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.

Hey, everyone! So I've been really digging into Black Library. I've blazed through Rynn's World, Titanicus, most of Eisenhorn, most of Helsreach, and the Iron Warriors Omnibus. I've got Legion of the Damned, Battle of the Fang, The GIldar Rift, and Fall of Damnos waiting in the wings. My question to you, good fa/tg/uys, is what comes next?

My favourite "battles of the space marines" books was Wrath of Iron, could have been my biased leanings towards Slaanesh but I thought it was the best written book out of this ..series? of books

however Ciaphas Cain will always be my favourite hero....I highly recommend any and all of Sandy Mitchell's books

I agree with RogueMage the Cain books are excellent fun.

If you want something a bit left field then I recommend the eldar path series. I just finished it and thoroughly enjoyed them all. I do play eldar though.

The Night Lords Trilogy is the best BL has to offer, imo.

Followed by Emperor's Gift (by the same author as the aforementioned).

I also greatly enjoyed First Heretic (again....by the same author).

I just finished the purging of kadillus. My first space marine novel. It was probably the best book I have read. Quick to get to the point, not boring what so ever I couldn't put it down. I will say I'm hooked and going out for more books this week.

This is all well and great, and combined with what I've yet to read, will probably keep me occupied for some time. How about books to avoid?

 TermiesInARaider wrote:
This is all well and great, and combined with what I've yet to read, will probably keep me occupied for some time. How about books to avoid?

Fall of Damnos. It's just awful.

 Coolyo294 wrote:

 TermiesInARaider wrote:
This is all well and great, and combined with what I've yet to read, will probably keep me occupied for some time. How about books to avoid?

Fall of Damnos. It's just awful.

Well... That was about ten bucks wasted then.

Most of the Space Marine Battles books are garbage imo, except for Helsreach and to a lesser extent Wrath of Iron. They're getting better at least.

 Harriticus wrote:
Most of the Space Marine Battles books are garbage imo, except for Helsreach and to a lesser extent Wrath of Iron. They're getting better at least.

Yeah, Helsreach was pretty awesome. I loved Rynn's World. Maybe that's just because I play Crimson Fists, but still.

The Ciaphus Cain novels are garbage. Don't read them until you've read other BL books and are familiar with the grimdawkness setting. That way, when you do read the CC books you'll have a better appreciation of its parody humor... and that's all those stories have going for them.

Definitely check out the Gaunt's Ghosts books. They were AWESOME

Eisenhorn, Ravenor, and Ciaphas Cain are my favorites among those I've read.

My all time favorite 40k series would be Gaunt's Ghosts. Stunning work.
Eisenhorn and Ravenor are some of my favorites as well.
Ciaphas Cain is excellent.
I also enjoyed the Salamander books as well as a good portion of the Horus Heresy series.

Faith and Fire is probably the only accurate portrayal of the SoB I know that's out there, and it's fairly decent. Otherwise, I'd trust these guys, I haven't read much else.

ADB is doing a SoB book in the future. I can't wait for that

I'd say finish Eisenhorn and when you are ready to revisit the inquisitor side of 40k then read the Ravenor series. I thought Ravenor was fantastic. You can definitely see Abnett's improvement from Eisenhorn to Ravenor. I'm also a fan of Gaunt's Ghosts. Books 1-2 in that series I thought were so so, but by the time I read Necropolis I was hooked.

That will definitely be interesting. I'll have to look for it.

 Harriticus wrote:
ADB is doing a SoB book in the future. I can't wait for that

Source? That sounds great.

Finish Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett, then read Ravenor (also by Abnett). They're both phenomenal books, and there's a third series coming out later this fall!

Some other recommendations:

The Horus Heresy (Series) by Various: Some are better than others, but if I can pick out some must-reads, for me (I also recommend reading the first five in-order):

Horus Rising by Dan Abnett
False Gods by Graham McNeill
Galaxy In Flames by Ben Counter
Flight of the Eisenstein by James Swallow
Fulgrim by Graham McNeill
Legion by Dan Abnett
The First Heretic by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Nemesis by James Swallow
Fear To Tread by James Swallow


Outside the Horus Heresy books, I really enjoyed:

Dark Apostle, Dark Disciple, and Dark Creed by Anthony Reynolds -- This is a really good series of books about the Word Bearers.

Eisenhorn and Ravenor by Dan Abnett

The Emperor's Gift by Aaron Dembski-Bowden -- Really good book about the Grey Knights.

As some people said, Night Lords series from ADB is wicked.

And the first book in particular is almost a little Horus Heresy tie-in as well without actually going all-in on reading the Horus Heresy series.

1. Soul Hunter (Very Grimdark Ending. You've been warned).

2. Blood Reaver

3. Void Stalker

 Coolyo294 wrote:

 TermiesInARaider wrote:
This is all well and great, and combined with what I've yet to read, will probably keep me occupied for some time. How about books to avoid?

