who are your favorite and least favorite WH40k authors?why?

[Rheteric]

Admittedly,I am a bit new...so I apologize if this post may be innately inappropriate.

However, I am a major fan of warhammer 40k lore and would like to get the most out of my relative reading experience.

 

With that said,

I'd like to say that my favorite author thus far is Aaron Dembski-Bowden. After recently wrapping up the Night Lords trilogy I found Bowden to be a genius. For me, he made completely savage,(g)enhanced,malicious and yet reverable beings seem all too human. The emotion he brought out of seemingly emotionless beings made my head spin. His attention to human detail WITHOUT actually writing said details overtly was...well...amazing to say the least.

 

Now then...

NICK KYME.ooooh god nick kyme.TERRIBLE.absolutely deplorable.the salamanders, when I first began looking into the grimdark, seemed as though they would be my favorite loyalist legion and thanks to Nick Kyme's self-ingratiating, painfully unorganized style of writing I found myself loathing the 'salamander topic' as a whole. It was probably the most boring 60 pages I've ever read in my life.almost as bad as the great gatsby :-x. Too many names thrown out at once and attention to such insignificant detail I wanted to punch a baby(a xenos baby of course).

 

In any case, this topic isn't meant to be purely a means to insult OR even brown-nose anyone. I simply would like some insight in regards to the men/women who create(or rather,perpetuate) the absolutely astonishing universe of wh40k.

 

So please...indulge me and whoever else is interested.

Out of the plethora of talented authors working for the BL and/or GW...

Who are the A.D.Bs and who are the Nick Kymes(in your opinion obviously)?

 

Ps.id like to note that Nick Kyme has to be an EXCELLENT editor and I'm sure he has some skill for writing in general. Its almost like he has excellent grammar and little to no imagination lol(should I not say lol on here?). With any luck, someone else will write salamander literature or nick kyme will get much better at what he does. I hope for both.

 

Thank you for your time and insight.I look forward to learning about new authors(new to me anyway) and your own opinions on the many outstanding(and deplorable) books that the most (un?)holy Black Library has to offer.

[Grotsmasha]

First up, welcome to the B&C Rheteric,

 

 

Secondly, I'll get this in first, KEEP ALL COMMENTS ABOUT THE WRITING AND KEEP AWAY FROM PERSONAL ATTACKS AND NAME CALLING.

 

 

With that out of the way, both A D-B and Abnett tie for my first place, A D-B for the Night Lords/1st Legion stuff and Abnett for the Eisenhorn/Ravenor Trilogies. As for Kyme, I really have enjoyed his Heresy stuff, and perhaps he deserves a second chance. As for the Tome of Fire books, they were a little far seperated from "my 40k" for me, but I did finish the three books.

Cheers,

Jono

[Rheteric]

Thank you very much Grotsmasha. I really appreciate that you responded promptly with not only advice on how to conduct myself on the boards, but also with valid feedback. It is troublingly rare that the two come together...and...well...to say the least; I'm certainly not on "YA!" anymore!haha!

 

However, I did note that you didn't give any negative feedback in regards to any of the BL authors' writing styles etc. and I fear that some may shy away from such topics al ltogether lest they risk being construed as overtly negative or caustically judgemental due to their opinions. I'm not trying to imply this is exactly how you or anyone else feels. It is certainly within the scope of reason for you to actually primarily enjoy most all authors and/or books. What I am trying to imply is this...

 

The Grim-Dark is a BIG(and dare I say; scary) place. And in order to navigate through the treasure and trash(while 100% paying heed to the addage : beauty is in the eye of the beholder) in the most efficient manner, we must be willing to share our negative viewpoints as well as positive without restriction (albeit with a mindful eye trained upon content and context alike)

 

I do appreciate that you've suggested that I give Nick Kyme another chance and with enough encouragement from my fellow fans, I may have to do just that. But in the mean-time I know there's 5 other excellent authors out there that I might end up really liking thanks to recommendations from THIS post.

 

Lastly, after reading some reviews for a few different books, it seemed as though people were complaining about C.S. (edit:)Goto(lmao, I said c.s. lewis!bahahaha. Imagine that? Alice in Empyrean land?!) in a similar manner to me complaining about nick kyme.

 

So id like to ask that if you refuse to directly answer my initial questions, that you at least answer me this...if I really dislike Nick Kyme's style of writing, which other authors should I be wary of/shy away from? Its just that I feel I have so much to learn/catch up on and Id really like to do so in the most enjoyable and efficient ways

Thanks again in advance everybody.

