[Fluff] Best 40k Books I.

[Cailet]

Please note that Best 40k Books II is currently active over in Fluff. Best 40k Books I will remain here for archive purposes.

FerociousBeast has created an index for this thread, which details where reviews/commentary on specific books/series can be found within the thread itself. It can be found in this post.

OK guy's, this is the last (I hope) thread about 40k literature. ionfish said he'll sticky it. Here are my reviews of the best 40k books, feel free to criticize or query as you feel appropriate.

For simplicity I'll post series together.

Crossfire/Legacy. Far lower on action than most 40k books and a lot more about the politics and societies of the Imperium.

Seen through the eyes of an Arbites officer (Shira Calpurnia) Crossfire takes a route through the twisted intrigues of Hydraphuran life. Well paced and thought out, it gives a good look at the Imperial aristocracy and some lesser known sides of the universe...

Legacy is less well paced than Crossfire but with some unprecedentedly cool action.

Gaunt's Ghosts. 9 books and counting! All of them are pretty good but the first two (First and Only, Ghostmaker) are split into sub-chapters which make it tricky to keep a handle on what is going on.

The Space Wolf series is, as you would expect a pretty ood look at the Space Wolf chapter through the eyes of Ragnar Blackmane. A good series but the emphasis on action gets a little samey at times. Space Wolf is probably the best of ths series for the look at the initiation of Space Marines and Fenrisian life.

For the Emperor/Caves of Ice. Commissar Cain is decidedly unusual in his methods, but it get's the job done and leaves a smile on your face. Told through his own eyes it combines humour and action (and the attempts to avoid it) in a lightweight but fun package.

The Inquisition War trilogy. Possibly the darkest and craziest books the Black library (and boxtree) have ever printed. it follows the adventures of Inquisitor Jaq Draco through the highs and lows of the Imperium via Stalinvast, the Emperor's throne room and the webway to name buy the ones that won't spoil anything. The tone grows steadily madder through the series which makes it a little hard to stick occasionally but if you can last it it will reward you well.

[shorno]

hmm finallllllllllllllllllllly a sticky version because this damm request comes up again and again. in order of my personal preference id say go for these top 5..
1) Only halfway through but the Eisenhorn trilogy blows basicly all the other novels away! shows great in-depth perception of the inquisition triumverate Xenos Hereticus Malleus.. and eisenhorns a pretty good character too.(best cat and mouse book around)..
2)Space Wolf novels 'Space wolf' 'Ragnars Claw' 'Grey Hunter' and 'Wolfblade'. kick ass adventure from one of the greatest Space marine heros Ragnar and one of my favorite chapters!! (so im bias)
3)joint.. Farseer and Angels of Darkness farseer offers a great insight into the world of the eldar as they are rarely in the BL novels and angels of darkness is just plain AWESOME and is a must for any Dark Angel fan!
4)The Inquisitional War! basicly details great adventure from Holy Terra (emperors throne room) to eldar webway ! and other places i 4get . basicly a must read!
5) Ultramarines novels 'Nightbringer' Warriors of Ultramar' and 'Dead sky black sun' same reasons for space wolf novels a great read + offers an insight into the life of a space marine.. i found it particualry good as i never really liked the Ultramarines before these books.
various others
Grey Knights - Deus Excomunicate - Dawn Of War
kind regards hope this helps sum lost peeps!

[Kadaj]

aaaaaaah at last a relief from posting about the best books, just one more time........


1) Gaunts Ghosts, 9 of the best books ive ever read, although ive only read 8, hardback costs too much. :bandit:

2) Eisenhorn Trilogy, great series of books.

3) Ravenor, a kind of sequel to the eisenhorn series, yet you needn't have read them, although i reccomend you do.


To sum it up, Dan Abnett is the best 40k writer ever! mwahhahahahahahahahaha

:bandit:

[Coey]

Space Wolf series:Some very good action but the epilogue and prologue of every book are extremely samey. But the inbetween bits are extremely good, but Ragnar's Claw plot doesn't really make sense, a team of 5 blood claws and a sergeant(very cool) are tasked to retrive some talismans and kill a.... well that would ruin it.

13th legion:Avoid like the mutation. These are probably the worst books BL have ever released.

Gaunts Ghosts: Very good, stealthy. Gaunt seems strange at times though.

