Black Library Heresy "read order" list

[Kurgan the Lurker]

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Blog/a-timeline-of-treachery.html

Thursday 8th of August, 2013

 

A TIMELINE OF TREACHERY

 

We are often asked about The Horus Heresy. What order should I read them in? Where do the short stories and audio dramas fit? Do I have to read them in order?

 

Well, today, we thought we’d try to address a few of the most common questions by compiling this suggested reading list. To make it as clear as possible, we’ll deal with novels separately from the audio dramas and short stories.

 

NOVELS

Book 1 – Horus Rising - Dan Abnett

 

Book 2 – False Gods - Graham McNeill

 

Book 3 – Galaxy In Flames - Ben Counter

 

Book 4 – The Flight of the Eisenstein - James Swallow

 

Book 5 – Fulgrim Graham McNeill

 

Book 6 – Descent of Angels - Mitchel Scanlon

 

Book 7 – Legion - Dan Abnett

 

Book 8 – Battle for the Abyss - Ben Counter

 

Book 9 – Mechanicum - Graham McNeill

 

Book 10 – Tales of Heresy - edited by Nick Kyme and Lindsey Priestley

 

Book 11 – Fallen Angels - Mike Lee

 

Book 12 – A Thousand Sons - Graham McNeill

 

Book 13 – Nemesis - James Swallow

 

Book 14 – The First Heretic - Aaron Dembski-Bowden

 

Book 15 – Prospero Burns - Dan Abnett

 

Book 16 – Age of Darkness - edited by Christian Dunn

 

Book 17 – The Outcast Dead - Graham McNeill

 

Book 18 – Deliverance Lost - Gav Thorpe

 

Book 19 – Know No Fear - Dan Abnett

 

Book 20 – The Primarchs - edited by Christian Dunn

 

Book 21 – Fear to Tread - James Swallow

 

Book 22 – Shadows of Treachery - edited by Christian Dunn and Nick Kyme

 

Book 23 – Angel Exterminatus - Graham McNeill

 

Book 24 – Betrayer - Aaron Dembski-Bowden

 

Book 25 – Mark of Calth - edited by Laurie Goulding

 

Book 26 – Vulkan Lives - Nick Kyme

 

These can be read in any order you choose, though we would suggest reading the first five books in the series before any others, as they lay a lot of the ground work, up to the Dropsite Massacre. We tend to find it easier to read the books in the order they were published, but if you want to go straight for one that details your favourite Legion’s exploits, then there’s also nothing wrong with that.

 

THE REST

Here, we’ve grouped the stories into approximate time periods relating to some of the pivotal events that have been covered in the main novels so far. This will help you work out where they fit in the timeline.

 

The Seeds of Heresy are Sown

 

Promethean Sun – Nick Kyme

 

Dark King – Graham McNeill

 

The Dropsite Massacre

 

Raven’s Flight – Gav Thorpe

 

Strike and Fade – Guy Haley

 

Veritas Ferrum – David Annandale

 

The Age of Darkness

 

Army of One – Rob Sanders

 

Kryptos – Graham McNeill

 

Distant Echoes of Old Night – Rob Sanders

 

Lost Sons – James Swallow

 

The Divine Word – Gav Thorpe

 

The Sigillite – Chris Wraight

 

Wolf Hunt – Graham McNeill

 

The Lightning Tower – Dan Abnett

 

Warmaster – John French

 

The Knights Errant

 

Garro: Oath of Moment – James Swallow

 

Garro: Sword of Truth – James Swallow

 

Garro: Burden of Duty – James Swallow

 

Garro: Legion of One – James Swallow

Grey Angel – John French

 

The Battle for Calth

 

Butcher’s Nails – Aaron Dembski Bowden

 

Honour to the Dead – Gav Thorpe

 

Censure – Nick Kyme

 

 

 

This completes our Horus Heresy round up for all of the titles currently available through blacklibrary.com. Which ones are missing from your collection?

