[Horus Heresy Review] Unremembered Empire

[wittdooley]

So here's my review of the most recent HH full length novel, Abnetts Unremembered Empire. I really enjoyed it, and it's a pretty important book overall to the saga. Below is the link, but I'll also full text it after.

[URL="http://thethirstygamerdotcom.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/review-the-unremembered-empire-dan-abnett/"]The Thirsty Gamer Reviews - The Unremembered Empire[/URL]

C&C always welcomed! Cheers!

With a saga as large and far reaching at the Horus Heresy, a tale stretching over 30 books & novellas and countless more short stories, there will inevitably come a point when the galaxy stretching stories must finally intertwine and come to a head, where narrative threads will cross over one another and perhaps even conclude. In a series that large, with so many capable authors, it really comes as no surprise that Dan Abnett was tasked with that duty in the new addition to the Black Library’s space opera, The Unremembered Empire.

In The Unremembered Empire, Abnett has created many things: a political tale about a future kingdom; a thrilling game of cat and mouse; the story of lost brotherhood. But most importantly, The Unremembered Empire serves as a nexus for all the Black Library has accomplished thusfar with the Horus Heresy, a place to breathe, gather our thoughts, and prepare for that inevitable conclusion on Terra.

Primarily a story of Macragge and Ultramarines sire Roboute Guilliman, Abnett’s narrative focuses on the aftermath of Calth and the Avenging Son’s desire not only for retribution, but also for preservation: preservation not only for his subjects in Ultramarr, but also the preservation of the Imperium at large. With so much uncertainty following the atrocities of Calth, and with the Ruinstorm severing all ties to the galaxy at large, Guilliman struggles to devise a way to maintain all that his gene-father has accomplished with the Great Crusade without wearing the same usurper crown as his erstwhile brother, the Warmaster Horus. Unwilling to make the decision alone, the unexpected arrival of his enigmatic brother Lion el’Jonson, driven by a mysterious beacon shining solely on Macragge, gives Guilliman another voice to confide in. Unbeknownst to Guilliman however, a Dark Angels secret, ferreted away in the bowels of Jonson’s flagship, will change the fate of Macragge forever.

Like nearly all of Abnett’s Horus Heresy work, The Unremembered Empire is a purposefully paced novel. Somewhere in between the pacing of Prospero Burns and Know No Fear, the narrative drives itself along at, seemingly, the perfect pace. Tense scenes, like those found in Know No Fear, abound and are taut, nerve wracking affairs. Likewise, narrative portions serving to enrich the background of Ultramarr or her occupants find themselves slower, more methodical, but no less compelling. The marriage of those two pacing styles creates an overall flow of the story that may be some of the best work Abnett has done in the series. I never felt that the story was dragging and, evidenced by the fact that I finished the book in just two sittings, the pacing drives the story forward at all times. It is by no means the breakneck speed of Know No Fear, but like I intimated previously, finds a really happy balance between that and the decidedly more methodical Prospero Burns.

As the plot itself goes, Abnett has somehow found a way to not only include bits and pieces from every Horus Heresy book he’s written since Legion; he’s also successfully taken characters nearly every other Horus Heresy author and seamlessly assimilated them into this novel. The Word Bearer Narek is a great example. A character introduced by Nick Kyme in Vulkan Lives, Kyme had created a very likable villain, but had only really scratched the surface of his motivations. Abnett brings him into The Unremembered Empire fold brilliantly, the transition from Vulkan Lives to here without fault. Part of that skill obviously goes to Abnett, but it’s really a testament to how well the Horus Heresy “brain trust” has mapped out these characters and their futures, as well as the trust they clearly have in each other to have these characters flow so well from one pen to the next.

