WH40K Novel Recommendations

Titanicus was interesting, although not my favorite of Abnett's books by any means. If you want it to be even more interesting, read False Gods by Graham McNeill if you haven't already. The two books contrast with one another in a rather intriguing way. The Princeps in Titanicus is fighting to keep his sanity after prolonged exposure to the spirit of the Titan, while the Moderati in False Gods is just beginning to believe the Titan has some kind of sentience (a belief that is heretical at that time.)

The storyline with the Moderati in False Gods is only a minor plot element, but having read Titanicus not long before I read False Gods I really picked up on it and it made both books that much better.

jdzappa wrote:
Elycion wrote:

The format of the newer 40K books like the aforementioned Salamader series is seriously pissing me off. They take a shorter than average novel, format it in an oversize binding, then inflate the print size to something that looks like it belongs in a kindergarten primer and charge 150% or more of the standard paperback price for what amounts to 2/3 the amount of content in a normal paperback.

Books have been going up in price out of relation to inflation for years, and now publishers are trying to cash in even more by going "Look! This book is even bigger than a normal one and is clearly worth more!" All the while they hope nobody notices that you're actually getting less content in a format that's not as comfortable to read.

/stomps off to his rocking chair on the front porch, sets down his shotgun, and pulls out a Gaunt's Ghosts omnibus.

LOL, good point Elycion, but if you think a 40K novel is overpriced, take a look at how much rulebooks and codexes cost versus what you get. I like that GW is at least adding more imagery and background fluff to new codexes, but compared to Privateer Press they're still a major rip-off. And don't get me started on the price of minis themselves. Now that I have a kid, I'm having a hard time justifying spending $60 on one plastic land raider kit.

There are plenty of sites out there where you can get stuff 20% off or more. Check out The War Store or ebay; the folks I know that still play really don't buy anything retail.

So after playing through Space Marine for the 13th time, I decided to sniff around the Black Library ebook list a while. I was a little disappointed to see the Ultramarines and Space Wolf omnibus editions split into separate novels for the ebooks, but the convenience is worth a few extra bucks for me. Everybody in this thread seems really up on Abnett and his non-Space-Marine stories, but I want to read about Space Marines!

Anyone know if any of the Space Marine Battles books are worth reading?
http://www.blacklibrary.com/Warhamme...

BadKen wrote:

Anyone know if any of the Space Marine Battles books are worth reading?
http://www.blacklibrary.com/Warhamme...

I've read Rynn's World and Helsreach and they are both awesome. Highly recommend them.

Read Abnett and his Space Marines - Brothers of the Snake. Definitely one of my favorite Astartes novels.

Like Doc said, Rynn's World was pretty good. SM: Battles - Battle for the Fang was okay, but not great. The Salamander series is not bad and the Ultramarines omnibus is pretty okay too.

I'd also suggest the Horus Heresy novels for lots of great Space Marine action, and it starts with more Abnett.

Just FYI Abnett's new Gaunt's Ghost is coming out next month in hard cover. It's titled Salvation's Reach.

If you pre-ordered on the Black Library website it should be on it's way to you right now as it is for me

Thanks to this thread, I've searched for and found a copy of the Ultramarines Omnibus. Quite enjoying it thus far, and will likely pick up Rynn's World, because frankly the Crimson Fists are my favourite chapter.

Are there any books that follow a character through his initiation trials to his selection as a full battle brother? I'd be interested in a story like that.

Strewth wrote:

Are there any books that follow a character through his initiation trials to his selection as a full battle brother? I'd be interested in a story like that.

The Space Wolves books do that. They actually start following the main character before he's selected for induction into the chapter.

Elycion wrote:
Strewth wrote:

Are there any books that follow a character through his initiation trials to his selection as a full battle brother? I'd be interested in a story like that.

The Space Wolves books do that. They actually start following the main character before he's selected for induction into the chapter.

They are also the best space marine books written.

I'm currently reading the Space Wolf Omnibus. Does it make me a bad person that my favorite character thus far is Sven?

NathanialG wrote:

OH HELLS YEAH.
http://www.amazon.com/Pariah-Ravenor...

WHAT

Oh my god yes.

Also, I've been reading the sh*t out of 40k books recently. They just don't get old.

Has anyone read Ravenor vs Eisenhorn yet? I just ordered it.

