Has anyone read Horus Heresey novels, specifically the first?

Can anyone explain to me what happens in the first chapter? Is this a flash-forward? It's very confusing to me. The planet that a lot of it takes place on is also called Terra and it also has another Emperor. Is the Emperor in the first chapter The Emperor of Mankind? If not, then how is he so powerful? Is he another Primarch? Also, what is the Mournival? What do the main Space Marine characters look like? I know Abbadon wears that pony-tail and that Horus is bald. That leaves Aximand, Torgaddon, and Loken. Lastly, what kind of armor were they wearing? The cover shows at least two different kinds.

If I recall, some guy named himself the emperor and called his planet Terra even thou its not the real one.

First book is great. That first chapter is kind of an interesting story, give the book time to fully explain things to you because most of them (legion look, mournival, armor types, etc etc). Give it time, it definitely gets better, it just needs time to explain things to you because there is a ton of stuff to explain. Good luck, if you have any more questions about the book or that series, feel free to pm me.

The emperor referred to in the first chapter is not the true Emperor of Mankind. Continue reading and it'll fill in the blanks. If you're looking for info on WH40k in general, you can check out this site.

False Emperor on a backwater named Terra that has a few surprisingly powerful technologies.

The Mournival are advisors/bodyguards for Horus, consisting of four Captains who each represent different phases of the moon (in turn representing the four humours).

Character descriptions will be sprinkled throughout as you read on.

They are wearing Crusade-era Power Armour, which would consist of Marks II through IV, with some smatterings of Terminator armour. Don't discount artistic license regarding the cover.

I loved the way this book highlighted the similarities/differences between the Imperium of Man and other human civilisations across the galaxy, was very interesting.

The first part is pretty confusing, but as others have said it'll make sense as you continue reading.

Damn, why is there not a better 40k community here on GB?

The first chapter is not the real emperor. It's somebody else who also calls himself the emperor. It's supposed to confuse, I believe. You're supposed to think the betrayal is happening now, for just a bit, to challenge expectations and introduce the theme of relativism.

@gorkamorkaorka said:

Can anyone explain to me what happens in the first chapter? Is this a flash-forward? It's very confusing to me. The planet that a lot of it takes place on is also called Terra and it also has another Emperor. Is the Emperor in the first chapter The Emperor of Mankind? If not, then how is he so powerful? Is he another Primarch? Also, what is the Mournival? What do the main Space Marine characters look like? I know Abbadon wears that pony-tail and that Horus is bald. That leaves Aximand, Torgaddon, and Loken. Lastly, what kind of armor were they wearing? The cover shows at least two different kinds.

The first chapter details the Astartes conquering a world during the Great Crusade. The "Emperor:" that is mentioned is simply the Emperor of the (soon to be conquered) world, not THE Emperor of Mankind that most 40k fiction mentions. The world was renamed Terra by the false Emperor(or one of his predecessors, can't recall) which is why it might confuse readers. Although the confusion is intended. I liked reading that chapter because it was a great mindfuck. You expect to read about the start of the Horus Heresy and immediately you read about Space Marines fighting an Emperor.

The false Emperor was "powerful" because of technology exclusive to him and his world. Alot of technology was lost and scattered over the galaxy and was being reclaimed slowly during the Great Crusade. And no, the false Emperor was not another Primarch, but simply a human with access to very advanced technology.

The Mournival is a group of 4 Space Marines which form an advisory organ intended to advise the Chapter Master of the Luna Wolves (and also Warmaster of the Great Crusade) Horus. It's comprised of the most intelligent, devoted and respected members of the Luna Wolves.(usually Captains). The protagonist Loken is chosen to join the Mournival after Hastur Sejanus dies while on a diplomatic mission to the world owned by the false Emperor.

If you have any more questions please have a look at Lexicanum, an unoffcial 40k encyclopedia.

Loken was described as pale and freckled, with short blonde/white hair and gray eyes.

Warning I feel my spoiler tag didn't work. I can't tell from my perspective.

I just got to the part of the part of the book where Horus tells Loken about the warp. He says that there are no spirits or daemons, just the warp. How far are these guys going to keep pushing the goal posts? It raises a good point though. The Warp is a natural force but how are these Chaos gods not actual gods if they are otherworldy and have the power of gods or how are these Chaos daemons not actual demons? Just because a spiritual world can be understood, doesn't make it non... spiritual.

@gorkamorkaorka said:

Loken was described as pale and freckled, with short blonde/white hair and gray eyes.

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

Warning I feel my spoiler tag didn't work. I can't tell from my perspective.

I just got to the part of the part of the book where Horus tells Loken about the warp. He says that there are no spirits or daemons, just the warp. How far are these guys going to keep pushing the goal posts? It raises a good point though. The Warp is a natural force but how are these Chaos gods not actual gods if they are otherworldy and have the power of gods or how are these Chaos daemons not actual demons? Just because a spiritual world can be understood, doesn't make it non... spiritual.

They're just incredibly powerful beings of the Warp, which in the eyes of any other mortal(even a Space Marine) can seem like gods. Only the Emperor and the Primarchs have some higher understanding of what they really are. Daemons are just powerful beings of the Warp or independant, autonomous parts of the Chaos "Gods".

Also if the spiritual can be understood, defined and numbered, it is no longer spiritual, but scientific. That's what the entire Great Crusade was about, the reconquest of the galaxy was a secondary goal to re-educating humanity and showing them that there was no supernatural or divine, only science and logic. The Emperor left the Great Crusade in the hands of Horus and went back to Terra to undertake some great work, which had something to do with the Warp. This work threatened the Chaos "Gods" because it would probably undermine their power, their "divinity". The Chaos "Gods" acted: corrupting Horus into attacking the Emperor. You know the rest.