Horus Heresy: Know No Fear [Mass Market Paperback]

KNOW NO FEAR marks the 19th book of the Horus Heresy series. For those of you who are unaware, Warhammer 40,000 is a table top game set in the 41st millennia: in the grim darkness of the future there is only war. Anyway Warhammer 40,000 is epic in the truest sense of the word, a science fiction universe with a slathering of dark fantasy thrown in for good measure. For a table top game it has a surprisingly rich and detailed history due to contributions from some great fiction authors. The greatest of those authors is without a doubt, Dan Abnett and the greatest event in the history of the game's whole shared-world fiction is the Horus Heresy.

All the above was written for the benefit of those unfortunate enough never to have heard of WH40K. That said, KNOW NO FEAR is NOT a good starting place for the uninitiated. If you have an interest in genetically enhanced superhuman warriors battling against all manner of vicious foes then I suggest you start with HORUS RISING, the first book in the Horus Heresy and a wonderful way to test the waters and see if this is a series for you.

KNOW NO FEAR takes place shortly after the initial hostilities of the Heresy have kicked off. The XIII space marine legion, the Ultramarines, are caught unaware by a supposed ally-turned- traitor during muster for a campaign against the orks in another sector. The betrayal is so complete that within hours a majority of the loyalist fleet has been destroyed and the planet of Calth is wreathed in flames with casualties accumulating at an alarming rate. KNOW NO FEAR is all about one of the greatest battles of the Horus Heresy, a fight to the death between the stalwart Ultramarines and the fanatical Word Bearers.

To date the Horus Heresy books have fallen into three categories. There are the plot and character development pieces, sparse with action and focused primarily on displaying the character of the players of this galaxy spanning high speed chess match. Then of course there are the novels that bask in hyper violence as only space marines can deliver. These books are so affectionately described as bolter-porn. Last there are the truly great pieces of fiction that transcend the "shared-world" stigma, novels with deep characters, engaging plots, and furious action sequences. Unfortunately KNOW NO FEAR does not fall into this final category, rather it would probably best be described as bolter-porn.

Don't get me wrong though, this does not have to be a bad thing, especially if you've been keeping up with the series. The last few Horus Heresy novels have been lackluster character pieces. I love the new focus on storytelling inherent in the series but it seems as though great action has taken a backseat to overbearing attempts at "literary" writing. KNOW NO FEAR is a much needed change of pace, delivering on the action with one of the highest body counts since the earliest days of the series as the two largest space marine legions duke it out. Abnett writes battle scenes with real talent, showing all the levels of a military engagement from high command strategy to small unit tactical. There is a little something for every adrenaline junkie, from cold void boarding action to siege warfare and even some space marine on daemon melee.

The reason why this is a good book instead of a great one is simple. It lacks character depth. The book starts out great, Abnett's prose is beautiful and striking from the get go and his unique approach to writing this specific novel was awesome. The pacing is brutal and chapters fly by. The POV is split up amongst a rather large cast of characters whose perspectives start just before the tragedy and tie up just after. This method is highly successful in portraying the awful series of events that take place and while I was reading I got a disaster movie vibe. Readers get a unique view of these superhuman warrior elite as spectators, victims of an insidious plot...at least until they get their bearings and fight back.

The problem with this, as successful as it is, is the lack of characterization. Unless you've been following the series very closely you are unlikely to be able to tell who most of these characters are or why they matter. There is no clear main protagonist because the cast is spread so far to get a wide glimpse of the carnage. Readers will be hard pressed to maintain tabs on each of the Ultramarines and as excited as I was to see Ventanus, Captain of the Troublesome Fourth he never shined as brightly as I'd hoped for.

One final complaint. Because of the analytical nature of the Ultramarines they use the terms "practical" and "theoretical" in conversation quite heavily. At first this seems like a neat quirk that can be attributed to their combat effective minds. Eventually though the dialogue does get a little grating. This is nowhere near as bad as Abnett's use of the phrase "wet-leopard-growl" in PROSPERO BURNS, but it can be irritating.

KNOW NO FEAR is a fun read, a must have for WH40K fans. There are some great cameos and even a little foreshadowing to the future of the series. Anyone interested can order the book now at the Black Library website where it has been released a whole month early.

