A typically thoughtful and evocative John French short story, The Passing of Angels – included in the Primarchs anthology Sons of the Emperor – takes a close look at Sanguinius’ understanding of the role he was created to play. Leading the Blood Angels’ Destroyer Host into battle against a human world which deployed proscribed weaponry against the Imperium, he takes upon himself the burden of unleashing such devastation, while allowing his sons to absolve themselves of the deaths they cause. Across a non-linear story we get a few glimpses of what Sanguinius and those around him think of the nature of angels.
It’s a layered, complex story that rewards careful reading to get the best out of, featuring multiple viewpoints using different perspectives, and dealing with a lot of aspects of Sanguinius all in a single short story. This is a depiction of Sanguinius that’s different to anything we’ve seen before, factoring in what we already know but taking us in unexpected directions. Perhaps more than any previous depiction French captures the dichotomy at the heart of Sanguinius’ character – the balance between light and dark, between human and inhuman. It’s not an easy read, but it is powerful, thought-provoking and beautifully done.
Check out the main Horus Heresy series page on Track of Words.
