Rogal Dorn himself taught us, there is no place that an Imperial Fist cannot fortify and defend against all enemies, including the galaxy itself!
— Chaplain Dominicius
A 2011 novel by Chris Robeson, Sons of Dorn follows three new recruits to the Imperial Fists as they complete the Chapter’s brutal training before undertaking their first mission on the planet of Vernalis, which is under assault by the forces of Chaos.
Tropes associated with the novel include:
- The Atoner: Captain Taelos wants to be one. His commanders, however, send him to collect aspirants instead.
- The Bait: Captain Taelos suspects something about his being left with the scouts on-planet. He learns in due course that the rest of their force had lurked until the scouts had drawn out the full Chaos force (and died nearly to the last man).
- The Cavalry: The rest of the Imperial Fist forces return when the scouts have managed to draw out the full Chaos forces. There are even five survivors in the forces they left.
- Combat Pragmatist: Jean-Robur learns to fight like this in his first battle, stabbing a foe In the Back.
- Frozen Face: Rhomec's scars give him a perpetual grin. It's explicitly said that it makes it hard to read his emotions.
- In the Back: Jean-Robur learns to fight like a Combat Pragmatist in his first battle, stabbing a foe In the Back.
- Last Stand: Captain Taelos starts to tell the surviving Scouts and sergeant that he is So Proud of You in preparation for a force they can not overcome — when The Cavalry arrives.
- Let's Fight Like Gentlemen: Jean-Robur is warned that the enemy does not fight properly. In his first battle, he quickly learns to play Combat Pragmatist.
- My Greatest Failure: Captain Taelos blames himself for the death of the battle-brothers under his command at Koloth Gorge and had been planning on performing an all but suicidal battle-pilgrimage through across a number of Ork held worlds until Chapter Master Pugh made him Captain of the Tenth Company.
- Named Weapon: Taloc wants to get into the fight so he can name his sword, which is a Rite of Passage. Which is why he is deeply pleased when he gets it back at the end.
- Revenge: Zatori wants revenge on Jean-Robec for killing his master (partly because he should have been protecting his back), and Taloc wants revenge on Zatori for killing his father. A long-term undercurrent, since the Imperial Fists will stop them if they try, and they fear the punishment.
- Secret Test of Character: Chapter Master Pugh appointed him as Captain of the Imperial Fists’ Tenth Company so that he would have a chance to make up for losing so many men by overseeing the Chapter's future.
- So Proud of You: Captain Taelos tells the Scouts and sergeant that he is proud to have served as their commander when facing a Last Stand. Afterward, he tells the newly minted Imperial Fists that he summoned them to commend them — and expresses it in concrete form, restoring to them the swords that had been taken from them when they were chosen as aspirants, after having them adapted to be suited for a Space Marine to fight with.
- Warrior Monk: Zatori Zan had been training to become a Battle-Monk before being recruited by the Imperial Fists.
- We Need a Distraction: Captain Taelos suspects something when they arrive to find the Chaos forces gone and an attack being launched on a neighbouring planet.
