Book Review // Battle for the Abyss by Ben Counter

We are full of Heresy here on the blog; quickly following on from Legion comes Battle for the Abyss by Ben Counter. I'm pretty excited about this book as it has the Word Bearers as a focused villain, who, in my opinion, is one of the best HH forces out there. The only problem I foresee is that Ben Counter is the writer. I find him to be a bit of a hit-or-miss kind of author, and sometimes it can happen in the same book - I’m looking at you, Malodrax! But fingers crossed.

Book Details

Title: The Horus Heresy #8 - Battle for the Abyss

Author: Ben Counter

Publisher: Black Library

Type: Paperback

Page Count: 416

Amazon Link: Link to Kindle as paperback is a stupid price

Fluff: Now that news of Horus's treachery is in the open, a time of testing has come. Some Legions have already declared their allegiance to the Warmaster, while the loyalty of others lies firmly with the Emperor. As Horus deploys his forces, loyalist Astartes learn that a massive Wordbearers fleet is heading to Ultramar, home of the Ultramarines. Unless they can intercept the fleet, and destroy the mighty battleship that has been sent to reinforce it, the Ultramarines may suffer a blow from which they will never recover.

Review

It seems that poor Ben Counter Horus Heresy novels follow on from a Dan Abnett tale (the second time so far), putting the book on a back foot with a lot to live up to. Of course, I will try not to have Legion cloud my viewpoint and be as fair as I can. This novel takes us back into the main timeline, with the Traitorous forces starting to make their moves while the loyalists still haven't worked out what is happening. I genuinely like this stage as it is like a game of chess, as Horus uses his position of Warmaster to manipulate the playing pieces into traps or stalemates, disrupting restocking and refuelling. At the same time, his strongest allies get the newest equipment. This brings the upcoming rebellion to life, and this story plays into this idea, with a clueless Ultramarine force caught in the middle of an unfolding Word Bearer trap!

The Word Bearers, the second most numerous legion after the Ultramarines, and most devoted sons of the Emperor have been ashamed for deeming the Emperor a God. Humbled by a show of strength by the ultramarines, they have now become reclusive and isolated. During their penance, it would seem they have found a new calling and are helping sow the seed of Heresy. Now, as the galaxy is on the cusp of war, the Word Bearers can strike back at the Ultramarines and make them pay for the pain they have caused. Under the very noses of their soon-to-be enemies, they have built an all-new class of battleship, which they have named The Furious Abyss. Bigger than any other battleship constructed so far and with the firepower to take on entire fleets, this ship is designed to break worlds. Now, the Furious Abyss is heading to the Calth region in the Ultramar System, leading a fleet of warships. Their mission is to destroy Calth whilst the Ultramarines Legion muster on the surface, breaking the back of this loyal legion before they even realize a war has begun.

Captain Cestus of the Ultramarines is thrown into the wake of this massive war fleet. After receiving a distress call from a fellow Ultramarine, Captain Cestus discovers an unknown warship stalking the void, seemingly destroying all crafts it happens upon as it moves towards Calth. Captain Cestus must team up with various characters (Brynngar—Space Wolves, Skraal—World Eaters, and Mhotep—Thousand Son) to track down this new threat and hopefully stop it.

This read like a 30K retelling of “Sink the Bismarck.” I like the idea of using real war scenarios with a Warhammer twist. It feels like the old saying, “History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.” Ultimately, it could only ever have one outcome, but it was a fun trip to the end. This is a solid and great read. Following on from a Dan Abnett tale was always going to be challenging, but Counter does a great job of getting us back on track following the events of Istvaan. I recommend this title and would love to hear your thoughts; drop me a comment below.