"Legion of the Damned"
The Legion doesn't make an appearance till the very end, and they didn't play the role I expected they would. This is a negative. However, the book is just a treasure trove of Space Marine scene mastication. Behold:
The main character, Kersh of the Excoriators chapter, has been shamed by losing his company banner. It's called....wait for it....The Stigmartyr.
It turns out that Dorn somehow left behind his own take on the Black Rage, called the Darkness. I guess some of Dorn's sons were left pouting because the Blood Angels got their primarch's angst and they didn't. Instead of getting angry they get super sad. So sad that Kersh has been in a sarcophagus reliving Dorn's finding the dying Emperor over and over. GET YOUR OWN SCHTICK, EXCORIATORS!
The Excoriators love them some floggings. In fact, Kersh orders some of his brothers to not flog themselves for three days. Their response is , "Aw man, you can't order us not to flog ourselves, it's our Dorn-given right!"
It has ZOMBIES. But not the usual Nurglite ones, Khornate ones!
It's got Sisters of Battle who are again just as scary as the Astartes because they are faith-based batshit insane.
And it's got a ghost walking around but everyone is used to it after a while. Made for a nice Halloween vibe.
In other words, it's a hilarious romp, go read it.
