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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wanted to like this more, however, a couple of things held back my immersion. For one, the Black Library really, really, REALLY milked the length of the Horus Heresy cash cow past the point of credulity about two or three years before the Siege of Terra was even openly discussed. So having to slog through 8 more books, more actually, filled predominantly with often unnecessary side quests, and tertiary viewpoints, just fails to appeal to me.
Secondly was the how of said padding.
The addition of excess viewpoints that, quite honestly, were ultimately meaningless (such as Katsuhiro, and the entirety of the proto-Imperial Guard [piss off with the Adeptus Militarum..., it's the Guard, son]) really began to frustrate me about the same time that the focus seemed to be on short stories as opposed to full novels that, wonder of wonders, actually moved the story along to a conclusion.
And no, it wasn’t because Katushiro was dIvErSe (squeee!!!), it was because at the end of the day, even as a section of his showcases, the War is about the Emperor's Angels and the Fallen Angels (the Space Marines), and not the regular humans. Almost like the author was subtly apologizing for padding the word count. If you think it's because he was Japanese, encounter me in person and allow me to wax poetic about my love, and adoration, of Path of Heaven, and then go fuck yourself, Commie.
(Yes, I know, the White Scars are Mongols in Space, but still East Asian, and most Lefty types cannot fathom that there are differences amongst them, so whatevs).
Regardless of all of the above, it was decent, but could have been, and should have been, far better than it was.
At least it actually had Horus in it FFS, whereas the main Horus Heresy run largely didn't, so there is that.
Secondly was the how of said padding.
The addition of excess viewpoints that, quite honestly, were ultimately meaningless (such as Katsuhiro, and the entirety of the proto-Imperial Guard [piss off with the Adeptus Militarum..., it's the Guard, son]) really began to frustrate me about the same time that the focus seemed to be on short stories as opposed to full novels that, wonder of wonders, actually moved the story along to a conclusion.
And no, it wasn’t because Katushiro was dIvErSe (squeee!!!), it was because at the end of the day, even as a section of his showcases, the War is about the Emperor's Angels and the Fallen Angels (the Space Marines), and not the regular humans. Almost like the author was subtly apologizing for padding the word count. If you think it's because he was Japanese, encounter me in person and allow me to wax poetic about my love, and adoration, of Path of Heaven, and then go fuck yourself, Commie.
(Yes, I know, the White Scars are Mongols in Space, but still East Asian, and most Lefty types cannot fathom that there are differences amongst them, so whatevs).
Regardless of all of the above, it was decent, but could have been, and should have been, far better than it was.
At least it actually had Horus in it FFS, whereas the main Horus Heresy run largely didn't, so there is that.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book consists of two parts; the setup of the ultrawar against the imperium and the big showy battle at the end.
The first part is the best by far as it sets up a lot of different points of view to really show how different characters experience and handle the betrayal of Horus and his impending attack.
The second part, the big fight, is way too edgy and over the top for my taste. I like the Warhammer books when they’re about personal/political intrigue and the battles when they’ve emotionally charged. Such large scale battle does not have that and feels like an anime where bigger and more “epic” things continuously need to happen.
Still, it is a very fun read and I’m happily picking up the next one in the series.
The first part is the best by far as it sets up a lot of different points of view to really show how different characters experience and handle the betrayal of Horus and his impending attack.
The second part, the big fight, is way too edgy and over the top for my taste. I like the Warhammer books when they’re about personal/political intrigue and the battles when they’ve emotionally charged. Such large scale battle does not have that and feels like an anime where bigger and more “epic” things continuously need to happen.
Still, it is a very fun read and I’m happily picking up the next one in the series.
Very epic yet also very intimate. Thoroughly enjoyable and an excellent ‘thing’ about writing at the end.
June 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order Omnibus XXI The Siege of Terra (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus/xxi-the-siege-of-terra) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras.
I am so very pleased to have read a second Haley book I absolutely adore and have literally no notes, especially after loving the first third of each of the rest of his other Horus Heresy books.
If the Solar War is seen as a prelude to the Siege of Terra, The and the Damned is the true beginning!
This is a macro narrative in the same vein and quality as Know No Fear by Dan Abnett, covering a huge amount of ground on both the Loyalist and Traitor sides, so it's difficult to give much of a summary beyond getting to see the beginning of the War on Terra through the eyes of those on every level of the theatre of war, from the conscripts and cultists of the initial wave, through the Blood Angels, White Scars, and their Primarchs battling Death Guard, to the commanders and Primarchs, discussing, arguing, and ignoring tactics to Horus and the Emperor connecting in the Warp, as well as the World Eaters struggling to contain their Daemonic forebear until it is for beings of the warp to set hoof on Terra, the plight of the Beastfolk of the Imperium, agents of Alpharius, and the incredible vain glory of the Painted Count.
This might just be my favourite wide focus story in the Horus Heresy!
I feel like this is a real cometh the hour, cometh the person situation, and Haley has truly stepped up and written his arse off with this one!
