Tag Archives: Primarchs

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Lorgar: Bearer of the Word

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Horus Heresy: Primarch series #5 by Gav Thorpe

The 5th Novella in the Primarch Series brings us to The Bearer of the Word – Lorgar. We’ve reviewed a few in this series already – this is number 11! There have been no ‘timing’ issues yet with stories ruined.

Cover picture of Lorgar: Bearer of the Word by Gav Thorpe
From the Book

Most devoted of all the primarchs, it was Lorgar who first fell to the lure of Chaos. Once known as Aurelian, this golden son of the Emperor of Mankind found himself an outcast because he worshipped his father as a god. Humbled before the ruins of Monarchia, chastened and brought low, Lorgar yearned for deeper meaning. He found it in the power of Ruin and thus began the descent into heresy. His fate had not always been so. On Colchis, his adopted birth world, Lorgar was not always the zealot, though his path would be nurtured by the priest Kor Phaeron.

Review

Gav Thorpe has always been a great writer and has had significant success since leaving the hallowed pages of WD.

And with Lorgar: Bearer of the Word; he smashes it out of the park! This is the book I was hoping all the Primarch books would be. It’s the origin story of Lorgar. How he is found on Colchis. When he is adopted by Kor Phaeron. And how he is manipulated / prepared for greatness by the priest.

The descriptions of the desert, his challenges, the treatment of Lorgar by Kor Phaeron and his reaction as a young child were expertly written and very believable. Many of the Primarchs had tough upbringing on their new homeworlds, but it is fair to say Lorgar’s wasn’t the easiest.

The action is mostly set on Colchis. There is the occasional flash forward to Lorgar burning his chapter’s books after censure by the Emperor. However, fortunately, this is a tiny part of the novella so doesn’t distract from the story being told.

A must read for me in the series – great work from Gav Thorpe.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Declan & Eeeyore

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Corax: Lord of Shadows

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Primarchs Book 10, by Guy Haley

The Primarchs stride across the Horus Heresy as giants (both litteral and metaphorical), being the centre piece of many of the books – although often at a distance or through the eyes of others. The Primarch (Horus Heresy) series brings stories from each of these giants and gives more background for each of the Emperor’s children.

From the book:

When a dread bio-weapon is unleashed in battle, turning allies upon one another, it falls to Corax and his Raven Guard to save the day – if he can balance his thirst for vengeance against the need for swift victory.

During the Great Crusade, it falls to the primarch Corax of the Raven Guard to humble the immense void-cities of the Carinae. Determined to bring these worlds into compliance, he unleashes the might of his Legion and a massive war host of the Imperial Army. But the lords of Carinae are well defended and without remorse.

At the height of the conflict, at the void-city of Zenith, a dread bio-weapon from an ancient time is unleashed. At once, the Imperial force is brought to its knees, as allies are turned against each other and the Raven Guard left to face almost insurmountable odds. As the campaign teeters on the brink of failure, Corax’s desire for vengeance is severely tested against the need for a swift and certain resolution to the war.

Corax and his Raven Guard are involved in one of the most interesting compliance’s of the Horus Heresy when they are assigned to the void-cities of Carinae. This is a really interesting concept for a ‘planet’ where there are loads of cities (I guess about the size of an asteroid) in the same solar system, can be moved, and provide mutual support — at least once the Imperium arrive for the compliance.

Corax must find a way to ensure compliance and he plans to attack the most powerful city – Zenith – to capture one of the leaders of Carinae… But when the leader unleashes a plague upon his civilians, soldiers, the Raven Guard and their Solar Auxilia allies; Corax vows justice. (And not a Kurze type of justice).

Meanwhile, on Deliverance (the Raven Guard homeworld), a terrorist / freedom fighter group are attacking the leaders left by Corax).

