Good 40K Novels

[Londinium]

I will have to respectfully disagree with the above poster. The Horus Heresy (30k) series really shouldn't be read by a newbie to the background, a good chunk of what is so great about the Horus Heresy is seeing how the Imperium used to be and how it decayed into what it is in 40k. It's seeing the characters and figures who are only mentioned in hushed reverential voices in 40k almost as though they are gods and seeing that they were just people too, admittedly genetically engineered people but people non the less with faults, not the saint like figures they are in 40k. It's about seeing one of the arch nemesis of the Imperium in 40k, the Chaos Space Marines, when they were actually loyal to the Imperium and as fanatical as the Loyalists. It's about seeing an Imperium which was progressive, successful, high tech and secular, not the decaying, theocratic, intolerant failing behemoth that the 40k Imperium is etc.

While the Horus Heresy series has most of the BL's best writers working on it at the moment and as a result we've seen much better books come out of it than the 40k range of late, you still lose all the above paragraph if you don't have a decent knowledge of 40k to start with. Books I'd suggest as a good entry point for 40k are:

The Gaunts Ghosts series - Imperial Guard (Cain is also good but it's tongue in cheek like the Flashman series and isn't a great introduction to 40k, it requires pre existing knowledge of the 40k universe to really get it's tone)
Lord of the Night - Chaos Space Marines (in particular Night Lords but it gives you a decent view of general anti imperial feeling amongst the CSM)
Ultramarines series - Space Marines
Angels of Darkness - Space Marines (but of a bit more 'gray' persuasion than the Ultramarines)
Eisenhorn - Inquisition
Any of the Omnibuses (Omnibi?)

Then just expand outwards from there. The codexes and rulebooks are good for generalised background aswell. I should point out that the Soul Hunter/Blood Reaver/Void Stalker Night Lords trilogy is also excellent and possibly the best 40k series out there for Space Marines but I think it needs a decent knowledge of 40k beforehand and for you to have read Lord of the Night because it has a lot of 30k flashbacks.

Of the Horus Heresy if you're determined to read it before getting a basis in 40k the best books imo are: Horus Rising, Fulgrim, Legion, Mechanicum, A Thousand Sons, The First Heretic and Know No Fear. The rest are of decent quality aswell aside from Battle for the Abyss, which is just average.

[Denny Crane!]

Well I do sympathise but what I lost in 'inside' knowledge I gained in the lack of and an initial sense of suspense and surprise as events unfolded. Nightlords I was forewarned not to read until Ive read the ciaphas kane novels and a few others as it relies on prerequisite knowlesge.

[Lord of the Drunk Penguin]

Steve Parker has got to be the most boring Black Library writer ever.

I'm currently slogging through Gunheads and God, is it boring and linear beyond belief! Even the characters feel like they're automatons, no real human emotion, no decision taking , no innovative choices, no nothing, it's all just 'Let's fight and die' .

Compared to ADB's characters, the finesse of the psychological analysis, Stevie's chaps appear to be straight from a 50's sci fi soap opera that borders on idiotic. How can nothing happen for so many pages? GOD!

[Encino_Man]

Well I do sympathise but what I lost in 'inside' knowledge I gained in the lack of and an initial sense of suspense and surprise as events unfolded. Nightlords I was forewarned not to read until Ive read the ciaphas kane novels and a few others as it relies on prerequisite knowlesge.

Wait what??

[Denny Crane!]

Wait what??

Just a friend said I'd have a bit more fun if I waited with Nightlords.

He recommended ciaphas cain as a good start to 40k reading.

[Lord of the Drunk Penguin]

No. Go directly for Nightlords or choose Hellsreach before going Nightlords.
That's how I started reading 40k fiction.

Actually I started with Nemesis which was a dud, from beginning to the end.

[Sir Pignans]

I started with Gaunts ghost. It's awesome.

[Lord of the Drunk Penguin]

I never touched Gaunt's Ghosts.
Because:

A) It has a Commissar in it.
B) It's ubber-hyped.
C) Did I mention I hate Commissars?

[Okuto]

Gaunts ghosts is one of the best series.....the reason I like it is that comes from a more realist point of view rather than a heavy romanticized point of view. Also it shows off the more day to day seemingly boring things the IG have to put up with.

Also it helps that the ghosts actually come off as being proper professional soldiers instead of glory hungry peacocks.....


Not liking a Commissar is a ridiculous excuse not to read the series......

I hate ultramarines with a passion but I threw out my preconceived expectations and read a sizable portion of their novels and loved them, no longer were the smurfs these hated glory hungry peacocks I thought they were(I still do....thanks to GW) but they were as flawed as everyone else.

Likewise I hate space wolves with a passion but I still read their novels(they weren't really for me,well battle of the fang was good)

I also personally don't like to read chaos marine novels(And Chaos is one of my main armies!) cause I felt that they would just be portrayed as these one dimensional lunatics.....I'm still on the fence about reading the word bearer series but I found the night lord series to be very refreshing.....I haven't felt any desire to read the iron warriorsr.....

