When is a Primarchs story not a primarchs story? How about when it focuses on Malcador the Sigillite, as in LJ Goulding’s audio drama First Lord of the Imperium. It might not directly feature any primarchs, but if anyone knows their secrets it’s Malcador, and when he’s called to the bedside of an old friend to witness her final moments he comforts her with talk of the primarchs’ purpose and the grand plan he and the Emperor hold for mankind. Even under these circumstances, however, is it possible to sift Malcador’s words for the actual truth?
Tag Archives: The Primarchs
QUICK REVIEW: Stone and Iron – Robbie MacNiven
The first audio drama in the Horus Heresy Primarchs series, Robbie MacNiven’s Perturabo: Stone and Iron sees the Hammer of Olympia leading the inexperienced 33rd Grand Battalion of the Iron Warriors into battle. Fighting against greenskins in support of their Imperial Fists cousins, the Iron Warriors are under close scrutiny by their primarch even as they follow his orders. Though his officers seem leery of the VIIth Legion’s efforts, Perturabo sees an opportunity to impart an important lesson to his sons using the Fists as his example.
RAPID FIRE: Josh Reynolds Talks Fulgrim: The Palatine Phoenix
Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with Black Library authors talking about their releases. These are short and sweet interviews, with the idea being that each author will answer (more or less) the same questions – by the end of each interview I hope you will have a good idea of what the new book (or audio drama) is about, what inspired it and why you might want to read it.
In this instalment I asked Josh Reynolds about his new Horus Heresy Primarchs novel Fulgrim: The Palatine Phoenix, which is available to buy right now.
Lorgar: Bearer of the Word – Gav Thorpe
For the fifth instalment of the ongoing Horus Heresy-set The Primarchs series, Gav Thorpe takes a look at the primarch of the Word Bearers in Lorgar: Bearer of the Word. When disgraced preacher Kor Phaeron finds a strange infant – clearly touched by the gods – in the company of a band of ragged nomads travelling the arid lands of Colchis, he instantly recognises the potential for his own gain represented by Lorgar. We watch as he exerts his influence upon the impressionable Lorgar, and how their relationship develops as Lorgar himself changes.
RAPID FIRE: Gav Thorpe Talks Lorgar: Bearer of the Word
Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with Black Library authors talking about their releases. These are short and sweet interviews, with the idea being that each author will answer (more or less) the same questions – by the end of each interview I hope you will have a good idea of what the new book (or audio drama) is about, what inspired it and why you might want to read it.
In this instalment I asked Gav Thorpe about his new Primarchs novel Lorgar: Bearer of the Word, which was first released a few months ago in limited edition format, and is now available to order in standard edition. Without further ado, over to Gav.
QUICK REVIEW: Grandfather’s Gift – Guy Haley
Day One of 2017’s Black Library Summer of Reading campaign
Unexpectedly branded as a Horus Heresy Primarchs series short story (the first one ever!), Grandfather’s Gift by Guy Haley is an entertaining and surprisingly light tale of Mortarion, primarch of the Death Guard. After waking within the Garden of Nurgle with no memory of how he got there, Mortarion sets off along its paths to discover – or maybe rediscover – how he came to be there, while marvelling at the wonders he sees along the way. To avoid giving anything away let’s just say he’s not alone in the Garden, and during his time there we gain an insight into his place within Nurgle’s ranks.
Magnus The Red: Master of Prospero – Graham McNeill
In the third of Black Library’s Horus Heresy Primarchs series, Graham McNeill’s Magnus The Red: Master of Prospero, we’re transported to a time not long after Magnus and his sons were first brought together on Prospero. On the doomed Imperial world of Morningstar, Magnus and his brother Perturabo lead their Legions in an attempt to rescue as many civilians as possible before the planet tears itself apart. While Perturabo and the Iron Warriors focus on the logistics of the mission, Magnus and his Thousand Sons are more concerned with searching for answers as to what’s happening on Morningstar, and why.
Leman Russ: The Great Wolf – Chris Wraight (The Primarchs Book Two)
The second book in The Horus Heresy Primarchs series, Chris Wraight’s Leman Russ: The Great Wolf is, like David Annandale’s Guilliman novel, not an origin story. It does however deal with the origin of a key part of the Wolves’ background – their rivalry with the Dark Angels. During the Great Crusade, the VI Legion were tasked with the pacification of the Dulan empire, who refused compliance with the Imperium. In the final stages of the campaign Russ and his brother Lion El’Jonson famously came to blows, and now we get the story of why that happened…at least from Russ’ perspective.
Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar – David Annandale (The Primarchs Book One)
The first in what will eventually be a series of eighteen short novels, David Annandale’s Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar kicks The Horus Heresy – The Primarchs off with a look at the XIIIth Legion…the Ultramarines. Set during the Great Crusade this isn’t an origin story for Guilliman, instead it sees him leading his legion against the final remnants of an ork empire on the planet Thoas. Determined to honour the legacy of its original human inhabitants, he commits his legion to battle even while he makes moves internally to shake things up and remind some of his sons of the legion’s identity.