent tour mileage may vary.

***SPOILERS***

This fucking dude almost kills himself with radiation to nuke the virus, so much so that it's revealed Space Marines excrete a weird snot pus bubble from their pores to protect them from dangerous atmospheres!
The reveal of allegiances was always going to be the case, but I was not expecting the double Titan dreadnought mode and I love to see the utter wildness of machine spirits as the WTF entities they are! show less