Fabricator General Kane has seen his fellow Mechanicum adepts dismissed again and again by the High Lords – with his traitorous predecessor Kelbor-Hal still at large on the Red Planet, the political status of the tech-priesthood remains ambiguous. New alliances must be forged from the old, if Mars and Terra are to survive the final battle.

    After brutally enslaving the population, they set them to work building a monstrous, kilometres-high tower. What is the Word Bearers' vile purpose, and can they achieve it before the Imperial forces arrive to reclaim the planet?

    But the war will be decided by Morkai himself as he challenges the aliens' sinister leader to single combat.

    The long-awaited angels are close, and the cult must prepare for their coming.READ IT BECAUSEAcclaimed science fiction author Adrian Tchaikovsky's first full-length work for Black Library takes the form of Day of Ascension, in which the populace of the forge world of Morod grow weary of the backbreaking work and injustice of their lives. But how far will they go to achieve change?THE STORYOn the forge world of Morod, the machines never stop and the work never ends. The population toils in the mines and factoria to protect humanity from the monsters in the void, while the Adeptus Mechanicus enjoy lives of palatial comfort.Genetor Gammat Triskellian seeks to end this stagnant corruption. When he learns of a twisted congregation operating within the shadows, one which believes that the tech-priests are keeping people from their true salvation – a long-prophesied union with angels – he sees in them an opportunity to bring down Morod's masters and reclaim the world in the name of progress.But sometimes, the only hope for real change lies in the coming of monsters.

    Equipped by the Ordo Xenos of the Inquisition, Deathwatch Space Marines possess war gear purposely designed for the destruction of all aliens. In the gauntleted fists of these black-armoured warriors does the sanctity of mankind rest, in their hearts the iron will to vanquish every alien predator and wipe them from the face of the galaxy.Deathwatch: Xenos Hunters is one of our classic Direct Exclusive anthologies containing 11 short stories about the Deathwatch Space Marines, and now includes Last Watch by L J Goulding. Machine Spirit by Nick Kyme The Infinite Tableau by Anthony Reynolds Headhunted by Steve Parker Rackinruin by Braden Campbell Weaponsmith by Ben Counter The Vorago Fastness by David Annandale Fearful Symmetries by Rob Sanders A Sanctuary of Wyrms by Peter Fehervari Exhumed by Steve Parker The Alien Hunters by Andy Chambers Last Watch by L J Goulding

    As savage war spreads across the whole planet, it soon becomes clear that a higher purpose is being fulfilled and even the evil forces of Chaos itself can be manipulated.

    Far from the front lines, Space Marines of the Brazen Minotaurs infiltrate an ancient temple-tomb, seeking an artefact sacred to their Chapter... one that could turn the tide of battle in the Imperium’s favour. But they are not the first to enter the tomb – as the Space Marines race to seize their prize, they are watched from the shadows. Are the mysterious Raven Guard there to help the Brazen Minotaurs, or to destroy them?

    In a galaxy riven by eternal war, they and the other armies of the Imperium are all that stand between mankind and damnation.Their ship damaged by warp storms, the Ultramarines of strike force Cassian make for Kalides Prime. They hope to find safe harbour to repair their craft before rejoining the Indomitus Crusade. Instead, the Primaris Space Marines discover a world reduced to rot and ruin by the plague-ridden warriors of the Death Guard.Also within this book is a host of awesome short stories to give you a flavour of the many warring armies that exist within the worlds of Warhammer 40,000The Lightning Tower by Dan AbnettYarrick: Sarcophagus by David AnnandaleExtinction by Aaron Dembski-BowdenA Sanctuary of Wyrms by Peter FehervariThe Purity of Ignorance by John FrenchThe Word of the Silent King by L.J. GouldingThe Lost King by Robbie MacNivenCulling the Horde by Steve ParkerThe Zheng Cipher by Josh ReynoldsRed & Black by James SwallowHonour of the Third by Gav ThorpeHowl of the Banshee by Gav Thorpe

    It's sure to terrify and delight you in equal measure.THE STORYGuests are arriving at the ancient castle of Mhurghast, summoned by the reclusive Count von Koeterberg. They expect a grand feast, and something more... The ambitious Baron expects to inherit the Count's wealth; the wife of a broken swordsmith hopes to revisit happier times; the fallen priest prays for a chance of recovering his faith. Seven families, each with their own dark secrets. Each with their own hidden agenda. Each marked for revenge. Doomed to discover the depths of horror and despair, it is not a night of revelry that awaits them, but a night of unprecedented terror. Son will turn against father and daughter against mother, as daemonic evil descends upon Mhurghast.

