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  • Avenging Son

  • Dawn of Fire: Warhammer 40,000, Book 1
  • Written by: Guy Haley
  • Narrated by: John Banks
  • Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (101 ratings)

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Avenging Son

Written by: Guy Haley
Narrated by: John Banks
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Publisher's Summary

As the Indomitus Crusade spreads out across the galaxy, one battlefleet must face a dread Slaughter Host of Chaos. Their success or failure may define the very future of the crusade - and the Imperium.

Listen to it because: the brand-new Warhammer 40,000 saga begins here. Experience the Indomitus Crusade and a battle that will be a tipping point for the future in an all-action tale by Guy Haley.

The story: a great darkness has befallen the galaxy, and the armies of Chaos are rampant. To survive, humanity must retaliate and take back what they have lost. By the will of the reborn primarch, Roboute Guilliman, is the Indomitus Crusade launched - a military undertaking that eclipses all others in known history. From the Throneworld of Terra does the Avenging Son hurl his fleets, their mission the very salvation of mankind.

As vessels in their thousands burn through the cold void, the attention of Fleetmistress VanLeskus turns to the Machorta Sound - a region under attack by a dreaded Slaughter Host of the Dark Gods. The success of the Indomitus Crusade will be determined by this conflict, and the desperate mission of Battlegroup Saint Aster, led by Space Marine Lieutenant Messinius. Even then it is but a prelude to the forthcoming bloodshed.

©2020 Games Workshop Limited (P)2020 Games Workshop Limited

What listeners say about Avenging Son

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good introduction into the 40k universe

I have started Warhammer 40k recently and this book is a good introduction to the lore. There are tangential side stories that don't add much to the main plot but give interesting perspectives of the 40k universe.

Truly the most grimdark part of the 41st millennium is Terran bureaucracy.

1 person found this helpful

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Good book that explains the indomitas crusade.

It helps place a lot of other books I have read.
I now understand crawl and primarus marines.
Also helps with the new layout of the galaxy.

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Some great entertainment!

Guy Haley writing is amazing (second only to The Great Work). The delivery by John Banks keeps me coming back to these series, cadence and voice differences is entertaining and not overwhelming to the story. There is a b story that ends with the illustration of the administorum and the state of the imperium, the characters are fleshed out. Overall a very enjoyable listen, easy to be re-listened to as well, on the third listen now and I'm still picking up new points.

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  • James Lloyd Plowman
  • 2020-12-20

Better than the original version

For those of you who didn’t buy it the first time around, Black Library put out another version of this months ago narrated by a different reader. Though Mark Elstob is a fine narrator when he’s in his element, the man simply couldn’t do Space Marines, and his rendition of Roboute Guilliman, who is described as having a ‘beautiful’ voice, falls flat on its face. My guess is that the backlash from the first version was so bad that BL conceded and brought in John Banks for an emergency re-reading, and are probably going to have him reading the rest of the series too. I won’t say that this new version is completely worth having to buy a second time, but it is a marked improvement over the original, somehow even managing to cut the reading time down a couple hours. Definitely worth reconsideration.

17 people found this helpful

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  • Thaipugg
  • 2020-12-19

Now it's fixed, it's amazing!

I listened to the first variation of the book and wrote a terrible review, based on the voice acting, it completely ruined in. I believe I quoted "has the potential to be amazing, but the voice acting killed it". Guilliman legit had the worst impression of any character I've ever heard. I imagined him wearing a top hat and monocle. Terrible.

Flash forward to this iteration! The Black Library remade this audio book after all the complaints. The legendary John Banks voiced it this time, and it's absolutely amazing. I highly recommend it, it's a home run this time around!

10 people found this helpful

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  • The Foxes
  • 2022-01-25

Best introduction to Era Indomitus

After reading the Dark Imperium and Watcher of the Throne, among others. I found that this book stands as the best introduction of Guilliman's return, the great rift, the Primarus marines, and the beginning of the Indomitus Crusade. it does a good job of setting the stage. if you're looking for a good introduction to the most current events in W40k events, this is a good place to start.

3 people found this helpful

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  • Jonathan Allen
  • 2021-09-27

Great start to the Indomitus Crusade

If you're looking for a place on where to get started with the current lore of Warhammer 40000 this book is the place to begin. For newcomers, this book is going to have everything from where primaris space marines came from, the inner workings of the imperium ands logistical nightmares and religious zealotry, introduction to the inquisition and finally how the world interacts with the Primarchs.

The narration by John Banks is superb and I found myself not wanting to stop listening.

If you're looking for a place to get started in the Warhammer 40000 universe but the Horus Heresy seems too daunting, this is where you should start.

3 people found this helpful

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  • Zach Mercer
  • 2021-07-21

30 minutes left, couldn't bring myself to finish

This is the first time a book by Guy Haley has made me bored. He's one of my favorite authors, yet this was a slog to the point that I gave up when the finish line was in sight. Do yourself a favor and read the Plague War trilogy instead.

2 people found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2021-06-29

The Era Indomitus begins with a bang

After the less than stellar story of Gathering Storm I feared that Avenging Som would be a let down. Fortunately I was very wrong. In this story we follow multiple characters who’s stories mostly connect by tales end with one notable exception. Guy Haley once again impressed me with spectacular writing, world building and a fantastic understanding of the grim dark future. My only complaint would be the story at times seemed a tad to hopeful for Warhammer. It still has some great grim dark moments and the situation is as dire as ever but also with the introduction of the Primaris marines, The Primarch himself making grand plans and the crusades beginning it felt closer to the great crusade in tone than 40k. That said it still makes sense considering the context and really does nothing to take away from the book. The characters are well written, the story scale is perfect and John Banks performance is masterclass. Overall I recommend this to any 40k fan who is looking to understand the developments to the story that have taken place in the last few years.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Taylor Sloat
  • 2021-02-27

There's an alien on the loose!

I don't know why, but Chilche as a character was just...strange? I don't get it, but oh well. Grimderp

1 person found this helpful

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  • Matthew
  • 2021-01-31

Some good Universe Building, Good enough Story

Mostly worth it for the 40k universe-building. Guilliman, Primaris, Admiral Van Leskus & some well detailed bits & pieces.

The story is nothing special. Not bad, just standard 40k fair. A lil back-ended, not much action at the start, in the middle. Could have done without 90% of the Scribum's story but otherwise an entertaining listen.

As the intro to 9th edition's time/storyline, going back to the start of the Indomitus Crusade, it sets the table well.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2023-05-30

Just what I was looking for in a new warhammer story!

The book was great and sets up so much to come in the franchise. A great entrance to the Primaris and so many likable characters with development!

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2023-04-27

Solidly good read

This was a bit dull in some small parts but overall was a really enjoyable read.