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The Siege of Terra #3
The First Wall
Book 3 in the Global best selling Horus Heresy Siege of Terra series
The war for the fate of mankind blazes on. Though the outer defences have fallen, the walls of the Palace itself remain inviolate as Rogal Dorn, the Praetorian of Terra himself, uses every known stratagem and ploy to keep Horus's vast armies at bay. In Perturabo, the Traitor siegebreaker, Dorn faces an adversary worthy of his skill. A terrible, grinding attrition ensues. The crucial battle for the Lion's Gate spaceport is at the heart of this conflict. With it in their possession, the Traitors can land their most devastating weapons on Terran soil. Dorn knows it must not fall. But with enemies attacking from within as well as without and the stirrings of the neverborn drawn to the slaughter, can the Imperial defenders possibly prevail?
The war for the fate of mankind blazes on. Though the outer defences have fallen, the walls of the Palace itself remain inviolate as Rogal Dorn, the Praetorian of Terra himself, uses every known stratagem and ploy to keep Horus's vast armies at bay. In Perturabo, the Traitor siegebreaker, Dorn faces an adversary worthy of his skill. A terrible, grinding attrition ensues. The crucial battle for the Lion's Gate spaceport is at the heart of this conflict. With it in their possession, the Traitors can land their most devastating weapons on Terran soil. Dorn knows it must not fall. But with enemies attacking from within as well as without and the stirrings of the neverborn drawn to the slaughter, can the Imperial defenders possibly prevail?
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2020
372 people are currently reading
1361 people want to read
About the author
Gav Thorpe
377 books581 followersGav spent 14 years as a developer for Games Workshop, and started writing novels and short stories in the worlds of Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000 when the Black Library imprint was launched in 1997.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
He continues to write for Black Library, and his first 'homegrown' novel series The Crown of the Blood has been released via Angry Robot.
Currently living in Nottingham, Gav shares his home with his loving and very understanding partner - Kez, and their beautiful little boy - Sammy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
March 18, 2020
This book pretty much sucked up until the last 25 pages. The time jumps (the entire book shifts between a few POV characters before and after an event, sort of like “Looking for Alaska” but less linear), while not difficult to follow, disallowed me from getting too invested with any one character, so they all seemed pretty bland. The plot twist at the end almost left too much mystery, so that rather than being shocked and needing more, I felt like that whole third of the book suddenly didn’t matter as much. This one was difficult to persevere through.
April 13, 2020
He revved Gorechild, delighting in the glitter of the signal flame on the whirr of the mica-dragon teeth that served as its blade. He let out a roar that became a howl, and then from deep within he gave voice to the demands of Khorne, slamming his fist upon the armour plate in time with his chant.
‘Kill! Maim! Burn!’
Gav Thorpe's The First Wall, author's fortieth novel for Black Library and third book of the Siege of Terra series, ending of the almost ten years long spanning Horus Heresy saga, is an epic tale doing justice to characters and plot lines part of a massive narrative including over sixty novels, lots of audios, short stories and many novellas too.
‘I can’t take all the credit,’ said Rann. ‘Lord Sigismund put the thought in my mind. I recall what the Khan and his White Scars accomplished when set free. To be honest I think the Imperial Fists can do even better.’
‘We will, lord seneschal. Death to the traitors!’
The story about the Lion's Gate space port battle, an assault last over twenty days long, is told by many points of view, with old and new characters having their moment of glory, defeat or both, with storylines and themes about different types of attrition that can occur in a full scale war like the one for the Imperial Palace, a fortress greater than many contemporary nation states.
With unspoken intent, Forrix and Falk both retreated a few steps to leave Kroeger standing alone against the primarch. ‘You are the most bloody-minded of my Trident, Kroeger. I know that you will not relent for a moment. I see the desire in you for brutal war, and the Lion’s Gate will supply you with more brutality than any conflict you have seen before.’
I loved almost everything from it: the long waited clash between IV and VII Legions, rivals since prior to the Heresy because of their specialization in siege warfare, Imperial Fists First Captain Sigismund meeting first time on battlefield his old oath-brother World Eaters Assault Captain Kharn, the first apparition of proto-commissars discipline officers among imperial soldiers, the Lectitio Divinitatus accepting by Malcador, the fleshing of Abaddon as future Chaos Warmaster, and every sub-plot turning at last the whole setting into the classic iconic grimdark one trademark of Warhammer 40000.
There were stories that the plagues of the Death Guard were not merely mortal. Some said they had seen the dead walk again. A lifetime ago, before he had set foot on that train of conscripts, Katsuhiro might have scoffed at such claims. Now… Now, he was unconvinced, he had not seen it with his own eyes. But if he did, it would not surprise him.
It was nice to see again conscript Katsuhiro, that I suspect he's going to have a pivotal role in the future as the 'nameless guardsman' introduced in William King's first Horus Heresy tale ever The Emperor and Horus originally published over twenty years ago in White Dwarf magazine #161 and reprinted inside the Realm of Chaos: The Lost and The Damned, one of my most valued treasures together with its twin volume Realm of Chaos: Slaves to Darkness, an endless mine of ideas in my WFRP game-mastering old days.
You speak of matters beyond the end of the siege.’
‘Horus’ victory, or defeat, is not the end – it is the beginning.’ Layak turned away, took a step and looked back at Abaddon. ‘In time you will embrace that destiny.’
Abaddon watched the Word Bearer depart, his mood sour.
Almost five stars for me, sadly the Addaba 64th Defence Corps Dunkirk-style storyline was far from interesting for me, and its final twist was not much surprising at all for me too.
I enjoyed a lot final confrontation between Dorn and Perturabo, but you have to suspend your disbelief for good to accept the wounded Primarch of VII Legion leaving the field without nobody among the victorious traitors forces shooting down from sky his gunship.
A great shout burst across the battle, bellowed from thousands of voxmitters and external address systems. Accompanied by the crashing of fists and the thrum of revving engines, the Iron Warriors gave voice to welcome their arriving primarch.
‘Iron within! Iron without!’
With their battle cry rebounding from the walls, echoing from the broken plascrete and burning wrecks, the Iron Warriors surged again.
Still a gread read and I can't wait to read next installment of this one decade long saga, so near at last to its ending.
And than hint to the upcoming Scouring afte the Siege in the author's afterword just made my day.
"‘Let us call it weapons research,’ said the Regent.
‘The Emperor forbade His own worship.’
‘And the moment He makes known His will to end this, I will order the extermination of every last member of the Lightbearers and any other cult.’ Malcador drew up straighter. ‘Until that time, I am the Regent and I allow it to continue.’
March 27, 2020
Sorry Gav, but this is one of your worst book. The plot with the Imperial Army regiment is useless. The plot with the Iron Warrior attack is way too long. Only the plot with Amon and Keeler is quite interesting but not extremely clear. This book could have been reduced of about 2/3, as only the last hundred pages are making the story move.
December 13, 2020
Adjectives fail me. Epic, informative, exciting, etc the list goes on and on. While I've found the vast majority of the Horus Heresy novels to be of superior quality, several of them are actually of superb quality. "The First Wall" is one of the latter.
The forces of the Warmaster have arrived on Terra. The war for the homeworld begins. This book has it all- from Primarchs to Custodes, from the spiritual to the material and the events ranging from a siege war (It is far more than a battle as the Imperial Palace is the size of a continent, thus that many forces deployed is indicative of far more than a single engagement) to the fascinating effects of seeing he immaterial come to life in what is, essentially, an atheistic society.
Dorn and the Imperial Fists have fortified the First Wall. They are under attack from a mixed force of Sons of Horus, Iron Warriors and World Eaters (some Word Bearers thrown in for shits and giggles). The losses on both sides are horrendous. This epic conflict is exceptionally well described and the staggering violence of the conflict, especially when Iron Warriors run into Imperial Fists is truly a joy to read. On a side note, it was rather amusing to see Kharn stomping around the battlefield reaving, until he runs into Rogal Dorn who whacks him casually and hurls him twenty meters. Blood for the Blood God is all well and good until you run into a Primarch.