This is more of the good things from the Primarch series. Corax is the main character in the book, with some actions revolving around him and some secondary characters … but with him being front & centre most of the time this allows for some real (and interesting) character development. Overall, a great addition to the series.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Perturabo: Hammer of Olympia

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Primarchs Book 4, by Guy Haley

The Primarchs stride across the Horus Heresy as giants (both litteral and metaphorical), being the centre piece of many of the books – although often at a distance or through the eyes of others. The Primarch (Horus Heresy) series brings stories from each of these giants and gives more background for each of the Emperor’s children.

From the book:

While crusading to build the Imperium, Perturabo, mercurial primarch of the Iron Warriors, hears ot turmoil on the world where he was raised, and abandons the crusade to return home and save his people.

Born to a life of political conflict, Perturabo was always considered a child prodigy among the people of Olympia – indeed, his philosophical and scientific works were beyond compare. But then, after his rediscovery by the Emperor and decades of thankless military campaigning on the Great Crusade, the primarch begins to resent his Legion’s place in the Imperium. When word reaches him of turmoil on his adoptive home world, he orders the Iron Warriors to abandon their campaign against the alien Hrud and crush this emerging rebellion by any means necessary…

Perturabo is found on Olympia at the age of a young child with no memory, but the ability to just naturally do and understand things. He is seen as a gift from the gods, but doesn’t believe in them himself. Olympia is based off the history of Ancient Greece (with a little Rome scattered in), in which city states and tyrants abound. Before the Emperor finds Perturabo he uses his knowledge to ensure the success of his adopted father over all others … and he does it well.

Meanwhile during the Great Crusade the Iron Warriors are sent to fight the alien Hrud. The Hrud are able to affect time and they age the Warriors of Iron, their weapons, fortresses and starships.

The Hrud definitely make the book a great read – they are a great example of the benefit of writing aliens that will never need rules. It provides a much larger space for design of the aliens, but also design of their weaponry and methods of attack… and allows space for genuine risk to be introduced to the protagonists. So, I’d love to hear more about the Hrud.

And where does that leave me with Perturabo? This was more of a struggle – I liked the introduction to him (partially because of my interest in Ancient Greek history) and his development into a Warlord of Olympia… but he has no redeeming features. Even Konrad had a (twisted) sense of Justice… Perturabo sends and expects his Iron Warriors for no tactical benefit… staying with their ships (or fortresses) as they are destroyed from under him.

So, I’m glad I read the book, it was well written and interesting, but Perturabo won’t be going on my Christmas card list!

Rating: 4 out of 5.

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Jaghatai Khan: Warhawk of Chogoris

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Primarchs Book 8, by Chris Wraight

The Primarchs stride across the Horus Heresy as giants (both litteral and metaphorical), being the centre piece of many of the books – although often at a distance or through the eyes of others. The Primarch (Horus Heresy) series brings stories from each of these giants and gives more background for each of the Emperor’s children.

From the book:

For long years, the White Scars have fought for the Imperium, bringing worlds to compliance. But when a new project, to embed psykers in the Space Marine Legions, seems likely to come to fruition, Jaghatai Khan must decide if he will comply…

Chris Wraight returns to the Khan of Khans with a tale set at the height of the Great Crusade and showing the momentous decisions that, in some ways, led to the darkest events of the Horus Heresy.

The White Scars are the fastest of all legions… going ahead of the Great Crusade and causing the logisticians great difficulty to keep up with. And at the head of this horde is Jaghatai Khan.

The White Scars also use Librarians and so the Khan of Khans is heading for a clash with his brothers and the emperor prior to the council of Nikaea. He tries to talk with the Warmaster, the Great Angel and Magnus in order to keep his precious Librarians.

This is a good introduction to the White Scars, their structure and – usefully – their Primarch. He is at the centre of many of the scenes and, as such, this is a good addition to the Primarch series – especially for those (like me) who only know Jaghatai from his appearances in the Siege of Terra.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Book Reviews, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Sanguinius: The Great Angel

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Primarchs Book 17, by Chris Wraight

The Primarchs stride across the Horus Heresy as giants (both litteral and metaphorical), being the centre piece of many of the books – although often at a distance or through the eyes of others. The Primarch (Horus Heresy) series brings stories from each of these giants and gives more background for each of the Emperor’s children.

