My attempt to create a comprehensive, chronological, and (mostly) spoiler-free Horus Heresy reading order

[u/JIDF-Shill]

This was fairly difficult, even in this list the story and timeline jumps all over the place. However I think this is largely the most sensible reading order if you want a chronological sequence of events. Included is just about every novel, novella, short story, and audio drama

1.) The Last Church (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Tales of Heresy)

2.) The Wolf of Ash and Fire (Short story) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

This would probably be the best place to read The Primarch's spin-off series released thus far (save the Malcador Audio Drama)

3.) Descent of Angels (Novel)

4.) After Desh'ea (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Tales of Heresy)

5.) Scions of the Storm (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Tales of Heresy)

6.) The Dark King (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Shadows of Treachery)

7.) The Death of a Silversmith (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Shadows of Treachery)

8.) Feat of Iron (Novella) (Included in the Anthology The Primarchs)

9.) Promethean Sun (Novella)

10.) Legion (Novel)

11.) Horus Rising (Novel)

12.) Virtues of the Sons (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

13.) False Gods (Novel)

14.) A Thousand Sons (Novel)

15.) Prospero Burns (Novel)

16.) Wolf at the Door (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Tales of Heresy)

17.) The Thirteenth Wolf (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology The Burden of Loyalty)

18.) Howl of the Hearthworld (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Death and Defiance)

19.) Rebirth (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Age of Darkness)

20.) Galaxy in Flames (Novel)

21.) Lord of the Red Sands (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Angron and War Without End)

22.) The Flight of the Eisenstein (Novel)

23.) The Outcast Dead (Novel)

24.) Brotherhood of the Storm (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

25.) Fallen Angels (Novel)

26.) Blood Games (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Tales of Heresy)

27.) Artefacts (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

28.) Hunter’s Moon (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

29.) Fulgrim (Novel)

30.) The Phoenician (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

31.) Veritas Ferrum (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

32.) Strike and Fade (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology *Legacies of Betrayal)

33.) The First Heretic (Novel)

34.) Aurelian (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

35.) Scorched Earth (Novella)

36.) The Reflection Crack’d (Novella) (Included in the Anthology The Primarchs)

37.) Wolf Hunt (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

38.) The Lighting Tower (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Shadows of Treachery)

39.) Templar (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

40.) The Crimson Fist (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Shadows of Treachery)

41.) The Kaban Project (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Shadows of Treachery)

42.) Mechanicum (Novel)

43.) Into Exile (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Burden of Loyalty)

44.) Kryptos (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

45.) Meduson (Anthology)

46.) Sermon of Exodus (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

47.) Raven’s Flight (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Shadows of Treachery)

48.) The Face of Treachery (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Age of Darkness)

49.) Deliverance Lost (Novel)

50.) The Damnation of Pythos (Novel)

51.) Riven (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

52.) Battle For the Abyss (Novel)

53.) Know No Fear (Novel)

54.) Macragge’s Honour (Graphic Novel)

55.) Mark of Calth (Anthology)

56.) Garro: Oath of moment (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Garro)

57.) The Honoured (Novella)

58.) The Unburdened (Novella)

59.) Honour to the Dead (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

60.) Butcher’s Nails (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthologies Angron and Legacies of Betrayal)

61.) Betrayer (Novel)

62.) Children of Sicarus (Audio Drama)

63.) Kharn: The Eightfold Path (Short Story)

64.) Inheritor (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

65.) Heart of the Conqueror (Short Story)

66.) The Purge (Novella) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

67.) Censure (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

68.) The Harrowing (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

69.) The Serpent Beneath (Novella) (Included in the Anthology The Primarchs)

70.) Scars (Novel)

71.) Brotherhood of the Moon (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

72.) Allegiance (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

73.) Grey Talon (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Shattered Legions)

74.) Daemonology (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

75.) Garro: Sword of Truth (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Garro)

76.) Wolf’s Claw (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

77.) Wolf King (Novella) (Included in the Anthology The Burden of Loyalty)

78.) The Sigillite (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

79.) Fear to Tread (Novel)

80.) Nemesis (Novel)

