‘Angron: The Red Angel’ – David Guymer (Black Library)

Another book that I’d pre-ordered and completely forgotten about. It was a nice surprise when it came through the door but it has left me wondering what else I’ve forgotten that I ordered. I guess I’ll find out over the next few months… ;o)

But that’s for another time. Angron is surprisingly high up my list of ‘Favourite Primarchs’ and I was really glad when the news first came out that he was headed back to the Warhammer 40K universe. All that rage backed up by a tragic backstory (what the hell, Emperor of Mankind…), what’s not to look forward to in ‘The Red Angel’? Well, let me tell you about that...

In the darkness of Imperium Nihilus, across half a million worlds cut off from the dim light of Holy Terra, a beacon is lit. The Red Angel returns to an unsteady galaxy and his scattered sons heed the call to slaughter. Aboard the World Eaters’ flagship, Kossolax the Foresworn, self-appointed lord regent of the XII, fights to keep the old dreams of the Legion alive, but finds the return of his hated father both an opportunity and a threat to the warriors’ fragile unity.

Marooned on a worthless moon with a rag-tag band of traitors as despicable as himself, Ortan Leidis of the Angels of the Grail dares to dream of something greater.

Half a galaxy away, Graucis Telomane of the Grey Knights has been readying himself for this day, and plans six centuries in the making are finally set in motion – plans that will see the eradication of the Emperor’s greatest mistake once and for all...

So… For a book that has ‘Angron’ in big letters on the cover, you don’t get to see all that much of him. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that you hardly see him at all which makes things feel more that a little anti-climactic when you first realise what’s going on. I’d say stick with it though, there’s a lot more happening here than you’d think.

There isn’t much of Angron but seriously, how much mileage was there to be had in a Primarch who’s all rage and not much else? I say that Guymer makes the right decision here, having Angron as this white hot ‘rage sun’ that all the other characters orbit around. Some want to follow him while others want to bind him and stop his rampage; whatever the reason though no-one can wholly escape from his influence and that’s really the point of the book, not a tale of Angron per se but more of a ‘look at what having him back does’ kind of affair.

And it works, it really does. Loads of plot lines spring out Angron’s return and from where I was sat, it’s all handled very well in terms of pacing and raising the kind of questions that will keep me reading. Sure, a little bit of the tension is missing, it’s no spoiler to say that Angron isn’t going anywhere soon. What you do get though are plots and machinations that are worth the price of entry. When you have a World Eater Marine who can live with the Butchers Nails for long enough, at a time, to make actual plans that don’t just involve going beserk, that is awesome. And on a personal note, I really enjoyed seeing the original captain of the ‘Conqueror’ make some unsettling appearances on a flagship that Guymer clearly takes a lot of pleasure in revealing its corruption to us.

And it wouldn’t be a ‘World Eaters/Khorne’ novel without the fights, would it? Of course it wouldn’t and Guymer really doesn’t stint on the broken bones and battle rage. It’s properly stirring stuff and another example of Warhammer 40K that would just look amazing on the screen. Henry Cavill, take note ;o)

I can see why people picked up ‘The Red Angel’ and were perhaps disappointed that there wasn’t enough Angron (although he still does plenty here…) but I’d say give the book a chance and it won’t let you down. There’s a lot going on here and you will want to be a part of it.