Guilliman is, of course, the star of the novel and through Abnett’s narration we learn more about Roboute than perhaps any of the Emperor’s Sons save Horus. For a primarch whose legion prides itself so heavily on preparedness and practicum, it’s amazing to see Guilliman painted as perhaps the most vulnerable Primarch we’ve yet seen. In the novel, his emotional range is vast, and we see the clear kinship he holds both for his sons and his subjects, but what really strikes the narrative is the relationship he has with Tarasha Euten, his trusted chamberlain. Euten is, for all intents and purposes, a motherly figure for Roboute, one he takes counsel from above all others; her authority is unquestioned by even his tetrarchs. It’s really the first time in a Horus Heresy book that we’ve seen a female character hold any sway over a Primarch, and Abnett, unsurprisingly, handles it extremely well. Their relationship is comfortable, easy, and it makes the dialogues they have both endearing and impactful. That relationship, coupled with Abnett’s overall handling of Guilliman in this book and in Know No Fear, makes him easily one of the more likable characters in the entire saga. Even Guilliman’s interactions with the Space Wolves watch-pack just seem “right.” As Games Workshop’s flagship chapter, it’s been easy in the past to dislike the Ultramarines; now, I have trouble wondering how anyone could dislike a character like Guilliman.

And it isn’t just Guilliman that is likable in The Unremembered Empire; all the characters are just, simply put, well done. Faffnr Bludbroder and his pack feel like Space Wolves. Alexis Polux feels like an Imperial Fist. The Lion and his pride feel like the secretive Dark Angels they are. I hate using blanket statements, but the characterization of the novel is nearly perfect. All the pieces, the players, just fit into place.

The Unremembered Empire is a very, very good novel. It stands on its own less successfully than some of his previous work, but in this novel Dan Abnett has created a nexus where all Horus Heresy roads lead. Surprisingly, unlike most Horus Heresy offerings by Abnett, The Unremembered Empire actually answers more questions than it leaves the reader with. Sure, there’s the expected tease of things to come, the purposefully unfinished plot thread, but the novel doesn’t leave you wondering too much. It does, however, set the table– much like Guilliman’s table with 21 chairs–for the drama yet to unfold before us.

9/10 – An important, must read for any Horus Heresy fan.

[Veteran Sergeant]

Glad you enjoyed it. Can't say I agree. I've taken to calling it Unremembered Novel, as literally nothing of interest or importance happens in the novel. It is merely a vehicle for more primarch battles, which are simple fan service. The Japanese Schoolgirl Panty Shot of 40K, where Primarchs fight to a draw, before some kind of contrived occurance drives them apart so that everyone can walk away to fight another day.

When you think about all the other epic clashes between Primarchs, Horus vs Sanguinius, Ferrus vs Fulgrim, Guilliman vs Fulgrim, Guilliman vs Alpharius, there are consequences. These battles are epic, and dramatic because it doesn't end conveniently. The Heresy Series has descended into cash-cow status, where they churn out inferior and inflated novels, simply for the fact that people will buy them. Betrayer is a novella about Angron returning to his homeworld and transforming into a daemon prince that was blown up by 200+ pages with some kind of ludicrous and nonsensical battle against the Ultramarines where the World Eaters win only because authors says so, and it's capped off with one primarch taking a plasma blastgun shot to the face, and another playing Might Mouse holding up the foot of a Warhound Titan like we're reading a cartoon script. And again, it ends with a three-way primarch battle that conveniently ends in time for nobody to get seriously hurt and fight another day. Unremembered Novel is just more of the same page-filler pretending to be a novel. Worse, it continues the story of Vulkan Lives, which competes with Promethean Sun for the title of "Worst Heresy Novel Since Battle For the Abyss". The Perpetuals, one of Dan Abnett's babies, continue to be the weakest link in the Horus Heresy storyline (aside from perhaps the Cabal, but at least they've more or less disappeared). Dan Abnett either comes up with good ideas, or really, really bad ones.

