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Horus Rising

Dan Abnett

It is the 31st millennium. The forces of humanity have reached the stars. Under the benevolent leadership of the Immortal Emperor and his superhuman sons, the primarchs, the Imperium of Man has stretched out across the galaxy. It is a golden age of discovery and conquest.

But now, on the eve of victory, the Emperor leaves the front lines, entrusting the great crusade to his favourite son, Horus. Promoted to Warmaster, can the idealistic Horus carry the Emperor's grand plan? Worse still, this promotion has sown discontent amongst his brothers. How long before this escalates into all-out mutiny?

Horus Rising is the first chapter in the epic tale of the Horus Heresy, a galactic civil war that threatened to bring about the extinction of humanity.

As a younger man, like many others, I spent long afternoons and evenings model making, enacting wars set in the far future. I was always riveted by the short stories that accompanied rule books and magazines which helped embellish the setting. Epic battles between hundreds of thousands of soldiers accompanied by titanic machines with numerous alien races, encompassing whole continents, for the very future of humanity. A future that combines everything grandeur and gothic from the past with futuristic technology in a society lead by the 'God' Emperor of Mankind.

One of the most famous stories is the Horus Heresy, where the chosen favorite of the Emperor of mankind turned against his 'father' and split humanity down the centre. Up till now, this story has only been referred too in short stories and in companions to rule books.

This book tells the first chapter in this story, and I was entralled throughout. Dan Abnett, builds upon over thirty years of small stories and snippets, weaving them together, fleshing out characters, events and places that have previously only briefly been touched upon. Even if you don't have much previous knowledge of the subject matter, Abnett introduces the beliefs, ideals, themes, characters and environment well through the eyes of the protagonist, and in a way that makes them accessible.

As the first in a series, I was very impressed. Needless to say when future books are released I shall be picking them up.

24 Apr 2006 19:49 | (0) comments | Books