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The Horus Heresy #Short Story
Lord of the Red Sands
Angron, gladiator-primarch of the XIIth Legion, is renowned across the galaxy for his savagery and brutal martial code. But amidst the ruins of Isstvan III, even as he slaughters his own wayward sons, he finds a unique serenity in the carnage of warfare... no matter whose blood he spills. And for what does the Eater of Worlds hunger above all else? Nothing more than freedom.
Read it because
Brace yourself for an unforgettable insight into the insane rage that drives the savage Primarch Angron. On a blood-soaked battlefield of Isstvan V, he reveals his rightful purpose for rebelling against the Emperor and his plans for vengeance. This is a unique story from the tortured mind of an uncontrollable madman who has a grudge to settle - no matter the cost.
12 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 9, 2016
This had to be a 4 stars review, but re-reading the short story of Angron and his hate and love for the Legion he never wanted, just after re-reading the atrocity of the Isstvan III massacre in "Galaxy in flames" ( both included in "Crusade's end", the first awesome Horus Heresy omnibus) adds a lot of emotions and value to this short tale.
And Aaron Dembski-Bowen is a great author and writer, so 5 stars are deserved for good.
And Aaron Dembski-Bowen is a great author and writer, so 5 stars are deserved for good.
January 26, 2024
Why'd you have to go and do me like that?
Despite www.heresyomnibus.com suggesting this come between False Gods and Flight of the Eisenstein, this was a new one on me, despite my coveting The Imperial Truth Limited Edition anthology exclusive Black Library events in 2013, which I didn't realise they actually made available online in 2015, and I am so very glad I didn't wait until the War Without End anthology that is Horus Heresy Book 33. Anthologies really should have been kept out of the numbered novel line.
Another story about the Red Angel and his Eaters of Worlds and another time I find myself crying over the non-stop abuse, misunderstanding, and tragedy that make up the life of my dear, sweet angry boy and his grumpy guys.
The story follows the Primarch of the VII Legion on Isstvan III in the thick of the fighting as the Traitors Extremis expunge the Loyalists from their ranks. We are given an insight into where his head is with the Blood God and his motivations for refusing to follow Horus' orders ahead of the virus bombs, as well as the would-be saviour of Desh'ea's perspective on the Emperor and Horus that informed his stance.
Everything about my big read boy his sons is heartbreaking and tragic and I love them so much. I feel the feels coming over me, it is a good pain! I started crying in 2009 when I first read After Desh'ea by Matthew Farrer, one of my favourite short stories of all time without qualifier, and I have been sobbing for nearly fifteen years about the Lord of the Red Sands and his Equerry, Khârn, the best boy.
Incredibly short story filled with ludicrous amounts of emotional gore and gory emotion.
Bloody marvellous!
Despite www.heresyomnibus.com suggesting this come between False Gods and Flight of the Eisenstein, this was a new one on me, despite my coveting The Imperial Truth Limited Edition anthology exclusive Black Library events in 2013, which I didn't realise they actually made available online in 2015, and I am so very glad I didn't wait until the War Without End anthology that is Horus Heresy Book 33. Anthologies really should have been kept out of the numbered novel line.
Another story about the Red Angel and his Eaters of Worlds and another time I find myself crying over the non-stop abuse, misunderstanding, and tragedy that make up the life of my dear, sweet angry boy and his grumpy guys.
The story follows the Primarch of the VII Legion on Isstvan III in the thick of the fighting as the Traitors Extremis expunge the Loyalists from their ranks. We are given an insight into where his head is with the Blood God and his motivations for refusing to follow Horus' orders ahead of the virus bombs, as well as the would-be saviour of Desh'ea's perspective on the Emperor and Horus that informed his stance.
Everything about my big read boy his sons is heartbreaking and tragic and I love them so much. I feel the feels coming over me, it is a good pain! I started crying in 2009 when I first read After Desh'ea by Matthew Farrer, one of my favourite short stories of all time without qualifier, and I have been sobbing for nearly fifteen years about the Lord of the Red Sands and his Equerry, Khârn, the best boy.
Incredibly short story filled with ludicrous amounts of emotional gore and gory emotion.
Bloody marvellous!
November 9, 2024
Angron is not the easiest of primarchs, even amongst traitors, to like.
Seeing as how the guy's entire personality is his namesake. I. e. Angron angry.
He's angry at being born. At having butcher's nails driven into his brain. Angry at his father for condemning his comrades. Angry at his sons, who in turn make themselves angrier in a futile attempt to gain their gene father's approval. And someone who didn't need much convincing to take part in a civil war.
But in his own story, Angron is the victim. Someone who craves for freedom, but only managed to transfer his chain of servitude from one master to another.
