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The Horus Heresy #28
Scars
Jaghatai Khan and his White Scars Legion must choose - the Emperor or Horus?
Fresh from their conquest of Chondax and the discovery of Horus’s rebellion, Jaghatai Khan’s warriors stand divided. Long considered one of the less trustworthy Legions, many of the White Scars claim to owe their loyalty exclusively to Terra, and others still to the Warmaster and his warrior lodges. But when a distress call from Leman Russ of the Space Wolves brings the wrath of the Alpha Legion to Chondax, the Khan’s hand is forced and the decision must be made � in the great war for the Imperium, will he side with the Emperor or Horus?
Fresh from their conquest of Chondax and the discovery of Horus’s rebellion, Jaghatai Khan’s warriors stand divided. Long considered one of the less trustworthy Legions, many of the White Scars claim to owe their loyalty exclusively to Terra, and others still to the Warmaster and his warrior lodges. But when a distress call from Leman Russ of the Space Wolves brings the wrath of the Alpha Legion to Chondax, the Khan’s hand is forced and the decision must be made � in the great war for the Imperium, will he side with the Emperor or Horus?
416 pages, Paperback
First published May 6, 2014
140 people are currently reading
1,856 people want to read
About the author
Chris Wraight
138Ìýbooks340ÌýfollowersChris Wraight is a British author of fantasy and science fiction.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
June 8, 2017
Scars is an excellent book set during the Horus Heresy. Scars follows the White Scars legion and it's Primarch Jaghatai Khan. The scars do not operate like the rest of the Legions. They tend to go their own way and operate in their unique rapid style. This unique operational skill has them operating in a far part of the Galaxy when the Horus Heresy begins.
This was enlightening in showing just how confusing and the magnitude of the Heresy and it's enormous effects upon the Imperium of Man. The Scars hear Primarch Dorn recall order to Terra and there are rumors of traitors among the Legions. To check this unheard of concept, the Scars decide to figure out what is going on. The trip takes them to Prospero and also has them dealing with the events at Istavaan IV.
The Scars are an interesting unit, with many similarities to Mongol warriors, and it was enlightening to learn more about them. The story also, as it unfolds, gives you a bird eye view into how Horus was able to use the "secret" lodges to further spread his corruption. It is also operating in an environment where the Warp Storms are disrupting communications and travel. This is also a time where the beliefs do not account for Daemons and the Ruinous Powers. The meetings between Scars and other legions (especially ones that have turned Traitor) is fascinating. In fact, within the Scars themselves-all is not well. The Lodges have managed to split the Legion down the middle.
There is a great deal of exciting fighting and events in here. Some will ring a bell for anyone familiar with the history. It is instructive to see the fault lines between the various Primarchs and how this eventually led some to question the Emperor. It is also telling how very few, save some within the Scars, seem to know about the depth of the power of the Dark Gods. But that is hard to do when one believes them to not exist. Thus when the Scars fight traitor legions they begin to realize this is more than just treason.
This is a great, if not foundational, book about the Horus Heresy. While the majority is told from the Scars perspective, in their various interactions the scope of this tragedy is made manifest. So far, of all the Warhammer 40K books-the ones set during the Horus Heresy are truly outstanding. So if you consider yourself a fan, or would like to become one, or simply love a dark, violent Sci-fi story- you will love Scars.
This was enlightening in showing just how confusing and the magnitude of the Heresy and it's enormous effects upon the Imperium of Man. The Scars hear Primarch Dorn recall order to Terra and there are rumors of traitors among the Legions. To check this unheard of concept, the Scars decide to figure out what is going on. The trip takes them to Prospero and also has them dealing with the events at Istavaan IV.
The Scars are an interesting unit, with many similarities to Mongol warriors, and it was enlightening to learn more about them. The story also, as it unfolds, gives you a bird eye view into how Horus was able to use the "secret" lodges to further spread his corruption. It is also operating in an environment where the Warp Storms are disrupting communications and travel. This is also a time where the beliefs do not account for Daemons and the Ruinous Powers. The meetings between Scars and other legions (especially ones that have turned Traitor) is fascinating. In fact, within the Scars themselves-all is not well. The Lodges have managed to split the Legion down the middle.
There is a great deal of exciting fighting and events in here. Some will ring a bell for anyone familiar with the history. It is instructive to see the fault lines between the various Primarchs and how this eventually led some to question the Emperor. It is also telling how very few, save some within the Scars, seem to know about the depth of the power of the Dark Gods. But that is hard to do when one believes them to not exist. Thus when the Scars fight traitor legions they begin to realize this is more than just treason.
This is a great, if not foundational, book about the Horus Heresy. While the majority is told from the Scars perspective, in their various interactions the scope of this tragedy is made manifest. So far, of all the Warhammer 40K books-the ones set during the Horus Heresy are truly outstanding. So if you consider yourself a fan, or would like to become one, or simply love a dark, violent Sci-fi story- you will love Scars.
January 24, 2014
Originally published in the form of weekly episodes, the twenty-eighth book in the hugely successfulÌýHorus HeresyÌýseries turns the focus on the White Scars legion of Space Marines. Until this book, the White Scars have been the forgotten legion, with less screen-time in the series than any of the other Marine forces. That oversight is redressed inÌýScarsÌýwhere they are cast front and centre.
One of the strengths of the series is how the same events can be told from several different viewpoints and yet still seem fresh each time. WithÌýScars, Chris has exploited the rules of the universe to maximise this effect. The White Scars have been on campaign on the planet Chondax, far removed from their brother legions and cut off from interstellar communication by a warp anomaly. As the Heresy unfolds elsewhere, eventually they will have to learn the truth behind what’s happening and decide whose side they’re on.
The scope of the book is pretty big, portraying the White Scars both from within and without. This necessitates a wide variety of viewpoints, each of which is well realised and has a distinctive tone.
From outside the legion we see them mused upon by the key players on the side of the Emperor on Terra � Rogal Dorn, Malcador and Constantin Valdor � and by the beleaguered Space Wolves fleet who are calling on them for aid. A slightly-removed view is provided by the White Scar Stormseer, Yesugei, as he tries to re-establish contact with his brothers in the Scars� fleet from their homeworld, Chogoris. His scenes early on tend to be more reflective, giving the reader a grounding in the legion’s past without indulging in too much exposition.
The internal viewpoints though are the most rewarding. The prologue introduces us to Shiban and Torghun as they are elevated into the legion’s ranks. By the time of the novel proper they have risen to become Khans of their respective warrior brotherhoods and provide a window on how the White Scars operate, and their own history shapes the dramatic tension of their story threads.
A human view is provided by Ilya Ravallion, a logistical officer assigned to the White Scars fleet, in both her attempts to understand the legion and in her discourse with the upper echelons of the legion including their Primarch, Jagatai Khan, who is the lifeblood of the novel, and whose story this really is.
The characterisation is strong throughout and for a story with a sizable cast list that’s no mean feat. Jagatai, though, really stands out and watching him deal with revelation after revelation and myriad truths is a delight. He is certainly a protagonist deserving of the reader’s sympathy.
As a first proper look at the White Scars,ÌýScarsÌýdoes a great job of fleshing out the legion. Their Mongol influences are clear, but they are delivered so assuredly that it doesn’t feel forced. Clearly a lot of research has been done, and the author’s passion for the subject shines through. Chris also plays on the fact that they’ve been neglected before now by turning it into an elusiveness which is both integral to how the legion operates and affects the way they’re seen in-universe, which is a really nice touch.
Structurally the story is an interesting one, due in no small part to its initial episodic publication. In the early chapters there seems to be some redundant exposition, possibly there to serve as a recap of previous events, but in the joined-up novel format it feels unnecessary. Similarly at the end it seems that things are being wrapped up rather too quickly, which perhaps would have been done in a more measured way if not restrained by the original format.
One thing that jarred a little was that the Space Wolves narrative is only followed for the first half of the book. It’s so well done, and the characters are suitably enjoyable, that I wanted to know what happened to them afterwards. One for a future book perhaps?