I have always enjoyed parts of his work, but felt the energy and interest seemed to bleed away from everything of his I've read, save Curze's Primarchs book, and I've always been so confused by that. The opening of Wolfsbane on Terra I absolutely adore, but I found the actual thrust of the novel on the Vengeful Spirit lacking, as I truly found the first third of Titandeath to be a perfect novella, but then didn't care about the actual important battle. But with this, I had an absolute ball from start to finish and felt this was everything I've seen in Haley's previous work, elevated to a new level and the phenomenal standard the Horus Heresy has set for itself, but hasn't always maintained.
I absolutely hate to hate, despite how liberal I can be with my ones when I feel crushed, but I truly love to be able to love something and extoll it's virtues, and I cannot say enough good about this!
The balance and weight of the narrative, perspectives, and the secondary storylines are all brilliant. Haley juggles a while lotta characters, Legions, and situations, including my absolute favourites in the crew of the Conquerer, and they all feel distinct and full of their appropriate character.
I don't really know what else to say, but this is an absolute triumph and I hope Haley is incredibly proud of just how much he understood and aced the assignment.
I don't mean to sound shady, but if you had said to me that the last three Horus Heresy books I had read had been French, McNeill, and Haley, and the scores had been, four, one, and five, I would never have guessed that Haley would be the five and that, despite being a French superfangirl and having a really good time with The Solar War, my favourite Siege of Terra boos so far, and, honestly one of my favourite Horus Heresy books with a wider focus, would be this one by Haley.
As much as it sucks to suck, it fucking rocks to rock!*
*I am cringing at this, but my brain made me think it, so now you have to read it.
Awesome novel is awesome and I am so hype again after being totally crushed by The Sons of the Selenar.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), 25 novellas (+2 repeats), Cthonia's Reckoning, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels 3 Primarchs antholologies , 3 Characters novels, 2 Siege of Terra Novels, 1 Siege of Terra Novella, and 183 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 11+ repeats). Plus, 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best.
I am so very pleased to have read a second Haley book I absolutely adore and have literally no notes, especially after loving the first third of each of the rest of his other Horus Heresy books.
If the Solar War is seen as a prelude to the Siege of Terra, The and the Damned is the true beginning!
This is a macro narrative in the same vein and quality as Know No Fear by Dan Abnett, covering a huge amount of ground on both the Loyalist and Traitor sides, so it's difficult to give much of a summary beyond getting to see the beginning of the War on Terra through the eyes of those on every level of the theatre of war, from the conscripts and cultists of the initial wave, through the Blood Angels, White Scars, and their Primarchs battling Death Guard, to the commanders and Primarchs, discussing, arguing, and ignoring tactics to Horus and the Emperor connecting in the Warp, as well as the World Eaters struggling to contain their Daemonic forebear until it is for beings of the warp to set hoof on Terra, the plight of the Beastfolk of the Imperium, agents of Alpharius, and the incredible vain glory of the Painted Count.
This might just be my favourite wide focus story in the Horus Heresy!
I feel like this is a real cometh the hour, cometh the person situation, and Haley has truly stepped up and written his arse off with this one!
I have always enjoyed parts of his work, but felt the energy and interest seemed to bleed away from everything of his I've read, save Curze's Primarchs book, and I've always been so confused by that. The opening of Wolfsbane on Terra I absolutely adore, but I found the actual thrust of the novel on the Vengeful Spirit lacking, as I truly found the first third of Titandeath to be a perfect novella, but then didn't care about the actual important battle. But with this, I had an absolute ball from start to finish and felt this was everything I've seen in Haley's previous work, elevated to a new level and the phenomenal standard the Horus Heresy has set for itself, but hasn't always maintained.
I absolutely hate to hate, despite how liberal I can be with my ones when I feel crushed, but I truly love to be able to love something and extoll it's virtues, and I cannot say enough good about this!
The balance and weight of the narrative, perspectives, and the secondary storylines are all brilliant. Haley juggles a while lotta characters, Legions, and situations, including my absolute favourites in the crew of the Conquerer, and they all feel distinct and full of their appropriate character.
I don't really know what else to say, but this is an absolute triumph and I hope Haley is incredibly proud of just how much he understood and aced the assignment.
I don't mean to sound shady, but if you had said to me that the last three Horus Heresy books I had read had been French, McNeill, and Haley, and the scores had been, four, one, and five, I would never have guessed that Haley would be the five and that, despite being a French superfangirl and having a really good time with The Solar War, my favourite Siege of Terra boos so far, and, honestly one of my favourite Horus Heresy books with a wider focus, would be this one by Haley.
As much as it sucks to suck, it fucking rocks to rock!*
*I am cringing at this, but my brain made me think it, so now you have to read it.
Awesome novel is awesome and I am so hype again after being totally crushed by The Sons of the Selenar.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), 25 novellas (+2 repeats), Cthonia's Reckoning, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels 3 Primarchs antholologies , 3 Characters novels, 2 Siege of Terra Novels, 1 Siege of Terra Novella, and 183 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 11+ repeats). Plus, 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I preferred it to the first one. It felt less like it was just jumping from plot point to plot point. However I'm still not loving things. Everything feels very slow, and very padded out. There feels like there's a huge amount of waiting around. I did like that there were more of the main roster of characters in this one too. And who am I kidding, I'm going to watch the next one. Just hope it picks up!
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Another good entry in the series, ratcheting up the tension
dark
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A