WARHAMMER 40,000 THE HORUS HERESY: FALSE GODS by Graham McNeill, The Black Library,Audiobook £20.00

Reviewed By Steve Dean

This is the audiobook version of the original novel, here recreated as a 5 CD abridged version. Here is an abridged version of my original review, rebooted and updated.

Warmaster Horus has tromped across the galaxy stomping and stamping and generally bullying every living creature he comes across. Well, him and millions of his troops. Wouldn’t you know it, he’s got to the end and, like Alexander, has no more worlds to conquer. Does he weep? Does he throw his toys out of the pram and have a major strop? Does he eck as like, he picks himself up, dusts himself off and starts butchering his own people. Those of you who know your Egyptian mythology may be able to guess some of what happens.

This is the second of an ever-growing series of books. So it’s got all the usual Warhammer trademarks, it’s well written and competently populated, there’s blood and guts and warp spawned carnage aplenty, big men with big weapons and big woman with no weapons but lots of resolve and inner strength. But as a standalone book it doesn’t work. There’s far too much politics, in-fighting and meaningful glances between the cast of thousands that only makes sense if you know the whole plot. This is unusual for the Black Library, as is the fact that the first one was written by a different author, Dan Abnett.

On voice duty this time around around is Martyn Ellis with suitable sound effects and dramatic music. It’s well made, well produced and competent enough. But 20 quid for an abridged version is pretty steep, even allowing for the whole performance thing. Bearing in mind the HH thread is now up to book 17 with no sign of stopping, that’s one expensive book collection.