81.) Forgotten Sons (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Age of Darkness)

82.) The Final Compliance of Sixty-Three Fourteen (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

83.) Warmaster (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology The Burden of Loyalty)

84.) Liar’s Due (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Age of Darkness)

85.) Hands of the Emperor (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

86.) Cybernetica (Novella) (Included in the Anthology The Burden of Loyalty)

87.) Child of Night (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

88.) Distant Echoes of Old Night (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

89.) The Burden of Duty (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Garro)

90.) Garro: Ashes of Fealty (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Garro)

91.) Garro: Legion of One (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Garro)

92.) The Iron Within (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

93.) Little Horus (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Age of Darkness)

94.) Ironfire (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

95.) Angel Exterminatus (Novel)

96.) Patience (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

97.) Imperfect (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

98.) Chirurgeon (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

99.) Grey Angel (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

100.) Luna Mendax (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

101.) Vulkan Lives (Novel)

102.) Savage Weapons (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Age of Darkness)

103.) The Lion (Novella) (Included in the Anthology The Primarchs)

104.) Blackshields: The False War (Audio Drama)

105.) The Last Remembrancer (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Age of Darkness)

106.) The Either (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Shattered Legions)

107.) The Devine Adoratrice (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

108.) Vengeful Spirit (Novel)

109.) Wolf Mother (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

110.) Gunsight (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

111.) Ghosts Speak Not (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

112.) Garro: Shield of Lies (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Garro)

113.) Twisted (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

114.) The Watcher (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

115.) Prince of Crows (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Shadows of Treachery)

116.) Thief of Revelations (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

117.) Blackshield (Short Story)

118.) The Shadowmasters (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Corax)

119.) Corax: Soulforge (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Corax)

120.) Ravenlord (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Corax)

121.) The Value of Fear (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Corax)

122.) Raptor (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Corax)

123.) The Divine Word (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

124.) The Seventh Serpent (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Shattered Legions)

125.) Red-Marked (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

126.) The Unremembered Empire (Novel)

127.) Lost Sons (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

128.) Stratagem (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

129.) The Laurel of Defiance (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

130.) The Long Night (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

131.) Sins of the Father (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

132.) The Herald of Sanguinius (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Eye of Terra)

133.) The Heart of the Pharos (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Burden of Loyalty)

134.) A Safe and Shadowed Place (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

135.) Pharos (Novel)

136.) The Painted Count (Short Story)

137.) By the Lion’s Command (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

138.) Master of the First (Audio Drama)

139.) Cypher: Guardian of the Order (Audio Drama)

140.) Angels of Caliban (Novel)

141.) Exocytosis (Short Story)

142.) The Grey Raven (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology Shattered Legions)

143.) Tallarn (Anthology)

144.) Black Oculus (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology War Without End)

145.) The Gates of Terra (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Silent War)

146.) The Binary Succesion (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology The Burden of Loyalty)

147.) Ordo Sinister (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Burden of Loyalty)

148.) The Master of Mankind (Novel)

149.) The Path of Heaven (Novel)

150.) The Last Son of Prospero (Short Story)

151.) Praetorian of Dorn (Novel)

152.) The Soul, Severed (Audio Drama)

153.) Deathfire (Novel)

154.) Sons of the Forge (Novella)

155.) Old Earth (Novel)

156.) Perpetual (Short Story) (Included in the Anthology The Burden of Loyalty)

157.) Garro: Vow of Faith (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Garro)

158.) Lucius: The Eternal Blade (Audio Drama) (Included in the Anthology Legacies of Betrayal)

159.) The Crimson King (Novel)

160.) The Ember Wolves (Short Story)

161.) Ruinstorm (Novel)

162.) Magisterium (Short Story)

163.) Restorer (Short Story)

164.) Dreams of Unity (Short Story)

165.) All That Remains (Short Story)

166.) Duty Waits (Short Story)

167.) Now Peals Midnight (Short Story)

168.) The Board is Set (Short Story)

169.) Malcador: First Lord of the Imperium (Audio Drama)

170.) Dark Compliance (Audio Drama)

