The Primarchs – the twenty genetically engineered sons of the Emperor – have long been a popular subject in the Warhammer 40K universe, appearing in countless novels and game materials over the years. Chief among them is the legendary Lion El’Jonson, founder of the 1st Legion of Space Marines, the dreaded Dark Angels themselves.
El’Jonson also happens to be the focus of a brand new Warhammer 40K book entitled The Lion: Son of the Forest written by longtime Black Library scribe Mike Brooks. Notably, the novel was released in eBook and Audiobook format in April 2023, with the paperback version now available January 2024 on Amazon.
So is this chapter in the history of the popular Primarch worth reading? Below we break out of all the details.
WHAT iS THE LION: SON OF THE FOREST ABOUT?
The story begins ten thousand years after El’Jonson was betrayed and mortally wounded by a rogue faction of Dark Angels before being placed into stasis and secreted away to the heart of the fortress-monastery known as The Rock.
He awakens to find himself in a universe he no longer recognizes, with the Emperor reduced to a living corpse atop the Golden Throne and the forces of Chaos closing in on the Imperium. On his quest for revenge, the Lion is aided by the Fallen Angel Zabriel and finds himself hunting down a Chaos Astartes warband that may hold the key to his past.
Despite this epic premise, however, if you’re expecting to read about the Lion battling his way across the galaxy and shaking the foundations of the Imperium to the core, you may be sadly disappointed. In fact, the scope of the book is tightly focused and is really more of a character study of a lost, aged and faded Lion El’Jonson as he struggles to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. It’s a story about a man coming to terms with his mythology, and there’s a surprisingly poignant themes of redemption and forgiveness throughout.
That being said, we are talking about a Warhammer 40K book here and so there’s plenty of action interspersed between the introspection. If you’ve wanted to learn what it’s like to see one of the most powerful Primarchs of all time tear Chaos Astartes limb-from-limb, you’ll love this novel.
In terms of the story itself, the perspective in the book shifts between the Lion and a brilliantly portrayed Chaos Space Marine warband who have personality to spare. It’s a unique approach that works incredibly well, and the characters are well-written and engaging. In many ways, it’s a lot smarter and deeper than your typical Warhammer 40K novel.
The book also does a great job as primer for the Dark Angels, summarizing key events from the Chapter’s history and setting the stage for what comes next.
FINAL THOUGHTS & REVIEW SCORE
The return of a Primarch is a huge deal when it comes to the lore of Warhammer 40K and while The Lion: Son of the Forest does a great job of setting up El’Jonson in the modern Imperium, it’s also feels like the first part of a much larger story (fingers crossed, a sequel will be developed).
It’s not the best Warhammer 40K book ever written, but Mike Brooks does an excellent job of creating an intriguing character study interspersed with plenty of action, making it a must-read for fans of the Primarchs, Chaos Space Marines and Dark Angels alike.
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Rating: 4 out of 5 Skulls
You can order the paperback version of The Lion: Son of the Forest now on Amazon.
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Daniel Martin is located in Boston, Massachusetts and has been an avid wargamer for as long as he can remember. Black Templars remain his favorite Warhammer 40K army and he enjoys board games, cycling and spending way too much money on miniatures.
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