Book Review: The Outcast Dead

Graham McNeill, The Outcast Dead. Nottingham, UK: Black Library, 2011.  ISBN: 9781849700863.

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Horus Heresy, Book 17

Format: e-book

Source: I own this one  

 

To be honest, I was already feeling lukewarm about this novel, but since I am reading through the series, I picked it up. It just did not really grab me, and it felt like a drag to read. 

Astropath Kai Zulane is sent back to Terra to rehabilitate from trauma. He arrives at the City of Sight, basically the headquarters of the Astra Telepathica. The Imperium may officially dislike psykers, but they sure depend on them and use them regularly for various things including space communications and navigation. The Astra Telepathica is a faction we rarely read about, and we are not going to get much about them in this book either. 

Kai is just not an interesting character, and to be honest I did not care for him much. I did not care that much for the other characters either nor their machinations. A lot is going as they are just finding out about Horus's betrayal. 

The other big event is the imperial arrest of the Crusader Host, an honor guard composed of members of all the 18 Space Marine legions. Since some of them of legions now considered traitors, they just arrest the whole group to be sure. A small group of them manages to escape, and they take Kai with them since he has a crucial secret in his mind. 

The novel just does not feel coherent. Also, as I mentioned, it is just not that interesting. The parts about the commoners eeking out a living around the imperial palace are not that much better either. Overall it's a cast of characters I found that I did not care for them. One ironic note, if you will, is that Roxanne reads history books that tell of poverty and inequality in the Old Earth (i.e. our time now); her tutors tell her this is all in the past, but given the slums now she can see nothing has really changed. 

This one that folks can skip and not miss much. Completists will likely read it anyway, so keep the expectations low. I would not recommend this. 

On a side note, McNeill's record for me in Horus Heresy books is mixed. I liked Mechanicum and Fulgrim well enough, but I did not care for Thousand Sons nor this book. (Links go to my reviews.) Still, I will be picking up the next book in the series down the road: Deliverance Lost. 

 

1 out of 5 stars.  

 

Book qualifies for the following 2026 Reading Challenge: 

 

 

Book Review: Age of Darkness

Various authors, Age of Darkness. Nottingham, England: Black Library, 2011. ISBN: 9780857871534. 

Genre: science fiction

Subgenre: military science fiction

Series: Horus Heresy, Book 16

Format: e-book

Source: I own this one. 

 

This short fiction anthology is number 16 in the Horus Heresy series. This volume features nine stories: 

•  "Rules of Engagement" by Graham McNeill.
•  "Liar's Due" by James Swallow.
• "Forgotten Sons" by Nick Kyme.
• "The Last Remembrancer" by John French.
• "Rebirth" by Chris Wraight.
•  "The Face of Treachery" by Gav Thorpe.
• "Little Horus" by Dan Abnett.
• "The Iron Within" by Rob Sanders.
• "Savage Weapons" Aaron Dembski-Bowden.

As often happens with anthologies some stories are better than others. The stories look at various situations and events of the Horus Heresy, often things happening behind the scenes or in more out of the way places. The book as a whole is a pretty good read. Pacing may vary; one or two stories may be a bit slow. 

Let me highlight the stories I found interesting and/or memorable:

•  "Rules of Engagement" looks at Roboute Guilliman as he is writing the Codex Astartes. This provides a frame to a story of space marines involved in various engagements. 
• "Liar's Due" is about a spy infiltrating a backwater world and sowing chaos and conflict. As he says, he is the whole invasion because the Warmaster has more important things to do. Once the twist is revealed, the story gets interesting. 
• In Abnett's story, Little Horus Aximand is bothered by dreams he probably should not be having. The story also looks a bit at how Little Horus relates to the Warmaster. 
• I always like a story of the Iron Warriors, and "The Iron Within" fit the bill well. 

Overall, this is an average collection. It's not great, but it is not bad either. Can you skip it? Yes, probably. Completists will want to read it. I'd recommend it for readers who enjoy short fiction and stories that focus more on behind the scenes rather than epic battles. 

