# Fateful Vengeful Spirit Clash - Overused?



## bobss (May 18, 2008)

After reading _The Outcast Dead_, _Know No Fear_ and _Fear to Tread_ in short proximity to each other (and both chronologically in-verse and out-of-verse they're close together anyway) the fateful clash on the _Vengeful Spirit_ between the Emperor, Horus, Sanguinius and other figures has been played out three times.

KNF is my third favourite 30k novel, and the scene was described and choreographed brilliantly (it's Abnett, 'nuff said), and I liked its inclusion with a number of possible futures in FTT; I was indifferent to it in TOD, while enjoying the overall novel as extensive setting building and heavy-handed McNeill prose some love; some loathe.

Nonetheless, isn't this too much for such a major and defining event? Granted, I understand the Horus Heresy series is written with our knowledge of this event in mind - just look at the clever wordplay in _Horus Rising_ for example - and in a universe making use of portents and future telling it isn't out of the question... but it still feels wrong. Yeah, wrong. To me, at least. I feel it's taking the suspense away. Deflating the moment. I can perhaps tip my hat to the various authors attempting to create a sense of ambiguity - _will this happen or won't it happen; will it happen this way, or perhaps that way?_ But if this growing trend continues, I feel like it will rob the scene itself of all that should make it the zenith of the conflict of the entire series.

Thoughts?


----------



## Over Two Meters Tall! (Nov 1, 2010)

I haven't read KNF yet, but I agree with your overall assessment that the scene is being over-described prior to it's actual occurence. I can appreciate if all the premonitions leading up to the actual battle itself show it happening one way, then some big spoiler happens that changes the outcome of the battle from the previous narrative, but it does seem to be just muddying the waters at this point.


----------

