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  • False Gods

  • The Horus Heresy, Book 2
  • By: Graham McNeill
  • Narrated by: Toby Longworth
  • Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (5,969 ratings)
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False Gods cover art

False Gods

By: Graham McNeill
Narrated by: Toby Longworth
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Summary

The Great Crusade that has taken humanity into the stars continues. The Emperor of Mankind has handed the reins of command to his favoured son, the Warmaster Horus. Yet all is not well in the armies of the Imperium.

Horus is still battling against the jealousy and resentment of his brother primarchs, and when he is injured in combat on the planet Davin, he must also battle his inner daemon. With all the temptations that Chaos has to offer, can the weakened Horus resist?

©2006 Games Workshop Limited (P)2014 Games Workshop Limited

What listeners say about False Gods

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Entertaining but fell short of what I hoped for

A great performance but unfortunately the story was lacking and clumsy. Horus Uprising did an amazing job at setting the scene of the Horus Heresy with amazing character development that really emersed you into the world however while the story of False God's is a good one, it's a little ham-fisted in its delivery with actions and story lines being dropped in just to fulfil the ultimate arc rather than seeming logical and consistent with the characters developed in the first book

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

The Beginning Of The Fall

False Gods by Graham McNeil – Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Book 2

Nephrite’s Month Of Heresies

And here we are. The second domino in the chain. So much has happened already. Horus and his men are beginning to doubt...they have received that first push. How much further do they have to go? Let’s find out on Davin.

(You are aware you left out mention of the
Megarachnids?)

Yes. I know I did. This isn’t supposed to be a meme.

(Ah well it matters not, as the most delicious chapter of our little tale is about to begin.)

First Chaplain Erebus of the Word Bearers, the 17th Legion have specifically requested aid from Horus and the 16th Legion because the unthinkable has happened. A squad of men have turned traitor. Men Horus himself had personally put in command of the newly compliant world. After an encounter with the Interex at the end of Horus Rising they rush to assist. However that isn’t the only thing. The Emperor himself has sent a decree. The Lunar Wolves are to be gifted a new name. One worthy of Horus’s new status. The Sons of Horus! And that’s before you are a third of the way in!

False Gods acts as an excellent continuation and extension of the events in Horus Rising. They flow very well from each other and the characters are well written. Garviel Loken preserves his upstanding characterisation. He works perfectly across the three starting books of the Heresy as an audience point of view character. He is learning and growing, trying to be more than just a warrior sent out to act as the attack dog of Horus. He – without even really knowing it – shows just how much potential the Adeptus Astartes actually have. Both in peace and war.

But he isn’t the only one with character development. Horus is beginning to wonder. Just why did The Emperor – his father – abandon The Great Crusade? Just what is he doing on Terra and why? And why is The Crusade receiving demands from tax collectors!? The purpose of The Crusade was to bring the disparate parts of humanity together back under The Imperium was it not? Not to collect taxes. Perhaps that has something to do with why he doesn’t fight the appointment of his own personal Rememberancer Petronella Vivar? Horus will go through plenty of changes in this story...and there are plenty more to come.

Speaking of Rememberancers? Petronella herself is an interesting addition. She definitely comes from Terran high society. She has her own personal mute manservant. But she clearly has an idealised view of a lot of things. Of the Astartes. Of Warmaster Horus. Of war itself. Just how will her view change? And how will she influence others? The other Rememberancers also continue being important and developing. Euphrati Keeler in particular undergoes considerable changes in False Gods. Her scars from Horus Rising are beginning to show. What form will they take?

One final character I will address is another Horus. ‘Little’ Horus Aximand. Little Horus is an unusual character. Like Loken he is another member of the Mournivale. One of the chosen four. Also like Loken he is a thinker. The intellectual of the group. He will fight to defend himself and his friends. For The Emperor and The Warmaster. But he makes different choices...and those changes? They will have quite the impact later.

