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Forges of Mars #2
Lords of Mars: Forge of Mars: Warhammer 40,000, Book 2
Book two in the Forge of Mars series.
Pursued by vengeful eldar, Magos Kotov’s Explorator armada heads into a newly revealed area of space in pursuit of ancient secrets.
Listen to it because....
It's a dramatic continuation of the tale from Priests of Mars, exploring science fiction ideas and human conflicts within the framework of a Warhammer 40,000 action-adventure drama.
The
Pursued by vengeful eldar, Magos Kotov’s Explorator armada heads into a newly revealed area of space in pursuit of ancient secrets. As the Adeptus Mechanicus forces and Black Templars Space Marines tackle the twin threats of the wrathful aliens and insurrection aboard the fleet, a greater danger reveals itself....
Written by Graham McNeill. Narrated by Joe Jameson. Run time 11 hours and 42 minutes.
Pursued by vengeful eldar, Magos Kotov’s Explorator armada heads into a newly revealed area of space in pursuit of ancient secrets.
Listen to it because....
It's a dramatic continuation of the tale from Priests of Mars, exploring science fiction ideas and human conflicts within the framework of a Warhammer 40,000 action-adventure drama.
The
Pursued by vengeful eldar, Magos Kotov’s Explorator armada heads into a newly revealed area of space in pursuit of ancient secrets. As the Adeptus Mechanicus forces and Black Templars Space Marines tackle the twin threats of the wrathful aliens and insurrection aboard the fleet, a greater danger reveals itself....
Written by Graham McNeill. Narrated by Joe Jameson. Run time 11 hours and 42 minutes.
Audible Audio
First published August 1, 2013
About the author
Graham McNeill
348 books947 followersHailing from Scotland, Graham McNeill narrowly escaped a career in surveying to work for Games Workshop as a games designer. He has a strong following with his novels Nightbringer, Warriors of Ultramar, Dead Sky, Black Sun and Storm of Iron.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
May 5, 2014
"There's a cog in the machina! Now there's two, that would make it Deus Ex Machina?"
Well, well, well. It's easy to see how reviewers might find Lords Of Mars blown out of all proportions when it comes to the usual 40K canon, but then change is always hard for some. Why is Graham's novel overblown? Between the strange crystalline creatures mimicking humans and Astrates alike, between the strange artificial creature named Galatea, and the rebirth of a dying star system - what's overblown? Sarcasm?.. only a tad.
Disgraced (if you want to know why, read the first novel in this trilogy) Archmagos Kotor and his merry band of explorers including; Black Templers, a Titan Legion and a forgeworld formed into a spaceship, are seeking something, or someone - Telok, a former Archmagos himself. From many millennia's ago, he was trying to create something called 'The Breath of God.' As you might have guessed, Kotov is trying to seek out this lost expedition of Telok's. Think of this as a treasure hunt and you won't go far wrong.
There's a lot more going on with this novel other than the hunt for Telok - Mechanicus Cartographer and his specially gifted daughter. Titan Legio Sirius are a sort of human-Space Wolves (if you like). There command hierarchy is well played out and I enjoyed the way Graham portrayed 'the ghosts in the machine seen through the titans eyes. Then there is the difficult bit to believe, a workers strike, right in the middle of saving the Spectanza a machine touched human leads a industrial strike to get better living conditions and treatment for the human bondsman servicing the Mechancius. WHAT? OK, so he had a little help from a few servitors and a killer cyborg named X-42 Rassella. Did I say a few? No, I meant the entire ship. This was the only part of the novel I had difficulty wrapping my head around, I just found the timing of this strike to be... silly.
As for the Black Templars, their poorly handled in my opinion. They have major parts to play in this novel, but are written as almost if they are side characters; guest stars if you will, only there to take care of what the Mechanicus cannot. Which given the nature of the crystal constructs is a great many things. They can mimic human form, they can mimic Space Marines and Mechnicus alike. However they cannot fight like them, they are just hollow shells... but in numbers they do bite, which our explorers find out to their peril.
Roborte Surcorf takes a minor role in this novel, where in the first the rogue trader was a central character. The Eldar are obviously using him and are going to play a major role in some kind of conflict that stops Kotov, whatever happens. It all seems all to obvious.