[radical ed]

Space Marine by Ian Watson

Quite an old book by now, but the best GW book ive ever read, its themes seem much more adult, and sophisticated than the newer GW books. Ive read the Inquisition books, Space wolves ones and guants ghosts, and none came close.

Its about 3 newly recuited Imperial Fists, and there journey throu the ranks of the chapter. Its got all the major bad guys and a couple of cool twists, deff recomended

[ChienAboyeur]

Definitively Space Marine by Ian Watson.
I read it again one week and half ago. Really makes me nostalgic about the good old time.

It relates the story of three novices,all from different social classes and background, the grim world they live on, their motivations to join the Imperial Fist chapter and their ascension to the status of full marines.
It is a very immersive novel, twisted and vicious and most of the fluff must be considered as incorrect because dating back from the time when the dark universe was really dark and it wasnt that easy from screening the bad guys from the good guys.
Space marines are more portrayed as psycho killers always walking the line between salvation and chaos corruption, as ready to commit mass slaughters as to save the life of a child, rather than noble salviors and last hope of humanity as they are now.
Chapters are depicted as groups of secluded beings growing their own social pathologies and deviancies. For the imperial fists, their masochist tendencies through the intensive use of pain as a selection factor and their relation to their body, their insane obsession with carving bones, their feeling of being the superior life form in the universe, even over their space marines brethern from other chapters.
It climaxes with the first encounter with a tyranid fleet the imperial fist chapter made in its history, but only the foreguard of it and the difficulty of the marines to deal with that new threat (ah, "my body cant deal with that poison. I dont know what's going on.Take command", an approximate quote from a squad leader after he got infected and one of his squad members swallowed he doesnt know where by a stomach mouth)
Most of the fluff must be irrelevant since it reports about squats, zoats,sla'ans and so other exotic creations like that.

[Lord Anubis]

The Bleeding Chalice (Soul Drinker Novel #2) by Ben Counter
Unfortunately I have not been able to track down a copy of the original Soul Drinkers book, but I am sure it is just as good as the bleeding chalice. This novel is based around the renegade Chapter "Soul Drinkers" who have been deemed excommunicate for disobeying direct orders in the previous novel. During their encounter with the sacred artifact the Soulspear (in SD #1) the entire chapter has aquired mutations and thus resembles chaos warriors rather than loyalist marines. It is their quest to find a cure to these mutations and ensure the survival of their chapter. At the same time Inquisitor Thaddeus is to find the renegade chapter and read them their last rights. All in all a thrilling novel with twists and turns that will leave you reading some pages twice out of pure amazement.

Iron Warriors:
The adventures of an Iron Warrior's warband to the sacred foundations of a second gene-seed hold on an outskirt planet. A nice read but the fluff is not to be taken literally (as I have been taught by some people here :P). Gives a good insight into the pure chaos of the dark side of the warp.

[ShadowFox]

I Highly Recommend "Storm of Iron" as one of the better 40K books. It really keeps you wondering how it will end, and it is an especially good read for Iron Warriors fans.

Another good book is "Angels of Darkness" that tells about how a small band of Dark Angels hunt the fallen, and how their own zeal is their downfall.

[SavageNature]

sorrry aobut this,but any with lots of ork fighting?or any that contain info about gahzkull(sp?)(sigh....ive loved orks/orcs since warcraft one....what can i say?)

[Cailet]

For ork fighting there is Caves of Ice, Ghostmaker and Ragnars Claw IIRC. All from Imperial views.

There is also the Deff Skwadron comic but I haven't read it and titan 1 has some too.

[Warbringer]

I didn't really care for the Space Wolves books. The author wasn't very good IMO. It wasn't bad just incredibly average. Now strom of Iron, Got Damn! Tha was a good book. Infact anything written by Ben Counter or Grahm Mcneil are good books. All the Ultra Marine books; Nightbringer, Warriors of Ultramar, som other one with Uriel Ventris.
Ben counter wrote Demon world and Grey Knights. Also the Inquisition War books sucked. The things they revealed about the 40K universe was interesting but I couldn't make it past the first book. The author's style sis soooo boring, Yawn...

[shorno]

pfffffffffy warbringer u make me laugh but never mind ur entitled to your own opinion!
erm for orks fighting check out 'Crusade for armageddon' thats pretty good details the Black templars fighting on Armageddon against orkies..