However, to say these are major issues would be to do the rest of the book a disservice. The pacing is excellent and the cliff-hangers and revelations at the end of each chapter make it very hard to put down. Chris’s prose is very easy to read and just flows off the page without getting bogged down in jargon and laboured description.
His action scenes in particular are a joy. There are several scenes of ship-to-ship void war which are beautifully described, giving a cinematic sense of scale and manoeuvre. There’s an economy of language that really lets the imagination fill in the blanks.
It does occasionally fall into the realms of cliché, however. More than once do we see a decisive nick-of-time intervention, particularly in the final act, and the story is helped along by a convenient all-knowing character. Again, these are minor issues as the rest of the story is so strong, and despite an element of predictability, there are enough surprises to keep it interesting.
ScarsÌýis an absolute pleasure to read. It’s fast and engaging, and in Jagatai Khan, Chris has enhanced a character I knew very little about and made him absolutely compelling. There are many subtleties to the story too, which many readers will find rewarding. I particularly enjoyed the theme of the gameÌýGoÌýwhich appears both literally in the story, and is reflected in the action. It’s an interesting parallel story to the opening trilogy of the series too, and as such is essentialÌýHorus HeresyÌýreading.
For more of my reviews, visit
One of the strengths of the series is how the same events can be told from several different viewpoints and yet still seem fresh each time. WithÌýScars, Chris has exploited the rules of the universe to maximise this effect. The White Scars have been on campaign on the planet Chondax, far removed from their brother legions and cut off from interstellar communication by a warp anomaly. As the Heresy unfolds elsewhere, eventually they will have to learn the truth behind what’s happening and decide whose side they’re on.
The scope of the book is pretty big, portraying the White Scars both from within and without. This necessitates a wide variety of viewpoints, each of which is well realised and has a distinctive tone.
From outside the legion we see them mused upon by the key players on the side of the Emperor on Terra � Rogal Dorn, Malcador and Constantin Valdor � and by the beleaguered Space Wolves fleet who are calling on them for aid. A slightly-removed view is provided by the White Scar Stormseer, Yesugei, as he tries to re-establish contact with his brothers in the Scars� fleet from their homeworld, Chogoris. His scenes early on tend to be more reflective, giving the reader a grounding in the legion’s past without indulging in too much exposition.
The internal viewpoints though are the most rewarding. The prologue introduces us to Shiban and Torghun as they are elevated into the legion’s ranks. By the time of the novel proper they have risen to become Khans of their respective warrior brotherhoods and provide a window on how the White Scars operate, and their own history shapes the dramatic tension of their story threads.
A human view is provided by Ilya Ravallion, a logistical officer assigned to the White Scars fleet, in both her attempts to understand the legion and in her discourse with the upper echelons of the legion including their Primarch, Jagatai Khan, who is the lifeblood of the novel, and whose story this really is.
The characterisation is strong throughout and for a story with a sizable cast list that’s no mean feat. Jagatai, though, really stands out and watching him deal with revelation after revelation and myriad truths is a delight. He is certainly a protagonist deserving of the reader’s sympathy.
As a first proper look at the White Scars,ÌýScarsÌýdoes a great job of fleshing out the legion. Their Mongol influences are clear, but they are delivered so assuredly that it doesn’t feel forced. Clearly a lot of research has been done, and the author’s passion for the subject shines through. Chris also plays on the fact that they’ve been neglected before now by turning it into an elusiveness which is both integral to how the legion operates and affects the way they’re seen in-universe, which is a really nice touch.
Structurally the story is an interesting one, due in no small part to its initial episodic publication. In the early chapters there seems to be some redundant exposition, possibly there to serve as a recap of previous events, but in the joined-up novel format it feels unnecessary. Similarly at the end it seems that things are being wrapped up rather too quickly, which perhaps would have been done in a more measured way if not restrained by the original format.
One thing that jarred a little was that the Space Wolves narrative is only followed for the first half of the book. It’s so well done, and the characters are suitably enjoyable, that I wanted to know what happened to them afterwards. One for a future book perhaps?
However, to say these are major issues would be to do the rest of the book a disservice. The pacing is excellent and the cliff-hangers and revelations at the end of each chapter make it very hard to put down. Chris’s prose is very easy to read and just flows off the page without getting bogged down in jargon and laboured description.
His action scenes in particular are a joy. There are several scenes of ship-to-ship void war which are beautifully described, giving a cinematic sense of scale and manoeuvre. There’s an economy of language that really lets the imagination fill in the blanks.
It does occasionally fall into the realms of cliché, however. More than once do we see a decisive nick-of-time intervention, particularly in the final act, and the story is helped along by a convenient all-knowing character. Again, these are minor issues as the rest of the story is so strong, and despite an element of predictability, there are enough surprises to keep it interesting.
ScarsÌýis an absolute pleasure to read. It’s fast and engaging, and in Jagatai Khan, Chris has enhanced a character I knew very little about and made him absolutely compelling. There are many subtleties to the story too, which many readers will find rewarding. I particularly enjoyed the theme of the gameÌýGoÌýwhich appears both literally in the story, and is reflected in the action. It’s an interesting parallel story to the opening trilogy of the series too, and as such is essentialÌýHorus HeresyÌýreading.
For more of my reviews, visit
May 5, 2014
Chris Wraight doesn't have the fame or reputation of a Dan Abnett or Graham McNeill, but I think that he deserves a spot right up close to, or with them. "Battle of the Fang" is probably my favorite of the Space Marines Battle series. And in "Scars," Wraight does not disappoint. He makes the White Scars Space Marines not only interesting, but amazingly compelling. I think that, much as with the characters of the Primarchs themselves, most fans of 40k the game in particular -- and the 40k fictional universe in general -- tend to forget about the White Scars. They have no cool individual models, and little is known about their "history." Wraight has changed all of that, creating for the White Scars an extremely interesting background, culture, and psyche. This book was a pure pleasure to read.
January 8, 2025
As is usually the case when dealing with expectations, I went into this not too excited because the White Scars seemed kinda boring. I was dead ass wrong and Khan and his crew are badasses! You get primarchs fighting, traitors and loyalists from the same legion fighting, and a whole bunch of other characters and whatnot all fighting. These books are unbelievably fun and consistently entertaining.
August 28, 2023
‘Feeling better?� asked Yesugei, looking at him intently.
‘The implant took,�
Tamu replied. ‘I was told you were near death.�
Tamu grinned. ‘I eluded it.�
You never know what you will get with Scars. That’s because you’re not meant to. So now I don’t know what to think of it.
The uncertainty principle
‘There is enough uncertainty here without introducing more.�
The easiest criticism to make of Jaghatai Khan is that he is a bad leader. What makes it so easy is that Wraight lays it out for us. His men don’t know his plans.
The lack of direction from the primarch was disconcerting, almost as much as the inexplicable presence of the Alpha Legion had been.
His own plans are not great:
He had been a fool to come, and a greater fool to come down to the surface in person.
He demands absolute loyalty from his own men, yet deliberately conceals his own loyalties, adversely impacting other Primarchs. He’s the archetypical Hamlet, delaying and doubting, and Wraight does not give Khan any payoff from taking his time � rather half his Legion rebels, possibly the worst result on either the traitor or loyalist side. Angron, a psychotic who made his Legion drive nails into their heads, quite possibly has less defectors than Khan, whose sin is that he’s quite vague.
So what should I take from Scars? Wraight says he wanted to bring across the themes of unpredictability and ambiguity - as a mirror to those Legions whose various contingent events led them to turn traitor, certain events instead lead to the White Scars remaining loyal. Sort of. It’s kind of unclear what the White Scars� moral dilemmas are compared to those that other Legions faced. The book rather weakly paints certain Legion members being wooed by Horus the Warmaster saying some nice(?) things, leading them to believe that the Khan will think Horus is quite nice too. All very confusing if slightly remedied by a solid, if not totally coherent, confrontation with Mortarian about it � the Khan believes in the freedom of his men... ...so long as they are totally loyal.