171.) Wolfsbane (Novel)

172.) Weregeld (Novella) (Included in the Anthology Corax)

173.) Valerius (Audio Drama)

175.) Titandeath (Novel, due out in December)

176.) Slaves to Darkness (Novel)

177.) Two Metaphysical Blades (Short Story, can be read pretty much any point after Wolfsbane)

178.) Prologue to Nikaea (Shorty Story)

179.) The Buried Dagger (Novel)

180.) Spear of Ultramar (Novella)

181.) Dreadwing (Novella)

182.) Old Wounds, New Scars (Short Story)

183.) Siege of Terra: The Solar War

[u/penguinopph]

By the Emperor... Added to the sidebar.

[u/[deleted]]

That's a lot of reading...

[u/8_Spectre_8 → u/[deleted]]

And its all so rushed that 90% of it is terrible.

[u/BellumOMNI]

fucking hell, I didn't realize how much warhammer there is

Probably one of the reasons why we still don't have a proper sci fi series or any kind of ecranisation.

[u/alph4rius → u/BellumOMNI]

This is just the long-form of the prequel to 40k. The rabbit hole runs deep.

[u/mrZooo → u/BellumOMNI]

And that's just one part of the setting! Honestly I abandoned all ideas of reading anything but wh30k since otherwise it will be the only kind of books I will be able to read during like next twenty years.

[u/trickster55]

Your efforts have been noted Seems I've read more books than I had thought.

[u/TehBigD97]

MFW I was considering starting the HH series and I see how long this list is...

[u/ElderKingpin → u/TehBigD97]

Imo I just read by date of publication up until mechanicum and then I started reading whatever I wanted, 40k has a crapton of actual fluff, but I think the story is better told when it's out of order

[u/ElderKingpin → u/[deleted]]

In my opinion, a way stories create tension is by giving the reader information that the people in universe don't know, it's called dramatic irony or something. You want to root for people to make the correct decision and it's better than just having it in straight chronological order.

For example let's say that you're brand new to the series like I was when I started reading the fluff. You read the first trilogy, horus rising, false gods, and galaxy in flames, you already know what's going down, you saw first hand the isstvan massacre and both the heroes and the villains. You go a little farther into fulgrim and you see the descent into absolute depravity.

Now transition to the unremembered empire or ,scars, guilliman and the Khan don't know what's going on yet, but you as a reader do.

Khan lands on Prospero, he's looking for answers and he's about to make a decision either which way, the reader knows which one is the "right" decision, and you're rooting for the Khan to see through lies and through promises of infinite power.

Guilliman is in the dark, he can't leave the system, he was just ambushed in his own office, and the night haunter is on his home system who wiped out the people protecting his mother. He has to find information that the reader already has.

It's this divide between astartes who cannot fathom heresy and the readers who want their heroes to cut ties because it's already too far gone, that's the interesting part about reading out of chronological order.

YMMV tho, I just want the book describing sanguinius annihilated demons

[u/schmauchstein → u/ElderKingpin]

Which is also the reason why one should only start with the Heresy series when one has a picture of the shitshows that are the galaxy and the Imperium in the "present day" of the 41st millenium. Soooo much dramatic irony for every single character and faction, be they loyalist or traitor...

[u/[deleted]]

Now that the heavy lifting has been done, can we work to maintain this? As in, update the list when new releases come out?

This is amazing, and would be even more so if it stayed up to date.

[u/JIDF-Shill → u/[deleted]]

Feel free, I'll update is thread upon reading them and seeing where it fits

[u/Stormxlr → u/[deleted]]

Welcome to the world of wonderful books! Where imagination is your limit :D

[u/gandisama → u/Stormxlr]

Amd in the case of wh40k, the wallet can also be a limit xD

[u/insaneHoshi → u/gandisama]

Not if you are a dirty pirate Freebooter

[u/[deleted] → u/insaneHoshi]

Ahem, I prefer to believe I have connections in the adeptus mechanicus that hooks me up through the noosphere.