For just over 350 pages Lords of Mars has a hell of a lot going on, which leads to confusion and at some point, the author has clearly decided to chop and change a fair bit of content, given that originally it was meant to be two books, not three. It's problematic what is going to happen - maybe the author has a few twists and turns up his sleeve. Who knows. Fairly fun - read Priests Of Mars before this novel.
Key -
Mechanicus - They are part human, part machine blend. They believe in the Ommisash - which in this case is the God Emperor.
Black Templar's - They fight the Eternal Crusade, which never ended ten thousand millenia ago. They are unrelenting, wear black and follow the strictures of any holy crusade. In this case, ridding the galaxy of xeno filth and bringing the glorious light of the Imperium to lost worlds.
Archmagos - A title given to a Mechnicus member who runs a forgeworld.
Forgeworld - Think of every factory on Earth and triple it tenfold, you get the idea.
Eldar - Think space elves and you've got it.
Well, well, well. It's easy to see how reviewers might find Lords Of Mars blown out of all proportions when it comes to the usual 40K canon, but then change is always hard for some. Why is Graham's novel overblown? Between the strange crystalline creatures mimicking humans and Astrates alike, between the strange artificial creature named Galatea, and the rebirth of a dying star system - what's overblown? Sarcasm?.. only a tad.
Disgraced (if you want to know why, read the first novel in this trilogy) Archmagos Kotor and his merry band of explorers including; Black Templers, a Titan Legion and a forgeworld formed into a spaceship, are seeking something, or someone - Telok, a former Archmagos himself. From many millennia's ago, he was trying to create something called 'The Breath of God.' As you might have guessed, Kotov is trying to seek out this lost expedition of Telok's. Think of this as a treasure hunt and you won't go far wrong.
There's a lot more going on with this novel other than the hunt for Telok - Mechanicus Cartographer and his specially gifted daughter. Titan Legio Sirius are a sort of human-Space Wolves (if you like). There command hierarchy is well played out and I enjoyed the way Graham portrayed 'the ghosts in the machine seen through the titans eyes. Then there is the difficult bit to believe, a workers strike, right in the middle of saving the Spectanza a machine touched human leads a industrial strike to get better living conditions and treatment for the human bondsman servicing the Mechancius. WHAT? OK, so he had a little help from a few servitors and a killer cyborg named X-42 Rassella. Did I say a few? No, I meant the entire ship. This was the only part of the novel I had difficulty wrapping my head around, I just found the timing of this strike to be... silly.
As for the Black Templars, their poorly handled in my opinion. They have major parts to play in this novel, but are written as almost if they are side characters; guest stars if you will, only there to take care of what the Mechanicus cannot. Which given the nature of the crystal constructs is a great many things. They can mimic human form, they can mimic Space Marines and Mechnicus alike. However they cannot fight like them, they are just hollow shells... but in numbers they do bite, which our explorers find out to their peril.
Roborte Surcorf takes a minor role in this novel, where in the first the rogue trader was a central character. The Eldar are obviously using him and are going to play a major role in some kind of conflict that stops Kotov, whatever happens. It all seems all to obvious.
For just over 350 pages Lords of Mars has a hell of a lot going on, which leads to confusion and at some point, the author has clearly decided to chop and change a fair bit of content, given that originally it was meant to be two books, not three. It's problematic what is going to happen - maybe the author has a few twists and turns up his sleeve. Who knows. Fairly fun - read Priests Of Mars before this novel.
Key -
Mechanicus - They are part human, part machine blend. They believe in the Ommisash - which in this case is the God Emperor.
Black Templar's - They fight the Eternal Crusade, which never ended ten thousand millenia ago. They are unrelenting, wear black and follow the strictures of any holy crusade. In this case, ridding the galaxy of xeno filth and bringing the glorious light of the Imperium to lost worlds.
Archmagos - A title given to a Mechnicus member who runs a forgeworld.
Forgeworld - Think of every factory on Earth and triple it tenfold, you get the idea.
Eldar - Think space elves and you've got it.
December 14, 2016
A splendid follow-up to Priests of Mars, doing things and going places that no 40K series has dared go before. Everything that was great about the first instalment still holds, though I would have loved to have seen more of Abrehem and his workers' revolt (the most interesting bit for me, but sidelined for the most part) and of Galatea. The last scene with 'it' was anticipated, but still a masterclass of horror the equal of those brilliantly tense scenes aboard the abandoned station in Priests when the machine hybrid was first encountered. It left me biting my nails for Gods of Mars. Archmagos Kotov and the Rogue Trader, Roboute, continue to develop and Archmagos Blaylock is unexpectedly turning into an incredibly interesting character. The Titan princeps' feel a bit like decoration at times, but are an interesting viewpoint regardless, as are the Cadians, Black Templars and others here on Kotov's quest.
