Luther: First of the Fallen

The Horus Heresy

By: Gav Thorpe

Narrated by: Andrew James Spooner

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

A Horus Heresy novel

Hero. Villain. Protector. Destroyer. Loyal. Fallen. Luther embodies the duality at the heart of the Dark Angels – but what is his story? Prepare to find out....

Listen to It Because

Get new insights into one of the key figures of the Horus Heresy, who shaped the destiny of the Dark Angels for 10 millennia, in a new novel by the master of First Legion fiction, Gav Thorpe.

The Story

Knight of the Angelicasta. Saviour of the Lion. Grand Master of the Order. Lord of the Dark Angels. Protector of Caliban. Chaos Heretic. Destroyer of Caliban. Sorcerer of the Abyss. Arch-traitor. Dark Oracle. First of the Fallen.

Can one man be all of these things?

Kept alive and imprisoned for 10,000 years, Luther is the curse and the salvation of the Dark Angels made manifest. None are so close to the heart and history of the Chapter as the man that embodies all that was great about the First Legion and all that is shameful about the Dark Angels. In his story is writ the tale of the Horus Heresy and the fall from Enlightenment in a single long life. Glory, honour, pride, shame and betrayal weave a tapestry of truth and lies that the Supreme Grand Masters of the Dark Angels have sought to understand and unbind across 10 bloody millennia. Luther claims repentance for his past deeds, but was it his sins that condemned the Chapter to its secretive fate, or should warnings from history have been more closely heeded?

Written by Gav Thorpe. Narrated by Andrew James Spooner.

©2021 Games Workshop Limited (P)2021 Games Workshop Limited

An excellent performance and a refreshing perspective

This was my first Dark Angels book and I found it fascinating. I loved the lore of Caliban and the parables that Luther tells. Andrew James Spooner’s performance is also exceptional. Highly recommended!

Luther teaches lessons while imprisoned

I really like the perspectives shown through the book. performance is also great. can't wait to see what happens next for Luther.

Must-Read for Dark Angels Fans

I really found this book to be an awesome listen. If you're a Dark Angels fan or someone interested in them, I couldn't reccomend this book enough.

This is the best insight into the history and progression of the First that I've ever read, and it added so much depth to the character of Luther, who I previously felt to be a more flat villain.

The structure of the book is excellent, providing insights into the history of Caliban and the Dark Angels chapter through Luther's various tales, and while it does so, it also tells the reader a lot about the Chapter's regression through the use of a line of Supreme Grandmasters.

Seriously, if you're interested in the lore and want a look at what could be in store for the future for the First, give this a listen.

Andrew James Spooner also does a stellar job narrating! I couldn't have asked for more.

Dope

Absolutely amazing
A must listen
wooooooooo.

I am Dave oh yeah
Legions astarte boy

Luther the Immortal

Just excellent 👌

A must-read/listen for all fans of the Dark Angeles and the Horus Heresy. It reveals a lot more details about the buildup to the destruction of Caliban and of Luther's past. I also really liked the narrator. This is one of the few recent 40K audio books that had my attention all the way through.

Way better then Gav's last book

Gav Thorpe is notoriously hot and cold as far as the books he writes for black library.

Some of his books are among the best of the Horus heresy, like deliverance loss or angels of Caliban. Others are so terrible that I really wish I had never read it, like Indomitus, his eldar novels, or some of his varied Dark Angel shorts.

It seems like black library had intended this book to bridge a number of different weak points in the lore of the genesis of the dark angels.

If this was the mission, than the author accomplished it very solidly.

The author has a bad habit however of making a straw man out of characters that are not ones your supposed to like.

The effect is that many of the stories are 2 dimensional until you reach 1 or 2 characters.

Presuming the previous mission, the author had a tough task, but used the vehicle of Luther as an effective bridge across seeming chasms of unwritten lore.

There are a few very difficult parts to the book however, these parts are shared with other books recently from black library generally and Gav particularly.

The forcing of politically correct agendas is really not necessary in the grim darkness of the 41st millennium. Nobody likes to be subtly or unsubtly propagandised, I really don't need female nights running around when that was never integral to the story.

In fact, it's kind of a put off. They are not any historical evidences of this happening anywhere in human history. It is just a modern political agenda that will pass later. It makes the work have less staying power and appeal ability.

Have and black library both have been pushing similar agendas with gender nonconformity, female empowerment, and how evil religion is.

S is really irritating and nobody really enjoys it. It is tolerated, not enjoyed.

Jumping onto that bandwagon, Gav also loves to permeate the work with the idea that everything is meaningless and there is no right or wrong.

Being a veteran of black library, the warhammer universe generally, and all sorts of similar fiction, this is one of the most annoying tropes out there is fiction.

It is a small minded, internally invalid outlook the defeats itself simply on its statement. I am not advocating one or another value set per se, but damn seems to love the depressing and meaningless angles in his characters.

Why does a character do any one thing instead of another thing if there is no hope of anything positive in the end? Gav doesn't know, or at least he doesn't seem to write anything.

That is why this is so strange about this particular book. The reader is hopeful of some kind of information contributing to the overall storyline of the dark angels. This keeps us turning the pages.

In this book, Gav understands that very well, which is why the book was very readable.

It seems strange that gave does not extend this understanding to characters in his books.

That being sad, Gav's work in this book is above average and is generally very solid.This is mostly because the subject is compelling and we really want to advance the overall storyline in the 40K universe.

He narrator, Mr. Spooner, did a phenomenal job! It is fairly rare to have a reader do so well that I have not heard before in 40k audios, but he did quite well. Hats off!

mire like a fantasy medieval times story than WH40

this story was more like a fantasy medieval times with bolted and chains words than an actual Warhammer 40k story, other than that it's a good story

Amazing insight

I loved this from start to finish. I started this with the intent to continue my dislike of the Dark Angels, and it didn't abate, but I've left it actually loving Luthor.

Good S***

This story was the most human story I've listened to or read so far. "A"mazing

My new favorite book

Not many Warhammer books like this where the whole book is from one character’s perspective. This book dives into Luther’s life, both present and past, giving you a glimpse into his true nature and the corruption that gripped him. Does he truly regret his actions? Or is he only trying to convinse himself and his captors? It’s up to you to listen and decide.