So Scars is interesting by trying to use grey areas and divided loyalties to show that faith in the EMPEROR OF MANKIND is not automatic. It’s just that the end result is � ambiguity becomes the personality trait, the end rather than the means. If you think ambiguity is an interesting (or even a tenable) summary of a character then, great, Scars is for you. Otherwise, I guess I’m ambivalent.
One hundred years in a day
‘We do not know Horus is a traitor.�
‘Yes, that is the point. We know nothing.�
Scars should be an epic. It covers a long stretch of events, at least equivalent to or each both nearly a hundred pages longer. We have Ullanor, Nikea, some lore about Bjorn, the aftermath of the fall of Propero, the Ruinstorm, and the wrapping up of the Chondax campaign � add to that a Primarch who couldn’t even be said to have cameoed in the series to far. He deserved an epic treatment.
Scars is simply too short, too limited in character development. The supposed conflict between Torghun and Shiban isn’t built up convincingly. The White Scars generally barely rise above their “gotta go fast� meme other than Yesugei, who could have been an even more major character in line with his friend Ahriman. We should have seen more of the Khan’s ethos is, what he stands (runs?) for, rather than ambiguity being the centrepiece, rather than some interesting hints. Some of this will be covered later in the series, but the introduction to the White Scars had the chance to have been much stronger.
When the Khan kills, it is beautiful.
The ambiguity of it all is that Scars is a good book. There are fun action pieces. The Khan can talk the talk and walk the walk, notably at Ullanor and Prospero respectively. The Shattered Legions continue to add a “Dudes Rock� element to the series. With some tweaks and more space (to roam), I think Scars could have been great. As it is, it is merely good.
‘The implant took,�
Tamu replied. ‘I was told you were near death.�
Tamu grinned. ‘I eluded it.�
You never know what you will get with Scars. That’s because you’re not meant to. So now I don’t know what to think of it.
The uncertainty principle
‘There is enough uncertainty here without introducing more.�
The easiest criticism to make of Jaghatai Khan is that he is a bad leader. What makes it so easy is that Wraight lays it out for us. His men don’t know his plans.
The lack of direction from the primarch was disconcerting, almost as much as the inexplicable presence of the Alpha Legion had been.
His own plans are not great:
He had been a fool to come, and a greater fool to come down to the surface in person.
He demands absolute loyalty from his own men, yet deliberately conceals his own loyalties, adversely impacting other Primarchs. He’s the archetypical Hamlet, delaying and doubting, and Wraight does not give Khan any payoff from taking his time � rather half his Legion rebels, possibly the worst result on either the traitor or loyalist side. Angron, a psychotic who made his Legion drive nails into their heads, quite possibly has less defectors than Khan, whose sin is that he’s quite vague.
So what should I take from Scars? Wraight says he wanted to bring across the themes of unpredictability and ambiguity - as a mirror to those Legions whose various contingent events led them to turn traitor, certain events instead lead to the White Scars remaining loyal. Sort of. It’s kind of unclear what the White Scars� moral dilemmas are compared to those that other Legions faced. The book rather weakly paints certain Legion members being wooed by Horus the Warmaster saying some nice(?) things, leading them to believe that the Khan will think Horus is quite nice too. All very confusing if slightly remedied by a solid, if not totally coherent, confrontation with Mortarian about it � the Khan believes in the freedom of his men... ...so long as they are totally loyal.
So Scars is interesting by trying to use grey areas and divided loyalties to show that faith in the EMPEROR OF MANKIND is not automatic. It’s just that the end result is � ambiguity becomes the personality trait, the end rather than the means. If you think ambiguity is an interesting (or even a tenable) summary of a character then, great, Scars is for you. Otherwise, I guess I’m ambivalent.
One hundred years in a day
‘We do not know Horus is a traitor.�
‘Yes, that is the point. We know nothing.�
Scars should be an epic. It covers a long stretch of events, at least equivalent to or each both nearly a hundred pages longer. We have Ullanor, Nikea, some lore about Bjorn, the aftermath of the fall of Propero, the Ruinstorm, and the wrapping up of the Chondax campaign � add to that a Primarch who couldn’t even be said to have cameoed in the series to far. He deserved an epic treatment.
Scars is simply too short, too limited in character development. The supposed conflict between Torghun and Shiban isn’t built up convincingly. The White Scars generally barely rise above their “gotta go fast� meme other than Yesugei, who could have been an even more major character in line with his friend Ahriman. We should have seen more of the Khan’s ethos is, what he stands (runs?) for, rather than ambiguity being the centrepiece, rather than some interesting hints. Some of this will be covered later in the series, but the introduction to the White Scars had the chance to have been much stronger.
When the Khan kills, it is beautiful.
The ambiguity of it all is that Scars is a good book. There are fun action pieces. The Khan can talk the talk and walk the walk, notably at Ullanor and Prospero respectively. The Shattered Legions continue to add a “Dudes Rock� element to the series. With some tweaks and more space (to roam), I think Scars could have been great. As it is, it is merely good.
February 18, 2014
A really great read, there where three stories going on at the same time. My biggest complaint was on my ebook version, you couldn't tell when it had switched characters. Half the flash backs where filled with quite lovely jokes (primarchs making fun of one another, best one was to Fulgrim. "I hear you do things to your sons..." Yup, I know what that was implying..and I laughed more then I should.)
Dorn and Malcador make cameo appearances, and Malcador delivered my all time favorite line. "You brothers-such a nest of rivalries. I warned him to make you sisters, that it would make things more civilized. He thought I was joking, I wasn't."
I am deliberating on what Fulgrim and Angron would be like...it is a very scary idea. Anyway, great book you should all read it. Defiantly the best by Chris Wright that I have ever read.
Dorn and Malcador make cameo appearances, and Malcador delivered my all time favorite line. "You brothers-such a nest of rivalries. I warned him to make you sisters, that it would make things more civilized. He thought I was joking, I wasn't."
I am deliberating on what Fulgrim and Angron would be like...it is a very scary idea. Anyway, great book you should all read it. Defiantly the best by Chris Wright that I have ever read.
March 21, 2016
By the gods!
Ever since I read The Hunt for Voldorius some years ago(before I was on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ), I have loved the White Scars. And seeing the Scars at their height during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy has been a real treat. I really like the direction that Chris Wraight is taking them, the whole "grassland shaman/speed daemon" thing, as well as developing their culture so damn well. That in itself has really made me love their portrayal and has made them quickly climb to my favourite loyalist Legion. The events of Scars follows a great many plot lines for the title, as we also get to see the Space Wolves post-Prospero, and some of the Shattered Legions in their quest for vengeance.
The Space Wolves parts were well done, full of fun and violence, as is most of their reading. But they really only played a very minor part, and worked as a great parallel as how both the Space Wolves and White Scars were both savage and "barbaric", but still very different Legions.
The parts of the novel following Yesugei and the shattered legions was great fun, and I am really falling in love with his character. I definitely hope they make a model of him at some point in the future. Surprisingly, I actually really enjoyed the Shattered Legions elements in this one, as they actually DID SOMETHING other than exist. And that machine on the Word Bearers ship? Man I hope we get to see those again.
Now, the bulk of the White Scars were amazing. I really cannot stress how much I love their culture, their methods of war, and their Legion organization. The countless "Brotherhoods" added a lot to the story, though I wish we got to see more than just a few of them, as I hope they are all somewhat different like Shiban and Torghun's Brotherhoods were.
The bulk of the story showed how the White Scars were outsiders, no one knew much about them, so they were easily discounted. I mean, even the Alpha Legion didn't know much about them, and that is saying something. Their battles were great, but for once I really found that the politics were on par with the action. As the story went on, I was kept guessing on how "loyal" the Scars would turn out to be, and how much of a hold the lodges would have on them.
However the real jewels of this novel were the Primarchs. Jaghatai in particular has become such a joy for me to read about. His mysterious ways and culture are just too much fun to read about. And while I never knew much, I didn't expect him to be one of the best swordsman of the Imperium for some reason. By Slaanesh that was a treat!