Recommended Age: 14+
Language: Some, including fictional curse words
Violence: To the extreme. These are superhuman warriors created solely for the purpose of winning wars against the most despicable foes imaginable. And now they're having a go at each other.
Sex: None

Nick Sharps, Elitist Book Reviews

After reading Deliverance Lost, Gav Thorpe's first entry to the Horus Heresy published by the Black Library, I felt that perhaps I was a bit harsh in my review of Gav's work. It was, after all, his first at bat and it wasn't terrible. The biggest problem was that it was never a book that I really wanted to read. Sure, I was interested in Corax. I really like the Raven Guard. But the story was a bit muddled in places, the pacing uneven at times, and it contained more unresolved story lines (which I'm not convinced will be finished in other places) than I could deal with. I often picked up Deliverance Lost begrudgingly. Simply put, Dan Abnett's Know No Fear could not have been more different.

Know No Fear is Abnett's latest entry to the Horus Heresy, coming in with high expectations after his sublime Prospero Burns. Stemming directly from the aftermath of Dembski-Bowden's The First Heretic and chronologically following the Dropsite Massacre at Istvaan, Know No Fear recounts the Battle of Calth, the devastating battle between the two largest Legio Astartes, the Ultramarines and the Word Bearers.

With still-wounded pride from their censure by Guilliman at Monarchia and their newfound `truth' derived from the warp, the Word Bearers are tasked by the Warmaster Horus to eradicate the Ultramarines at Calth, one of the five great worlds of Ultramar. Through treachery and duplicitous means, the Legions of Lorgar are able to launch a devastating sneak attack against the Ultramarines, crippling their fleet and setting in motion an `extinction-level' event that will test the mettle of the Warriors of Ultramar.

The plot only takes place over the matter of a few days, as the Word Bearers' attack is devastating and unexpected, and Abnett made the choice to write the narrative as "a chronological account extracted and compiled from Ultima Operational Record[s]," or more specifically, a battle report; the entire narrative is in the present tense. This is a really ballsy move, one that had me completely disarmed at first, but it ends up being absolute correct decision, and one that would certainly have failed if tasked to a lesser writer. The pacing of Know No Fear is breakneck and wholly engrossing. In addition to the `battle report' style which helps to drive the narrative, Abnett also `sections' out the novel, cutting away from one scene to the next with very short paragraphs. The reader is never in one location for too long, and occasionally he sprinkles in these brilliant little vignettes regarding characters that only appear in a single paragraph. They're simple, elegant touches that really expand the scope of the story and add a great deal of breadth to what is a much simpler story than Prospero Burns.

And though it is simpler, as Know No Fear is essentially an action movie, it is a Soderburgh and not a Michael Bay (though some of the devastation wrought upon Calth is certainly from a Michael Bay wet dream). Though not as intricately researched and meticulous as the aforementioned Space Wolves opus, Abnett's work here is layered and detailed, with tons of clever nods to the 40k universe. Additionally, the characterization of his protagonists is engrossing and full of depth.

We see a lot of Guilliman in Know No Fear, but he is much more than the unflinching strategist we'd expect from the Ultramarines progenitor. Though he is clearly a measured pragmatist, it's the small asides he shares with his commanders that really illuminate his character; the dry sense of humor he displays with them is an absolute joy to read.

If the Ultramarines were previously painted as unfeeling martial pragmatists, Know No Fear will change that a bit. Remus Ventanus, effectively the protagonist (though the Dramatis Personae for Know No Fear is five pages, so plenty of characters get their share of face time), is the epitome of what we've come to know of the Ultramarines. He is noble. He is intelligent. But more, he's compassionate. He's a full, rounded character, nothing less than what we'd expect from Abnett. Further, his depiction of Lorgar, though he has very little to do in the novel, is brilliant. Gone is the sniveling, unsure whelp from The First Heretic. Lorgar is menacing and maniacal, and his interactions with Guilliman are downright unnerving. It was perfect.

And finally, Abnett continues to be a master of his craft when it comes to the depictions of humans in the context of the Horus Heresy. There aren't many in Know No Fear, but those few that are highlighted are really well done. The Ushmetar Kaul, led by the zealot Criol Fowst, is haunting. As our first depiction of the massive cults employed by the Word Bearers, the `Brotherhood of the Knife' is an excellent entry point. Oll Persson, a simple inhabitant of Calth, is interesting and fleshed out and, despite the fact that he receives only a small fraction of the story, is far more than he initially seems. And Magos Meer Edv Tawren, the server that acts as a focal point for the Ultramarines retribution, is a surprisingly deep character that is granted what may be my favorite part of Know No Fear: a simple, tender scene between her and Vanatus that added more depth to both characters than any two lines of text should.