I liked it. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

 

Additional reading notes: 

"Liar's Due" offered a couple of quotes that resonate for our Hard Times such as this one: 

"It's the people who are killers. People down there, in Town Forty-Four and every other place just like it. People like your father, and Prael and all the rest. They let themselves be manipulated, because deep within them, they want to be right. They want to have their darkest fears come true, to validate their loathing of the lives they lead" -- Mendacs, in "Liar's Due" (74).  

 

From "The Face of Treachery" 

"In times such as these, even the most trusted face can conceal an enemy" (181). 

 

From "The Iron Within" 

"From iron cometh strength. From strength cometh will. From will cometh faith. From faith cometh honour. From honour comes iron. This is the Unbreakable Litany. And may it forever be so" (238). 

 

 

Book qualifies for the following 2026 Reading Challenge: 

    

4 fiction books I read in 2025

Yes, that title is accurate. After I looked over my reading list for 2025, I realized I had not read much fiction last year. I can summarize my year in fiction as follows. I read 2 Warhammer 40,000 omnibus editions, a book from the Horus Heresy series, and one standalone novel. 

Here then is the list: 

 

Iron Warriors Omnibus

 

In terms of fiction, this was the highlight of the year, and I rated it four of out five stars. From my review: "If you are ready to root for the 'bad guy,' this collection is a good option. If you've read the Ultramarines series, and you want to read more about their enemy, this is a good option as well. It makes a nice supplement or companion to the Ultramarines series. However, you can read this book without having read the other series." 
 

 

Ghost Station

 

This was my disappointment for the year in terms of fiction, and in terms of books overall for the year. It sounded so good, and it ended up so bad. This one got a one out of five stars rating from me, and that is rare, which indicates how poorly the book performed. Feel free to read the full review. 

 

Honour Imperialis

 I often enjoy most Warhammer 40,000 omnibus editions and anthologies because they often provide a sampling on a theme, faction, and/or events. This edition focuses on the Astra Militarum, also known as the Imperial Guard. The volume features three novels and four short stories by different authors. As often happens in collections, quality can vary. For me, only one of the novels was really good, and one of the short stories was pretty good too. Still, I did appreciate the variety. 

 

Prospero Burns

 

This is book 15 in the Horus Heresy series. I am slowly reading my way through the series, and I do intend to read to the end. However, books like this one do not make it easy. Dan Abnett wrote it, and I feel this is not his best. I've read some of his other stuff, which is better. He is considered one of the better writers for Black Library, but as I said, this book does not exemplify that. This one also earned only one out of five stars for me. Feel free to read the full review. The series has 64 books, so I still got a long way to go. There is a sequel to the original 64 books recently published, but I am not worrying about that now. We'll see when I get to the end of the series. As of this post, I did finish book 16, Age of Darkness, which is a short fiction anthology. I'll have a review of that here soon. 

 

Overall for me I would say this was not a good year for fiction. In addition to these, I dropped at least one other fiction anthology, but that one I still kept in my TBR list. I just did not feel like reading it at the time, so I may go back to it later. Still, I am holding hope for 2026.  As I mentioned, I finished Age of Darkness as the year opened. I am currently reading The Rose at War, a Warhammer 40,000 collection featuring the Adepta Sororitas, also known as the Battle Sisters, and so far the book is good. I also have a couple of other novels on my TBR list I would like to read in 2026. Stay tuned and come back to see what else I read and review in 2026. 

How about folks out there? Any good fiction you read that you want to share and recommend? Have you read any of the books I read on this list? Feel free to comment.  

Next week I will be posting my list of graphic novels, comics, and manga I read in 2026.  

 

 

Short Book Review: Prospero Burns

Dan Abnett, Prospero Burns: the wolves unleashed. Nottingham, UK: Black Library, 2014. 

Genre: science fiction

Series: Horus Heresy, Vol. 15

Format: e-book

Source: I own this one 

 

This is a short note to remember that I read this book, and it was not very good. To be honest, this is not the author's best work, and I have read some of his other books. This novel is the other point of view in the events presented in the previous novel in the series A Thousand Sons (link to my review).

