Gorilla Review - Preface To The Horus Heresy

Caveat:

Don't let us ruin the story for you. The Horus Heresy Book Reviews contain a lot of information not normally carried a book review. If you are the kind of person who likes to discover the facts on their own we strongly suggest you buy the books. They have our SciFi/Fantasy two thumbs up recommendation.

RES GESTAE:

For those of you who don't know, Warhammer 40,000 is a SciFi game, set in the 41^st millennium and featuring the wars between the various factions (11 or so) vying for domination. The game uses miniature figurines of warriors, creatures and vehicles which are produced by Games Workshop. Games Workshop also produces collectible game cards.

In about 2005, the richness of the fictional Warhammer 41^st millennium universe began to expand when Black Library (a section of BL Publishing which, as you might imagine, is a division of Games Workshop Ltd) authors began to in-fill the history leading up to Warhammer 40,000.

According to the Imperium's history, by the 25^th millennium man had dispersed outward through the universe inhabiting a huge number of widely dispersed planets. Travel to these far-flung worlds was accomplished through the "warp", a dimensionally distorted space analogous to a worm-hole. The scientific advances necessary to make these voyages were made during the "Age of Technology" beginning in the 15^th millennium and ending in the 25^th millennium. During the Age of Technology, mutants, called Navigators, were created by means of gene engineering to assist in passage making though the warp. Once started, the spread of mankind throughout the universe was very rapid.

At the height of this diaspora the warp filled with disturbances and became unusable for some five thousands years. Isolated from its satellite worlds, Terra, descended into anarchy and entered its "Age of Strife."

When the warp finally cleared, the earth was under the rule of a single emperor referred to as "The Immortal Emperor of Man" or "The Emperor of Mankind." The Emperor's true name is unknown. He was born in the 8^th millennium AD, somewhere in Anatolia to normal human parents. The basis of the Emperor's immortality isn't clear, but his involvement in human affairs becomes known when he emerges as a warlord of the techno-barbarian warriors and unifies the planet earth in the 30^th millennium.

The unification of earth and the clearing of the warp appear to have coincided. After consolidating his control over Terra, the Emperor launched the Great Crusade in which he and his cohorts would return to the far flung worlds and consolidate all of the human race under his solitary leadership whether they wanted it or not. Xenos would be annihilated

Using his own genes, the Emperor engineered 20 of his offspring into superhuman beings called Primarchs. Each Primarch, in turn, used their own genes to create the legions (their own offspring) they would command. The Emperor was cast as the savior of the human race, whose only purpose was to serve and protect.

THE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED (GENHANCED) PRIMARCHS:

1. Alpharius Omegon - Primarch of the Alpha Legion.

2. Angron - Primarch of World Eaters. (Flagship is Conqueror)

3. Corax - Primarch of Raven Guard.

4. Ferrus Manus - Primarch of the Iron Hands.

5. Fulgrim - Primarch of the Emperor's Children. (Flagship is Andronius)

6. Horus - Warmaster, Commander In Chief of the Emperor's legions, and Primarch of the Luna Wolves/Sons of Horus. (Flagship is Vengeful Spirit)

7. Jaghatai Khan - Primarch of the White Scars.

8. Konrad Curze - Primarch of the Night Lords.

9. Leman Russ - Primarch of the the Space Wolves.

10. Lion El'Jonson - Primarch of the Dark Angels.

11. Logar - Primarch of the Word Bearers.

12. Magnus The Red - Primarch of the Thousand Sons.

13. Mortarion - Primarch of the Death Guard. (Capital Ship Endurance)

14. Perturabo - Primarch of the Iron Warriors.

15. Roboute Guilliman - Primarch of the Ultramarines.

16. Rogal Dorn - Primarch of the Imperial Fists.

17. Sanguinius - Primarch of the Blood Angels.

18. Vulkan - Primarch of the Salamanders.

19. Unknown - Information missing from the history.

20. Unknown - Information missing from the history.

THE GREAT CRUSADE:

The objective of the Great Crusade was to "liberate" the human race by bringing it to the truth. Which meant bringing each of the settled worlds of the universe into the Imperium so that the vast mass of humanity could reach its full potential and enjoy its birthright (dominion over the universe).

One aspect of the Imperium's truth was its complete secularism. The Imperium denied the existence of God and the supernatural. According to the Imperium, there was nothing that could not be defined and/or explained in full by science and nature. Belief systems which taught the existence of demons, gods, spirits and supernatural forces were perceived to be patent frauds used for the sole purpose of subjugating humans. Despite quasi-religious movements to make a God out of him, the Emperor steadfastly rejected even the hint that he might be divine.

After two hundred years of total war, the Emperor promoted his offspring Horus to the position of Warmaster or Commander In Chief of the Emperor's legions. After making this appointment the Emperor returned to Terra ostensibly to administer his now massive Imperium and to study the warp which was not completely understood.

THE HORUS HERESY

It is the events following the appointment of Horus as Warmaster which are documented in the Black Library books. Each book is a chapter in the story leading up to Warhammer 40,000. The chapters (listed in order of occurrence) written to date are:

1. Horus Rising, (The seeds of heresy are sewn) by Dan Abnett

2. False Gods, (The heresy takes root) by Graham McNeill

3. Galaxy In Flames, (The heresy revealed) by Ben Counter

4. The Flight of The Eisenstein, (The heresy unfolds) by James Swallow

5. Fulgrim, ( Visions of treachery) by Graham McNeill

6. Descent of Angels, (Loyalty and honour) by Mitchel Scanlon

7. Legion, (Secrets and lies) by Dan Abnett

8. Battle For The Abyss, (My brother, my enemy) by Ben Counter