Bloody Books Review: The Lion, Son of the Forest (by Mike Brooks)

 So, that was a trip, and not at all what I was expecting for the first (chronological) appearance of Lion’El Johnson awake & abroad in the 41st millennium. It is however an utterly compelling dive into the mind of The Lion - probably the most time we’ve spent inside his head in, well, ever - as he finds himself awake, memory muddied and far, far older than he remembers being - bereft of of his Legion and alone for possibly the first time since Luther found him in the forest of Caliban. 

Credit to author Mike Brooks who does a stirling job of depicting a Lion tempered by the events of the Horus Heresy, much more reflective and critical of his own flaws, which in turn informs his interactions both with the regular citizens of The Imperium, and with those Fallen sons he gathers around him on his journey. 

Ah yes, The Fallen. Brooks also provides possible the most fascinating insight into this disparate brotherhood of Calibans scattered scions, primarily through two in particular: Zabriel, a former Destroyer who was ejected from the warp four hundred years ago and has spent that time keeping to himself, staying one-step ahead of The Unforgiven, and doing what he can to aid the Imperium’s citizenry, and Baelor, a battle-brother of Zabriel’s who serves as second in a full-fledged Renegade warband. It’s genuinely fascinating as we meet a number of Fallen across the book, all of whom have differing attitudes towards The Lion - who many feel betrayed them with exile on Caliban & bombarding the planet - and the modern-day Dark Angels and successors who have hounded them. Johnson’s reaction to The Fallen in turn is not at all what would be expected, understanding that his own actions would have negatively impacted the Legion command left on Caliban, but that those line warriors would simply have been doing their duty defending their planet.  

Oh, and I’d be remiss for not pointing out how this book also leans hard into the Arthurian mythos to inform the personality of Johnson and The First - the legendary king, betrayed and taken away to sleep & heal until most needed is right out of the classic cycle, which Brooks reinforces with names for some of the Fallen that skew much more Arthurian than the Angelic names we normally associate with The Unforgiven, as well how the writing when the story takes us into the Forrest pathways that The Lion can walk adopts a somewhat dreamy element.

Now, there is a caveat here. If you go in expecting answers or explanations for Johnson being active again, or for his newfound ability to walk the Forrest, well you are out of luck. But if you want a well-written adventure that establishes the Lord of The First for the 41st Millenium, then this is the book for you.