Black Library book's that you MUST READ

[Roomsky]

The First Heretic is what pulled me into the entire universe, and is the only 40k book I wouldn't hesitate to recommend anyone, its just that good. I read Horus Rising beforehand, and as a newbie I didn't find it all that compelling. But next I grabbed The First Heretic, and I think I finished it in half a week vs the several weeks for Horus Rising. The characters are unique and interesting and the plot is beautifully tragic. Despite the lore its mired in, it is the single BL book I've read that I think my enjoyment comes entirely from its quality as a book, and doesn;t need to be propped up by my ever-growing love of the universe. 

[Marshal Loss]

In no particular order, a loose list of books I loved and would recommend would be

 

Storm of Iron - read it as a kid and it had a major impact on me as a player and painter. Chaos wins!

Talon of Horus - BL's best author rehabilitating my favourite character and my favourite Legion in what is probably the best written novel on the list. Need I say more?

Soul Hunter

Helsreach

The First Heretic - made me collect Word Bearers

Betrayer - made me want to collect more Word Bearers

Path of Heaven - made me collect Death Guard (along with Scars and Daemonology). Also notable for being the best ever depiction of the EC, with the White Scars being as cool as ever

The Master of Mankind

Praetorian of Dorn

[Mellow]

Inquisition War

[HeritorA]

In no particular order, a loose list of books I loved and would recommend would be

 

Storm of Iron - read it as a kid and it had a major impact on me as a player and painter. Chaos wins!

Talon of Horus - BL's best author rehabilitating my favourite character and my favourite Legion in what is probably the best written novel on the list. Need I say more?

Soul Hunter

Helsreach

The First Heretic - made me collect Word Bearers

Betrayer - made me want to collect more Word Bearers

Path of Heaven - made me collect Death Guard (along with Scars and Daemonology). Also notable for being the best ever depiction of the EC, with the White Scars being as cool as ever

The Master of Mankind

Praetorian of Dorn

Eisenhorn/Ravenot/Bequin series from Abnett

Gaunt Ghosts from Abnett because tis also an amazing war story.

Storm of Iron - still think the best McNeil book after Thousand Sons

Path of Heaven - cause amazeballs

First Heretic and Betrayer - cause brotherhood, good fun and truly great road to corruption.

Praetorian of Dorn - cause wowseness!

And of course the amazing Gothic war serie from Gordon Rennie. Exactly that kind of void warfare you would expect from W40K.

[DukeLeto69]

Hmmm my list is not too dissimilar to Heritor...

 

Eisenhorn series (obviously) - Abnett (Malleus being my fav)

Ravenor series - Abnett (Ravenor being my fav)

Bequin (oh how I wish for the series) - Abnett (Pariah is in my top three of all BL books)

Gaunt's Ghosts series - Abnett (Traitor General being my fav)

Titanicus - Abnett

Double Eagle -Abnett

Know No Fear - Abnett (the present tense was a genius creative decision)

 

Talon of Horus - ADB

Emperor's Gift - ADB

First Heretic - ADB

Betrayer - ADB

 

Calpurnia series - Farrer (Legacy being my fav)

 

Genestealer Cults - Ferhavari (always spell that name wrong)

 

Storm of Iron - McNeil

Fulgrim - McNeil

Thousand Sons - McNeil

 

The Gothic War series - Rennie

 

Dark Heresy series - Mitchell (bloody shame the third book never saw light of day)

 

Oh I should say that I am two years behind on the HH as I only buy MMPB so know there are some heavy hitters coming up including Pharos, PoH, PoD, MoM.

[That Guy Matt]

My all time favourites are the Eisenhorn trilogy, followed by Ravenor and Pariah. Gaunts Ghosts are all great so yeah, I like Abnett.

 

Most of the HH I've read was great. The first 5 books and then The First Heretic in particular.

 

My favourite SMB so far is Rynn's World.

[Olis]

While we're mentioning Gaunt's Ghosts and Dan Abnett - the spin off novel called Double Eagle is a pretty damned good read if you're anyway inclined to go after something that's basically the Battle of Britain in space. ^_^

[HeritorA]

My all time favourites are the Eisenhorn trilogy, followed by Ravenor and Pariah. Gaunts Ghosts are all great so yeah, I like Abnett.