The other huge topic, the siege being the first, is the spread of religious fervor- both Chaos worshippers and the "faithful". The Imperium was supposed to be atheistic, the primary reason is the Emperor wished to starve the Chaos gods of their worship. With the events of the Heresy showing the existence and power of the Chaos gods, a counter movement springs up (hinted at in the first Horus trilogy with Keeler and the Lectico Divinatus) which views the Emperor as a God. This beliefs, in sufficient numbers, is producing remarkable results-the prrof is in the fight between Keeler and Nurgle's demon.
While the Imperium is still ostensibly atheist, it is hard to deny what is right in front of their eyes. Only the Emperor's wards prevent the demonic forces from setting foot on Palace grounds, but the wards of Terra have weakened enough that Neverborn and even demon Primarchs are able to set foot on Terra. The faithful who worship the Emperor also begin to manifest strange powers and this hints at the situation 10K years later-when Imperial psykers, Imperial Saints and the Adepta Sororitas all are able to manifest powers that would be deemed "holy".
A superb read. Highly recommended for any 40K fan. One last thing- the entire story about Zenobia and her cohort of troopers and the twist that comes at the very end was superbly done! It really shows that the fight wasn't just between the Chaos Marines and the loyal ones, but that all elements of the Imperium was at war with each other.
The forces of the Warmaster have arrived on Terra. The war for the homeworld begins. This book has it all- from Primarchs to Custodes, from the spiritual to the material and the events ranging from a siege war (It is far more than a battle as the Imperial Palace is the size of a continent, thus that many forces deployed is indicative of far more than a single engagement) to the fascinating effects of seeing he immaterial come to life in what is, essentially, an atheistic society.
Dorn and the Imperial Fists have fortified the First Wall. They are under attack from a mixed force of Sons of Horus, Iron Warriors and World Eaters (some Word Bearers thrown in for shits and giggles). The losses on both sides are horrendous. This epic conflict is exceptionally well described and the staggering violence of the conflict, especially when Iron Warriors run into Imperial Fists is truly a joy to read. On a side note, it was rather amusing to see Kharn stomping around the battlefield reaving, until he runs into Rogal Dorn who whacks him casually and hurls him twenty meters. Blood for the Blood God is all well and good until you run into a Primarch.
The other huge topic, the siege being the first, is the spread of religious fervor- both Chaos worshippers and the "faithful". The Imperium was supposed to be atheistic, the primary reason is the Emperor wished to starve the Chaos gods of their worship. With the events of the Heresy showing the existence and power of the Chaos gods, a counter movement springs up (hinted at in the first Horus trilogy with Keeler and the Lectico Divinatus) which views the Emperor as a God. This beliefs, in sufficient numbers, is producing remarkable results-the prrof is in the fight between Keeler and Nurgle's demon.
While the Imperium is still ostensibly atheist, it is hard to deny what is right in front of their eyes. Only the Emperor's wards prevent the demonic forces from setting foot on Palace grounds, but the wards of Terra have weakened enough that Neverborn and even demon Primarchs are able to set foot on Terra. The faithful who worship the Emperor also begin to manifest strange powers and this hints at the situation 10K years later-when Imperial psykers, Imperial Saints and the Adepta Sororitas all are able to manifest powers that would be deemed "holy".
A superb read. Highly recommended for any 40K fan. One last thing- the entire story about Zenobia and her cohort of troopers and the twist that comes at the very end was superbly done! It really shows that the fight wasn't just between the Chaos Marines and the loyal ones, but that all elements of the Imperium was at war with each other.
May 13, 2020
Poor. Not even the mighty Jonathan Keeble (Audiobook) could read life into this one. Boring except for the last few chapters. I’d enjoyed the first two Siege of Terra books but Gav Thorpe has fluffed his lines. One of the worst of the whole HH series.
April 13, 2020
Nothing really happens.
At best, this is hundreds of pages devoted to what's basically a white dwarf scenario.
At best, this is hundreds of pages devoted to what's basically a white dwarf scenario.
May 25, 2021
A slog for the warriors and a slog for the reader.
I very much enjoyed the first two books of the Siege of Terra which gave me confidence in the final act of the Heresy. It has been a compelling narrative to cap off what has turned into a gigantic series full of some great works and some overwrought filler. This one disappointed me, I am sad to say. It jumps around as the previous entries did, but in a far more jarring fashion.
Spoilers ahead.
A plot point is introduced early on about how the Palace space port is actually a serious flaw in the defenses. Perturabo believes it will allow a deeper penetration into the Palace interior than would be accomplished elsewhere. Prior to this, nobody seems interested in the port. The space port. The facility that would allow traitor reinforcements and Titans to be deployed with ease, or make it easier for the Ultramines and others to do the same once they arrive. Dorn did not seem overly concerned until the commander there said the impending assault was not a feint, and to please send reinforcements. Dorn: "I guess I can spare whatever I can scrape together." It's not like it's a point of interest for either side *rolls eyes.*
The battle for the space port was convoluted and made no sense with so many threads abandoned. What happened to Berossus? He was actually interesting. No decision anyone made there led to anything. The importance of the bridges is mentioned over and over until someone realizes "Nope, the landing pads are the real prize!" I mean duh. By the time it was over the Iron Warriors were declared the victors because Perturabo's ship landed. As another reviewer pointed out, why is a target behind the aegis so easy to access all of a sudden? Yeah the field is weakening but apparently a concentrated bombardment can punch through. And avoid all the guns (prior to them being disabled). Dorn decides to take it seriously at last, lands on the platform and smacks Kharn into a backflip (that's how I imagined it). Then Perturabo takes the field. Their conversation went like this:
P: "Mwah haha. I have bested your defences and proven myself your better."
D: "Meh. No biggie." Turns to leave.
P: "Wait. What?"
D: "It's just the first wall. There are, like, several others."
P: "Nooooo. Taking this port allows us to bypass..." Scratches head. "At least I think it does. I have taken the port though. It's more important than any of us thought. I can bring down Titans for Horus like he asked me to. Where are you going?"
D: Flips the bird as he ascends the drop ship ramp.
Forrix: "How do I get outta this chicken sh** outfit?"
Okay I took some liberty there. Moving on... I could write just as much about the Imperial Army plotline but I'll spare you and just say that the final twist was handled poorly. By that I mean I was confused on who said what and why. I had to read the author's afterword to figure out what happened. What should have been a clever twist simply wasn't. In his effort to surprise us I think the author broke an important "rule" if you will. I'm a writer myself and I don't want to set rigid formulas but damn if over a third of the book felt wasted (more actually if you count the other plotlines). Besides, the mortal human angle was handled quite nicely in the previous book.
This review is already overlong but I will say that I enjoyed seeing Keeler again and much of that plot thread was interesting though ultimately unsatisfying.
This book bogged everything down for me. Like so many HH novels I think you can skip it. I have more to read that has been published at the time I write this so we shall see.
I very much enjoyed the first two books of the Siege of Terra which gave me confidence in the final act of the Heresy. It has been a compelling narrative to cap off what has turned into a gigantic series full of some great works and some overwrought filler. This one disappointed me, I am sad to say. It jumps around as the previous entries did, but in a far more jarring fashion.
Spoilers ahead.
A plot point is introduced early on about how the Palace space port is actually a serious flaw in the defenses. Perturabo believes it will allow a deeper penetration into the Palace interior than would be accomplished elsewhere. Prior to this, nobody seems interested in the port. The space port. The facility that would allow traitor reinforcements and Titans to be deployed with ease, or make it easier for the Ultramines and others to do the same once they arrive. Dorn did not seem overly concerned until the commander there said the impending assault was not a feint, and to please send reinforcements. Dorn: "I guess I can spare whatever I can scrape together." It's not like it's a point of interest for either side *rolls eyes.*
The battle for the space port was convoluted and made no sense with so many threads abandoned. What happened to Berossus? He was actually interesting. No decision anyone made there led to anything. The importance of the bridges is mentioned over and over until someone realizes "Nope, the landing pads are the real prize!" I mean duh. By the time it was over the Iron Warriors were declared the victors because Perturabo's ship landed. As another reviewer pointed out, why is a target behind the aegis so easy to access all of a sudden? Yeah the field is weakening but apparently a concentrated bombardment can punch through. And avoid all the guns (prior to them being disabled). Dorn decides to take it seriously at last, lands on the platform and smacks Kharn into a backflip (that's how I imagined it). Then Perturabo takes the field. Their conversation went like this:
P: "Mwah haha. I have bested your defences and proven myself your better."