 

Posted by The Black Library Team

[Spinsanity]

Nice of them to have released such a list, but quite a bummer they skipped some of the limited edition novellas - they didn't include Brotherhood of the Storm and Aurelian, at least (any other I forgot?)

[Artein]

Nice of them to have released such a list, but quite a bummer they skipped some of the limited edition novellas - they didn't include Brotherhood of the Storm and Aurelian, at least (any other I forgot?)

Because all of those were links to their respective sites on BL page. On this list are only those that you can buy.

[CommandPoint]

Is anyone aware of a comprehensive reading order list that follows the timeline of events?

 

I did find a readers thoughts on his reading order, which focused mostly on the timeline, but also thoughtfully put some books in different places such as "Descent of Angels" as the first book to read as it just touches on the beginning of the Legion and the Great Crusade which happens before book 1. This list only went as far as book 12 though and did not include any of the other none numbered Black Library books which is where I am struggling.....

 

As I am completely unfamiliar with the terms that Black Library are using to tie in the single novels, that is of no help to me to inform me of when they happen, unless I've already ready the books to work that out.

 

What do these even mean to someone that has not read the books yet.....?!

The Seeds of Heresy are Sown

The Dropsite Massacre

The Age of Darkness

The Knights Errant

The Battle for Calth

 

It would be better if they tied these "time line events" to actual HH novels. Example: "The Dropsite Massacre" happens after/during book 7: Legion. I would at least know then that all books that occur during their "Dropsite Massacre" event happen after book 6: Descent of Angels, but before book 8: Battle for the Abyss.

 

So in that example I could then read book "7 Legion" and as it happens during the "The Dropsite Massacre" I would know to then read: Raven’s Flight, Strike and Fade and Veritas Ferrum before moving onto book 8 etc.

 

It would be even greater if it told me to read: Raven’s Flight, Strike and Fade then book 7: Legion, and then Veritas Ferrum before moving onto book 8... (for example)

[Ramell]

Sounds like this is what you're after.

[Jareddm]

Sounds like this is what you're after.

 

This is my go to guide for reading order.  I do hope it continues to be updated going forward.

[Huggtand]

BL still have the option to sort the HH-range in reading order - Link

[Operative]

BL still have the option to sort the HH-range in reading order - Link

However it looks like some of the books are incorrectly placed, for example "the first heretic" should be read before "Aurelian"

 

Also I think whilst there is no one set way to read all the books I think there should be some books you should read to get a good overview before you proceed onto other novels, which would help you to appreciate the references and the plots more and give you a good understanding of the timeline. I'll call these stage 1 books.

 

Stage 1:

Horus Rising

False Gods

Galaxy In Flames

Fulgrim

Legion

A Thousand Sons (you can get away with reading solely this instead of prospero burns as well but imo the books are 2 of the best in the series)

Prospero Burns

The First Heretic

 

Then depending on what Legion, characters or events that take your fancy you can branch off onto other books.

[CommandPoint]

Sounds like this is what you're after.

 

Not quite. Maybe if I printed that out and mounted it on my wall... 

While I appreciate that this picture is descriptive and pretty definitive, I'm more looking for a text list I can just follow without any squinting, deciphering or vomiting in my lap ;)

 

~

 

BL still have the option to sort the HH-range in reading order - Link

 

Does this contain all the stand alone stories, or just the Horus Heresy titled books?

I'm pretty sure I checked this and did not see many books I know of :(

 

~

 

Also I think whilst there is no one set way to read all the books I think there should be some books you should read to get a good overview before you proceed onto other novels, which would help you to appreciate the references and the plots more and give you a good understanding of the timeline.

This what I'm talking about :) The "experienced timeline" list, where it is pretty much chronological with the events over time but adds a little drop of experience into the mix by inserting a few choice reads outside of their usual order so that you can appreciate the references and don't end up reading a book further down the line that totally explains a previous book you didn't quite get how it fit in and now can't quite remember enough of it to appreciate the "later" book either etc.

