Warhammer 40k books... which ones to get?

[Lord Kloo]

Hi there, I was trying to think of something that my parents could get me for Christmas and I happened to stumble across these genre of Warhammer 40k books..

Now I love the 40k universe and I think I would like to explore the books as well, so any ideas because I haven't read any before and don't really know which ones to get..

So if you have any previous experience with Warhammer 40k books and you liked them or can recommend any I would much appreciate it..

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Personally my favourite is Path of the Warrior by Gav Thorpe.

It's from an Eldar point of view and he's writing a follow up book for next year.

 

[Samwise137]

I didn't like the original Dawn Of War books but the Dawn of War II book was pretty good. The Gaunts Ghosts series was very good and the horus heresy books are fantastic!

 

[LetoTheTyrant]

The Gaunt's Ghosts series is a great series of books. And the Eisenhorn trilogy is a good set as well, a great source of Inquisitor POV.

 

[Dana22]

If you like Space Marines, try Ragnar Blackmane series.
If you like Inquisition, try Eisenhorn trilogy.
If you like Imperial Guard, try Gaunts Ghosts series.

 

[Valkyrie101]

*pushes through the crowd*

Ignore them, look for Gaunt's Ghosts, Eisenhorn and anything else by Dan Abnett. Also, I strongly recommend Storm of Iron.

 

[Chogg Van Helsing]

Dead Sky Black Sun and Nightbringer are good

 

[kingcom]

Eisenhorn/Ravenor, Gaunts Ghosts, The Ciaphas Cain (HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!!!!!) series, Inquisition War and ive also heard the Deathwatch series and Grey Knight series are pretty good.

Oh and the Horus Heresy Series.

If you want to check out the 40K universe, i would actually also recomend checking out the Fantasy Flight Games RPG books, Dark Heresy/Rogue Trader/Deathwatch. They arent great but are good explorations of the smaller details of the universe.

 

[Hawk of Battle]

I've recently got really into the novels so I got this topic covered big time.

For starters, anything by Dan Abnet. All of his stuff is awesome, particularly Gaunts Ghosts (3 omnibuses worth of novels so far, focuses on the Guard), Eisenhorn (3 part omnibus on the Inquisition), Ravennor (another 3 part Inquisition series). He has also written some of the Horus Heresy novels, Titanicus (about the Titan Legions) and another story on a space marine chapter, but I haven't read any of those ones yet. But judging by what he's done so far I'd say all of it would be worth looking into.

For Space Marines, Ben Counters Soul Drinkers series (renegade chapter, 2 omnibuses so far) and Grey Knights (1 omnibus) are also really awesome.

Space Wolves is also supposed to be another great series, but I haven't got around to reading them yet. That series has 2 omnibuses currently.

Ciaphus Cain is also a great series (2 omnibuses) about a Commisar who is essentially the Blackadder of 40k. Takes a more lighthearted and humourus look at the 40k verse.

Then there's the rest of the Horus Heresy series, which so far has around 15 books in the series, each written by different writers. Some are better than others. Your milelage may vary here.


IMPORTANT: Do not touch anything written by C S Goto. That stuff is generally regard as being worse than fanfiction by anyone who likes 40k even slightly. It is all truly dreadful. Avoid at all costs.

 

[Ouroboros0977]

Perhaps to add to the very quickly becoming gargantuan list, flesh and iron.... and just for shiggles, Gaunt's ghosts and path of the warrior because they do a decent job on characterisation even though trying to characterise eldar is nearly impossible since they are so full of .... intrigue.

 

[fullbleed]

You can not go wrong with Dan Abnett, Gaunts Ghosts is a requirement for 40k fans. Eisenhorn and Ravenor are both good reads as well, do Eisenhorn first though as Ravernor is something of a spin off. There's a follow series up to the Inquisition books planned called Bequin Any one who's read Eisenhorn should know the importance of that name.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Ciap--

The Ciaphas Cain (HERO OF THE IMPERIUM!!!!!) series

Dammit, ninja'd!
That said, there's a compilation out so nab that.

 

[Irony's Acolyte]

Well I like the Horus Heresy Series alot, although some books aren't that good in my opinion.

Although from what I've heard from others the Gaunt Ghost series is good, same with the Ciaphas Cain series, and that most of what Dan Abnett rights are pretty good reads.

 

[lightningmagurn]

15 Hours wasn't bad, Nightbringer, and the Guant's Ghosts series.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Depends what you like. Eisenhorn and Ravenor are good, they are about The 2 named inquistors doing their Inquisitory investigation and stuff. For the most part they work well as sci-fi novels, not just as 40K fluff although the 3rd book in each series wasn't as good as the 1st 2. Both are trilogies available in 1 book each so are good value too.

The first 2 books in the Horus Heresy are quite good, I've not read the rest.

I also liked Tales of Heresy, a collection of short stories mostly from just before the Horus Heresy and Into the Maelstrom, another short story collection. Generally I prefer short stories.

Inquisition War trilogy was okay but had a very unsatisfactory ending, it felt like it just finished half way through because the author ran out of time or something.

There is a series based on the Dark Heresy RPG with 2 novels out called Innocence Proves Nothing and Scourge the Heretic (not sure which is first)which I have enjoyed, again it's about inquisition goings on, following a team of inquisitorial accolytes investigating cults and the like and is a fairly decent story even without the 40K link.

I'm not a fan of war fiction though so I haven't read much else.

 

[Shadowsafter]

ALL OF THEM WRITTEN BY DAN ABNETT
Also go for Horus Heresy stuff but only those that are in the main plot, e.g all the luna Wolves/Sons of Horus stuff and Fulgrim, don't buy all that crap they tried to tack onto the success of those early books like Battle for the Abyss (wow what a pice of shit)

 

[Rusman]

Basically reiterating what everyone else has said but the Horus Heresy is great and new books come out quite regularly.

And then anything by Dan Abnett (Gaunt's Ghost especially and also the Inquisitor books (Eisenhorn and Ravenor) and also look out the Graham McNeil although he seems to focus more on WH Fantasy.

 

[FortheLegion]

I'm currently reading the Horus Heresy Series It is great so far, so I would suggest that and Guant's ghosts

 

[barash]

Anything that anyone have mentioned so far. Can't go wrong with 40k ^_^

Though I'd go for Gaunt's Ghosts first, the dramatis personae is awesome.

 

[Alssadar]

The Ragnar Blackmane series is excellent, without a doubt.
If you want just a bunch of small stories, go with Legends of the Space Marines, and Heroes of the Space Marines. They give interesting insight on some small chapters, Chaos, and some short stories by big-time WH40k writers. You could branch off from their stories.
Also, if you've played Dawn of War 2, the book may not be the best, as Chris Roberson completely ignored Eldar activity, which annoys me personally, but it could be fine with you.