Most of the HH I've read was great. The first 5 books and then The First Heretic in particular.

My favourite SMB so far is Rynn's World.

How about the 'Legion of the Damned'?

While we're mentioning Gaunt's Ghosts and Dan Abnett - the spin off novel called Double Eagle is a pretty damned good read if you're anyway inclined to go after something that's basically the Battle of Britain in space.

Not in space :) Over Enothis - tis still atmosphere :)

[Wulfburk]

My favorites so far are (in no order)

 

 

 

Horus Rising - Galaxy in Flames - Path of Heaven - Praetorian of Dorn.

 

 

And Eisenhorn Xenos and Rynn's World as well. Surprised by all the mentions to Rynn's world :) Was the first w40k book i read, and it was freaking awesome.

[HeritorA]

My favorites so far are (in no order)

Horus Rising - Galaxy in Flames - Path of Heaven - Praetorian of Dorn.

And Eisenhorn Xenos and Rynn's World as well. Surprised by all the mentions to Rynn's world Was the first w40k book i read, and it was freaking awesome.

Rynn's World is amazing - cause that's one of 'that' books where orcs are scary, civilians being civilians and SM are truly stand between an almost impossible choice and future desicions

[Olis]

While we're mentioning Gaunt's Ghosts and Dan Abnett - the spin off novel called Double Eagle is a pretty damned good read if you're anyway inclined to go after something that's basically the Battle of Britain in space.

Not in space Over Enothis - tis still atmosphere

Well... yes. Quite right, actually. That's my fault for emphasising the word 'space'. I blame tvtropes. ^_^

[That Guy Matt]

 

 

My all time favourites are the Eisenhorn trilogy, followed by Ravenor and Pariah. Gaunts Ghosts are all great so yeah, I like Abnett.

 

Most of the HH I've read was great. The first 5 books and then The First Heretic in particular.

 

My favourite SMB so far is Rynn's World.

How about the 'Legion of the Damned'

Haven't read it yet. I intend to though.

 

So far I've read four SMB Novels. In order from favourite to least they are:-

 

Rynn's World

Hunt for Vol Doris

The Gildar Rift

Fall of Damnos

[deathspectersgt7]

Legion of the Damned - Excoriators Chapter !!!!

Rynn's World

Helsreach / Blood and Fire - Celestial Lions and the Fanatics

The Gilder Rift

Deathwatch

Talon of Horus

 soon to be released The Red Tithe and Slaughter at Giants Coffin .

[HeritorA]

 

 

My all time favourites are the Eisenhorn trilogy, followed by Ravenor and Pariah. Gaunts Ghosts are all great so yeah, I like Abnett.

 

Most of the HH I've read was great. The first 5 books and then The First Heretic in particular.

 

My favourite SMB so far is Rynn's World.

How about the 'Legion of the Damned'

Haven't read it yet. I intend to though.

 

So far I've read four SMB Novels. In order from favourite to least they are:-

 

Rynn's World

Hunt for Vol Doris

The Gildar Rift

Fall of Damnos

 

You missed the best ;)

 

Legion of the Damned - Excoriators Chapter !!!!

Rynn's World

Helsreach / Blood and Fire - Celestial Lions and the Fanatics

Gildars Rift

Deathwatch

Talon of Horus

 soon to be released The Red Tithe and Slaughter at Giants Coffin .

 

But they haven't been released yet?

[deathspectersgt7]

That is why I said SOON to be released. They will be a must read at least for me .

[Sete]

I want to add Master of Mankind to the list.

[Robster The Lobster]

Not A complete list, who do you think I am, a guy who is not lazy.

 

30k
 

Horus Rising- Not the best book in the series, but I would still call it a must read. It set the groundwork for the entire series, and brilliantly so. 

 

Thousand Sons- Mr McNeill at his best, fleshing out one of the most impact events of the heresy baring Terra itself.

