Book Review - Astorath Angel of Mercy

A Novella by Guy Hayley

The Primaris Space Marines have well and truly arrived and are making their mark in the Warhammer 40k universe and timeline. But there have been doubts about the gene-seed and whether the changes designed by Belasarius Cawl may have removed Sanguinius’ curse.

From the book:

Following the Devastation of Baal and the arrival of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman’s Indomitus Crusade, Commander Dante of the Blood Angels has been appointed Lord Regent of all Imperium Nihilus. Working with the successor chapters of the Blood Angels, Dante commands that the area around the Red Scar be scouted in preparation for reconquest. The Red Wings’ sweep has led them to the foetid world of Dulcis, dangerously near to the Cicatrix Maledictum itself. Decimated by the tyranids during the war for Baal and only lightly reinforced by Primaris Space Marines, the Red Wings Chapter are in no position to deal with the events that unfold there. Strange psychic phenomenon and a deadly xenos enemy threaten the great hope of all the Chapters of the Blood – that the flaw in Sanguinius’ geneseed has at last been tamed. Drawn by the Black Rage to Dulcis, Astorath the Grim, Lord High Chaplain and Redeemer of the Lost, comes to aid the Red Wings. But what he discovers there will shake the Chapters of the Blood to their very core.

Astorath has one role; to keep the secret of the Blood Angels and to tame the savage beast of the flaw of the Blood Angels. He comes to Dulcis and the Primaris Space Marines of the Red Wing chapter who are encountering changes in their fellows that they don’t understand.

This is a much needed novella length story for the Blood Angels to confirm if we need to paint Death Company Primaris and whether the flaw still exists within the Primaris Space Marines who have recently joined the chapter following the Devastation of Baal. It’s brilliantly written, flows well and is a nice quick read. It also has a Xenos peril thrown in and a local threat from the planet of Dulcis that we have not seen before in the Warhammer universe. I really like seeing these possibilities that you may see in a role-playing game but not on the battlefield.

Definitely a key novella if you are a Blood Angel fan and recommended for anyone else who likes a good roaring Warhammer 40k but fancies a novella length.