Changing topic from characterisation, we must talk about the writing. Graham McNeil the author of False Gods certainly has his own style. It is also very entertaining and very engrossing. His descriptions of battles and locations, be they beautiful and pure or tainted and twisted are wonderfully vivid. One special sequence with Horus at the beginning of Part Three comes to mind in particular. But it is also clear that the various authors of the first three books of the Heresy have made a clear effort to make sure that their stories are synchronised. So that there isn’t too severe a disconnect in writing style from the start to the end of the opening trilogy. For some personal reason I can’t put a finger on I find False Gods a more challenging story to listen to although it’s still very enjoyable and expertly crafted. I think it is simply due to a difference in tone. This book is definitely darker than Horus Rising although I’m sure some listeners would prefer this to Horus Rising as the opening salvo.

The narration is once again performed wonderfully by Toby Longworth, a man who clearly knows how to get the most out of both his voice and a microphone. I must congratulate him on his sheer skill. His narration is expertly done and it is incredibly easy to get caught up in the moment. I’ve heard myself calling out the war cry of the Astartes more than once! When characters are caught up in moments of passion it becomes clear in his tone. Regardless of if there is sadness, joy, nervousness or passion he is very well versed in how to make the audience understand the feeling of the characters in question. I must admit I love False Gods. I may prefer Horus Rising but they are both wonderful books and I recommend them both highly!

One final thing I will mention is something that False Gods makes clear. The Imperium has...issues...with technology and technocracy. I wonder how the new Horus might treat one should he encounter one?

I definitely hope that some of my readers will join me in being readers and listeners of the Horus Heresy. Graham McNeil’s False Gods is an excellent tale by a brilliant writer which sets the stage for that which is to follow. Bravo Mr McNeil. I’ll be keeping an ear out for stuff written by him in the future.

(And so the die is cast, the final domino of damnation is about to fall as all the pieces are in their place on the board. I am aware I used too many gaming analogies there.)

Isn’t all life supposed to be a game to you warp creatures?

(Indeed it is, and right now it is a most succulent one but the final act is before us as our brave champion must make one final move.)

But who will join me and my...companion...in the warp? In the early days of the Heresy? There is one final step before it can truly begin. Before the galaxy can burst into flames!

Sayonara!

Nephrite

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Toby Longworth brings this story to life! This a really enjoyable series, even for for those like me who have only a passing acquaintance with the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Underwhelming after the superb Horus Rising

After falling in love with the first book 'Horus Rising' the second outing didn't quite have the same impact. The story seemed jumbled and rushed in certain places and Horus himself seemed somewhat different.

The downfall of Horus in this book came across as unbelievable and the end all seemed to come about far to quickly.

I think more time fleshing out certain areas would have been beneficial.

Toby Longworth however has beautifully fleshed out the characters once again with his narration and no fault can be given for his performance.

Still worth a listen so you can get to know the beginnings of the Horus Heresy but definitely not as good as the first book.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A rather quick fall

Horus falls rather quickly. I hoped it to be more complex. A great story anyway.

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6 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

All souls cry out for salvation, even a Primarch's

40K is a franchise so beloved by its authors and praised for its depth, breadth, and richness of texture. It's very disappointing then that its lynchpin and dramatic high-water-mark seems rushed, forced, and ultimately unrealistic, especially when this trilogy prides itself on melding modern and classical styles: an interest in ethics within a plot framework evoking epic poetry.

I am of course referring to the turning of Horus. Such care was taken in the first book to build his character into that of a benign despot; conscientious enough to control his psychopathic instincts yet fallibly Human enough, like all of us, to question the impositions of the super-ego, symbolised in the Emperor, 'father' of Horus. It's a stark and painful thing, then, when Horus is suddenly inverted into a villain, albeit within the established paradigm of his character. People do bad things because there is something inside them that is flawed, and though this is signified throughout, we still fall short in believing Horus's reasons for forsaking everything he stood for. It's too much, too soon.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

Abondoned the established personalities from the first book. Not awful if it stood alone but bad coming from a clearly better writer.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Wonderful narration

Not too sure about the book but loved the narration. Lost track of the story few times but really not a problem as it is a pleasure to listen to.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

downhill from the first one

I loved book 1. having Horus as a hero was really fascinating and I was looking forward to how he started to fall. this book tells that part and I was disappointed.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A must read for space marine fans

a great listen, a tragic story of manipulation and betrayal. 2 down, 48 to go!

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