[review]Horus Heresy Artbooks

[refuse]

Horus Heresy Artbooks

Collecting the artwork of the Horus Heresy Cardgame, and the fluff from those books, GW published a series artbooks. These artbooks included images from the card game, as well other images from around the 40k world.

 

Horus Heresy Artbook I

http://forum.emperorschildren.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10024/HHArt1.jpg

Price: $29.99

Format: Large Soft Cover

Published: 2004

Available: Out of Print

Rating: http://forum.emperorschildren.net/images/raitings/rank-5-transparent.gif

 

A good art book, older players will recognize many images from previous works.

Fluff players will find many problems with the book, and readers of the Horus Heresy novels will find even more.

 

The book takes us from Horus' corruption up through the Wolve's attack on the Thousand Sons.

 

The major contributions to the Heresy Storyline are the introduction of the Sisters of Silence, Adeptus Mechanicus armies and the introduction of the Custodes as a warrior force.

 

There are some other interesting tidbits scattered throughout the book, such as the introduction of the war council (carried forward in the Horus Heresy novels) and the Death Guard having a previous title of Dusk Raiders.

 

The largest change was the introduction of Malcador, and the level to which the Emperor had withdrawn. Malcador was running the Imperium once the Emperor had returned to earth.

 

Great Emperor's Children Pictures:

Pg 08: Charmosian by Mark Gibbons

Pg 51: Rethaern Platoon by James Brady

Pg 53: Odovocar by Karl Richardson

 

Of course there are mistakes per the usual GW books such as pg 57, Vallerus tactical Squad is really two Emperor's Children terminators and pg 70 Justaerin Terminator squad attributed to the Sons of Horus.

 

All in all a great book and I think the Thousand Sons came out looking hot in this one.

 

 

Horus Heresy Artbook II

http://forum.emperorschildren.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10024/HHArt2.jpg

Price:$29.99

Format:Large Soft Cover

Published:2004

Available:Out of Print

Rating:http://forum.emperorschildren.net/images/raitings/rank-5-transparent.gif

 

This book picks up with the War on Isstvan III and adds some of the largest proof that not all the marines of the legions sided with Horus. Istavan III now is the battle scene where those who fell to chaos were forced to deal with their still loyal breathern (I can't wait till the novel Eisenstein incident comes out).

 

This book covers the Imperial Army over a few pages. Very interesting imagery. Then we revisit the verdict of the Council of Nikea. In this new story, the formations of the chaplains is based around the Word Bearers. To "ensure" the spiritual well being of the legions, and enforce the anti-psyker ban.

 

Here we also get a view of the Dark Mechanicus, the Adeptus Mechanicus swayed by Horus to side with him.

 

This book brings the Space Wolves to the fore, introduces some additional legions and presents the Emperor's Children with images of some haven fallen to Chaos and others still loyal. The Custodes get a great spread on Pg 46, and the sisters on Pg 47.

 

Much to the discomfort of good Slaanesh players, the Daemons of Slaanesh seem to take a beating by the forces of the Blood Angels in this book. Only a small measure of comfort can be gained by flipping the page and seeing the Daemons of Khorne giving the Blood Angels a good thrashing.

 

Favorite Pictures in this book are Pg 8 Metallis Terminator Squad by John Wigley and Pg 79 Chapter Master Lucius by Sam Wood.

 

Another great artbook with some interesting fluff. Worth the read.

 

Horus Heresy Artbook III

http://forum.emperorschildren.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10024/HHArt3.jpg

Price: $29.99

Format:Large Soft Cover

Published:2005

Available:In stock some places.

Rating:http://forum.emperorschildren.net/images/raitings/rank-5-transparent.gif

 

Ok, lets get this out of the way. The cover is offensive. Sheesh, a Greater Daemon in the hands of a Primarch. Good that is out of the way!

 

This book picks up with a recap of where the legions are, and what is going on. We then go into a quick recap/update on Isstvan III, and we then hop over to the Thousand Sons vs the Space Wolves. Yes, yes, we know the outcome, but those Pre-Heresy Thousand Sons had style!

