Audio Review // The Purge by Anthony Reynolds

I'm continuing my crusade through the short listens of the Horus Heresy, and this week we're heading into the world of the Word Bearers.

Now, I do enjoy a good Word Bearers story, especially when the author remembers that they're supposed to be more than a bunch of moustache-twirling religious fanatics waiting to get shot by the good guys.

Thankfully, Anthony Reynolds knows exactly what he's doing.

This one comes from the Silent War anthology, and I was looking forward to seeing what he could do with the XVII Legion.

The Details

Title: The Purge
Author: Anthony Reynolds
Series: The Horus Heresy – Silent War

The Blurb

The Shadow Crusade spreads across Ultramar, with the Word Bearers' 34th Company falling upon the isolated world of Percepton Primus.

As the fighting descends into a campaign of extermination, embittered commander Sor Talgron begins to question his place in Lorgar's grand design. Once a warrior who stood alongside Primarchs and high lords in the grand halls of the Imperial Palace, what glory can there be in punishing Guilliman's sons?

But the price of doubt is well known. And if the Word Bearers are ever to return to Terra in triumph, they must purge the last remnants of unbelief from the galaxy...

The Review

I do enjoy an author who treats the Word Bearers with a bit of respect! I'm getting rather tired of seeing them portrayed as nothing more than fanatical religious nutters, cackling away while their warriors get mown down in droves. They're one of the Legions that helped bring the Imperium to its knees, and I want to see that reflected in their stories.

Thankfully, Reynolds gives us a Word Bearers force that feels dangerous, capable and worthy of its place in the Horus Heresy, and at the heart of it all is Sor Talgron.

Sor Talgron – A Word Bearer with Doubts

Sor Talgron is a real highlight of this story. He's a commander who has fought alongside some of the most powerful figures in the Imperium, yet now finds himself questioning the purpose of the war he's fighting. The Word Bearers have embraced a new faith, but Talgron isn't quite the zealot we've come to expect from the Legion. There's still honour in him, and a sense of the warrior he once was.

That makes him a fascinating character to follow. He's fighting for a cause that demands absolute belief, while struggling with doubts that could cost him everything, and I really enjoyed that conflict. Reynolds does a great job of making Talgron feel like a proper character rather than simply another Space Marine in a different colour of power armour. Even in a short story, we get a sense of his history, his frustrations and the weight of the decisions he's being asked to make.

He's a man caught between what he once believed and what the Legion has become. That makes for a much more interesting Word Bearers story than simply watching them shout about the gods and charge into battle.

Another thing Reynolds does well is give us a lineup of characters who feel like actual people, despite the limited time available. That's no small feat in one of these short Horus Heresy listens. There's only so much time to establish a setting, introduce the characters and get the story moving, but the supporting cast helps give Talgron's situation some real weight. The result is a story that feels bigger than its runtime.

We're not just following a commander questioning his orders. We're seeing the consequences of those doubts play out against the wider Shadow Crusade, where the Word Bearers' new beliefs are becoming increasingly difficult to escape.

The Warmonger

One little bonus for me was recognising Sor Talgron's connection to the wider Warhammer 40,000 lore. Talgron is known in the later setting as the Warmonger, a name I recognised from other 40k novels that I'm hoping to revisit before too long. I always enjoy these little connections between the Horus Heresy and the grim darkness of the far future. They give you another reason to pay attention to characters who might otherwise be new to you, and knowing where Talgron eventually ends up makes his story here all the more interesting. This is a Word Bearer who hasn't fully embraced the fanatical faith that will come to define his Legion, and seeing that earlier version of him is a real treat.

Final Thoughts

Another great short listen from Anthony Reynolds! The Purge gives us a fascinating look at the Word Bearers during the Shadow Crusade, with a strong central character in Sor Talgron and a story that explores the doubts and contradictions lurking beneath the Legion's new faith.

I particularly enjoyed seeing the Word Bearers portrayed as a capable and dangerous force, while still allowing room for individual characters to have their own beliefs, doubts and sense of honour. And Talgron? He's definitely a character I'd like to read more about. It's another example of how much you can pack into a short Horus Heresy story when the writing is on point.

I'm ready for the next one. Bring it on!