If you could only keep ten 40k books, what would they be?

[grailkeeper]

We're so starved for new material I'm tempted to start a "If you had to get rid of ten books" thread,

[Scribe]

31 minutes ago, grailkeeper said:

We're so starved for new material I'm tempted to start a "If you had to get rid of ten books" thread,

 

That would get the spice flowing.

[JustinDHill]

Love these lists...! Enjoyed reading through everyone else’s and here’s mine.

 

Realised that I’ve been reading a lot more Heresy for the last twenty odd years, so this list is a little skewed to the older stuff. If I did a Horus Heresy list there would be a lot more variation, I think. But clearly I’m a sucker for a guard/human story.

 

This list does a pretty good job of spanning the 40K universe from the human scale of Ravenor, to the world of titans, and then on into the Eye of Terror, and the machinations of Abaddon.

 

 

Storm of Iron – first 40K novel that blew me away. Still one of my favourites. It’s a perfect self-encapsulated story that manages to include so many aspects of 40K – IG, Chaos Space Marines, and even titans with a lovely nod to the Horus Heresy.

 

Necropolis – Dan has done so much to flesh out the 40K universe, and this was the first literary take I remember on a Hive world. Brilliant in so many ways – and with a map, which is always a bonus. Really establishes the Gaunt’s Ghosts, and has some of my favourite 40K moments.

 

Ravenor – Loved Eisenhorn, but after second readings I rated Ravenor even higher – partly because the character of Ravenor allows more introspection and interesting perspectives, but I also liked the band he had. Nayl one of my favourites. Used part of Ravenor teaching Creative Writing at the MFA level. It was Ravenor, page 25 onwards, when the psyker travels through the heads of the world about him. Brilliant!

 

Only in Death – Hinzerhaus. I’m a sucker for a Guard story, and loved the strangeness of the Hinzerhaus as a setting, and the ominous sense of a last stand on a high mountain fortress.

 

His Last Command  - Sparshad Mons. Always enjoy the scale of Dan’s imagination. Leaves me a little breathless at times. Sparshad Mons was a great example of this, and the ominous sense of danger and threat that carries through this novel.

 

Blood Pact – on the cemetery world of Balhaut. This is great because Dan turns the tables and this time it’s a Blood Pact kill team that the Ghosts are against. I love the Blood Pact characters he creates, and the challenge that they present to the Ghosts.

 

The Emperor's Gift – ADB. A brilliant story, and a great reveal, and doing what ADB does best which is taking items of lore and fiction, and fleshing them out brilliantly.

 

Soul Hunter – completely changed how I thought about Chaos Space Marines, and can still remember the shock of the opening scene where the Night Lords are scavenging the battlefield for armour. This stands in for the whole series really.

 

Titanicus – One of Dan’s stand alone novels that became an instant classic for me. Like Storm of Iron, this novel spans the whole gamut from planetary defence forces to the princeps of the grandest titan, with Mechanicus debates on liturgy mixed in.

 

Black Legion – hard to pick between this and Talon of Horus... both are exemplary in the complex, interesting and engaging characters ADB creates – and like Dan it seems each of these novels leaves the 40k imaginative space wider, deeper and more interesting. I love the set of side-kicks in this, like the undead Dark Eldar.

[DukeLeto69]

3 hours ago, JustinDHill said:

Love these lists...! Enjoyed reading through everyone else’s and here’s mine.

 

Realised that I’ve been reading a lot more Heresy for the last twenty odd years, so this list is a little skewed to the older stuff. If I did a Horus Heresy list there would be a lot more variation, I think. But clearly I’m a sucker for a guard/human story.

 

This list does a pretty good job of spanning the 40K universe from the human scale of Ravenor, to the world of titans, and then on into the Eye of Terror, and the machinations of Abaddon.

 

 

Storm of Iron – first 40K novel that blew me away. Still one of my favourites. It’s a perfect self-encapsulated story that manages to include so many aspects of 40K – IG, Chaos Space Marines, and even titans with a lovely nod to the Horus Heresy.

 

Necropolis – Dan has done so much to flesh out the 40K universe, and this was the first literary take I remember on a Hive world. Brilliant in so many ways – and with a map, which is always a bonus. Really establishes the Gaunt’s Ghosts, and has some of my favourite 40K moments.