[Icarus]

Can anybody recommend some good Graphic Novels to lread please? Especially anything Eldar related if possible.

:matrix:

[Grendel Rose]

Execution Hour and Shadow Point are probably my two favorite books, their really some of the few that really deal with warships in depth. Good if your into BFG.

[Cailet]

Not terribly good if you want a decent story though.

[Jasoni Osoni]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Angels of Darkness! It's my favorite! (Though me being a huge Dark Angels player may have something to do with that...)

Regardless, it really is a good read!

[BillyBob]

I think the best I read was Bleeding Chalice. Other than that, I liked Grey Knights. I just got Soul Drinker form Amazon ($30!!! .. I HAVE to read it, so I spent the $$). I read Wolf Blade which was really good too.
I liked Iron Hands, however I wouldn't suggest it being one of the first 40K novels to read.
I'm in the process of reading Black sun, Dead Sky and it's VERY confusing.. lots of action.. leaves you saying "WTF?" while reading it
That's all I've read so far :bandit:

[Ciaphas Cain]

Name sums it all up for this really doesn't it lol

First and Second by miles are For the Emperor and Caves Of Ice, they are such a different and in my opinion much more enjoyable way of telling a story and probably more true to the word of what the 40K universe would be like. Not all this head strong glory I can take anything on because I have faith attitude that most of the authors seem to take and more of a please just let me live how do I get out of here attiitude lol.

There have been also 2 short stories containing Mr. Cain which were also very enjoyable I recommend them to anyone even if they aren't 40k fans and there is also a 3rd book on the way called Traitor's Hand I believe which gets confused with new Gaunt's one.

I won't tell you much about what happens cos your gunna have to read em but in For The Emperor it involves the Tau and Genestealers (yes thats right no Chaos!!!) and Caves Of Ice its Orcs and Necrons all round (yes no Chaos again YEY!!!)

[IronLegionnaire]

Anyone know where to get the Liber Chaotica books? Sold out on the Black Library website.

[Bloodtalon]

u can still get Nurgle and Tzeentch Liber Chaoticas in some stores, and i believe on the website.

Eisenhorn trilogy. some of the best damn books ever done, warhammer or otherwise

[RavenKnight]

The Inquisition War Trilogy. Great book for finding out more about the Sensei Knights and the Illuminati.

[Sacith]

Although it has been mentioned a few times already, I would like to suggest Angels of Darkness. It explains the views of a Fallen Angel during an interrogation by a Dark Angels Chaplain, while in other parts showing how feverishly the Dark Angels hunt the Fallen.

[Deathwing]

- Farseer ( Good book, but not for beginners, in my opinion)
- Space Marine ( read it in german...lousy translation..)
- Inquisitor
- Harlequin
- Chaos Child
- Space Wolve
- Ragnar's Claw
- Grey Hunter
- Wolfblade
- Angels of Darkness
- Storm of Iron
- Eye of Terror ( Wouldn't read that again...)
- Nightbringer
- Warriors of Ultramar
- Words of Blood
- Demon World ( Another book where money got wasted..)
- Crucible of War
- Crusade for Armageddon
- Fire Warrior
- Grey Knights
- Deathwing

The books I've read so far.

I liked the Ragnar books, Angels of Darkness, Grey Knights and Crusade for Armageddon best.
My favourite story is in the book Deathwing. Naturally it is the story about why the Deathwing changed the colour scheme....

[Cailet]

Eye of terror wasn't bad but it was rather RTish (felt like earlier fluff than Watsons) I liked it but not enough for a reccomendation..

[Drunken_Viking]

Now no one really said what 40K books, so I'll start with my favorite by far, the old rule book for the Titan game(Titanicus or something like that, I don't actually own it, but a friend does).

Why does no one like the 13th Legion? Those 3 books were great, especially the last one, it has everything a good book should have.

Anywho, my picks will be as follows:

1. Storm of Iron(read it 3 times, a really good read).
2. Execution Hour(The only book with the planet killer in it, and it shoots!).
3. Into the Maelstrom(Huron Blackheart makes it all worth it, such an imagination for torture).
4. Soul Drinker(a good read, still haven't got the The Bleeding Chalice yet).
5. (Insert Title Here)(I forget which book it is, but it's one of the short story ones. It has the story with Kharne the Betrayer in it, where he fights Slannesh).