In a nutshell, the Thousand Sons, the 14th Space Marines Legion, are deemed heretical by the Emperor of Mankind for their use of psykers and sorcery. They decide to retreat to their home world of Prospero and keep doing what they are doing. When Magnus the Red, their primarch, has a vision of Horus' treachery, the Emperor ignores it and declares them heretical, sending the Space Wolves Space Marines to bring them to account. The previous novel offers the perspective of events from the view of Magnus and the Thousand Sons. It is basically the tragedy of their fall to chaos. The later novel looks at those events from the view of the Space Wolves, or so we readers are led to believe. 

A big part of Prospero Burns deals with one of the Space Wolves skjalds, or storyteller, Hawser. The novel starts with some flashbacks, but it is not quite clear what exactly is happening right away, so we spend a bit of time just deciphering what is going on, and how is it significant to the larger plot. It is not until the second part of the novel we get to the main events, which is why most of us picked up the book. As if that was not enough, Hawser is not all he seems to be, there is some mental manipulation going on, and some other machinations. Usually elements of intrigue can be interesting in these novels, but here a lot of it is somewhat convoluted, a bit too complex, and not always clear. Plus the novels focuses excessively on Hawser. 

At the end of the day, it also may help readers if you read A Thousand Sons before reading this one. In theory, the two books form a duology. In practical terms, you can pretty much skip Prospero Burns and keep reading the rest of the series. I do note in my review that A Thousand Sons is not that good either, but it is at least coherent. The big fault in that novel is that nothing really happens in it. A big part of is it a few Space Marines complaining they are bored waiting for their Primarch. But that is still better than Prospero Burns. If you have to pick one novel to get this part of the larger Horus Heresy story, pick A Thousand Sons if you must. I wish I had known that before I picked Prospero Burns up, but at least I can say I got through it. As for Abnett, he has much better books in the Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000, go find those instead. 

1 out of 5 stars (barely).  

 

This book qualifies for the following 2025 Reading Challenge: 

 

 

Top 4 fiction books I read in 2023

Welcome to the second post in my series of top books I read in 2023. This is based on my 2023 Reading List. I may have mentioned this before, but I am not a big fiction reader. I do enjoy it, and I enjoy some specific genres, but nonfiction tends to be my reading default when it comes to texts. Out of 8 fiction works I read last year, only four got a four or five stars out of five stars rating to make it on this list. Turns out that last year was a year for Warhammer 40,000 books. Two of the four are WH40K books. One was from the Horus Heresy series (so, similar to WH40K), and one other science fiction novel. What can I say? They were good books. While I am not making promises now, I hope to read a bit more fiction in this new year 2024. We'll see how that goes. 

These books are listed in no particular order. If a review for a book is published, I will include a link to it. 

Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diaries, Book 2)

From my review: "The novel is fun, entertaining, and keeps you reading once you start. The writing is concise. I do appreciate that so far the novels are short, fun, and to the point." The Murderbot series has been one of my recent pleasant discoveries in fiction, science fiction this time. I am a bit skeptical since I understand the newer books are longer novels. Part of the appeal for me is that the books so far are easy reads, fun, and short. We'll see. So far this is a series I recommend. The only reason I have not read more of the series is that I tend to move from one book to another. For series, I often read a book or two, take a break, and assuming I liked it, come back after reading something else. It is very rare I just binge read a series. 

The First Heretic: Fall to Chaos (Horus Heresy, Book 14)

From my review: "Overall, I really liked this book. It is one from the series I would recommend, especially for those readers who may like Chaos forces in Warhammer 40,000 or want to read more about the Word Bearers. The novel blends tragedy, a bit of pathos, intrigues, and warfare." 

Helsreach (Warhammer 40,000. Space Marines Battles, Book 2)

As of this post, the review is coming soon. I can say this was one of my favorite books overall for the year. 

The Space Wolf Omnibus (Warhammer 40,000)

From my review: "If you like your Space Marines novels with a lot of action and combat, this is a good selection. Pacing is relatively fast, and the narrative just moves swiftly. It is a book of about 760 pages, yet before you know it you are easily halfway in your reading." This omnibus edition collects the first three novels in the Space Wolf series of Warhammer 40,000. By the way, among the amusing moments, well, if you have a bit of dark humor as I do, yes, we learn that even in the 41st Millennium they have responsible gun owners. 

