Book recommendations please brothers

[DukeLeto69]

There is already a "summer reading" thread so apologies to the mods if this should be merged...

 

My 8 yr old daughter wants to buy me a present, in her words "I want to buy you one of those soldier books Dad" which is cool. Despite the temptation to fleece her pocket money I will resist and stick to a black library paperback, but which one?

 

Tempted by any one of these three but want recommendations...

 

Kingsblade - Andy Clark

Dark Imperium - Guy Haley

Eye of Medusa - David Guymer

 

I prefer books that expand the lore and ideally involve politics, world building and "slice of life" far more than extended battle scenes (certainly not bolter porn) though clearly as this is WARhammer I expect a bit of shooty death kill!

 

Which one would you recommend?

 

Oh I should add that I have been into W40k since the early 90s and played RT and 2nd. My first novels were Ian Watson's mad Space Marine and Inqusitor. Stopped playing by time 3rd came out but continued to buy pretty much all the rule books, codexes, FW books, FFG books etc as love the lore/setting. Have an absolute tonne of BL books but just wasn't sure what to go for next.

 

Thanks in advance for recommendations.

[Manchu warlord]

I have not read Kingsblade or Eye of Medusa, but I have read Dark Imperium, and I absolutely loved it; which I rank as my 8th favourite BL book currently. 

It is an excellent read that talks in great lengths about the current situation of the Imperium, post-Gathering Storm, and contains good moments of Primarch Guilliman's reaction to what his father's empire has become.  It is set during the end of the Indomitus Crusade, and has some good Primaris Space Marines action, a little bit of politics, and is overall very informative.

 

Highly recommended, and if you happen to be a fan of the Uriel Ventris chronicles, this is a must!  I feel this it is ultimately an Ultramarines, novel - under the mask of neo-WH40k setting - it serves well as the 7th book of the Ultramarines novel series.

[N1SB]

I prefer books that expand the lore and ideally involve politics, world building and "slice of life" far more than extended battle scenes (certainly not bolter porn) though clearly as this is WARhammer I expect a bit of shooty death kill!

 

 

Dark Imperium's greatest strength AND weakness is that it mostly involves politics, world building, slice of life, etc., around Roboute Guilliman and the Ultramar region.  It starts with an epic battle sequence, but aside from that there's very little combat, which may be surprising or appropriate depending on how you view Guilliman.

 

In terms of politics, there's definitely that with the Primarch best known as a statesman, like how he's spin-doctoring some facts.  Moreover, Guilliman is also governing/managing.  He's mentoring a Primaris Lieutenant, holding meetings, having a conference call with Belisarius Cawl, etc.  There's even a Chapter where he's interviewing someone for a job.  It so meets your expectations of the Primarch who'd rather be an administrator that it practically subverts them.  I found it hilarious.

 

In terms of world building, I think Dark Imperium is more informative about Primaris Marines, how they're organised, how the Imperium views them, than even the Space Marine Codices.  I feel it is this aspect that makes it a very important read in this post-Primaris setting.  It completely changed my views on the Primaris (positively).

 

In terms of "slice of life", there's a whole B-plot just about a Guardsman recovering.  I built an army partially inspired by that story and it won an Armies On Parade trophy for Best Warmachines and Monsters: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/345699-n1sb-labs-patient-zero-different-complexions-of-nurgle/

 

It's not a Dune novel, as it's nowhere as byzantine and lacks its mystique, but it does set the stage for 8th edition and beyond.

 

+++++

 

Another alternative, that is both cheaper and also gives great day-in-the-life-of stories, is Crusade + Other Stories, which costs only 5 GBP or 8 USD.  It's a collection of short stories that serve as an introduction to the 40k universe for new players.  Only about half the book is actually good, but everything is so bite-sized it's ok.  I loved it for explaining the Blood Angels & Necrons alliance, the perspective of a Guardman seconded to an Inquisitor, a Skitarii squad on a rescue mission, etc.

 

That might be more affordable for your daughter.  And some of the stories I think you could read to her.  Not many, though.

 

And "I want to buy you one of those soldier books Dad" is probably the sweetest thing every posted here on B&C.  Please tell her we're very impressed with her.

[Orwell84]

Manchu Warlord and N1SB covered the selling points of Dark Imperium, and I haven't read the other two so I can't speak to them. But from memory Eye of Medusa has had... mixed reviews.

 

The first alternative which comes to mind is Xenos, book 1 in the Eisenhorn series. You might have already read it, being a BL classic, but if you haven't then it provides everything you're after.