Sorry about the not so big explainations, it has been a while since I read anything from the BL. Been spending to much time on The Malazan Book of the Fallen(just finished book 4).

[Cailet]

5 sounds like Dark Imperium.

13th Legion was OK Kill Team was a little better and Annihilation squad was a waste of cash.

[Brother Auric]

First of all I would like to say that the Gaunt's Ghosts novels are by far some of the best 40k books I've read. I also liked Eye of Terror... although the fact that the Dark Angel died kinda made me depressed. I knew it was comming I mean you can't be redeemed for that but still... he was cool.

Second is the main char in Space Marines the same as that Brother Captain in the Inquisition War. I just recently read the big book that had all three and a couple of short stories in it. What was his name... something Arquebus... like Lex Arquebus or something... anyways.

Third, what is that name of the ninth Gaunt's Ghost book? I assume it's after Sabat Matyr. I need to read it and the book stores around my town (small town) don't seem to have it.

[Gibbedboy]

Haven't really read that many Warhammer 40k books, but the ones I have read are:

The Bleeding Chalice: A very good book by all accounts, however, not having read Soul Drinker, I was somewhat confused in the beginning.

First and Only: First 40k book I've read, a good read on a long car trip, can't find anything bad to say about it off the top of my head.

Firewarrior: First time I finished it, I thought it kindof sucked, but for some reason, the more times I read again, the more I liked the idea of corrupted Tau, hehe.

Some questions now. Are the Eisenhorn books any good? What are some good books from the Chaos's point of view?

[Medrevac]

Im havent really indulged myself in the warhammer40k Novels, But after reading this thead I kinda got sucked into it all, anyone recommend a good 40k newbie's novel? I know most SM chapters and their heritage(especialy BA, Ultra & Space wolves. Im not sure very sure about DA yet, i havent done much reading about them and their 'dark secret(is it hunting the fallen?)' but have seen the deathwing novel in a couple of stores. )

Has Anyone read 'Deus Encarmine'? Apparently it was just recently released. If anyone has should i start with that? I might start with that(If i can find a copy of it) 'Deus Sanguinius'(the sequel) Is coming out next year and the sypnosis sounds rather interesting, about a BA marine who apparently is the reincarnation of sanguinius himself and saves the chapter's a$$ again.

[Valetudo]

Eisenhorn Trilogy+Ravenor - Nicely detailed, epic stories.

Iron Hands - Following Iron Father Gdolkin and a company of the Iron Hands chapter.

Inquisitor War - Hmm i only have the original prints, and havent read the recent reincarnations. I dont think i want to lose the image of Grimm the Squat though. My version was never completed, and ive been in suspense since the early 90s lol.

Storm of Iron - a Grand Company of the Iron Warriors and massive chaos army lays siege to a fortress. I like tales of large scale actions, and this has it all.

its follow up and a nice cross-over Ultramarine novel, Dead Sky Black Sun is very good, and see's the return of some characters from Storm of Iron and answers the questions you had at the end of the previous novel.

Demonworld was highly enjoyable, albeit slightly odd when fitting itself into the bigger picture.

Grey Knights - At last some superb background and fluff on the Grey Knights, and a great read too.

Execution Hour and Shadowpoint - 2 great stories following the Macharius, a cruiser fighting against Abbadons Black Crusade in the Gothic sector. I'd like to see alot more Battlefield Gothic, or indeed any sort of space combat novels.

To be honest, i have bought 2 dozen 40k novels, whilst some are better than others, ive enjoyed all of them. Im a big fan of 40k background and fluff though, and have been for years.

[snrjefe]

Of all these posts, no one has mentioned Dawn of War... It's certainly not the best BL release, but it casts a different light on the storyline of the game. If you've played through the campaign, read the book. Fun C&C exercise.

Otherwise, the Soul Drinkers books and the Eisenhorn Triology (and Ravenor) are my favs. Someone also brought up the old Adeptus Titanicus rule book. I think the old rulebooks have some of the best backstory and the artwork is really cool. Like the picure of the shattered Warhound pouring fire into the Ultramarines as it topples to the ground. Great stuff.