Dan Abnett is at the top of his game with Know No Fear. It is a fast-paced, page-turning epic that could easily be turned into a blockbuster movie. From an opening scene as disturbingly gripping as the beach scene in Saving Private Ryan, to heroic interventions that literally had me exclaiming "Yes!" out loud, Know No Fear is a compelling read. Though Prospero Burns may remain my favorite entry in the Horus Heresy saga, Know No Fear is the one I'll find myself coming back to over and over again.

9.5/10 Masterful; A Must Read.

"Blunt. Stunning. Intense. Brutal. Cold. Callous. All these words come to mind by the time you turn the last page of the novel and you just have to marvel at the author's sheer brilliance." ~Shadowhawk, The Founding Fields

You have all no doubt already read a few reviews of Know No Fear by now, almost all of them highly praising Dan Abnett for the masterpiece he has delivered, taking the Horus Heresy series to entirely new heights. All of that is entirely true because Know No Fear is definitely one of the best novels novels in the series and it is an absolute joy to read.

As most of you know, I like to balance my reviews, or try to at least. I had some ideas in mind when I finished the novel last night but I have thrown them all out of the window. The simple fact is as above, Dan's latest is one of the best in the series.

Dan is one of the two authors, the other being William King, that I first started reading in Black Library fiction. Those were the days when you could still get his first Gaunt's Ghosts novel, First and Only, as a single mass market paperback. He is also one of the most prolific writers for Black Library, having written quite a few Gaunt's Ghosts novels and has three entire series of Warhammer 40,000 novels to his credit with another on the horizon for next year. I've read his Gaunt's Ghosts, his Eisenhorn, his Ravenor, his Malus Darkblade, his Iron Snakes, his audio dramas and a lot of the other stuff he has written over the years. The Horus Heresy series, which he kicked off with his excellent Horus Rising, has seen him write some of his best novels to date and Know No Fear is no exception to that (although I am not a fan of Prospero Burns, for a variety of reasons).

So what is it that I like so much about Know No Fear that I liked so much? Almost everything.

To begin with, the novel is broken down into the traditional act/chapter/scene sequence, but it does so much more than just that simple distinction. Dan uses what he calls "marks", with each mark being either a time countdown to the when the Word Bearers treachery at Calth unfolds or to the events thereafter as the Ultramarines and their allies begin their resistance. This is perhaps the biggest contributor to the sheer awesomeness of the novel. It gives a very perspective look into the betrayal of the Word Bearers and you can pretty much chart how things happened. Starting with a few hours prior, to nearly a day afterwards, the "mark" system gives you an entire timeline of how things happened and it does so combined with the viewpoints of dozens of characters. And these characters aren't just limited to the XIIIth legion's officers and Guilliman himself, but we see line-captains, sergeants, army troopers, army officers, Mechanicum adepts, Skitarii, cultists, Lorgar, Word Bearer officers and traitor army units. This has the added effect of making the events of the novel really epic in scope as we see the betrayal unfold on all levels of the Ultramarines legion heirarchy.

All the point of view switches can throw people off, especially in the beginning, but I recommend that if you pick up this novel (and you really should) you should stick with it. It really proves to be extremely atmospheric and after a while, you will start liking it, same as I did.

Dan Abnett has also captured the essence of Roboute Guilliman and the Ultramarines as they were meant to be during the Great Crusade. The sentences are all short, blunt and to the point. The Ultramarine dialogue is sharp, blunt and to the point. You really start getting the feeling that you are reading and seeing Ultramarines here and not just another legion, beyond the superficial differences. Especially so since the Ultramarines talk in a very unique way of the theoretical and the practical. The terms are self-explanatory but in terms of the novel and the narrative itself, their use in dialogue shows how methodically and analytically the Ultramarines are trained to think and act. Theoretical - supposition and guesswork based on information gathered. Practical - action and reaction based on solid Theoreticals. It really makes the novel so much more enjoyable that I quickly fell in love with the Ultramarines.

Dan's Ultramarines are very different than Graham's Ultramarines or Nick's Ultramarines, even beyond the timeline differences, and it is a welcome approach. Dan has definitely brought something new to the table and it is something that is very fresh and innovative in its approach. I quite like it.