Similar to horus, he sees the emperor as a corrupt tyrant. With him being the Spartacus-esque liberator to end the tyranny.
Unlike horus, he doesn't have any further goals. With him, what you see is what you get. Which being, kill, murder, brutalize. Rinse and repeat.
An all too short of a story, which gives you a glimpse, a literal single glimpse into the mind of the traitor primarch of the world eaters.
Seeing as how the guy's entire personality is his namesake. I. e. Angron angry.
He's angry at being born. At having butcher's nails driven into his brain. Angry at his father for condemning his comrades. Angry at his sons, who in turn make themselves angrier in a futile attempt to gain their gene father's approval. And someone who didn't need much convincing to take part in a civil war.
But in his own story, Angron is the victim. Someone who craves for freedom, but only managed to transfer his chain of servitude from one master to another.
Similar to horus, he sees the emperor as a corrupt tyrant. With him being the Spartacus-esque liberator to end the tyranny.
Unlike horus, he doesn't have any further goals. With him, what you see is what you get. Which being, kill, murder, brutalize. Rinse and repeat.
An all too short of a story, which gives you a glimpse, a literal single glimpse into the mind of the traitor primarch of the world eaters.
May 16, 2026
Good short story!
This reminded me that Angron is still one of—if not the most—tragic character of the universe.
It doesn't justify his actions, but you can see that he cared more than most, but living as a slave and forced to fight his brothers, just to be taken from home to become another "slave" and fight his own brothers at the end, makes you think about his reasoning for his actions.
This short story also reminded me that Horus was extremely naive to have thought that guys like Angron would not oppose him whatsoever, even if they managed to accomplish their objectives.
This reminded me that Angron is still one of—if not the most—tragic character of the universe.
It doesn't justify his actions, but you can see that he cared more than most, but living as a slave and forced to fight his brothers, just to be taken from home to become another "slave" and fight his own brothers at the end, makes you think about his reasoning for his actions.
This short story also reminded me that Horus was extremely naive to have thought that guys like Angron would not oppose him whatsoever, even if they managed to accomplish their objectives.
February 2, 2026
angron is so damn cool
i genuinely don't know who my favourite primarch will be when i'm done with the horus heresy, but angron is absolutely up there so far. such a tragic character, so much torment and pain. it was so cool to see more of his motivations in this short story, it puts so much of him into perspective. i love learning more about them all, but there's something special learning about angron
i genuinely don't know who my favourite primarch will be when i'm done with the horus heresy, but angron is absolutely up there so far. such a tragic character, so much torment and pain. it was so cool to see more of his motivations in this short story, it puts so much of him into perspective. i love learning more about them all, but there's something special learning about angron
July 30, 2025
"Glory is for those too weak to find inner strength, leaving them hollow parasites, feeding on the affection of lesser men. Glory is for cowards, too afraid to let their names die."
"There is no virtue in fighting for conquest. Nothing is more worthless and hollow than obliterating freedom for the sake of more land, more coins, more voices singing your name in holy hymn."
"Angron. Angron. Angron. His name. A slave's name."
Wow, I couldn't pick just one quote from this amazing short story. Following Angron as he slaughters his way across Isstvan III, ADB takes a deep look at the psyche of Angron.
Angron should have died long ago. Instead he was given a Legion and told that he was to feel honoured. Instead he felt shackled, enslaved once again. To stand against the Emperor was to be free once again.
"There is no virtue in fighting for conquest. Nothing is more worthless and hollow than obliterating freedom for the sake of more land, more coins, more voices singing your name in holy hymn."
"Angron. Angron. Angron. His name. A slave's name."
Wow, I couldn't pick just one quote from this amazing short story. Following Angron as he slaughters his way across Isstvan III, ADB takes a deep look at the psyche of Angron.
Angron should have died long ago. Instead he was given a Legion and told that he was to feel honoured. Instead he felt shackled, enslaved once again. To stand against the Emperor was to be free once again.
January 3, 2026
I came into this with really low expectations having not enjoyed many of the warhammer short stories compared to the full length books… previous info on Angron made him seem so one dimensional and boring, but this short story added a deep well of depth.. a caring father, from slavery to freedom to enslaved to bloodlust for freedom. Now I just want to learn everything about him.
January 10, 2022
Sin duda ADB tiene algo especial, único, sabe escribir la frase exacta para que un momento pase de pasable a épico, hasta con un primarca como Angron que no es precisamente locuaz, se saca esa frase llena de sentimientos.
February 2, 2025
I'm not a big fan of Angron but this is one of the few stories about him I enjoyed. We get to see some of his up close personality and his reasons why he turned traitor.
Collected in war without end anthology.
Collected in war without end anthology.