 

Ravenor – Loved Eisenhorn, but after second readings I rated Ravenor even higher – partly because the character of Ravenor allows more introspection and interesting perspectives, but I also liked the band he had. Nayl one of my favourites. Used part of Ravenor teaching Creative Writing at the MFA level. It was Ravenor, page 25 onwards, when the psyker travels through the heads of the world about him. Brilliant!

 

Only in Death – Hinzerhaus. I’m a sucker for a Guard story, and loved the strangeness of the Hinzerhaus as a setting, and the ominous sense of a last stand on a high mountain fortress.

 

His Last Command  - Sparshad Mons. Always enjoy the scale of Dan’s imagination. Leaves me a little breathless at times. Sparshad Mons was a great example of this, and the ominous sense of danger and threat that carries through this novel.

 

Blood Pact – on the cemetery world of Balhaut. This is great because Dan turns the tables and this time it’s a Blood Pact kill team that the Ghosts are against. I love the Blood Pact characters he creates, and the challenge that they present to the Ghosts.

 

The Emperor's Gift – ADB. A brilliant story, and a great reveal, and doing what ADB does best which is taking items of lore and fiction, and fleshing them out brilliantly.

 

Soul Hunter – completely changed how I thought about Chaos Space Marines, and can still remember the shock of the opening scene where the Night Lords are scavenging the battlefield for armour. This stands in for the whole series really.

 

Titanicus – One of Dan’s stand alone novels that became an instant classic for me. Like Storm of Iron, this novel spans the whole gamut from planetary defence forces to the princeps of the grandest titan, with Mechanicus debates on liturgy mixed in.

 

Black Legion – hard to pick between this and Talon of Horus... both are exemplary in the complex, interesting and engaging characters ADB creates – and like Dan it seems each of these novels leaves the 40k imaginative space wider, deeper and more interesting. I love the set of side-kicks in this, like the undead Dark Eldar.

So…

 

Graham McNeill x1

ADB x3

Dan Abnett x6

 

I mean I don’t disagree with any of those books . All excellent IMHO but the 10 definitive W40k books hmmmm?

 

When I get time I may revisit my list as I didn’t really follow @Roomsky rules and it still became somewhat a subjective pick from MY favourite books.

 

TBH it’s too difficult for me to achieve if I cannot include trilogies/series as a single entry. For example, for me Gaunt’s Ghosts is THE series that encapsulates W40k. Not every book is excellent but several are truly superb. Throw in Double Eagle and Titanicus and across the series you get to glimpse far more than the battlefield with plenty of domestic and planetary idiosyncrasies.

 

Similarly Eisenhorm-Ravenor-Bequin.

 

Then Wraight’s Vaults of Terra and Watchers of the Throne series’ as a whole are, for me, essential.

 

Likewise (a cheat I know) the entirety of Fehervari’s output. Absolutely essential 40k reading IMO.

 

But herein lies the subjectivity. For most people W40k is Space Marines. So a definitive list of books set in the universe needs to include a good proportion of SM titles. Only for ME they are probably the least interesting faction (in a literary sense) so I struggle here!

[Scribe]

A list of "What is 40K" not my favourite books, but the ones that establish what the setting (yep, setting you heathens) is?

 

Start

Valdor: This is the beginning of 40K, even if its pre-Imperium.

The First Heretic: The roots of the Heresy.

Master of Mankind: The Event Horizon, the point at which the dream of the Emperor is lost.

TEATD 3: You dont need the rest of the Siege, sorry folks, it sucked.

Black Legion: The return of CSM to the Material.

Wrath of Iron: This is what the Imperium's defenders have become.

Soul Hunter: This is what the CSM have become.

Vaults of Terra Carrion Throne: Look upon the heart of the Imperium, and despair.

Bloodlines: Again, a look at a smaller slice of the setting.

Spear of the Emperor: Remember folks, its a setting. What Rob or the Lion are doing doesnt matter.

