alextrev's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating. Like a lot of these 40k books I'm reading I'm always more into the slow points and world building than the action (which is still sick). ADB seems to be a master at this so will deffo be reading more. Khayon as the protagonist is troubled but likeable. More human than Talos of the Night Lord's series IMO. Having not read the Horus Heresy yet, I feel some things have gone over my head but I have a general understanding of what happened so it did not seem impossible to grasp. The book benefitted by googling different legions and their respective gods though. Highpoints were the discovery of the Vengeful Spirit and when Khayon yeeted a ship into a planet.
anti_formalist12's review against another edition
4.0
A cut above the typical warhammer fare. Told from a unique perspective and in a distinct style.
warragh's review against another edition
5.0
Do you love everything Warhammer? Do you devour any bits of lore available? Do you care about the world and its characters? If not, then you won't like this. This book is for people who eat and breathe Warhammer 40k.
The book tells the origin story of the Black Legion and of how Abaddon became Warmaster of Chaos. The main character is one Iskandar Khayon, sorcerer of the Thousand Sons legion. He gathers a ragtag group of allies and spends most of the book trying to find the legendary Vengeful Spirit intending to claim it as his own. His plans change when he actually finds the vessel and meets Abaddon but this only happens later in the story.
What really surprised me here is that The Talon of Horus is a very risky and atypical 40k book. Generally, 40k novels thrive on explosive action and adrenaline fueled battle scenes with some character moments thrown in between them. The best books in the series manage to blend these two elements and thus making you actually care about what happens in those battles. Here, ADB takes a huge chance by almost exclusively focusing on world building and character development. There are precious few battle scenes and even those that exist are short and nowhere near the scope and scale of the grand engagements found elsewhere. This could have easily derailed the entire thing but for me it managed to make the whole experience all the more special.
ADB has a very unique style of writing Chaos. In most books, the Traitor Legions and just generally anyone even remotely aligned to Chaos are portrayed as one dimensional evil fanatics devoid of any character. He on the other hand tries to give them sentience and personalities beyond being just fodder for the "good guys". For all I know he could be a Chaos God himself, sent to Earth to try and fool us all into embracing the Pantheon. But in the off chance that he isn't, he remains probably the best Chaos writer that Black Library has.
The book tells the origin story of the Black Legion and of how Abaddon became Warmaster of Chaos. The main character is one Iskandar Khayon, sorcerer of the Thousand Sons legion. He gathers a ragtag group of allies and spends most of the book trying to find the legendary Vengeful Spirit intending to claim it as his own. His plans change when he actually finds the vessel and meets Abaddon but this only happens later in the story.
What really surprised me here is that The Talon of Horus is a very risky and atypical 40k book. Generally, 40k novels thrive on explosive action and adrenaline fueled battle scenes with some character moments thrown in between them. The best books in the series manage to blend these two elements and thus making you actually care about what happens in those battles. Here, ADB takes a huge chance by almost exclusively focusing on world building and character development. There are precious few battle scenes and even those that exist are short and nowhere near the scope and scale of the grand engagements found elsewhere. This could have easily derailed the entire thing but for me it managed to make the whole experience all the more special.
ADB has a very unique style of writing Chaos. In most books, the Traitor Legions and just generally anyone even remotely aligned to Chaos are portrayed as one dimensional evil fanatics devoid of any character. He on the other hand tries to give them sentience and personalities beyond being just fodder for the "good guys". For all I know he could be a Chaos God himself, sent to Earth to try and fool us all into embracing the Pantheon. But in the off chance that he isn't, he remains probably the best Chaos writer that Black Library has.
kt6193's review against another edition
5.0
I'll try to review for an outside reader, but to be honest, Talon of Horus rewards readers who already know the basics of Warhammer 40,000 lore.
This novel is a fun and very well written tale of how the renegade space marines from the 9 traitor legions eventually came together to form the Black Legion. Those who know basic 40k lore, know that this legion is responsible for the 13 different Black Crusades that have ravaged not only the Imperium of Man, but also the galaxy as a whole with the creation of the Great Rift. There has been infighting for years since the end of the Horus Heresy and the disappearance of Ezekyle Abaddon. You learn at the very start of the novel that the over indulgent Emperor's Children legion (one of the 9 renegade legions) has stolen Horus' corpse and plans on cloning him to effectively resurrect him. Incensed by this act, the Sons of Horus legion (with the help of other renegade legions) travel through the deadly and distorted Eye of Terror in search of a way to stop this.
This book is interesting in that it is told by one of the main characters in the year 999.M41 (which just means the year is 40,999) but the events he's describing happen roughly halfway through the 31st millennium, or thereabouts. So you hear about events in great detail in some parts of the novel, and then the main character will say something a kin to "and I would remind him of this decades later" if the story needed to skip ahead or allude to something that would one day happen.
Definitely a book worth reading, but I would actually recommend you read Horus Rising (or even the full opening trilogy to the Horus Heresy) before you dive into this one. It'll be a lot more rewarding if you do.
This novel is a fun and very well written tale of how the renegade space marines from the 9 traitor legions eventually came together to form the Black Legion. Those who know basic 40k lore, know that this legion is responsible for the 13 different Black Crusades that have ravaged not only the Imperium of Man, but also the galaxy as a whole with the creation of the Great Rift. There has been infighting for years since the end of the Horus Heresy and the disappearance of Ezekyle Abaddon. You learn at the very start of the novel that the over indulgent Emperor's Children legion (one of the 9 renegade legions) has stolen Horus' corpse and plans on cloning him to effectively resurrect him. Incensed by this act, the Sons of Horus legion (with the help of other renegade legions) travel through the deadly and distorted Eye of Terror in search of a way to stop this.
This book is interesting in that it is told by one of the main characters in the year 999.M41 (which just means the year is 40,999) but the events he's describing happen roughly halfway through the 31st millennium, or thereabouts. So you hear about events in great detail in some parts of the novel, and then the main character will say something a kin to "and I would remind him of this decades later" if the story needed to skip ahead or allude to something that would one day happen.
Definitely a book worth reading, but I would actually recommend you read Horus Rising (or even the full opening trilogy to the Horus Heresy) before you dive into this one. It'll be a lot more rewarding if you do.
trackofwords's review against another edition
5.0
Since the release in 2009 of his debut Black Library novel Cadian Blood, Aaron Dembski-Bowden has become both a fan favourite and a New York Times bestseller, and is now acknowledged as one of Black Library's most accomplished authors. His latest book, The Talon of Horus, demonstrates just how much of a key player he is within Black Library by virtue of being the very first of their new First Editions – limited edition, premium hardbacks released to satisfy the die-hard collectors before the 'standard' hardback release. With a beautifully tactile embossed cover, internal artwork, author foreword and three additional short stories (including one you won't find anywhere else) the dedicated (and deep-pocketed) reader is certainly rewarded, not least with the sheer size and weight of this mighty tome.
Read the rest of the review at http://trackofwords.wordpress.com/2014/09/02/talon-of-horus-aaron-dembski-bowden/
Read the rest of the review at http://trackofwords.wordpress.com/2014/09/02/talon-of-horus-aaron-dembski-bowden/
drachna's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
The Talons of Horus is an interesting read. You'll find more here than is typically on offer from the Black Library, and it goes more in depth into the lived experience of a traitor Astartes than other books depicting the same faction might... insofar as there's more introspection than mindless violence. I'd recommend it to any fans of Warhammer 40k who like Spess Mehrines.
jamesfinder's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to this unabridged version read by Johnathan Keeble.
"KHAI-ON!".
I think both the text and reading were absolutely top class! The battle at the end, Abbadon vs Horus is a great fight! I felt like I was watching! ADB is a great writer for the Black Library.
I'm on to the next book, The Black Legion.
"KHAI-ON!".
I think both the text and reading were absolutely top class! The battle at the end, Abbadon vs Horus is a great fight! I felt like I was watching! ADB is a great writer for the Black Library.
I'm on to the next book, The Black Legion.
jgcully's review against another edition
5.0
This is without doubt the best Warhammer 40k novel I have ever read. I say this not just because I'm a Chaos player (the book is all about Chaos if the title didn't give it away) but because the whole novel is an example of a perfected writing style that holds the reader page after page.
Aaron's trademark humour and pacing is evident throughout, as well as his deep understanding of 40k lore, mixed in with his own takes on aspects of technology, culture, language and motivation. Each character, however major or minor, is given form in deep yet easily understood descriptions. From the biggest battle scenes to the briefest moments of intimacy, everything combines in just the right way in this epic tale.
A must read.
Aaron's trademark humour and pacing is evident throughout, as well as his deep understanding of 40k lore, mixed in with his own takes on aspects of technology, culture, language and motivation. Each character, however major or minor, is given form in deep yet easily understood descriptions. From the biggest battle scenes to the briefest moments of intimacy, everything combines in just the right way in this epic tale.
A must read.
jgcully's review against another edition
5.0
This is without doubt the best Warhammer 40k novel I have ever read. I say this not just because I'm a Chaos player (the book is all about Chaos if the title didn't give it away) but because the whole novel is an example of a perfected writing style that holds the reader page after page.
Aaron's trademark humour and pacing is evident throughout, as well as his deep understanding of 40k lore, mixed in with his own takes on aspects of technology, culture, language and motivation. Each character, however major or minor, is given form in deep yet easily understood descriptions. From the biggest battle scenes to the briefest moments of intimacy, everything combines in just the right way in this epic tale.
A must read.
Aaron's trademark humour and pacing is evident throughout, as well as his deep understanding of 40k lore, mixed in with his own takes on aspects of technology, culture, language and motivation. Each character, however major or minor, is given form in deep yet easily understood descriptions. From the biggest battle scenes to the briefest moments of intimacy, everything combines in just the right way in this epic tale.
A must read.
nooker's review against another edition
4.0
This was an odd meandering story that didn't even really mention the Black Legion until the last quarter. I'm not real sure what the first 3 quarters of the book were really for other than to just lay out background for the main character who was a Thousand Sons sorcerer. Still the stories were fun and the final act really paid off.