Unremembered Novel is one of the latter. The only saving grace of the story is that at least it silences the rumors of Guilliman being a traitor, or a coward, and confirming the basic plot point that he's just planning for the worst-case scenario. As far as answering more questions than it asks, maybe. Not sure what it answered. Nothing I was asking. But everyone is definitely asking "If the Dark Angels, Blood Angels and Ultramarines all leave the station heading to Terra in warp-capable ships, why do the Blood Angels make it there in plenty of time, but the Ultramarines do not?" So we basically end with a novel that has fairly decent characterization, but a plot that serves no purpose, action that is boring and lacking resolution, more ridiculous Alpha Legion Scooby Doo tomfoolery ("Let's just see who you really are"), as well as the "Guest Starring 'These Guys'" syndrome that's become bizzarrely common in the series where there need to be as many different Legions represented in a story as possible (Unrem has, what, 9 Legions even though it takes place almost entirely on one planet? UM, DA, BA, NL, IW, IF, WB, SW, Sa?).

Unremembered Novel is basically everything that has become wrong with the Horus Heresy series. A series that lacks any direction, and one where it is becoming increasingly, and alarmingly clear that either a: The Black Library has no idea where the story is going, or b: worse, they do, and it's awful.

3/10. 3 because it doesn't entirely screw the pooch.

[Psychosplodge]

Glad you enjoyed it. Can't say I agree. I've taken to calling it Unremembered Novel, as literally nothing of interest or importance happens in the novel. It is merely a vehicle for more primarch battles, which are simple fan service. The Japanese Schoolgirl Panty Shot of 40K, where Primarchs fight to a draw, before some kind of contrived occurance drives them apart so that everyone can walk away to fight another day.

You've just ruined every primach battle ever for me now
I'd never thought about it before I saw that, but nope now everytime I read a HH novel and the primachs slog it out, I'll be just be getting images of them in kawaii outfits...

[energongoodie]

I liked it

[Vlad78]

I liked it

Me too.
It fills the empty space between Istvaan V and Terra. Furthermore it's one step closer to the explanation of Vulkans disappearance and prophecy and perhaps why many loyal primarchs just went missing. And I really like the perpetuals as it is the upgraded sensei idea imho.

Unremembered empire is not the best novel but it's not bad either.
We know if we want real litteracy, the black library is seldom the way to go. Yet it gives some insight about the current 40k lore and from that perspective, it is brilliant ATM.

(BTW I loved 'betrayer' as it made Angron and Lorgar more human, crazy but human nonetheless. And I liked also the fall from grace of the world eaters with word bearer Erebus' schemes again in the background.)

And I'm not disappointed by the primarchs crazy stunts kung fu style. They are legends. This is 40k, not star trek where people in pyjamas just talk.

So unremebered empire = 7/10 for me. Not the best novel but gives a lot of information upon the heresy lore.

[Connor McKenna]

I saw this book as like a small breather before the events at Terra. A moment where the loyalists got a moment to get their **** together before the madness thats about to unfold. I really liked this book though but I'm a Ultramarine fan so more Roboute and Ultramar makes me happy. Roboute's Adopted mother figure was a total badass too.

[bfmusashi]

it's capped off with one primarch taking a plasma blastgun shot to the face, and another playing Might Mouse holding up the foot of a Warhound Titan like we're reading a cartoon script.

I find neither of these things odd. We clearly believe in different 40ks

[Psychosplodge]

Ah yes demi-gods

[wittdooley]

@Veteran Sergeant - appreciate the input; we clearly have very different tastes, as I also enjoyed Vulkan Lives and think the worst HH novel since Battle for the Abyss is either Deliverence Lost or Fear to Tread.

I think tUE succeeds because, as I said in the review, it serves as a nexus where we can collect a lot of the story lines that have thusly been developed. And at that I think it succeeds extremely well.

To be fair, I seem to be in the minority that don't hate the perpetual story line, especially on the heels of Vulkan lives and Unremembered. For me, those two books have refreshed the concept and made it more interesting, especially now. I mean, we know big E is now, yet he's sitting barely alive on the golden throne. What if he was allowed to "die"? That, to me, is a really fun question to discuss.

I'm also not bothered by the pace the HH series is meandering on. I appreciate the side stories and the fillers and the extra "stuff." I'm not in a hurry for the series to complete. I understand that some folks are, but not me :-)

[Lord Aaron]

I cant wait till the ultra books that will come after the heresy.