    A must-have for all fans of Horus HeresyCanticle by David GuymerCrash-landed upon a world of perpetual gloom, a young Ferrus Manus is forced to fight for his survival. Upon discovering a strange vessel, he investigates the ship but quickly finds himself battling monstrosities he is ill-prepared for.The Verdict of the Scythe by David AnnandaleHeavily criticised by his brothers over the brutal campaign at Galaspar, Mortarion attempts a new approach during the compliance of Absyrtus. However, discovering treachery at every turn, the Lord of Death must accept an unavoidable truth.A Game of Opposites by Guy HaleyJaghatai Khan makes a virtue of being unknowable, yet Warsmith Xyrokles has studied the Warhawk’s teachings. Choosing to step into the trap laid for him, the Khan of Khans teaches the traitors just how deadly their ignorance truly is.Better Angels by Ian St. MartinArt and war stand fist in glove where it concerns the warriors of the IX Legion. Wending a path through their turbulent history, during the days of the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, a Blood Angels neophyte then legionary tries to capture the essence of beauty and art to present to his primarch, Sanguinius.The Conqueror’s Truth by Gav ThorpeBrought aboard the Nightfall, the remembrancer Ares desires to witness the glory of the Great Crusade. The primarch of the Night Lords, Konrad Curze, grants her request, sending her as a witness to a compliance of his Legion first hand, but in so doing reveals a dark and inconvenient truth.The Sinew of War by Darius HinksAfter having crushed a rebellion in Illyria, a young Roboute Guilliman returns to the capital of Macragge City to be reunited with his father, Konor, only to discover insurrection and unrest running rampant.The Chamber at the End of Memory by James SwallowAs the Siege of Terra nears, Rogal Dorn uncovers a series of bizarre deaths within the inner walls of the Palace. To find the truth, and faced with no other choice, the primarch must defy the edict of Nikaea and return his Librarius to service, but what he discovers will shake him to his very core.First Legion by Chris WraightLocked in the midst of the Rangdan Xenocides, the Dark Angels of the First Legion are contacted by a mysterious warship under the command of Alpharius. When the stranger begins to ask questions about the campaign, he is summoned to the presence of the Lion himself for judgement.

    The forces of the Greater Good have established a stranglehold on the planet, and the time has come for the Imperium to move against them.READ IT BECAUSEIt's a fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping tale pitting the warriors of the White Scars against the alien tau and exploring the way politics and rivalries can threaten to dismantle an Imperial crusade.THE STORYDal'yth. The forces of the Greater Good have established a stranglehold on the planet, and the time has come for the Imperium to move against them. The White Scars lead the ground assault against the tau, launching into combat with speed and fury, shedding blood as they gain ground against their enemies. Meanwhile, the members of the Crusade Council are determined to pursue their own agendas, and their politicking and back-stabbing will place the entire war effort in jeopardy. But little do they know that Inquisitor Grand has more extreme measures in mind, and the White Scars must achieve victory quickly or the cost to Dal'yth will be devastating.

    Each is obsessed with their own speciality, and their rivalry spans millennia. Yet together, they may hold the secret to saving the necron race…READ IT BECAUSEExplore a story told across the millennia that delves deep into a pair of fascinating necron characters, their relationship and their plans for the galaxy.THE STORYBefore the being called the Emperor revealed Himself, before the rise of the aeldari, before the necrontyr traded their flesh for immortal metal, the world was born in violence.Even when they inhabited bodies of flesh, Trazyn the Infinite and Orikan the Diviner were polar opposites. Trazyn, a collector of historical oddities, presides over a gallery full of the most dangerous artefacts – and people – of the galactic past. Orikan, a chronomancer without peer, draws zodiacs that predict and manipulate the future. But when an artefact emerges that may hold the key to the necrons’ next evolution, these two obsessives enter a multi-millennia game of cat and mouse that ends civilisations, reshapes timelines, and changes both forever. As riddles unwind and ancient secrets are revealed, the question remains: will their feud save the necron race or destroy it?

    This omnibus collects three tales of savage warfare and heroism on the frontline.

    Step forth the Space Marines, superhuman warriors and the ultimate protectors of humanity. Heroes of the Space Marines is an anthology of stories about these brave champions and their dark counterparts, the Chaos Space Marines.This anthology features an Ultramarines series tie-in by Graham McNeill featuring the Iron Warrior Honsou, a prequel story to the forthcoming Salamander series by Nick Kyme, a tie–in to the new Imperial Fists series by Chris Roberson and all–new Deathwatch and Night Lords stories, setting the stars ablaze with the fury of the Space Marines.ContentsDarren Cox - No FearAaron Dembski-Bowden - One HatePeter Fehervari - NightfallRichard Ford - LabyrinthNick Kyme - Fires of WarGraham McNeill - Skull HarvestDylan Owen - Honour Among FiendsSteve Parker - HeadhuntedChris Roberson - Gauntlet RunGav Thorpe - Renegades

    When a troupe of these deadly warrior-performers discovers a dead Craftworld festering in the webway, they are determined to find the one responsible and exact punishment. Using the ancient craft of their Shadowseer, the trail of destruction leads the troupe to the Sable Marches, a fringe realm of the dark eldar. With several possible suspects of this heinous crime, the Harlequins decide to draw out the guilty one by staging the Masque of Vyle for the archons, a performance that will expose the truth and lead, fatally, to the perpetrator.The Masque of Vyle is archaic ritual performance, used to lure out the guilty to face the fickle justice of the harlequins. Amongst the Dark Eldar however, there are plenty of guilty souls. This tale gives a fascinating insight into both the splinter realms of Commorragh, and the enigmatic rituals of the Laughing Gods followers.