Horus Hersey series' end?

[mr1029384756]

Okay, we're 18-19 books in. We've come a long road from 2006's Horus Rising, and I've got to admit, its been mighty fun. But now I'm getting annoyed because I really want to see a narrative form of the big battle between the Emperor and Horus. I also know that I'm not the only one with this mindset.

And so, based off of nearly 20 books worth of emphasized and re-re-re-re-edited cannon lore (depending upon your favorite race or faction) how many books do you think will come out before the end and what (if anything) mystery or event would you most like to see explained? Keep in mind that it only applies to Heresy-era events and prior.

I'll start: I'd say about six books from the end and I'd like to read a book from the Big E's POV as I'm intensely curious of his side of the story. Lol, the guy needs some character development!

[The AKH]

I think it would be cool to see the book about the Emperor (as you suggested) done as a short story anthology a la Age of Darkness or Tales of Heresy - containing essentially a series of vignettes put together by the ensemble of BL writers. That'd be much easier to pull off convincingly than a whole novel narrated by the Emperor.

[bladeofdeath3]

The heresy lasted a little less than a decade. Seeing as it took 19 books to get to the pre-siege of terra, I think there's going to be at least 10 books. Looking at Black Library's website, they have 3 books already announced and possibly a 3rd (an e-book, mp3 or whatnot about Angron and his fall). 2 of the announced books are anthologies (The Primarchs and Shadows of Treachery). I feel the Dark Angels will probably get a book telling the story of Luther vs the Lion and whether the Lion was truly a traitor or not. If we're not counting anthologies, that's 3. The white scars will probably get a book chronicling their story from the end of the great crusade to arriving at terra. We'll probably see a couple of siege of terra books. I want to say at least 2 traitor and 2 loyalist books (the siege and the battle on the vengeful spirit). Finally, I hope to see books about the Iron Cage Incident (Imp Fists vs Iron Warriors) and the Duel on Eskrador (Ultras vs Alpha Legion). That gives us about 10. I'm hoping for more though (individual novels about Iron Warriors, Night Lords, Iron Hands, Salamanders, and Death Guard). These chapters don't have a book about them and I'm sure some pretty interesting stories can be crafted about their battles and history during the Great Crusade and Heresy.

[plawolf]

I think we are not even half way there yet.

I reckon BL will want at least one book about every chapter, with some getting more than 1.

So far, we have had

-Sons of Horus
-Emperor's children
-Word barers
-Death Guard
-Alpha Legion
-Thousand Sons


-Space Wolves
-Dark Angles x 2
-Space Wolves
-Raven Guard
-Ultramarines

We are going to get a book on the Blood Angels.

So that leaves at the very least one book each on:
-World Eaters
-Night Lords
-Iron Warriors

-Salamanders
-Imperial Fists
-White Scars


Out of the 19 HH books so far, we have had 2 anthologies, and 4 'other'.

It would appear that with 2 anthologies already planned, the ratio between 'core' and 'other' books is set to get worse. But if we stick with 1 in 3 HH books being an 'other' for now.

On top of that, there will be a minimum of 2 books for the Siege of Terra itself, and it seems very likely that we will see at least one book each for:
-AdMech
-Dark Angels
-Death Guard
-Space wolves
-Alpha Legion

So, we are look at somewhere between 9 and 15 more 'core' books, so between 3 and 5 more 'other books'.

That will only just get us up to the Siege itself. BL will likely extend the series to cover the fallout and aftermath of the HH with more books.

If they want to, they could stretch this series out for many more years, and as long as it continues to sell so well, BL will have every reason to milk it for all it's worth.

[energongoodie]

Plawolf, just like GW you forgot the Iron Hands. We have had a few mentions and an appearance in Fulgrim obviously. But they aren't on your list.

[Cpt Codpiece]

while the iron hands have not had much love from GW, its understandable....... manus was decapatated

[mr1029384756]

You know, the more I think about it, I'd also like to see a book for the Ullanor battle preceding the Heresy but that probably is just so much fluff.

How about the Battle of Terra told from the eyes of a soldier in the Imperial Army? Might be interesting...

[Quattro]

I really want to have a book that focuses on what happened with the Salamanders and the Iron Hands after Istavan V. I'd really like to find out how Vulcan, got off the planet, and how those two utterly decimated chapters coped with the rest of the Hersey.

[bladeofdeath3]

The 3 loyalist legions on Istvaan V were so mauled, they could only retreat and rebuild. Deliverance Lost quotes that the raven guard started with 80000 marines are were reduced to about 3000. One can assume the Salamanders and Iron Hands suffered similar casualties. I don't think Vulcan's escape could be put into an entire story, but definitely a 100-page anthology story.

[plawolf]

Plawolf, just like GW you forgot the Iron Hands. We have had a few mentions and an appearance in Fulgrim obviously. But they aren't on your list.

D'oh! My apologies for the omission!

The Iron Hands should have emerged from Isstavan massacre with much of their strength intact.

The Emperor's Children crippled most of the Iron Hands' fleet when Fulgrim failed to convince them to turn.