D: "Meh. No biggie." Turns to leave.
P: "Wait. What?"
D: "It's just the first wall. There are, like, several others."
P: "Nooooo. Taking this port allows us to bypass..." Scratches head. "At least I think it does. I have taken the port though. It's more important than any of us thought. I can bring down Titans for Horus like he asked me to. Where are you going?"
D: Flips the bird as he ascends the drop ship ramp.
Forrix: "How do I get outta this chicken sh** outfit?"
Okay I took some liberty there. Moving on... I could write just as much about the Imperial Army plotline but I'll spare you and just say that the final twist was handled poorly. By that I mean I was confused on who said what and why. I had to read the author's afterword to figure out what happened. What should have been a clever twist simply wasn't. In his effort to surprise us I think the author broke an important "rule" if you will. I'm a writer myself and I don't want to set rigid formulas but damn if over a third of the book felt wasted (more actually if you count the other plotlines). Besides, the mortal human angle was handled quite nicely in the previous book.
This review is already overlong but I will say that I enjoyed seeing Keeler again and much of that plot thread was interesting though ultimately unsatisfying.
This book bogged everything down for me. Like so many HH novels I think you can skip it. I have more to read that has been published at the time I write this so we shall see.
June 19, 2020
It´s the same formula as previous titles in horus heresy: start with a few good titles, and then for the sake of earning money, write garbage. The third book is exactly that: just a small advance in the timeline of the siege, and a lot of new characters that nobody care.
Don´t we have enough material (more than 50 books of the horus heresy) to get a glimpse of everything?.
It is not the time to make the primarchs the real angular element of each novella?.
Avoid this title: inconsistent stories, no plot advances, a lot of bolt and sword between 2nd level characters... A few pages were we can see some primarchs speaking and nothing more. Pretty disappointing.
We have to assume the next books are going to be like this, until the 2 last books perhaps. And let´s pray they don´t write 20 more books “around” the siege of terra between.
Don´t count on my money!
Don´t we have enough material (more than 50 books of the horus heresy) to get a glimpse of everything?.
It is not the time to make the primarchs the real angular element of each novella?.
Avoid this title: inconsistent stories, no plot advances, a lot of bolt and sword between 2nd level characters... A few pages were we can see some primarchs speaking and nothing more. Pretty disappointing.
We have to assume the next books are going to be like this, until the 2 last books perhaps. And let´s pray they don´t write 20 more books “around” the siege of terra between.
Don´t count on my money!
June 29, 2020
Not my favourite of this siege of terra series yet. Some parts like the final battle and the parts with Amon were great.
But the attack of the lion gate space port didn't really work, it was hard to follow how the battle was actually playing out, just talk of huge armies attacking each other but no sense of where they really were in relation to each other. Also an early techno phage that somehow managed to get through, pretty much spelled the end of the defense I thought. I also thought the loyal marines came across quite easy beats, I know they were mainly nameless which gives them less martial power but in some parts it was just like they turned up and died while iron warriors took only a few losses.
Then we come to zenobi and the travelling soldiers, not an enjoyable part, I just couldn't see why so long was spent following them, they were humans, normal humans, the minute they reach the battle they are pretty much dead from what has happened so far, the travel was just boring and the character was a little unlikable. The twist was definitely a surprise but then thrown away in one sentence by a secondary character. If you want to do that fine, but let us then read about what happened next so we can revel in that traitors demise, we know they won't live but I would have liked to see her maybe be like down to only a few soldiers and she's thinking she's accomplished something good for the hive just as a tank shell blows her into trillion chunks, could even have been the tank of her lover, that would have been a good ending to that character.
But the attack of the lion gate space port didn't really work, it was hard to follow how the battle was actually playing out, just talk of huge armies attacking each other but no sense of where they really were in relation to each other. Also an early techno phage that somehow managed to get through, pretty much spelled the end of the defense I thought. I also thought the loyal marines came across quite easy beats, I know they were mainly nameless which gives them less martial power but in some parts it was just like they turned up and died while iron warriors took only a few losses.
Then we come to zenobi and the travelling soldiers, not an enjoyable part, I just couldn't see why so long was spent following them, they were humans, normal humans, the minute they reach the battle they are pretty much dead from what has happened so far, the travel was just boring and the character was a little unlikable. The twist was definitely a surprise but then thrown away in one sentence by a secondary character. If you want to do that fine, but let us then read about what happened next so we can revel in that traitors demise, we know they won't live but I would have liked to see her maybe be like down to only a few soldiers and she's thinking she's accomplished something good for the hive just as a tank shell blows her into trillion chunks, could even have been the tank of her lover, that would have been a good ending to that character.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2024
June 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order Omnibus XXI The Siege of Terra (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras.
This is one of those reviews where I feel the need to say up top that this is my own personal opinion expressed for my own entertainment and catharsis. It is only meant for readers and is not intended to be read by the author or anyone close to them. This seems especially important as I have had a least two Black Library authors like my review of their work, which is lovely when I have nice things to say, but disconcerting when I have anything else to say.
I just want to be clear that I'm not trying to hate or spoil anyone's fun. I am a nobody who knows nothing. I am just somone who has read a lot of Horus Heresy suff and is very autistic with Tinkerbell's capacity to only hold a single emotion at a time and an innate passion for hyperbole. Liking things is almost always better than not liking things and I am a champion of the joys of subjectivity.
I hate writing reviews like this so much.
This one was tough. This one was really tough.
The War Continues on Terra with the Traitor forces previously managing to establish enough of an aetheric beachhead that semi-daemonic units, including the Daemon Prince Primarchs can set hoof and tail on the Throneworld. The bulk of the narrative focuses on a factory worker turned conscript and regiment standard bearer, Zenobi, and the experience of her and those around her as they travel across the worlds from the factories in Addaba, Afrik, where their whole family line worked, to the frontline. At the same time, Abaddon and his Dark Apostle are there and making plans, and the Custodes, Amon, and the Saint, Keeler, make a second odd couple as the positive and negatives of religion are investigated.
I have had a decidedly mixed experience with Thorpe throughout the Horus Heresy, Raven's Flight remains one of my favourite audio dramas and short stories in general, with the first time seeing a Primarch really unleashing their full potential being a truly epic moment that never gets old. My experience of Thorpe's colossal Raven Guard narrative in the Heresy was also mixed, but overall I think it's an astounding and brilliant arc that made me cry a few times. Honestly, Weregild broke me in half and left me sobbing. I also remember adoring the Path of the Eldar books, and they are on my list to revisit on the future.
I say all of the above to make clear that I have read a lot of Thorpes work, both over the years and this year. I have a huge amount of respect for Thorpe and know someone who worked with him that has nothing but nice things to say about him. I also can't be more explicit about how much The Lost and the Damned had me fully pumped for the Siege of Terra and just how much I wanted to and wish I liked this...
I'm sorry, but reading this was a thoroughly unpleasant experience that I had to keep forcing myself to come back to to get it done because it also felt like an eternity to get through. I also have to be honest and say that if I wasn't within sight of the finish line after seven months of solidly reading the entire Horus Heresy bibliography I would have DNF'd early on and really had to do some soulsearching about whether or not I actually did want to complete the series any more.
There are a number of reasons why I found this book so unpleasant. One of the big ones that there was absolutely no escape from, especially with the audiobook, was just how painfully a white British man writing about a woman from the African analogue who is at the very least Black-coded this book is. It's not Darius Hinks' racist, Imperialist propaganda like Illyrium and The Sinew of War, and it's not quite the Dan Abnett virulent Islamaphobic and genuinely disgusting portrayal of an Anatolian-coded Chaos-worshipping culture in Legion, but might just be one of the most vividly casually racist, or whatever a more appropriate term might be for, not intentionally racist, pieces of media I've read in a while.
I am white and I'm certainly no expert on the subject of racism, so I will include the whole introduction of Zenobi below the rest of the review*.
