I finished several Horus Heresy short story anthologies so I thought I'd make a rec list for people who are not insane and don't need to read literally everything :-)
I listened to all of these in audio form; if you'd like me to share anything in .mp3 or .pdf form, just hmu.
(TL;DR - if I had to pick three, I'd recommend Riven, Imperfect and Warmaster)
Tales of Heresy anthology
(5 short stories total)
The Last Church - Graham McNeill
- had fun reading it: ★★★★✰
- idea: ★★★★✰
- why read it:
Big E has a philosophical debate with the last priest of the last church on Terra about the inherent nature of religion and faith
audio by Jonathan Keeble is top notch
Legacies of Betrayal anthology
(1 novella + 15 short stories total)
Riven - John French
- had fun reading it: ★★★★★
- idea: ★★★★★
- why read it:
bc it tore my heart out and made me understand who the Iron Hands are as a legion
shared 1st place for the best short story I've read so far
the author does an excellent job with the slowly unravelling horror and increasing tension in the atmosphere
Butcher's Nails - Aaron Dembski-Bowden
- had fun reading it: ★★★★★
- idea: ★★★★★
- why read it:
I LOVE the deliciously complicated dynamics between Angron and Lorgar and we get to see it up close here
Lotara turning to Kharn and literally hissing at him "Do something!" when they're collectively attempting to stop Angron doing something very stupid is like a nice summary of the dynamic between the three of them
it ends with Kharn practice duelling Argel Tal and pondering the fact that as a traitor legionnaire he will have to face battle brothers he would really prefer to not have to kill
Warmaster - John French
- had fun reading it: ★★★★★
- idea: ★★★★★
- why read it:
I rarely see this much mood, atmosphere and horrifying revelations into a 10min short story
great insight into Horus' mind mid-heresy
painful plot twist at the end
Thief of Revelations - Graham McNeill
- had fun reading it: ★★★★★
- idea: ★★★★★
- why read it:
we get to see Magnus at a painful crossroads, being in a "paralysis by analysis" kinda situation (as one reddit commenter neatly put it)
strong foreshadowing for Ahriman's future development
it drives home the tragedy of side-picking and the inevitability of it
Kharn: The Eightfold Path - Anthony Reynolds
- had fun reading it: ★★★★★
- idea: ★★★★★
- why read it:
Kharn is in it
a short, punchy read from Kharn's POV
details the downward spiral of much worse the butcher's nails' are affecting the legion post angron's "ascension"
Kharn still thinks about what would make Argel Tal laugh :'))
War Without End anthology
(21 short stories total)
Howl of the Hearthworld - Andy Smillie
- had fun reading it: ★★★★★
- idea: ★★★★✰
- why read it:
very fun insight into how the Space Wolves work
I love the relationship between Leman and his Wolves and this story highlights why
it's both slightly amusing and a little sad as it underscores the Wolves' isolatedness from all other legions due to their unchangeable nature and their role as big e's executioners
Virtues of the Sons - Andy Smillie
- had fun reading it: ★★★★✰
- idea: ★★★★★
- why read it:
Kharn is in it
exploration of nature vs. nature from Sanguinius' POV
we get to see practice duels between Azkaellon and Lucius and between Kharn and Amit
so it's character analysis on the backdrop of some very cool action
Daemonology - Chris Wraight
- had fun reading it: ★★★★★
- idea: ★★★★★
- why read it:
great insight into Mortarion's character and motivations
shows a pivotal moment in Morty's fall to chaos, interwoven with flashbacks that help explain how he got where he is
tragically ironic
Imperfect - Nick Kyme
- had fun reading it: ★★★★★
- idea: ★★★★★
- why read it:
shared 1st place for best short story I've read so far
if you like to cry about how Ferrus and Fulgrim were best friends, do give this one a go
the subtle clues dropped to increase the tension to an unbearable degree is just *chef's kiss*
The Devine Adoratrice - Graham McNeill
- had fun reading it: ★★★★✰
- idea: ★★★✰✰
- why read it:
grabbed my attention from the start and had me invested
no legion or primarch is involved and it works as a standalone
delicious plot twists throughout
Wolf Mother - Graham McNeill
- had fun reading it: ★★★★✰
- idea: ★★★✰✰
- why read it:
you get to meet a badass female character and have an old Luna Wolf, Severian team up with her to save her daughter
works as a standalone too, no lore knowledge necessary really
I have a soft spot for Luna Wolves 😔 (Severian's story is fascinating btw; he was originally part of the Crusader Host on Terra and then got recruited by Malcador for the Grey Knights)
Severian mentions Loken twice and says nice things about him :'))
Just watched the B5 episode War Without End oh man it had it all. Coming unstuck in time. Two captains. Surprise lovechild. Everybody old. A giant hole in the floor everyone keeps popping out of. Mind controlling neck parasites. Mutual erotic asphyxiation. Zathras.
