JAMES

When the world of Armageddon is attacked by orks, the Black Templars Space Marine Chapter are amongst those sent to liberate it. Chaplain Grimaldus and a band of Black Templars are charged with the defence of Hive Helsreach from the xenos invaders in one of the many battle zones. But as the orks' numbers grow and the Space Marines' numbers dwindle, Grimaldus faces a desperate last stand in an Imperial temple.

Red Schuhart is a stalker, one of those young rebels who are compelled, in spite of extreme danger, to venture illegally into the Zone to collect the mysterious artifacts that the alien visitors left scattered around. His life is dominated by the place and the thriving black market in the alien products. But when he and his friend Kirill go into the Zone together to pick up a "full empty", something goes wrong.

Terra stands upon the brink of Unity. The armies of the self-proclaimed Emperor of Mankind have waged their bloody wars to bring the whole planet under his rule, crushing all traces of outlawed religion and worship from the face of this now secular utopia. But even the mighty Thunder Warriors cannot cow Uriah Olathaire, last priest of the Church of the Lightning Stone, as he goes about his empty, hollow rituals - and only one last and thoroughly unexpected visitor can bring any hope of a possible reconciliation.

In the jungles of Aztlan a deadly war of the shadows is being fought. And the Imperial Guard are losing. The alien t’au, though few in number, greatly outclass the soldiers of the Imperium and are taking a serious toll on their forces. A call for aid is answered by the fearsome Mortifactors Chapter, who come to the world full of grim purpose. Adoni, an unblooded neophyte yet to earn his place, is amongst the war party. As the Mortifactors descend into the jungle vastness, they hunt for a killer, one that will not die easily but that whom Adoni must slay if he is to become part of the Chapter and a Taker of Heads.

The Inquisition moves amongst mankind like an avenging shadow, striking down the enemies of humanity with uncompromising ruthlessness. When he finally corners an old foe, Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn is drawn into a sinister conspiracy. As events unfold and he gathers allies - and enemies - Eisenhorn faces a vast interstellar cabal and the dark power of daemons, all racing to recover an arcane text of abominable power: an ancient tome known as the Necroteuch.