Book Review – Scars

It’s been a while since I visited the Horus Heresy series, and since I recently finished Scars by Chris Wraight, I figured I would share the journey with you. There may be spoilers ahead, so consider yourself warned!

If you’ve read any of my older book reviews, you know that the Horus Heresy series has been a big batch of hit-or-miss for me. The books that are on really get it right, while the others fall so flat on their face that they stand up looking like pugs.

Scars definitely isn’t one of the latter. I’ve always been on the fence about whether or not I actually like the White Scars in fluff, and this book has definitely pushed me into camp with the rest of the fans. Mr. Wraight gives them a flair that encompasses both the normal Space Marine and the old horseback warriors of the Mongolian steppes. This flavor, along with decent character development, makes them leap off the page as realistic beings.

One of the strangest aspects of the Heresy series for me has been the dichotomy between Horus and Emperor legions. Those who chose to stray from the Imperium were always divided in doing so, evidence being the purging that Horus and his brothers had to inflict on their own legion. Those who choose to stay with the Emperor, however, have always seemed to do so to a man.

Scars changes all of that, with a Legion split down the middle in its loyalties. The Khan has always kept his distance from the rest of the Imperium, content to simply receive his orders and then set to hunting independently of his brothers. Horus capitalizes on that by befriending the Khan and then setting the Warrior Lodges into play within his Legion, leaving them divided when conflicting reports come to them from the galaxy at large. Many believe that the Emperor has betrayed his sons, while others see Horus as the aggressor. The one common thread, however, is a belief that the Space Wolves have turned their back on humanity at large. Horus plans to use that to have the White Scars and the Space Wolves wipe each other out, as he knows that the Space Wolves will never trust him.

The Space Wolves have always been a favorite, and Bjorn has always ranked near the top of my list. His involvement in the Heresy continues in this novel as he comes to the Primarch’s attention, and you can see his ascent in the Legion begin. There is also a fine piece of foreshadowing, when Bjorn is boarding a torpedo to launch against Alpha Legion aggressors. As he is closed in he thinks to himself, “This is how Dreadnoughts must feel.” It is simultaneously funny and terribly sad, as we know his ultimate fate.

Some of the highlights of the book for me came when the Khan was speaking with his senior Stormseer, Yesugei. They talk on everything from the warrior spirit to the prospect of coming campaigns, and at many times manage to be deeply philosophical. At one point they discuss the dangers of coming to the point where you get old and fat because you believe yourself safe. It has excellent context within the book and in real life as well, speaking to the ever-present dangers that accompany existence.

While the Khan’s storyline is excellent, Yesugei’s own goes through ups and downs as he tries to make his way back to his brothers. There are too many coincidences for my own tastes, such as his ship falling out of the Warp and just so happening to come into contact with Salamanders, Raven Guard, and Iron Hands that have survived a run from Istvaan. In all the wide spaces of the galaxy, it seems unlikely that this could ever happen, so unlikely in fact that it makes the entire storyline that spirals out from there seem unbelievable.

Another unique aspect of Scars came in the difficulty the White Scars found in mastering the standard tongue used throughout the Imperium. As a result their dialogue was stilted and imperfect. This served to really drag them into character and show you how different they were, much as Dan Abnett did with the Space Wolves and the Vlka Fenryka. These little touches breathe life into the story and invest you with a deeper sense of realism.

If you only read the Heresy books that are worth reading, then Scars is definitely for you. It has some flaws along the way, but the story is well-written for the most part, and the White Scars will convince you that they are unique among their brother Space Marines. If you’ve ever been curious about where the bike-riding sons of Chogoris were during the Heresy, then give this book a look. It progresses the story nicely, and brings some more threads into the tapestry that ends with the assault on Terra itself.