Book Review // Angel Exterminatus by Graham McNeill
I am incredibly excited for this book. Firstly, it contains Aeldari (my current army of choice in 40k). Secondly, it has the Emperor Children (Long-time fan of Noise Marines). Thirdly it has the Iron Warriors! In the mists of time, I collected a 2nd Chaos Army 100% Iron Warriors themed and continued that force into the 5th edition before the Aeldari lured me in. So, for me, this title is a perfect trifecta of goodness. Angel Exterminatus was written by Graham McNeill. This 416-page novel follows the two fallen Primarchs, Fulgrim and Perturabo. Here is the official write-up.
Title: Angel Exterminatus
Author: Graham McNeill
Format: Paperback (Once again, an expensive title. So get it on Kindle)
Publisher: Black Library
Fluff: Perturabo – master of siegecraft, and executioner of Olympia. Long has he lived in the shadow of his more favored Primarch brothers, frustrated by the mundane and ignominious duties which regularly fall to his Legion. When Fulgrim offers him the chance to lead an expedition in search of an ancient and destructive Xenos weapon, the Iron Warriors and the Emperor’s Children unite and venture deep into the heart of the great warp-rift known only as ‘the Eye’. Pursued by a ragged band of survivors from Isstvan V and the revenants of a dead Eldar world, they must work quickly if they are to unleash the devastating power of the Angel Exterminatus!
Review
I have to admit the villains in the Horus Heresy series have been the highlight characters. I can only assume it is because of their human flaws that they are so enjoyable. It feels almost heartbreaking to see how impressive they could have been if they had remained uncorrupted. It also highlights how childhood affects adult life and the need to be wanted by a parental figure, which is so dangerous.
In this novel, the focus is Perturabo, who, so far, is only mentioned in passing or as a side character. Meaning we are treated to some real insight into the character for once. Always portrayed as a moody siegecraft specialist, we finally get to start experiencing the creator, the builder, and the want-a-be statesman. He has a lot of depth, which could rival the other Primarchs if he wasn't consistently underestimated (a role I believe he plays up to). In this novel, we also discover his sons follow their father's lead and downplay their skills and abilities, as they seem to be a fair match for most other legions.
The way the story is written, it would seem that Perturabo is the "Good Guy" of the tale, facing off against his brother Fulgrim. Once close brothers and allies, we now see a rift forming between the brothers. Fulgrim falls further into worshipping Slannesh, while Perturabo wishes to be no man's or God's tool. These differing viewpoints are played out throughout the story, where the brothers travel into the Eye of Terror to discover a weapon known as the Angel Exterminatus.
This is a solid story and a great introduction to the Iron Warriors. It also did a great job of expanding the Emperor's Children's arc. We also visited a Crone World and experienced a bucket load of aeldari! But it is not all wonderful. I found the inclusion of the loyalists a bit too forced; I know it's great to see some Iron Hands, Raven Guard, and Salamanders, but they didn't add much to the story. If you cut out their chapters, the story runs just as well at one-third of the page count. But that is just me nit-picking at an otherwise great story. The epilogue for me also seemed forced; I know the author is just trying to link his stories together, but it wasn’t needed.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this title. As always, thanks for stopping by. Please use the following links to support the blog.
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