Siege of Terror: The Solar War

 

Second book of my holiday reads jumped to the start of the Siege of Terror with John French's The Solar War.

For those of us that have been reading and listening to every Black Library release for Horus Heresy it has been a long but suitably long time for it to reach its climax with the Siege of Terra. The Solar War is the first of what is a 5 part series so far. Can the Loyal Legions of the Emperor stop on the on rushing horde of the Warmaster Horus.

The book starts with the forces of the Emperor desperately preparing for the on rushing forces of the Warmaster, as the book unfolds it is a also a delaying tactic to allow the Ultramarines reach Terra and join the defence. Primarch Rogal Dorn has been given control of the defences of Terra which start at the first sphere at Pluto under the disgraced Sigismund, whilst Jubal Khan of the White Scars looks to intercept any secondary assualt.

Mersadie Oliton remembrancer to Horus before his fall from grace is given a message from an old friend to pass to Loken and escapes and avoids many pitfalls through the book. 

With the every massing forces of the Warmaster both in space and the warp, how can the loyalists defend the throne of Terra?

For fans of the series you will know that it is customarry with grand operas the writers will focus on the lesser players and their perspective and view of the battle. The most interesting of these is Abaddon and his growing relationship with Chaos and his Mournival brothers. I found these parts of the book enthralling and complex and constantly looked to his next part in the battle. ( Yes I am a Sons of Horus fanboy)

This book is a grand space opera and John French manages to keep the action and battle flowing whilst giving more detail and richness to the characters that we have read through. 

For those new to the Horus Heresy books this is not a starting point. You would benefit greatly from reading the first 5 books in the series. This book has wetted my appititie for what is to come in the Solar War.

What is on your reading list? and what did you think to the The Solar War?

Know No Fear:The Battle of Calth Horus Heresy Book Review

 

On my holiday break I have taken a couple of Horus Heresy books for some motivational reading whislt I wait to get back to the UK and finally open my Horus Heresy Pre-Order.

Reader bewarned there are spoilers in this review......

Cover Description

Unaware of the wider Heresy and following the Warmaster's increasingly cryptic orders, Roboute Guilliman returns to Ultramar to muster his Legion for war against the Orks massing in the Veridia System, WIthout warning their supposed allies in the Word Bearers Legion launch a devastating invasion of Calth, scattering the Ultramarines' fleet and slaughtering all who stand in their way. This confirms the worst scenario Guilliman can imagine- Lorgar means to settle their bitter rivalry once and for all. As the traitors summon foul daemonic hosts and all the forces of Chaos, the Ultramarines are drawn into a grim and deadly struggle in which neither side can prevail.

This is the 19th book in the series and written by Dan Abnett and first published in 2012.

With there being over 80 books in the series so far there is a lot of reading material and some that just won't be to your taste or feature your Legion. It is generally a given that the first 5 books of the series are a must read as this covers the fall of Horus, the massicare at Istivan V, and the Loyalist fleeing the Traitors to try and get word back to Terra of the Warmasters betrayal.

For me personally this is one that should be added to the must read books as again it covers a major battle in the war at Calth and the rise of Daemons being used by the Word Bearers and their change from Marines to Daemon mutated. There are more insights into the mechanicum and the emergence of Samus. The Ultramarines come to realise that there is fear and they must master their fear to become victorius. 

Dan Abnett once again blends the wonderful descriptive text that is a feature of his novels and the ability to convay huge battlescapes, fleet battles and then bring it down to singular combat and focus.

If you are an Ultramatines or Word Bearers player or fan then this is a must buy book.

Remember that when you have the chance to kill an Ultramarine do so or his revenge will be merciless