Ashes of the Imperium

The Horus Heresy: The Scouring, Book 1

De: Chris Wraight

Narrado por: Jonathan Keeble

Audiobook 1 in the Scouring Series

As the Siege of Terra ends, there are many loose ends – Traitors trying desperately to escape, a monumental vacuum of power to fill, and a crumbling galactic government to see to. Those who hold on to power must decide how to wield it, and a new structure must be put in place, all while desires to exact vengeance run high.

LISTEN TO IT BECAUSE
It's the beginning of an epic series. Find out what happens after the cataclysmic events of the Horus Heresy, as an unsteady Imperium must find its footing and learn how to exist without the guidance of the Emperor.

THE STORY
Horus is dead. Terra lies in ruins. The Emperor is silent. Amid the rubble of the Palace, shell-shocked survivors emerge into the light of an uncertain dawn. New powers are present now, ones that have travelled the length of the galaxy to bring salvation to the Imperium, though they are as readily cast as usurpers as redeemers. The survivors of the Traitors’ Grand Armada, now scattered and desperate to escape vengeance, are riven with doubt and dissension, and their gods too are silent. Amid all the grief and confusion, some hopeful souls believe the war to be over and an era of renewal just ahead. But wiser heads know that this war can never end, and that the only question remaining is who shall rise to power within the perilous new age, and who shall fall.

Written by Chris Wraight. Narrated by Jonathan Keeble. Runtime 15 hours and 28 minutes approx.

©2025 Games Workshop Limited (P)2025 Games Workshop Limited

A okay first step into the Scouring.

*SPOLILER*my biggest gripe with this book is characters like Robute seem out of character and says some things he would never say. Vulkan and the Khan are not fighting because "politics"??????? The Khan makes sense he is too injured but Vulkan is something else entirely. he was first introduced in this book only caring about bringing about vengeance and doesn't change that opinion. He should have been on Luna. This book has many good moments and some big new lore additions but it seems like they are holding back certain characters for no good reason.

Meandering but Hides Gems

A meandering, unfocused narrative raises many interesting questions, and answers a few of them. Several entire chapters can be entirely skipped without loss to the story. The performance earns a demerit for occasionally being so soft or hard to hear that it degrades the experience.

A surprising twist at the climax

A gradual build up to the climax of the start of the scouring and then a shocking twist. Very good start to this portion of W40K lore from Chris Wright with more exceptional voice acting from the Jonathan Keeble.

the voice acting

it was a good listen. I liked the Charecters development. it isn't like a space marine to have an arch but one does

A great start

Go into this with the mindset of setting up the rest of the series with a lot of talking and some action that’s great but