False Gods is the book wherein Horus falls to Chaos, so even by Warhammer standards it's not exactly bursting with warm fuzzies. Graham McNeill takes the reins for this second part of the opening trilogy and true to style it is dark and gritty with a powerful storyline and no shortage of violence or death. There is a palpable sense that the noose is closing around the necks of our heroes in this novel as Chaplain Erebus guides the newly renamed Sons of Horus to the moon of Davin, ostensibly to bring justice to a rebel governor but in truth as part of a much larger plan to bring Horus low before swaying him to Chaos to topple the Emperor from his Golden Throne.
On Davin's moon the Sons of Horus have the Warhammer version of a picnic: a life-or-death struggle against Plague Zombies in a decomposing swamp. In the depths of traitor governor Eugan Temba's crashed starship Horus takes the wound that will alter the fate of the galaxy, a blow from a semi-sentient anathame that is absolutely inimical to anything it has been used to slay. With their primarch on the verge of death the Sons of Horus are driven to desperate measures and entrust Horus to the care of a Davinite serpent cult on Erebus's recommendation. He's a good guy, that Erebus. I'm sure he has no ulterior motives.
The mythical symbolism of Horus's spiritual journey whilst interred within the Temple of the Serpent Lodge is obvious: in a voyage beyond the edge of life, Horus's spirit is tested in order to determine his fate. Unfortunately Erebus is the tour guide for Horus's metaphysical journey, and it is visions of the very Imperium his rebellion will bring about overlaid with Erebus's deceitful commentary that ultimately sway Horus into heresy. He emerges from his underworld sojourn physically healed but with betrayal hidden in his heart, and sets about planning the rebellion that will light the galaxy aflame.
The final portion of the novel sees our heroes Loken and Torgaddon marginalised within their own Legion for the sins of seeing things truthfully and not being massive dicks. Horus begins to express his new nature by instigating an unnecessary war with a human civilisation and silencing the dissenting voices within his fleet. Our truth-loving poet Ignace Karkasy is the first casualty of the Horus Heresy, but as battle-lines form an undercurrent of forbidden faith finds an icon in Euphrati Keeler after she channels the Emperor's power to banish a daemon then falls into a coma, and Loken and Torgaddon vow to oppose the spreading darkness.
False Gods is a powerful novel; tense, dramatic and dark. By its final page the stage has been set for the civil war that will see Legions clash, worlds burn, primarchs fall and heroes rise. You're up, Ben Counter. It's time to bring this story home.
Check back for my review of the final book in the opening trilogy, Ben Counter's Galaxy in Flames, and if you haven't yet, follow this link to read my review of the first part of the trilogy, Horus Rising.
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