Apart from all of that however, it is the simple matter of Dan's excellent characterisation that blows you away. If you have loyally stuck to the Horus Heresy series, then you've read Aaron's The First Heretic and have probably come to loathe the Roboute Guilliman and the Ultramarines presented therein. Well, time to come to love them. As my friend Jeff said above, we really come to see the real Guilliman in Know No Fear. Where Dan has excelled at first of all, is showing that the Primarchs aren't just Super-Astartes, they are God-Astartes. And he does this in a way that is very reminiscent of Corax from Deliverance Lost. We have all read countless references to the Primarchs being god-like even among the Astartes and that their intellect is superseded only by that of the Emperor himself. We have read countless references to them being the pinnacle of bio-engineering. But we have had pitiful few actual cases of that in the Horus Heresy series, hte one and only notable one being Corax as I said.

And you know what? That is how it should be. I'm not saying that the authors should hammer us with this obvious fact but that there should be stark, clear cases of this more often than two Primarchs in two novels out of eighteen Primarchs and nineteen novels. Guilliman aptly displays why he is such a great strategist and how he goes about using his super-intellect.

Which brings me back to Dan showing us the real Guilliman. Guilliman in The First Heretic is a cold, unfeeling bastard who doesn't really seem to care about what is being done to his brother and his brother's legion. He is supremely practical and dutiful to the point of appearing as someone who doesn't have any emotions, or is someone who has a great control of his emotions and never lets that facade crack. Now imagine Guilliman losing control of that facade, explosively so and with so much emotion that you are left stunned.

It is a gross understatement that Guilliman has suddenly become one of my favourite Primarchs, joining Russ, Corax, Vulkan and Sanguinius.

The characterisation isn't just limited to the Primarch of course, but extends to several of his sons as well, and a few Mechanicum adepts. Remus Ventanus, Luciel, Marius Gage, Sydance, and all the others truly bring the XIIIth legion to life and they do so in a very memorable way. Ventanus is of course the protagonist of Graham's short story Rules of Engagement in the Age of Darkness anthology whereas all the others are mostly new. Dan's portrayal of all of them definitely breaks the stereotypical mold that so characterises Ultramarines in M41 and for which many fans have long despised or even hated them for. Sure, this is a different era altogether but the point still stands. These guys all have personalities and emotions and they are still stoic Ultramarines, just like their M41 counterparts.

Special mention should also go to Sorot Tchure of the Word Bearers, the man tasked with firing the first shot of the betrayal and the one who is very much the star character of the XVIIth legion in the novel. That he is not overshadowed by the presence of either Erebus or Kor Phaeron is proof that Dan has a very skillful hand at building up his characters. Tchure is definitely my favourite Word Bearer of all time, alongside Argel Tal from The First Heretic.

Going back to the use of the "marks", the pacing of the novel is intrinsically tried to this new style and at times, it does suffer as well. Some of the opening chapters drag on a little too long, giving us too much exposition and too many characters to follow but the pace picks up really well in the second third of the novel, where it is absolutely brutal. No punches are pulled by the author and the scope of the narrative just leaves you cold. As does the various short scenes that happen at the time of the betrayal itself. I actually shuddered at that point.

The pacing picks up once more in the final third of the novel but this is where I'm more ambivalent in my appreciation of Dan's work. The ending of Know No Fear is classic Dan Abnett, rushed with too much happening at the end. That really breaks the immersion. It is a much better ending than that of Hereticus, Ravenor Rogue, Only in Death or some of his other novels but it is still not as fulfilling as it could have been. Too many plot threads are left right until the end and they are systematically resolved as if from a checklist of scenes. It is somewhat impersonal.

In terms of brief, unexpected and jaw-dropping cameos and scenes are superheavy tanks falling from the burning skies of Calth, trooper Oll Pearsson of the Imperial Army and two particular characters that were last seen (separately of course) in Horus Rising and Legion. Their inclusion in the novel is something of a sore point with me but Dan has executed it well so cheers to him. However, it needs to be stated that there are too many references to Dan's other works, especially his 40k novels and are tied to, but not limited to, Brothers of the Snake and the Ravenor novels.

All in all though, Know No Fear is a very, very enjoyable novel, one of the ones that are so much more fun to read in a single setting. I liked it quite a bit and I definitely place it in the top tier of Horus Heresy novels, alongside Deliverance Lost and The First Heretic and Galaxy in Flames. So yes, I highly recommend the novel because it is not a novel that you should miss out on any time soon.

The entire Horus Heresy experience is incomplete without Know No Fear and therefore I rate the novel at 9/10.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 12 reviews  4.3 out of 5 stars