[Grotsmasha]

Of all the Black Library books I've read (Both Fantasy and 40k), there's only ever been two I've put down and never picked back up. First up was the Grey Knights Omnibus and the second was Space Marine Battles: Malodrax both by Ben Counter, I don't recall specifically what turned me off them (it was a year or two ago now), just that I'd lost interest less than one chapter in. But as before, I enjoyed Ben's Heresy and Soul Drinkers novels. There does seem to be a bit of internet grumbles about C.S. Goto, but I enjoyed the Dawn of War Omnibus.

As for who/what to read, I'd be looking at Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn Trilogy (Xenos, Malleus, Hereticus) and Gaunt's Ghosts series (13 novels + audio/eBooks). For me though, the book with my favourite scene from any BL novel, comes from Gav Thorpe's Last Chancers Omnibus, in the second book Kill Team. There's a scene where a Deathwatch Marine massacres a squad of Crisis suits quite epically.

TL;DR Read Dan Abnett, Internet says avoid C.S. Goto

Cheers,

Jono

[Chaeron]

Of the regulars, some of the best would be: Abnett , A D-B, Sanders and Wraight. These probably get the most praise, and rightly so in my opinion! Excellent authors who have a fantastic craft. I would recommend Annandale from what I've read also.

 

Lots of others polarise opinion: I like the majority of McNeill's work for instance, although this isn't a uniformly held opinion as some dislike his characterisation and style. It's always good to look at whatever legions you like and read out from there, or the Heresy series, as overall it's one of the best Sci-fi series around - irrespective of opinions on individual authors or books.

 

Lots of authors have books that showcase their craft better than others - and you can often see the progression in their writing over the years if you track certain authors. I don't think there are many things that you'll outright dislike, just go in with an open mind and explore the myriad possibilities the setting offers from a multitude of perspectives!

[The Red Thirst]

Abnett and AD-B, both have excellent prose and characters in their novels, highly rate these two authors. Sanders and French are also on my must read list.

Wont name names but a few are lackluster at best.

[Olis]

I would say Abnett and A D-B, too. I find that I like their prose much more so than most of the resident BL authors and each publication turns into real page-turners for me. Between the pair? I find that Abnett invents and adds to the universe more so than A D-B, but A D-B expands and enhances already known details or factions to a degree where it makes for great reading (or at least that's how I remember it from the many books I've read). 

 

As for least favourite? I don't think I strictly have a least favourite author but I do have least favourite books - in regard to the HH series, both of the Dark Angels books simply did not engage me enough to read them to the end. I don't know whether that's purely down to the writing quality or it's because I don't have an interest in Dark Angels like I do with, say, the Imperial Fists. 

[deathspectersgt7]

Rob Sanders -  just because Excoriators

Steve Parker -  Look at my Chapter 

Abnett - Snakes

Sara Cawkwell- Silver Skulls- also has a nice looking SS Force

Haley - Blood Drinkers and gave NovaMarines some love.

Annandale - The Traveller

[Volt]

ADB, Gav, Sanders, Abnett, and Haley are my favorite authors. I don't really think I have to give long elaborate paragraphs of praise, but rather just name books.

 

ADB: Herp Derp Night Lords. (No Volt, you like Night Lords, I'm shocked!)

 

Gav Thorpe: Dark Angels.

 

Rob Sanders: Redemption Corps, Legion of the Damned.

 

Adnett: Horus Rising

 

 

 

As for the one author I hate above all, Ben. Counter. I can't stand the Soul Drinkers as characters, the chapter, the writing, or the story.

[Valkyrion]

ADB, Abnett, that is all.

 

Other authors hit the mark with a lot less frequency, some never hit it at all, but ADB and Abnett are the only two authors who have written about chapters/legions that I didn't really like before (Templars, Word Bearers, Alpha Legion) and make me like them, whilst I've been turned off Ultramarines, Crimson Fists, Salamanders because of other authors.

[b1soul]

In no particular order...Abnett, ADB, Wraight 

 

I've heard good things about Sanders but to me, he's just OK (based on his SM Battles book)

 

Everyone else is mediocre to bad.

[Inquisitor Kravin]

A D-B has been praised on this forum to the point that I think it embarrasses him so to spare his blushes I shall declare him a hack who is not worth reading.

Seriously, I think that the popular opinion is generally pretty accurate. Abnett is of course a legend. McNeill has written so many books that there are bound to be a few that are below par but overall I'm a big fan, particularly of his Heresy work. For me Chris Wraight is the top of the more recent crop.