Fall of Damnos. It's just awful.

Almost everything Kyme writes is quite awful. If have yet to read one of his novels where the spessmuhreen protagonists don't act like a bunch of children.

I loved all the Ciaphas Cain books. Definitely my fave. I started out reading the Gaunt's Ghosts books, but wasn't able to keep up with them. I recently purchased all the omnibuses and am waiting on them until I finish catching up with the Horus Heresy series. Which is excellent so far (only in the 3rd book.)

I've read several of the "...of the Space Marines" books, the collections of short stories, and they are okay. it depends ont he story and the author.

Nobody is giving my fave Imperial Fists any love, I'll tell you that.

 KingDeath wrote:

 Coolyo294 wrote:

 TermiesInARaider wrote:
This is all well and great, and combined with what I've yet to read, will probably keep me occupied for some time. How about books to avoid?

Fall of Damnos. It's just awful.

Almost everything Kyme writes is quite awful. If have yet to read one of his novels where the spessmuhreen protagonists don't act like a bunch of children.

I'm really kicking myself now. I should have done this before I bought ANYTHING.

TermiesInARaider wrote:I'm really kicking myself now. I should have done this before I bought ANYTHING.

Well ... keep in mind opinions are extremely subjective. Just look at how many people either love or hate the Ciaphas Cain novels.

Consensus about which books are good and which ones are bad is a rarity. But if you are looking for recommendations, it would help if people knew what books you have read already, which of them you liked and which you disliked, and what armies or themes are of interest for you. That would make it easier to gauge what's up your angle.

BlaxicanX wrote:

Harriticus wrote:ADB is doing a SoB book in the future. I can't wait for that

Source? That sounds great.

I'd like to hear more on this rumour as well. The only thing he mentioned last time he posted here was that he was interested in the idea and that he dislikes that 40k feels like a sausagefest universe, which is why he tends to insert at least one female character in his stories. I haven't heard anything about specific plans, however.

And I haven't read any of ADB's existing books, though from how he sounded he - unlike many other Black Library authors - seems to take great care in researching a subject and largely sticking to established themes, so I would have a good feeling about him "getting it right" if he ever does a SoB story (as far as my interpretation is concerned).

 Lynata wrote:

TermiesInARaider wrote:I'm really kicking myself now. I should have done this before I bought ANYTHING.

Well ... keep in mind opinions are extremely subjective. Just look at how many people either love or hate the Ciaphas Cain novels.

Consensus about which books are good and which ones are bad is a rarity. But if you are looking for recommendations, it would help if people knew what books you have read already, which of them you liked and which you disliked, and what armies or themes are of interest for you. That would make it easier to gauge what's up your angle. .

Well, I did that up at the top, but I've been through most of Eisenhorn, Helsreach, Titanicus, and the Iron Warriors Omnibus, and enjoyed them all thoroughly. I actually picked Fall of Damnos because it had Necrons, which I thought would be interesting to read about.

TermiesInARaider wrote:Well, I did that up at the top, but I've been through most of Eisenhorn, Helsreach, Titanicus, and the Iron Warriors Omnibus, and enjoyed them all thoroughly.

Ah, the latter part was what I felt wasn't really addressed by the first one.
In that case my own input is very limited, as I haven't read those books and as such don't know how they would compare - but I see other Dakkanauts have already helped out then.

TermiesInARaider wrote:I actually picked Fall of Damnos because it had Necrons, which I thought would be interesting to read about.

The only novel I read that had Necrons was "Hammer and Anvil" from James Swallow - I think it was the first book after they were redesigned and received leaders with personalities .. if you like the "Newcrons", maybe that one could be interesting. It's a Battle Sister novel, though; no Space Marines. Swallow also wrote some Marine books, but none of the ones you mentioned, so I'm not sure if you would like the author's style.
As far as progagonists are concerned, I actually prefer the "Oldcrons", but the battle scenes still felt suitably grim and fitting for these unyielding metal monstrosities.

Titanicus was written by Dan Abnett, and I have yet to not enjoy anything that man writes. I have Double Eagle sitting on the shelf that I've been dying to get to, but I've wanted to get back into the Gaunt's Ghosts books first, because the Phantine squadron is in there first. But I wanted to finish the Horus Heresy books first... ugh. There's too many books. I can't keep up with them all. I'm going to read Flight of the Eisenstein next, and I may read some of the Ghosts after that. Give myself a break from the Horus Heresy books.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Plus, I loved Titanicus! I love them big old robots. Especially Warlords. If I could have any toy made real, I'd want a real Warlord. The heck with a lightsaber. I'd just cut my hand off with a lightsaber.

BlaxicanX wrote:

 Harriticus wrote:
ADB is doing a SoB book in the future. I can't wait for that

Source? That sounds great.

He posted it on his twitter and warseer forums (where he posts from time to time):

http://twitter.com/adembskibowden/status/233936169400930305

Sweet! Thanks for the source.