The Horus Heresy stories have been going on for so long now that I feel like they are a safety net for me. Not sure what to read but need enjoyment, I turn to Black Library for support. Here is my most recent security blanket.
Title: Fulgrim: The Palatine Phoenix (The Horus Heresy: Primarchs #6)
Author: Joshua Reynolds
Format: Kindle Edition - BUY ON AMAZON
Page Count: 224 pages
Fluff: The sixth title in The Horus Heresy: Primarchs series, focusing on Fulgrim, primarch of the Emperor's Children Legion.
Lord of Chemos and bearer of the Palatine Aquila, Fulgrim, primarch of the Emperor's Children, is determined to take his rightful place in the Great Crusade, whatever the cost. A swordsman without equal, the Phoenician has long studied the art of war and grows impatient to put his skills, and those of his loyal followers, to a true test. Now, accompanied by only seven of his finest warriors, he seeks to bring a rebellious world into compliance by any means necessary. But Fulgrim soon learns that no victory comes without a cost, and the greater the triumph, the greater the price one must pay.
Review
It's hard to believe this title is Josh Reynold's first full-length title in the 30k setting unless I missed something? For this tale, Reynolds takes on the mantle of a Fulgrim story set before the amazing Graham McNeill's title Fulgrim. This is a time of worry for the Emperor's Children as they are still recovering from a genetic defect in their bloodline, which has seen their numbers decline harshly. For this tale, Fulgrim is charged with taking a world and wanting to prove himself to his brothers; he vows to take it with only Seven Warriors!
This title does a fantastic job of showcasing Fulgrims persona and how it starts to leach its way into his sons. Fulgrim's self-entitlement and pride are really well played out throughout the story and ultimately take away from what should be a fantastic achievement. We also get treated to some great characters; with only about nine full characters to keep track of, we explore each in more detail. Comically in a book about Space Marines, the stand-out character had to be Primary Iterator Puke. A civilian character meant to assist with the treaty turns out to be a master of political intrigue and underhanded espionage.
But ultimately, what is the moral of the book? For me, it seemed to showcase the need for perfection and how Fulgrim has become lost on the path. He sees the end result, ie. Perfection, but does not live in the moment. This makes him and legion cold to the moment, which is the flaw Slaanesh needs to sneak in and corrupt them. Seeing them like this and knowing what they become all makes more sense.
A great book, and I highly recommend it. But I would recommend having some background knowledge of the legion to help you along.
Let me know your thoughts! Cheers for reading.
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