[Tymell]

Unoriginal I know, but another voice chipping in for ADB, Abnett and Wraight. ADB is consistently brilliant at giving characters of all different sorts real depth and, well, character. Lotara Sarrin, Argel Tal, Khârn, Angron, Lorgar, and just about everyone in his Night Lords works. Abnett has the odd miss among his hits, but when he does get it right he totally knocks it out of the park, and the Eisenhorn/Ravenor books remain among my all-time favourites. Wraight I haven't read as much of, but he really impressed me with his work on the White Scars in HH, he made them one of the most enjoyable legions to read of the lot, and I'm very hungry for more.

 

David Annandale and John French are also ones I'm really liking, they haven't quite blown me away as much as the above, but I definitely want to see more from them, especially French's Imperial Fists.

 

Least favourites are probably Mitchel Scanlon and Ben Counter, simply because they're the only ones that have done novels I couldn't finish they were so badly written (Descent of Angels and Battle For the Abyss, respectively).

[Rheteric]

Abnett and AD-B, both have excellent prose and characters in their novels, highly rate these two authors. Sanders and French are also on my must read list.

Wont name names but a few are lackluster at best.

But we need names! That's the whole point!lol

 

I will say, I was pleasantly surprised by Goto.I really got a Nick kyme vibe from the reviews and even some synopsises I read. But yea,after delving into the blood raven's omnibus,I am happy too say that I think he is a credit to the grimdark. Onn another note,I also had trouble getting into the grey knight's omnibus and I LOVE the concept of the grey knights(the Emperors gift is awesome so far)

So yea, ben counter must just have tackled it a bit incorrectly. I feel the book began at to quick of a pace with little in the way of development or differentiation among the main characters(well...those I perceived as main characters)

 

I actually messaged adb on facebook asking him to write a Sons of Malice novel. ahaha. Prob not a great idea to message him with such a request but I had to try...though there's a good chance it wasn't. Really him :-(

[Valkyrion]

Descent of Angels gets more grief than it really deserves, IMO. 

It was the first HH book to not really bother talking about the Heresy for virtually all of it so was a bit of thematic culture shock, but I thought it built up the Dark Angels nicely, especially the relationship between Jonson and Luther. It was also the first book to detail the way Legion recruitment works, and the 'this is our world now' approach of the Imperium. It's a good pre-pre-heresy novel, if not a good pre-heresy novel if you get my meaning.

 

There is no excuse for Battle for the Abyss though.

[Prot]

Lol Battle for the Abyss was an absolute roshambo wasn't it? Shockingly so considering the source can be such a great writer.

 

As bad as this may sound, I personally don't give a crap about 'proper' writing. Writing can be 'proper' and bore the short and curly hairs right off my body.

 

+++ I enjoy Dan Abnett first and foremost he's the only guy that can actually made me read an Astra book and then actually inspire me to make a Blood Pact army... that's crazy good stuff right there.

 

+++ ADB wrote some characters in a way that's never been done and I think as a result he changed the way some authors actually write Primarchs. I think Dan Abnett taking on the Wolves and their crappy previous fluff (I like strong beer too, but hey.) is akin to ADB taking on the World Eaters. To me, that is a writer flexing his arms and taking some really stinky ork dung and growing a fruit bearing tree. I view World Eaters, Khârn, and Angron completely differently after that book. A huge task indeed.

 

+++ Chris Wraight. I've only read a few of his pieces but he's done some really good tales that I come back to.

 

I'm not going to get into authors I don't particularly enjoy. One stands out to me, but it's fair to say I'm an idiot with my literature and my opinion should never be taken seriously.

[Inquisitor Kravin]

I'm going to the Black Library Weekender in November.  I'm not going to rubbish anyone or attribute quotes to specific individuals as I don't want to contribute to authors feeling that they have to watch what they say because it's going to be misquoted or quoted out of context all of the web.

 

What I will say is that the impression that I got from conversations with multiple authors is that generally they're proud to be part of what they feel is overall a great series but they freely admit that the series has had a few dreadful books. One thing that should be kept in mind is the context of when books were written. The series was originally intended just as a trilogy (Horus Rising, False Gods, Galaxy In Flames) to test if there was any appetite for the Heresy era. Books like Descent Of Angels were written without much wider plan or structure. The whole project is now a lot more collaborative and structured with much stronger editorial coordination and steering. One of the authors who is counted amongst the better writers in this thread said to me that they thought it was a pity that the team that did the early books weren't able to tackle it on a bigger scale and be a lot more ambitious about it.

 

Also, after making my previous post I realised I'd admitted John French who writes good stories and is a really friendly guy.

