Dan Abnett’s “Horus Rising” (Horus Heresy Book One)

I finally had a book arrive this week that I’ve been wanting to read for years. Warhammer 40K: Horus Rising is Dan Abnett’s first book in the massive Horus Heresy series. Warhammer 40K is an interesting universe of sci-fi based off of the wildly popular game series. The series has so much content, in fact, that it is impossible to say where you should begin reading. Dozens of novels exist, most of which are self-contained stories, so it can be tricky finding a novel that introduces the reader to that much content easily. Having finally started this particular series, I can easily say that Horus Rising is a great place to start.

In the Warhammer 40K universe, humanity, known collectively as the Imperium of Man, has long since taken to the stars, ruled by the Immortal Emperor. The Emperor’s exact nature is unknown, but he has the power and influence to have led humanity to victory in virtualy every struggle for survival it has ever encountered. Naturally, the Emperor is revered as a god. Horus Rising follows the events after the Emperor steps away from the battlefield and entrusts the “crusade” to his favored “son,” Horus. Horus is an idealist, and soon finds that betrayal blossoms under the rule of the Emperor at every turn, pitting Horus against the very people he called brothers.

Warhammer 40K may have one of the single coolest, most brutal takes on the future I’ve ever seen. Humanity has embraced its warrior tendencies and crusades to take control of all space. The factions the Imperium comes into contact with are often barbaric in their own right, and it doesn’t take long for the reader to question if anyone is really the protagonist, or if the series is simply a testament to survival. At its heart, Horus Rising is a war novel, depicting some of the most imaginative scenes of destruction to be found in any medium. Behind the WWII-reminiscent carnage is a political drama unfolding that very much makes humanity out to be something akin to Space Romans. The action and sheer world crafting that Abnett does can go toe-to-toe with any author out there.

While the politics never delve into anything too heavy, Horus Rising establishes itself right out the gate as one of the more imaginative pieces of fiction I’ve read, placing humanity in a content-yet-quasi-dystopian universe that makes you question how far you are willing to go for what you want. Sci-fi fans should really think about picking up a copy, especially if they want a pulse pounding thriller. Don’t let the sheer size of the series put you off of diving into the water. The glorious thing about Abnett’s presentation is that everything is explained as if you had no idea what book you were buying, and the storylines are all self contained between every couple of books (meaning you don’t have to settle into a 15 book obligation to get something out of the novel). Horus Rising proves itself to not only be a good book for Warhammer 40K fans, but an immensely enjoyable read in its own right.