[Kadaj]

the first 40k fiction book i read was 'first and only' by dan abnett (master of BL books :bandit: ), and its still one of my favourites.

[Cailet]

Inquisitor War - Hmm i only have the original prints, and havent read the recent reincarnations. I dont think i want to lose the image of Grimm the Squat though. My version was never completed, and ive been in suspense since the early 90s lol.

The old ones seem to be exactly the same. I have the old Chaos Chld and it has no apparent differences to the new versions. (I haven't read the new Chas Child but the old one fits with the series perfectly). Grimm is still there thank god!!

[Jaghatai-Khan]

5. (Insert Title Here)(I forget which book it is, but it's one of the short story ones. It has the story with Kharne the Betrayer in it, where he fights Slannesh).

I know this book, It is about World Eaters who fighting with Emperor's Children on a ice deamon world (not ice deamon's world, deamon world of ice :] ) isn't it? But, I forget it's tittle, too.

[Lord_Calgar445]

All Gaunt's Ghost novels, ive only read Traitor General (got the limited edition one with the music CD) but i have read short excerpts from some of the others, was a WD freebie.

The Horus Heresy books from BL, ive got both of the Limited Edition ones.

The 13th Black Crusade book, i got the the Limited Edition one that came with the stachel bag plus a few things. It was nice bit too pricey for what came with it, but meh i have a habit of spending a bit too much money.

To date my total amount of money ive spent on BL stuff is 2x£50 for both Horus Heresy books, 1x£75 for the Gaunts Ghost book, either £50 or £75 for the 13th Black crusade book. I will be spending more when i get round to buying all Gaunt's Ghost novels.

[Kalevispetke]

Any books with Sisters of Battle? Man I wanna read about these

[Tartan_hero]

Gaunts Ghosts novels. No question. I know they are realy popular and i would like to say something more unique but hey. Probably what did it for me was how the tanith were realy like scottish people, and gaunt (cough) badass (cough). though in the last book i couldnt help but feel totaly depressed at the end. last few words "Friend, Brother, Ghost" (hope i got that right. The books realy give you a good insight into the guard life. Also made the most awsome quote ever "Pain is temporary, Honour is forever!!". Also realy like Angels of darkness. The ending made me depressed again (You hate him at start then lov him at end). These god damn Heroes going around making me depressed. LOL

[Cailet]

"Any books with Sisters of Battle? Man I wanna read about these "

The comic series Daemonifuge, three series so far all in one big book. IIRC it was cool but I have no idea how to get it (I have no credit/debit/paypal.)

[Hostage]

grey knights got sisters of battle (ok...the last 100-200 pages only)

[Medrevac]

I just got the DOW novel written by C S Goto. Im halfway through now, as snrjefe said earlier on, Its not the best novel from BL, but its quite well written and expands a lot more into the storyline than the sketchy SP cutscenes. Now i wanna play the SP campaign all over again.

[Brother Auric]

Right, I'll reiterate my question from a previous post. What is the most recent Gaunts ghosts novel called?

[Cailet]

Traitor General.

Oh, I forgot, there are SoB in Crossfire too.

[Medrevac]

I just read Nightbringer & Grey Knights.

They're both good books to get... now 2nd time reading through!
And yes the Sob in Grey knights did 'kick some ass'. wont spoil anything here.

[Brother Lucius]

Firewarrior, Iron Hands, Grey Knights. The only one's i've read so far...go figure.

[FerociousBeast]

Only WH40K book I've read is Angels of Darkness by Gav Thorpe. It sucked.

It's an obvious attempt to malign the Dark Angels, has pretty serious logic failings, boring as shit action scenes, and a scale that is just too small to be interesting. Gav Thorpe is obviously in love with the Fallen, and the book is just another attempt by a Fallenphile to make them the good guys and the DAs the bad guys. The stuff in the book is really pretty ridiculous. Thorpe probably jacks off to pictures of Cypher.

Here's an example of one of the logic failings in the book: during the interrogation of a Fallen Angel, the FA says that the atrocities he committed on a planet he had conquered were done to root out insurrection and heresy against the emperor, and that the stamping out of the rebellion was worth the sacrifice of the innocent. Brother Chaplain Boreas agrees. Later, Astelan, the name of the FA (I think), says that he hated Lion el'Jonson because Jonson used tactics (or wanted to, though Astelan thwarted him) that hurt innocent civilians in order to quickly and efficiently defeat a force of Orks. Brother Chaplain Boreas can think of nothing to say, and his faith is shaken.

