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First published2011
AudienceAdult
ISBN1849700370
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The Age of Darkness
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for: Dedicated Horus Heresy readers who want a contemplative, multi-perspective look at the seven-year interwar period between Isstvan V and the march on Terra, particularly those interested in the political and philosophical dimensions of the setting rather than action-driven plots.
Worth it? Skip it? Read the full verdict →The Horus Heresy reading order
Book 16 of 64 books
- Horus Rising2006
- False Gods2006
- Galaxy in Flames2006
- The Flight of the Eisenstein2007
- Fulgrim2007
- Descent of Angels2007
- Legion2008
- Battle for the Abyss2008
- Mechanicum2008
- Tales of Heresy2009 · on Amazon
- Fallen Angels2009
- A Thousand Sons2010
- Nemesis2010
- The First Heretic2010
- Prospero Burns2010
- Age of DarknessThis book
- The Outcast Dead2011 · on Amazon
- Deliverance Lost2012 · on Amazon
- Know No Fear2012 · on Amazon
- The Primarchs2012 · on Amazon
- Fear to Tread2012 · on Amazon
- Shadows of Treachery2012 · on Amazon
- Angel Exterminatus2012 · on Amazon
- Betrayer2012 · on Amazon
- Mark of Calth2013 · on Amazon
- Vulkan Lives2013 · on Amazon
- The Unremembered Empire2013 · on Amazon
- Scars2014 · on Amazon
- Vengeful Spirit2014 · on Amazon
- The Damnation of Pythos2014 · on Amazon
- Legacies of Betrayal2015 · on Amazon
- Deathfire2015 · on Amazon
- War Without End2016 · on Amazon
- Pharos2015 · on Amazon
- Eye of Terra2016 · on Amazon
- The Path of Heaven2016 · on Amazon
- The Silent War2016 · on Amazon
- Angels of Caliban2016 · on Amazon
- Praetorian of Dorn2016 · on Amazon
- Corax2016 · on Amazon
- The Master of Mankind2016 · on Amazon
- Garro2017 · on Amazon
- Shattered Legions2017 · on Amazon
- The Crimson King2017 · on Amazon
- Tallarn2017 · on Amazon
- Ruinstorm2017 · on Amazon
- Old Earth2017 · on Amazon
- The Burden of Loyalty2018 · on Amazon
- Wolfsbane2018 · on Amazon
- Born of Flame2018 · on Amazon
- Slaves to Darkness2018 · on Amazon
- Heralds of the Siege2018 · on Amazon
- Titandeath2018 · not reviewed
- The Buried Dagger2019 · on Amazon
- The Solar War2019 · on Amazon
- The Lost and the Damned2019 · on Amazon
- The First Wall2020 · on Amazon
- Saturnine2020 · on Amazon
- Mortis2021 · on Amazon
- Warhawk2021 · on Amazon
- Echoes of Eternity2022 · on Amazon
- The End and the Death, Volume I2023 · on Amazon
- The End and the Death, Volume II2023 · on Amazon
- The End and the Death, Volume III2024 · on Amazon
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The Age of Darkness, edited by Christian Dunn, is a short-story anthology set during the seven-year interregnum between Horus's betrayal at Isstvan V and the final march on Terra — the sixteenth entry in the Horus Heresy series and one of its most contemplative volumes. Where the mainline novels thunder with Space Marine warfare, this collection turns inward, exploring the fear, conviction, and philosophical reckoning of a galaxy mid-collapse through figures ranging from Primarchs to remembrancers. Essential reading for invested Horus Heresy fans, it rewards deep series familiarity but is not an entry point for newcomers — the anthology format also means story quality varies across contributors.
- Is it worth reading?
- For readers already invested in the Horus Heresy, The Age of Darkness is a worthwhile complement to the longer volumes, particularly for the threads it develops around Rogal Dorn, Iacton Qruze, and Roboute Guilliman. Heresy-Online praised the strongest entries for 'good prose, compounded with enthralling themes and well written characters,' and the anthology's contemplative register offers something the mainline novels rarely provide. The key caveat is unevenness — anthology collections live and die by the range of their contributors, and not every story will resonate equally.
- Similar books
- Readers who enjoy The Age of Darkness will find much to explore in the broader Horus Heresy catalogue. Tales of Heresy by Dan Abnett is the closest structural parallel — another anthology volume in the series. For novel-length Heresy fiction, False Gods by Graham McNeill and Fulgrim by Graham McNeill are celebrated entries that share the series' epic scope, while The First Heretic by Aaron Dembski-Bowden — a contributor to this anthology — offers the same philosophical depth in long-form narrative. Legion by Dan Abnett similarly rewards readers drawn to the Heresy's more cerebral, morally complex corners.
- Who should read this?
- The Age of Darkness is squarely aimed at existing Horus Heresy readers who have already tracked the series' major events, factions, and players. It is especially rewarding for those interested in the philosophical and political undercurrents of the Heresy rather than its front-line battles — readers who want to understand Roboute Guilliman's strategic thinking, Rogal Dorn's reluctance, or the inner life of figures like Iacton Qruze will find this anthology particularly valuable. Those seeking kinetic, action-driven Warhammer 40,000 fiction, or anyone new to the setting, should look elsewhere first.
- What are the main themes?
- The Age of Darkness is preoccupied with the psychological and philosophical fallout of the Heresy rather than its battles. Central themes include fear, conviction, loyalty, and purpose — explored through figures grappling with what the Heresy has already done and what it will cause. The collection also raises provocative questions about strategy and allegiance through its recurring attention to Roboute Guilliman and the Ultramarines, while character studies of Rogal Dorn's reluctance and Iacton Qruze's new-found purpose give the anthology much of its emotional texture.
- Where does this fit in the reading order?
- The Age of Darkness is the sixteenth book in the Horus Heresy series. It occupies a transitional position in the overall arc, covering the seven-year interregnum between Isstvan V and the march on Terra. While the anthology can technically be read somewhat independently, its emotional and thematic impact is greatly amplified by familiarity with the preceding fifteen entries — it functions as a broadening complement to the series rather than a plot-driving instalment.
- How consistent is the story quality?
- As with most anthologies, The Age of Darkness is uneven by nature — not every entry will resonate equally with every reader, and the format inherently depends on the range of its contributors. That said, Heresy-Online praised the collection's overall standard, citing 'good prose, compounded with enthralling themes and well written characters,' and singled out at least one story as 'a truly fascinating short, with thought-provoking themes and compelling characters.' The breadth of perspectives — from Primarchs to remembrancers — is itself a draw for devoted series readers, even if the highs and lows vary.
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Summarize this book
The Age of Darkness is a short-story anthology edited by Christian Dunn and published by Games Workshop in 2011 as the sixteenth entry in the Horus Heresy series. Set during the seven secretive years between Horus's betrayal at Isstvan V and the inevitable drive on Terra, it gathers contributions from multiple Black Library authors — including Aaron Dembski-Bowden and Chris Wraight — to illuminate the plans, silences, and psychological reckonings of a galaxy in collapse. Rather than staging set-piece battles, the collection focuses on character-driven stories exploring fear, loyalty, and purpose, with recurring thematic attention to the Ultramarines and Roboute Guilliman.
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Editorial Review
The Age of Darkness, edited by Christian Dunn and published by Games Workshop in 2011, is the sixteenth entry in the Horus Heresy series — a short-story anthology exploring the seven secretive years between the betrayal at Isstvan V and the final march on Terra. It earns attention as a rare anthology volume in the series, shedding light on the war's quieter, more philosophical corridors rather than its front-line battles.
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