Babylon 5 S03E17 War Without End: Part Two
previous episode - table of contents
Emperor Londo of the Great Victim Complex.
And so the fall of Babylon 5 begins, with two idiots deciding to take on Ivanova!
DUDE sick fight moves by Susan Ivanova. And Marcus must be internally fist-pumping that he pulle off a drop-out-of-the-ceiling attack. Style points: 1 Marcus, 100 Susan.
Zathras sees all. Zathras knows all. Poor Zathras.
Oooooooo. Future John and Delenn have a baby! How exciting. Delenn calls Sheridan's time "so many years ago" and references the "terrible, terrible price," That's something for me to chew on. I wonder if it will be revealed this episode or is foretelling for the season 3 finale or even later. I am really not sure how the pacing on B5 goes or if they'll still be fighting the Shadows into season 5.
The Shadows are only visible when they sleep? That's cool and unsettling information, but I'm not sure how that tracks with Londo's next reveal, which is that he is also possessed? So perhaps Londo tries to turn on the Shadows at some point and is leashed instead.
G'Kar!! Down an eye and plus a sick leather patch. Must be time for Londo's death vision! I hope G'Kar gets to live to enjoy it. Londo caused a lot of death for the universe and the Narnuan people. Aww and then he didn't. I am a bit bummed that G'Kar's end appears to be with Londo, dying together as the Shadow possessing Londo kills G'Kar back. It is pretty punk rock of G'Kar, though. Who else has choked a shadow-possessed Centauri emperor before?? No one except G'Kar of Narn.
Right before Sheridan is pulled away, she tells him not to go to Zha'dum, but all these prophecies seem to be self-fulfilling and an inescapable part of the paradox.
Uh-oh, why's that spacesuit doin' stuff. Ah. Never mind, it's a "yeah, Sheridan's back!" Someone slap a time stabilizer on him before he gets yote into the timestream again.
And there goes the theft of Babylon 4!! Time heist!
There goes Sheridan. Shoulda put a time anchor on him!
Revised Sinclair prediction: his aging as they move towards their own time aging him is the/a reason why he gets the ole Minbari physical transformation since Minbari live so much longer, to extend his lifespan.
Oop, Sheridan's back again. Or the space suit he was wearing is, at least.
Yeah Susan Ivanova. she can do anything. Ivanova has B4's command station.
Delenn in the blue spacesuit?? Plot twist!!
Hmmm, so some of what I thought Sheridan was going to do (fight 1000 years in the past) is actually Sinclair's plot. That makes more sense, actually.
Zathras makes it all very clear: "You (Sinclair) are the one who was. You (Delenn) are the one who is. You (Sheridan) are the one who will be."
Babylon 4, A Thousand Years Ago
Valen?? Sinclair has always been the prophet Valen!! I did not see that coming. What an entrance! Appearing to Minbar flanked by two Vorlons, arriving in a vast space station in a flash of tachyons...Sinclair is Valen. fuck, that's cool.
WAR WITHOUT END (1993-1994)
Cobra Commander and Megatron form the alliance nightmares are made of...
MORE: War Without End
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Artists: Jonboy Meyers & Tony Washington
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From: Classic G.I.Joe vol.14 tpb (IDW reprints of the Marvel G.I.Joe series)
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Featuring: Megatron & Cobra Commander
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Marvel used G.I.Joe as the launchpad for its new Transformers: Generation 2 series in 1993
