# Garro, Legion of One: By James Swallow [Tagged Spoilers] - Advanced Review



## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

Well, I think this is the first review (EDIT: This may be the second review, my mistake), for _Legion of One_, so yeah, enjoy. Note that this will be eventually posted on The Founding Fields. This means that it's also unedited by CP, and I'll update this when it is. (EDIT: This review has now been edited by CP at the Founding Fields) 










*Garro: Legion of One: By James Swallow, Read by Toby Longworth*
_A Horus Heresy Audiobook_

“Garro is back, and better than ever.”​~The Founding Fields​
There are so many things that I wish to tell you about this audiobook, but I don’t want to spoil it all for you. However, I will give you a plot summary to kick things off.

Set after the events of Garro: Oath of Moment, Garro: Legion of One sees the return of Garro and Rubio, the latter of whom we met in Oath of Moment, and is an ex-Ultramarine Librarian. And, we are also introduced to an all new character, (Or I think he is all new at least, can’t remember whether he bears the same name of a loyalist World Eater in Galaxy in Flames), called Varren, an ex-World Eater. 

This time, they’re on a planet that we don’t know the name of, or at least, not yet, not at the beginning of the audiobook, and they’re hunting what looks to be the final member of their group, a man, or rather astartes, known as Cerberus, named after the character from Greek myth. (At least, I think the name is from Greek Myths, please inform me if otherwise), who has lost all memories of his past and doesn’t know who, or what he is, and lives for only one thing, to kill everybody else.

Next, I’d like to talk about Varren, the World Eater. Now, it’s nice to see another loyalist World Eater, and I think that when combined with the Ultramarine, Rubio, James Swallow has allowed some character tension to build up within this latest audio drama, and I think that he portrays Varren very well indeed.

Moving on from Varren, the overall plot of this audiobook is very simple, as I mentioned above, but only in the latter half of the audiobook. At the beginning, it only reveals that they’re on some planet destroyed by the renegade forces of Chaos, leaving the reader guessing at the planet’s name. 

Although this is short, the action is well described in this with only a few main fights, and Cerberus’ voice is done very well, nice job by Toby Longworth there. 

However, there are a few negative things about this audiobook. Firstly, we still don’t learn what happened to Iacton Cruze and the remembrancers that were on Horus’s fleet during the first few novels of the Horus Heresy. We also aren’t given much information on Varren, other than he was a World Eater who remains loyal to the Emperor despite his Primarch turning.

And, finally, the blurb is also somewhat disappointing. Sure, there is a secret unveiled in this audiobook, but it’s not as big as the blurb suggests, unless of course you count Cerberus being a heresy-changer, which in my view, he isn’t. It may be a big shock when you find out what happens at the end, but I predict that it won’t change the course of the Heresy. But I've been wrong about numerous things, however. 



_Garro: Legion of One_ confirms what Dan Abnett mentioned about Loken not being dead (On a video, I think), and sees the 10th Captain of the Sons of Horus return to the spotlight once again. He is back, and has completely changed, having completely forgotten about not only the events of Isstvan III (Which is the planet that Garro, Rubio and Varren are on, by the way), but also of his fellow companion, Torgaddon.

Now, like all of you, I was expecting his return to not be an audio-book, and to most likely be written by Dan Abnett, but Swallow manages, in my view at least, to pull this off well, and leaves me only wanting more.


I leave you with this:

*Rating: 8.5/10*

*Should you buy this audiobook?* If you are a fan of the Horus Heresy series, you will want to pick this up. _Garro: Legion of One_ is a lot better than _Garro: Oath of Moment_, it’s predecessor, which you shouldn’t have been put off getting this one by. 

Bane of Kings Out.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Kinda sorry I hit the spoiler tag now. I think I would have enjoyed that sneaking up on me.

You are correct about Cerberus, he's the two headed hound that guards the gates of Hell.


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## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

Thanks .

And yeah, that's why I told everyone it would be a shock.

Bane of Kings Out.


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

I did not click it, go me! Good review!


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## increaso (Jun 5, 2010)

Thanks for the review.

The spoiler had to stay off limits for me.

I have the CD in hand but have not listened to (or bought) the previous one yet. What to do?


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Since I wont be getting this for a while I decided to read the spoilers. Don't read my spoilers unless you want spoilers on the surprise.




YAAAAY!, I knew Loken would be back!. Abaddon and Kharn can both lie in the dirt and bleed, neither one of them could kill him.

Very good addition. Now lets hope that Loken will be back in the novels as well.



Lord of the Night


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## Thyr (Oct 25, 2010)

:shok: OMG, OMG. *bounces up and down* The spoiler just sold the audio to me. I'm sooo getting this. :biggrin:


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## Doelago (Nov 29, 2009)

I want this so bad. Fuck an few minis there and here, I want to get this book so bad. 

Also, I managed to keep myself from pressing any spoiler tags!


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

Khorne's Fist said:


> You are correct about Cerberus, he's the two headed hound that guards the gates of Hell.


He is typically shown having 3 heads, not 2.


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## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

Doelago said:


> I want this so bad. Fuck an few minis there and here, I want to get this book so bad.
> 
> Also, I managed to keep myself from pressing any spoiler tags!


I might like to point out that this is an audio-book .


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## Doelago (Nov 29, 2009)

Bane_of_Kings said:


> I might like to point out that this is an audio-book .


I know, and I love audio books above everything else. And I have no idea why, but I usually say "book" when I mean audio book, no idea why, really. They are just so great that I dont see a difference.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

Hmmm I agree, I much would have rather seem that twist in a book, preferably by Abnett, I feel slightly cheated somehow.



Butlokens back, which is cool, doesnt sound too terrible how they find him, the memories coming back is obviously going to be a future plot point. Bs interesting to see how Qruze handles it. Was kind if hoping Loken might have been found with Tarvitz, Rylanor etc down in the underground hanger, doesn't give me much hope for Tarvitz now if loyalists have been to the planet and not found them.

But yeah, I firmly believe thus should have been done in a book, but oh well, as long as we do next see him in a book and not confined to audios like Garro


Cool to see Varren with Garro again. If memory serves he was originally one of the Eisenstein crew members with Garro in the older fluff.


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

Bane_of_Kings said:


> And, we are also introduced to an all new character, (Or I think he is all new at least, can’t remember whether he bears the same name of a loyalist World Eater in Galaxy in Flames), called Varren, an ex-World Eater.
> 
> Next, I’d like to talk about Varren, the World Eater. Now, it’s nice to see another loyalist World Eater, and I think that when combined with the Ultramarine, Rubio, James Swallow has allowed some character tension to build up within this latest audio drama, and I think that he portrays Varren very well indeed.


Actually the World Eater Varren has been in the lore for a long time. Initially he was the leader of the XII Legion loyalists on Isstvan III, although I believe that honour went to another in the Heresy series (EDIT: or as _AoB_ said, he may have originally been present on the Eisenstein, it alludes me currently). IIRC he is mentioned in passing in _Flight_ though. 



Bane_of_Kings said:


> At the beginning, it only reveals that they’re on some planet destroyed by the renegade forces of Chaos, leaving the reader guessing at the planet’s name.





It was pretty obvious it was Isstvan III from near the beginning to be honest. 





Bane_of_Kings said:


> And, finally, the blurb is also somewhat disappointing. Sure, there is a secret unveiled in this audiobook, but it’s not as big as the blurb suggests, unless of course you count Cerberus being a heresy-changer, which in my view, he isn’t.


I agree. It seems BL are getting into a habit of just spouting out random shit for their synopsis' that seem to give a very different impression than the actual content of the novel/audio actually gives.




As for Loken returning, meh. Wished he would have stayed dead to be honest, but it could have been handled in a worse way I suppose.


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## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

Child-of-the-Emperor said:


> Actually the World Eater Varren has been in the lore for a long time. Initially he was the leader of the XII Legion loyalists on Isstvan III, although I believe that honour went to another in the Heresy series (EDIT: or as _AoB_ said, he may have originally been present on the Eisenstein, it alludes me currently). IIRC he is mentioned in passing in _Flight_ though.


Yeah, I knew that he was in there before, just didn't know where. 



Child-of-the-Emperor said:


> It was pretty obvious it was Isstvan III from near the beginning to be honest.


Yeah I know, but I felt like putting that in. . 




Child-of-the-Emperor said:


> I agree. It seems BL are getting into a habit of just spouting out random shit for their synopsis' that seem to give a very different impression than the actual content of the novel/audio actually gives.


Aye :victory:. 

Thanks for your comments, CotE. 

Bane of Kings Out.


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## Hammer49 (Feb 12, 2011)

I really enjoyed it and ceertainly worth getting if anyones wondering. I am looking forward to the next garro book/audiobook. Lets hope its not to long await.


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## raider1987 (Dec 3, 2010)

WOW 

LOKEN IS BACK! I literally gasped out loud! Was walking past an old woman and nearly punched her over in shock. I expected it to be someone we would know, like Nero Vipus and I easily guessed it was Issvan III. Not such a MASSIVE character like Loken or Tarvitz.


Loved it, best audio book I have herd. I highly suspect that this band of warriors will get a novel in there name, because the implications of this audio book, are MASSIVE.


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## Lord Mephiston (Sep 16, 2010)

raider1987 said:


> WOW
> 
> LOKEN IS BACK! I literally gasped out loud! Was walking past an old woman and nearly punched her over in shock. I expected it to be someone we would know, like Nero Vipus and I easily guessed it was Issvan III. Not such a MASSIVE character like Loken or Tarvitz.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I think these guys will be the protagonists of The Outcast Dead. Or at least have a major role to play in the book.


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## raider1987 (Dec 3, 2010)

Lord Mephiston said:


> Yeah, I think these guys will be the protagonists of The Outcast Dead. Or at least have a major role to play in the book.


Good call..... considering what the author has already admitted about the book you might be right.


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## TheSpore (Oct 15, 2009)

I listened to this last week and loved every minute of it. I honestly have listened to it several times since. I was amzed that Loken was brought back and its even cooler knowing he is one of the first GK.


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## docgeo (Jan 8, 2010)

I have listened to it three times while painting. I enjoyed it and am happy that Loken was re-introduced to the HH series. There is still hope for Travitz because they did not search the entire planet.


Doc


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## kwak76 (Nov 29, 2010)

Doesn't Garro have a missing leg? I remember reading from the Flight of Eisenstein that he lost his leg but from that pictures he looks wholesome. DId they repair him or something?


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

iacton was in a story in the latest HH book as a guard accompanying Dorn who was interogating a former rememberancer so he is still around but not sure what happened to the other rememberancers, esp keeler to be exact.


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## Bolter (Feb 26, 2011)

How does everyone rate the audio books?? I nearly just bought both garro Ab's on amazon, but the reviews pretty much stated that they were too short?!?!?! whats the general feedback from you guys?


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