Magnus' shade was also extremely well done, though I feel that an after-echo shouldn't have swayed the Khagan's views as much as they did.
Mortarion however was perfect. Man, he was scary. Like, really scary to read about. I really hope Wraight does the Death Guard story, or at least has some more opportunity to work with the Death Lord in the future!
Ever since I read The Hunt for Voldorius some years ago(before I was on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ), I have loved the White Scars. And seeing the Scars at their height during the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy has been a real treat. I really like the direction that Chris Wraight is taking them, the whole "grassland shaman/speed daemon" thing, as well as developing their culture so damn well. That in itself has really made me love their portrayal and has made them quickly climb to my favourite loyalist Legion. The events of Scars follows a great many plot lines for the title, as we also get to see the Space Wolves post-Prospero, and some of the Shattered Legions in their quest for vengeance.
The Space Wolves parts were well done, full of fun and violence, as is most of their reading. But they really only played a very minor part, and worked as a great parallel as how both the Space Wolves and White Scars were both savage and "barbaric", but still very different Legions.
The parts of the novel following Yesugei and the shattered legions was great fun, and I am really falling in love with his character. I definitely hope they make a model of him at some point in the future. Surprisingly, I actually really enjoyed the Shattered Legions elements in this one, as they actually DID SOMETHING other than exist. And that machine on the Word Bearers ship? Man I hope we get to see those again.
Now, the bulk of the White Scars were amazing. I really cannot stress how much I love their culture, their methods of war, and their Legion organization. The countless "Brotherhoods" added a lot to the story, though I wish we got to see more than just a few of them, as I hope they are all somewhat different like Shiban and Torghun's Brotherhoods were.
The bulk of the story showed how the White Scars were outsiders, no one knew much about them, so they were easily discounted. I mean, even the Alpha Legion didn't know much about them, and that is saying something. Their battles were great, but for once I really found that the politics were on par with the action. As the story went on, I was kept guessing on how "loyal" the Scars would turn out to be, and how much of a hold the lodges would have on them.
However the real jewels of this novel were the Primarchs. Jaghatai in particular has become such a joy for me to read about. His mysterious ways and culture are just too much fun to read about. And while I never knew much, I didn't expect him to be one of the best swordsman of the Imperium for some reason. By Slaanesh that was a treat!
Magnus' shade was also extremely well done, though I feel that an after-echo shouldn't have swayed the Khagan's views as much as they did.
Mortarion however was perfect. Man, he was scary. Like, really scary to read about. I really hope Wraight does the Death Guard story, or at least has some more opportunity to work with the Death Lord in the future!
March 28, 2024
March 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order Omnibus XI Ordu of the Khan () as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus series and extras.
So, I've had some time to think and I ended up reading L the connecting stories leading up to and then The Path of Heaven itself, while thinking and I think I have some idea of what I think. I think?
I thoroughly enjoyed this and what I've come to call the Wraight Heresy, which this is the first lodestone of with the various stories of the characters I have come to call the Terran Scar, the Weathermaker, and the Lightning Son, not to mention the Scarred Hand and the other Shattered Legionaries, and of course, the man himself, the Greay Warhawk of Chagoris himself.
Those stories and the wider saga feel like the strong opening of a 'prestige' TV show, which as far as I am aware generally just means it has a decent budget and is generally good. With so many Legions, characters, places, and all the jumping around in time across the saga there has been a feeling of the story being an ever widening flat circle and loopdiloops so everyone gets their chance to gyre and gimble in warp, while Typhus slithies behind the Death Lord's back and the Mournival outgrabes. Which, to be clear is great. I want to get into razing and praising with the Word Bearers and Ultramarines, the sad, grim backstory and front off between the Dark and Night, and watch my favourite, sweet, angry babies get their marble white and blue all bloody while I so my heart out, and everything else. But, this is where is feels like we are making actual forward progress. This is season three baybee! We got to introduce everyone and tell the first grand chapters and everyone is up to speed so we get to plunge ahead with a new narrative arc!
Season three introduces the Great Khan and his White Scars as new players, as Wraight himself notes, these are largely unseen and unheard of characters that he got to shape around that absence, and what we ended up getting... is, while not making my personal favourites, but absolutely topping my list of the coolest Legion and Primarch out there and the most actually switched on to what the Imperium and the Emperor is all about, which is fascinating to see. The lack of exposure and previous reference plays wonderfully into their enigmatic character, particularly when it comes down to the ultimate division in the Legion and the uncertainty and distrust others hold for them.
Now, I am absolutely no authority on this and it's not my place to say, but for my part, I think Wraight does a good job of not ploughing those broad strokes into the absolute nightmare of orientalism they could lead to. I also really appreciate that Brotherhood of the Storm, Scars, and some of the other stories had narrators of Asian heritage, though I am unsure why this didn't continue for The Path of Heaven. However, I do think it is worth noting that Wraight, and pretty much all Black Library authors so far, do get into so uncomfortable areas and language around the discussion, perspective, and portrayal of elements, use of, and comparisons to things pertaining to cultural differences, particularly around the disturbingly colonial notions when terms such as 'tribal', 'savage', 'primitive' and 'barbaric', etc. come up. In fairness, but in no way to diminish or downplay the wrongness of what I am describing, it is not something exclusive to Wraight or Black Library, but a wider issue of 'Western' literature that is heightened around fantasy and sci-fi due to racist and jingoistic foundations and conventions from the original authors of those genres and the touchstones that influenced them.
I really appreciate the way this novel, not only connects the stories specifically leading up to it, but the wider story as well, exemplified by the scenes with Space Wolves. Wraight has such a handle of the Dark Millennia and the players within it that is clearly on display.
I don't want to talk about The Path of Heaven too much, but a striking difference for me is that Scars feels like characters that are taking focus and leading the narrative, which is something I greatly prefer as I am able to really latch on and get carried along with them, while The Path of Heaven feels like the narrative and the fact that certain things have to happen to dovetail into the wider Heresy really take centre stage and lead the characters.
Wraight is one of those authors who is really doing their own thing, while still working in harmony with the grand narrative and other authors around him. Sometimes that absolutely chimes with me, as with this and Sanguinius: the Great Angel, which I will never stop banging on about how perfect it is! And other times, as with The Path of Heaven, I can respect his craft and see what he's doing, even if it's not my cup of tea.
This is a stand out for both Wraight and the series and it feels like an epic miniseries in itself, which makes sense with the original episodic release, but those parts also make a satisfying and cohesive whole.
***
Truly epic snd a huge step forward on terms of the wider narrative.
I had no idea the White Scars and the Khan were so damned cool!
Need to sleep and percolate, but will write up a proper review soon.
Through using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project () and my own choices, I have currently read 20.41 Horus Heresy novels, 12 novellas, 54 short stories/ audio dramas, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, 10 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels...this run. I can't say enough good about the way the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project suggestions. I'm loving it! Especially after originally reading to the releases and being so frustrated at having to wait so long for a narrative to continue.
So, I've had some time to think and I ended up reading L the connecting stories leading up to and then The Path of Heaven itself, while thinking and I think I have some idea of what I think. I think?
I thoroughly enjoyed this and what I've come to call the Wraight Heresy, which this is the first lodestone of with the various stories of the characters I have come to call the Terran Scar, the Weathermaker, and the Lightning Son, not to mention the Scarred Hand and the other Shattered Legionaries, and of course, the man himself, the Greay Warhawk of Chagoris himself.
Those stories and the wider saga feel like the strong opening of a 'prestige' TV show, which as far as I am aware generally just means it has a decent budget and is generally good. With so many Legions, characters, places, and all the jumping around in time across the saga there has been a feeling of the story being an ever widening flat circle and loopdiloops so everyone gets their chance to gyre and gimble in warp, while Typhus slithies behind the Death Lord's back and the Mournival outgrabes. Which, to be clear is great. I want to get into razing and praising with the Word Bearers and Ultramarines, the sad, grim backstory and front off between the Dark and Night, and watch my favourite, sweet, angry babies get their marble white and blue all bloody while I so my heart out, and everything else. But, this is where is feels like we are making actual forward progress. This is season three baybee! We got to introduce everyone and tell the first grand chapters and everyone is up to speed so we get to plunge ahead with a new narrative arc!
