Horus Heresy: which book to go for next?

I'm currently reading the Horus Heresy series in order, having just finished Nemesis (which after a disappointing start turned into quite a corker, and I almost forgot that Horus wouldn't be bumped off at the end). BUT I don't know what to go for next. I missed out Descent of Angels based on reviews and did the same with Battle for the Abyss, but after mentions of the Abyss in Nemesis and the books about Calth on the horizon I'm wondering whether to go back and read it? And if not, whether Tales of Heresy is worth checking out instead? Otherwise it's on to The First Heretic.

You can't go wrong with First Heretic. Amazing read which I blitzed in a couple days, and I don't read that much. Legion I thought was pretty good. Prospero Burns and Thousand Sons are a great read together, IMO. I myself have fallen behind in the series past Prospero Burns.

Tales of Heresy has some great standalone stories in there, especially 'Last Church'. I'd definitely recommend going back to it. You are right to skip the DA books, they are pants.

I actually quite liked the descent of angels book and I think the negative reviews had a lot to do with the fact that it followed fulgrim and so was completely out of sequence with the heresy story.

Wasn't blown away by tales of heresy, though the church story was good, i thought age of darkness was better.

I feel that the Black Library is trying to make the Dark Angels have a place in the HH. I gathered that they don't have much of a role in the HH at all are only putting them in the books because they are a stand alone codex. The DA "gimmick" is the secret of the chapter which happens after the final battle. Yes the DA were waylayed on their voyage to the final battle. That would be a better place to start the DA involvement in the HH.

For what its worth, I didn't mind the DA books. The first one is more of a fantasy book to me than a sci fi book.

The First Heretic is a great read and gives insight into why Lorgar did what he did. Another good one is Aurelian, the mini-sequel to The First Heretic covering Lorgar's pilgrimage to the Eye of Terror. Battle for the Abyss is a meh book. I'm a huge ultramarines fan and even I was disappointed by it. There was an interesting Thousand Sons character in that story, but it does little to affect how the Word Bearer's attack on Ultramar plays out. Know No Fear does a great job and is a must read. My favorites after Nemesis are The First Heretic, Deliverance Lost, Know No Fear, The Reflection Crack'd (from The Primarchs), Fear to Tread, and Betrayer. I'm really looking forward to The Unremembered Empire and Vulkan Lives.

As for the Dark Angels in the Heresy, I think it's gonna be hard for Black Library to create content for them. Some claim the Dark Angels had joined the Heresy for regions similar to the Alpha Legion (They thought Horus was gonna win, but never fell to Chaos). Their fleet might have been coming to Terra to reinforce the traitors, but seeing Horus defeated, they quickly changed their minds. While the truth will never be known, I think GW will not allow the BL writers to fully flesh this idea out. An example of this is in the 40k Blood Angels series. James Swallow wanted to kill Fabius Bile but GW wouldn't have any of that.

i too say go for the word bearers books.... i know one is a limited ed, but it can be found if you know what to look for.

TBH i see the WB books as the highlight of the heresy series, after the initial trilogy they are the crowning jewels.

as for the dark angels..... the lions half were at tsugualsa fighting the nighlords, untill they got to perditus..... then the lion had his major huff/dummy spit.
he could have got to terra in time with t'chulka, but like the lion says in the end of 'the lion'...... i wont spoil it :)