Ah yes, yet another collection of short stories and novellas in the Horus Heresy series. After the last collection of novellas, I was annoyed to get another collection so soon with Shadows of Treachery. Thankfully, it was nothing like that last collection, and in fact, it may be my favorite collection of short stories so far.
The past short story collections had some forward-moving or character-important tales, such as “Call of the Lion” and “After Desh’ea” in Tales of Heresy and “The Iron Within” from Age of Darkness. Most others are snippets and insights into what is going on in the rest of the universe with the civil war brewing, such as “Liar’s Due” from Age of Darkness and “Wolf at the Door” in Tales of Heresy. Shadows of Treachery has a combination of these types of stories, although I’d argue that there are more “important” tales within than there are world insights. But that’s only part of the reason why I love this collection as much as I do. The other part is how much all of these stories revolve around a central theme: trust.
(Which, okay, I realize that’s the whole point about treachery, but just hear me out.)
Tales of Dorn and Curze
Rogal Dorn and Konrad Curze were featured in nearly every story in this collection. I honestly didn’t know the two had a connection at all until these stories. I had no idea Curze nearly killed Dorn, and it was over a dispute of how to deal with newly compliant peoples, no less. Dorn wanted to promise safety and a chance for the planet’s rebels to see reason and come to the Emperor’s side. Curze felt that you had to cut out the cancer completely and rule with fear of punishment. Both made decent points for their different approaches, but then Curze went and trusted Fulgrim, and well, I don’t need to paint the picture any further.
Needless to say, the trust between Curze and Fulgrim was broken as surely as the trust between Curze and Dorn. In fact, that broken trust with Curze actually made Dorn afraid of the upcoming siege of Terra. Curze was able to hurt him badly, something he had never came close to experiencing before. In addition, the broken trust between Horus and his brothers made Dorn afraid of why Horus rebelled in the first place.
“I’m not afraid of Horus. I’m afraid of finding out why he has turned against us. I cannot conceive of any justification for this schism, but Horus must have his reasons. I am afraid that when I know them, when they are explained to my baffled mind, I might… agree.”
And this is why Dorn was truly afraid of Curze. Fulgrim told Dorn that Curze had a vision of this civil war. As Malcador so succinctly puts it, “‘Because he was right. His visions were true. He saw this Heresy coming in his visions. That is the truth you fear. You wish you had listened.’”
Of Fists and Warriors
Now this is a rivalry I was well aware of. Granted I was aware of it mostly because of Jen and memes (so many memes), but it’s fun to read a story that really drives the point home. Case in point is the novella The Crimson Fist. While Dorn has called most of the Imperial Fists to Terra to start the fortification of the Golden Palace, he sent a Retribution Fleet to see what could be recovered or destroyed from Istvaan V. Sigismund requested to stay on Terra instead of leading the fleet, so the honor fell to young Alexis Polux, Captain of the 405th Company.
Not the 2nd or even the 10th. It went all the way down to the 405th. To say that Polux doesn’t trust himself to lead an entire fleet is putting it lightly. To say that other captains in higher ranked companies don’t trust in his ability is putting it even more lightly. This was a crazy rite-of-passage story on warp speed, or maybe trial by fire, and it’s officially my favorite book from John French.
Not only did he put me on the edge of my seat for this entire battle, but he broke my heart when Sigismund confessed to Dorn that he put more trust in Euphrati Keeler’s words than Dorn’s original orders. When Dorn renounced him as a son, I had a lump in my throat.
Now that I know a bit of the origin story of the Crimson Fists chapter, I can’t wait to find time to read the omnibus that recently released.
Of Lions and Crows
I have so many thoughts about the final novella of this collection, Prince of Crows. I think I can sum up the entire book with, “with friends like these, who needs enemies?” Wow the Night Lords are a mess, and the inmates run the asylum. Thanks to Sevatar jumping into Curze’s fever dreams (he nearly killed Dorn, now the Lion nearly killed him), we get to see Curze’s origin story on Nostramo and HOO BOY. That primarch literally never had a chance.
Also, I have new reasons to worry* about Jen and anybody who loves Curze and the Night Lords. This includes YOU, ADB.
All in all, Shadows of Treachery has good, important stories for the Heresy overall and the future of the Legions/Chapters. But I’m still very thankful that the next book is a book book and not an anthology.
Twenty-two books down, 32 to go.
Horus Hearsay is dedicated to Keri’s journey through the Horus Heresy saga. The chronicling of the Horus Heresy began over ten years ago, with currently 54 books in total, not counting The Primarchs series or the various short stories. Horus Hearsay will only cover the main novels.