Season three introduces the Great Khan and his White Scars as new players, as Wraight himself notes, these are largely unseen and unheard of characters that he got to shape around that absence, and what we ended up getting... is, while not making my personal favourites, but absolutely topping my list of the coolest Legion and Primarch out there and the most actually switched on to what the Imperium and the Emperor is all about, which is fascinating to see. The lack of exposure and previous reference plays wonderfully into their enigmatic character, particularly when it comes down to the ultimate division in the Legion and the uncertainty and distrust others hold for them.
Now, I am absolutely no authority on this and it's not my place to say, but for my part, I think Wraight does a good job of not ploughing those broad strokes into the absolute nightmare of orientalism they could lead to. I also really appreciate that Brotherhood of the Storm, Scars, and some of the other stories had narrators of Asian heritage, though I am unsure why this didn't continue for The Path of Heaven. However, I do think it is worth noting that Wraight, and pretty much all Black Library authors so far, do get into so uncomfortable areas and language around the discussion, perspective, and portrayal of elements, use of, and comparisons to things pertaining to cultural differences, particularly around the disturbingly colonial notions when terms such as 'tribal', 'savage', 'primitive' and 'barbaric', etc. come up. In fairness, but in no way to diminish or downplay the wrongness of what I am describing, it is not something exclusive to Wraight or Black Library, but a wider issue of 'Western' literature that is heightened around fantasy and sci-fi due to racist and jingoistic foundations and conventions from the original authors of those genres and the touchstones that influenced them.
I really appreciate the way this novel, not only connects the stories specifically leading up to it, but the wider story as well, exemplified by the scenes with Space Wolves. Wraight has such a handle of the Dark Millennia and the players within it that is clearly on display.
I don't want to talk about The Path of Heaven too much, but a striking difference for me is that Scars feels like characters that are taking focus and leading the narrative, which is something I greatly prefer as I am able to really latch on and get carried along with them, while The Path of Heaven feels like the narrative and the fact that certain things have to happen to dovetail into the wider Heresy really take centre stage and lead the characters.
Wraight is one of those authors who is really doing their own thing, while still working in harmony with the grand narrative and other authors around him. Sometimes that absolutely chimes with me, as with this and Sanguinius: the Great Angel, which I will never stop banging on about how perfect it is! And other times, as with The Path of Heaven, I can respect his craft and see what he's doing, even if it's not my cup of tea.
This is a stand out for both Wraight and the series and it feels like an epic miniseries in itself, which makes sense with the original episodic release, but those parts also make a satisfying and cohesive whole.
***
Truly epic snd a huge step forward on terms of the wider narrative.
I had no idea the White Scars and the Khan were so damned cool!
Need to sleep and percolate, but will write up a proper review soon.
Through using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project () and my own choices, I have currently read 20.41 Horus Heresy novels, 12 novellas, 54 short stories/ audio dramas, as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, 10 Primarchs novels, 4 Primarchs short stories/ audio dramas, and 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels...this run. I can't say enough good about the way the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project suggestions. I'm loving it! Especially after originally reading to the releases and being so frustrated at having to wait so long for a narrative to continue.
June 10, 2022
Sorprendentemente buena. Si no fuese por el spanglish irÃa ahora mismo a comprarla para tenerla en la estanterÃa
March 2, 2022
I went from not knowing anything about the White Scars to them and their primarch becoming one of my favourate loyalist factions. Good job book!
November 8, 2017
Enjoyed it. Great to finally get to know Jaghatai and his boys a little better. He's my kind of guy. Very interesting insight on the Lodges operating inside a Loyal legion AND a legion that is unaware of the Isstvan massacre and the great treachery. My favorite thing to read about here was Khan interacting with other Primarchs. Only thing is I wish there were more space marines with more distinct personalities. There were some, but i would've loved a few more. Overall very satisfied.
November 8, 2017
A good solid adventure that is paced well, draws you in, and entertains you. Action with a purpose!
January 24, 2014
So, after all how does Scars fare as a whole? It’s extremely hit and miss at times.
The Imperium of Man has been shattered by the betrayal of the Emperor’s prodigal son, with fully half the Imperial legions siding against the Emperor. As the Sons of Horus and their allies rampage through the galaxy, destroying all in their path and the loyalist legions attempt to regroup, one has yet to choose their side. Unaware of the civil war and having been beyond any contact for months, the entire White Scars legion finishes their task in annihilating Ork remnants at Ullanor. Trusted by few and known for his closeness with Horus and Magnus the Red, many are willing to write him off Jaghatai Khan as a traitor. Many within his legion, dissatisfied with their company, seek to ensure he joins the right side�
As both a force within the series and a chapter outside the Horus Heresy, the White Scars have not seen much in the way of promotion. Despite a minor effort in recent years to give them more focus they remain one of a multitude of unfortunately overlooked chapters. As a result this was the one big chance to truly characterise them, promoting the legion to countless readers as a part of a major series. In this respect the book works extremely well. Very early on it is established that the Khan and his astartes are unlike any other legion. Even in comparison to the likes of the Alpha Legion or Space Wolves, they stand out as a very unique force in their general attitudes and approaches to warfare. We see how much of an impact their homeworld’s culture and traditions have on their outlook and great emphasis is placed upon just how important a primarch truly is to a legion.
One of the major subplots which serves as a point within the book is the clashes between the astartes recruited from Terra and those originating from Chigoris. Within one chapter see a very effective display of the major problems which can originate from recruiting from a multitude of worlds and makes the potential betrayal wholly understandable, perhaps even more so than that of the Dark Angels. You’re given an idea of just how much the spirtual beliefs of the White Scars truly have impact upon their kind and how their attitudes can not only force conflict with their brothers, but also the divide between themselves and other legions. It does a great deal to flesh out the force and give some idea of what truly makes them unique among the legions.
Beyond the legion itself we have many scenes and subplots devoted to a multitude of subjects. Ranging from the flaws and ambitions of other primarchs to the knowledge of the Warp, Khan’s Chigoris born mentality of seeing every “piece on the board as a king�, and the changing state of the galaxy, each does a great deal to build upon the series thus far. The scenes with the Space Wolves prove to be a great extension beyond Prospero Burns, especially once Leman Russ is given focus, and we see for the first time potentially what drew one particular primarch to Horus� side. Even if you have a dislike for the White Scars, the book offers enough characters from multiple legions and such a wide focus you are bound to run into plenty to like building upon past books. It further gives variety to the characters and, even when many astartes do not directly meet, Wraight proves he knows how to better use the varied backgrounds of legions far more than what we saw in Unremembered Empire or Battle for the Abyss.
Unfortunately, as big a strength as this last point is, it’s also here that the cracks begin to appear in the tale.
The problem is that as a traditional novel Scars is fairly weak. It continually veers off into minor moments and side ideas to focus upon them rather than truly building upon the advertised plot of a potential White Scars civil war. While on the one hand each of these moments work extremely well and do a great deal to expand the universe, all too often you’re left wishing they had been left to a short story and the book actually be about the legion.
Two of the biggest offenders are Yesugi’s tale, the White Scars� Chief Stormseer who is left to his own story but never meets with his legion or has his actions feel as if they are connected to the main plot, and the Space Wolves� battle with the Alpha Legion. Yes, in the original canon the White Scars did see this event happen, but it becomes such a side story, is so focused upon the Space Wolves� perspective, and takes up such much time that it would have only made the tale stronger were it dropped. Many of these subplots and scenes work fine on their own, but they fail to truly build up into a single piece and it leaves you wanting by the end. There’s simply no single cohesive plot and too many times it feels as if the book was desperately trying to cover something entirely besides the legio V.
