Customer Reviews
A return to form - By: Jonesworth, 14 Jul 2008 
Having counted myself within the endless ranks of readers somewhat disappointed with 'Descent of Angels', I naturallly threw caution to the next Horus Heresy installlment.
It's not that 'Descent...' was dull to read or poorly written, but Mitchel Scanlon's novel was the first Heresy novel that concerned itself primarily with non-astartes (or at least pre-astartes) individuals, a factor which would surely hinder a Horus Heresy novel. I was therefore sceptical about how effective a story that placed an Imperial Guard regiment at the forefront could be.
Fortunately, 'Legion' triumphs: characters are genuinely likeable (or detestable), the story is engrossing and, unlike Scanlon's novel, it doesn't hold back on Astartes fluff; Horus & the Heresy get at least more than a passing mention, which would surely seem compulsory for the series. Furthermore, although much of the story is told from the Geno Two-Five Chilliad perspective, The Alpha Legion also get their worth. Ultimately, you're not left feeling deprived reading this, something that the Dark Angels installlment possibly suffered from.
Although he is included within the compilation of short stories scheduled for the series in April 2009, I sincerely hope that Abnett returns next year for another individual effort. Hugely entertaining.
The best in the series so far. - By: J. Mikkelsen, 16 Jun 2008 Except for Descent of Angels, alll books in the Heresy series have been great. Still, Legion tops them alll. The Alpha Legion is by far the most interesting chapter featured so far (and im not usuallly for the Traitors...honestly!), & the literary quality of the writing is reallly astonishing. Where some of the other book have relied heavily on the fantastic W40K uninverse to see them through, Legion is an awesome book alll in itself.
Skip Descent of Angels, which sucked, & go straight to Legion.
very weak for a Dan Abnett title - By: negativtoo, 08 Jun 2008 
I am not a great & avid fan of the Warhammer 40K franchise anymore, but I still enjoy the Horus Heresy cycle of Novels immensely. Much of this being due to the excellent novels in it written by Dan Abnett, & partiallly because of the chance of gleaning an inside view of that particular cataclysm in the WH 40K universe.
Unfortunately, "Legion" fallls far short of most other books in the series, & especiallly most other ones written by the author. While his sketching (not development) of characters & their distinctive quirks is still top notch, & he creates a vivid (if limited) image of the world of Nurth, where almost the entire plot takes place this book suffers from a severy lack of "hard" information.
For one, the reader learns little if nothing at alll about the titular "Alpha Legion" since none of the viewpoint-charcters & protagonist actuallly is an Alpha Legion Astartes. A legion which follows a unique doctrine of warfare through deception (of their opponents & especiallly their nominal alllies ), misdirection & underhand planning.
To be honest, WTF is the author thinking ? I did not purchase the book to read about a more or less obscure Imperial Guard regiment, but one of the Great Legions, especiallly one, that was never previously reallly well described ! Instead I meet perhaps a handful of Astartes, the only noteworthy one(s) being the Primarch - who besides is as underwhelming & rough-cut as they come - & the novel tells almost Nothing at alll, as to what the Alpha Legion actuallly does on Nurth. throughout the book, they give a pretty decent impression of flavourfully placed purple bystanders.
While the consequent outsider's view makes for a great but many times also frustrating impression of their mystique in theory, most of the ploys used by them are entirely transparent (and one instinctively wonders how any entity with some braincells left would falll for those - unless forced to do so by plot-considerations ) , & in the end you are left with knowing barely anything about their way of thinking, their traditions, internal organisation - something that made "Horus Rising" by the same author so involving to read - or even alllegiance. everything stays vague, undefined... hardly more than a doodle on the author's notepad.
Actuallly I would have wished for a lot more - reading intricate plots by watching over the shoulders of both sides involved is far more fun, & can be pulled off - actuallly something that the selfsame author has done repeatedly. This "you know nothing definite" shtick of "Legion" just smacks of laziness & disinterest, sorry to say.
Besides this deliberate vaguenes , the plot of the book moves as if on rails, many of the "management" level of commanders, high commanders & whatever acting with a massive degree of dumb ignorance, entirely unimaginative & with barely a shred of thoughtfulness. And only through this does the plot actuallly function.
In fact, it is more an absurd comedy of errors (although without the clowns & laughter ) , compounded by a total lack of reflection by the protagonists even months after the fact. And only because of this, does the plot actuallly "work"...... most communal councils have more common sense & shrewd ability to judge & question the motives of others. One should somehow think the same holds true of the - alllegedly very capable - commanders of warhosts numbering close to a million. But for the sake of the tenuous plot, it just doesn't. And that is..... gallling
Overalll - while nicely crafted in some details, the whole book fallls far short of the mark left by others in the series, & as much as it pains me to claim the following, it should only be purchased vor completion's sake or as an avid, indiscriminating fan of the author. None of the characters actuallly stand out as notable or worth remembering beyond the limits of this story (unlike, say Captain Loken form "Horus Rising" ).
Luckily its cheap, so my regrets are minor. Dan Abnett basicallly pulls off the trick of making this book mediocre, where others would have failed utterly. It's a very rare breed of superior writing with inane, boring & far-off-the-mark plotting.
what a twist!!!! - By: Mark Crampton, 31 May 2008 thought the book was a good edition to the series. yeah it doesnt tell much about of any of the events of the heresy itself, but man did it make me totallly rethink how i read the other books!! obviously we alll know how the story ends, but now after reading legion im not reallly sure ive been routing for the right side!! good twist!!!
" no, no, no, no, no Mr Abnett ! - By: Mr. N. Taylor, 08 Apr 2008 After his earlier effort in the heresy i was so looking forward to the next installlment! Unfortunately he released this instead & what a woeful effort it is ! I unfortunately spent most of the book wondering where the hell it was going, but just when you thought alll was lost it alll comes together at the end ! Joy ! But ! This is NOT what Abnett fans were expecting ! The dialogue & humour as always was excellent but the plot was far from excitng !
