Legacies of Betrayal: Let the Galaxy Burn (Horus Heresy)

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Chris Wraight is the author of the Horus Heresy novels Warhawk, Scars and The Path of Heaven, the Primarchs novels Leman Russ: The Great Wolf and Jaghatai Khan: Warhawk of Chogoris, the novellas Brotherhood of the Storm, Wolf King and Valdor: Birth of the Imperium, and the audio drama The Sigillite. For Warhammer 40,000 he has written The Helwinter Gate, The Lords of Silence, Vaults of Terra: The Carrion Throne, Vaults of Terra: The Hollow Mountain, Watchers of the Throne: The Emperor’s Legion, Watchers of the Throne: The Regent’s Shadow and many more. Additionally, he has many Warhammer novels to his name, and the Warhammer Crime novel Bloodlines. Chris lives and works in Bradford-on-Avon, in south-west England. Toby pauses at the question. He says, George, do you remember what you used to preach loudly to all Service agents, operatives and analysts at Sarrit? Do you remember, George, he insists? Smiley quietly says, no Toby, what was it? George, you used to tell everyone, once you have left the Service never, ever engage in "private enterprise." "When it's over, it's over." Another very short story that barely makes sense without context. It’s not bad, it’s just too short and random.

Legacies of Betrayal is the thirty-first volume of the The Horus Heresy series of novels and is an anthology collection of short stories and a novella. However, fast forward to the winter of 2022, some fifteen years after the original release. The landscape of Star Wars fandom is massively different. Countless novels, games, comics have been rendered as "Legends" tier canon following the Disney acquisition of George Lucas' franchise, including this very title. When The Force Awakens was released in cinemas, I thought the movie franchise might be in good hands, and I was pretty certain upon the release of Rogue One that it was worth sacrificing my beloved "Extended Universe" to see new Star Wars content on the big screen. Unfortunately, everything that followed has made me think otherwise. One man may hold the key to finding out. Tennent “Pete” Bagley was once a rising star in America’s spy aristocracy, and many expected he’d eventually become CIA director. But the star that burned so brightly exploded when Bagley—who suspected a mole had burrowed deep into the agency’s core—was believed himself to be the mole. After a year-long investigation, Bagley was finally exonerated, but the accusations tarnished his reputation and tainted his career. It might have been a dull book if it had not been for the fact that these many betrayals happened in my lifetime involving government officials who were in the news ... as happens frequently, what is reported by the mass media often is a coverup ... especially when the Washington Post is rumored to have been controlled by the CIA. The grand high masters of lucasville have clearly forgotten what Star Wars started as, and are losing much of their fan base in the process.

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As a fan of the Star Wars (now designated Legends) books throughout my life, I had spent much of my youth reading the seemingly unending stream of stories (some better than others) up until about 10 years ago, when, upon completely the Yuuzhan Vong series, chose to step away from Star Wars novels and explore other genres and writers. Now with Episode 7 on the horizon and the de-canonization of the Legends novels, I chose to return to galaxy far far away in something of a farewell tour. I wanted to see what ideas will make it to the films and TV series, what won't, and what will be changed and inverted in unexpected ways. Star Wars, to me, is an old-fashioned tale of Good v. Evil, with the heroes stepping up to an overwhelming challenge, working through it with sweat and courage and sacrifice, and ultimately winning the day. " In the BBC adaption of "Smiley's People", George Smiley visits the showroom of the arts dealer known in his trade as Senor Benatti. Smiley asks the receptionist in the showroom (as she cleans her fingernails) if she would kindly inform Senor Benatti that Mr. Angel (Smiley's cover name) would like to see him. The receptionist, unaware that Smiley was "Senor Benatti's" senior officer at British Intelligence (MI6) informs Smiley (Mr. Angel) that Senor Benatti is unavailable and cannot be disturbed. At Smiley's urging, she calls and Senor Benatti immediately welcoms George Smiley. We learn that Senor Benatti is Toby Esterhazy, himself the head of lamplighters at MI-6 in a prior life where Smiley unmasked the Service's mole. Records and activities that did not make sense, double agents and sleepers, lies, danger, and ultimately, implied threats against his family ... but Bagley's calling as a researcher and his deep desire to know the truth would not allow him to let go of this search until he found the truth. That is certainly An Interpretation. I’m just not sure it’s an interpretation I buy. While Vergere did terrible, morally dubious things, she’s always felt more like a Gray figure to me—neither Jedi nor Sith. I’m not sure that this is what Matthew Stover intended, or even James Luceno and Walter Jon Williams intended, but stories always evolve over time. I may not like this retcon—I think it makes more sense that Lumiya is lying to Jacen and giving him events “from a certain point of view” to push him towards her desired outcome—but that’s definitely not the official LotF explanation.

Betrayal” was published in 2006, and it probably goes without saying how impactful the tragic events of Sept.11 five years prior had on the SWEU and, specifically, this series. To wit, the first several books in the NJO series were written and published before 9/11/01. It has never been an exaggeration to say that the world changed dramatically after 9/11, and the same can be said for the SWEU. So, I was quite surprised to see how much I enjoyed the late Aaron Alston's first book in the series. While note everything necessarily works -- Jacen's turn, while well foreshadowed still seems sudden, and Lumiya, a little know EU character's sudden appearance and large role left even me, who has a encyclopedic knowledge of the Star Wars universe, confused. Another positive note: Jacen Solo once again displays his tendency to think for himself. In this first-in-a-series title, you might wonder whether this time it's going to lead him into the kind of consequences he hasn't had to regret so far. Completists (not a word, I know) will find it reminiscent of Traitor, but not close to the same class. Corellia is Han Solo’s home planet. He is “technically” a retired war veteran and former smuggler who is married to a Jedi Knight who is sworn to uphold the laws of the Galactic Alliance. Corellia has a single central government that manages all 5 planets in its solar system, with Corellia proper being the primary seat of power. Corellian’s populace, like Han’s nature as a Corellian, are inherently independent. As a member of the G.A., they receive certain benefits and are expected to contribute to the G.A. as well. In exchange for doing certain things that benefit the G.A. and its member worlds, Corellia receives protection from outside threats via the G.A. military. But Corellia has been speaking out of both sides of its mouth and are building an army to prepare for a potential conflict in which they will seek to separate from that alliance... This is because they don’t want to lose the benefits of membership. Think Brexit, except with spaceships. And this was written in 2006. So Corellia would be like a stand-in for modern-day Britain wanting to break from the E.U. (in this case the G.A.). Years following the devastating Yuuzahn-Vong War, the galaxy once again is in a state of turmoil. The Galactic Alliance is dealing with a planetary uprising that could come to full-scale conflict and everyone, including the Skywalker and Solo families are caught in the middle.The main influential characters in Betrayal are as follows: Han Solo (Corellian, married to Leia Organa Solo), Leia Organa Solo (Jedi, Han’s wife, Luke Skywalker’s sister), Jacen Solo (Jedi, son of Han and Leia), Jaina Solo (Jedi, daughter of Han and Leia), Luke Skywalker (Jedi Grand Master, married to Mara Jade Skywalker, Leia’s brother), Mara Jade Skywalker (Jedi Master, Luke’s wife), Ben Skywalker (Jedi, son of Luke and Mara, Jacen’s Padawan), Wedge Antilles (Corellian, retired war hero for the GA, current military advisor for Corellia). The Corellians, Han and Wedge, have great citizenship toward their world, so they are siding with Corellia in the not quite war. Leia is siding with Han because she was committed to him before she became a Jedi. Luke, Mara, Jaina, Jacen, and Ben are sided with the Galactic Alliance because they are Jedi and so are sworn to protect the Galactic Alliance. A collection of previously available short stories, novellas and text versions of audio dramas. A good way to catch some of the stuff you may have missed whether you don't enjoy the audio dramas, haven't gotten hold of the "exclusives" or refuse to pay the outlandish prices charged for the micro short stories. A few of them are bit out of place though, Lone Wolf and Lucius the Eternal Blade Master are bit farther in the future than anything previously published as Horus Heresy, into the Scouring for Lone Wolf perhaps and even further for Lucius. An assault is planned on Corellia, one that is generating controversy as Corellians (including Han) currently living on Coruscant are facing strong anti-Corellian sentiments by other Coruscanti. Acts of protest and other violent outbursts are happening more frequently. The GA has started branding Corellian troublemakers as “terrorists”. Bagley was a man determined to know the truth and to make it known. His biggest enemy was not foreign countries but his own country. Han and Leia get to flex their spy chops, and their motivations and actions seem to be MUCH more intelligent and carefully crafted. All the other side characters grabbed my interest. In particular, there is a family dinner at Han and Leia’s house in or around chapter 4. Han is overwhelmed and surrounded on ALL SIDES by Jedi, all of them being his direct family.

While we did see the deaths of Chewie -- who has more of presence in the movies than he ever did in the novels -- and Anakin Solo -- who had potential but suffered from be the literal third wheel of the Solo children --in the Vong series, the dark turn of Jacen Solo is, for me, a welcome turn of events. It makes the world dangerous while at the same time paralleling Darth Vader's own fall in a way that makes this book more relevant. Many stories in the Star Wars expanded universe seem to be in sets of 3’s, like the trilogies we see in theaters. If the novels had been made into movies (they should have been), then the “Thrawn Trilogy” could have been episodes 7, 8, and 9. Then there were several story arc’s leading to this current book. There is a lot of stuff going on in this novel, as it is setting the stage for the following eight books. For the most part, Allston does a stellar job. I also liked Butcher's Nails as it explored the dynamics of the relationship between primarchs. Yes, this has been covered in other books and stories but Angron is especially a difficult individual to interact with.I especially enjoyed Honour to the Dead as it brought a human level of emotional toll that the incessant wars were having for inhabitants of the worlds as well as show a gentle and human side to the space marines.