Tales of Heresy (The Horus Heresy) [Mass Market Paperback]

I'm a big fan of the Horus Heresy series. Ever since I first read Horus Rising, I've loved the sheer scale of the saga being told here. Some authors do a good job, others less so. I am however, such an avid fan of the universe that I swallow each novel up and have it read within a week.

What we are presented with here is a collection of short stories by various authors, in one collected volume, seemingly all about the Horus Heresy. Firstly, let me say that the first problem one is going to encounter with a book of shorts, is that it is a book of shorts. We are never going to get full arcing story lines, with well developed characters, but more a selection of moments within the universe. This is both a good and a bad thing, and it is well worth keeping that in mind when you purchase this book.

As I eagerly devoured the pages of 'Tales of Heresy' like a child starved for months without food, I realised that only a minority of the stories in this volume are really about the heresy at all.

Firstly we start with 'Blood Games' by Dan Abnett. He proves, again, that he really is a master story teller, even in this short. The Adeptus Custodes of Terra prepare for the attack by Horus by testing their skill in various ways. They then uncover a potential plot within the Terran council. Really great, and I'd like to see more about the custodes in this saga.

'Wolf at the Door' by Mike Lee sees a group of Space Wolves liberate a world from the clutches of the Dark Eldar, only to have them turn down their offer to join the Imperium. A good story, but hardly a tale of heresy.

'Scions of the Storm' by Anthony Reynolds follows a group of pre-heresy Word Bearers as they assault a heretical world with the aim of converting them to the Imperial truth. But are the beliefs of the non-compliant world really that wrong? A good story, that gives us our first glimpse of Lorgar, and the fanatacism that drives him. Again good and fits in more with the title of the book.

'The Voice' by James Swallow follows a cadre of the Sisters of Silence as they investigate a missing black ship, only to discover that the crew has been possessed by The Voice. But will the sisters like what The Voice has to say? Again a nice story, actually set within the heresy, that has a nice twist to it, and great to go more in depth with the Sisters of Silence.

'Call of the Lion' by Gav Thorpe pits the Dark Angels against a non-compliant world, and reveals tensions within the legion as the Terran and Calibanite Dark Angekls feud. Perhaps a good set up for what may come, but surely we're dealing with the Dark Angels in TWO complete novels in the HH series. I feel at this point that Black Library are covering old ground with showing us how the Imperium conquer worlds and the bloodthirsty efficiancy with which they do it.

'The Last Church' by Graham McNeil is about the last church on Terra and takes place pre-great crusade, when the primarchs themselves have yet to be created. A nice story (the author of which has clearly read The God Delusion) that gives nice background to the age of Terra pre-great crusade, and glimpse and more of an in depth look at the Emperor, but again not REALLY linked to the events of the heresy.

And finally 'After Desh'ea' by Matthew Farer, where the War Hounds legion meet their new blood thirsty primarch, Angron, and get a new name. Also nice to see history, but again not linked to the heresy itself.

I feel that this book really should have been called 'Tales of Conquest' for that really seems to be the gist of the stories within the book. Only three of them, I feel, have any direct relevance to the heresy itself (Ie they take place during or just before the heresy) which I find so odd bearing in mind that in the time line of the story we are now in, Istvaan has been destroyed, the Word Bearers are about to attack Calth, Magnus is just about to join Horus, and the Mechanicum has fallen. I was so eager to hear the tales of heresy that cover offered but was left somewhat disappointed,

All in all an OK selection, but not really the book I was hoping for, nor that I feel that is really needed at this point in our story line.

Blood Games by Dan Abnett
A blood game is when one or more warriors are released and then try to get back within striking distance of their master. Once captured, those dealing with intelligence will go through the strategies used in order to strengthen security. But what happens if it is not a game?

Wolf at the Door by Mike Lee
The Space Wolves land on a planet hoping to reclaim a lost world in the Allfather's name. They find themselves facing xenos.

Scions of the Storm by Anthony Reynolds
The Word Bearers were told that the world designated Forty-seven Sixteen must burn due to its incompatible profane beliefs. But are the people of the planet really in the wrong?

The Voice by James Swallow
When one of their Black Ships goes missing the Storm Dagger cadre, Sisters of Silence, go hunting. What they find is horrific.

Call of the Lion by Gav Thorpe
The Dark Angels locate a previously unknown civilization on a planet and hope to bring a peaceful introduction to the Enlightenment of the Emperor. However, upon landing battle erupts.

The Last Church by Graham McNeill
War has torn the world asunder. Only one church remains. Uriah is preparing for midnight mass. Instead of the ones he expects, a man calling himself "Revelation" enters the church.

After Desh'ea by Matthew Farrer
The War Hounds have finally found their primarch. But before the War Hounds can follow their primarch into battle, they must first reach the primarch's sanity without ever raising hand against him.

**** Seven tales set during the Horus Heresy era. Since opinions on stories and on the writing styles of authors differ, I will only say that I found a couple of these tales to be decent but the majority of them to be outstanding. I could never guess what the ending to any one of them would be. An exceptional example of W40K from some of its finest authors. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Although I am certain this novel serves as a lead up to some point of relevance in the Horus Heresy series, the book itself has no business being in the Heresy saga. In short, it is a betrayal. Fluff. A silk head on a pig. The accepted 'norm' of Black Library of late, and it saddens me.

The Horus Heresy series began on excellent footing with the initial trilogy following Garviel Loken and the Sons of Horus: Horus Rising, False Gods and Galaxy in Flames. Those novels had purpose and complexity; thanks, no doubt, to the wealth of background detail the folks at Black Library had fleshed out regarding the era of the heresy. Too bad Black Library has failed to pin the story on another such character and continue the narrative in a similarly engaging manner.

In my opinion, every entry in the series since the initial trilogy (The Flight of the Eisenstein, Fulgrim and now Tales of Heresy) has increasingly shown just how easily and quickly a large undertaking comes unraveled when two elements come into play: lack of proper long-term narrative planning for what is indeed an epic tale grand in its scope, and the greed associated with what has become a marketable product or brand (to illustrate the latter argument, consider the upcoming Tales of the Heresy entry in the series). Black Library appears to be doing nothing more than bumbling around under The Horus Heresy label--in short, milking it--and it is a big disappointment to fans.

I have since stopped following the Horus Heresy series. In fact, I have come to shun all things Warhammer 40K, you can find it all on E-Bay now - and its going cheap.