Marek Grimfang Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Ive read the HH books ever since they came out almost back to back, but other interests and other ooks have had me stray. I am seriously struggling to get through "Fulgrim" right now and have about 100 pages to go, and with all seriousness, this book sort of sucks. I have "Descent of Angels" already to go next, but because "Fulgrim" has taken me over a year to get to this point, I have lost track of who is who, and what is what. Is there something somewhere that offers a broken down version of each of the books to get me caught up again? I know they offer a great look into the Pre-Hereasy era of 40k, but I think they run into each other too much and the repetitiveness kills it for me. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magneilium Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 It might be worthwhile reading Fulgrim again from the start. I have read up to Mechanicum, and Fulgrim was probably my favourite. Sorry to say Descent of Angels was easily my least favourite, which was disappointing as I was really looking forward to the Dark Angels' part of the Heresy. Fulgrim is about the Primarch's personal viewpoint, his personal struggle as much as it is about the rank and file marines, and everyone loves Primarchs. SPOILER! If you happen to have read Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, it's a bit like that. A big bit. END SPOILER. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2160604 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArcticFox Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 I'm on Mechanicum right now. I can tell you if you're struggling with Fulgrim you're probably going to hate Descent. Big time. What you've been reading so far are interlinked stories from varying points of view, and Fulgrim does that to a lesser extent. From here on, the stories won't be closely related at all. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2160928 Share on other sites More sharing options...
jb85 Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 Bit surprised you are struglling with Fulgrim, I would consider it one of the strongest books in the series. If you are having problems getting through it I would give serious thought before purchasing Descent or Mechanicum (or most of the rest of the books tbf :lol: ). Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2161011 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inquisitor Engel Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 I too disliked Fulgrim, for a variety of reason I won't go into here. I would skip Descent of Angels and save it until a flight or something when you have literally NOTHING else to do. Fallen Angels is actually pretty decent though. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2161686 Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmperorBobo Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 The second DA books was the better of the two, I thought, though both are not the best. I enjoyed Legion and I enjoyed Flight too. I can't wait for the thousand sons book, it should be interesting at the very least and the cameo in battle for the abyss was good (the ship battle was cool and a bit funny). Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2161852 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marek Grimfang Posted October 24, 2009 Author Share Posted October 24, 2009 I think Ill get Prospero Burns next just for the Space Wolves aspect, and then be done with the series. Too many other books to get through. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2161878 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrion Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Fulgrim is one of my favourite of the series. It starts slowly with all the arty farty stuff, but the last 100 pages or so are good reading. Descent of Angels is by far the worst so far, Legion is my favourite, Mechanicum is suprisingly good - the whole series is really good, far better than any other 40k space marine novels which have been disappointing in the main. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2161912 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutteman Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Fulgrim was damned depressing. I'm one tose people who reads fast, I picked up Fulgrim about 12 and by 5 had finished it. This means I really get involved and after 4 hours of the fall from grace of the Emperor's Children I really felt depressed by it. It's well written for the most part (there is some debate about the Istvaan V battle) As for broken down versions...umm, does wiki have pages for these books? EDIT: It does but it's...Very short. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2162248 Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronWinds Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Fulgrim= great. One of the better ones I have to say. Watching people go crazy in slow motion.... well fast in some parts is always enjoyable. Decent of Angels: Huh that was an HH book ;) ? I swore it was a book about a bunch of 13th century knights...... then after you have wasted a small part of your life space marines fall from the sky.... YEAH <_< ! One of the worst books ever.... ever. The only reason to read it is because it sets up Fallen Angels, but if there was ever a book to just skip half way through... yup its Decent. That book was torture waiting for something... anything to happen... then when it does it just doesn't fulfill the expectation. Ok sorry for the rant... I guess if your a DA player it is interesting. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2164459 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific81 Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 A piece of advice I would give to someone reading any book - if you can't get into it, for whatever reason, then give up with it. Life is too short, and there are just too many books which you would probably have enjoyed but never had the chance to read. I was watching a Graham McNeil interview not long ago and he was talking about the heresy as a series. He said that it was about so much more than Horus Rebels/goes to Terra/dies. There is this massive, galaxy spanning conflict taking place, the likes of which would never be seen again. I for one hope they 'lose their way' and explore these sideline narratives as much as possible, because once its done they won't ever be going back to it :) Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2164921 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcan He'Stan Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Favourite was Legion and the backstabbing and manipulative Omegon/Alpharius. Hard to understand sometimes especially with the crazy alien conclave of psychers and things but by far the best in the series. Least favourite was Descent of Angels which was suprising as i really like the Dark Angels. I found the book boring and i was always wanting more from it. Again, the bloody thing cut out half way through the story and left you understanding why Luther actually did what he did, Johnson was an a**hole. Fulgrim was another one i found hard to read but cracked on with it to get it out of the way. I couldnt deal with all of the crazy thought and lunacy in his head. I did find it funny at the end though when he finally got posessed and had a chat with Horus. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2166274 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDarmy Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 i kinda struggled through Fulgrim a bit. so i understand. I also struggled through the Grey knight omnibus. i finaly parked it when he was captured and made into a gladiator. ( i think i read this book before. it was a dragonlance one) so maybe im not the best at picking books. most of my friends realy liked fulgrim. but i realy liked legion lol. who knows, anyways, i can agree though. decent was brutally bad. if youd like a break check out the Ciaphis Cain books. FANTASTIC! Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2166386 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marek Grimfang Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 Im ditching the book. Ive tried and tried. The last 100 pages or so will go untouched. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2166551 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyrannicide Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Im ditching the book. Ive tried and tried. The last 100 pages or so will go untouched. The same way I've reacted to the degenerating Horus Heresy series as well. After the first three books it slowly started to get more and more uninteresting and predictable. I don't blame you for ditching the book, I know I won't be laying my hands on it anytime soon. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2166571 Share on other sites More sharing options...
juggernaut_7 Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 the lexicanum will fix it it is a web site that has all the info about warhammer 40k condensed google it but i warn you once you start it will be hard to stop there is a lot of knowledge just a click away and it will intice you to know about stuff you havent read about trust me i know. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2166577 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marek Grimfang Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 I picked up "Starship Troopers" finally as well as got "Boewulf" for last yeas Christmas. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2166580 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Santios Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Mechanicum has so far been my least favourite book - I love the series and normally cant put them down but this one was so .... out of step (in my opinion) that I pretty much went through the motions to finish it. I want to read more about the epic battles etc for the Heresy, how the Legions reacted, fought and came down on the sides they did - we still have a few 'expunged' (spellist) chapters in the original 20 do we not ? Something on them would be nice ...not trawl through what could be better put out as standalone Heresy period novels ! More Chapter on Chapter battles - space things blowing up and possibly a happy ending (joke) GW seem to be able to hammer out these in pulp yet still enjoyable formats (just look at all the Imperial guard novels for example, easy to read, predictable ... not always yet still fun) so why cant they up there game for this 'flagship' series ? *rant off* Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2166647 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobman Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 I also had trouble with Fulgrim, I didn't think it was as good as the others. Decent was positively rubbish. Legion was great though, one of the best endings yet. I also liked Flight... Although it wasn't action packed the idea of convincing people of Horus' treachery. Talk about futile. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2166711 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zazoo Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I dont understand why so many people like fulgum. To me it was the worst of the lot so far. I also struggled to get through it. Then again I thought the descent of angels book was pretty decent and my favourite to date would be flight. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2168079 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vulcan He'Stan Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Everyone has thier own views. My favourite bit of Flight was when they were boarded by Imperial Fist Terminators and everyone was really stunned. Then straight arrow Garro stepped stepped forward and told Sigismund (i think it was) to basically get off his ship. Then Rogal Dorn stepped out and Garro bricked himself. Couldnt even belive Dorn apologised to him. Classic. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2168115 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odsox Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 Let's see... I think that my favourite novels so far have been False Gods, Mechanicum, and, bandwagon be damned, Fulgrim. I loved the title Primarch's introspection and the degredation of his captive artist's work. Reminded me of The Portrait of Dorian Gray. I'd like to throw Tales of Heresy up there as well (Angron beating the snot out of Kharne? That was awesome!), although obviously it's seperate from the actual series. Least favourite? I'm going to have to say Descent of Angels as well. I was bored out of my mind reading that book. I've never really been a fan of the Dark Angels and that story didn't change that in any way, which, on reflection, makes me a bit sad. Who else is looking forward to Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns? I've wanted to know more about the sorcerous sons of Magnus the Red and the Council of Nikaea (interestingly named after the biblical Council of Nicaea, it turns out) for aaaaages. Odsox. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2168122 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoebus Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 When I first read "Descent of Angels", I was disappointed as well. Time passes, though, and allows for introspection. Given hindsight, I don't think DoA was a bad book at all. In fact, I've enjoyed it more and more with each subsequent reading. There are nuances to be found, hidden gems and connections to the greater lore, etc. It sets up the reasons for the upcoming schism; best of all, it does so without compromising your sympathy for a man you know will become a defining villain. "Descent of Angels", in my humble opinion, let people down for two major reasons: 1. It came in the trails of five books that had, thus far, delivered a linear story and a consistent, popular cast. More importantly, the story of some of those characters was as yet unresolved (Garro, Qruze, Keeler, etc.); the fates of other characters were the subject of rather furious discussion and much speculation. "Descent of Angels" did nothing to further that story, nor did it give us any continuity or closure where the characters are concerned. I honestly feel that "Battle for the Abyss" suffered, opinion-wise, for the same reason: if anything, I think expectations were even higher (and from a broader audience) because it made no bones about picking up again in the Heresy time-frame. But, again, there was no aftermath to Isstvan, no Horus, no Garro, etc. By the time "Mechanicum" rolled around, I think readers had become acclimated to the idea that it would be a long time before they saw Garro, Horus Aximand, etc., again. 2. Going hand-in-hand with reason #1, it wasn't really a "Heresy" novel. "Descent of Angels" didn't just not follow up on the momentum and climaxes "Fulgrim" and "Flight of the Eisenstein" gave the series; it literally turned the clock back by about five decades. I don't think anyone was ready for that. Personally, I think Black Library just needs to re-format the way they're putting out the series. Things might be made better if, aside from short story offerings like "Tales of Heresy", "Dark King" and the "Lightning Tower", we have a parallel series of "peripheral" novels--the stories that happen before the Heresy, or that don't directly impact the main storyline. "Descent of Angels" would be such a novel. If the buyer knows in advance that the books with spine color X are of a specific variety, I think they're far less likely to be peeved when they get to page 200 or so and the characters STILL haven't learned about the Imperium! :P Cheers, P. P.S.: someone said something about the Lion coming off as less-than-nice in "Descent of Angels". To him I say... "did we read the same book?" The Lion spends the vast majority of the book being nice to Zahariel, trying to make jokes, giving people gifts, offering advice, and even sharing with people his questions about the universe. In one single moment, when he and Luther are fighting a Chaos Beast we see how the Lion's superhuman nature and the way people respond to it lead to Luther feeling jealous. So what was the Lion supposed to do? How realistic would it have been for him to STOP FIGHTING so that Luther could get the "money shot"? Or is it his fault that the knights there were more awestruck by the eleven-foot demigod from the wilds rather than his second-in-command? Or was he being a jerk when he sent home a guy who tried to blow him up and a guy who refused to volunteer the truth of this to him? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2168356 Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronWinds Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I've already trashed Decent about as bad as one can trash a book. Just finished Fallen Angels.... and well it was good. Actually for those of you going through the books 1 by 1, don't read decent of angels where ever it is in the timeline. When you get to Fallen Angels read Decent just beforehand. I wished I had read the two as one big book instead of two little ones. Fallen makes up for the slowww...... part of Decent, and those little unimportant things in Decent actually come back in Fallen. All those tales of killing monsters becomes VERY important again. Fallen gives Decent meaning, so read them as one book and it will be a better experience. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2168896 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArmouredWing Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 The series has strayed way too far away from what it should have been and it's looking like it'll keep running way beyond the original prediction of 19 books. The highlights for me have been Horus Rising, Galaxy in Flames, Flight of the Eisenstein and (flying in the face of common opinion) Descent of Angels. Lowlights, well there have been quite a few in all fairness, but a few in particular; False Gods was ok up to the point in which Horus had to make his choice, he may have been as well to toss a coin as to which side he fell on as there was no apparent turmoil in his decision to side against everything his beloved 'father' stood for. Fulgrim was a pretty abysmal, taudry affair. Unimaginative and lacking depth I really struggled to get through it. Legion? Dan Abnett is a king of the BL but this was the book that proved he wasn't god. I'm not sure if it was the language that was used but I really struggled with this and found it tiresome to try and keep up with who was double and triple crossing someone else. I've got Fallen Angels kicking about somewhere half read and not even bothered with mechanicum. Generally I've lost interest in the series as it's lost focus. I will probably get around to Prospero & 1K Sons as I'm interested to see how the Abnett/McNeill tag team will work but apart from that there's not a lot on the BL horizon that's hooked my interest. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/182649-at-a-loss-with-the-horus-heresy-series/#findComment-2169452 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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