I want to be very clear that I am saying my impression of this book is that it is racist. I am not calling Thorpe racist or saying I think he is hateful or bigoted necessarily. I am saying that Thorpe and the Black Library editors need sensitivity readers and/ or cultural consultants, and a more diverse team. This is also very much the case for narrators too and something they seemed to take more seriously for a short time with some narrators of Asian heritage for some White Scars books, before giving up on that.
I've talked a lot about how much I adore Jonathan Keeble's narration, but absolutely hate the awkward, vague, and racist-sounding accents he puts on in these audio books. The main character of this book and nearly everyone around them has a vaguely African accent with the disciplinary officers having vaguely South Asian accents. It's just so awkward and uncomfortable to listen to a white British narrator bumble through so many vague accents of people of colour. It always sucks, but when it's nearly the entire book? What the fuck are Black Library doing?!
The other major negative factor for this book is that it is interminably boring. The Lost and the Damned built up so much momentum and energy that this book grinds into the dust. It even takes tension and interest created in the previous book, as with the World Eaters barely containing themselves and Khârn having to go on a life-threatening mission to have Angron subdued and imprisoned in the Labyrinth on Nightfall being an actual subplot, which is completely ignored because Angron's on Terra doing his thing for a moment. What's really wild about this is the World Eaters and Angron specifically are barely in this at all, so the potential of releasing him and their being tension and danger, along with seeing the Legion unleashed are squandered for absolutely no reason.
While the above is one personal minor pet peeve, the entire book feels like it's treading water and a roadblock to actually progressing the story or having anything interesting happen. Personally, I am all for seeing the way the war on Terra effects the people who live there, but time and again, Black Library authors prove they don't have the sensitivity or chops to handle writing about ordinary people in these extraordinary circumstances.
There are aspects that could have been interesting, particularly around the nature of faith with the duality of being a force for good and fertile ground for funky fecundity. Unfortunately, the way this was handled and presented, from the frankly insulting spoonfeeding and laboured explanations of aspects of Nurgle the third book in this series treated its readers with more credit and respect than book fifty-seven. I understand that Amon and Keeler have some stuff to work out, but that's not how you treat your readers! The sheer volume of going through the abc's of belief and hammering home the similarities of the spreading of faith with the vectors of disease made my brain melt, while there werere some interesting ideas about how to symbolically represent this struggle of faith and nature and the Empeir and Nurgle, the quality of the prose and handling of all of those sequences simply wasn't of a standard set by the Horus Heresy. We're near the end of this series now and that means we've all read a while bunch of French, ADB, and Annandale getting absolutely ridiculous, gorgeously grotesque, and transcendentally surreal with religious and warp imagery, so vague Yggdrasil with some rotten roots and golden chains doesn't cut it.
Speaking of being near the end of the series, after this and McNeill's The Sons of the Selenar, I have to question whether the veterans have any love or energy for this anymore, and if not, let other people write the books. This at least had a pulse, while Selenar was DOA, but this is the third novel of the last run of this series and Selenar was a side story.
So, yeah. It was uncomfortably casually racist, incredibly boring and hard to get through, it wasted every opportunity or failed to actualise any of the actually interesting ideas it had, and the final nail in the coffin for me was that this book was a colossal bummer. Like, it's unbelievably depressing, which, yeah it's war and conscripts and awfulness, so of course it's depressing. It should be. But when you combine that level of depression, awkwardness, and boredom it's hell with the added kicker that if it was actually interesting and engaging, being as depressing as it is would actually be super effective.
I feel awful for writing such a brutal review. I'm genuinely not trying to be mean or put the boot in, and I really do mean it that I respect Thorpe and I don't believe he had any negative intentions in writing this book. This is just an honest reflection of my experience with it.
Your mileage may vary.
EDIT: The 'turn' completely bypassed me. I thought the line was odd, but it wasn't until reading a review that pointed me to Thorpe's afterword that I saw what it was supposed to be. A last line twist like that...oof
EDIT 2: This quote from the Afterword has really raised some Battlestar Galactica Reimagined alarm bells. I totally appreciate the whole thing can't be planned out on detail, but it really says something that this series just had major characters left dangling to just grab whenever...really makes the whole, no I want to stay in hell prison because reasons, make more sense...
"Just as John French went back to the very beginning, to Mersadie Oliton, it made sense to bring the story of Euphrati Keeler full circle. She was the perfect viewpoint for the burgeoning Lectitio Divinitas"
*Extract from the Book: Introduction of Zenobi:
"Djibou transition station, Afrik,
one hundred and six days before assault
There was a sense of solidity that came from a large body of people moving together with a united purpose. Though no order was given, Zenobi found herself falling into step with those around her, finding the natural rhythm that joined them. As on the factory lines, there was a harmony between the troopers, an instinctual togetherness derived from long acquaintance and practice. Just as the line had its own pace and routines, so the work groups that had become defence corps squads settled into a unified movement.
The transports had deposited them and many thousands of others on a raised apron, after a brief glimpse of the dizzying sprawl of roads and rails. Since landing, Zenobi had seen nothing but the others around her and the lightening sky above.
She had no idea where they were going next and the thought was oddly liberating. All she could do was move with the crowd, directed by the officers and the course of the wide rampways and bridges – she knew they were still high up by the cold bite in the wind, like when she used to steal a few moments on the upper hive-skin between shifts.
The drone of engines and clatter of rail carts created a backdrop to the tramping of booted feet. There was little chatter – after nearly a day in close confines with each other everyone was content with their own thoughts.
Over time the footfalls became even more regular, a rhythmic thudding that reminded her of pneumatic die cutters and pounding shell-hammers.
A few metres ahead of Zenobi a woman raised her voice, the words familiar to anyone that worked in the lower east cradlespur, and Zenobi had heard of similar work songs all across the manufactories.
‘I been working the line, working the line, working it all day.’
‘Just like my father before,’ someone sang the refrain from behind.
‘I been working the line, working the line, working it all night,’ the woman continued.
‘Just like my mother before,’ sang more voices.
‘I been working the line, working the line, working all shift.’
‘Just like my son will after,’ sang Zenobi, her wavering voice joining dozens more.
Others took up the lead line, a mix of bass and lower notes from the men, higher-pitched and strident harmonies from the women.
‘I been working the line, working the line, working all my life.’
‘Just like my daughter after.’
The sound swelled around Zenobi, helping her forget the endless sky above, reminding her that she was with her people. With that thought came the comfort that she was where she was meant to be. The factory workers of Addaba were a fatalistic people, but not without contentment. Within their allotted lives there was room to rise a rank or two, to get a little more living space, an extra ration of fresh water and – if one reached the heady heights of overseer like Egwu and the others that had become officers in the defence corps – real fruit once a month. Having been raised on recycled water and air and having tasted nothing but synthetic protein slabs and nutri-mush, the idea of an apple or orange bordered on the mythical.
So they sang songs as they marched, of labour and love, of family and cherished moments, of building a world for their descendants and honouring the lives of their ancestors. Songs that carried them through long shifts of dangerous manual labour swept them along the seemingly unending march to their next stop."
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, 3 Siege of Terra Novels, 1 Siege of Terra Novella, and 185 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.
This is one of those reviews where I feel the need to say up top that this is my own personal opinion expressed for my own entertainment and catharsis. It is only meant for readers and is not intended to be read by the author or anyone close to them. This seems especially important as I have had a least two Black Library authors like my review of their work, which is lovely when I have nice things to say, but disconcerting when I have anything else to say.
I just want to be clear that I'm not trying to hate or spoil anyone's fun. I am a nobody who knows nothing. I am just somone who has read a lot of Horus Heresy suff and is very autistic with Tinkerbell's capacity to only hold a single emotion at a time and an innate passion for hyperbole. Liking things is almost always better than not liking things and I am a champion of the joys of subjectivity.
I hate writing reviews like this so much.
This one was tough. This one was really tough.
The War Continues on Terra with the Traitor forces previously managing to establish enough of an aetheric beachhead that semi-daemonic units, including the Daemon Prince Primarchs can set hoof and tail on the Throneworld. The bulk of the narrative focuses on a factory worker turned conscript and regiment standard bearer, Zenobi, and the experience of her and those around her as they travel across the worlds from the factories in Addaba, Afrik, where their whole family line worked, to the frontline. At the same time, Abaddon and his Dark Apostle are there and making plans, and the Custodes, Amon, and the Saint, Keeler, make a second odd couple as the positive and negatives of religion are investigated.
I have had a decidedly mixed experience with Thorpe throughout the Horus Heresy, Raven's Flight remains one of my favourite audio dramas and short stories in general, with the first time seeing a Primarch really unleashing their full potential being a truly epic moment that never gets old. My experience of Thorpe's colossal Raven Guard narrative in the Heresy was also mixed, but overall I think it's an astounding and brilliant arc that made me cry a few times. Honestly, Weregild broke me in half and left me sobbing. I also remember adoring the Path of the Eldar books, and they are on my list to revisit on the future.
I say all of the above to make clear that I have read a lot of Thorpes work, both over the years and this year. I have a huge amount of respect for Thorpe and know someone who worked with him that has nothing but nice things to say about him. I also can't be more explicit about how much The Lost and the Damned had me fully pumped for the Siege of Terra and just how much I wanted to and wish I liked this...
I'm sorry, but reading this was a thoroughly unpleasant experience that I had to keep forcing myself to come back to to get it done because it also felt like an eternity to get through. I also have to be honest and say that if I wasn't within sight of the finish line after seven months of solidly reading the entire Horus Heresy bibliography I would have DNF'd early on and really had to do some soulsearching about whether or not I actually did want to complete the series any more.
There are a number of reasons why I found this book so unpleasant. One of the big ones that there was absolutely no escape from, especially with the audiobook, was just how painfully a white British man writing about a woman from the African analogue who is at the very least Black-coded this book is. It's not Darius Hinks' racist, Imperialist propaganda like Illyrium and The Sinew of War, and it's not quite the Dan Abnett virulent Islamaphobic and genuinely disgusting portrayal of an Anatolian-coded Chaos-worshipping culture in Legion, but might just be one of the most vividly casually racist, or whatever a more appropriate term might be for, not intentionally racist, pieces of media I've read in a while.
I am white and I'm certainly no expert on the subject of racism, so I will include the whole introduction of Zenobi below the rest of the review*.
I want to be very clear that I am saying my impression of this book is that it is racist. I am not calling Thorpe racist or saying I think he is hateful or bigoted necessarily. I am saying that Thorpe and the Black Library editors need sensitivity readers and/ or cultural consultants, and a more diverse team. This is also very much the case for narrators too and something they seemed to take more seriously for a short time with some narrators of Asian heritage for some White Scars books, before giving up on that.
I've talked a lot about how much I adore Jonathan Keeble's narration, but absolutely hate the awkward, vague, and racist-sounding accents he puts on in these audio books. The main character of this book and nearly everyone around them has a vaguely African accent with the disciplinary officers having vaguely South Asian accents. It's just so awkward and uncomfortable to listen to a white British narrator bumble through so many vague accents of people of colour. It always sucks, but when it's nearly the entire book? What the fuck are Black Library doing?!
The other major negative factor for this book is that it is interminably boring. The Lost and the Damned built up so much momentum and energy that this book grinds into the dust. It even takes tension and interest created in the previous book, as with the World Eaters barely containing themselves and Khârn having to go on a life-threatening mission to have Angron subdued and imprisoned in the Labyrinth on Nightfall being an actual subplot, which is completely ignored because Angron's on Terra doing his thing for a moment. What's really wild about this is the World Eaters and Angron specifically are barely in this at all, so the potential of releasing him and their being tension and danger, along with seeing the Legion unleashed are squandered for absolutely no reason.
While the above is one personal minor pet peeve, the entire book feels like it's treading water and a roadblock to actually progressing the story or having anything interesting happen. Personally, I am all for seeing the way the war on Terra effects the people who live there, but time and again, Black Library authors prove they don't have the sensitivity or chops to handle writing about ordinary people in these extraordinary circumstances.
There are aspects that could have been interesting, particularly around the nature of faith with the duality of being a force for good and fertile ground for funky fecundity. Unfortunately, the way this was handled and presented, from the frankly insulting spoonfeeding and laboured explanations of aspects of Nurgle the third book in this series treated its readers with more credit and respect than book fifty-seven. I understand that Amon and Keeler have some stuff to work out, but that's not how you treat your readers! The sheer volume of going through the abc's of belief and hammering home the similarities of the spreading of faith with the vectors of disease made my brain melt, while there werere some interesting ideas about how to symbolically represent this struggle of faith and nature and the Empeir and Nurgle, the quality of the prose and handling of all of those sequences simply wasn't of a standard set by the Horus Heresy. We're near the end of this series now and that means we've all read a while bunch of French, ADB, and Annandale getting absolutely ridiculous, gorgeously grotesque, and transcendentally surreal with religious and warp imagery, so vague Yggdrasil with some rotten roots and golden chains doesn't cut it.
Speaking of being near the end of the series, after this and McNeill's The Sons of the Selenar, I have to question whether the veterans have any love or energy for this anymore, and if not, let other people write the books. This at least had a pulse, while Selenar was DOA, but this is the third novel of the last run of this series and Selenar was a side story.
So, yeah. It was uncomfortably casually racist, incredibly boring and hard to get through, it wasted every opportunity or failed to actualise any of the actually interesting ideas it had, and the final nail in the coffin for me was that this book was a colossal bummer. Like, it's unbelievably depressing, which, yeah it's war and conscripts and awfulness, so of course it's depressing. It should be. But when you combine that level of depression, awkwardness, and boredom it's hell with the added kicker that if it was actually interesting and engaging, being as depressing as it is would actually be super effective.
I feel awful for writing such a brutal review. I'm genuinely not trying to be mean or put the boot in, and I really do mean it that I respect Thorpe and I don't believe he had any negative intentions in writing this book. This is just an honest reflection of my experience with it.
Your mileage may vary.
EDIT: The 'turn' completely bypassed me. I thought the line was odd, but it wasn't until reading a review that pointed me to Thorpe's afterword that I saw what it was supposed to be. A last line twist like that...oof
EDIT 2: This quote from the Afterword has really raised some Battlestar Galactica Reimagined alarm bells. I totally appreciate the whole thing can't be planned out on detail, but it really says something that this series just had major characters left dangling to just grab whenever...really makes the whole, no I want to stay in hell prison because reasons, make more sense...
"Just as John French went back to the very beginning, to Mersadie Oliton, it made sense to bring the story of Euphrati Keeler full circle. She was the perfect viewpoint for the burgeoning Lectitio Divinitas"
*Extract from the Book: Introduction of Zenobi:
"Djibou transition station, Afrik,
one hundred and six days before assault
There was a sense of solidity that came from a large body of people moving together with a united purpose. Though no order was given, Zenobi found herself falling into step with those around her, finding the natural rhythm that joined them. As on the factory lines, there was a harmony between the troopers, an instinctual togetherness derived from long acquaintance and practice. Just as the line had its own pace and routines, so the work groups that had become defence corps squads settled into a unified movement.
The transports had deposited them and many thousands of others on a raised apron, after a brief glimpse of the dizzying sprawl of roads and rails. Since landing, Zenobi had seen nothing but the others around her and the lightening sky above.
She had no idea where they were going next and the thought was oddly liberating. All she could do was move with the crowd, directed by the officers and the course of the wide rampways and bridges – she knew they were still high up by the cold bite in the wind, like when she used to steal a few moments on the upper hive-skin between shifts.
The drone of engines and clatter of rail carts created a backdrop to the tramping of booted feet. There was little chatter – after nearly a day in close confines with each other everyone was content with their own thoughts.
Over time the footfalls became even more regular, a rhythmic thudding that reminded her of pneumatic die cutters and pounding shell-hammers.
A few metres ahead of Zenobi a woman raised her voice, the words familiar to anyone that worked in the lower east cradlespur, and Zenobi had heard of similar work songs all across the manufactories.
‘I been working the line, working the line, working it all day.’
‘Just like my father before,’ someone sang the refrain from behind.
