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After many years of playing, I've finally picked up some of the novels and have begun to tackle the Horus Heresy series. Now, I know that the books were not published in anything close to resembling a chronological order. I understand that Horus Rising, False Gods, and Galaxy in Flames represent an opening trilogy, while other novels take place at various times periods throughout the 7 or so year period, with many books overlapping and some even being prequels to the series. Most people seem to suggest simply picking up the novels that involve characters, chapters, events, etc that you are personally interested in. However, my interest is in the overall narrative of the Horus Heresy.

I found this link that gives a rough chronology, and even includes material outside of the Horus Heresy line. It is quite an intimidating list, containing nearly 300 published works.
https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Tymell/the-horus-heresy-series-a-chronological-reading-guide/1/

My hope, is that with help of this community, we might be able to formulate a condensed version of this list, that represents the core material of the Horus Heresy in chronological order.

So, what books would you consider to be at the core of this narrative? Which ones are essential to the overarching story? If you can, also list the time periods in which these books span. Unless there are objections, having been written as the opening trilogy, I think books 1, 2, and 3 would fit best as the beginning of this abridged series.

39. Legion
42. Horus Rising
45. False Gods
47. A Thousand Sons
49. Prospero Burns
52. Galaxy in Flames
54. Flight of the Eisenstein
64. The First Heretic
65. Fulgrim
70. Aurelian
73. The Outcast Dead
89. Scars
100. Know No Fear
118. Betrayer
121. Fear to Tread
146. Angel Exterminatus
158. Vengeful Spirit
171. The Unremembered Empire
196. The Crimson King
199. Pharos
205. The Path of Heaven
207. Praetorian of Dorn
209. The Master of Mankind
211. Old Earth
217. Ruinstorm
227. Wolfsbane
240. Slaves to Darkness
245. The Buried Dagger

And then the Solar War

I left out most of the Mechanicum stuff because it is interesting, but tangential.

I left out most of the early Dark Angels stuff and most of the Raven Guard stuff because it is awful.

https://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Horus%20heresy%20reading%20order

what Makes Legion make that list? I know people love their Alpha Legion but.. I don't think it's that important a story

BrianDavion wrote:
what Makes Legion make that list? I know people love their Alpha Legion but.. I don't think it's that important a story

I haven't read Legion, but from my understanding it does have one particular bombshell:



Which may or may not get called back to in Praetorian, I don't remember.

 Captain Joystick wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:
what Makes Legion make that list? I know people love their Alpha Legion but.. I don't think it's that important a story

I haven't read Legion, but from my understanding it does have one particular bombshell:

Spoiler:

IIRC, that's the book where Alpharius is told about Chaos and that he needs to side with Horus (and win) in order to ultimately wipe it out.

Which may or may not get called back to in Praetorian, I don't remember.

Plus a lot of perpetuals stuff. Which people might not like, but is important.

Legion also reveals the whole

For anyone interested, a complete chronological reading chart for the Horus Heresy.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/40kLore/comments/b2d3q7/the_first_draft_of_my_almost_complete_reading/