April 5, 2025
Wow! Amazing hit for the short length of the story. It’s written from Angron’s perspective as he slaughters his loyalists on Istvan III. We learn he fights not for conquest or for glory, but for freedom. Freedom from the Emperor and the Imperium.
January 20, 2026
A 12-page synopsis of Angron's story and motivation. Surprisingly well-written and poignant, considering the page count. I didn't expect to enjoy it quite as much as I did. Nice to see a few redeeming qualities added to some of 40k's most cartoonish villains.
May 1, 2020
Very short, but a great insight into the mind of Angron. Kinda the perfect little short story if you've read up to Galaxy in Flames.
February 19, 2023
Short but sweet.
May 23, 2024
A few short pages of Angron being Angron, with some good prose and psychological insight by Bowden. Recommended for any Heresy readthrough, and required for those interested in Angron's arc.
April 10, 2025
Good and short and shows the thoughts of a primarch not yet touched on.
July 9, 2025
Angron is right about everything and murdering everybody.
July 18, 2025
ADB always writes a fantastic Angron. A fucked up, pitiable and sometimes kind man.
December 18, 2025
"Freedom is the only thing worth fighting for."
An interesting look inside Angron's head at Istvaan III...
An interesting look inside Angron's head at Istvaan III...
December 31, 2025
I guess I'm in the minority here, but I wasn't the biggest fan. It wasn't bad, it fit fine- bit it wasn't something I'd read again. Mayb brayn 2 smul?
January 24, 2026
Corta y directa, nos ponemos en los zapatos de Angron y su odio hacia el Emperador y también que a pesar de ser un traidor respeta a sus hijos de su legión leales de una manera muy peculiar.
June 8, 2026
This a beautiful additive to an already golden scene. In fact almost every scene with Angron is the heresy is amazing. However, this added nothing new.
June 8, 2015
In my opinion, it really is hard to write a good short story. And specially hard to write one on the setting of a shared universe which already has a lot of good writers and stories as the history and expectation bogs you down. But Aaron Dembski-Bowden once again shows why he is one of the best writers currently writing for Black Library. This Horus Heresy short featuring Angron, who is musing on his reason for betrayal is a short yet tight and exquisite read which really lives a pleasant aftereffect in the mind after it is so quickly over.
This short follows Angron, gladiator-primarch of the XIIth Legion, amidst the ruins of Isstvan III, slaughtering his own wayward sons. And for what does the Eater of Worlds really hunger for? We follow his slaughter and gaze into his mind as he muses upon the reason for his betrayal and thinks towards his desire for the struggles.
The author really does show awesome skills in leading the readers into the psyche of this traitor primarch and shows them his side of the story; and through brilliant writing tries to make the readers understand his motivations for his actions; makes them feel his anguish about the circumstances and ultimately his desire from the conflict. All in all, which to me is really a fine example of character study in such limited scope.
The only complain about this short story could be that the reader does need some insight into the setting to appreciate it completely and that this one is not really beginner friendly.
If you are a Horus Heresy fan, a fan of the author or even a Black Library fan, please, do make some time and read this.
4 out of 5 stars for some well spend minutes.
For more reviews and stuff check out my blog -
http://ihate00critics.blogspot.com/
This short follows Angron, gladiator-primarch of the XIIth Legion, amidst the ruins of Isstvan III, slaughtering his own wayward sons. And for what does the Eater of Worlds really hunger for? We follow his slaughter and gaze into his mind as he muses upon the reason for his betrayal and thinks towards his desire for the struggles.
The author really does show awesome skills in leading the readers into the psyche of this traitor primarch and shows them his side of the story; and through brilliant writing tries to make the readers understand his motivations for his actions; makes them feel his anguish about the circumstances and ultimately his desire from the conflict. All in all, which to me is really a fine example of character study in such limited scope.
The only complain about this short story could be that the reader does need some insight into the setting to appreciate it completely and that this one is not really beginner friendly.
If you are a Horus Heresy fan, a fan of the author or even a Black Library fan, please, do make some time and read this.
4 out of 5 stars for some well spend minutes.
For more reviews and stuff check out my blog -
http://ihate00critics.blogspot.com/
January 9, 2016
Great little short, these really add to the background and mind set of the primarchs. Along with this its Aaron Dembski Bowden...what's not to like.
April 8, 2017
Super short! But the best praise I think one can give for a short story like this is: if it were a foreword or a synopsis to a novel, I'd buy the novel in a heartbeat!
For those who have read the beginning of the Horus Heresy, they know the main character of this story is perceived to be very one dimensional by others. But this little snippet has given triple the depth to the character and made them worthy of their own book! Kudos to the author
For those who have read the beginning of the Horus Heresy, they know the main character of this story is perceived to be very one dimensional by others. But this little snippet has given triple the depth to the character and made them worthy of their own book! Kudos to the author
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews