Michael Lee (1) (1962–)

I read this as the opening story of Horus Heresy Omnibus Project reading guide Omnibus III: The Burning of Prospero
(https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus/iii-the-burning-of-prospero) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the series.

The Wolf at the Door is effectively the introduction of the Space Wolves to the Horus Heresy, or at least a more honourable and chronological introduction, as there was a wizard-hating space viking in Battle for the Stereotypes, wisely seeking to give them the spotlight and the opportunity to show how neighbourly and beneficent the Vlka Fenryka can be, offering a meaty paw in friendship, as well as how exacting and ruthless they can be when they need to. Something it's good to have established with a main event on the horizon that keeps popping off over 10,000 years later!

The Space Wolves come to yolk a lost world of humanity to the Imperium of Man. Weathering an impressive amount of derision and disrespect, the Sons of Russ learn the planet has a Drukhari problem. Hoping it will help their cause and not needing any excuse to murder anything not human, the Space Wolves engage in a drawn out and sneaky operation, while ignoring the call for the whole Legion to muster and the protestations of some of the Wolf Brothers about the chances of things going well with how rude they have been. The Wolves of Fenris gain some unlikely allies, Dark Eldar get punched, and they return to negotiations.

Like I said before, I can really see what Lee was going for any the importance of a story like this coming before the whole a Burning of Prospero arc, but being willing to turn the other cheek, give second chances, and endeavouring to do the right thing does not a personality make. Likewise, nothing beyond talking about and understanding raiding really marked the Wolf Lord as a Wolf Brother, beyond the rather interesting lore dump at the beginning. There's a lot of gesturing at something, but, unfortunately, it is more going through the dramatic motions than actually engaging meaningfully. It's uncanny valley dissonance the potential here that makes this as unsatisfying as I found it.

I feel like the past year of intense reading and the ludicrous ferocity of my consuming the Horus Heresy in the last month or so have ever so slowly given me some perspective on ratings. I still think asigning a number to how good an art is really is absurd, but I get that it helps people make choices and that's what all these platforms run on. I still don't do decimal marks, but I do acknowledge that, for me personally, the width and breadth of a three makes it the largest or at least broadest rating. Basically, I'm saying this came very close to getting a four, especially with the end, but ultimately fell short because some good action, especially with Jonathan Keeble embracing his Wulfen within, the novelty of seeing the Drukhari for, I believe, the first time, at least in release order, if I remember correctly (it's very confusing chronologically, but immensely satisfying narratively engaging with this series through the omnibussies), and clearly having a dramatic intent, aren't enough when there's a lot of wasteland of unnecessary bloat in this novella squeezing into its old short story clothes, and most importantly, it didn't make me care about anyone in the story.

After recently reading Betrayal at Calth, The Honoured by Rob Sanders and The Unburdened by David Annandale, and now this, I feel like I have my needs and expectations for Horus Heresy stories nailed down, though the parameters are a little different depending on the form and medium. I dream of everything being as good or better than The Unburdened, with the emotional weight, depth or character, personal tragedy, rooting in the wider Heresy, weird and cool Warhammer galaxy details, and good combat, The Wolf at the Door is pretty much the bar of my expectations, it has elements of these, some better than others, but ultimately was too dry and unengaging for long swathes...and rather shallow bolter porn, while it can be run and absolutely has its place, I don't think that place is in this series, or at least not unaccompanied by an emotional weight and tragedy to make the action feel meaningful.

(I really don't want to shit on Sanders and I'm just really hyperfixating with my ADHD and autism all over the place at the moment. I'm going to do my best not to bring up The Honoured again. The first two chapters were great!)… (mehr)