Even ignoring the problems with too many subplots, or the very quick ending which fails to truly conclude anything, there are the characters and environment descriptions. Too many of the characters feel as if the concepts behind them are better developed than their personalities, resulting in either very simplistic or completely blank figures within the tale. This may be intentional, the book repeatedly explaining how the legion is an enigma even among allied forces, or the end result of a lack of focus upon them but it just robs so many scenes of energy. This might have been made up for by well developed descriptions of environments or great atmosphere, but far too often they are just left as anomalous space without any real detail to ground the scene in. Even when wondering through a ruined city tainted by the Warp, there simply isn’t enough put into the environments to make them truly memorable.
So, at the end of the day Scars worth getting? If you’ve enjoyed the series up to this point or want to see the White Scars of this era, yes. It’s entirely worth it and you’ll enjoy what you get. However, if you’re after a great story focused upon fully developing a single legion with well rounded characters then look for something else.
September 7, 2021
Cuando empiezas a leer un libro de la HH no sabes que te vas a encontrar. Puedes toparte con un libro mediocre, un libro entretenido sin más o descubrir una gran novela.
Empecé "Cicatrices" sin grandes expectativas y me he encontrado con el mejor libro de la HH desde "La batalla de Calth".
Sin duda, entre los 5 mejores libros de la HH hasta el momento de su lanzamiento (núm. 28)
Empecé "Cicatrices" sin grandes expectativas y me he encontrado con el mejor libro de la HH desde "La batalla de Calth".
Sin duda, entre los 5 mejores libros de la HH hasta el momento de su lanzamiento (núm. 28)
November 23, 2023
4/5 stars. Pretty good book about the White Scars legion, one of the least known and most forgotten by people.
July 18, 2024
The neutral Witcher of Warhammer pickes a side.
April 12, 2014
I am a fairly devoted fan of Black Library books. I am a devoted fan of the Horus Heresy. So it would seem I don't have time to read anything else, well I just solve that by reading between 8 and a dozen books at a time. Anyway,
Scars by Chris Wraight harkened me back to the 'good old days' of the first half of the Heresy run. Scars followed the older tradition of giving snippets of a Legions earlier history all while bringing you up to the present time (post Isstvan by I'd say maybe a half year or a year tops). But Scars does something a little special: it highlights not just a neglected Legion (the V, the White Scars) and their Primarch (Jagathai Khan) but it also delves into the some of the psychological reasons why some of these brothers would fall and turn against their father while others would remain loyal.
To me at any rate the themes of: faith, loyalty, brotherhood and honor ran strong in this book. I absolutely loved the scene between Sanguinius, Fulgrim, Mortarion and the Khan on Ullanor. The dialogue between them really opened up a window onto just how far back the schisms between the brother Primarchs really ran (and a certain quip made by Malcador on Terra about the Emperor making them sisters instead of brothers because they'd be more civilized is absolutely priceless).
Jagathai's relationship with Magnus and his support for the Librarius provides much of the backstory as to why some saw the V Legions choice of allegiance as a toss up. Due to this, those who fell to Chaos conspired against Jagathai and his sons in order to purposefully keep them out of the loop and in the dark. (Making one wonder just how far back Horus' fall really went.) The final duel between Jagathai and one of his brothers (I'll not spoil who) is one of the highlights of the book. As is the brief civil war between the Loyalists and the Lodge members within the Legion itself. It wrapped up very nicely and paved the way for future glory for the V Legion.
My only question to ask from this book would be the point of the Alpha Legions actions in the beginning. Though I suppose that will be more fully explained in subsequent novels.
Overall this was a great book, and reminded me how much I truly love this series. Despite reading other kinds of fiction and history-I still find time for the Black Library. This book is one of the reasons why. Thank you to Chris Wraight for writing such a damn good book.
Highly recommended.
Scars by Chris Wraight harkened me back to the 'good old days' of the first half of the Heresy run. Scars followed the older tradition of giving snippets of a Legions earlier history all while bringing you up to the present time (post Isstvan by I'd say maybe a half year or a year tops). But Scars does something a little special: it highlights not just a neglected Legion (the V, the White Scars) and their Primarch (Jagathai Khan) but it also delves into the some of the psychological reasons why some of these brothers would fall and turn against their father while others would remain loyal.
To me at any rate the themes of: faith, loyalty, brotherhood and honor ran strong in this book. I absolutely loved the scene between Sanguinius, Fulgrim, Mortarion and the Khan on Ullanor. The dialogue between them really opened up a window onto just how far back the schisms between the brother Primarchs really ran (and a certain quip made by Malcador on Terra about the Emperor making them sisters instead of brothers because they'd be more civilized is absolutely priceless).
Jagathai's relationship with Magnus and his support for the Librarius provides much of the backstory as to why some saw the V Legions choice of allegiance as a toss up. Due to this, those who fell to Chaos conspired against Jagathai and his sons in order to purposefully keep them out of the loop and in the dark. (Making one wonder just how far back Horus' fall really went.) The final duel between Jagathai and one of his brothers (I'll not spoil who) is one of the highlights of the book. As is the brief civil war between the Loyalists and the Lodge members within the Legion itself. It wrapped up very nicely and paved the way for future glory for the V Legion.
My only question to ask from this book would be the point of the Alpha Legions actions in the beginning. Though I suppose that will be more fully explained in subsequent novels.
Overall this was a great book, and reminded me how much I truly love this series. Despite reading other kinds of fiction and history-I still find time for the Black Library. This book is one of the reasons why. Thank you to Chris Wraight for writing such a damn good book.
Highly recommended.
July 8, 2019
I was a little weary about this book, it seemed to come out of nowhere in the story building happening in the previous HH novels, but this book did a lot to give a 3rd view of the HH and what it means to the larger universe.
The White Scars, as the book begins haven't chosen a side, and aren't too concerned with being involved at all, they only feel as though they have a limited attachment to the Imperium.
We get the very first glimpse of the Primarch of the White Scars, Jaghatai Khan, who could best be described as an amalgam of the great Khans of Mongolia and medieval Samurai. (It's a theme with the Primarchs, they each seem to represent a different Earth region). This time we get to spend with the Khan, we get to see how the HH evolved and how his absence was not serendipitous.
All in all, this was a great read, something I'll probably re-read to make sure I didn't miss any nuanced plot twists and look forward to having the Khan in a book again.
The White Scars, as the book begins haven't chosen a side, and aren't too concerned with being involved at all, they only feel as though they have a limited attachment to the Imperium.
We get the very first glimpse of the Primarch of the White Scars, Jaghatai Khan, who could best be described as an amalgam of the great Khans of Mongolia and medieval Samurai. (It's a theme with the Primarchs, they each seem to represent a different Earth region). This time we get to spend with the Khan, we get to see how the HH evolved and how his absence was not serendipitous.
All in all, this was a great read, something I'll probably re-read to make sure I didn't miss any nuanced plot twists and look forward to having the Khan in a book again.
June 4, 2018
I jumped back into my Warhammer dive (yeah, yeah, I know..) and while I am a fan, it can tend to lean a bit to sameness over time, grimdark gloom and doom space shoot em ups. (Don't jump on me WH40K fans, that is a serious over simplification of the universe strictly for purposes of this review)
That being said, I have found myself loving when an author delves and gets the meat off the bone of a chapter or a group in this vast scifi playground. I have loved what Chris Wraight has done with the White Scars. He has taken a legion into a different direction than the rest, gave it an almost entirely different feel than most of its counterparts and still maintain a place among their brothers.
THAT I can get behind. Scars is a ton of fun and I will search out Mr. Wraight's work in this universe.
That being said, I have found myself loving when an author delves and gets the meat off the bone of a chapter or a group in this vast scifi playground. I have loved what Chris Wraight has done with the White Scars. He has taken a legion into a different direction than the rest, gave it an almost entirely different feel than most of its counterparts and still maintain a place among their brothers.
THAT I can get behind. Scars is a ton of fun and I will search out Mr. Wraight's work in this universe.