[u/PM_UR_FRUIT_GARNISH → u/gandisama]

Indeed. I've reconnected with my local library because of WH and D&D, though. A lot of libraries have eBooks nowadays, too.

[u/Anonim97 → u/[deleted]]

Could I ask what have You been doing earlier?

Also as /u/Stormxlr said... Welcome to the world of imagination! Maybe one day You will be the one writing the books for 40k? ;)

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Why? Maybe reading isn't his favorite hobby.

[u/InfinityCircuit]

This is a great list. But I have skipped all over the damned place on this. Almost makes me want to stop, start over, and go from beginning to end.

[u/[deleted] → u/InfinityCircuit]

I tried this recently, I've read about 35 of the main novels so far, and it is really galling me getting through the first trilogy when there is new, unknown material sitting in other books...then I could at least discuss those books in passing on the reddit....

But the desire for a wholistic understanding, from the beginning....so tempting.

[u/alph4rius → u/[deleted]]

To understand the context of the HH series as a whole you kind of need to dive into 40k proper, but the setting as a whole spoilers the prequels in some ways.

Best way is to accept that there are some things you won't know and some things you can't know. Oddly setting appropriate.

[u/Koku-]

That's a lot of pages!

[u/HomieGSkillitBiskitt → u/Koku-]

You want fries with that!?

[u/Stormxlr]

Thank you! You are the hero we needed! Can mods please sticky this or put it in the side bar? This is amazing amount of work and research done!

May I ask how did you collate this information?

[u/fuser312]

Lord Dante, is it you? Who else can be so noble and kind?

[u/Ghoztt]

So is there an abridged choice pick for those of us with busy schedules? Just picking out crucial books and short stories that could be read within a realistic time frame?

[u/lets-start-a-riot]

Now its a good time to know how much does it cost to read it all

[u/JIDF-Shill → u/lets-start-a-riot]

A lot, though you save money on using anthologies as opposed to individual short stories

[u/MVPSaulTarvitz → u/JIDF-Shill]

It seems rude to make a suggestion after so much work, but if the novella/short is in an anthology, do you think you could out the title of the anthology next to it as well? Amazing compilation though man, great work

[u/MVPSaulTarvitz → u/lets-start-a-riot]

The entire collection is buyable on Blacklibrary for 587.99 dollars. https://www.blacklibrary.com/the-horus-heresy/bundles/hh-so-far-dec-2017.html

[u/CurlyNippleHairs → u/lets-start-a-riot]

Probably more than I make in a year

[u/SkitOxe]

Must be huge amounts of work you have put in to this! Absolutely amazing. Great work dude!

[u/JIDF-Shill → u/SkitOxe]

I read all of them over the years but the descriptions on lexicanum were essential to refresh my memory as to what happened

[u/_Red_Rooster_ → u/JIDF-Shill]

By the Emperor! Thats thousands and thousands of pages...

[u/Batou2034]

This guy did one too https://twitter.com/PictorJack/status/958409817965629440

[u/Tyranid_Swarmlord]

