Review of Legion by Dan Abnett

Like many readers of Horus Heresy, Dan Abnett has proven to be my favorite author flavor. There are no huge differences in quality among the various writers who have contributed to the series, but the edge has to go to Abnett. His stories are typically the most distinguished from the perspective of setting. He sets scenes wonderfully. And he creates visual spaces in action while sacrificing little of the characters' humanity. Legion (2008), seventh novel in the Horus Heresy, introduces a couple of key aspects to the series, and is another reason why Abnett is the best.

Legion starts on the planet of Nurth in the late stages of the Great Crusade. The mysterious Alpha Legion, headed by its even more mysterious primarch Alpharius, have been assigned to the planet to break it. The native Nurthene are resistant to compliance in ways few others species have been and the Emperor has commanded the Legion to bring them to heel, by force. Unbeknownst to Alpha Legion, another figure plays his own games, John Grammaticus. A member of a group calling themselves the Cabal, Grammaticus has important news for the Alpha Legion that has consequences for all of humanity.

Legion is a vertebrae in the spine of the HH series. It introduces three important story threads: the Cabal, the Perpetuals, and the Alpha Legion, and sets the ideological conflict of the series in as clear terms as the reader will ever encounter (save the three volumes of The End & the Death).

And this ideological conflict is not to be overlooked. For the moments the series seems to have devolved into mere bolter porn, it's important to remember the stakes—what the two sides are fighting for. Furthermore, the conflict is rooted in our real world: uncontrolled population increases lead to plague state. Is the expansion of the human species, and the resources it consumes, a sustainable model? Fun food for thought which Legion casts in a stark light.

But beyond theme, Legion is a fun read. Abnett clearly plays off spy novels—wheels within wheels plotting, as well as a cool, calm, collected main character who gets in trouble with love. But that is only part of the novel. The Warhammer part—Astartes, primarchs, eldar, dreadnaughts, and Legion battles—likewise plays a role in making the story engaging.

In the end, Legion is an enjoyable and critical piece of the Horus Heresy series. Abnett tells a spy vs. spy story that slowly escalates into galactic consequences. The opening third of the novel can feel a touch convoluted due to said spy v. spy games, but it stands a re-read. For people skipping through the Horus Heresy series, this one is not to be skipped. I skipped it, went back and read it, and wished I hadn't skipped it. John Grammaticus becomes a recurring character, particularly the Cabal, and the Alpha Legion, while operating behind the scenes, go on to play a key role in the Heresy.