End

 

10 books, that outline what 40K is, to its core. You could argue maybe Bloodlines should be a Xeno book, but I dont think so. This is the objectively correct list. ;)

[darkhorse0607]

I'm glad to see so many lists including Storm of Iron. It was the first 40k book that I read as a kid (we won't talk about the Dawn of War one) so I've got a soft spot for it

 

 

 

 

[DukeLeto69]

35 minutes ago, Scribe said:

A list of "What is 40K" not my favourite books, but the ones that establish what the setting (yep, setting you heathens) is?

 

Start

Valdor: This is the beginning of 40K, even if its pre-Imperium.

The First Heretic: The roots of the Heresy.

Master of Mankind: The Event Horizon, the point at which the dream of the Emperor is lost.

TEATD 3: You dont need the rest of the Siege, sorry folks, it sucked.

Black Legion: The return of CSM to the Material.

Wrath of Iron: This is what the Imperium's defenders have become.

Soul Hunter: This is what the CSM have become.

Vaults of Terra Carrion Throne: Look upon the heart of the Imperium, and despair.

Bloodlines: Again, a look at a smaller slice of the setting.

Spear of the Emperor: Remember folks, its a setting. What Rob or the Lion are doing doesnt matter.

End

 

10 books, that outline what 40K is, to its core. You could argue maybe Bloodlines should be a Xeno book, but I dont think so. This is the objectively correct list. ;)

Great list but this perfectly illustrates (for me) the challenge of just ten books without being overly SM focused. Not one IG book. No Xenos books. No Inquisition. For me this list provides s great spine for a twenty book essential list (sorry @Roomsky)

 

Also any list that does not include Execution Hour by Gordon Rennie and something by Fehervari is objectively wrong ;-)

[Roomsky]

Ah, but you see DukeLeto, 10 books being insufficient is entirely the point. Seeing what people prioritize in too small a list is precisely what makes each list so interesting (and not the same 15 books with 5 wild cards per person)

[Scribe]

Just now, DukeLeto69 said:

Great list but this perfectly illustrates (for me) the challenge of just ten books without being overly SM focused. Not one IG book. No Xenos books. No Inquisition. For me this list provides s great spine for a twenty book essential list (sorry @Roomsky)

 

Also any list that does not include Execution Hour by Gordon Rennie and something by Fehervari is objectively wrong ;-)

 

There is an Inquisition book, IG are present in Wrath of Iron in the role they serve, and Xenos are foils, side players, it's not their story.

 

40K is the story of Man.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Honestly, it's a really nasty challenge, @Roomsky! (and I'm sure you know that )

 

A long time ago, I stopped buying paper books, and found Humble Bundle and Audible, so I probably have too many GW books now (likely over 200), and a rather long "to read" list.

 

So, my selection (in no particular order):

• Titanicus
• Double Eagle
• Grim Repast
• Wraithbone Phoenix
• Dredge Runners
• Helsreach
• Eisenhorn Trilogy (Xenos, Malleus, Hereticus)
• Cadian Blood

Honestly, it's a frustrating task. I absolutely loved the Gaunts Ghosts and Ciaphas Cain series, and decided to omit them completely because having just one or two is something of a "problem" (whole series or nothing); for a similar reason, the Ravenor and Bequin series are omitted. I kept on alternating between Cadian Blood and The Vorbis Conspiracy, too, and I really liked The Bookkeeper's Skull ...

Edited July 23 by Firedrake Cordova

[DukeLeto69]

On 7/23/2024 at 6:38 PM, Scribe said:

 

There is an Inquisition book, IG are present in Wrath of Iron in the role they serve, and Xenos are foils, side players, it's not their story.

 

40K is the story of Man.

Vaults of Terra is of course Inquisition = my bad (superb book).

[Rob P]

Being a grump I think most of the 40k catalog (that i've read - at a guess around 40%)  is entirely forgettable (or, more likely, my memory is poor) so putting 10 forward is difficult and the rationale needs to be stated:

 

Emperor's Gift - serious tension and two loyalist factions about to murder each other

Helsreach - Masterclass in having a battleground settling without all that boring fighting

Ravenor Rogue - I love the trilogy but I specifically like the epilogue which almost reads as a pre-theme tune James Bond scene

Clonelord - Showing me a villain with motive and I still don't like them

Talon of Horus - Re-introducing a big name in a way that's not entirely predictable

Terminal Overkill - Decent read and why not give the little people some time?

