A companion piece to Magnus the Red: Master of Prospero, Graham McNeill’s 24-minute Horus Heresy audio drama Morningstar is set just before the Siege of Terra, with Magnus and Ahriman venturing into what remains of Tizca. As father and son explore the ruins of the City of Light, Ahriman questions their purpose in returning to the site of such pain, but Magnus – now largely restored – once more plays the role of teacher, and reveals an unexpected secret to his favoured son. The truth of Morningstar offers power to be wielded, but at a great cost to both Magnus and Ahriman.
A quiet, melancholy story, it’s essentially a two-hander between Magnus (Sean Connelly) and Ahriman (Richard Reed), a frank conversation between two characters who are deeply familiar with each other. They share an engaging sense of warmth and comfort, which is challenged as the story progresses and it becomes clear that this is a tale of grief, guilt and the inevitable development of the father-son bond. It’s useful, though not essential, to have read Master of Prospero beforehand, and probably The Crimson King, but either way this delivers a low-key, personal drama and some welcome insight into these characters and where their relationship is at the outset of the Siege
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 the reviews.
Check out the main Horus Heresy reviews page on Track of Words.
