Angels of Caliban: 38 (The Horus Heresy)

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The Dark Angels were the first of the Emperor’s Legions, and one of the most powerful and independent Legions at the time of the Horus Heresy. Remorseless and ruthlessly efficient, they made no compromises in the pursuit of their assigned duty. There is a twist at the end and ending itself is rather uplifting (As uplifting as grim darkness of the far future can be) if bittersweet, which makes it all worth it in the end but this was the main reason this book got a four instead of five.

Decades passed and Luther remained in charge of the Dark Angels' garrison force on Caliban. He and the Astartes under his command were never recalled by his primarch to combat duty in the Great Crusade. As Jonson's fame spread throughout the galaxy and reports of his great deeds and prowess in battle reached the I st Legion's homeworld, Luther felt robbed of his share of the glory. He wanted the fame and recognition that he felt he deserved as Jonson's equal and mentor. It seems like Angels of Caliban is meant to conclude the Imperium Secundus arc. Sadly, it doesn't feel that way. Vulkan Lives, The Unremembered Empire, Deathfire, Pharos, and Angels of Caliban don't feel tight in the way Horus Rising, False Gods, and Galaxy in Flames did. And that's my main problem with the Horus Heresy series as whole. It has turned into a rambling mess. He advanced alone, no retinue or guard behind, eyes not once glancing at the honours presented to him. His jaw was set hard, hands bunched into fists. Typhon could feel anticipation turning to tension, polluting the atmosphere of the strategium.Tactical Squad • Assault Squad • Breacher Siege Squad • Seeker Squad • Outrider Squad • Sky Seeker Squad • Hussar Squad • Tactical Support Squad • Reconnaissance Squad • Heavy Support Squad • Sky Hunter Squad • Despoiler Squad • Newbloods

It seems like Angels of Caliban is meant to conclude the Imperium Secundus arc. Sadly, it doesn't feel that way. Vulkan Lives, The Unremembered Empire, Deathfire, Pharos, and Angels of Caliban don't feel tight in the way Horus Rising, False Gods, and Galaxy in Flames did. And that's my main problem w But of his time growing up alone in the forest and what had transpired during that time of his life the Lion never spoke. Within Aldurukh El'Jonson was assimilated into the Human society of Caliban. There he and Luther formed a close friendship as Luther became a mentor and foster father for the foundling. The two men forged a tight and affectionate bond based on their complementary personalities.Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar • Leman Russ: The Great Wolf • Magnus the Red: Master of Prospero • Perturabo: The Hammer of Olympia • Lorgar: Bearer of the Word • Fulgrim: The Palatine Phoenix • Ferrus Manus: Gorgon of Medusa • Grandfather's Gift • Perturabo: Stone and Iron • Malcador: First Lord of the Imperium • Konrad Curze: A Lesson in Darkness • Jaghatai Khan: Warhawk of Chogoris • Vulkan: Lord of Drakes • Sons of the Emperor • Corax: Lord of Shadows • Angron: Slave of Nuceria • Scions of the Emperor • Konrad Curze: The Night Haunter • Ghost of Nuceria • The Passing of Angels • The Abyssal Edge • Mercy of the Dragon • Lion El'Jonson: Lord of the First • Illyrium • The Revelation of the Word • Morningstar • Will of the Legion • Embers of Extinction • Alpharius: Head of the Hydra • Blood of the Emperor • Loyal Sons • Mortarion: The Pale King • Rogal Dorn: The Emperor's Crusader • Sanguinius: The Great Angel • Heirs of The Emperor So much of Space Marine fiction takes place over the course of battles that is a refreshing change to see the Astartes not shooting something and killing it for the majority of the book.

Two storylines here: In Imperium Secundus, the triumvirate hunt down Konrad Curze. On Caliban, the Lion throws more slights upon Luther & the others left behind. There are so many great titles in the Horus Heresy so far so it feels disingenuous to say that ANGELS OF CALIBAN is “one of the best” so instead I’ll say that I expect it to live on for a long time in my memory in much the same way as ANGELS OF DARKNESS. I love Thorpe writing the Dark Angels and I cannot wait to see the eventual cataclysmic confrontation between Lion El’Jonson and Luther. Then, at some points, great shifts and surprises. Some things go very different than expected as a reader. The arrival of the Imperium spells massive changes for Caliban. The forests are flattened and huge arcologies are built to house the burgeoning populace as workers and administrators from Earth are brought in to help process Caliban into a fully compliant member of the Imperium. This is not wholeheartedly accepted by some Calibanites… I The Solar War • II The Lost and the Damned • III The First Wall • Sons of the Selenar • IV Saturnine • Fury of Magnus • V Mortis • VI Warhawk • VII Echoes of Eternity • Garro: Knight of Grey • VIII The End and the Death ( Volume I • Volume II • Volume III)The character Caliban grows up alone, the only human on an island. This, combined with his ancestry (the son of a witch and a daemon), results in his wild and dangerous nature. Caliban is civilised by the arrival of a great sorcerer, but eventually grows resentful of his master and seeks to rebel under a new leader. In the end, however, he remains a servant of his first master. His character arc is notably similar to that of Lion El'Jonson. After the end of the Horus Heresy during the Siege of Terra, Lion El'Jonson and the Dark Angels fleet finally returned to Caliban, but once the I Legion's vessels made orbit they were immediately fired upon by Caliban's orbital defence system.