Audio Review: Eye of Terra: Red-Marked by Nick Kyme

Back to what might be my all-time favourite Ultramarine: Sergeant Aeonid Thiel. We’re getting another short story featuring everyone’s favourite rule-breaking warrior, and this time it’s in audio drama form. The cover suggests he’s taking the fight to the traitors… but let’s see what’s actually in store.

Title: Red-Marked (The Horus Heresy – Audio Drama)
Author: Nick Kyme
Format: Audio Drama (75 minutes)
Cast: Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, Steve Conlin, Jonathan Keeble, Toby Longworth, Saul Reichlin & Luis Soto

Buy: Available on Amazon.ca

Blurb: Sergeant Aeonid Thiel once again frustrates his superiors by doing what he does best,ignoring orders.

In the aftermath of Calth and the Shadow Crusade, the borders of Imperium Secundus remain unstable. Stranded on the garrison world of Oran, Thiel identifies growing traitor activity and a string of silent listening posts. Taking matters into his own hands, he leads a small group of veterans to uncover the truth behind the mysterious “Nightfane”, all while wearing his red mark of censure like a badge of honour.

Review

If you’re new to the Horus Heresy series, I’d recommend reading Censure before diving into this one. For long-time readers, it’s interesting to note that Red-Marked actually sits between Censure and Stratagem, which makes its release feel a little out of place given how long those stories have been around.

So what do we get here? Essentially, it’s an origin-style story for Thiel and his squad, giving us more insight into how he operates in the field. As you’d expect from an audio drama, the story leans heavily into action, with plenty of dynamic scenes and excellent sound design throughout.

Thiel remains the standout. He’s still the same sharp, unconventional Ultramarine who isn’t afraid to bend the rules, and that’s exactly what makes him so entertaining. There are some great moments here, including a fun, almost Indiana Jones-style beat where he simply blasts a traitor rather than engaging in a drawn-out duel. It’s small touches like that which really sell his character. There are also some nice lore connections, including references to the Furious Abyss, which help ground the story within the wider Heresy narrative.

Overall, it’s an enjoyable listen. That said, I do think I would have appreciated it more if I’d experienced it in proper chronological order. The late release makes it feel slightly out of sync with the rest of Thiel’s story. Still, more Thiel is never a bad thing.