Manus was so eager to visit his revenge on Fulgrim for his betrayal that he rushed to Isstvan with only his Morlocks while the rest of the Legion made repairs.

The Iron Hands lost their Primarch and all the terminators at Isstvan, but the bulk of the Legion was not there to be betrayed and massacred.

However, the Iron Hands did not play any more significant role in the Heresy.

Was that because GW forgot all about them as I did? Or is it because other factors?

If it is the latter, it definitely deserves a full novel to explore, and doing so would offer a very unique prospective to show us how a Legion deals with the death of the Primarch.

[energongoodie]

If it is the latter, it definitely deserves a full novel to explore, and doing so would offer a very unique prospective to show us how a Legion deals with the death of the Primarch.

Great point. Here's hoping we get it.

[Denzark]

I must say once more ....


The Horus vs Emperor fight in the old 'Lost and Damned' book was awesome, written by Bill King I believe. I thin they should either incorporate it, or at least get Abnett to do it.

No one else will do the piece justice methinks.

[awats124]

I must say once more ....


The Horus vs Emperor fight in the old 'Lost and Damned' book was awesome, written by Bill King I believe. I thin they should either incorporate it, or at least get Abnett to do it.

No one else will do the piece justice methinks.

agreed

[mysterex]

The heresy lasted a little less than a decade.

The Long War as the Chaos Legions call the Heresy is still happening. Theoretically there's 10,000 years worth of stuff to write amount.

[inquisitorsog]

I think we'll get Iron Hands and Iron Warriors at the Battle of Tallarn.

There's at least 10 novels to be had in the period after the battle of terra. The flight to the eye, the iron cage, the second founding, reorganization of the high lords of terra all come immediately to mind.

[ragnarcissist]

as much as i liked prospero burns, i really really want a book on the space wolves, from a space wolves perspective... not a human scribe.... doubt ill get my wish but heres hoping


on another note, i cannot CANNOT wait to read the books about the siege of terra (hopefully written exclusively by Dan Abnett)

[inquisitorsog]

the siege of terra (hopefully written exclusively by Dan Abnett)
Let's hope its more like Necropolis and less like Double Eagle. I don't know if I could stand reading it with the kind of contrived nonsense that was in Double Eagle (or such a horrid melodramatic ending).
Abnett probably does characters better than anyone else in the BL stable, but he sometimes seems to simply demand that we accept his contrivances in ways that just seems a bit much. I don't think he's in the top 3 for big battles overall for that reason.

[plawolf]

I think Dan does details like no one else in the BL, but his weakness is that he just doesn't write very good fight scenes or large scale battle scenes.

As much as I enjoyed Know No fear, it reads very much like a documentary. The scale of it was impressive, but sometimes it just feels a little too sterile and vague. Which is ironic, as I think this is an example of him over compensating a little by trying to focus on the 'big picture' too much.

For really enjoyable and graphic war, Graham McNeil is still the king at BL. Storm or Iron and Galaxy in Flames have far better fight scenes, and even Sons of Ultrama gives a more gripping description of large scale war than Know No Fear.

I really hope that instead of writing a book each as they did with A Thousand Sons and Prespero Burns, they would co-write the books instead, with McNeil doing the big set piece fight scenes, and Abnett building us up to them and developing the characters.

[tentonhammer]

I would love to see some more information on the missing legions. I trust that will not happen, as some mysteries need to be persevered.

Edited for clarity. Thank you InquisitorSog

[inquisitorsog]

I would love to see some more information on the mission legions. I trust that will not happen, as some mysteries need to be persevered.

I assume you mean the missing legions, not the "mission" legions?

If so, I almost feel like we've gotten more info on them than the Salamanders and a couple of other chapters.

I originally thought the "missing" legions were there to allow players to invent their own founding legions, but that's clearly tossed out the window now.

Whatever the legions did, it's now practically a fact that they were banished early in the crusade and nothing is mentioned further about them. It feels like to me that the primarchs either did not bow the knee to the emperor or that they were so twisted when the chaos gods stole the infant primarchs that they and their legions were done away with, possibly with their marines folded into the Ultramarines.

[TorinBlack]

Honestly I think my favorite part of the series is the fact that GW is fleshing out so many details that have been hinted at or just touched upon.
I feel like this series is the perfect vehicle for them to really solidify the fiction of the universe before moving it forward as rumored in 6th ed. Also it is incredibly popular which leads me to think that they will continue with the series as long as they can, perhaps even going beyond the battle between Horus and emperor.

[tentonhammer]

I think it was in Prospero Burns(I believe) that the Wolves were brought to bear on another legion previously. So I assume that is one of the missing legions they spoke of.

In my mind I think it went along a Cain and Abel "story line". Cain's army assaulted Abel's with the leftover survivors of Abel's joining the Ultramarines. Hell maybe even some non-combatants of Abels getting thrown in the mix as well.It would explain how some successor chapters are well off from Guillimans ideals(Mortifactors, Doom Eagles).

I also originally thought that the 2 missing chapters were placed there for players to design their own legions too. Oh well...