Gods of Mars has a lot of threads to pick up, but there's a definite sense of direction and momentum leading into the final chapter. Somehow I don't see it all ending happily.
Gods of Mars has a lot of threads to pick up, but there's a definite sense of direction and momentum leading into the final chapter. Somehow I don't see it all ending happily.
February 7, 2024
Second-book-in-a-trilogy-syndrome strikes here - we get to spend more time with all the excellent characters we met in the opener and get a good bit more insight into where the overarching story is going, but more effort goes into setting up what's to come in the finale than providing a ripping good yarn here.
The beyond-known-space setting, unusual in 40k literature, gives the opportunity to explore new themes; new external threats, strange phenomena, and the chains of oppression sitting a little less heavily on the servant classes away from Imperial society.
The satirical elements are a little less nuanced than in the first book and I don't think I'll ever fully understand why McNeill loves titans so much, but overall a solid if unspectacular entry. I won't rush out to buy the final book straight away, but I'll look forward to picking it up if/when it's included in a sale in future.
The beyond-known-space setting, unusual in 40k literature, gives the opportunity to explore new themes; new external threats, strange phenomena, and the chains of oppression sitting a little less heavily on the servant classes away from Imperial society.
The satirical elements are a little less nuanced than in the first book and I don't think I'll ever fully understand why McNeill loves titans so much, but overall a solid if unspectacular entry. I won't rush out to buy the final book straight away, but I'll look forward to picking it up if/when it's included in a sale in future.
May 27, 2025
This fantastic follow-up to Priests of Mars is filled with intrigue and character growth. While it’s always going to suffer as the second book of a trilogy, bridging the gap between the first and third, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and can’t wait to start the next one.
All Hail the Omnissiah
All Hail the Omnissiah
August 9, 2017
Can't point my finger on the exact reason, but this second novel in the saga did not grab my attention as the first one did. Maybe there's a little too much figthing for my taste.
August 5, 2021
There's a lot going on in the book which made it a confusing read sometimes. Changes in narrator are sometimes unclear which adds to the confusion.
Kotov's quest continues, but this book gripped me less than Priests of Mars. Also, how is an arco-flagellant this powerful?
Kotov's quest continues, but this book gripped me less than Priests of Mars. Also, how is an arco-flagellant this powerful?
June 14, 2018
If I have to read one more made up scientific word or concept that has no bearing on anything real; then I am going to start a book burning.
Lords of Mars truly is that dreary and convoluted! There are several main story branches, one following a squad of Black Templars, the other with the primary research team who wish to discover a long lost ship and the other following a slave who is developing some.... heretical techno related powers. I was slightly interested in the latter and while the former should stories should have been more interesting; they simply were not.
There is a..... Surprise, at the mid point in the story where things promise to get more interesting but I honestly didn't care at that point and stopped reading.
I'd give it 1.5 yawns out of 5
Lords of Mars truly is that dreary and convoluted! There are several main story branches, one following a squad of Black Templars, the other with the primary research team who wish to discover a long lost ship and the other following a slave who is developing some.... heretical techno related powers. I was slightly interested in the latter and while the former should stories should have been more interesting; they simply were not.
There is a..... Surprise, at the mid point in the story where things promise to get more interesting but I honestly didn't care at that point and stopped reading.
I'd give it 1.5 yawns out of 5
January 6, 2014
I am really looking to the last part of this series. The only tip I would have is to read this shortly after the first title as it jumps straight into it!
January 13, 2026
I've complained for the first book that too many plot lines diluted the first book, now we're onto the second book and I think this gets more of a problem since some of those started plot lines are not just diluting the core story, but are handled rather badly which is probably worse.
This book feels like a brainstorming collection of a Warhammer 40k author. Everything insane and over the top. All crammed into this one book, but not a single part gets enough attention to leave the reader with anything substantial. Too many fancy ideas with too many revelation and lore defining/breaking? moments. This book series lacks focus to make one of the stories truly shine.
I don't think any of the parties in this book are really shining here, they're all kinda there, all kinda do stuff but they leave a rather blank expression at the end. Be it the Templars or a titan legion, you never get deep enough into any faction/party to actually care.