Allow me to add one more note. Except for Artificial Condition, the fiction books I read are on the longer side. The Space Wolves Omnibus is over 700 pages, and books like that tend to take me a good while to read through. I am not a fast reader, I know, may make me a bad librarian, but there you have it.  In fact, I am reading another omnibus volume of three novels; it is very good so far, but I am not picking up any other fiction until I finish that one. Nonfiction I can read along with it just fine. 

Thanks to my four readers for stopping by, and stay tuned for the third post in this series of top books where I look at the top comics and graphic novels I read for the year. 

Book Review: Nemesis

James Swallow, Nemesis: War Within the Shadows. Nottingham, UK: Black Library, 2010. ISBN: 9781844168699.

 

Genre: science fiction

Subgenre: Horus Heresy series, Book 13.

Format: e-book

Source: I own this one.

 

This is the 13th book in the Horus Heresy series. The novel starts seriously slow, but the story gets better once the action picks up.

Horus Lupercal, one of the Emperor's Primarchs, betrays the Imperium of Man and plunges the galaxy into a civil war. Back on Terra, the Officio Assassinorum decides to put together a team of assassins with various talents to kill Horus. They have tried before and failed, but this time they assemble a team rather than sending a single assassin. They hope to get strength in numbers. Meanwhile, Erebus, First Chaplain of the Word Bearers and one of Horus's advisors, decides they should send their own assassin to Terra to kill the Emperor. Erebus sends one man, but he is no ordinary man. This story premise sounds great, yet this book has weaknesses and strengths. 

Let's start with the weaknesses. The opening scene sets up the novel well enough. However, the first half of the novel then gets seriously slow. Part of the plot is recruiting the members of the Execution Force, and this process is not consistent in terms of interest level. There are also some subplots that initially may not be clear how they connect to the main story. Some of this material may feel like filler. Some material does become clear as we get to the second part of the novel, but it can be a drag to get to that second part. 

In addition, and no, this is not a spoiler, keep in mind that neither Horus nor the Emperor get killed in this novel. If that happened, the series would have ended, and this series goes to a bit over 50 books. The draw for readers of this novel is on this specific story and how events turn out. An issue is that the first half is just not that interesting. Add to the weaknesses the author's apparent love of flashbacks. Some of them were OK for character development, but they often disrupt the novel's pace, slowing down the action elements. 

In terms of strengths, the best part of the novel is the second half. As things finally start coming to a head, the pace picks up. The second half has more action and tension in it. If you make it past the first half, you'll want to stay to the end. The good drama, action, and the key revelations come in the second half. As a reader, you may feel rewarded for the previous slog in part one. We also learn more about Erebus's assassin. In fact, we get to see Erebus more in part two, so if you are a fan of the scheming chaplain keep reading. In the end, we are not sure who gets out alive or not as the action moves along at a good pace. 

Overall, I liked this book once I got got the second half. I admit that I considered dropping it, but I feel good overall about sticking with it. Once the plot gets going, the book is pretty good. This is not one of the better novels in the series, but it is not among the worst. I've read worse in the Horus Heresy prior to this one. So I'd say this one is middle of the road. If you are a completist, you'll want to read it. More casual readers might consider it as optional. 

On a side note, another interesting element is the rise of the Imperial Cult. Fans of Warhammer 40,000 know the cult is a fact of life, but in the 31st Millennium it is barely emerging as an underground movement, and it is very illegal. The author explores this pretty well in the character of Lady Sinope and her followers. 

I am willing to give this 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Book Review: The First Heretic

Aaron Dembski-Bowden, The First Heretic: Fall to Chaos. Nottingham, UK: Black Library, 2010.  ISBN: 9781844168842.

Genre: Horus Heresy series

Subgenre: science fiction, military science fiction

Format: e-book

Source: I own this one 

"The truth is often ugly. It is why people believe lies. Deception offers them something beautiful" -- Captain Argel Tal (192). 

This is the 14th book in the Horus Heresy series. About 40 years before the events of Isstvan V that plunged the galaxy into civil war, the 17th Legion of Space Marines, the Word Bearers, are as loyal to the Emperor of Mankind as can be. Their record in bringing worlds into Imperial compliance is exemplary. We'd think they'd be an inspiration to other legions and that the Emperor would be pleased. Well, not quite. In a nutshell, the Word Bearers were promoting the Emperor as a divine figure, and the best part of it is that those newly conquered worlds of the Imperium were perfectly happy worshiping the Emperor. Again, this sounds great. Well, the Emperor is serious about eradicating religions, cults, and other superstitions, and he sure as heck does not want to be seen as a deity (despite the fact he is very much like a deity, but let's put that aside for now). So the Emperor decides to chastise Lorgar, the Primarch of the Word Bearers, and the rest of his legion. To make sure the message sticks, the Emperor not only humiliates the legion in front of the other Primarchs and their legions but he also orders the full destruction of the last planet's capital the Word Bearers brought into compliance. That is some extreme discipline right there. The rest of the story goes from there. 

Most of the story is told from Argel Tal's point of view. He is the captain of the Word Bearers' 7th Company. The other important point of view is Cyrene Valantion's view. She is a survivor of the destroyed city that the Word Bearers take in. She later becomes a confessor of sorts for the legion. The story then tells how the Word Bearers discover the truth about the warp and the creatures of Chaos, daemons (or gods depending on who you ask), and a bit more I can't quite reveal to avoid spoilers. From there, the legion falls from grace as it embraces darkness and chaos and joins Horus and his traitor legions against the Emperor. 

The novel offers a story of intrigues and machinations. It takes the traitors at least 40 years to scheme and put things in place for their rebellion. Lorgar becomes obsessed with the Truth, and he sends his space marines, led by Argel Tal, into the Eye of Terror to find it. They do find it, but what they bring back is horrifying. Argel Tal and those with with are transformed in terrifying ways. Meanwhile, readers may wonder how much does Lorgar drive events, and how much influence Erebus, the First Chaplain of the Legion, and Kor Phaeron, First Captain, have on the primarch. Oh, and we need to mention that all this seditious scheming is happening with an Imperial agent in their midst. As part of the legion's punishment, the Emperor chooses Aquillon, a Custodian (think a Praetorian Guard) and his team to keep an eye on Lorgar and the legion. So they keep scheming while keeping Aquillon and his team in the dark. For readers who enjoy tales of intrigue and scheming, there is plenty here. 

For readers who want to learn more about the Word Bearers Legion, this novel offers much of interest. We see where the search for "Truth," where their faith takes them into a tragic fall and damnation. As for the book's title, the "first" heretic may not be as obvious. You have to read and find out. 

The novel has a pretty good pace. The story draws you in, especially after the legion is chastised. It becomes a collision course to terror driven by faith and obsession. The last act takes place in Isstvan when the full betrayal is revealed. 

The book is arranged in three parts with 29 chapters. Before each part we get an excerpt from Cyrene's writings, which add a bit more insight to the overall story. The book is very much the Word Bearer's story with a good amount of intrigue and enough action. I found myself reading and reading. It is a good tale, and I would say one of the better titles in the series so far, even if some of the story is about a primarch or two with daddy issues. Lorgar, as many sons, want his father's approval, and he is not happy because he does try hard while his primarch brothers please their father with apparent ease. 

Overall, I really liked this book. It is one from the series I would recommend, especially for those readers who may like Chaos forces in Warhammer 40,000 or want to read more about the Word Bearers. The novel blends tragedy, a bit of pathos, intrigues, and warfare. 

4 out of 5 stars. 

* * * * * 

Additional reading notes, mainly lines I wanted to remember: 

From the novel's opening epigraphs:  

"Kill me then, 'Emperor'. Better to die in freedom's twilight than draw breath at the dawn of tyranny. May the gods grant me my last wish: that my spirit lingers long enough to laugh when your faithless kingdom falls apart" -- Daival Shan, Terran separatist warlord, at his execution (9). 

And fall apart it does as we come to know the 41st Millennium down the road becomes an authoritarian theocracy around the cult of the Emperor. Faith and its social role is a theme in this novel whether embracing it in some form as the Word Bearers do or denying it as the Emperor and loyalists do (at least initially). 

 

Cyrene and her faith: 

"You came to me asking how my faith survived the Day of Judgement. I will tell you a secret When the stars fell, when the seas boiled and the earth burned, my faith didn't die. That is when I began to believe. God was real, and he hated us" (12). 