 

We then find that Malcador was the one told about the Isstvan battles and it was Dorn who gave Garro save passage to Earth.

 

There is a huge spread in the middle of the book called the Blades of the Traitor by Sam Woods. A great picture, and the next few pages present close ups of the image in better detail.

 

The Salamanders and Dark Angels make an appearence, though Astelan is shown on Pg 51!

 

The book progresses to the Isstvan dropsite battle with images of Raven Guard, and the other soon to be near extinct legions getting few pictures in.

 

For this one, none of the Emperor's Children pictures stood out for me.

 

Again, not a bad read.

 

Horus Heresy Artbook IV

http://forum.emperorschildren.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10024/HHArt4.jpg

Price:$29.99

Format:Large Soft Cover

Published:2006

Available:Available now

Rating: NA

 

I can't wait to get this book. While originally I couldn't see myself buying one, much less all of these artbooks, I have enjoyed them enough that the fourth book will be purchased soon. A review of the book will come along with my purchase.

[idinos]

The last book is quite interesting, especially on the goings-on before the traitors landed on Terra, however I find that the dialogues were quite wooden (a trend also apparent in the third book), and approximately half of the book was taken up by pictures of the sabertooth card game. The artwork was quite impressive though.

 

Very nice reviews!

[Vodunius]

Volume I is actually still available from alot of shops, and the Black Library site lists it as "Temporarily Out of Stock" (it was sold out almost everywhere but it got a reprint last year i think)

[Dammekkos]

The last book is quite interesting, especially on the goings-on before the traitors landed on Terra, however I find that the dialogues were quite wooden (a trend also apparent in the third book), and approximately half of the book was taken up by pictures of the sabertooth card game. The artwork was quite impressive though.

 

Very nice reviews!

 

 

Indeed, the writing style is possibly the worst in any GW publication ever (including such travesties as Dead Sky, Kage etc), seems to be written for the under 12 market or something. Extremely poor prose, hideously bland.

 

The artwork is very good though, the first and third being better than the second, though the second does include "Hands of The Emperor" (a bit like a loyalist version of Abbadon's conclave in the third book), Andy Chambers' "bottle speeder" immortalised in 2d form, and Clint Eastwood makes a guest appearance as an Ultramarine.

 

Haven't got the fourth yet, but apaprently it's the last in the series (a shame, they must have packed in the entire second half of the Heresy in one book, so I imagine the writing is even worse). Available from Amazon now I think.

[Commander Biguss Brutus]

oh I cant wait to get my hands on the fourth, I have managed somehow to have money for the other 3 and I have to say I got so much inspiration for modelling, artwork and army background ideas.

 

highlights for me are seeing salamanders which always seem slightly neglected, also all the sisters of silence and custodians pictures I love. As for favourite image it has got to be the dreadnought being vaped by a multi melta

 

good reviews :)

[Brother Djibril]

While I'm not terribly enamored of the fluff in these art books, the art is gorgeous. They are basically a must for anyone wanting to do a pre-Heresy Space Marine army as there are countless pictures of old Mk. armor and lots of other variations.

[Apemantus]

I've got the fourth book and I must say I was a bit disappointed, don't get me wrong the Artwork is great and includes Primarch Perturabo and Captain Forrix (from the 'Storm of Iron book) A fantastic picture of Captain Garro and nice piece of a heavily mutated Fulgrim, Fans of the Raven Guard and Salamanders will be disappointed as there are no pictures of Corax or Vulkan in the CC at all, The one picture of Ferrus Manus appears as a small card though when you look at it you'll be thinking how on earth was Fulgrim able to cut his head off.

The concluding story (and I'm going to be harsh) wasn't good, The whole Lion and the Wolf saga seems to have gone as has the IF terminators saving the Emperor and the who interment into the Golden Throne, Much of William Kings original story has changed.

 

Overall Great artwork, but the weak story lets it down.

[Doghouse]

My favourites are the first two. The third is pretty good as well.

