Castellan by David Annadale.
The Grey Knights are the thin line standing between humanity and the ravenous horrors lurking in the warp. Among them, the Purifiers burn brightest — their souls and their faith in the Emperor as unyielding as diamond. No Grey Knight has ever fallen to Chaos, but if any were ever at risk, it would be the one tasked with guarding the Black Blade of Antwyr. This relic from a forgotten age has left a trail of death and ruin wherever it appeared. After three millennia of searching, the Grey Knights finally secured it, shielding the galaxy from its corrupting touch. They couldn’t destroy it, and it was far too dangerous to leave even in the deepest vaults beneath Titan. The blade’s presence alone pours hatred, temptation, and whispered threats into the minds of anyone nearby, and even the Purifiers have buckled under its malice during its darkest surges. Garran Crowe has long been marked for greatness, and as the Castellan Champion of the Purifiers, that promise has been fully realised. His duty is immense: to resist the blade’s endless offers and hold fast to the Aegis of his faith, no matter how fiercely the weapon claws at his mind.
The second and final book in this series really builds on the strong foundation laid by the first. The problems caused by the sword do a great job of showing just how dangerous it truly is, not only to ordinary humans but even to the Grey Knights themselves. A lot of stories about the Sons of Titan have them wiping out daemon‑infested worlds with a six‑man squad and barely breaking a sweat, so seeing the stakes feel genuinely threatening was refreshing. It made the danger feel far more fitting for something on a world‑ending scale. Crowe’s character development stood out to me as well. You can clearly see how he’s grown and changed since the first book, and it feels earned. Annandale has put together a really strong duology here, one that does justice to the Grey Knights and the impossible burden they carry. The pacing starts off a little slow, but it picks up quickly and holds solid momentum all the way through. Castellan is absolutely a must‑read if you’re a Grey Knights fan, and honestly, anyone who enjoys 40k fiction will get something out of it.
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