Repost updated. Horus Heresy personal reading order.

THE HORUS HERESY — MY CURATED NARRATIVE ORDER

This is my attempt at restructuring the Heresy as one continuous narrative rather than publication or strict chronological order. Some earlier stories are deliberately used as flashbacks where I think they have more narrative impact.

I've also placed a * with the corresponding number on the books being reprinted and presented by GW as the essential HH experience. Just LOOK at how much gets left on the cutting room floor. Insane IMO.

ACT I — THE FALL

1. Horus Rising *1

2. False Gods *2

3. Galaxy in Flames *3

4. Flight of the Eisenstein *4

5. Fulgrim *5

6. The Dropsite Massacre

7. The First Heretic *6

8. Aurelian

9. Zardu Layak: The Crimson Apostle

Horus falls, Isstvan shatters the Legions, and the true origins of the Heresy are revealed.

ACT II — THE GALAXY BURNS

10. Battle for the Abyss

11. Mechanicum

12. Cybernetica

13. A Thousand Sons

14. Prospero Burns *7

15. Nemesis

16. Know No Fear *8

17. The Honoured

18. The Unburdened

19. The Purge

Mars, Prospero and Calth turn rebellion into a galaxy-wide war as the Shadow Crusade begins.

ACT III — AFTERSHOCKS

20. Fallen Angels

21. The Crimson Fist

22. Sigismund: The Eternal Crusader

23. Angel Exterminatus

24. Betrayer *9

25. The Lion

26. Prince of Crows

The aftershocks of Isstvan tear through the Legions as loyalties fracture, Primarchs fall further into darkness, and the Shadow Crusade reaches its bloody climax.

ACT IV — IMPERIUM SECUNDUS

27. Legion (Flashback)

28. The Unremembered Empire

29. Vulkan Lives (Flashback)

30. Pharos

31. Angels of Caliban

32. Luther: First of the Fallen

Legion rewinds to introduce John Grammaticus, the Cabal and the Alpha Legion before Grammaticus returns as the story moves into Imperium Secundus.

ACT V — THE PATH OF THE KHAN

33. The Serpent Beneath

34. Scars

35. Wolf King

36. Brotherhood of the Storm (Flashback)

37. The Path of Heaven

38. Eidolon: The Auric Hammer

The Alpha Legion's schemes draw the White Scars into the wider Heresy as the Khan chooses his path and fights his way toward Terra.

ACT VI — THE LONG WAR

39. Scorched Earth

40. Meduson

41. Vengeful Spirit

42. Garro

43. Deliverance Lost

44. Promethean Sun (Flashback)

45. Deathfire

46. Corax

47. Sons of the Forge

The survivors of Isstvan, the Shattered Legions and the Emperor's agents wage their separate wars as the Heresy grinds on.

ACT VII — THE ROAD TO TERRA

48. The Seventh Serpent

49. Praetorian of Dorn *10

50. The Master of Mankind *11

51. Old Earth

52. The Damnation of Pythos

53. Fear to Tread (Flashback)

54. Ruinstorm

55. Raldoron: Revenant

Terra becomes the center of gravity as the Webway War, Chaos and the scattered Loyalist Primarchs begin to converge.

ACT VIII — THE ENDGAME

56. Tallarn

57. Spear of Ultramar

58. Wolfsbane

59. Descent of Angels (Flashback)

60. Dreadwing

61. The Crimson King

62. Titandeath

63. Cthonia's Reckoning

64. Slaves to Darkness *12

65. The Buried Dagger

The final Primarch and Legion arcs converge as Horus gathers his forces and the road to the Siege closes.

EPILOGUE

66. Valdor: Birth of the Imperium (Flashback)

After watching the Imperium tear itself apart, we go back one final time to its birth.

END OF THE HORUS HERESY

Next: THE SIEGE OF TERRA