I've tried reading the Horus Heresy series a few times over the years. When the books first came out I absolutely loved them, at least, those that had been written at the time. As a big fan of Warhammer 40k, it was incredible to read something with so much background detail for what is essentially the foundation mythos of the setting. My enthusiasm did begin to wane as the quality of writing fluctuated and the series stretched on, but I still have fond memories of that first attempt at reading the series.
As a adult, I've inevitably found I'm rather less enamoured of what is essentially very pulpy sword and sorcery in space, and have found my attempts at picking up the series again run out of steam quite quickly; something which is not helped by the sheer volume of books (over 50 now, I believe). Getting back into painting Space Marines again, however, has given me the impetus to make one last attempt. The secret, I think, is to treat them as what they are - tie-in novels for one of my favourite tabletop settings, and a great source of background material - and not expect the same quality of writing and characterisation as I would with most of the books I read.
Please bear this in mind when reading any of these reviews: these books are far from high literature.
Horus Rising, the first book in the series, is something of an exception to the rule in that it's actually a half-way decent novel in its own right, and something that I would probably still read and enjoy even if I wasn't interested in the setting. Many iron thews are girded (or, at least, the science fiction equivalent) and the plot is fairly light, but the writing is very good in places, the characters are actually interesting and resembling of real people, and it's not just action scenes welded together with a small amount of exposition in-between.
Of all the Black Library novels I have read, this one probably has the best pacing and the strongest cast of characters. Even the space marines themselves, so often boring and unimaginative supermen, actually have distinct and interesting personalities. Dan Abnett writes extremely well and the fact that the book does just about stand on its own is a testament to his skill as a writer; it is a magnificent start to the series. Science fiction on the level of Ursula le Guin or Frank Herbert this is not, but for a tie-in novel it is truly exceptional.
There are, inevitably, moments that make one cringe a little, or background details not particularly well researched (stalagmite filled caverns in granite mountains spring to mind, or the balmy, warm city by the liquid methane ocean), but they are never enough to make you want to gouge your own eyes out.