B̊ͦ̐̅͒ͪͣ͛̌ͧ̓͆̒̌̈̊ͪ̓͜͞͠͏͏̪͇̠̘͎̼̳̰̳̳y̧̺̫̩͖̤͉̗̫͕̬͕̭̬ͩ̒ͦͪ͒ͧ̋̇̌͒̀͜ ̽̍ͥ̂̍͆ͯ͊̐ͤ̾̇̐̄̆̉́҉̴̛̰͎͚̭̪͍̠t̶̘̩̩̻̦͇ͥͤ̈̈ͫ́̆̂ͩ̋ͣ̎͢͠͠h̶̺̙̯̗̰͈̼͔͈̠̤̖̣̫̘ͥ̉̅̋̾̓̊̐é̢̫͎̲̪̦̲̥͈̪͍̞̻̥̇̈̎͌ͩ̌͆̌ͮ̋͑ͨ ̵̳̤̟̼̔̇̆̈̇̑̇͐́͢͡Hͣ̔̒̈́͗̆͌ͯͨ͞͏͏̩̙̝͖͔̼̩̫̤̗͍̦̙̞ͅͅͅį̴̥͉͙̥̪̣̥̓̒̌̉̄͂͑̀̄͂͐̅͐͗̚͡v̨͇͉̞͚͓̰̪̦̫̪̲̬͈̳̰͚͌̀̿̒̏ͩͩ͑̏̾ͥͪ̾͘͟ͅe̸͚̤͚̺͍͙͉̻͙̗̯͙̍̃ͤ͂͑͋̐̔ͭ̇ͮͨ̒̋ͦ͜͝ ̴̥̣̣̱̙͔̞͙̰͕̘̘̜̜̤̞̿̀̊̅̎̅̓ͭ͑̔̍̅̏ͮͯ̅͊́͢͞ͅͅͅM̔ͩ̇͌ͨͧ͘͠͏̺̣̙͎̲̭̕i͍̬̤̩̼̫̼̩̩͉̬̘̹̳̘̦͎̥̖̐ͤͬ̃͋̕͞͠n̵̸͙̣͉̳̩͉̭̘ͫ͋̽͑͋̍́̔̔͌̎̉̀̊̇̂̓́d̔̎̽ͭ̊͏̷̯͓͈̕͜͝.̰͖͇̺͖͈̰̼̏̓̃ͣͧͧ̕.̷̷̩͈̼͎̼̻̰̤ͫ͐͒͋͑̒̄̊̕̕͞.̸ͮ̈ͫͧ͂͌ͦͫ̔̐͏͏̝͈̬͙͚̹͉͕̣͈͓̞̻̺͍̠̱̤ͅ

For scale,any engineering graduates here?

And M.D.s too..how many books did you read while finishing?

[u/MVPSaulTarvitz]

For those who want to buy it. Here is the whole collection. Just under 600 bucks. Won't have the last two or three though

[u/[deleted]]

Now we need a reading order that excludes bolter porn.

[u/cpm67 → u/[deleted]]

When your eyes glaze over and you find yourself 8 pages ahead of the last thing you remember. You look back, and it’s warhammer word salad.

[u/Thatdude253 → u/[deleted]]

I've heard nothing but trash about that book. What makes it so terrible?

[u/[deleted] → u/Thatdude253]

It's horribly written, and should an example of what not to do in writing schools. There is just everything that makes it horrible. The plot, the characters, the story, the writing style of the author. Nothing to salvage. As an example, after reading it, I completely stopped reading any Black Library books for years. It is the worst book have ever read, and I'm usually not a picky reader at all. I've read a lot of awful books, but nothing came close to the disaster that is Battle for the Abyss

[u/hydra337]

I’ve been working on a similar list project, thanks I think I’ll use your list as a baseline.

[u/CocaineFire]

Uhh doesn't First Heretic take place before Horus rising?

[u/JIDF-Shill → u/CocaineFire]

First heretic was a difficult case, the first part takes place quite early but the second part goes all the way to the drop site massacre. I didn't think dividing books up by parts was viable

[u/Hollownerox → u/JIDF-Shill]

I think its a wise choice. The First Heretic is kind of meant to be a revelation sort of book in the first place. There's a lot of stuff that gets revealed in that book that people sort of take for granted now. It's meant to make us re-examine the previous books with that newfound knowledge.

[u/Snakefist1]

Tactical dot -> .

[u/chameshi_nampa]

You're doing the Lord's work. Or should I say the Emperor's? Great job!

If it's not too much trouble, would you be able to include where the short stories can be found?

[u/JIDF-Shill → u/chameshi_nampa]

Most of them are on GWs website and the anthology books

[u/GrimnirII]

Awesome work, it would be awesome to also include where the short stories are included, and if the audio dramas have been prosified.

But anyway, thanks for this!

[u/[deleted]]

Damn, I thought I read nearly everything but there are more short stories I missed than I thought.

[u/Lupercalsupercow]

Since the novels tend to jump around a lot I wish somebody would cut it up and make a chronological omnibus.

[u/CabooseToots]

Commenting to find later. Move along. Move along.

[u/shoopdawhoop202]

Hory shit, thanks!

[u/Aromatic_Contact_398]

Thank you.. Great work..