 

I was listening to some Garro stuff last night (Oath of Moment, Legion of One, and Swordthingy) and he's recruited Tylos, and it's all going lovely then suddenly in Sword of somethingwhatever they arrive at the Arbiters station and there is this angry guy travelling with them who just don't get it. He's all RaHHHH! and GRrrRRR! and I'm thinking "Where the bloody'ell did he come from"...  So I looked at my list and noticed I'd already read Burden of Duty (Garro pokes a sleeping Librarian who tells him to bog off, then an angry Primark turns up and he and Garro spends ages fighting with the words between their sentences) and I realised that Burden should be much later in the list ~ Or was it earlier....?! o.O

 

It was then that I realised my list was dog dirt.

[CommandPoint]

Three years later and I'm still trying to work this out.

Surely there is a list of all published works and where they fit into the timeline of the Horus Heresy novels?

[bluntblade]

There's a thread in the BL section somewhere.

[CommandPoint]

There's a thread in the BL section somewhere.

Is it the one that is quoted in this thread? (If so, it's not very detailed).

 

(Edit:) I've just looked through the Black Library section and could not find any Chronological reading order.

 

The closest I could find was a spoiler free reading order so that you can read all the books without discovering any spoilers while reading : http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/329522-horus-heresy-spoilers-free-reading-order/

 

Wasn't there a White Dwarf (or two?) that had fold out with pictures detailing timelines and books? I'm pretty sure it was since WD went back to monthly.

Edited November 1, 2017 by CommandPoint

[Fangbanger]

literally a google search:

 

http://www.blacklibrary.com/horus-heresy-reading-order.html

[Tymell]

The problem(s) with the BL reading order is it's literally just the book numbers, with the then-uncollected stuff inserted. It also hasn't been updated since the start of the year, and it's missing things.

 

But as it goes along, it will move things to just fit into that book numbering order. Right now they're saying the Tallarn stories should be read right after Angel Exterminatus, which makes some sense, since they continue the story of the Iron Warriors. But as soon as the page is updated to reflect Tallarn being collected and released, it will just be moved to Book 45.

 

Three years later and I'm still trying to work this out.

Surely there is a list of all published works and where they fit into the timeline of the Horus Heresy novels?

 

If it's any help, I've been having a stab at chronology within the series for a while. Which isn't quite the same as a reading order, but along similar lines.

 

This is my best attempt at an (on-going) chronological order - https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Tymell/the-horus-heresy-series-a-reading-guide/

 

And here I've got more detailed notes on where the stories fit within the overall timeline (though of course some stories don't -have- any real reference points, and are just placed on my own inclinations) - https://sites.google.com/site/tymellsheresy/horus-heresy-timeline-notes

Edited November 2, 2017 by Tymell

[CommandPoint]

literally a google search:

 

http://www.blacklibrary.com/horus-heresy-reading-order.html

That is of no help :)

 

It seems that you've not read this thread or what I've written (or what you've linked to) with much more than a glance ;)

 

I want to know where all the other stories and novels fit into the Horus Heresy series... 

[CommandPoint]

If it's any help, I've been having a stab at chronology within the series for a while. Which isn't quite the same as a reading order, but along similar lines.

 

This is my best attempt at an (on-going) chronological order - https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Tymell/the-horus-heresy-series-a-reading-guide/

 

And here I've got more detailed notes on where the stories fit within the overall timeline (though of course some stories don't -have- any real reference points, and are just placed on my own inclinations) - https://sites.google.com/site/tymellsheresy/horus-heresy-timeline-notes

Awesome help, thank you for your efforts. Looking into this now :)

[carlisimo]

I think it's only up to date through The Master of Mankind, but it's great.  It's also a very large image file

 

http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/660305EnglishHorusHeresyv21pretapublierfull.jpg