Legend holds that their alliance was formed in A.D. 1119 in order to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land. Later they came to be known as the warrior elite of Christiandom. But because of their intense secrecy, many debated whether the Knights Templar were the embodiment of divine good—or the incarnation of evil. Here, the bestselling author/editor who brought readers Tales of the Knights Templar and On Crusade: More Tales of the Knights Templar returns with another brilliant collection of original stories by some of fantasy fiction’s best and brightest authors about the mystical legends surrounding the Knights Templar.
At the dawn of the 41st millennium, Lord Commander Macharius and his forces embark upon the re-conquest of over 1000 worlds. A man of steel and fire, Macharius is the only one with the will to lead the massed armies of the Imperium to victory.
Dungeon, Fire and Sword is a good book for all who enjoy a well-written, well-researched story of stupidity, greed, barbarity, unspeakable cruelty, deception, fraud, treachery and sanctimony... John J. Robinson has written a fascinating history of an incredible time.
Book 1 of the brand new 9 part mega-series from Warhammer 40,000. A great darkness has befallen the galaxy, and the armies of Chaos are rampant. To survive, humanity must retaliate and take back what they have lost. By the will of the reborn primarch, Roboute Guilliman, is the Indomitus Crusade launched – a military undertaking that eclipses all others in known history. From the Throneworld of Terra does the Avenging Son hurl his fleets, their mission the very salvation of mankind. As vessels in their thousands burn through the cold void, the attention of Fleetmistress VanLeskus turns to the Machorta Sound – a region under attack by a dreaded Slaughter Host of the Dark Gods. The success of the Indomitus Crusade will be determined by this conflict, and the desperate mission of Battlegroup Saint Aster, led by Space Marine Lieutenant Messinius. Even then it is but a prelude to the forthcoming bloodshed.
Book 2 in the Warhammer 40,000 Mega-series, "Dawn of Fire". As the Indomitus Crusade begins, great fleets warships leave Terra on a desperate mission to stabilise Imperium Sanctus in the wake of the Great Rift. The returned primarch, Roboute Guilliman, leads a huge force towards the shrine world of Gathalamor, whose stable warp routes will allow the flotilla to spread across the beleaguered southern half of the Imperium. But grave tidings reach the Imperial Regent’s ears. Warnings from an ancient race and eerie silence from the army tasked with holding the crucial world until his arrival, lead Guilliman to send a vital mission to Gathalamor; at its head, Shield-Captain Achallor of the Adeptus Custodes. Achallor discovers a world on the brink, a beaten Imperial force and sinister agents of Abaddon the Despoiler who have unearthed an ancient evil, a weapon that when harnessed not only threatens the primarch, but perhaps the holy Throne of Terra itself…
The Blood Angels Space Marines must defend their home world from the ravenous threat of the tyranid Hive Fleet Leviathan. A tendril of Hive Fleet Leviathan has reached the Cryptus shieldworlds. The Imperium musters its strength, for the aliens must be stopped here, as next in the hive fleet’s path is the home world of the Blood Angels Space Marines, Baal itself. Many are the battlefields and the price of victory is steep… On Phodia, the sons of Sanguinius give battle to the dreaded Spawn of Cryptus. At Lysios, the Adepta Sororitas and Tempestus Scions hold the line against Leviathan. Far from the fighting, Blood Angels Sergeant Jatiel finds himself pitted against another threat, the necrons of Anrakyr the Traveller who may yet have a crucial impact on the greater war.
Timed to the twentieth anniversary of the blockbuster Warcraft franchise, The Art of World of Warcraft celebrates the groundbreaking art of the complete series to date. In the ten years since its inception, World of Warcraft® has revolutionized the role-playing genre, creating the immense world of Azeroth and filling it with iconic characters and legendary weapons and environments. Featuring interviews with key developers and telling the complete story of the game’s evolution, this fully illustrated book vibrantly displays the renowned artwork at the heart of the franchise. Including never-before-seen art from the latest World of Warcraft expansion, Warlords of Draenor, The Art of World of Warcraft will contain hundreds of drawings and concept art, forming the ultimate tribute to the epic gaming franchise.
Book 3 of the Black Library Mega-Series, "Dawn of Fire" The Indomitus Crusade has brought the Emperor’s vengeance to thousands of star systems. The fleets and armies under the leadership of Roboute Guilliman fight for the survival of humanity against the forces of the Chaos Gods. But the traitors and heretics are not the only foe looking to destroy the rule of Terra. Xenos prey on human worlds in numbers not seen for millennia. Worst amongst them are the rampaging orks, whose migration conquests threaten to reverse many gains of Fleet Primus. And their throaty bellows carry a name not heard in years, of destruction made flesh, a bestial warlord without peer: Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka. In the midst of this brutal tide is Fenris, world of the Space Wolves under Logan Grimnar. Depleted by ever greater demands on their warriors, called upon by the Legion-breaker Guilliman, the Wolves of Fenris face a momentous decision. Grimnar and his counsellors must choose whether their fate is to ally themselves with an ancient rival and risk all that makes them the Vlka Fenryka, or to accept their demise and wait for the return of their own primarch, and the coming of the Wolftime.
Book 4 in the fantastic Warhammer 40,000 mega-series, Dawn of Fire, from Black Library. The Indomitus Crusade continues its war across the stars. The primarch Roboute Guilliman has finally broken through the orkish threat bedevilling the sectors near Fenris and makes ready to push on in his bid to stabilise Imperium Sanctus, but old foes have returned. Kor Phaeron, the Dark Cardinal, threatens the previously stable core of the Segmentum Solar. Waves of rebellion instigated by his evil priests suggest imminent, large-scale invasion by the Word Bearers Legion. Worse yet, the Dark Cardinal’s warriors are targeting the Black Ships, threatening to starve Terra of the psykers the Emperor needs to survive. Through this turbulent warzone Inquisitor Rostov continues his search for the Hand of Abaddon. Yet when strange, miraculous visions are traced back to the astropathic relay on Srinagar, his quest is diverted, for the visions are a foretelling of hope for the Imperium, a hope the fanatical worshippers of Chaos will do anything to snuff out…
The first comprehensive history of the Vatican’s agenda to defeat the forces of secular liberalism and communism through international law, cultural diplomacy, and a marriage of convenience with authoritarian and right-wing rulers. After the United States entered World War I and the Russian Revolution exploded, the Vatican felt threatened by forces eager to reorganize the European international order and cast the Church out of the public sphere. In response, the papacy partnered with fascist and right-wing states as part of a broader crusade that made use of international law and cultural diplomacy to protect European countries from both liberal and socialist taint. A Twentieth-Century Crusade reveals that papal officials opposed Woodrow Wilson’s international liberal agenda by pressing governments to sign concordats assuring state protection of the Church in exchange for support from the masses of Catholic citizens. These agreements were implemented in Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany, as well as in countries like Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. In tandem, the papacy forged a Catholic International—a political and diplomatic foil to the Communist International—which spread a militant anticommunist message through grassroots organizations and new media outlets. It also suppressed Catholic antifascist tendencies, even within the Holy See itself. Following World War II, the Church attempted to mute its role in strengthening fascist states, as it worked to advance its agenda in partnership with Christian Democratic parties and a generation of Cold War warriors. The papal mission came under fire after Vatican II, as Church-state ties weakened and antiliberalism and anticommunism lost their appeal. But—as Giuliana Chamedes shows in her groundbreaking exploration—by this point, the Vatican had already made a lasting mark on Eastern and Western European law, culture, and society.