‘I been working the line, working the line, working it all night,’ the woman continued.
‘Just like my mother before,’ sang more voices.
‘I been working the line, working the line, working all shift.’
‘Just like my son will after,’ sang Zenobi, her wavering voice joining dozens more.
Others took up the lead line, a mix of bass and lower notes from the men, higher-pitched and strident harmonies from the women.
‘I been working the line, working the line, working all my life.’
‘Just like my daughter after.’
The sound swelled around Zenobi, helping her forget the endless sky above, reminding her that she was with her people. With that thought came the comfort that she was where she was meant to be. The factory workers of Addaba were a fatalistic people, but not without contentment. Within their allotted lives there was room to rise a rank or two, to get a little more living space, an extra ration of fresh water and – if one reached the heady heights of overseer like Egwu and the others that had become officers in the defence corps – real fruit once a month. Having been raised on recycled water and air and having tasted nothing but synthetic protein slabs and nutri-mush, the idea of an apple or orange bordered on the mythical.
So they sang songs as they marched, of labour and love, of family and cherished moments, of building a world for their descendants and honouring the lives of their ancestors. Songs that carried them through long shifts of dangerous manual labour swept them along the seemingly unending march to their next stop."
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, 3 Siege of Terra Novels, 1 Siege of Terra Novella, and 185 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.
March 10, 2020
So. Here we are. When I started reading this series over a decade ago, I didn't expect it to run to over fifty books. Or to have the finale as a "separate" series. But we're now half-way through the final seven book mini-run of a story that started fifty five books ago.
ISN'T IT A BIT LATE TO INTRODUCE A "CHOSEN ONE" ARC FOR A SECOND TIER CHARACTER?
ISN'T IT A BIT LATE TO HAVE SUCH INCONSISTENT CHARACTERISATION FOR MAIN CHARACTERS?
ISN'T IT A BIT LATE TO RIP OFF THE NON-PARALLEL TIMESCALES THING FROM "DUNKIRK?"
ISN'T IT A TEENY, TINY, LITTLE BIT LATE TO END BOOKS WITH "I'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME, GADGET!"
Only about four of these books have deserved more than three stars. This isn't one of them. But it rattles along and it does have one decent sub-plot, even if you can see the twist coming from orbit.
ISN'T IT A BIT LATE TO INTRODUCE A "CHOSEN ONE" ARC FOR A SECOND TIER CHARACTER?
ISN'T IT A BIT LATE TO HAVE SUCH INCONSISTENT CHARACTERISATION FOR MAIN CHARACTERS?
ISN'T IT A BIT LATE TO RIP OFF THE NON-PARALLEL TIMESCALES THING FROM "DUNKIRK?"
ISN'T IT A TEENY, TINY, LITTLE BIT LATE TO END BOOKS WITH "I'LL GET YOU NEXT TIME, GADGET!"
Only about four of these books have deserved more than three stars. This isn't one of them. But it rattles along and it does have one decent sub-plot, even if you can see the twist coming from orbit.
April 13, 2020
I'll keep this short.
I couldn't get through it.
Maybe I've read too much Warhammer 40k material now and I've got a case of burn out.
To think that there are going to be another 5 titles in this final battle is something I am not prepared to read. I may consider buying the final title, although will it be a final title or will we have another 8 books chronicling how everyone went for a much earned holiday after the battle for Terra and their adventures on vacation? I say that in jest of course, I've not just given up this book 1/4 of the way through, I've decided that for me, the adventures in the Warhammer 40k universe have come to an end.
Thank you for some great stories and characters. I'm done. The first wall will be my last warhammer 40k title I believe.
I couldn't get through it.
Maybe I've read too much Warhammer 40k material now and I've got a case of burn out.
To think that there are going to be another 5 titles in this final battle is something I am not prepared to read. I may consider buying the final title, although will it be a final title or will we have another 8 books chronicling how everyone went for a much earned holiday after the battle for Terra and their adventures on vacation? I say that in jest of course, I've not just given up this book 1/4 of the way through, I've decided that for me, the adventures in the Warhammer 40k universe have come to an end.
Thank you for some great stories and characters. I'm done. The first wall will be my last warhammer 40k title I believe.
March 18, 2020
This is an absolutely amazing book. From the start, you're plunged into the happenings on Terra, coming at the story from 5 different sides, yet it transitions seamlessly, soo much so they slide a super huge twist in that you have no idea is coming.
If this book is any indication of the rest of the series, this is going to be a fantastic end to the Horus Heresy series.
MUST READ.
If this book is any indication of the rest of the series, this is going to be a fantastic end to the Horus Heresy series.
MUST READ.
July 12, 2025
4.5 stars
April 17, 2021
This book was a chore to read.
Too many plot lines and too much jumping around in time with sections consistently ending in some form of cliffhanger in the middle of an event, combined with some glaring plot holes and awful writing.
Several times in the book there are portions which seem out of place like someone messed up the editing or if not then they don't flow from prior events. Other events just fail to have any logical sense in their execution and had me re-reading half a chapter to make sure I somehow hadn't missed something that explained how what I just read was possible unfortunately that was the case stuff just happens without any logic.
The secondary plot took up way to much of the book and frequently made no sense and that's even after re-reading sections after getting to the end of the book in case they made more sense on a second reading.
In summary the novel is disjointed both in trying to weave it's multiple plot lines and even within the consistency of its individual plot lines
This is the Siege of Terra, it's the climax of the Horus Hersey, specifically this book is the events that result in the first major breach of the defenses
There are in theory major battles taking place in this book but you'd never know it half the time even in the passages about the battles, we're quite often just told there's fighting going on while the actual story focuses on some other aspect of the story it wants to tell.
The plot involving Keeler should have been at best an independent short story since it adds nothing and then there's the third of the book taken up by a train ride, taken by characters we've not met before and have no reason to be connected to - and the eventual "pay-off" isn't even close to having to spend this much time on it.
Too many plot lines and too much jumping around in time with sections consistently ending in some form of cliffhanger in the middle of an event, combined with some glaring plot holes and awful writing.
Several times in the book there are portions which seem out of place like someone messed up the editing or if not then they don't flow from prior events. Other events just fail to have any logical sense in their execution and had me re-reading half a chapter to make sure I somehow hadn't missed something that explained how what I just read was possible unfortunately that was the case stuff just happens without any logic.
The secondary plot took up way to much of the book and frequently made no sense and that's even after re-reading sections after getting to the end of the book in case they made more sense on a second reading.
In summary the novel is disjointed both in trying to weave it's multiple plot lines and even within the consistency of its individual plot lines
This is the Siege of Terra, it's the climax of the Horus Hersey, specifically this book is the events that result in the first major breach of the defenses
There are in theory major battles taking place in this book but you'd never know it half the time even in the passages about the battles, we're quite often just told there's fighting going on while the actual story focuses on some other aspect of the story it wants to tell.
The plot involving Keeler should have been at best an independent short story since it adds nothing and then there's the third of the book taken up by a train ride, taken by characters we've not met before and have no reason to be connected to - and the eventual "pay-off" isn't even close to having to spend this much time on it.
March 22, 2023
Awful.
I could write a long and rambling ode to how truly, utterly awful this is but I don't want to waste the energy after already wasting hours of my life reading this dross.
1) more pointless side characters introduced who are uninteresting, serve no purpose and, in this instance, are killed off page. About a third of a book is wasted in this way, an editor with any skill and self respect would have cut it all.
2) a jumping and inconsistent narrative. There is no arc in this book, it jumps days at a time, events are mentioned and never followed up, events start but are never finished, there is largely no reason for decisions made... It's almost like hundreds of short paragraphs of space marines fighting stuck together with glue by a drunk.
3) the same series reoccurring issue of whoever is the POV is the biggest badass and everyone else is a cuck. With a jumping narrative this is further exacerbated as one minute the imperial fists will easily kill 10s/100s of Iron Warriors, then a page later the Imperial Fists forget how to fight. Its embarrassing.
4) the hand waving excuse of "it's chaos" to get past the repeated plot holes/narrative dead ends. Sigismund is the best, but he's fighting someone who we cannot let die... Well we can let him win! But then Chaos lol and no one really loses. Yaaaawn.