November 12, 2018
Khan and Magnus are probably my top2 favorite Primarchs, as well as Scars and Thousand Sons my favorite legions. Yesugei is another charming character after Ahriman or Argel Tal, with philosophical thoughts, principled actions and almost admirable loyalty to Khan and Imperium.
What impresses me most is the scene Malcador, Valdor and Dorn argued on Khan's possible treachery, where Malcador seems quite easy but in fact regretful about the "lie" on the existence of warp leading to Horus Heresy.
Khan and Scars play GO! This is the best reflection on their war philosophy: perspective of overall situation, see every participants as crucial elements, stay low key (mostly forgotten), always accumulate and hide power.
What impresses me most is the scene Malcador, Valdor and Dorn argued on Khan's possible treachery, where Malcador seems quite easy but in fact regretful about the "lie" on the existence of warp leading to Horus Heresy.
Khan and Scars play GO! This is the best reflection on their war philosophy: perspective of overall situation, see every participants as crucial elements, stay low key (mostly forgotten), always accumulate and hide power.
January 25, 2024
An intriguing plot fueled by polarizing loyalties and enigmatic characters.
Chris Wraight man, can this author do anything wrong? It seems everything he does for Warhammer ends up becoming a modern classic fueled with amazing moments and memorable characters. Scars is no stranger to the magic touch of Wraight, revitalizing one of the most dull and forgettable legions into a high standard of cultural uniqueness and respectable personalities. I can safely say that White Scars fans were spoiled by the great treatment this novel gives them.
Located at the edge of the galaxy, the White Scars must wrestle with the realization that Horus has gone rogue, and now the Emperor wages a total war against their brothers. Confused and fractured, the White Scars are torn apart by a series of betrayals shrouded in half-truths, and nothing seems to be the right choice.
A fascinating start to a fascinating story, Scars goes all down into a path of schism and loyalty, with a subtle touch of greys that adds some well-needed depth to one of the most humane and level-headed legions in the 40k universe. The characterization of Jaghatai Khan as a battle-hungry yet wise and cautious, makes up for an entertaining read that quickly captured my attention. The rest of the legion follows a similar pattern, with the general idea being that the White Scars are the "outcasts" of the astartes; sent to far away missions, always on the run, rarely cooperating with others, hunting all alone. They are seem as wild dogs like the Space Wolves, and as enigmatic and dangerous as the Thousand Sons. Yet Chris Wraight manages to give them a grounded identity that makes them easy to respect and grow fond of. Brutal and swift in combat, but never trigger-happy and looking for balance.
There is a sense of confusion and dilemma with the main plot of the story, and how things revolve around the characters as the narrative progresses. You start to understand motivations, learn more about what drives who to do this and that, and just how deeply troubled the situation truly is, and how everything seems to just be a series of terrible options after the other. Chris Wraight creates a sense of dread and doom with his scenarios, showing the reader just how bad things have gotten, and how even what seems right, still feels wrong.
I deeply enjoyed the general subtext of the novel, the direction it took with displaying loyalty apart from a simple "Emperor good, Horus bad" conundrum, it makes the war feel more realistic, in a way.
Still, while I do highly praise the way the White Scars were pretty much resurrected, there were some moments it was a little too hammered in, sometimes coming off as forced, as it it was necessary to repeat the same things multiple times.
The middle act of the novel felt like it was dragging on a little too much, and some scenes are way longer than needed to be, particularly the final duel near the end of the novel. An epic fight that encapsulates stagnation. Either it was done on purpose, or perhaps it was just a case of too much prose for its own good. This ultimately meant that at some points, the novel did fall into boredom. Some of the scenes are a little too flashy, falling prey to a "tell, don't show" style.
Despite that, I still thought Scars was really good, and while I'm not giving it a higher score, I'm mostly doing it on the grounds that I know Chris Wraight can do better, and this is just a taste of better things to come.
Chris Wraight man, can this author do anything wrong? It seems everything he does for Warhammer ends up becoming a modern classic fueled with amazing moments and memorable characters. Scars is no stranger to the magic touch of Wraight, revitalizing one of the most dull and forgettable legions into a high standard of cultural uniqueness and respectable personalities. I can safely say that White Scars fans were spoiled by the great treatment this novel gives them.
Located at the edge of the galaxy, the White Scars must wrestle with the realization that Horus has gone rogue, and now the Emperor wages a total war against their brothers. Confused and fractured, the White Scars are torn apart by a series of betrayals shrouded in half-truths, and nothing seems to be the right choice.
A fascinating start to a fascinating story, Scars goes all down into a path of schism and loyalty, with a subtle touch of greys that adds some well-needed depth to one of the most humane and level-headed legions in the 40k universe. The characterization of Jaghatai Khan as a battle-hungry yet wise and cautious, makes up for an entertaining read that quickly captured my attention. The rest of the legion follows a similar pattern, with the general idea being that the White Scars are the "outcasts" of the astartes; sent to far away missions, always on the run, rarely cooperating with others, hunting all alone. They are seem as wild dogs like the Space Wolves, and as enigmatic and dangerous as the Thousand Sons. Yet Chris Wraight manages to give them a grounded identity that makes them easy to respect and grow fond of. Brutal and swift in combat, but never trigger-happy and looking for balance.
There is a sense of confusion and dilemma with the main plot of the story, and how things revolve around the characters as the narrative progresses. You start to understand motivations, learn more about what drives who to do this and that, and just how deeply troubled the situation truly is, and how everything seems to just be a series of terrible options after the other. Chris Wraight creates a sense of dread and doom with his scenarios, showing the reader just how bad things have gotten, and how even what seems right, still feels wrong.
I deeply enjoyed the general subtext of the novel, the direction it took with displaying loyalty apart from a simple "Emperor good, Horus bad" conundrum, it makes the war feel more realistic, in a way.
Still, while I do highly praise the way the White Scars were pretty much resurrected, there were some moments it was a little too hammered in, sometimes coming off as forced, as it it was necessary to repeat the same things multiple times.
The middle act of the novel felt like it was dragging on a little too much, and some scenes are way longer than needed to be, particularly the final duel near the end of the novel. An epic fight that encapsulates stagnation. Either it was done on purpose, or perhaps it was just a case of too much prose for its own good. This ultimately meant that at some points, the novel did fall into boredom. Some of the scenes are a little too flashy, falling prey to a "tell, don't show" style.
Despite that, I still thought Scars was really good, and while I'm not giving it a higher score, I'm mostly doing it on the grounds that I know Chris Wraight can do better, and this is just a taste of better things to come.
September 24, 2023
After 28 instalments we finally get to read one dedicated to the elusive White Scars Legion and their Primarch, Jaghatai Khan.
In ‘Scars� Chris Wraight does not disappoint, giving the reader an insight into the unique culture of the White Scars legion, as well as their relationships with other legions, the Emperor and the Imperium at large.
The parallel introduction of two protagonists with very different ascensions into the White Scars legion was a strong start. The first, Shiban Khan, is a typical White Scar legionary, native to their homeworld Chogoris and proud of its heritage. The second is Torghun Khan, trained as a Son of Horus before, with much reluctance, being assigned to the White Scars legion. Although this practice of reallocation seems unlikely to me in universe (given the specific gene-seed used in the Astartes creation, and the years of training in a legion style), this premise could have produced some fantastic tension through the novel. Unfortunately, this does not fully deliver, with not enough time spent building up the individual characters, their relationship with one another or with the legion more widely.
The final third of the book is the Horus Heresy at its strongest, with a simmering divide within the legion coming to its head, as well as some strong Primarch action down on the planet surface. The demonstration of how Horus was able to use the warrior lodges secreted within the legions to spread his corruption was also particularly enjoyable, given the references we’ve had to that in earlier Horus Heresy novels.
Despite this, ‘Scars� was not fully the fast-paced thriller I had hoped it would be, with the middle third being particularly hard work. This may because some of the early promise doesn’t carry through � for instance there is an excellent plot narrative around the Space Wolves that abruptly stops halfway through the book.
