‘Visage’ – Rich McCormick & ‘Anathema’ – Jude Reid (Black Library)

Yesterday was a day in the office and the commute is always a great time to catch up on a little reading. The journey home saw me finally start on Edward Ashton’s ‘Mickey 7’ which is shaping up to be a great read so far (actually, at just over 200 pages in, it’s a great read all in all), a review should follow in the next few days.

The commute in though, that was about catching up with a couple of shorter stories from the war-torn times of the Horus Heresy. Let me tell you about them…


‘Visage’ – Rich McCormick

Page Count: 40 Pages

Following the Battle of Signus Prime, the indignation shown by Erebus, Dark Apostle of the Word Bearers, is met with brutal retribution from the Warmaster Horus. After having his tattooed visage flayed from his scalp, Erebus seeks the power of the avatars of Chaos to restore his faith in the Dark Gods.

So, Erebus has lost face… Sorry, I couldn’t help it ;o)

Out of all the players in the ‘Horus Heresy’ series, Erebus is one of the most important characters (if it wasn’t for his actions…) but one that I’ve somehow paid less and less attention to as others have steadily come to the fore. ‘Visage’ seemed like a great place then to jump back in and see what happened to him.

There are no surprises here but that’s ok, ‘Visage’ is very much about the journey instead and it was interesting to see the Pantheon present itself for human gaze as well as travel through what is essentially a ‘reset’ for Erebus himself. What you get out of ‘Visage’ will ultimately depend on how invested you are in the Word Bearers Legion and Erebus as a character. I’m always interested in the nastier Champions of Chaos so while ‘Visage’ went on perhaps a little too long, there was still plenty to keep my interest.

Anathema’ – Jude Reid

Page Count: 34 Pages

On the edges of the Sol System, a ragged group of rogue psykers desperately try to escape the clutches of the Sisters of Silence before the Traitors arrive in the system. Aboard a decrepit mining facility on an asteroid, they are hunted by an unknown monstrosity as they await their salvation. Little do they know, the monstrosity is none other than Jenetia Krole, determined to round them up and take them to the Imperial Palace in preparation for the Unspoken Sanction.

A thoroughly engaging look at the human cost of what the Emperor must do to hold the Imperium together while the traitors advance. ‘Anathema’ gives you plenty to think about, on that score, with some excellently drawn characters having to deal with the fallout while running from danger. And that flight is really what makes ‘Anathema’ tick with a high level of tension maintained throughout with our psykers trying desperately to stay one step ahead of Jentia Krole, whose own powers creep up on the psykers without them even realising it (or this reader). ‘Anathema’ is a lot of fun to read, maybe not so much for the psykers being chased… ;o)

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