I mean yeah, the book doesn't take long to read, but the issue is more that it's stuffed with pointlessly elongated sequences that don't improve it.
The confrontation between the Emperor and Horus ends up being farcical because it's drawn out in some mistaken belief that "moar pages = moar epic" but it just falls flat for me compared to what I've already got.
I don't hate the series, I was quite positive on it til this last book, and even then I can see what they were going for, it's just not to my taste. Solar War, Saturnine, Warhawk and Echoes of Eternity are all great novels, and the First Wall, Lost and the Damned and Mortis are at least good. The End and the Death part 1 is pretty good too, in places, and the latter two books have their moments but on balance I'd say they are mediocre (but not bad).
That's a pretty good hit rate for Black Library, who generally produce more duds than hits in my experience.
I was just a bit surprised by this one, because I think it might the the first Dan Abnett book I don't really care for.
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