 

First Heretic- The best book in the entire series. It looked to the essences of its characters, when every other book only went skin deep. It also starts

Lorgar´s journey, a journey of something unique to a primarch, evolution.

 

Legion- Abnett best book in the series, mostly because he manage to avoid writing directly about astartes, and instead focus on the mortal characters. It also manage the very rare thing of fleshing out a legion without removing its mystery.

 

Master of Mankind- It showcase perhaps the biggest event, not only in the heresy , but in the entire story line. The moment when the Imperium started to sacrifice it´s citizens not to expand, but merely to survive. It also lay the groundwork for a lot of 40k things..Ènd of Empires`

 

Have unfortunately read Scars or Path of Heaven yet. Which I really should, since it features the Death Guards. Though they are next on my reading list, after I finished reading Fabius Bile.

In between

 

Talon of Horus-Not Only a really important book in the setting, but also one of the best books in the Black Library.

 

Ahriman Series- I would also recommend that you read the collection of shorts called Exodus, featuring one of my favorite characters, Ctesias. A ´normal´ man who somehow manage to steal a nuke and paid the price for it. Well back to Ahriman, don´t know if it was BL or Mr French who decided this needed to be written. But BL sure found the perfect voice, John French, for the exile.

 

40k

 

Storm of Iron- Showing Chaos marines winning. It might not be a big deal today. But this was the first time I read it in a BL book.

 

Lord of the Night- Showing a primarch before anyone else. Also having a really engaging story.

 

Night Lords series- Once upon a time I walked into a book story. I noticed this book with a sweet cover, I picked it up to get a feel for it with my Jedi powers. Soul hunter, by Aaron, how in the heck to I pronounce that. Well at least its about the Night Lords so it cant suck. And what a journey Mr Dembski-Bowden have taken me on since.

 

Gaunt's Ghosts- Watch my avatar...Watch it and learn.

 

Eisenhorn- The single coolest guy in the Imperium

 

Ravenor- I don´t know, perhaps the fifth coolest guy. Stop questioning me, its not like I just come up with this ranking system.

 

Read one Ciaphas Cain book- Every book is the same, with the same prose. But the one book is really good.
 

[HeritorA]

That is why I said SOON to be released. They will be a must read at least for me .

Based on? I agree in case 'The Red Tithe'  - Charcharodons aka Space Sharks are amazing ;) but Slaughter at Giants Coffin are tyranids all over again. Except of eating poor Scythes of course ;)

 

'I want to add Master of Mankind to the list' - tis a good book, but definitely not a MUST READ ;)

Because, as Robster the Lobster mentioned 'Master of Mankind- It showcase perhaps the biggest event, not only in the heresy , but in the entire story line. The moment when the Imperium started to sacrifice it´s citizens not to expand, but merely to survive.' The problem is - exactly that point is done poorly. No tragedy where, or foreboding.

 

Actually that was the first HH book, whose characters were cool in their own way - but totally uninsteresting. I didn't cared about Ra, Di, Zephon, Land whatever.

[RobMac]

Legion of the Damned - Excoriators Chapter !!!!

Rynn's World

Helsreach / Blood and Fire - Celestial Lions and the Fanatics

The Gilder Rift

Deathwatch

Talon of Horus

soon to be released The Red Tithe and Slaughter at Giants Coffin .

I feel the pressure, heh

[HeritorA]

Legion of the Damned - Excoriators Chapter !!!!

Rynn's World

Helsreach / Blood and Fire - Celestial Lions and the Fanatics

The Gilder Rift

Deathwatch

Talon of Horus

soon to be released The Red Tithe and Slaughter at Giants Coffin .

I feel the pressure, heh

As mentioned earlier today - now you no need to worry

[Taliesin]

Old BL gets some stick sometimes, everyone hates one author or moans about something.

So I thought I'd create a post  that might get inspire someone to pick up a novel they may have missed, or never had the inclination to read. So what I'd like to see is people posting the favourite book and why..

 

Emperors Gift by A-D-B

 

just a great read, fits in the background perfectly and brings to life the 1st battle of Armageddon and the war afterwards. Great character portrayal and it has that just one more chapter X-Factor.