Thats enough time wasted on this awful book.
I could write a long and rambling ode to how truly, utterly awful this is but I don't want to waste the energy after already wasting hours of my life reading this dross.
1) more pointless side characters introduced who are uninteresting, serve no purpose and, in this instance, are killed off page. About a third of a book is wasted in this way, an editor with any skill and self respect would have cut it all.
2) a jumping and inconsistent narrative. There is no arc in this book, it jumps days at a time, events are mentioned and never followed up, events start but are never finished, there is largely no reason for decisions made... It's almost like hundreds of short paragraphs of space marines fighting stuck together with glue by a drunk.
3) the same series reoccurring issue of whoever is the POV is the biggest badass and everyone else is a cuck. With a jumping narrative this is further exacerbated as one minute the imperial fists will easily kill 10s/100s of Iron Warriors, then a page later the Imperial Fists forget how to fight. Its embarrassing.
4) the hand waving excuse of "it's chaos" to get past the repeated plot holes/narrative dead ends. Sigismund is the best, but he's fighting someone who we cannot let die... Well we can let him win! But then Chaos lol and no one really loses. Yaaaawn.
Thats enough time wasted on this awful book.
April 12, 2024
If I'd been told that this was fanfiction it would not have surprised me. The plot beats of the previous Siege book seemed completely abandoned here - the Khan and Sanguinius barely feature - and Dorn and Peturabo are mockeries of their normal characters. The 'human' side story is a nothingburger that simply ends on a mediocre twist. Very disappointing - not quite Angels of Caliban, but very close. Thorpe may be a lore master, but frankly his writing is amateur and clunky - words repeated in sentences, bizarre descriptions and stunted dialogue throughout.
March 19, 2020
I wish i had never started it ! The worst hh book ever !(the Damnation of phytos is light years ahead.) And im reading BL books since 2010.BOI im mad!!!! How coud you ruin this...this was supposed to be a book for siege tactics and two rivals clashing! Oooooo my oo my I AM SOOO MAD!!! Zenobi,adaba,amon,light bearers,katzuhiro WTF!
June 14, 2024
Just incredibly mid all the way through…
July 25, 2025
Book Review: The First Wall by Gavin Thorpe — A Newcomer’s Perspective on the Siege of Terra
As someone relatively new to the sprawling Warhammer 40,000 universe, I approached The First Wall—the third installment in the Siege of Terra series—with both excitement and a bit of trepidation. After thoroughly enjoying the first two books, which introduced me to the vast and brutal conflict surrounding the Siege, I was eager to dive deeper into the layers of this epic saga. Gavin Thorpe’s The First Wall did not disappoint; it delivered a gripping continuation that expanded my understanding of the Warhammer mythos while maintaining the visceral, high-stakes intensity that hooked me from the start.
Plot and Themes
The book plunges directly into the escalating brutality of the Siege of Terra’s next phase, focusing on the massive, bloody clash at the Lion’s Gate spaceport—a pivotal strategic point. Thorpe does a fantastic job portraying the sheer scale and ferocity of the battle, throwing the reader into the chaos of thousands of combatants locked in desperate struggle. The narrative centers on Perturabo, the Iron Warriors Primarch, who is portrayed as a grim, ruthless tactician determined to prove his worth to Horus and to outshine his loyalist brother, Rogal Dorn. This family rivalry adds a compelling emotional undertone to what could otherwise be a straightforward siege story.
The introduction of Warsmith Kroeger as Perturabo’s blunt instrument brings a gritty, brutal edge to the fighting. Kroeger’s relentless, merciless assault feels like a force of nature—unstoppable, devastating, and terrifying. Watching the Iron Warriors and the Imperial Fists go head-to-head in this relentless battle gave a real sense of the horrors of war at both a personal and planetary scale.
Meanwhile, the story also weaves in intriguing subplots that broaden the scope of the conflict. Custodian Amon Tauromachian’s investigation into the rise of the Lectitio Divinitatus within the Imperial Palace adds a layer of political and metaphysical intrigue, which I found fascinating despite my limited prior knowledge. It hints at how belief, power, and corruption intertwine in the Imperium’s highest echelons.
Additionally, Thorpe takes us far from Terra itself, introducing the proud volunteers from Addaba Hive and their arduous journey to Himalazia. This subplot enriches the world-building, reminding the reader that the Imperium’s struggle is felt across countless worlds, each with its own sacrifices and heroes.
Writing Style and Accessibility
One of my biggest concerns as a Warhammer newcomer was whether the complex lore and massive cast of characters would be overwhelming. Thankfully, Thorpe strikes a good balance between detailed exposition and fast-paced action. While some familiarity with the universe certainly helps, the narrative manages to convey the stakes and motivations clearly enough that I never felt lost or confused.
The prose itself is vivid and immersive, often gritty and unflinching in its depiction of war’s brutality, which suits the subject matter perfectly. The pacing keeps the tension high throughout, mixing sweeping battlefield sequences with intimate character moments that give the story emotional depth.
Character Development
The characters in The First Wall feel larger-than-life yet layered. Perturabo emerges as a complex figure—hard, proud, and desperate for validation, yet with a certain tragic grandeur. The rivalry with his brother Dorn adds a humanizing element, showing that beneath the armor and war machines are real, flawed personalities.
Kroeger is terrifying and relentless, embodying the Iron Warriors’ reputation for cruelty and efficiency, but Thorpe doesn’t reduce him to a mere villainous archetype. Similarly, Amon Tauromachian’s subplot introduces a custodian with a strong sense of duty and insight, providing a contrasting perspective on the siege’s toll.
Overall Impression
For someone still getting their footing in the Warhammer 40K universe, The First Wall is an impressive continuation of the Siege of Terra saga. It deepens the scope and stakes of the conflict, showcasing brutal battles, intricate political-religious undercurrents, and far-reaching consequences across the galaxy. Gavin Thorpe manages to keep the story accessible without sacrificing complexity or depth.
If you enjoyed the first two books, this one is a must-read. It enhances the emotional resonance of the siege and provides new layers of intrigue and action that make the saga feel truly epic. Even as a newcomer, I found myself more invested in the characters and eager to see where the war goes next.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
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As someone relatively new to the sprawling Warhammer 40,000 universe, I approached The First Wall—the third installment in the Siege of Terra series—with both excitement and a bit of trepidation. After thoroughly enjoying the first two books, which introduced me to the vast and brutal conflict surrounding the Siege, I was eager to dive deeper into the layers of this epic saga. Gavin Thorpe’s The First Wall did not disappoint; it delivered a gripping continuation that expanded my understanding of the Warhammer mythos while maintaining the visceral, high-stakes intensity that hooked me from the start.
Plot and Themes
The book plunges directly into the escalating brutality of the Siege of Terra’s next phase, focusing on the massive, bloody clash at the Lion’s Gate spaceport—a pivotal strategic point. Thorpe does a fantastic job portraying the sheer scale and ferocity of the battle, throwing the reader into the chaos of thousands of combatants locked in desperate struggle. The narrative centers on Perturabo, the Iron Warriors Primarch, who is portrayed as a grim, ruthless tactician determined to prove his worth to Horus and to outshine his loyalist brother, Rogal Dorn. This family rivalry adds a compelling emotional undertone to what could otherwise be a straightforward siege story.
The introduction of Warsmith Kroeger as Perturabo’s blunt instrument brings a gritty, brutal edge to the fighting. Kroeger’s relentless, merciless assault feels like a force of nature—unstoppable, devastating, and terrifying. Watching the Iron Warriors and the Imperial Fists go head-to-head in this relentless battle gave a real sense of the horrors of war at both a personal and planetary scale.
Meanwhile, the story also weaves in intriguing subplots that broaden the scope of the conflict. Custodian Amon Tauromachian’s investigation into the rise of the Lectitio Divinitatus within the Imperial Palace adds a layer of political and metaphysical intrigue, which I found fascinating despite my limited prior knowledge. It hints at how belief, power, and corruption intertwine in the Imperium’s highest echelons.
