Brief Plot Outline (NO spoilers!):
Flight of the Eisenstein is different compared to the rest of the Horus Heresy series. This book is a journey instead of a war. Nathaniel Garro, introduced in Galaxy in Flames, is the Captain of the 7th Company of Death Guard. They are a hardy Legion, difficult to stop, and prefer to wade through fire than to walk around.

When the heretical acts of Isstvan III take place, Nathaniel, aboard the frigate named the Eisenstein, plans to escape the now hostile fleet under the command of Horus, and his brother Primarchs, Mortarion and Angron. He must take word of the betrayal of four entire Legions to The Emperor, to warn him of his rebellious sons.

After a battle, the Eisenstein take flight into the Warp (the Warhammer equivalent of hell and lightspeed travel). Once stranded, after an emergency stop, the fleet is rescued by the Imperial Fists Legion, with Rogal Dorn as their Primarch, and one of The Emperor's most loyal sons. The Fists take the lone Death Guard frigate, who also have the saint Keeler onboard, back to Terra, to warn the Master of Mankind about the greatest threat of all. His own sons.

Review:

Writing: James Swallow has taken a different turn of events compared to the others. He focuses on the journey of one modest frigate, and it's crew. Nathaniel is a man of purpose, on a mission to survive and bring the message of Horus' betrayal to The Emperor. His battle scenes are mostly of the ships, vast interstellar ships of immense size, where travel between world is not measured in hours (like, say, Star Wars), but weeks. This is an advantage for Swallow, as he doesn't have to portray war unlike the other authors in the series. His writing is very good, and provides a strong novel, which is more than can be said for others, say False Gods.

Overall: Personally, I was not looking forward to this book. Out of all the original Space Marine Legions, traitor or not, the Death Guard are to me, the most boring of all, save for the Alpha Legion. I don't like the Death Guard, but James Swallow shows them in a light I can like, because in the current 40,000 time line, the Death Guard are worshippers of Nurgle, and are known as Plauge Marines, hosts to all manners of desiese. The events of the book are one of the big events of the Heresy, although it has never been covered before this book.


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