Audio Review // The Gates of Terra by Nick Kyme.

Continuing my recent run of super-quick Horus Heresy listens comes The Gates of Terra by Nick Kyme. I'm still a little on the fence when it comes to Kyme's work. Sometimes I really enjoy it, and other times... well, let's just say it doesn't quite land for me. So, fingers crossed.

The Details

Title: The Gates of Terra
Author: Nick Kyme
Format: Audio

The Blurb

As the Horus Heresy spreads across the galaxy and confusion reigns, one thing is certain: Horus and his Traitor Legions will eventually strike at Terra.

But they won't find the Throneworld undefended.

The Ardent Reef, an enormous ring of gun bastions and asteroid bases, forms just one part of the defensive lines protecting Terra. Captain Arcadese of the Ultramarines finds himself commanding his battle-brothers as the Warmaster's fleet launches its final assault.

With almost certain death staring him in the face, can Arcadese hold the line?

Or will his loyalty finally waver?

The Review

Bloody hell, that's short (say it everytime lol). But wow, this was a quick listen. I'm actually enjoying these little Horus Heresy stories. They're a nice way to dip into different corners of the setting without committing to another massive novel. The problem is that some of them are so bloody short that I struggle to justify the price tag, and unfortunately, The Gates of Terra falls firmly into that category.

Defending the Ardent Reef

The story follows Captain Arcadese of the Ultramarines as he attempts to defend the Ardent Reef against the forces of Warmaster Horus, and things aren't looking particularly good. The Traitor fleet is coming, the defenders know what's at stake and Arcadese starts experiencing a very strange feeling. He's done this before, and that's where things get interesting. Rather than simply being another “Ultramarines shoot some traitors” story, there's a much stranger element lurking underneath everything.

Without getting too deep into spoilers, we eventually discover that Malcador is playing some rather suspicious mind games as the final assault on Terra approaches, and honestly? It's pretty bloody depressing.

The story gives us another little glimpse of just how desperate things have become as the Imperium prepares for the inevitable arrival of Horus. Nobody is really walking away from this. It's all about buying time, holding the line and doing whatever is necessary to give Terra a chance. Which very much sums up the Horus Heresy.

Final Thoughts

It might not sound it but I actually enjoyed The Gates of Terra. There are some interesting ideas here, particularly around Arcadese and the strange sense of repetition, and I always enjoy getting another little glimpse into the preparations for the defence of Terra. But...

It really didn't need to be this short, and at the price these little audio stories can command, I can't help feeling that The Gates of Terra should have been free, or at least bundled into something else. There's nothing particularly wrong with the story itself. It's perfectly enjoyable, has some interesting lore and gives us another grim little look at the Heresy.

I just finished it thinking: “Was that it?”.

So, another Horus Heresy short ticked off the list. Enjoyable? Yep. Worth the price on its own? Hell no, think I should storm the gates of Terra for a refund.