I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of the latest instalment of the Horus Heresy, Prospero Burns. This novel tells the other half of the epic battle for the Thousand Sons home planet, Prospero. Unlike most of the Heresy novels that follow Primarchs, Dan Abnett follows Kasper Causer as he is initially protected by native Fenrisians and then by the Space Wolves. Kasper, aka Ahmed Ibn Rustah, is an academic who enables us to understand the mind set and logic of the Sixth Legion. This understanding includes everything from how members admit their mistakes (I have seen the error of my ways and will work to correct it (worked awesome with my Wife!)), to what scares the Space Wolves and how they deal with that fear. Through out the book we are transported back into Kaspers memories where we learn more about the Council of Unification and it transitions into the Imperium of Man. We see the Rout's (one of the Space Wolves names for themselves (like Clan)) perspective on the ceremony at Ullanor and the council of Neakea. It isn't until we are about 7/8 through the book that the Wolves land on Prospero. There are several secrets that are revealed, which I won't spoil but make for a very enjoyable and informative read. Abnett did a great job encapsulating the Wolves and their mind set when it comes to life, death and war. I have been a Space Wolf player since they were the first codex brought out in 2nd edition 40k and this book did more than them justice in my mind. The only thing that I would have liked to seen was more of how the Space Wolves interact with the other Legions as part of the great crusade. If you get a chance to pick it up I highly recommend it as either a stand alone if your a fan of the Wolves and as a must read if your a fan of the the HH.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Prospero Burns Review
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of the latest instalment of the Horus Heresy, Prospero Burns. This novel tells the other half of the epic battle for the Thousand Sons home planet, Prospero. Unlike most of the Heresy novels that follow Primarchs, Dan Abnett follows Kasper Causer as he is initially protected by native Fenrisians and then by the Space Wolves. Kasper, aka Ahmed Ibn Rustah, is an academic who enables us to understand the mind set and logic of the Sixth Legion. This understanding includes everything from how members admit their mistakes (I have seen the error of my ways and will work to correct it (worked awesome with my Wife!)), to what scares the Space Wolves and how they deal with that fear. Through out the book we are transported back into Kaspers memories where we learn more about the Council of Unification and it transitions into the Imperium of Man. We see the Rout's (one of the Space Wolves names for themselves (like Clan)) perspective on the ceremony at Ullanor and the council of Neakea. It isn't until we are about 7/8 through the book that the Wolves land on Prospero. There are several secrets that are revealed, which I won't spoil but make for a very enjoyable and informative read. Abnett did a great job encapsulating the Wolves and their mind set when it comes to life, death and war. I have been a Space Wolf player since they were the first codex brought out in 2nd edition 40k and this book did more than them justice in my mind. The only thing that I would have liked to seen was more of how the Space Wolves interact with the other Legions as part of the great crusade. If you get a chance to pick it up I highly recommend it as either a stand alone if your a fan of the Wolves and as a must read if your a fan of the the HH.
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5 comments:
Why does this sound like a ripoff of the 13th Warrior film? Did it read that way?
It didn't read like it but I thought the same thing as I got into the story. The really interesting part of the names of the protaginis; Kasper Causer was a teenage boy who showed up in Germany in the 1800s who had been raised in isolation was a mystery and then was killed under suspect circumstances and Ahmed Ibn Rustah which was the name of an Arab historian who went to live amongst the "Vikings" or Northmen so he could verify the truth. So I think both 13th warrior and Propero Burns used the same true story for their inspiration. There's a whole part of the novel that deals with names so I won't got into any more detail to make sure I don't spoil anything.
I didn't like this book until about 2/3 of the way through where his past starts affecting the present. Until that point, i was kind of disappointed that half the story seemed to have nothing to do with the Wolves.
I have to agree with Dave. The book is good but it misses out on so much Horus Heresy Stuff. It should not have been entitled Prospero Burns. Also I didn't manage to identify much with the main character - Kasper Hawser, because I wanted to identify with a SW character in a SW book! I honestly felt nothing for him. And what about Russ. Just 3 very short scenes. I real pity. I think this book is simple a lost opportunity.
@Night Runner, your right this didn't focus on Russ or even the Captain of the 1st Company which I agree is a departure from the other HH books but the book did use Bjorn the Fell Handed as a fairly significant character and gave the back ground and insight into how the sixth legion operates. The book makes way more sense if you have read 1k sons and I would have liked to hear about the battle that Russ was calling for support in 1k sons in Prospero Burns. But totally fair ball about it being a lost opportunity in many ways.
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