Across the universe, humanity and thier defenders, the Space Marines, seek to eradicate these threats.  Fear the Alien features some of the Black Library's best-known authors plus exciting new talent with a range of stories about the on-going war with the xenos.The list of authors includes: Dan Abnett, Braden Campbell, Mark Clapham, Aaron Dembski-Bowden, James Gilmer, CS Goto, Andy Hoare, Nick Kyme, George Mann, Juliet McKenna, Steve Parker, Matt Sprange, CL Werner

    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

    But when his old comrade, Master Tigrane of the Dark Angels Space Marine Chapter, arrives to join the festivities and asks to hear the glorious tale told once more, Antigone seems flustered. With the details of his account cast under close scrutiny and with the judgement of the Imperium hanging over him, will his noble reputation remain intact?

    On the world is a cathedral, ancient and run down – but with an icon at its heart, a warrior-woman with a bloodied rose on her chest. Is this a symbol that Saint Mina, founder of the Order, once walked on this world? Augusta is determined to find out…

    None came. Now, with their fleet stranded and supplies dwindling, the warriors of the Rout face almost certain death amidst the rust-red clouds of the nebula. But what a glorious end it shall be, worthy of the sagas of old, and Alpharius’s sons will soon learn that a cornered wolf is always the most deadly...Find out what Russ did next... This novella bridges the gap between 'Scars' and 'Vengeful Spirit' and sees Russ make some hard decisions in the name of victory...

    His widow and murderer, the Lady Chettamandey, stands to inherit his power and influence. Her plans for ascension are curtailed when she’s drawn into a dark world of ritual killings and cult murders, with planets being dragged into the warp seemingly at a whim, the threat to Chettamandey’s legacy is dire, and only she can avert potential disaster.

    Led by High King Tolwyn Draconis, the Knights are peerless in battle and strike deep into the enemy’s ranks. But the war soon turns when a terrible tragedy strikes, casting the Imperial campaign into anarchy. As desperation grows, unblooded Knights Errant Danial and Luk must quickly learn the ways of war to prevent an unholy ritual or Donatos will be lost and all the noble Houses of Adrastapol with it.It's war on a larger scale – Imperial Knight scale! Two novice Knight pilots against an entire world of enemies – sounds like a story for the ages.

    Tragedy strikes when an errant missile destroys the Space Marine's Chapter monastery, killing most of their warriors. With a handful of Crimson Fists left, Kantor must fight the campaign of his life, to defeat Snagrod's orks and prevent his Chapter's annihilation.

    In the war-torn 41st millennium, humanity stands on the shores of damnation, their only savior is the Immortal God Emperor and the massed armies of the Imperium, in this anthology of Warhammer( 40,000 stories ripped from the pages of Inferno! magazine.

    Renegades from the Imperium's dawn stalk the complex, bringing pain and death. But something just as dangerous awaits them: the loyal, but brutal and predatory, Carcharadons.On the prison world of Zartak, darkness has fallen on arbitrators and inmates alike. The Night Lords have come, and with them the shadow of fear and pain. But they are not the only ones with an interest in Zartak. From the void, running on silent, another fleet emerges. Its warriors are grey-clad and white-faced, and their eyes are as black as the Outer Dark – the savage Carcharodon Astra. As these two packs of ancient, merciless predators stalk the shadows of the prison colony, both seeking a single young inmate with unnatural talents, the corridors run red, and both factions will have to fight tooth and claw to leave Zartak alive.A darkened prison, a pack of Night Lords and the Imperium's most predatory Space Marines – what more could you want from a story?

    Only the Lord of Death himself, Blood Angels Chief Librarian Mephiston, has any hope of discerning the fate of this once pious world. After enacting a powerful blood ritual, Mephiston and an honour guard of his fellow Blood Angels reach the stricken shrine world to find it seized by religious civil war. Each faction fights for dominance of a potent artefact, the Blade Petrific, said to be wrought by the Emperor Himself. Yet there is more at work here than a mere ideological schism, for Mephiston believes Divinatus Prime could offer answers to how he became the Lord of Death, he who resisted the Black Rage, and possibly even a way to end the curse of ‘the Flaw’ in all Blood Angels.Read by Richard Reed.

    When one powerful Ethereal crash lands behind Imperial lines, the young Fire Warrior is sent to rescue him. But with the fierce troops of the Imperial Space Marines lying in wait, the success of the mission is far from assured.

    As citizens flee from the drowning city, a sadistic Imperial interrogator seeks a lowly data-drone with a terrible secret. But when disaster strikes, the pair must rely on each other for survival as the Watcher in the Rain awaits them.LISTEN TO IT BECAUSEHear a world in peril, with a magnificent soundscape acting as the backdrop to a thoroughly frightening tale of two enemies forced to work together against a darkness that will consume them both.THE STORYIn the far reaches of Imperial space, a ferocious warp storm approaches an Administratum world, cutting off the entire planet from the rest of the Imperium. As their towering grey spires are punished by endless rain, countless administrators, tithe-masters, and book-keepers are forced to evacuate. Among them is Greta, a lowly data-drone with a terrible secret, wanted for questioning by the sadistic Imperial interrogator Stefan Crucius. As disaster strikes and the pair are left stranded in the depths of the drowning city, captor and captive must co-operate to stand any chance of escaping. But a mysterious presence stalks them through the abandoned, flooded towers, a dread entity each must confront but which neither dare acknowledge, a Watcher in the Rain.

    They dock, repair, rearm and depart in an endless cycle of war. But even in this heart of imperial space, conflict exists. A great religious festival provides the perfect catalyst for civil unrest, political intrigue and murder in the vast Hive cities. Newly arrived Arbites officer, Shira Calpurnia finds herself in the thick of the action when she becomes the target of a series of assassination attempts. Coping with corruption and betrayal from within the ranks of the Arbites, Shira must discover who is trying to kill her before civil unrest turns to all out heresy. Caught in the crossfire, can she survive the intrigues of the ancient and callous aristocracy of this vital naval base?

    But stiff resistance will test him to his limits, and beyond.READ IT BECAUSEPhil Kelly continues his look at the life of Commander Farsight with his first campaign against the full might of the Imperium, and shows how the T'au Empire's technological superiority fares against Imperial grit.THE STORYThe t'au are a mysterious alien race, diametrically opposed to the Imperium of Man in every possible way - in their mastery of technology, methods of warfare and social structure. Yet in galactic terms they are a young race, and naive when it comes to the manipulations of Chaos. When promising young Commander Farsight is promoted to lead a crusade across the Damocles Gulf to reclaim the T'au Empire's lost colonies from mankind, the mood is one of optimism. With their mighty fleet, and superior weapons and machines, how can their endeavour possibly fail? However, despite a parade of early successes, Commander Farsight soon faces enemies he wasn't anticipating, and finds not only his courage but also his soul tested to the very limit.