It may also be because some of the uniqueness of the White Scars just doesn’t seem believable for a major legion during the Great Crusade. One of the better character in the novels is Ilya Ravallion, a logistical officer assigned to the White Scars fleet, but the terrible state of the legion logistics we see through her eyes seems unfeasible in the (at the time) very well organised navy of the Imperium.
Despite these flaws, 'Scars' is a strong Heresy novel that gives a enjoyable insight into one of the most unique legions.
In ‘Scars� Chris Wraight does not disappoint, giving the reader an insight into the unique culture of the White Scars legion, as well as their relationships with other legions, the Emperor and the Imperium at large.
The parallel introduction of two protagonists with very different ascensions into the White Scars legion was a strong start. The first, Shiban Khan, is a typical White Scar legionary, native to their homeworld Chogoris and proud of its heritage. The second is Torghun Khan, trained as a Son of Horus before, with much reluctance, being assigned to the White Scars legion. Although this practice of reallocation seems unlikely to me in universe (given the specific gene-seed used in the Astartes creation, and the years of training in a legion style), this premise could have produced some fantastic tension through the novel. Unfortunately, this does not fully deliver, with not enough time spent building up the individual characters, their relationship with one another or with the legion more widely.
The final third of the book is the Horus Heresy at its strongest, with a simmering divide within the legion coming to its head, as well as some strong Primarch action down on the planet surface. The demonstration of how Horus was able to use the warrior lodges secreted within the legions to spread his corruption was also particularly enjoyable, given the references we’ve had to that in earlier Horus Heresy novels.
Despite this, ‘Scars� was not fully the fast-paced thriller I had hoped it would be, with the middle third being particularly hard work. This may because some of the early promise doesn’t carry through � for instance there is an excellent plot narrative around the Space Wolves that abruptly stops halfway through the book.
It may also be because some of the uniqueness of the White Scars just doesn’t seem believable for a major legion during the Great Crusade. One of the better character in the novels is Ilya Ravallion, a logistical officer assigned to the White Scars fleet, but the terrible state of the legion logistics we see through her eyes seems unfeasible in the (at the time) very well organised navy of the Imperium.
Despite these flaws, 'Scars' is a strong Heresy novel that gives a enjoyable insight into one of the most unique legions.
June 5, 2017
In the ever sprawling, possibly gone afield and even awry, Horus Heresy series there are a few titles that stand out as exemplars of not only Black Library's talented pool of authors, but tie in fiction as a whole. Horus Rising, Fulgrim, Legion, Thousand Sons, First Heretic, Prosper Burns, all of these are indicative of one of the best military/dark sci-fantasy series ever written.
Scars by Chris Wraight deserves to be among those elite titles.
Scars takes the least we'll know Legion, the White Scars, and brings them to life as never before. Wraight had to have studied dutifully Mongolian, Chinese and Korean culture to really get a grasp on the Chogorian culture that pervades the pages of this book. Set in the period following Istvaan, this is a hybrid work, both an origins story and a continuation of the main narrative. It offers a dense, but highly entertaining narrative of the V Legions culture and of the background of their Primarch, Jaghatai.
It also serves as a focal point for some themes long serving fans of the series may have forgotten, namely the warrior lodges, and how the call to choose loyalties leads to the workings of the Warp and the foundation of Chaos. There are appearances of the Space Wolves (they hate that name), the Alpha Legion, and some excellent dialogue between Dorn and Malcador on Terra.
The meat of the story, however, is the divided loyalties of the Legion, and the struggle for Jaghatai's allegiance. As a loner, self educated, introverted, and well humored, I find myself drawn the most to Jaghatai's character out of all the Primarch's, as his own personality mirrors my own quite well. This is a mark of Wraight's ability as a writer, to bring to clear life a demigod.
Overall, this is an excellent title in the sprawling Horus Heresy series, worthy of the very best of the franchise, and one of my favorite titles.
Highly recommended.
Scars by Chris Wraight deserves to be among those elite titles.
Scars takes the least we'll know Legion, the White Scars, and brings them to life as never before. Wraight had to have studied dutifully Mongolian, Chinese and Korean culture to really get a grasp on the Chogorian culture that pervades the pages of this book. Set in the period following Istvaan, this is a hybrid work, both an origins story and a continuation of the main narrative. It offers a dense, but highly entertaining narrative of the V Legions culture and of the background of their Primarch, Jaghatai.
It also serves as a focal point for some themes long serving fans of the series may have forgotten, namely the warrior lodges, and how the call to choose loyalties leads to the workings of the Warp and the foundation of Chaos. There are appearances of the Space Wolves (they hate that name), the Alpha Legion, and some excellent dialogue between Dorn and Malcador on Terra.
The meat of the story, however, is the divided loyalties of the Legion, and the struggle for Jaghatai's allegiance. As a loner, self educated, introverted, and well humored, I find myself drawn the most to Jaghatai's character out of all the Primarch's, as his own personality mirrors my own quite well. This is a mark of Wraight's ability as a writer, to bring to clear life a demigod.
Overall, this is an excellent title in the sprawling Horus Heresy series, worthy of the very best of the franchise, and one of my favorite titles.
Highly recommended.
August 24, 2021
This is the best book of the Horus Heresy that I’ve read so far. It’s story is excellent, it’s phasing is good and it’s characters are all both interesting and so well written that they could make for non Black Library character arcs.
That being said, it does assume a lot of knowledge about the Horus Heresy and cannot be read as a stand-alone book or the first one you pick up in the Horus heresy series, which is frankly a little atypical. It’s the beginning of the white scars arc, and other story arcs have been perfectly capable of holding their own, even if they were your first Horus Heresy books. This one isn’t like that, and sort of requires you to have read the first five novels in the series as well as Prospero Burns and the The First Heretic. If you haven’t read those books a lot of the things that happen in Scars will likely not make sense, but maybe that is what allows the book to be better than many others in the series.
I’m not sure the Asian accent voice performance in the audiobook will stand the test of time. I didn’t mind it, but let’s not pretend that it won’t be an issue for some.
That being said, it does assume a lot of knowledge about the Horus Heresy and cannot be read as a stand-alone book or the first one you pick up in the Horus heresy series, which is frankly a little atypical. It’s the beginning of the white scars arc, and other story arcs have been perfectly capable of holding their own, even if they were your first Horus Heresy books. This one isn’t like that, and sort of requires you to have read the first five novels in the series as well as Prospero Burns and the The First Heretic. If you haven’t read those books a lot of the things that happen in Scars will likely not make sense, but maybe that is what allows the book to be better than many others in the series.
I’m not sure the Asian accent voice performance in the audiobook will stand the test of time. I didn’t mind it, but let’s not pretend that it won’t be an issue for some.
January 21, 2025
I didn’t think the Khan would be as cool as he turned out to be. His pain of being the forgotten primarch is so cool and I hope he get more stories and lore soon! I really appreciated this books attention to detail and usage of traditional Mongolian and other Asian names in order to stay faithful to the inspiration of the Khan. I wish there were more races represented in the primarchs. I know my normal goodreads followers don’t care about warhammer so thank you for bearing with me as I venture into nerd hell.
January 2, 2024
Before reading this book, I wasn't very interested in the White Scars as a Legion, they never really seemed to stand out in any way or carry much importance.
But Chris Wraight really fleshed out their character and made them one of the most unique Legions in the Heresy, especially Characters like the Khan and Yesugei stood out for me.
But Chris Wraight really fleshed out their character and made them one of the most unique Legions in the Heresy, especially Characters like the Khan and Yesugei stood out for me.
August 24, 2023
It was great to finally meet the Scars and see how they tied into the picture. This novel gave more perspective on the burning of Prospero than Prospero Burns� cover title suggested it would be covering. Really enjoyed this one. I find it another great entry and a win for the Horus Heresy.
March 12, 2025
The white scars truly are mysterious and detached. I knew close to nothing about them going into this book but everything about them is captivating. The Khan definitely moved towards the top of my favorite Primarch list after this book.
July 1, 2020
FINALLY got to meet the White Scars. Really enjoyed learning about them!
January 27, 2025
Hot damn
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