The fourth is an absolute must for fluff though giving the real reason why the Emperor returned to Earth and the true purpose of the Golden Throne (won't give away details here though as it'll spoil the surprise <_< ). Unfortunately the second half of the book is just pictures of all the cards released for the game.

 

Andy Chambers' "bottle speeder" immortalised in 2d form

 

That was Rick Priestly's landspeeder :cry:

Edited August 17, 2006 by Doghouse

[idinos]

Indeed, the writing style is possibly the worst in any GW publication ever (including such travesties as Dead Sky, Kage etc), seems to be written for the under 12 market or something. Extremely poor prose, hideously bland.

 

The spine-breaking moments that Sanguinus participated in (both as a giver and a taker -_-) reminded me of a Steven Seagal movie! If the books didn't have that drivel inside they'd be perfect.

Edited August 20, 2006 by idinos

[Gemblesego]

Yes, good art, bad writing (think Sabretooth!). Didn't entirely like some of the fluff changes, but good books overall, well worth buying.

[masterseth]

I have all four of the books and I must say I was severly disappointed with the vol#4. Some cool stuff in there however only 52 pages of material like the previous 3 books...the remaining 40+ pages are just filled with pics of the actual cards (not the usual artwork lifted from the cards) very lame in my opinion.

 

;)

[Dammekkos]

I have all four of the books and I must say I was severly disappointed with the vol#4. Some cool stuff in there however only 52 pages of material like the previous 3 books...the remaining 40+ pages are just filled with pics of the actual cards (not the usual artwork lifted from the cards) very lame in my opinion.

 

;)

 

Err, what? Pics of the cards with the writing left on? Please say that this is a mistake. This would be GW's lamest stunt EVER if I am reading this right.

[Vodunius]

Err, what? Pics of the cards with the writing left on?

 

yup, exact pictures of the cards

[krusade]

its not all bad, i quite liked the story (not the actual content but what it all implied). fav pieces of art work have to be -

abyssa daemon prince of slaanesh by wayne england

 

delvarus possessed marine of khorne by tiernan trevallion (however i do know that this piece was used in ST's new card game dark millenium, so thats a bit cheap from both them and GW).

 

phosis terminator squad of the TS by Abrar ajmal

 

and vaddark rampager squad of the SoH, also by abrar ajmal (i like his style, its a bit comicique as opposed to portrait art that GW artists are wont to do).

 

spolier alert!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

however i do like waht the final story implied - that there is a direct link to the webway under the imperial palace and that the inquisition was started before the emperor accended the golden throne. Any clues to who those 12 individuals were?

well i can hazard a guess that one of them was/is Cap. Garro. the reason - using both fluff and the art as a source of information. art such as the sigil of malcador carries a marine of his knees that looks like garro. also the fluff indicates that after the siege of terra, garro disappeared, with him either rejoining the DG or trying to restore them. then we have the (now) fact that the inquisition was started by at least 8 marines who gave up their oaths to primarch and legion. i know its all conjecture but i can quite imagine that garro was among them after showing both bravery and loyalty to the emperor by already recinding his oaths to mortarion and the DG.

it makes perfect sense to use those who have already reported on heresy to continue to do so.

plus it also gives us a clue to where the gene seed of the GK's came from - malcador!

it says in the book that he was already a powerful psyker and had served the emperor since nearly the begining of the crusade meaning he had to be powerful to have such a long life span even with rejuve drugs (remember he stayed on earth while the emperor was away and acted as his agent, so he didnt get the added benefit of time displacement while in the warp ). and it was malcador who was chosen after magnus to power the golden throne in the emperor's stead. which means he had to be extremely powerful as the way it was in psychic power the emperor was first, magnus second then obviously came malcador, a perfect candidate for use as gene father to the chapter with the greatest psychic potential.

