Wow! Just plain wow! The battle scenes at the end were full of gallantry, nobility, honor, and all the good things you expect in an epic where brave men make a last stand. The path to get to that point was also a very good read as the treachery of the heresy is finally revealed and pits Space Marine brother against brother. Once I picked this up, I could not put it down. Ben Counter manages to maintain the crescendo and swift pace of the series in the closing volume of this first trilogy. He also sets things nicely for the rest of the series. Horus solidifies his power, but he is in a race against time to carry out his plans before the Emperor finds out about the treachery. Legions turn against each other as the Astartes take sides. Oh, Captains Loken and Tarvitz and the other loyalists will, in their last stand, make sure Horus' forces pay dearly for their treachery. There is drama, intrigue, action, suspense, and more in this novel that does not let go until the end. Counter's narrative is epic in scope and style; in some ways, this is like reading a classic epic poem. This is definitely a very good entry in the series. I will definitely go looking for the next one.