I think the different plots are handled worse here, but the book is more dense than the first one, so the rating equals out.
I just wish someone trimmed the fat on this trilogy and made it a more focused and deep story than what we got. The pieces are there.
This book feels like a brainstorming collection of a Warhammer 40k author. Everything insane and over the top. All crammed into this one book, but not a single part gets enough attention to leave the reader with anything substantial. Too many fancy ideas with too many revelation and lore defining/breaking? moments. This book series lacks focus to make one of the stories truly shine.
I don't think any of the parties in this book are really shining here, they're all kinda there, all kinda do stuff but they leave a rather blank expression at the end. Be it the Templars or a titan legion, you never get deep enough into any faction/party to actually care.
I think the different plots are handled worse here, but the book is more dense than the first one, so the rating equals out.
I just wish someone trimmed the fat on this trilogy and made it a more focused and deep story than what we got. The pieces are there.
January 17, 2023
More of the same. The problem with this trilogy is that there's nothing really interesting happening here. I'm a sucker for Warhammer 40k fiction, because the best writers use the ludicrousness of the setting to explore quite thought-provoking themes.
Here you've got a cast of people who are basically pushing the limits of what a human is. How much can you take away and replace and still have something that's a person.
The answer is "all of it except the brain, and you can pretty much fill that with computer chips and flashing lights too. Don't think about it, on to the action."
Fine. Some books are just good action thrillers. This isn't. It's pretty dour stuff.
Deserves some credit for one chapter of some absolutely absurd body horror that does raise interesting questions about crime and punishment ("should space Hitler really have his eyeballs plucked out with a torture machine?"), but it's otherwise a plodder.
On to part three.
Here you've got a cast of people who are basically pushing the limits of what a human is. How much can you take away and replace and still have something that's a person.
The answer is "all of it except the brain, and you can pretty much fill that with computer chips and flashing lights too. Don't think about it, on to the action."
Fine. Some books are just good action thrillers. This isn't. It's pretty dour stuff.
Deserves some credit for one chapter of some absolutely absurd body horror that does raise interesting questions about crime and punishment ("should space Hitler really have his eyeballs plucked out with a torture machine?"), but it's otherwise a plodder.
On to part three.
Read
October 11, 2022I feel a little bit less lost as to what's the plot than in book one. I still don't quite understand some stuff, but I understand enough stuff that it doesn't feel like just pleasant babble in the background. Mechanicus characters though have the problem that they're pretty impossible to write. Either they'd be impossible to relate to by human readers, or they are pretty human characters with caveats like "he wasn't feeling as human an emotion as rage, he just calculated that he had been done wrong" which sound kind of disingenuous. (Example completely made up by me and more clumsy than anything actually in the book.) I can see why the W40k world overall gets so many fans though. It's pretty cool.
May 28, 2026
It's mostly clunky dialogue and gratuitous violence abbreviated by the author employing his thesaurus to make the vibes feel as complicated as her can make them.
I caught a direct quote of Mario Savio's "Bodies upon the Gears" speech midway through the book, which I know well from a Linkin Park song, but I've got very mixed feelings about a real quote being written word-for-word into a work of fiction with no allusion to its origin. It's not exactly as well-known as other speeches in history, so without an explicit "I got this speech from this one guy" from the author and if readers are not also Linkin Park fans, how are they to know that's not a bit cleverly written by the author himself? I'm not a fan of it, feels like somewhere between light plagiarism and stolen valor.
I caught a direct quote of Mario Savio's "Bodies upon the Gears" speech midway through the book, which I know well from a Linkin Park song, but I've got very mixed feelings about a real quote being written word-for-word into a work of fiction with no allusion to its origin. It's not exactly as well-known as other speeches in history, so without an explicit "I got this speech from this one guy" from the author and if readers are not also Linkin Park fans, how are they to know that's not a bit cleverly written by the author himself? I'm not a fan of it, feels like somewhere between light plagiarism and stolen valor.