Anything Eisenhorn FTW. Try Gaunt's Ghosts, Ciaphas Caine, and Last Chancers for some good WH40K.

BadKen wrote:

So after playing through Space Marine for the 13th time, I decided to sniff around the Black Library ebook list a while. I was a little disappointed to see the Ultramarines and Space Wolf omnibus editions split into separate novels for the ebooks, but the convenience is worth a few extra bucks for me. Everybody in this thread seems really up on Abnett and his non-Space-Marine stories, but I want to read about Space Marines!

Anyone know if any of the Space Marine Battles books are worth reading?
http://www.blacklibrary.com/Warhamme...

Ken,

Crack the Horus Heresy series for some good reads. A few are so-so, but most are pretty good.

NathanialG wrote:

Has anyone read Ravenor vs Eisenhorn yet? I just ordered it.

I'm about 4 pages in, so can't really comment, but it has been good so far!

Another vote for the Ciaphas Cain series,
I've read all of them and just loved them to pieces for some reason. Plus there are a few omnibus books out there so you could get three for the price of one basically.

If you haven't read Pariah by Dan Abnett, you owe it to yourself to get it. NAO!!!

http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/pariah.html

Man, I really need to get around to reading Ravenor, don't I? Eisenhorn is one of my favorites.

Gunner wrote:

Man, I really need to get around to reading Ravenor, don't I? Eisenhorn is one of my favorites.

Yes, yes you do.

I like the Eisenhorn books more than the Ravenor books. This Betaquin arch, makes a marked return to the Eisenhorn style.

jeffsceu wrote:

I like the Eisenhorn books more than the Ravenor books. This Betaquin arch, makes a marked return to the Eisenhorn style.

Pff!! You are obviously a scallywag and no gentleman. Ravenor is far superior to Eisenhorn!

Is there a recommended reading order out there? There seem to be so many books and series that are tied together. I've read the Tanith First series which seems to be its own thing, but when you get to the Eisenhorn or other series it gets a little confusing.

Nevin73 wrote:

Is there a recommended reading order out there? There seem to be so many books and series that are tied together. I've read the Tanith First series which seems to be its own thing, but when you get to the Eisenhorn or other series it gets a little confusing.

They are all separate series. The only meta-arch is that they are all in the same universe aka Warhammer 40k.

If you have read Tanith First which is from the prespective of a Imperial Guard regiment. Try Eisenhorn and Ravenor which is from a Imperial Inquisitor prespective or Ciaphas Cain which is from an Imperial Commisar prespective, or maybe one of the Space marine series, Ultramarines, Salamanders, Blood Angels, Dark Angels, and so forth.

There is even a series from the elven prespective and the other alien race called the tau.

Your choice is endless.

NathanialG wrote:
jeffsceu wrote:

I like the Eisenhorn books more than the Ravenor books. This Betaquin arch, makes a marked return to the Eisenhorn style.

Pff!! You are obviously a scallywag and no gentleman. Ravenor is far superior to Eisenhorn!

Heretic!!! You shall burn in the fires of damnation for your heresy

Nevin73 wrote:

Is there a recommended reading order out there? There seem to be so many books and series that are tied together. I've read the Tanith First series which seems to be its own thing, but when you get to the Eisenhorn or other series it gets a little confusing.

Eisenhorn then Ravenor. Each is a trilogy.

New Ciaphas Cain novel was released a couple of weeks ago, I just got my copy.

So far, it's pretty good. The first sentence brought a smile to my face, though.

Say what you will about the tau, and I've said plenty myself over the years, they know how to put on a good war.
cube wrote:

New Ciaphas Cain novel was released a couple of weeks ago, I just got my copy.

So far, it's pretty good. The first sentence brought a smile to my face, though.

Say what you will about the tau, and I've said plenty myself over the years, they know how to put on a good war.

What, when, how? To the bookstore Jeeves!

cube wrote:

New Ciaphas Cain novel was released a couple of weeks ago, I just got my copy.

So far, it's pretty good. The first sentence brought a smile to my face, though.

Say what you will about the tau, and I've said plenty myself over the years, they know how to put on a good war.

It is a great book. It arrived at my workplace by post. Made a mistake by opening the parcel. Could not put it down at all until I finished it, on the same day!!!!