 

over to you

 

 

 

 

Outside of the heresy series i haven't read too much tbh. None that are on a level of wow like the two mentioned above, anyway. Eisenhorn/ravenor trilogies are awesome - I do like books with good continuity like that; where the characters become family. It's one of the reasons the Master & Commander series (not wh40k related) are my favourite books of all time.

 

Pretty bizarre that Black Library has allowed both Emperor's Gift and the Ravenor series to be out of print for such a long time, up to this day even.

EG has been out of print for two years now. Wrath of Iron as well.

[R_F_D]

Completely heretical I know but has anyone read Abnett's Warhammer books?

[RobMac]

Completely heretical I know but has anyone read Abnett's Warhammer books?

Riders of the Dead is amazing.

[veterannoob]

Completely heretical I know but has anyone read Abnett's Warhammer books?

all of them. Brilliant. Riders of the Dead is great.

[Phoebus]

Oh, man. Good topic!

I think you have to read a couple of the Ian Watson classics, for a look at where all this started. Space Marine goes to some strange places, but, regardless how you feel about the prose or its story, it challenges the reader. More, it doesn't pull punches. It portrays this universe in a suitably dark manner, something many novels don't even attempt.

 

Storm of Iron, mentioned earlier, is another one I'd say is a must. It has memorable characters on both sides, great action, and a suitably dark ending. I still think it's one of McNeill's best works.

 

Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts series feels like an indispensable part of this setting. Not every book is of the same quality, obviously, but there are so many amazing moments and characters scattered, throughout. Had there been a novel before this series that came close to evoking so many emotional responses for the deaths of favored characters? I wish Abnett all the best of his career, but his success in other media will have been at severe cost to this setting if this series does not receive a proper ending by the man who started it.

 

From the Horus Heresy series, Abnett's Horus Rising and Legion cannot be omitted. The former opens the doors to the events that defined this setting. The latter dared to re-imagine a past that people had taken for granted. You can love it or you can hate it, but you can't deny that it took guts, or that it gave license to others to explore ideas and re-imagine concepts in a way that probably wasn't possible before.

 

The influence of Angels of Darkness can't easily be determined, but I think Gav Thorpe's classic has to share space with The Unforgiven. Angels raised questions and controversy. The Unforgiven has given answers that perhaps no one anticipated, more controversial than perhaps even Astelan's filthy heresy.

 

Simon Spurrier's Lord of the Night is another classic. Though not the first to cast a villain as the protagonist, it is the earliest Warhammer 40k novel that I can recall where a character from a faction understood to be evil saw himself as righteous and justified. Zso Sahaal's reckoning with Krieg Acerbus was a masterstroke of revelation, the former Talonmaster having his eyes opened to how wrong he had been about his legion.

 

Helsreach, the Night Lords Trilogy, and The Talon of Horus also feel so essential. Dembski-Bowden's incalculable contribution to this setting has been to pave the way for the villains of this setting to be shown in a way that allows us to at least recognize their motivations - to make them something more than an antagonist with ambitions to see the galaxy burn. He has challenged our perception of the Imperium's pre-eminent heroes, as well, forcing us to look for more than blunt, straightforward superhumans.

 

Likewise, The First Heretic has to be included. Master of Mankind covered monumental events and Betrayer was epic in its own right, but The First Heretic was when we finally got a chance to see the fight through the eyes of villains without said characters being out-and-out antagonists. Not every Word Bearer was likeable, but this book banished the specter of a legion turned to Chaos out of obsessive pettiness. I mean no disrespect to other authors, but there are Dembski-Bowden's Word Bearers; and then there are everyone else's.

 

Finally, there's John French's Praetorian of Dorn on this list, as well. This is one of those titles whose content perhaps no one anticipated or had on their wish-list before this series became the expansive setting of ideas that it is. No one, that is, anticipated a story of Alpharius using all his skills, cunning, and resources to steal into the seat of Imperial Power and force a showdown against Rogal Dorn. The audaciousness of the idea is matched only by that of the novel's end. We talk about there being too many unnecessary stories devoted to this setting, and I find myself wishing that there was more time and room for French to work his magic.