Best novel for a non-fan?

[Kurgan the Lurker]

Execution Hour if you can find a copy -- it is one of the older novels.

[-Volsung-]

The Emperor's Gift by Aeron Dembski-Bowden is hands down my go-to if I need to introduce anyone to the 40k lore and universe.

 

It's a mature, intellectual, and even emotionally-charged read. You don't need to know too much about the world to really get into it, and once you come out of it, you likely won't have so many questions about the world but will have enough to get you to check out more stuff about it. It was my first Black Library Book, and got me right into the Eisenhorn and Ravenor series. 

 

Thats how it begins...

[skawolf]

An Imperial Guard novels stands as probably your best bet, I would say if you had the Imperial Guard omnibus volume one it would be perfect as it has 3 of the greatest guard novels Rebel winter, Fifthteen Hours and Death World which are easy to follow with a great story that doesn't bombard from the start with 40k stuff that could be confusing .Some of the marine ones can be a bit too much sometimes especially for new readers, another good set may be the Gaunts Ghost or Ciaphas Cain series. Probably stay clear of Horus Heresy as some can be a bit confusing especially if you know nothing about warhammer, one of the first few novels I tried reading when I started to get into warhammer was Horus Rising but found it a bit hard to understand.

Tha'ts my opinion others may have different ones but generally go with something you have read that you really liked and believe he would like too.

Horus rising confused the hell out of me BECAUSE I had knowledge of the 40k universe. The whole 1st bit about "I was there when Horus killed the Emperor", made me think the book was starting at the end of the Horus heresy and then going to go into a flashback mode.... and I hate that. If I had come into it without previous knowledge of 40k I would have been better able to read that without going "huh? wait a sec" haha

Although a trillogy, it would have to be the three Inquisitor Eisenhorn books, without a doubt.

Cheers,

Jono

I second this. You could hand him the Omnibus so it looks like a single book rather than a trilogy though.

[DarkByDesign]

Basically, I am looking for a good "stand alone" 40k book, for someone who has no knowledge of the universe. I won a bet with my father, and he is now obligated to read a Warhammer book, as he often teases me about the hobby. It's all in good fun, but I'm looking for a book that won't confuse him and that he might actually enjoy. He reads Sci Fi plenty, but not 40k at all. Some of my thoughts include Fifteen Hours, as its a stand alone novel and covers the idea of 40k pretty well. 

 

 

1 - Straight silver - Dan Abnett  2 - Last chancer novel about Corporal Cain (forget the name but DAM fine) and the short book Distant echo of old night. Totally awesome reading and minimum knowledge plot needed. With possible exception to Straight silver as I think they have a few books in that series. 

 

Basically distant echo of old night is amazing. Not much knowledge needed. Fists = loyalist "goodies"Death guard = heretical crazed badies.

[Warsmith Aznable]

Double Eagle would be very relatable to astandard military scifi reader. It's basically Biggles of the Imperial Navy, with WWI France in Space followed by WWII Midway in Space. It's not reliant on understanding the setting before you read it, but it keeps entirely in the feel of the setting.

[DinoDoc]

I second the nomination of Dead Men Walking. Excellent book all round if a bit depressing.