The Horus Heresy: The Long Night – Sevatar’s Chains, Secrets, and Shadows

Author: Aaron Dembski-Bowden

Audio Length: 42 minutes

Listen on: Audible – The Long Night

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Lately, I’ve been lucky enough to receive a few audio titles, and among them was one I had high expectations for: The Long Night by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I was in for something special: a Night Lords story, centred around none other than Jago Sevatarion.

The Premise

Set after the brutal Thramas Crusade (a stalemate turned hollow victory for the Dark Angels), we find the Night Lords scattered, fractured, and understrength. Sevatar, First Captain of the Night Lords, is now a prisoner aboard the Invincible Reason, the Dark Angels' flagship. He’s wounded, caged, and suffering under intense interrogation.

But Sevatar’s mind isn’t just breaking from captivity. He’s hearing voices. Dreams are seeping into waking hours, and reality starts to fray. Yet, beneath the madness, there’s a secret, something buried that even the Primarch Konrad Curze tried to keep hidden.

My Thoughts

This was an exceptional 42 minutes. So good that I immediately re-listened. The audio quality and voice acting were top-tier, and the atmosphere grabbed me from the very first line.

Dembski-Bowden’s writing always shines when it focuses on character, and The Long Night is a masterclass in that. Sevatar is a fan favourite for a reason. He’s brutal, clever, and sadistic. However, this story offers a deeper, more fragile version of him, a glimpse behind the cruelty. What we get is haunting: a killer who hears voices, clings to reason, and may or may not be going mad.

There’s something terrifyingly human about his breakdown. It adds real depth to a character often portrayed as monstrous.

I won’t spoil the twist (and yes, there’s a brilliant one), but let’s say it reframes everything about Sevatar’s imprisonment, and what the Night Lords might still be capable of.

Why You Should Listen

What this short audio drama does so well is challenge the narrative of the Night Lords. We’re used to thinking of them as butchers and maniacs. But from their perspective, they’re the only ones who see the truth. They are justice. They are a punishment. They are the last sane voices in a galaxy gone mad. And that’s the beauty of The Long Night: it doesn’t just show us Sevatar, it shows us why he believes he's right.

Final Verdict

Whether you’re a Night Lords fan, a Dembski-Bowden loyalist, or want a gripping, 42-minute blast of Heresy goodness, The Long Night is worth your time. It’s intense, personal, and deeply unsettling, in the best possible way.

Have you listened to The Long Night? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, or share your favourite Night Lords moment from the series.

Until next time: stay loyal (or not).
—Peps