Captain Sicarius leads the Second Company of the Ultramarines to war against seemingly impossible odds in defence of the world of Black Reach. In the dark future of the 41st millennium, the Imperium fights a desperate battle for mankind's survival amongst the stars. Foremost among its protectors are the Space Marines, genetically engineered superhumans trained to be the ultimate warriors. And of all the Space Marines, it is the noble and courageous Ultramarines who best embody this warrior ideal. When the planet of Black Reach is invaded by a mighty ork horde, the Ultramarines must act fast - if the greenskins gain a foothold in the system, then they will surely spread and threaten the enitre sector. As the Ultramarines attack in all their righteous fury, the scene is set for an epic battle: one hundred Space Marines versus fifty thousand orks!

Author Biography

Nick Kyme is the author of The Horus Heresy novels Deathfire and Vulkan Lives, the novellas Promethean Sun, Scorched Earth and Sons of the Forge, and the audio dramas Red-Marked and Censure. For Warhammer 40,000, Nick is best known for his popular Salamanders series of novels, but he has also written the Space Marine Battles novel Damnos and numerous short stories. He has also written fiction set in the Warhammer Old World, including the Empire novel Grimblades and the Time of Legends novel The Great Betrayal. He lives and works in Nottingham, and has a rabbit.