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Space Marine Battles #16
Blades of Damocles
Setting out to exterminate the upstart Tau Empire before they become the threat, the Ultramarines under Captain Atheus discover that the xenos may be more of a menace than they originally believed…
It is the 41st millennium, and an upstart alien empire has emerged on the Eastern Fringe. After a few skirmishes to retake human worlds from these blue-skinned invaders, the time has come to strike against the so-called Tau Empire. At the forefront of the Damocles Crusade stand the Ultramarines, commanded by Captain Atheus, the Chapter’s Lord Executioner. With his loyal sergeants Numitor and Sicarius by his side, Atheus vows to exterminate the aliens… But the cunning xenos commanders, Farsight and Shadowsun, have other plans.
It's a look at an early encounter between the Tau and the Imperium, shown from both sides. See how both races view each other, through the eyes of some of their greatest heroes as they clash over the fate of a world. Plus, it's a rare chance to see Farsight when he was still loyal to the Ethereals and fighting alongside Shadowsun.
It is the 41st millennium, and an upstart alien empire has emerged on the Eastern Fringe. After a few skirmishes to retake human worlds from these blue-skinned invaders, the time has come to strike against the so-called Tau Empire. At the forefront of the Damocles Crusade stand the Ultramarines, commanded by Captain Atheus, the Chapter’s Lord Executioner. With his loyal sergeants Numitor and Sicarius by his side, Atheus vows to exterminate the aliens… But the cunning xenos commanders, Farsight and Shadowsun, have other plans.
It's a look at an early encounter between the Tau and the Imperium, shown from both sides. See how both races view each other, through the eyes of some of their greatest heroes as they clash over the fate of a world. Plus, it's a rare chance to see Farsight when he was still loyal to the Ethereals and fighting alongside Shadowsun.
Audiobook
Published April 16, 2016
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About the author
Phil Kelly
86 books57 followersPhil Kelly (born 1977) is the Creative Lead for 'Warhammer: Age of Sigmar' in the Games Workshop design studio.
He has written over 60 gaming books in the last twenty years.
He has also written several Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar and Warhammer Horror books and audio dramas for Black Library.
Librarian Note: there is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
He has written over 60 gaming books in the last twenty years.
He has also written several Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar and Warhammer Horror books and audio dramas for Black Library.
Librarian Note: there is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 22, 2024
The imperium is back, pounding the Tau worlds with the might of the Astra Militarum. Joining them, are the various detachments of space marines, here to bring down the emperor's righteous retribution upon these heathens. A sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises.
Sooner or later the Tau 'empire' as they are called, will have to come to the realization, that, what they've been facing is a cuticle of the entire Imperial war machine. That, compared to the horrors that this galaxy has to offer, they represent, at best, an incessant irritant. One that would be steamrolled right through, if even a pinky's worth of power is focused on them.
But until that time, they are protected by their collective plot armor, free to play game of thrones even then a war is at their gates, or to proclaim, pompous, pretentious pontifications, like some blow hard space sun tzu.
I hope dearly that their reactions at the realization, would be just as hilarious as one would imagine. For in the grim darkness of the far future, there is no place for Tau's particular brand of hypocrisy.
Sooner or later the Tau 'empire' as they are called, will have to come to the realization, that, what they've been facing is a cuticle of the entire Imperial war machine. That, compared to the horrors that this galaxy has to offer, they represent, at best, an incessant irritant. One that would be steamrolled right through, if even a pinky's worth of power is focused on them.
But until that time, they are protected by their collective plot armor, free to play game of thrones even then a war is at their gates, or to proclaim, pompous, pretentious pontifications, like some blow hard space sun tzu.
I hope dearly that their reactions at the realization, would be just as hilarious as one would imagine. For in the grim darkness of the far future, there is no place for Tau's particular brand of hypocrisy.
February 20, 2020
This is a pretty straightforward Ultramarine vs Tau story, but we do get a glimpse at Cato Sicarious before he becomes Captain Sicarious! Also we get some very interesting Tau character development with Shadow Sun. Good old fashioned grim dark battle novel, very fun read.
September 20, 2016
Books in the 40K universe can be graded three ways; as a regular book, following all the rules of character and plot; as a military science-fiction story, which has to deliver a high standard of action and make sense in terms of tactics and realism; and as a novel for Warhammer 40K, expanding the universe and delivering fanservice.
Blades of Damocles fails only in the first because it's more the biography of a campaign; a lot of people die, and it lays the grounds for events centuries later, but Space Marines don't really have character development. It's all hints and allusions to later events, which is great fanservice, but also fails to deliver the way a lot of the Horus Heresy novels do.
My only quibble is I don't think even Tau battlesuits will do as well in melee against Assault Marines as they do.
As a military science fiction story...it's pretty damn good. The alien Tau and the grim, dark Imperium change their weaponry and tactics and it makes sense where they fail, get caught by surprise, adjust and then respond to an adjustment. The Tau are like nothing else the Imperium faces, and this is where the metal meets the road. Each side underestimates the other and keep trying to adapt their tactics to their enemy.
As a 40K novel...it's damn near perfect. Who I rooted for depended on who the chapter POV was. I wanted Farsight to win until we switched back to Squads Nimotor and Sicarius. I felt bad for the Imperial Guard who had to launch a bayonet charge because they didn't get the right ammo for their lasguns, but I also enjoyed how they gutted the Tau defense line.
