Is Fulgrim worth reading? Yes — it’s the definitive story of how the Emperor’s Children, the Legion that pursued perfection above all, fell to the dark god of excess. Graham McNeill charts the corruption of the Primarch Fulgrim from noble idealist to a vessel of Slaanesh, and it’s one of the most memorable descents in the whole Horus Heresy. With the Emperor’s Children back in the spotlight on the tabletop, it’s a timely read.
This review is spoiler-light. For more picks, see our best Warhammer books guide.
Where to Buy Fulgrim
Our pick of edition: Fulgrim – The Horus Heresy Book 5 (Kindle edition).
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What is Fulgrim about?
Fulgrim and his Emperor’s Children are the aesthetes of the Space Marine Legions — obsessed with martial and artistic perfection, forever seeking to better themselves. Fulgrim follows the Legion through the early Heresy, including the horror of the Isstvan V drop-site massacre, as their pursuit of perfection curdles into something monstrous.
The turn begins with a daemon-possessed blade and a Legion primed by pride to want more — more sensation, more perfection, more transgression. What follows is a study of how a virtue, taken to extremes, becomes the exact doorway Slaanesh needs. By the end, the Legion of perfection has become the Legion of excess, and their Primarch is no longer himself.
Why it works
- The theme is razor-sharp. Perfection-as-corruption is the ideal Slaanesh fall, and McNeill leans into it hard.
- Fulgrim is a tragic lead. His slow surrender — rationalised every step of the way — is genuinely unsettling.
- It’s a Heresy cornerstone. Isstvan V and the Emperor’s Children’s fall are pivotal events; this is where they’re told.
- The corruption is sensory and creeping. The novel captures Slaanesh’s seduction better than almost any other.
The good
- Essential Emperor’s Children lore — the origin of the Noise Marines and their whole aesthetic.
- A strong, thematically unified fall that complements the other early-Heresy corruption stories.
- Timely — a perfect companion to the Legion’s current tabletop resurgence.
The not-so-good
- Uneven pacing. Some readers find the back half less tight than the build-up.
- Grim and unsettling by design — the descent into excess gets genuinely dark.
- Better with context. Knowing the broad Heresy story helps; our Horus Heresy explained guide sets it up.
Who should read it?
- Emperor’s Children and Slaanesh fans — this is your foundational text.
- Horus Heresy readers wanting the full picture of the Legions’ fall.
- Anyone interested in Chaos corruption as a theme.
Pair it with The First Heretic review (the first Legion to fall) and the series opener in our Horus Rising review.
Verdict
Fulgrim is one of the Horus Heresy’s essential corruption stories — a portrait of perfection rotting from the inside out. It’s not the tightest novel in the series, but its central idea is unforgettable and its subject matter foundational. A key read for anyone following the Emperor’s Children.
Our rating: 8 / 10 — the definitive fall of the Emperor’s Children.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Fulgrim fit in the Horus Heresy series?
It’s Book 5, covering the Emperor’s Children’s corruption and culminating in the Isstvan V massacre — an essential early-series read.
Do I need to read the earlier Horus Heresy books first?
It helps to have read the opening trilogy for context, but Fulgrim focuses on its own Legion and can be approached fairly directly.
Who are the Emperor’s Children?
The Legion of Primarch Fulgrim, devoted to perfection, who fell to the Chaos god Slaanesh and became infamous for their Noise Marines.
Who wrote Fulgrim?
Graham McNeill, a prolific Black Library author known for his Horus Heresy and Ultramarines novels.
What book comes after Fulgrim in the Horus Heresy series?
Descent of Angels, Book 6, by Mitchel Scanlon. It switches to the Dark Angels and their home world of Caliban, so it doesn’t follow on directly from Fulgrim’s ending. The Horus Heresy series jumps between Legions like this, so many readers follow a Legion’s thread rather than strict book order once they’ve read the opening books.
Which other books feature Fulgrim and the Emperor’s Children?
Graham McNeill’s Angel Exterminatus, Book 23 of the Horus Heresy, continues Fulgrim’s story after his fall. Josh Reynolds’ Fulgrim: The Palatine Phoenix, from the Primarchs series, shows him during the Great Crusade before his corruption. Together with Fulgrim, they make a natural Emperor’s Children reading thread.