Book Review // Betrayer by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
I'm not going to lie. I hate paying for Black Library books. They are so expensive if you miss out on them. Luckily for me, I found this book in my local library. Why they only have this title, I am unsure, but I was glad to randomly find it. So, let us dive into the title.
Title: Betrayer
Author: Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Publisher: Black Library
Format: Paperback
Page Count: 343
Fluff: The Shadow Crusade has begun. While the Ultramarines reel from Kor Phaeron’s surprise attack on Calth, Lorgar and the rest of the Word Bearers strike deep into the realm of Ultramar. Their unlikely allies, Angron and the World Eaters, continue to ravage each new system they come across – upon the garrison planet of Armatura, this relentless savagery may finally prove to be their undoing. Worlds will burn, Legions will clash and a primarch will fall.
Review
It's a great book and an intriguing read. One significant noticeable development in this book is that of the Primarch Lorgar. The last time I read a Horus Heresy book, Lorgar had been broken by the destruction of Monarchia (Thanks, Ultra-smurfs), but now, in this tale, he is full of purpose, having rediscovered his passion and zeal. Leading both the Word Bearers and the World Eaters in a campaign to destroy the Ultmar system, ultimately crippling the Ultramarines. I think he has finally become a true Primarch, ruthless, cruel and full of self-importance.
While we are on the topic, we can't forget Angron of the World Eaters. This is the first accurate telling of the Red Angel within the Heresy series, and it does not disappoint. He is angry, mean, bitter, ruthless, arrogant, tortured, wounded, pride-filled and, for some reason, revered by his sons. Dembski does a great job portraying this damaged character and makes you want to like Angron and their sons. Some of the best scenes in the book involve Angron. To name a few parts of awesome, we have to start with the Titan scene: Angron was meant to be rescued by Lorgar, but after a plasma blast cooks Lorgar, Angron appears just in time to stop the titan from crushing the burnt Lorgar. We get to read about the monumental strength of Angron as he braces himself against the titan’s foot and holds it trapped long enough for a traitor titan to kill it. This scene is so cool, as it shows Angron has a brother's love for Lorgar, even if he hates to show it. We also get treated to a few scenes of Angron putting several Primarchs on their asses which is always good for a laugh.
But hang on, Peps, is this book just about Primarchs? No, it is not. There are Space Marines, too. They are mainly there to showcase the World Eaters and their flaws and how they went from being proud warriors of the Emperor to bloodthirsty sons of a monster. It was interesting to read how the gene-seed forces the sons to follow their gene sire blindly, even taking on the dreaded Butcher's Nails to share in their father's pain. Dembski does a great job at this and makes a believable Legion rather than a slaving hoard of gladiatorial warriors. I loved the portrait of Kharn in this, and we start to see how he becomes the unstable madman of the 40k verse.
Overall, if you like Primarch tales, this is a great book. If you like World Eaters, this is a great book. If you want Word Bearers, this is a great book. If you hate Ultramarines, you'll love this book. Go pick it up, read it, and enjoy!