[Guest]

Authors I like -

 

ADB - He made me like Black Templar and Night Lords :) I have enjoyed what he has written so far.

James Swallow and Graham McNeil I also enjoy.

 

Authors I dislike - 

 

Dan Abnett - I find him to be so overrated and he is not the shining paragon of awesomeness people say. But my dislike for him goes back to 2000AD, his dire script for the Ultramarines Movie. Know No Fear... 

[Jareddm]

While every BT may currently want his head on a pike, I have to list Guy Haley as one of my absolute favorites. Baneblade and Death of Integrity were so good and Engine of Mork and Evil Sunz Rising are pretty much the best representation of orks BL has ever had. In terms of writing style, he definitely leans much more towards a harder sci-fi than any other BL author and it's extremely refreshing. Also, by ADB's own account Haley writes approximately four times faster than he does :P

[Solar_Pattern]

I'm not actually that much of a fan of ADB and the Night Lords omnibus. Now before I'm skinned alive by the many fans let me just point out that I really liked Cadian Blood and especially The Emperors gift.

 

My major gripe with his NL's is I feel that his characters suffer very much from "major character survival" syndrome. For example, how in the name of grey skull does a Titan get disabled by 8 legionaries armed with grenades and harsh language. Also, Talos smack talks abbadon (which was deserved but still) and doesn't end up a gooey stain on the floor. Finally, the worst case IMO; Playing a dead mans hand on the Phoenix lord of the friggen banshees! I mean seriously, how does that work.

 

However their is a lot to like about it, especially ADM ability to portray humanity in every situation. Also his description of the Bleeding Eyes and the assault on the chapter keep in the second book is worth it. However I wouldn't put it in such regard as some of his other work.

 

On a lighter note, I would read any 40k book Graham McNeil did. I also hold Dan Abnetts HH books as the top of his game, and I love reading Rhyns World .

[Legatus]

Also, Talos smack talks abbadon (which was deserved but still) and doesn't end up a gooey stain on the floor.

 

 

Didn't he also smack talk the four chaos gods or something like that?

[Jareddm]

It was resisting temptation. Hardly smack talk. Though I did love Nurgle's approach, "Why am I here!? I don't even want you!"

[A D-B]

 

Also, Talos smack talks abbadon (which was deserved but still) and doesn't end up a gooey stain on the floor.

 

 

Didn't he also smack talk the four chaos gods or something like that?

 

 

Christ, no. Nothing like that. Not even close.

 

And Abaddon's not a child at the risk of having a tantrum. A meaningless peon shooting his mouth off means less than nothing to him, especially in the context of doing a favour for another warlord.

 

"Hey, Abaddon, can you and Ruven show Talos some visions? You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours, Chaos warlord-style."

 

"Well, I tried but he called me a mean name and I turned him into goo."

 

"...why would you do that? How insecure are you? Are you seven years old?"

[Marshal Rohr]

 

 

Also, Talos smack talks abbadon (which was deserved but still) and doesn't end up a gooey stain on the floor.

 

 

Didn't he also smack talk the four chaos gods or something like that?

 

Christ, no. Nothing like that. Not even close.

 

And Abaddon's not a child at the risk of having a tantrum. A meaningless peon shooting his mouth off means less than nothing to him, especially in the context of doing a favour for another warlord.

 

"Hey, Abaddon, can you and Ruven show Talos some visions? You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours, Chaos warlord-style."

 

"Well, I tried but he called me a mean name and I turned him into goo."

 

"...why would you do that? How insecure are you? Are you seven years old?"

Strangely enough, this is the plot for the next studio Black Legion campaign book.

[Visitor13]

Unoriginal I know, but another voice chipping in for ADB, Abnett and Wraight. ADB is consistently brilliant at giving characters of all different sorts real depth and, well, character. Lotara Sarrin, Argel Tal, Khârn, Angron, Lorgar, and just about everyone in his Night Lords works. Abnett has the odd miss among his hits, but when he does get it right he totally knocks it out of the park, and the Eisenhorn/Ravenor books remain among my all-time favourites. Wraight I haven't read as much of, but he really impressed me with his work on the White Scars in HH, he made them one of the most enjoyable legions to read of the lot, and I'm very hungry for more.

 

David Annandale and John French are also ones I'm really liking, they haven't quite blown me away as much as the above, but I definitely want to see more from them, especially French's Imperial Fists.

 

Least favourites are probably Mitchel Scanlon and Ben Counter, simply because they're the only ones that have done novels I couldn't finish they were so badly written (Descent of Angels and Battle For the Abyss, respectively).

 

Have you read Scanlon's Fifteen Hours?