Best 40k novel to start with?

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**BioRebel**

Looking to hook my friend, so I was wondering which 1 book has the best chance of hooking him?

**Horst**

I vote Grey Knights... opens with a bang, and keeps on going

If he's up for a long read, Eisenhorn is great.

**gregor_xenos**

Any Caiphus Cain novel will hook-em.... It worked for my Dad!!

**Cerberus**

I was dragged in by the First of the Horus Heresy novels. Fulgrim was a bit of a dud but Decent of Angels picks the line back up very nicely.

I have bought Eisenhorn off of the recommendations here. After teasing myself with the first chapter I think that anythign by Abnett will probably work for your friend.

**Cheese Elemental**

I highly recommend anything by C.S. Goto. The sheer amount of multilasers in his ~~awful~~ novels make him the equivalent of Shakespeare.
Trust me.

**Orkeosaurus**

I agree, I can't recommend him enough.

**Lint**

I got started with the first Space Wolves Omnibus by Bill King. I think it's a great intro to the 40k universe. You get to follow Ragnar from being totally ignorant about pretty much everything, through boot camp, and on to bigger badder. Or start him out with the Soul Drinkers, that way it's only up from there.

**ph34r**

The Eisenhorn trilogy and then the Ravenor trilogy. Those are the only 40k books that I've read and really liked.

**angelbleu**

I'd have to say that Space Wolves will be the best choice if you're new to 40K in general.

That's because the first Space Wolves novel starts out with a normal "human" living in a low-tech world, who knows nothing at all about the Imperium or anything beyond the atmosphere of his planet.

Through some twists of fate, this warrior gets chosen to be a Space Wolf, and he slowly begins to understand the "40K universe".

This essentially provides the reader with a step-by-step primer into the 40K fluff, gradually gaining knowledge together with the story's protagonist.

If you're already familiar with 40K, then pick up any books written by Dan Abnett.
He's simply the best, and his works aren't just "good for a game-based book". His 40K novels can seriously compete with mainstream sci-fi.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the "Inquisitor" series (Eisenhorn and Ravenor trilogies), as well as the Gaunt's Ghosts series.

**LtCobalt**

Definitely start with Horus Rising if you are looking to read about Space Marines, and The Founding if you want to read about IG. Both are by Dan Abnett, who is my favorite BL author and neither sacrifices story for the kickass action they contain.

**Sanctjud**

Storm of Iron-Like a John Woo film, but in text.
Eisenhorn/Ravenor is good.
Cain Novels are good.

Anything from Dan Abbnett is good really.
Horus Heresy is decent, ups and downs.

My 7 Cents.

**PanzerSmurf**

The Caphias Cain novels, hands down!

**Gwar!**

Caphias Cain, The Space Wolf Books and the Horus Heresy Books are the best Series IMO

**Exarch_Nektel**

Start with Horus Rising, Let the Galaxy Burn, or Warrior Brood.

**Lorgar's_Blessed**

Cerberus wrote:I was dragged in by the First of the Horus Heresy novels. Fulgrim was a bit of a dud but Decent of Angels picks the line back up very nicely.

I can't believe you just said this... Fulgrim was arguably one of the best books, if not THE BEST book in the Horus Heresy line, while Descent of Angels was pure crap. The two Dark Angels books both sucked and there is no ifs, ands, or butts about it. Jeez, I have never heard anyone dis Fulgrim... I mean really, so much information in there while the DA books are just... CRAP!

Personally, I say go with the Space Wolf or Ultramarines omnibus. You get a good amount of fluff from them and they are great inspiration novels.

**Sgt Rinehart**

I'll second Eisenhorn. Absolutely brilliant.
Ciaphas Cain novels are excellent, if only because they bring some lightheartedness in the whole grimdark far future.
I haven't begun the Horus Heresy series yet, but my girlfriend is reading those and she also thinks Fulgrim is the best by a long shot.
I'm not as impressed by Graham McNeill as everyone tells me I should be, but Storm Of Iron is a thrilling read.

**Cerberus**

Lorgar's_Blessed wrote:
Cerberus wrote:I was dragged in by the First of the Horus Heresy novels. Fulgrim was a bit of a dud but Decent of Angels picks the line back up very nicely.

I can't believe you just said this... Fulgrim was arguably one of the best books, if not THE BEST book in the Horus Heresy line, while Descent of Angels was pure crap. The two Dark Angels books both sucked and there is no ifs, ands, or butts about it. Jeez, I have never heard anyone dis Fulgrim... I mean really, so much information in there while the DA books are just... CRAP!

Different horses for different courses.

I found Fulgrim a hard read because I hated the character. IMO the author tried to show the fall of another Primarch but, all they succeeded in doing was making him come off like a whiney 12 year old. That statement isnt meant as a swipe at 12 year olds either. To me if you put Anakin Skywalker in everywhere you have Fulgrim in the book it is pretty much the same.

As far as dissing Fulgrim, the general consensus around the FLGS; where there is a pretty die hard 40K crowd; is that I was nice in what I said about the book.

Decent of Angels to me is a tale told in sorrow. It is a train wreck about to happen that you are watching in slow motion, you see where things are going but you cant look away hoping that at the last moment a Dux Ex Machina moment will happen that sets everything right again. I can see the characters, trying and striving to do the right things as best they can, as humans. Fulgrim just comes off as a leading contender for this years "Twit of the Year Competition".

As I said starting out, different horses for different courses. I am pleased that you enjoyed Fulgrim and disappointed that you didnt enjoy DoA as much as I did. I read to much Faulker in college to not know that reading unenjoyed is little better than cold ashes in the fireplace on a winters day.

**djphranq**

Pick one at random like I did. I started with a Space Wolf novel. I don't even remember why I picked it. I think I liked the cover. Pick the one with the awesomest cover EVER!

There's a couple I can think of if the random doesn't work for you...

Fifteen Hours - neato IG story with some orks in it too... there is even a grot sniper... you can't go wrong with a grot sniper.
Scourge of the Heretic - I think I might be butchering the title; I thought it was a neato Inquisition without the inquisitor type of book.
Lord of the Night - An awesome tale involving an awesome Chaos Marine/Champion in an awesome Hive world. Awesome.
Monkey Poo and the Monkey Pooness of Monkey Poo - As yet to be released Black Library novel... for reals.

**Lanceradvanced**

Gunheads, Storm of Iron, then Eisenhorn..

**Lemartes**

Storm of Iron or Eisenhorn trilogy.

**Armandloft**

I started with Traitor General - a later Gaunt's Ghost book, and caught up just fine; not to mention incredibly entertained. All of the series are like that for me. His Eisenhorn/Ravenor stuff takes too long to get going sometimes, but is still good. (If you're a comic fan, and you're not reading Abnet's work on War of Kings...Go! Get it now, likely some of the best cosmic action comics going.)

Speaking of comics...Daemonifuge is good for visuals.

Lord of the Night is really good, the best "pro-chaos" book I've read, so far. It's the one of the few things that might make me put a Chaos army together.

Fire Warrior was pretty good, better than the game it was based on. You get to see the Tau interact with the Imperium.

The Last Chancers books are good as well.

**FoxPhoenix135**

Gonna have to agree that the first 3 horus heresy books are definitely some of the best books I have in my collection... next are the Eisenhorn omnibus and the Founding omnibus... Dan Abnett is truly a gifted writer and I just can't get enough of the literature he produces.

**physcosamatic**

GREY KNIGHTS is the best starting book ever

like seriously, i love the whole series but read the first or even get the damn obnious! <.< i dont know how to spell it?

oh and storm of iron was kickass WOOH TO CHAOS!