[Centurio Aeneias]

INFORMATION/EVIDENCE RELATING TO THE SPOILERS DOWN BELOW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I agree with all the possibilities that you've mentioned krusade, but I would like to make some additional theories and evidence to your theories known, if they aren't already. Firstly, the eight "others" which were, as Malcador said, space marines, I believe were the trainers for the Grey Knights chapter. that was to come later. Perhaps they are even Dreadnoughts to this day. There is also evidence that you are right about Captain Garro and his comrades being part of the Grey Knights to come or their instructors to come because Malcador says that, in relation to the space marines, that "that these others are known to you" already. There is also the fact he said that they had "cast aside their allegience to Primarch and Legion who have sided with Horus."

 

The Inquisition was started by the first four humans and the space marine were either all to be the pioneers of the Chamber Militant of the Grey Knights or to be used for the others as well as this one (in response to intelligence Malcador had of alien races at the time). The first four humans (I believe) were Promeus, Moriana (who were both Resurrectionists) and another two (who I don't know the names of) who stayed on Terra to forn the Administratum.

Edited September 14, 2006 by Centurio Aeneias

[Lord Ragnarok]

SPOILER Continue!!!....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought the first 4 individuals were the future high lords. But I'm no expert on the High Lords of Terra so please debunk my thoughts if they are off. I was guessing that the 8 Psyker SM's were precursors to the Grey Knights.

 

One thing which is a mystery to me is who helped the Space Wolves free themselves of the Alpha Legion forces. The book mentions receiving help from an unexpected quarter.

[Centurio Aeneias]

SPOILER continued even more!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two of those four individuals that were not of the eight that were space marines I believe stayed at home on Terra to create such institutions that governed the Imperium, such as the Administratum and Inquistion proper and to redesign others that didn't fit with the current age, such as better controls on the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. I dunno if they'd actually have seats on the new Senatorum Imperialis (the senate of the High Lords of Terra) because they'd want to operate behind the scenes and have other people do that for them whilst turning heads to controlling others seats as well. Politics, what can I say? Who knows what they'd do.

 

But as you mention the Space Wolves being saved from an unexpected quarter I kind of assumed that that that faction was the Dark Angels...;) There was a bit of evidence I had for this but after the stuff on page 42 about the Ultramarine's fleet and the Space Wolve's fleet arriving in a matter of hours near about the same time and the Dark Angels coming at an unknown time, well that idea was shattered. Although Sabertooth fluff isn't what it should be. Originally it was such that the Dark Angels would be back in a couple of days at about the same time.

[Lord Ragnarok]

Thanks for that insight. :lol:

[Kobrakei]

Firstly, the eight "others" which were, as Malcador said, space marines, I believe were the trainers for the Grey Knights chapter. that was to come later. Perhaps they are even Dreadnoughts to this day. There is also evidence that you are right about Captain Garro and his comrades being part of the Grey Knights to come or their instructors to come because Malcador says that, in relation to the space marines, that "that these others are known to you" already. There is also the fact he said that they had "cast aside their allegience to Primarch and Legion who have sided with Horus."

 

 

Now, is it just me, or is anyone else thinking of making some kind of Garro dreadnought? :lol:

Edited September 15, 2006 by kobrakei

[deus lo volt]

Vol 4, page 13 was awesome! Somebody got duped! :blink:

 

Where were the Eldar?

 

Who helped the Space Wolves?

 

Is there a Dark Angel re-write out there?

 

Head starting to hurt..........need aspirin...........................or maybe,.........just maybe............

.....a complete story. :devil:

Edited September 15, 2006 by deus lo volt

[Lord Ragnarok]

Firstly, the eight "others" which were, as Malcador said, space marines, I believe were the trainers for the Grey Knights chapter. that was to come later. Perhaps they are even Dreadnoughts to this day. There is also evidence that you are right about Captain Garro and his comrades being part of the Grey Knights to come or their instructors to come because Malcador says that, in relation to the space marines, that "that these others are known to you" already. There is also the fact he said that they had "cast aside their allegience to Primarch and Legion who have sided with Horus."

 

 

Now, is it just me, or is anyone else thinking of making some kind of Garro dreadnought? :blink:

 

Hehe I don't think you are alone :devil: