# Favourite Primarch description



## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

From the HH books so far which has been your favourite opening description of the primarchs?

Mine would have to be Russ in Thousand Sons,


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

Either Fulgrim in _Fulgrim_, or Horus Lupercal in _Horus Rising_. Dan Abnett set the standard of excellence for the Primarchs, I dont remember who but I read that one of the authors when writing for the Primarchs kept thinking, 'Is this as good as Abnett's Horus?'.


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Fulgrim. I remember him being described as akin to a marble statue; his features carved, chisled and perfection incarnate. Also, I love how he is detailed as always wearing a cloak of some variation. Gold-thread, purple in homage to the Legion or a simple, cream colour.

Edit - Ninja` whore! Your firstborn shall pay the price.


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

Hehehe, we'll see Bobss. Least we agree on Fulgrim's description being excellent. You know I actually found a 1/5 review for _Fulgrim_ earlier on Amazon.co.uk. Pure insanity, _Fulgrim_ is one of the best HH novels.


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

Its gotta be Horus from Abnett's _Horus Rising_, gets me everytime!


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

_Fulgrim_, is indeed excellent. And what? I found a 5/5 review for _Battle For the Abyss_, also, a few days ago.


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

bobss said:


> _Fulgrim_, is indeed excellent. And what? I found a 5/5 review for _Battle For the Abyss_, also, a few days ago.


Insanity is all around us.


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## Azkaellon (Jun 23, 2009)

Sanguinius in Horus Rising, At least till they give him a better one D:


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## Brother Subtle (May 24, 2009)

Child-of-the-Emperor said:


> Its gotta be Horus from Abnett's _Horus Rising_, gets me everytime!


indeed. set a very high standard very early.



Lord of the Night said:


> Either Fulgrim in _Fulgrim_, or Horus Lupercal in _Horus Rising_. Dan Abnett set the standard of excellence for the Primarchs, I dont remember who but I read that one of the authors when writing for the Primarchs kept thinking, 'Is this as good as Abnett's Horus?'.


i think that was ADB in one of his blogs. when he first sat down to pen the first heretic.


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## ckcrawford (Feb 4, 2009)

Yep Horus' is description fits him perfectly, as warmaster and as a chief diplomat.


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## Brother Subtle (May 24, 2009)

a good but not so well revered description is of Angron in his short story in Tales of Heresy.


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

Im defo for Dan abnett's description of Horus.

It is just an epic peice!


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

Witch King of Angmar said:


> Sanguinius in Horus Rising, At least till they give him a better one D:


I didn't care for that one. Sanguinius has blonde hair, all his sources show blonde hair yet Abnett says he has black hair. Should have kept to the sources.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

He's also now been desscribed as having black hair on Thousand Sons aswell, looks like theyve gone along with it disapointingly.

And yeah Horus was excellent. I did love Russ though, both his first description and then the secondary one when he is marching across the causeway. They captured his image perfectly and to me made him sound more intimidating than Angron


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

Eh hopefully James Swallow will correct it later.


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## Brother Subtle (May 24, 2009)

Maybe he bleaches it for the summer seasons? With some nice highlights.


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

toss up for me betwen fulgrim and russ with horus and mortarion creeping up there. however as a a short one off in the anthology tales of heresy has to be Angron....that creeped me out a wee bit


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Lord of the Night said:


> I didn't care for that one. Sanguinius has blonde hair, all his sources show blonde hair yet Abnett says he has black hair. Should have kept to the sources.


You make it sound as if that's a major thing that the HH novels have changed from what is known- Torgaddon as a loyalist, Tarvtz as _just_ a Captain etc


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

Brother Subtle said:


> Maybe he bleaches it for the summer seasons? With some nice highlights.


yeah or hes the new hair model for tony and guy....


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

Magnus, the copper skinned cyclopian giant. I did so enjoy that book.
The description of angron in that short story where he gives kharn some hammer is indeed a bit disturbing. He is a seriously scary dude.


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Angron's indirect characterization in "After De'shea" definitely vies for a favorite position. A grunting, mind-shattered berserker who clings tightly to the only things keeping him sane--his honor and his "children." And when he's forcibly divested of the latter...

Horus Lupercal in _Horus Rising_, in his first introduction, has to take the cake, though.


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## Brother Subtle (May 24, 2009)

Mossy Toes said:


> Angron's indirect characterization in "After De'shea" definitely vies for a favorite position. A grunting, mind-shattered berserker who clings tightly to the only things keeping him sane--his honor and his "children." And when he's forcibly divested of the latter...


i agree...



Brother Subtle said:


> a good but not so well revered description is of Angron in his short story in Tales of Heresy.


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## Xenocide (Aug 19, 2010)

Lord of the Night said:


> I didn't care for that one. Sanguinius has blonde hair, all his sources show blonde hair yet Abnett says he has black hair. Should have kept to the sources.


Dan's master Tzeentch cares not from whence the retcon flows. Only that it flows.


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

Still slightly confused with the Ferrus Manus description.

Did he actally have, like, Terminator liquid metal hands?


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

Yeah he did. When Ferrus Manus fought Asirnoth he forced the wyrm into the molten magma that could harm him through his silver armour. Once the Great Silver Wyrm was dead he removed his hands and saw that Asirnoth's liquid metal had coated them, giving him his iron hands.


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

Ah ok, fair enough, i sorta figured he did, but sometimes you just think *wow, really*


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## Arcangel (Aug 31, 2008)

So far I like Horus' description, Mortarion and Angron


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Personnaly, I would not rate Angron's portrayel and/or description in_ After Desh`ea_ particularly highly. It seems, the only thing ''going for it'' as so to speak, was it's unusual nature, and the fact it bestowed some sense -albeit primative and churlish- upon the stereotypical Angron, who is often viewed as a single-dimensional and rather flat, killing-machine. Kudos, to Farrer for that, but the actual execution of this... idea, or concept is overwhelmed in the polished excellency that is Abnett's Horus Lupercal and McNeill's Mortarion. Of course, in the Bobss' opinion...


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## BlackGuard (Sep 10, 2010)

I actually perferred Magnus in Thousand Sons over all of them. He comes across at first as one of the typical Primarchs: arrogant and self-assured, then you see his slow descent into the warp -- the things here and there.

His destruction of the Emperor's webway, and eventually his submission to Tzeetch.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

The descriptions in Thousand Sons in general were all excellent imo. Like i said Russ was my favourite but Magnus was great aswell, along with all the smaller descriptions of the other Primarchs who featured


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

Rogal Dorn's, it's regal and understated and isn't overly hyped, a lot more subtle than the obvious "ZOMG is a Primarch!"


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

_The First Heretic_:



The description of Lorgar on Isstvan V when he unleashes his psychic potential is ace.


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

I like AD-B's Lorgar. I like the almost delicate appearance he has. Goes with his personality yet still manages to encapsulate the raw power of the primarch as a super-evolved being.

I also like Graham McNeill's description of Konrad Curze in 'The Dark King'.


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## Thyr (Oct 25, 2010)

For me it's Magnus. A close second has to be Leman Russ.


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## AK74Bob (Oct 2, 2010)

In _The First Heretic_, it mentions that when the Emperor first meets Lorgar, that Magnus is with him; and that Magnus is bigger/taller than the Emperor. Is this true?


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

AK74Bob said:


> In _The First Heretic_, it mentions that when the Emperor first meets Lorgar, that Magnus is with him; and that Magnus is bigger/taller than the Emperor. Is this true?


According to the author, yes.


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

According to the Fluff Magnus was the largest Primarch (with Ferrus probably the 2nd largest) so I don't see why he wouldn't tower over the Emperor who has never been noted as being any larger than his Primarchs.


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

In _A Thousand sons_ doesnt he several times throughout the book change height?


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

AK74Bob said:


> In _The First Heretic_, it mentions that when the Emperor first meets Lorgar, that Magnus is with him; and that Magnus is bigger/taller than the Emperor. Is this true?





Words_of_Truth said:


> According to the author, yes.


Both the Emperor and Magnus were capable of changing their appearances on a whim, even their perceived height.

As _the Baron_ said, Magnus was the largest of the Primarchs as it was, and the Emperor is never noted as being larger than any of his Primarchs. So this is no contradiction at all.


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## AK74Bob (Oct 2, 2010)

I thought it mentioned in one of the first 3 HH novels, something like, "the emperor towers over the primarchs as the primarchs tower over their space marines". Sorry, but I don't feel like going through the novels looking for the exact quote...it may just be referring to his presence, not his actual size; not sure though.


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

I suppose it depends on the message he wants to send?

I mean why does he need to be taller or bigger than other Primarchs when hes the ultimate badass anyway? an extra 3 inches isnt gonna add more power?


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

AK74Bob said:


> I thought it mentioned in one of the first 3 HH novels, something like, "the emperor towers over the primarchs as the primarchs tower over their space marines". Sorry, but I don't feel like going through the novels looking for the exact quote...it may just be referring to his presence, not his actual size; not sure though.


I think what your refering to mistakenly is the quote that Primarchs are to the Space Marines as Space Marines are to humans.


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

The Emperor's physical appearence, or - Manifestation, is somewhat anti-climatical, in contrast to the plethora of barbaric, scholary, murderous and wild characters that are the _eighteen_ known Primarchs. The Emperor, either by accident or fault is so dominating in his presense through the aura of light (Or physcic energy within the aether?) that radiates from him. However, to gauge his facial features or height, to the whom this _man_ represents, it just dosen't seem to suffice that God-like ego mortals bless him with. Tanned skin -typical of his ancestry from Asia Minor?- a crop of silky brown hair and a height that Ferrus, Angron, possibily Horus Lupercal and certainly Magnus are above dosen't exactly ooze that ''Emperoresque'' feel. On the contrary, this is possibly due to the Emperor's self-proclaimed role as peacemaker, diplomat, negotiator; He who would rather delve into his unmatched skills as an orator than draw his blade. It helps boost that selfless, humble demeanor, which so effortlessly beguiles Primarchs, Astartes and mortals alike. 

Onto the original point, I adore Graham's description of Leman Russ in _A Thousand Sons_. It has the expected barbarity, herald of winter and mead-baked details, but the hidden intelligence within the Wolf King's eyes, that mark him out amongst the brawling, thugs that are the Space Wolves Legion.


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## AK74Bob (Oct 2, 2010)

Baron Spikey said:


> I think what your refering to mistakenly is the quote that Primarchs are to the Space Marines as Space Marines are to humans.


You are probably right, I'm not sure.


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## Vast (Oct 26, 2010)

I agree with all those who've said Leman Russ in _A Thousand Sons_

His introduction was as powerful as it was self-contradictory - a reckless savage, yet intelligent and dedicated to duty. The effect his presence was described as having on Ahriman - a composed, intelligent man, really made the intro stand out for me. 
"It was almost as though he was _trying_ to sound like a feral savage"

The manner in which he assessed Ahriman on first meeting - finding the weak points in his armour before doing practically anything else gave a really solid impression of a warrior lord, in my opinion.


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