[Lord of the Drunk Penguin]

I hate the concept behind the Commissars. I hated Commissars in the Red Army too, and I've read a bunch of history books that had them.
Don't want to eat up some Imperial biased propaganda about how kawl them bastards that lead men to certain deaths are because I never really bought into that junk in the first place.

But that's just my opinion.

[Denny Crane!]

I liked nemesis, it didnt fit quite so well within the series but it was a very good book.

Gaunts Ghosts has one hell of a good reputation too. Well I missed my chance to buy a book today but I will provably randomly tomorrow.

[Sir Pignans]

I hate the concept behind the Commissars. I hated Commissars in the Red Army too, and I've read a bunch of history books that had them.
Don't want to eat up some Imperial biased propaganda about how kawl them bastards that lead men to certain deaths are because I never really bought into that junk in the first place.

But that's just my opinion.

He's not that sort of Commissiar.

Though to be honest, without the concept and implementation of commissiars I can't imagine the IG being nearly as successful as it currently is.

[Okuto]

Don't want to eat up some Imperial biased propaganda about how kawl them bastards that lead men to certain deaths are because I never really bought into that junk in the first place.

But that's just my opinion.

You really need to throw away your pre conceived notions......commissars are a needed evil for the Imperium....

And plus you're a Kharn supporter......you support someone who teamkills but not an army MP....

Gaunt is more Colonel than he is Commissar......

And Gaunts ghosts is hardly imperial propaganda......thats what the space marine novels are for....


The beauty of Gaunts ghost is everyone feels "real".....while you have a few of those hardlined trigger happy commissars(which provide you really cool scenes...) the bulk of them are just the regiment's MP.

Throughout the entire series Gaunt never executes one of his own men as he believes that inspiring men with courage and duty is better than through the whip and fear. You does offer someone the coward's way out though...but thats another story

But mainly though Gaunts ghosts paints a more realist Imperium.....not everyone's some hardlined blind hatred fueled character.......almost all the characters never come off as the pious type...most of them just wanna survive the next mission and keep their buddies alive.

Even their chaplain comes off as not really zealous.....

Also it paints the forces of chaos much more better, they're actually professionals/Guerrillas instead of loonie knife+pistol holders....though you have a few of those too...


So if you think gaunts ghosts is just imperial propaganda on how cool the Imperium is you are highly mistaken....gaunts ghosts is for who those who want a realist portrayal and characters to relate too....

IT's the best way to make you feel like you're there besides 15 hours

[nameless]

He's not that sort of Commissiar.

Though to be honest, without the concept and implementation of commissiars I can't imagine the IG being nearly as successful as it currently is.

Commissars and Chaplains do exactly as they were made to be. They were made to ensure that the unit they're attached to remains pure, faithful to the Emperor, and not act like cowards.

The best commissars are usually the ones who are able to inspire the men through strength, power and respect.

Cain notes that most commissars get shot in the back on the first day of the job and tries to teach other junior cadets to enforce through respect and such.

[Lord of the Drunk Penguin]

And plus you're a Kharn supporter......you support someone who teamkills but not an army MP....

Kharn is okay.
Compared to Angron, he's a level-headed guy.

The best commissars are usually the ones who are able to inspire the men through strength, power and respect. example

Fixed that for you.

[Okuto]

No the best commissars command through respect......

If not you end up getting friendly fired.....by a random catachan flying outta the sky....

There's a rather comical scene where the ghosts get a new hardline commissar and he tries to threaten them and basically all the ghosts are like screw you, you can die here....lol

But besides the point, penguin you ought to try reading gaunts ghosts, if you enjoyed 15 hours then you'll enjoy gaunts ghosts



Kharn is not level headed at all.....none of the world eaters are....it's a bit odd that you don't like a political MP but you like a psychopathic murderer......

[Londinium]

Kharn is okay.
Compared to Angron, he's a level-headed guy.

Pre Istvaan maybe, afterwards he's a frothing raving nutjob that gives Angron a run for his money. For all his general anger and psychosis Angron is capable of moments of lucidity, Kharn certainly isn't anymore.

[Sanguinary Guardian]

I liked nemesis, it didnt fit quite so well within the series but it was a very good book.

I liked it. It was a nice change of pace in the series. Ok, we all want to read about the Legiones Astartes in the Heresy, but once in a while, you need something different.

[Fetrik]

I also personally don't like to read chaos marine novels(And Chaos is one of my main armies!) cause I felt that they would just be portrayed as these one dimensional lunatics.....I'm still on the fence about reading the word bearer series but I found the night lord series to be very refreshing.....I haven't felt any desire to read the iron warriorsr.....

I don't think any novel about chaos portrays them like that. There may be a few people like that in it but obviosly the main characters aren't like that.

[Okuto]

indeed, the night lords series was very welcome, though I've not finished it yet.

I'm just not too sure about the iron warrior/word bearer series though.....I was a bit disgusted at the alpha legion portrayal in hunt so I'm very on the fence with chaos marine novels