Additionally, Thorpe takes us far from Terra itself, introducing the proud volunteers from Addaba Hive and their arduous journey to Himalazia. This subplot enriches the world-building, reminding the reader that the Imperium’s struggle is felt across countless worlds, each with its own sacrifices and heroes.
Writing Style and Accessibility
One of my biggest concerns as a Warhammer newcomer was whether the complex lore and massive cast of characters would be overwhelming. Thankfully, Thorpe strikes a good balance between detailed exposition and fast-paced action. While some familiarity with the universe certainly helps, the narrative manages to convey the stakes and motivations clearly enough that I never felt lost or confused.
The prose itself is vivid and immersive, often gritty and unflinching in its depiction of war’s brutality, which suits the subject matter perfectly. The pacing keeps the tension high throughout, mixing sweeping battlefield sequences with intimate character moments that give the story emotional depth.
Character Development
The characters in The First Wall feel larger-than-life yet layered. Perturabo emerges as a complex figure—hard, proud, and desperate for validation, yet with a certain tragic grandeur. The rivalry with his brother Dorn adds a humanizing element, showing that beneath the armor and war machines are real, flawed personalities.
Kroeger is terrifying and relentless, embodying the Iron Warriors’ reputation for cruelty and efficiency, but Thorpe doesn’t reduce him to a mere villainous archetype. Similarly, Amon Tauromachian’s subplot introduces a custodian with a strong sense of duty and insight, providing a contrasting perspective on the siege’s toll.
Overall Impression
For someone still getting their footing in the Warhammer 40K universe, The First Wall is an impressive continuation of the Siege of Terra saga. It deepens the scope and stakes of the conflict, showcasing brutal battles, intricate political-religious undercurrents, and far-reaching consequences across the galaxy. Gavin Thorpe manages to keep the story accessible without sacrificing complexity or depth.
If you enjoyed the first two books, this one is a must-read. It enhances the emotional resonance of the siege and provides new layers of intrigue and action that make the saga feel truly epic. Even as a newcomer, I found myself more invested in the characters and eager to see where the war goes next.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
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May 13, 2023
3.5 stars idk how to do a half star in this app
I have mixed feelings on The First Wall, it wasn't bad but I felt subplots dragged for too long, the Zenobia one was enjoyable enough but in the end it felt a little pointless because the tie in at the end just didn't feel like it deserved as much attention as it got throughout the book, if it ended less abruptly or had a feeling of more significance (which I think it was trying to convey but failed) it would have been much better but as it is it could have been halved, the keeler one doesn't feel at all insignificant but while I enjoyed it I think it was a step down from the human story in the last book and I felt it was written as well, still not bad though, the best part is definitely the battle for Lions Gate Spaceport it takes some time to warm up but when the action begins it takes off and only gets better, the ending is climatic, I really enjoyed this section overall, I think the opening of the book is pretty good too with Khorn worshipers beheading the millions of dead from the outer defences and building a skull mountain, Perp is a little whiny but I kinda expect that from him so it isn't a big deal.
I have mixed feelings on The First Wall, it wasn't bad but I felt subplots dragged for too long, the Zenobia one was enjoyable enough but in the end it felt a little pointless because the tie in at the end just didn't feel like it deserved as much attention as it got throughout the book, if it ended less abruptly or had a feeling of more significance (which I think it was trying to convey but failed) it would have been much better but as it is it could have been halved, the keeler one doesn't feel at all insignificant but while I enjoyed it I think it was a step down from the human story in the last book and I felt it was written as well, still not bad though, the best part is definitely the battle for Lions Gate Spaceport it takes some time to warm up but when the action begins it takes off and only gets better, the ending is climatic, I really enjoyed this section overall, I think the opening of the book is pretty good too with Khorn worshipers beheading the millions of dead from the outer defences and building a skull mountain, Perp is a little whiny but I kinda expect that from him so it isn't a big deal.
May 13, 2023
Having now read the first three novels of the Siege of Terra I can say that this is the one the I enjoyed the least so far. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t good, but I did not enjoy it as much as the two previous novels. In fact I was ready to give it only three stars, up until the moment where something totally unexpected happened. From that point the novel suddenly seemed to go into overdrive, and included a couple of very nice scenes indeed.
As well as focussing on a few well established characters that we all know from the Horus Heresy saga up until this point, for me the most interesting character was newcomer Zenobi. (And one has to wonder if that name didn’t come from a character from a very different franchise that starts with a K). Either way her arc was amazing and for me all the sections that featured her were definitely the best. That said this novel did drag at some points, especially in the beginning sections. Overall though, this was still a worthy addition. So, let’s see what’s next :)
As well as focussing on a few well established characters that we all know from the Horus Heresy saga up until this point, for me the most interesting character was newcomer Zenobi. (And one has to wonder if that name didn’t come from a character from a very different franchise that starts with a K). Either way her arc was amazing and for me all the sections that featured her were definitely the best. That said this novel did drag at some points, especially in the beginning sections. Overall though, this was still a worthy addition. So, let’s see what’s next :)
May 11, 2021
The First Wall takes place during a devastating civil war in the year 40,000 A.D. that has reached the capital planet of Terra, The situation is grim and the book captures it well with bloodthirsty Khorne worshipers attacking the imperial palace’s walls with just barely enough restraint to not kill each other and with the defenders of the palace just barely being able to hold off Chaos. This book is pretty good, especially for fans of 40k yet, I will only recommend this book to people that are familiar with the 40k universe as it is the 3rd book in a spin-off of a 50 book series and takes place near the end of the war.
September 12, 2020
Whilst I did enjoy this entry to the Siege of Terra I have knocked a star off for a rather muddled hard to follow mid section, each sub chapter jumping around to days before/after an event, quite easy to forget what exactly happened and when. The beginning and end set it up and finished it off quite nicely.
Some real epic cinematic moments like and avengers style main character clash and the first major duel in a good long while.
A twist that I should have seen coming took me completely by surprise, well written to me.
Some real epic cinematic moments like and avengers style main character clash and the first major duel in a good long while.
A twist that I should have seen coming took me completely by surprise, well written to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 13, 2020
I had fun reading this story. Seeing the setting up of lore was a fun bit. However, there had been some books from the previous series that I had not read and so I wasn't up on the background of some of the characters.
December 11, 2025
Honestly, I kinda disappeared from Goodreads for a bit, so I don't super remember that much from this book. However, I do remember that I wasn't bored. This whole series is superhuman monstrosities comparing their daddy issues, and I'm all for it.
December 24, 2024
Why is one of the main characters a black 17 year old girl lmao, the pandering is off the charts.
December 17, 2025
"Who knew that the enemy would look so much like her friends or family." p.281
April 6, 2020
GW books don't often surprise me, and i rarely re-read them. This had the most beautiful twist, which i did not see coming - and re-reading confirmed it was absolutely set up 100%.
Perfectly done, hats off to Gav.
Also had a wide range of characters, several prominent women, passes Bechdel even. Stirring story, much more focussed than some Solar War books, worked really well.
As is often the case, the bits with the Space Marines were a bit boring. But they're 1/3rd of the book, and i loved the other plots hugely.
Perfectly done, hats off to Gav.
Also had a wide range of characters, several prominent women, passes Bechdel even. Stirring story, much more focussed than some Solar War books, worked really well.
As is often the case, the bits with the Space Marines were a bit boring. But they're 1/3rd of the book, and i loved the other plots hugely.
December 11, 2023
Sieges are long drawn out bloody affairs, and so was reading this.
It's flat-out bad, and probably Gav Thorpes worst Black LIbrary book to date. The sideplot twist you see coming from the very first moment, but you have to wait the whole story for it's sudden yet inevitable payoff.
This one feels like padding, pure and simple. The amount of ground covered in it could have been done in 100 pages, if that. You can pretty much skip this one, lest it destroy your enthusiasm for the rest of the series.
It's flat-out bad, and probably Gav Thorpes worst Black LIbrary book to date. The sideplot twist you see coming from the very first moment, but you have to wait the whole story for it's sudden yet inevitable payoff.
This one feels like padding, pure and simple. The amount of ground covered in it could have been done in 100 pages, if that. You can pretty much skip this one, lest it destroy your enthusiasm for the rest of the series.
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