 

On truth, by Erebus of all people: 

"'The truth cares nothing for what we wish, sire,' said Erebus. 'The truth simply is'" (61). 

The tragedy of the Word Bearers Legion: 

"And that is perhaps the greatest tragedy of the Word Bearers Legion. Their father knew he would be one of those bringing enlightenment to humanity, but he could never foreseen how it would come to pass" (143). 

Their Mechanicum ally has a view of the legion's problem too: 

"Xi-Nu 73's principal problem where the Word Bearers were concerned was their fundamental organic nature. In short, they were too human. They valued the flawed aspects of faith, focusing on the flesh and the soul, rather than transcendence through oneness with the Machine-God. They were fuelled by emotion, rather than logic, which affected their tactical decisions and their very goals in the Great Crusade" (159). 

* * * * * 

This book qualifies for the following 2023 Reading Challenge: 

Book Review: A Thousand Sons

Graham McNeill, A Thousand Sons. Nottingham, UK: Black Library, 2010.  ISBN: 9781844168095.

Genre: science fiction
Subgenre: military science fiction, Horus Heresy series, Warhammer 40,000
Format: paperback
Source: Interlibrary  Loan request at Hutchins Library, Berea College. It came from Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library in Evansville, Indiana.

This is Book 12 of the Horus Heresy series. I truly wanted to like this one. Graham McNeill also wrote the Ultramarines novels (link to my review of the second omnibus in that series) in Warhammer 40,000, and I enjoyed those, so I figured I'd like this novel too. In addition, the book's description sounded great. I came in with high expectations only to be disappointed.

The Thousand Sons legion, led by Primarch Magnus the Red, are among the most loyal and brave of the Emperor's legions. There is just one problem: they are all powerful psykers who use arcane and occult methods as part of their warfare. It's a problem for the Emperor and the other legions who regard them with suspicion.

In Aghoru, Magnus is awaiting an event, a vision, a revelation. Meanwhile, the Great Crusade continues. When the Thousand Sons get called back to action, Magnus disobeys and stays put. Leman Russ, another primarch, sends some of his Space Wolves legion to find out why and bring Magnus and his legion back. Later, Magnus is called to Nikea where the Emperor, despite Magnus' loyalty and devotion, censures Magnus and forbids him from pursuing their arcane ways. To be plain, Magnus leaves, and the legion does what they do anyhow. Magnus even foresees Horus' treachery and tries to warn the Emperor, but instead of being grateful, the Emperor orders the Space Wolves legion to attack Prospero, the Thousand Sons' homeworld. When you think about it, the Emperor was kind of a close minded asshole. From there, Magnus' path along with his legion to serving Chaos is sealed. Much of what Magnus did was to save his legion.

The novel is the tragedy of the fall of the Thousand Sons. Much of it is due to the Emperor's obstinacy,  but also the legion was tempted by Chaos. All that sounds great and dramatic, and I like good drama as much as the next guy. The big issue of this novel is that nothing happens for most of it. The first 100 pages we are just sitting in Aghoru waiting. The legion's space marines are all waiting, and they are miffed about waiting. In fact, they bitch  and moan about how the other legions are out at war, and they are stuck in some backwater world because their leader is doing who knows what. By then, as a reader, I could feel the space marines' boredom too, wishing the author would get on with it. Yes, eventually there are some battles and action, but the action is scarce and far between. Bottom line is this book is a serious drag. I recall writing in my daily journal as days went by about the annoyance of this  book not going anywhere. That is how bad this was. Sure, there are positive reviews out there of this book, but those seem basically WH40K fanboys gushing praises, and I wonder if they read the same book. It seems more likely they are legion's fans so the book itself does not matter that much.

The book does present some interesting lore details. The Thousand Sons give a feel of Ancient Egyptian or similar culture in their practice and customs. Those details as well as their arcana are interesting, but we get too little of that to really hold a reader's interest. This book was way too long and seriously boring for the most part.

If you are a fan of the Thousand Sons legion, you'll probably read this anyways. For the casual readers, I'd consider this very optional reading. Overall, Horus Heresy books can be hit or miss. This one was a miss. Oh well, I'll try my luck with the next one.

1 out of 5 stars