This weekend is a momentous occasion, as the returned Primarch of the First Legion steps from mist-wreathed passageways back into the 41st Millennium. Arks of Omen: The Lion finds him already on his way to aid the Dark Angels, but to find out how he got there, you’ll need to read The Lion: Son of the Forest.
In anticipation of the novel’s impending pre-order on Saturday, Warhammer Community spoke to author Mike Brooks about his experiences crafting the return of Lion El’Jonson.
Warhammer Community: What was it like getting to write about such a historically important character as the Lion in the moment of his grand return?
Mike Brooks: It was a great honour, and incredibly exciting! Guilliman's return to the lore really made me sit up and take notice. The Primarchs were legendary creatures of myth back when I started playing in the days of the second edition and Codex Imperialis, and the notion that one was actually coming back in the present day marked the moment when Warhammer 40,000 lore really took a new step.
So with that said, the prospect of being the one to write the first novel about another Primarch's return was an incredible opportunity. Of course, with great opportunity comes great responsibility – or something like that.
WarCom: How did writing about other legendary names like Alpharius, Huron Blackheart, and Da Red Gobbo prepare you for tackling Lion El'Jonson?
Mike: They all came with their own challenges! But the important thing about a project like this is to bring some new insight to the character. With the Lion, part of that work was done for me by the fact that he's been brought back into a galaxy that is massively unfamiliar to him.
By contrast, Alpharius' novel was a retrospective, showing what shaped him (and them) into what we see later. Huron's novel was a continuation of what had come before, with him dealing with an internal threat rather than an external enemy.
For the Lion, most of what he knew has gone and pretty much everything of what's left is unfamiliar, so that largely wrote itself. He's a man who defined himself by being the First – pre-eminent and utterly loyal – and now he finds that the Imperium he helped build is crumbling, his former Legion are distrustful strangers, and that pre-eminence makes him practically (and uncomfortably) divine in the eyes of the humans he meets.
WarCom: Are there any spoiler-free moments that you found particularly fun to write, or daunting to approach?
Mike: The problem with writing Primarchs is that you need to show their staggering intellect and tactical brilliance when you, the author, lack those traits! Writing the Lion physically kicking butt was easy – he's immensely strong and fast. However, there's a void battle which takes place at one point, and it was somewhat daunting to come up with tactics that felt worthy of a Primarch for it.
WarCom: Does the Lion's miniature match up to how you envisioned the character you were writing?
Mike: I actually got to see photos of the miniature – albeit unpainted – right at the start of the process, so I did at least have that going for me!
WarCom: Having written about the Alpha Legion and the Orks, and now the Dark Angels… do you truly believe that green is best?
Mike: No, Orks are best. Dese other gits are just copyin' da boyz, innit…
Pre-order The Lion: Son of the Forest this Saturday to find out just how Lion El’Jonson returned to the 41st Millennium, and make sure to pick up the phenomenal new miniature in a special boxed set.