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The Horus Heresy remains one of the most pivotal events in the epic lore of the Warhammer 40K. The legendary conflict has spawned over 70 novels, along with assorted audio dramas and short stories that chronicle the rise of the Heretical Legions of Space Marines and their struggle to overthrow the Emperor of Mankind.
This sprawling collection of books has also resulted in some of the most epic Warhammer 40K cover art of all time, almost all of which was created by longtime Games Workshop artist Neil Roberts. These incredible illustrations are now being collected in a new special edition Black Library hardcover book entitled, The Art of the Horus Heresy.
So just what can fans expect from this unique take on the art of war? Below we break out all the details.
What is “The Art of the Horus Heresy” Book About?
The Art of the Horus Heresy is a 320-page, full color hardback coffee table book that features over 200 full-cover illustrations from both the Horus Heresy and Siege of Terra series. This includes everything from early titles like Horus Rising (which was published back in 2006) to the climactic final entry, The End and The Death: Volume III (which was just released in 2024).
All of the artwork featured in this new collection are from UK illustrator Neil Roberts, who has designed the covers every single Horus Heresy novel except one.
Who is Horus Hersey artist Neil Roberts?
Neil Roberts (who also goes by the name Skinny Elbows) is a British animator and multi-media artist based out of the Greater Lincoln area and is known for his unique style that blends elements of both 2D and 3D imagery.
Notably, Roberts has been working for Games Workshop for over 15 years, contributing early animation and concept art for Warhammer Online back in 2005, before taking on cover illustration duties for the Black Library.
In addition to his work on dozens of Warhammer 40K novels, he’s also provided illustrations for numerous novellas, audio dramas and game materials.
When Was “The Art of The Horus Heresy” Released?
The book was released on February 10th, 2024 via the Games Workshop website, but sold out quickly as it limited to just 6,500 copies. There were concerns that scalping may be an issue (something which Games Workshop has been actively working to combat).
How Much is “The Art of the Horus Heresy” Book?
At launch the book had an MSRP of around $60 USD on the Games Workshop website. Given the limited quantity, however, that price has increased significantly and they are now selling for between $150 to $200 USD on eBay.
It’s not yet clear if Games Workshop will be releasing any future reprints, but in the meantime inflated values on the secondary market remain in place.
What other Warhammer 40K Art Books are available?
It’s been several years since Games Workshop released any similar art books. The last such release was in 2020 with the collection Black Library: The Art of Warhammer 40,000. This was also a special edition that sold out quite quickly and is available now only on the secondary market.
Prior to that, in 2006 Games Workshop also produced the limited edition Art of Warhammer 40,000, although this too sold out extremely fast and is now selling for incredibly high amounts on eBay and other online platforms.
The 2024 publication of The Art of the Horus Heresy, however, is the first time that an art book has been published focused on a single artist and single collection of Warhammer 40K illustrations.
Final Thoughts
It’s amazing to see Neil Roberts incredible work on the novels of The Horus Heresy getting the attention it deserves. His art has become a key part of the lore that makes up the Warhammer 40K universe and modern grimdark asthetic, building on the work of longtime Games Workshop artist John Blanche.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this new Warhammer 40K art book in the days ahead and will provide a complete review once we get our hands on it. In the meantime, below is a short video from GW that offers more information on what to expect inside The Art of the Horus Heresy.
SEE OUR BOOKS COVERAGE
Visit our Warhammer 40K Books page for more reviews and news.
Daniel Martin is located in Boston, Massachusetts and has been an avid wargamer for as long as he can remember. Black Templars remain his favorite Warhammer 40K army and he enjoys board games, cycling and spending way too much money on miniatures.
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