Horus Heresy: Mechanicum
by Graham McNeill
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Book Summary Information
Author: Graham McNeillEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-11-25
ISBN: 1844166066
Number of pages: 416
Publisher: Games Workshop
Book Reviews of Horus Heresy: Mechanicum
Book Review: Indispensable Context
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm adding a Warhammer 40K overview to this review to help newcomers get a sense for the Universe. (Warhammer 40K pros, go easy on me - I'm also somewhat of a newcomer to the Universe, hope I got the broad brushstrokes right). Review for book at bottom.
HOW I GOT HOOKED
I got this through vine and put it directly on my nightstand. Although I've never gamed Warhammer (Warhammer 40k Space Marines Combat Squad) or any of their many other games, I became a fan of Warhammer 40,000 after a friend in college introduced me to the Warhammer 40k universe back in 1990 I want to say. While browsing through Amazon, I came across Eisenhorn probably the best "starter" novel to get anyone started into the Warhammer Universe. I have to admit, I've gotten hooked on the stories.
THE BLACK LIBRARY & GAMES WORKSHOP
From a company standpoint there is a British company called the Black Library that owns and manages Warhammer 40K. They have some great writers on staff like Dan Abnett and Graham McNiell who write many of the stories. The common thread of the writers is that in my opinion they are very literary people who manage the capture the dark, dystopian, almost opressing vision of this far future. Many of their stories have foundations and parallels in real world history...for example The Flight of the Eisenstein (Horus Heresy) is very similar in my opinion to The Battleship Potemkin. I think the company was founded in 1989 to provide advanced hobbyist game pieces (Games Workshop Space Marine Devastator Squad Box Set) that gamers could paint and decorate and then play in competition based on some rule books called codexes (Warhammer 40K (40,000) Codex Space Marines) very similar to dungeons and dragons.
THE SERIES
Warhammer 40K takes place about 40,000 years in the future in a neogothic dystopian Universe where the entire galaxy has been colonized. During the 40,000 year history humanity discovers that hyperspace (the mechanism they use to travel faster than light) is filled with ghostly demons and other lifeforms that will not hesitate to invade and infest the real universe. Add to that alien Elves, Orks, intergalactic insectoid invaders, parasites and every other conceivable menace, this makes for a tormented universe that only knows War and suffering for its untold trillions or quadrillions of denizens.
In this Universe there is an Empire based on Earth with an Emperor and and a gigantic bureaucracy that manages the Imperium. I'll outline some of the story lines to help you make sense of this (if you're not a pro already):
SPACE MARINES - Genetically and Cybernetically augmented warrior monks that form the front line of defense for the Empire. Space Marine novels generally build on the mythology of the space marines and generally describe a chapter of space marines (a monastery) and tell some story of how they fight for the Empire or how they fell from grace. Space Marines are almost not human, they've been augmented genetically stand at 8 to 12 feet tall and wear giant powered armour. They fight in space and in some horrible conditions. For this reason, you don't get much of a feel for the denizens of the Empire (generally) in these novels. Space Marines are Monks and celibate (I think) so you don't get any flavor for interpersonal relationships. Although in a few stories you do get some political intrigue and in one space wolf novel, you even get to see Earth. Expect lots of fighting with these novels in very novel settings.
The Ultramarines Omnibus (Warhammer 40,000 Omnibus)
TITANS - The giant Mechwarriors (giant walking two legged tanks) that form the heaviest of assault machines of the empire. Titanicus is the only Warhammer 40K novel that I know of that is based on Titans. Because Titans stand at 40 stories and are crewed by a very select group of very religious people, you don't get much of the flavor for the citizens of the Empire although you do get dazzling descriptions of the cities, planets, and how the war machines fight. Expect lots of fighting with these novels.
Titanicus (Warhammer 40,000)
IMPERIAL GUARD - The Army of the Empire (untold billions serve and die regularly) -- CADIAN BLOOD is an Imperial guard novel. Expect down and dirty grunt fighting and warfare in these novels with a healthy does of intrigue and plot machinations. Because Imperial Guard are human, you get more of a sense for the Empire than you do with Titan or Space Marine novels.
Cadian Blood (Imperial Guard)
INQUISITORS - The Emperor's inquisition carries the Empire's complete support as they go out and seek out evil in any form (Einsenhorn, Ravenor, and Innocence Proves Nothing are Inquisition novels). Expect more intrigue and deceipt in these novels and expect to see some of the more opulent aspects of the Empire because many times Inquisitors walk among the citizens of the Empire. I find that I get a better flavor for the Warhammer Universe from Inquisitor Novels. They are my personal favorites.
Eisenhorn (A Warhammer 40,000 Omnibus)
Ravenor: The Omnibus (Warhammer 40000)
Innocence Proves Nothing (Warhammer 40000)
MECHANICUM - The Mechanicum is almost like a pseudoreligion based on Mars who has a very close alliance with the Emperor (although sometimes you wonder). The Mechanicum makes most of the technology for the Empire. So many things have been invented and forgotten in the 40K universe that technology is more of technomagic and technology use is almost ritual-like.
Mechanicum (Horus Heresy)
HORUS HERESY NOVELS (take place circa 30,000 years from now versus 40,000 from now for most other Warhammer stories) - When the Warhammer 40K Universe was invented (mostly for gaming purposes), a backstory was developed that tells how the Galaxy was brought under the Emperor. It used to be a fairly short story but has been expanded broadly now that Warhammer 40K is so popular. Here are some Heresy books in no particular order but there is an order (there are too many of them for me to track and I haven't read them all).
Horus Rising (The Horus Heresy)
The Flight of the Eisenstein (Horus Heresy)
False Gods: The Heresy Takes Root (The Horus Heresy)
Mechanicum (is a Horus Heresey story which takes place about 30,000 years from now)
MECHANICUM
I loved this story because it provides the context for how the empire's technology came to be and how it fell so far. Basically, without giving away the story, this book tells the story of how Mars got involved in the Heresey, who too which sides and what those initial struggles looked like. Expect lots of Titan battles, and intrigue. There's also an interesting little back story regarding some daemon or other superentity (I'll let you read it, and if you're a Warhammer Pro it'll probably make more sense to you than to me)...I will tell you that I learned a TON about the Mechanicum, how the Emperor originally brought Mars under him and how Horus took so much of Mars (the rise of the Dark Mechanicum).....and how the Empire lost so much technology in one day (perhaps never to recover).
This book also sets the stage for another Mechanicum story to be told 10,000 years later in the present Warhammer 40K universe. Overall some people might find that the book says too much.....to me as a novice, I ate it up. Mcniell did a tremendous job on this book. If you're a pro or a fan of this Universe, you owe it to yourself to read this book and get the background.
Just bear in mind, it's a Horus Heresey novel so it's set in the year 30k not 40k...
Summary of Horus Heresy: Mechanicum
In this epic story, Fulgrim author Graham McNeill tells of the civil war on Mars, and the genesis of the Dark Mechanicum. This next installment is guaranteed to keep fans hooked as the series goes from strength to strength.
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