Angel Exterminatus Review *SPOILERS*

Graham McNeill is one of Black Library's best writers, not yet in the league of Abnett or Demski Bowden, but I like him personally for False Gids and Fulgrim, which I consider to be two of the best early books, and A Thousand Sons, which in my opinion outclassed Prospero Burns in a dozen areas. I also loved Mechanicum, which really creates a feeling of the largely unexplored Mechanicum especially when combined with Abnett's Titanicus. I'm not too sure about The Outcast Dead, which really didn't move me or explore anything further in the Heresy, but I have high hopes for its followup, given McNeill's best quality, something BL's other writers don't have, and that's being a loresmith. He's superlative at linking references books together and in Angel Exterminatus it's no different. The list is long, from Mechanicum's link to Titanicus and Storm of Iron and even Dawn of War: Dark Crusade with it's Legios, the Dies Irae and the Ignis' hellstorm cannon, and Mars' startling revelation to the Void Dragon, to the revelation of the Blood Ravens' geneseed in A Thousand Sons, and further hints to the situation in Terra in The Outcast Dead. He also single-handedly breathed life into the startling generic Iron Warriors, first through A Storm of Iron, then his tales describing Honsou's exploits. 

Angel Exterminatus follows on after the events in The Primarchs and Shadows of Treachery, specifically The Reflection Crack'd and The Crimson Fist. At Phall, Pertuarbo's attempt to humble the Imperial Fists ended in a bitter defeat, but as they cleanse another citadel of Imperial Fists they are met by Fulgrim's Legion, now more of a raving horde of crazed warriors than a disciplined fighting force. I'm happy that this is a book about Pertuarbo with Fulgrim as a side character, as after Fulgrim and The Reflection Crack'd, there really isn't much else to explore with Fulgrim, especially after the events in this book. Pertuarbo's always been been portrayed as a bitter man who only joined Horus due to his hate of Rogal Dorn, but thankfully we see here that it's not so simple. The star of this book is Pertuarbo, and we see why he turned traitor. Unlike Lorgar or Fulgrim or Angron or Mortarion, he doesn't hate the loyalists and the Emperor, and he even admits to this. During the Heresy Pertuarbo's Legion was given the task of assaulting the most dangerous fortresses whilst other legions like the Ultramarins, Blood Angels and Sons of Horus claimed all the glory. He is an honourable and dutiful son, no doubt, though he never recieved anything for his service. After his genocidal cleansing of Olympia, only Horus gave him forgiveness, the thing that he sought the most, and so swore that he would be loyal to no other. This loyalty to Horus is what binds him and his legion, and his enmity with the Fists is just a bonus.

If you've ever read some of his previous books, you'll be delighted to see Forrix, Obax and Kroeger, in addition to Toramino and Berossus, who is now a Dreadnought, from The Crimson FIst. It's amazing to see Forrix before he became a jaded, cruel SoB, and also Kroeger before he degenerated into the raving lunatic we see in A Storm Of Iron. We're also introduced to Warsmith Barban Falk, who we learn becomes THAT Warsmith, and Cadaras Grendel, another link back to the 41st Millenium. We also see the return of Kaesoron, Vairosean, Lucius, Fabius, Abranxe, Ruen, Kalimos and Krysander from The Reflection Crack'd. We also see Navarra, the only survivor of Tyr's attack on the Iron Blood, as a captive of Fabius. From the outset we are drawn into an epic tale, as the two Primarchs seek to unlock a weapon known only as The Angel Exterminatus. Led by a dubious Eldar guide, the Iron Warriors follow Fulgrim from the soil of Hydra Cordatus (link, link) as he leads them towards a mysterious anomaly Pertuarbo has seen all his life, a very specific Eye of Terror. At the same time they are shadowed by the members of the Sisypheum, including Sabik Wayland and Nykona Sharrowkyn, who we last saw in Kryptos. Early on Sharrowkyn takes a shot at Fulgrim and nearly kills him, though from foresight we know precisely which Primarchs fall and that leaves a dampener of sorts on things.

The battle scenes in this book are excellent, as the two traitor legions hack and blast their way through an army of Wraithguard and Wraithlords. The scene has beautiful planning and it's good to see the Iron Warriors use their Rhinos as platforms to fight from. We see the logistical, cunning and methodical fighting of the Iron Warriors combined with the riotous warfare of the Emperor's Children and some more blistering swordfighting from Fulgrim and Lucius. Fabius, as always is creeping around in the background doing some horrific experiments with the geneseed of 12 legions, those that fought at Istvaan V combined with the Imperial FIsts, and this leads to a very humourous epilogue. 

This book surprised me, for it was one of those books where an important traitor dies. So far, there haven't been major deaths. We know all the big guys, Erebus and Kor Phaeron (also Sor Talgron, though that's debateable), Abaddon, Typhus, Fabius, Talos, the entirety of the Iron Warriors inner circle, even Kaesoron and Ignatius Grulgor as Wrath of Iron and the Medusa V campaign tells us, survive the Heresy. Meanwhile, the entirety of the Iron Hands and a huge amount of the Ultramarines named characters have been slain, and we know little about the characters of legions such as the White Scars, Salamanders, Dark Angels and Space Wolves. So far we have Charmosian, who is a nobody, and Argel Tal and Sevatar, who have been confirmed to die several times. Even Eidolon, the pesky bastard, is back, brought back from the dead by Fabius. Somehow, this reminded me of Scapegrace's head in Skullduggery Pleasant. But no longer! Marius cops it from a volkite cannon. Hard. Kalimos dies as the Andronicus is wrecked, and his trademark whip is taken by Fabius, known in the 41st Millenium as the Lash of Torment. Another link. Abranxe and Ruen fall too, both slain by Sharrowkyn, who is rapidly becoming the Shrike of the 31st Millenium in terms of badassery. Surprise surprise, Lucius is killed by Sharrowkyn, yet brought back to life by Fabius towards the end of the book. Phew. As long as Nykona isn't turned into Lucius, I'm happy.

In the final battle we see many revelations, from revealing the true nature of Fulgrim's plans and looking deeper into Pertuarbo's intentions to setting up what will happen in the Heresy's future. All I can say is, I'm excited as to what the future holds. No longer is it just the Heresy. We've seen the Thramas Crusade which hopefully will lead onto the Lion's cryptic actions in the rest of the Heresy, Guilliman's dubious Second Imperium and the fact that he's drawn the rest of the Retribution Fleet and the Blood Angels to his banner, Lorgar's upcoming Shadow Crusade, Corax's new plans, the role of the White Scars, the to-come underground war in Mark of Calth, Garro's mission and the inception of the Grey Knights, and as ever the sneaky plans of the Alpha Legion. If this is done right, there'll be yet another rich seam of lore in the growing goldmine that is the Horus Heresy. This is truly another grand tale from McNeill which nudges him even further up the chain. Ball's in your court now, Abnett and ADB. I cannot wait for The Mark of Calth and The Betrayer. The Heresy's getting good.

9/10