[DukeLeto69]

Thanks all. Looking like DI is firm favourite so far!

 

@N1SB thanks re what my daughter said. Have to say I think it is pretty cool my little girl is supportive of my hobby/obsession!

 

Will edit my opening post as need to make it clear I have read a LOT of BL fiction over the years but totally appreciate the sentiment @orwell84.

[Manchu warlord]

Thanks all. Looking like DI is firm favourite so far!

 

@N1SB thanks re what my daughter said. Have to say I think it is pretty cool my little girl is supportive of my hobby/obsession!

 

Will edit my opening post as need to make it clear I have read a LOT of BL fiction over the years but totally appreciate the sentiment @orwell84.

If/when I have a daughter, I hope she'll be as supportive as yours. 

[Xisor]

I liked "Dark Imperium", but it was ultimately more pedestrian for Guy's work. (His Blood Angels duo are a brilliant shout, for this thread, but not part of the initial trio. Very good shout, if you're open to it.)

 

----

 

My shout is very strongly for "The Eye of Medusa", as someone who thought that Clan Raukaan and lots of HH stuff broadly mistreated (or at least undersold) the Iron Hands, I was hugely impressed with the work Guymer put in to rehabilitating the fluff, expanding on the lore, and presenting a really cool take on a fair swathe of bits of 40k that don't often get great service.

 

I've waxed lyrical (and indeed argumentative) about it, but I'm 100% on it being a resoundingly good, political and social novel. Bleak And grim, but very well done.

 

It has music and kissing too, which is unusual for 40k. And BL in general.

[Roomsky]

Dark Imperium was decent, usual Haley fair of uninteresting prose and a plot which oscillates between brilliant and eye-rolling at the drop of a hat. I will say that, while not the whole book, it was a very satisfying look at post-GS Guilliman, and he's better written there than he ever was in Pharos. 

 

I haven't read Eye of Medusa, but from the Guymer I have consumed he's generally more interesting, both in style and in plot, than Haley. That said, he's not necessarily better, his large scale action can be confused, and his pacing uneven, two things Haley certainly holds over him.

 

I also haven't read Kingsblade, but Crusade was bad enough to make me ignore anything Clark puts out henceforth. It was a boring series of cliches wrapped up in a plot so-by-the numbers I'm astonished it made it out the door.

[DukeLeto69]

@xisor and @roomsky well thanks for putting the cat amongst the pigeons LOL. So whereas I was leaning towards DI it now looks like EoM might pip it. Xisor you make a compelling argument and generally we have liked the same things (except Atlas Infernal but let's not go there again LOL).

 

Seriously everyone thanks for input.

[Tarvek Val]

I have only read Eye of Medusa out of the three you are looking into.

 

I thought it was a quite decent read, it offered a good look at the Iron Hands and Clan Raukaan, as was already mentioned by Xisor. There were parts that I was wholly unexpecting that that managed to catch me off guard in a good way. Guymer did a good job with his characters and kept the content interesting and fresh.

 

As a sidenote, if you are interested in the Iron Hands themselves and have not yet read Wrath of Iron, it's a fairly good read as well. It's a bit more action-focused than Eye of Medusa, since it is a standalone Space Marine Battles novel rather than the first book of a series, but it also offers some good looks at the Iron Hands Chapter.

 

Edit: after re-reading your initial post, I noticed that you were looking for politics and "slice of life" kind of literature, and I think Eye of Medusa does a great job with that. You get to see into the inner workings of the Iron Hands Chapter, and it isn't as smooth as you were thinking...

[Manchu warlord]

I also wish to add in "Dark Imperium". The first three chapters of the book is about the face off between Guilliman and Fulgrim, which eventually led to the fall of Guilliman; and was definitely one of my favorite parts of book.

[DukeLeto69]

Looks like only way forward is for me to get both DI and EoM and just tell my daughter she bought me one and I bought the other :-)

[Hit0k1ri]

- Eye of Medusa is basically a non-stop action, involving Iron Hands, Mechanicus, pointy-ears, etc. Politics is present but it's more inter-clan and Medusa-Mars relations, not Imperium-wide. It's a must-read for IH-fans, but not for the one with a craving for "the world conctruction".

- Dark Imperium is as previous brothers've said: talking heads, politics, secrets and lies. Worth noting, it's in fact a supporting book for 8 ed starter with all the attendant merits and demerits. Recommended for you, mate.

- Kingsblade is a book 1 in Imperial Knights trilogy. Quite standard reading about courage, honour, betrayal,  friendship and other such stuff. Second place, imo.