July 3, 2026
ooof. this one for sure has the “2nd novel curse”. (it seems like a common trend that the second novel in a omnibus always feels a little blah)
at the end of chapter 3, of 20, is when i accepted my fate and new it would be a tough read. abrehams plot in the novel took me completely out of it. the rest of the plots in here were fine, but overall this was not my cup of tea. to mcneills credit, it did get better by the end but still… i wouldn’t say it “saved” the book for me.
on a positive note - i found myself actively avoiding the novel - SO i actually ended up finishing all the building and priming for my armageddon box. so maybe there is a silver lining here?
at the end of chapter 3, of 20, is when i accepted my fate and new it would be a tough read. abrehams plot in the novel took me completely out of it. the rest of the plots in here were fine, but overall this was not my cup of tea. to mcneills credit, it did get better by the end but still… i wouldn’t say it “saved” the book for me.
on a positive note - i found myself actively avoiding the novel - SO i actually ended up finishing all the building and priming for my armageddon box. so maybe there is a silver lining here?
September 19, 2023
Sometimes, the middle entry of a trilogy can struggle to find itself among the major points of the overall story.
For Lords of Mars, not a problem:) Exciting, gut-wrenching, introspective, uplifting, horrifying. These are all just a sample of the words I would use to describe the book at differing points. If you got through all of the first book, you owe it to yourself to continue following our characters.
McNeill is doing a stellar job of making the vastly complex 40K world approachable.
For Lords of Mars, not a problem:) Exciting, gut-wrenching, introspective, uplifting, horrifying. These are all just a sample of the words I would use to describe the book at differing points. If you got through all of the first book, you owe it to yourself to continue following our characters.
McNeill is doing a stellar job of making the vastly complex 40K world approachable.
August 30, 2018
Not as quite as intriguing as the first book because you know the characters, (if you read the first one) but provides greater depth into the mindset of the Mechanicum and as a result is a treat for anyone who really wants to delve into understanding the factional problems within that group.
Introduces a couple of non-mech characters who could have played a bigger role given their charisma but I am expecting they will come into their own in the third of the trilogy which I intend to read next.
Introduces a couple of non-mech characters who could have played a bigger role given their charisma but I am expecting they will come into their own in the third of the trilogy which I intend to read next.
November 25, 2023
Absolutely fantastic! Taking the Adeptus Mechanicus on a space expedition, with a strong measure of intrigue, is exquisite. Great character growth from book 1 and ending on a slightly unexpected cliffhanger. Book 3 is downloading at present. Similar to Book 1: if you are not familiar with Warhammer 40K or the Mechanicus then the book might be slightly difficult to follow.
April 2, 2026
This was a fun installment. It has some great ideas with what the fleet finds on the other side of the halo scar. Abrehem's story gets further and does something a little unexpected for the lowly bonds men which was refreshing to see.
Action is good and as a second book it definitely puts in place all the questions you want in the third book.
Great read, highly recommend.
Action is good and as a second book it definitely puts in place all the questions you want in the third book.
Great read, highly recommend.
November 7, 2023
Book 2 of the trilogy. Again quite good. Titans, mystery, AdMech, etc from the first one. Even some Eldar in this one. Entertaining and well paced. The adventure beyond the scar continues and ends on a cliffhanger. I’ll read the third.
January 6, 2026
Exploration in unknown part of the galaxy tracking magos from the past and his discoveries. Planets in dying and reforming systems bring greater risk and defences on them are from unknown technology.
Again we get more story from each group, with a lot happening at the same time.
Again we get more story from each group, with a lot happening at the same time.
October 8, 2017
the two stories meshed well but overall served more as a transition than anything else.
March 31, 2022
Linya Tychon they did you so dirty Queen, I will avenge you
February 18, 2023
All is glass…
What a weird book. It’s not bad as such, but it’s only half a book, ending with a nice “to be concluded in Gods of Mars, which can’t earn it a good rating from me.
What a weird book. It’s not bad as such, but it’s only half a book, ending with a nice “to be concluded in Gods of Mars, which can’t earn it a good rating from me.
June 19, 2023
Battles for the title "The worst WH40k book produced"
October 22, 2023
Grim fun
January 20, 2024
All hail the Omnissiah
November 19, 2024
A lot better pacing than the first book and great settup of the story. Love the more fleshed out characters, although sad that we won't see them all back in the next book
August 3, 2025
it was slow at the beginning, but the turns were keeping me hooked till the end.
"I am an Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus," said Kotov. " I can do whatever I want."
"I am an Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus," said Kotov. " I can do whatever I want."
December 18, 2025
Strong 3 1/2 stars 🌟
July 15, 2026
While an enjoyable continuation of the previous entry, most of it feels like it's just setup for the third book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews