David Annandale’s 25-minute Horus Heresy audio drama The Revelation of the Word features a great cast of Black Library audio stalwarts and tackles one of the most delicious ironies of the series. During his Shadow Crusade against Guilliman’s 500 Worlds, Lorgar Aurelian’s meditations are disturbed by one of his sons bringing word of a strange discovery. Travelling to its source, Lorgar finds an underground church and a congregation basing their forbidden worship of the Emperor on the Lectitio Divinitatus. Aurelian’s initial rage as his words are turned against him soon gives way to further scorn of his distant father’s followers.
There’s no action to be had here, just engaging dialogue brought to life by great performances – John Banks’ venomous Lorgar contrasting with Stephen Perring’s oily Word Bearer chaplain and Emma Gregory’s zealous Emperor-worshipper. It’s an entertaining examination of ironies and hypocrisies, with Aurelian sneeringly dismissive of the worshippers’ fanaticism, the role of the Lectitio Divinitatus and the motivations of the Emperor (although some might think he has a point) while choosing not to dwell on the similarities he embodies. This is a charismatic depiction of a bitter, self-centred, dangerous character, and while it’s unlikely to change anyone’s mind about Lorgar it’s an enjoyable little vignette that will definitely reward multiple listens.
This was released as part of the 2019 Black Library Advent Calendar – click here to see the main page for the Advent Calendar on Track of Words, with links to all of my reviews.
Check out the main Horus Heresy reviews page on Track of Words.