Blades of Damocles fails only in the first because it's more the biography of a campaign; a lot of people die, and it lays the grounds for events centuries later, but Space Marines don't really have character development. It's all hints and allusions to later events, which is great fanservice, but also fails to deliver the way a lot of the Horus Heresy novels do.
My only quibble is I don't think even Tau battlesuits will do as well in melee against Assault Marines as they do.
As a military science fiction story...it's pretty damn good. The alien Tau and the grim, dark Imperium change their weaponry and tactics and it makes sense where they fail, get caught by surprise, adjust and then respond to an adjustment. The Tau are like nothing else the Imperium faces, and this is where the metal meets the road. Each side underestimates the other and keep trying to adapt their tactics to their enemy.
As a 40K novel...it's damn near perfect. Who I rooted for depended on who the chapter POV was. I wanted Farsight to win until we switched back to Squads Nimotor and Sicarius. I felt bad for the Imperial Guard who had to launch a bayonet charge because they didn't get the right ammo for their lasguns, but I also enjoyed how they gutted the Tau defense line.
March 21, 2023
The story of an incursion onto a Tau prime world. This book gives insights into the honor codes of the Ultramarines as well as the Tau warrior caste. As a newcomer to the Warhammer 40K world, I found it very informative as well as highly entertaining.
August 26, 2018
A really good book showing just how intensely different the Tau and Imperium is. Though the Ultramarines have a code of honor, so do the Tau and in the book it does a great job of showing the similarities and differences.
The Imperium launches a retribution crusade against the Tau, hitting at their septworlds. Several Chapters descend upon the world where the Tau fight valiantly, but also like the Space Marines, both factions have intrigue and their drama. At times to much drama. There is a part where the Ultramarines go on a kill-misssion, where the drama is to a degree where the Marines become less Ultramarines and more Dramamarines.
But other than that the book is really well written, with intense fighting and heroics.
The Imperium launches a retribution crusade against the Tau, hitting at their septworlds. Several Chapters descend upon the world where the Tau fight valiantly, but also like the Space Marines, both factions have intrigue and their drama. At times to much drama. There is a part where the Ultramarines go on a kill-misssion, where the drama is to a degree where the Marines become less Ultramarines and more Dramamarines.
But other than that the book is really well written, with intense fighting and heroics.
May 22, 2023
In many ways a typical SMB battle novel. Even coverage of Space Marines and Tau and an early significant confrontation between the Tau factions with some well known characters (perhaps at the earliest stages of their individual stories).
The lore is great and on the limited occasions the story moves away from the frontline the insight into the Tau is interesting.
However, it's lots of action for actions sake and it doesn't really feel like you'd miss much if you skipped all the battle scenes.
As an intro book, moving from tabletop to stories, it's probably not bad. However, I was not pulled in. It's not really character driven but event driven, which isn't my thing.
The lore is great and on the limited occasions the story moves away from the frontline the insight into the Tau is interesting.
However, it's lots of action for actions sake and it doesn't really feel like you'd miss much if you skipped all the battle scenes.
As an intro book, moving from tabletop to stories, it's probably not bad. However, I was not pulled in. It's not really character driven but event driven, which isn't my thing.
June 25, 2025
I thought the book was just alright and nothing more, too many of the parts were repetitive and boring, a lot of moments were either rushed or dragged out for too long, a lot of the time the characters seemed completely uninteresting and the plot is nothing out of this world. It is saved by the fact that this is a sort of first real major conflict between the two factions which makes it interesting and also the good character moments here and there.
July 19, 2023
Great action. The Tau are so interesting to me that I couldn't stop reading. I would have loved a bit more character depth, but the story of the struggle for Gel'bryne City and the overall war effort, from offensive and counter offensive to tactics used by both sides, is excellent.
February 12, 2019
I really enjoyed jumping back and forth between the Imperials and the Tau, seeing how they each interpret the actions of the other.
August 5, 2019
Decent read, would be hard to enjoy it you werent a warhammer 40k fan though.
January 4, 2023
Quite boring.
February 25, 2023
Hate the Tau
June 17, 2024
WE ARE SO BACK
November 12, 2024
Liked this book very much. Phil Kelly finds the sweet spot that balances intergalactic warfare with tense politics and ambitious backstabbing. Always love to read more about Commander Farsight.
December 19, 2025
Good book. Very much a space marine battles book. Wasn’t expecting sicarius to star as a sergeant. Farsight perspective was cool.
April 18, 2016
The first full-length Space Marine Battles book from Black Library since 2015’s Damocles anthology, Phil Kelly’s Blades of Damocles takes us back to before the time of its predecessor to look at the events of the first Damocles Gulf Crusade. Here we see sergeants Numitor and Sicarius of the Ultramarines 8th Company, still young and prior to their ascension to company captaincy, taking the fight to the Tau on the sept world of Dal’yth. As the headstrong assault marine sergeants lead their forces into battle, Commander Farsight leads the Tau defence in the name of the Greater Good.
Read the rest of the review at https://trackofwords.wordpress.com/20...
Read the rest of the review at https://trackofwords.wordpress.com/20...
December 12, 2023
Great insight into the Tau Empire!
Read as part of the story of Farsight, got to see some great situations you won't pick up on or find anywhere else, no spoilers haha. For The Greater Good!
Read as part of the story of Farsight, got to see some great situations you won't pick up on or find anywhere else, no spoilers haha. For The Greater Good!
December 13, 2018
Excellent story, the combat scenes were well done and the interaction between the Space Marines and the Astartes Militarum was fresh, a bit more humanity could be seen there.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews