Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Looking to read more 40k, but as a well read individual, I find it hard to locate truly engaging writers in the genere.
What are your three favorite novels/writers and why?
Is there any consensus as to who wrote/what might be the best book in universe?

To be honest, I don't read them because they're good, I read them because they're fun. I really like the collections of short stories like Fear the Alien.

Legion was definitely my favourite HH novel, The Ravenor trilogy was excellent, and DA seems to be the best author.

Titanicus
The First Heretic
Flesh and Iron was another particular favourite of mine.

1. 15 Hours
2. Soul Hunter
3. Helsreach

Soul Hunter
Blood Reaver
Void Stalker (as soon as it comes out)

The Night Lords novels are absolutely fantastic.

I've read Fear the Alien already and liked it quite a bit.
I'm a Xenos guy, so that's almost a given considering how little good Xeno-centric writing there is.
I'm just starting Chapter War, and it's ok so far, but maybe a little too fractured for my tastes.
Love the suggestions, please keep em coming.

I loved the first three books of the Horus Heresy on audio. Highly recommended. The Garro audiobooks are good too.

1. Titanicus. I don't care who you are. Titans are cool.
2. Storm of Iron. Fantastic book with great insight to how the Iron Warriors fight.
3. Soul Hunter
4. First Heretic
5. Blood Reaver

Love me some ADB! I'm dieing for him to right another book(him, and C.L. Werner too)

I started my 40k reading with the usual suspects.
Gaunt's Ghosts, Ravenor and Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett are really convenient to pick up in omnibus form, well worth a read.
In the same vein, going to have to second (third?) Titanicus.

If you're looking for Xenos, The Path of the Eldar trilogy (currently two books released I believe, Path of the Warrior, Path of the Seer, and the final one, Path of the Outcast should be forthcoming) are quite good.

Horus Heresy novels have also been treating me well, especially liked Mechanicum for its different perspective.

Yeah, the nightlords books are a lot of fun. Since you're Xenos, I definitely recommend picking up a copy of fear the alien. Xenos win fights too! Reading the Word Bearers omnibus at the moment. It's pretty good, but keeping up with all the named marines gets to be a bit rough at times.

Cottonjaw wrote:Soul Hunter
Blood Reaver
Void Stalker (as soon as it comes out)

The Night Lords novels are absolutely fantastic.

+1

I really like the different perspective and excellent characters.

Titanicus is a must. The other 2 are optional.

I would have to place the books I liked the most in this order: 1. The Gaunt's Ghosts Series (most of the books in the series are good) 2. The Eisenhorn Omnibus (great trilogy, my first WH40k books and still some of my favorites) 3. Titanicus

Pretty much anything by Dan Abnett is good IMO, and most of his series are available in Omnibuses.

I like the Caiphas Cain stuff, by Sandy Mitchell..

Not so grimdark, but still a good read.

The first 3 space wolf books. By my favorite BL author William King.

easily #1. Ciaphas Cain series, I'm pretty much always re-reading one of these alongside another book. Pleasantly written in a way that makes you go "ok, just one more chapter, if a bit predictable at times. Combat scenes are written in a way that make you able to picture the whole situation clearly which is not always the case in BL books. Good balance of humour to grimdark ratio. Altogether it's Blackadder in space.

2. Eisenhorn series, Another page turner. I enjoyed that it really gave insight in the shady life of inquisitors and their posses. I myself liked the level of detail put into descriptions of all kinds of stuff, sucking you deeper into the story. Nice portrayal of Eisenhorns gradual change from puritan to radical.

3. Dead Men Walking I liked the contrast between the big military IA-like story arc and the small personal story arc of a mine overseer looking for his crush. What I didn't like was that it was Krieg vs Necrons. Fearless, faceless warriors vs. fearless, faceless warriors. Sometimes got a bit predictable because of this.

Note though that I have yet to read my Gaunt's Ghost omnibus, so it might very well be possible that my top 3 will soon consist of the big three literary characters of 40k if you will.

disappointments: (luckily only had one real stinker so far)
Calpurnia series While the idea of following the life of the Imperium's police investigating normal human crime rather than superhumans fighting savage aliens is interesting, it doesn't really work out. When you dial down the badassery factor other parts of the universe just start feeling silly. Also, boring as heyhey. Perhaps people who like reading detectives can appreciate it more but dozens of pages of walking around, questioning this lorry driver and chatting up that ecclesiarch before finally cracking someone over the head with a power maul two times per book just doesn't do it for me.

I have only read stuff out of the HH series.

1. Fulgrim
2. A Thousand Son
3. Prospero Burns

The Eisenhorn trilogy, the first Space Wolf Trilogy, Gaunt's Ghosts series.

Horus Rising, False Gods, A Thousand Sons

Mainly because they're the only three BL Books i've read; i'm honestly not that interested.

No order:

Fulgrim
A Thousand Sons
Ravenor

Storm of Iron, A Thousand Sons, Helsreach.

No particular order
First Heretic
Soul Hunter
Nemesis.

Space Marine, Horus Rising, Titanicus.

For me it would be Fulgrim, Know No Fear and The Gildar Rift in the top 3 most enjoyed novels so far.

In nor particular order

Soul Hunter
Path of the Warrior
First Heretic

Space marine
iron snakes
Ravenor

Space Wolves Omnibus.

False Gods
Space Wolf
Mechanicum

1) The Eisenhorn Omnibus: My first BL books, and I am currently rereading it (has been 4+ years). Dan Abnett does a great job with packing these books full of information about everything in the IoM, and at the same time keeping the story progressing fluidly.

2) Mechanicum: Seems very hit/miss for most folks. I like it alot because it is a look at a very important aspect of the IoM that usually gets ignored.

3) Gaunt's Ghosts: Very basic war novel. Could just as well be about any war from WW2 to now and the grimdark future. But you really get a feel fo the guys.