From the book:

“I have always been the master of wretches, and have learned from that. I am a wretch myself, a non-standard. To purify and to transform – that has been our gift.”

Sanguinius, the very image of an angel, has chosen to obscure the origins of his Legion, and prevents outsiders from setting foot on his home world. A remembrancer attempts to discover why.

The 17th instalment of the Horus Heresy Primarchs series offers a glimpse of the Blood Angels Legion – and its celebrated primarch – from the outside, as we peer into the shrouded secrets of its past.

Regular readers of my blog posts on Woehammer will know that Blood Angels are ‘my’ chapter. When I started with my copy of Space Marine and didn’t know what I was doing, or any of the history the picture of Sanguinius, the Emperor and Horus really captured me… you know the one:

From Warhammer Art.

So, I follow a Chapter who’s Primarch dies at the beginning of my journey — yes I am that kind of wargamer!

This addition to the Primarch series follows the actions of a disgraced remembrancer who is assigned to the legion to write about The Great Angel and his legion. Unfortunately this means that the story of Sanguinius is a story about the remembrancer… As Sanguinius appears in a lot of the stories of the Horus Heresy, especially the Siege of Terra, there may not be many new stories for him, and this reads like the authors who plan the Horus Heresy series ran out of ideas for him.

Which is a shame – so unlike Konrad Curze’s book there is not enough of Sanguinius within his eponymous book. I was left wanting a lot more of Sanguinius, Baal or the Blood Angels and was disappointed overall. Maybe it would be a good introduction to Sanguinius for those who want an introduction, but I’m not convinced it is good for even that.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

We always encourage people to shop at local bricks and mortar stores, but if your friendly local book store doesn’t have this available, we have a UK Amazon affiliate link & a USA Amazon affiliate link for which Woehammer receives a small commission.

— Declan & Eeyore

Black Library, Declan Waters, Games Workshop

Book Review – Konrad Curze: The Night Haunter

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Primarchs Book 12, by Guy Hayley

The Primarchs stride across the Horus Heresy as giants (both litteral and metaphorical), being the centre piece of many of the books – although often at a distance or through the eyes of others. The Primarch (Horus Heresy) series brings stories from each of these giants and gives more background for each of the Emperor’s children.

From the book:

Few among the legendary primarchs are as feared as Konrad Curze, the Night Haunter. Even before his fall to darkness, he was a sinister legend, a remorseless killer. This is his story.

The Night Haunter is a fascinating character, a man who could have been a hero, but for the daemons that plague him, the result of his nightmarish visions of a future he helps to create. Guy Haley delves into this lord of the night, in a story you’ll never forget…

The Night Haunter brings together three stories; That of Nostramo, of Curze’s rescue from deep space, and of events leading up to his death (don’t worry, there are no spoilers here, this is in the first paragraph!!).

I haven’t followed the stories of Konrad Curze before and this was an interesting introduction to the Night Haunter. The world where he grew up – Nostramo – has suffered a change of leadership and his legion is being provided troops from prisons rather than the best of the best!

His rescue from deep space, begins to look like Nostromo* with very few survivors, and his fall from sanity before his death. The three stories are nicely intertwined and give a good insight into the Night Haunter, and his actions.

Konrad’s approach of justice before all else is not well liked by his fellow Primarch’s and he blames the Emperor for the way he was made. It is a very interesting concept and makes Konrad very different from the other Primarch’s… actually making him a 3-D character which is not the case with all of them. Whilst he is a difficult character to feel sympathy for, he is a character that can be understood.

This book is a great introduction to the Primarch with him being the main protagonist. As such, this will be a great book for those who already follow the Night Haunter and those who want to more about the Primarch of the Night Lords.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

— Declan

*Deliberate Alien Reference perfectly timed for the new film!

Check out the full list of Book Reviews we’ve done on Woehammer here