Legion (Horus Heresy) | 
 enlarge | Author: Dan Abnett
Publisher: Black Library
Category: Book
List Price: £6.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 3072
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.2
ISBN: 1844165361
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9781844165360
ASIN: 1844165361
Publication Date: March 3, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New book. Due to problems with Standard Airmail delivery times from the USA, we have switched to using PRIORITY AIRMAIL ONLY. UK & European delivery is 7-10 days.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 Best in the Horus Heresy series so far... January 3, 2009
Cards on the table; I think the Black Library have missed a golden opportunity with the Horus Heresy series - it's turned into a meandering trail of fairly average titles rather than the triumph for 40K fans it could have been. That said - Legion is the book that stands out in the series as being by far the best written, best story-line, and most thought-provoking. If you are going to read anything in the Horus Heresy series, Legion should be the book.
An important book of the serie December 30, 2008
Of course, many readers of the Horus Heresy serie (HH) want to follow on a single story arc. It is easier to start from Horus ebrassing Chaos and steadily got to the siege of Terra and the final stalemate the Emperor and His son.
But the serie is not designed this way. It is not a continuous story with every book adding directly to the previous one. It is about setting the entire scene of the Heresy. The serie depicts several times, several places and several people who either precede (often lead to), brace or follow the Heresy itself.
Legion is one of these books. It is not the follow up to "Fulgrim". It is a different story, part of the Heresy. And an important one.
Important because of its story. The story of how a very peculiar and secretive Legion, deep down dedicated to serving the Emperor, will embrace the cause of the Heresy. The story of a Legion that does not turn to Chaos out of madness, wrath or envy, but out of dedication.
Important also because this book is a valuable source of information on the kind of army that used to serve in pre-heresy legions. An army made of genetically-modified soldier, yet not only Astartes.
Important because of the power of its story. A story based not just on epic battles and Primarch charisma. But based on heavy atmosphere, on hidden secrets and on an amazing revelation !
I will not elaborate on the first part (how Legion XX chooses Chaos), because it would be a terrible spoiler. Let it just be said that it is VERY surprising and unique. This legion really has a singular flavour, and it is demonstrated up to the very end of the book.
A very interesting side of this book is what we learn about the Imperial Army at the time of the Great Crusade. Geno-troopers (as they are called) are genetically enhanced warriors that have been allowed to serve in the Imperial Army in recognition for their contribution to the Unification Wars on Earth. They often seem as premices of Astartes. The first tries. Lower models, so to speak. But apparently not created by the Emperor. It is hinted, albeit very lightly, that the Emperor took some inspiration from the Genos to create the Astartes.
At the time of the End of the Great Crusade, they are becoming rare in the legions. Astartes have proven themselves to be much more efficient, and Geno-Troopers are not produced any more. This makes them all the more romantic, in a way. The last of their kind, who will be extinct forever in the next decades.
Last, the story itself is a masterpiece. Imagine that Legion XX is a legion where almost noone ever sees Astartes. The marines just seem to hide themselves. Why ? They are masters of intelligence and information manipulation, conquering entire systems with underhand covert operations, rather than large scale battles. It's true that this legion is the most recent one, and its resources have nothing to do with the largest expeditions... or so it seems.
And who is this Primarch that no one ever sees ? What does he have to hide ? What made him make his legion so prone to secret ?
A great setting, a great plot and a gret finish. These are the key points of this book, in my mind. It is definitely a great addition to the HH serie, even if it is not a direct sequel to the previous book. A must read for all HH fans !
Good book with an incredible ending October 24, 2008
Like many of the other reviewers here I have read all of the Heresy books so far (interestingly I was also super disappointed with Descent of Angles, too). Unlike some of them, I am an avowed Abnett fan - the Eisenhorn books in particular are excellent. Also unlike some here, I've always preferred WH40K books that weren't focussed on the Astartes.
All of that said, this is a fantastic book - it's not Chekhov but it moves along at a good clip and between the action and the intrigue it should keep you suitably gripped to the conclusion. That conclusion, by the way, is about the most gutsy I've ever seen in an established canon. I remain extremely surprised that Abnett was allowed to write it since, in certain interpretations, it pretty much turns the whole of conventional WH40K wisdom on its head and if you've got any history with the games or universe (I took it up as a kid at school, yonks ago) then it will probably mess with yours for a fair while after you put the book down.
Superb.
Outstanding September 9, 2008
Just finished this book, and am absolutely gobsmacked. Couldn't put it down.
I've read all the Horus Heresy so far, and have enjoyed all but Descent of Angels. Legion for me is the outstanding novel of them all, which is saying a lot. Gripping plot line- follows Fulgrim in that the style of the writing reflects somehow the character of the legion in question. The twisting plotline ties together beautifully in one of the best endings I've ever read in a book.
Before the Horus Heresy was released, I'd always wondered about the motivations of the prime movers behind the civil war. Each Primarch that we've met in any detail has had their motivations for turning superbly examined. Legion makes no exception.
Don't let other reviewers who have complained that the book is mainly written from the viewpoint of an Imperial Guard unit put you off. You get a very interesting perspective as a result, and the book is definitely still about the Astartes. I personally don't think it could have been written any other way.
Can't recommend this enough.
A return to form July 14, 2008
Having counted myself within the endless ranks of readers somewhat disappointed with 'Descent of Angels', I naturally threw caution to the next Horus Heresy installment.
It's not that 'Descent...' was dull to read or poorly written, but Mitchel Scanlon's novel was the first Heresy novel that concerned itself primarily with non-astartes (or at least pre-astartes) individuals, a factor which would surely hinder a Horus Heresy novel. I was therefore sceptical about how effective a story that placed an Imperial Guard regiment at the forefront could be.
Fortunately, 'Legion' triumphs: characters are genuinely likeable (or detestable), the story is engrossing and, unlike Scanlon's novel, it doesn't hold back on Astartes fluff; Horus and the Heresy get at least more than a passing mention, which would surely seem compulsory for the series. Furthermore, although much of the story is told from the Geno Two-Five Chilliad perspective, The Alpha Legion also get their worth. Ultimately, you're not left feeling deprived reading this, something that the Dark Angels installment possibly suffered from.
Although he is included within the compilation of short stories scheduled for the series in April 2009, I sincerely hope that Abnett returns next year for another individual effort. Hugely entertaining.
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