Infinite and the Divine - Fun without it being over done like Ciaphas Cain

Imperial Glory - can't remember any details but I remember I felt satisfied when I closed it

 

Edit:

 

Day of Ascension - I appreciate GSC that are not acting and genuinely think they're freedom fighters

Harlequin - first Warhammer book I read and I loved the zanyness

 

Edited July 25 by Rob P

[JustinDHill]

Quote

All excellent IMHO but the 10 definitive W40k books hmmmm?

I don't know about definitive... but that wasn't the criteria I set myself.

 

I thought of it more as a Desert Island Discs of 40K fiction.

 

It's a list limited by what I've read, and Horus Heresy has dominated my reading for the last decade or so, but if I was stranded alone with a lot of reading time those are the ten I'd like to have with me. 

 

....after a cursory look, my Heresy list would prob be something like this:

 

Betrayer - just brilliant scenes involving gunning chainsaws that I can still see in my mind's eye. 

 

A Thousand Sons & Prospero Burns -  a brilliant combination. Loved the grey that Dan and Graham bring into this moment. 

 

Path of Heaven - love Chris' take of the White Scars. Would have included The Sigillite as well - though it wasn't a novel, but my favourite HH audio. 

 

Master of Mankind - ADB taking the Heresy back to the earliest days of the Emperor and the first murder... 

 

Titandeath - liked how this story built up from a small knightly house to the biggest titan battle. 

 

Sigismund - one of the character novels. I'd always found Sigismund a little dull, but John does a brilliant job of making him real, and taking us through his life, and his mission to hunt Abaddon down after the heresy. 

 

Saturnine - I think this was my favourite of the Siege of Terra novels. 

 

Echoes of Eternity - I have huge respect for all the novelists who took on the Seige of Terra. I'm sure that the pressure must have been huge to pull the story off, and to bring so many storylines to a close. This was super bleak, which I loved. 

 

End and the Death - counting this as one - again. Huge respect for Dan pulling this moment off. I was very happy to draw this one out over three door-stopper novels and was hugely impressed how differently this read to Saturnine, and how Dan managed each story thread with completely different registers. 

 

 

 

Edited July 26 by JustinDHill

[Loquille]

Ten 40k books, no Heresy. For the first list anyway.

In no particular order
 

1 The Infinite and the Divine, what's not to love about two grumpy old men. 

 

2 The Talon of Horus, giving us the birth of the Black Legion and how The Long War began.

 

3 Soul Hunter, and the next one the list, giving us a inner look at the the Traitor Legions, and how they view the galaxy around them, where so often they're just the big bad of the story, here we saw it from their view, And from at the time, a not so seen Legion. 

4 Blood Reaver,

 

5 Primongentor, and again the following, giving us the inside look at one of the 40k's great villains, and revealing what his hopes for the future once were. Before the novels I never really thought much of Fabius, even with his Heresy scenes. The trilogy made him one of my favourites. 

6 Clonelord, While the third is a great end to the story, the first two make the list as together, they still complete a story, of hope and the understanding not all things should be. Before the third hammers the point home for him. 

 

7 Necropolis, I think was the first look at hive warfare we'd had, while now the Hive seems fairly small at the time it was incredible, making the list as it was actually my first Gaunt's Ghost novel. 

 

8 Spear of the Emperor, The Darkness closing, yet the Imperium endures, a great look at the Dark Side of the Imperium from ADB showing how the lost side of the Rift fights to endure. 

 

9 The Emperor's Legion, and it's following for me make the list for giving us the Sisters of Silence return to 40k, and from theirs and the Custodes points of view. And how they view

the greater Imperium, andthe look at Terra and just how the Throneworld and the Council are in the current timeline.

10 The Regent's Shadow,

 

Now to think hard on the 10 Heresy books I'd keep if I had to choose. 

[Scribe]

Oh shoot, I forgot The Last Remembrancer, where Dorn as the representation of the Imperium has to confront the lie it told itself all along.

 

I don't think I can cut anything from my definitive and correct list of defining 40K. So in the spirit of continuing to break @Roomsky rules, add that as an Honourable Mention. ;)

 

EDIT: On second thought, this message is also told in Valdor, so the list stands at 10!

Edited July 27 by Scribe
Further consideration.