It's an unabashedly revisionistic book as well. Luther is cast as a good guy, and the fact that he was liberally blessed with the Chaos gods' powers is brushed over in order to preserve Thorpe's alternate telling of events. Everywhere Thorpe paints the Fallen Angels and Luther as the only ones who still uphold the Emperor's ideal, without acknowledging the obvious fact that many of the Fallen -- and Luther himself -- were and are Chaos, and almost all of the rest at least outlaws. But all of this is lost on Gav Thorpe. One of Boreas's last lines in the book is an acknowledgement that the Fallen are right, and the Dark Angels are wrong. What the fuck?!?!

It's been a while since I read it, but read it for yourself, and you'll see all kinds of stupid stuff like this. But besides the poor logic and revisionism, the fight scenes are really boring when you finally get to them. I found myself wanting to hurriedly read through the fight scenes so I could get back to the interrogation, which frustrated and pissed me off to no end -- which goes to show just how bad the battles actually were.

Being a Dark Angel fan, I was understandably disappointed to find such meager fare for my favorite chapter. Speaking of which, anyone know of any better stories of the DAs?

[shorno]

Hmm well i TOTALLY DISAGREE! You quite obviously are biased. but i belive that everyone has different opinions. i found it a really interesting and it made me HATE the DA even more than i did before, as im an avid Space wolfer myself! so u can guess that i wouldnt be pro DA.

[FerociousBeast]

Please submit the above as corroboration of my post and thus as further evidence that the book sucks.

[Brother Lucius]

Alas, I havn't read the book, but I feel the truth is somewhere in the middle. The Fallen, those who aren't Chaosites, are trying to redeem themselves for their terrible crimes. Meanwhile, the Dark Angels are trying to preserve their honor by exterminating the traitors. By normal WH40K philosophy, they have every right to- "There is nothing worse then a traitor" after all. I'd also point out that it's my belief that the "good" fallen are in the minority.

[Last_Crusade]

Deathwing is a compilation of some short stories with a couple featuring the DAs yet I know of nothing else. It would be great if Dan Abnett or William King wrote a DA book.

[Mastermindkar]

I have to say that so far I am badly disappointed with Wh40k novels. Not so much that the stories are bad (some are quite good) but that representations of the Imperium's greatest warriors are terrifically underwhelming.

***SPOILER***

Did anyone notice than in Grey Knights one of the "Emperor's Finest" is killed by a troop of fuedal knights? For real. Some yahoo with a beaten iron sword kills a grey knight. I'd really like to write it off as bad fluff. I mean seriously, there is actually a place on a grey knight where an ordinary human could jam a sword and kill him? They had to unleash their ultimate attack to escape from an encroaching swarm of Medieval Times wannabes. I'd love to be unpacking my brand new Mark VIII armor and find on the label Warning: proof against las guns, plasma bursts, hyper velocity flechettes, rail guns, exploding bolter rounds, scatter guns, flaming plasma, limited exposure to gauss weapons, sluggas, pulse rifle bursts, auto-rifles, demon flame, hell guns, thrown feces, death rays, zap guns, phasers, and bad language. Stab resistant. Its embarrasing. That is just the one outstanding example, but similar events permeate the story. The endless lamentation about the corruptive influence of chaos and the exhaustive measures taken against it are rendered moot when, at the end, a squad of seraphim with nothing but their naked skulls and faith to protect them follow the Knights into the Demon's lair and bail them out. The parts of the book not about the grey knights were quite good; the Ordo Malleus stuff was neat, Death Cult assassins are beyond awesome, and the SoB were cool. Overall, it still makes for good reading, it just doesn't reflect too well on the Knights' reputation.

In which book(s) do space marines actually kick butt? In Space Wolf one of the wolves shoots himself while cleaning his bolter. Its a joke. Figure out which end hurts things? Great! Sic enemies of the Imperium! My opinion of Space Wolves is reflected in the webcomic Turn Signals on a Land Raider. (View at turnsignalsonalandraider.com) Better put, in which books do the space marines not embarrass themselves?