Do you enjoy WH40k novels?

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**Erasoketa**

I enjoy some of them a lot, yes.

But I don't think that it is that over the top. I mean, if you can beat and Avatar, a Bloodthirster, a Baneblade in the tabletop... why shouldn't be able the characters in books to do it? It's supposed to be the same universe, after all.

**Corennus**

I mostly read the novels set around the Space Marines (though have dabbled in the Inquisitors Eisenhorn and Ravenor)

Some of them do seem to portray the space marines as unstoppable gods of war (which they are NOT). And yes i;m looking at you Dawn of War.
Others, like the Blood Angels novels and Grey Knights novels I love, and the Soul Drinkers series (if they can ever work out what the hell they are)

**Sasori**

I really tried to finish Horus Rising, but I just couldn't. That book was just so bad to me.

I've heard unanimous praise for the Ciaphis Cain Novels though, so I'll give them a try.

Maybe It was just that book that was a bad experience, but I'm hesitant to buy more.

**chub**

i have to say i reallyenjoy the HH novelsbut then i read them as just stories im not looking for any deep meaningful addition to the 40k universe

also the cain novels are great but this isnt surprisina as sandy mitchell has admitted to the inspiration he got from the flashman series which has to be one of the best set of books written

**blazinpsycho&typhooni**

personally i loved all the books i've read... descent of angels, tales from the HH, emperor's mercy, a few soul drinkers books (i don't remember which ones).

I like the fluff even though i do agree that it can be completely unbalanced and... well i don't know.

but i don't buy books, i just borrow them from my library or something.

**Joetaco**

yeah i really like them. they're not high class literature or anything, but its still fun to read

**reds8n**

Kroot Loops wrote:So I'm reading my way through the HH and a few other Black Library novels, and I've got to tell you, I find they have written themselves out of an interesting story. When you read a book and one faction, especially the protagonist faction, is so superior to everything they fight it takes any compelling story right out, and comes to feel like something your neighbors 15 year old son wrote. I'm working my way through Fulgrim currently, and I'm at the point where

Spoiler:

Fulgrim and less than ten space marines fight off an entire Eldar Craftworld's forces. In a Fight with an Avatar, it falls for Fulgrim throwing his sword up in the air and looking up, where in Fulgrim promptly punches his fist through it's head and then chokes it to death

I mean really? Not only is that stupid, it devalues the story, an entire established race, it's greatest farseer, and pretty much any credibility I might give the author for having the ability to tell a good story.

err... you do realise....

Spoiler:

**aka_tizz**

Hm, did i enjoy the HH series?
Short answer: YES
Long answer: YES, all 4 times when i read them.
Except for Descent of Angels, that was just lame

**Da Boss**

I liked:
First and Only (Gaunt's Ghosts)
Necropolis (Gaunt's Ghosts)
Horus Rising
All of the Ciaphas Cain I read (and I really enjoyed it, though it can be a bit repetative at times).

Apart from that, I remember some good short story books. Anything except Horus Rising with space marines as main characters has been pretty bad, and I think Gaunts Ghosts rapidly declines in quality after the first three.

**wuestenfux**

I read several of them, but from the literature point-of-view there are better books about Fantasy, notably
Bernhard Hennen and Stan Nichols.

**chub**

it occurs to me that BL has become pulp fiction for the playstation generation. Dan Abnett is the new Raymond Chandler

**Lint**

I'm enjoying the HH books very much, I'm always looking forward to the next, and can't seem to put it down when I get it. Even if it's total crap.

Besides those, the Eisenhorn trilogy is great, better than Ravenor imho. The Gaunts Ghosts novels are all awesome, and more recently the latest Night Lords novel was really well written, and an awesome story line.

I'm not a big fan of Ben Counter, but that's mostly because of his ham-fisted writing.

I'll admit to not having read the Cain novels yet, but I did read that author's attempt at an Inq. novel, and the length of the sentences in there made my eyes bleed. I can't stand authors who can't properly punctuate their writing correctly.

**spence76**

I have enjoyed all the BL novels I have read, starting from back in the 90's. I read them for the fun value, not the accuracy of the fluff or other gaming details. If I want to read a great literary novel I'll pick up Dickens or Melville.

One thing I don't understand is that everyone keeps bashing the HH novels and to an extent all the BL books, but they keep buying and reading them. Why? If you don't enjoy them why waste your time and money?

**Grotzooka**

I have enjoyed almost all the BL books I have read.
Abnett is amazing.
McNeill is good.
Counter has some meh books (Soul Drinkers) and some good ones (GK).
Other then them, it's hit and miss. Avoid the Imperial Guard Series (15 Hours, Deathworld, Rebel Winter ect.), because BL seems to dump its weak authors there.
I haven't read C.S. Goto yet.
My personal un-favorite is William King.
HH is great so far. Yeah, I liked Abyss and Mechanicum.

**annabelle**

I actually started playing 40k after reading some of the novels. Just randomly picked up The Founding off a library shelf. You know how you read the first couple pages to see if its any good? I looked up and I was on like page 34. Somewhere around 15 various novels later I started an army.

**blazinpsycho&typhooni**

I have yet to start up my army, for the time being I play through my friends but the fluff is enough to whet my appetite for 40k... for now

**Emperors Faithful**

I thoroughly enjoyed the Ciaphas Cain series, simply becuase it's such an unexpected and, Emperor-Forbid, pragmatic take on the 40k Universe.

**ZacktheChaosChild**

Dan Abnett.

'nuff said.

**Locclo**

I've enjoyed the HH novels to a certain point. The intro trilogy is absolutely epic (Horus Rising, False Gods, and Galaxy in Flames) - the second one in particular was actually very tense when

Spoiler:

They aren't bad, although a bit dry at times. Don't read them if you want to see the tabletop come to life; about 90% of the battles and storylines in at least the first five books are about the Space Marines fighting...some random alien race that they eradicated. I believe so far there have been two battles of Human vs. Human, and one of them barely counts. (One takes place in Galaxy in Flames when Horus virus bombs Isstvan to launch the heresy, and the other is midway through Fulgrim, when the Space Marines go to war against an old human colony who discovered aliens and decided to co-exist with them).

I would like to give a shout-out to the Space Wolf series of novels, though. I love 'em since for once it shows Space Marines as hopelessly outnumbered (More so than usual) and actually has them losing good soldiers and characters. The series basically tells the story of how Ragnar became one of the youngest ever Space Wolves to ascend from initiate to Wolf Lord.

**firebat**

Gaunt's Ghosts and the Cain novels are superb. A must read is Necropolis, the 3rd installment in the GG series (IIRC). I don't think I've ever enjoyed a book more than Necropolis to be honest.

**InventionThirteen**

Stories and history are always written by the winning group, the loser generally doesn't deny something happened in the fear of admitting that they lost.

Heroes are heroes. Just a bit of fictional fun.

**Peepshow**

Cadian Blood is good. It's a bit more grown up with the language (aka plenty of swearing) than most BL books. Starts off a bit slow and the Guardsmen power isn't very accurate. A command squad waste about 7 death guard with ease and they only loose 50 men against a greater daemon. Ok the daemon was weakend first but still. Overall a solid book with some good humour, "Shutting up sir" still makes me laugh a bit. Without giving to much away the space battle was the highlight for me.

Desert Raiders by Lucien Soulban is by far the best IG book I've read. Only because its like a story of the large battles you read about in the codex's. I'm not sure how accurate the fluff it gives for Tallarn culture etc is so I can't comment on that. It takes half of the book for the action to start but once it does it has the greatest action scenes of any book I have read. My only complaint is only three or four of the current nids are used. The rest are made up by the author. Isn't that bad is just you get attached to certain ideas of what nids etc should look like.

**CadianXV**

Eisenhorn and Ravenor trilogies are a good read- the former being superior IMO.
The Cain series is just fantastic and required reading if you want to get into the Black Library.
Finally, Drachenfels (sp?) is a fantastic novel- picked it up on the off chance, and was pleasantly surprised by its quality!

HH is hit and miss. Don't bother with Descent of Angels- I just found it dull tbh, but Flight of the Eisenstien was a good page turner.

**Soladrin**

Eisenhorn
Ravenor
Ciaphas Cain
The Inquisition War (probably my favourite BL book)
Gaunt's Ghost's

As for HH Battle for the Abyss is my least favourite so far. With the first 3 books being the best.

SM novels... Ultramarines and Souldrinker's are my fav so far, Space Wolves have their moments, but it's a very bumpy ride. Blood Angel's is pure crap though. OH, lord of the night is awesome though (IMO)

The Salamanders book was interesting though and I'm certainly buying the next installment. Where as Sons of Dorn just left me feeling a little.. meh...

Overall I must say IG and Inquisition books are the best.

OH and I don't know who said it, but I second Henry Zou's Emperor's Mercy as being a great book.

I got the Dawn of War omnibus btw, damn that thing should be comedy. (though I never manage to read more then 10 pages)

I'm getting Faith and Fire this week, wondering if it's gonna be good...

WHFB books I have no interest in at all.

**Shas'O Dorian**

Rube, Goto is comedy not story lol. Aside from that try reading more by Abnett I find his works a lot better than the best of other 40k authors.

**Soladrin**

Peepshow wrote:Desert Raiders by Lucien Soulban is by far the best IG book I've read. Only because its like a story of the large battles you read about in the codex's. I'm not sure how accurate the fluff it gives for Tallarn culture etc is so I can't comment on that. It takes half of the book for the action to start but once it does it has the greatest action scenes of any book I have read. My only complaint is only three or four of the current nids are used. The rest are made up by the author. Isn't that bad is just you get attached to certain ideas of what nids etc should look like.

Ah yes, forgot about that one, borrowed it from a friend, think it was my second 40k book. Can't remember it in it's entirety but the ending was pretty damn good too. The deathscream thingybob.

**Grey Templar**

i haven't finished it yet, but Titanicus is really good so far (50% done)

lots of action and a good plot.

makes me wish there was a sanctioned mechanicus codex

**rdlb**

Rube wrote:I can count the number of Black Library books I enjoyed on one hand, 'cause it's zero. I've not read a single one that wouldn't have been out of place on fanfiction.net.

I support this message. It's just fan fiction dressed up with a glossy cover. Why don't you guys read some Asimov, Clarke, Bradbury, or Cormac McCarthy's The Road? There is so much excellent science fiction that is deeper than IT BLEW UP, and much better written. How about the Dark Tower!?!?! Let not even mention all the good books that aren't science fiction and completely excellent.

Arrgghhhh, these books are like romance novels for geeks. Trash...

Automatically Appended Next Post:
I forgot Phillip K Dick!!!!

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?!?!?!?
Solar Lottery !?!?!
Man in the High Castle??!!?

Please some one post and tell me you at least read these authors as well...

**aka_tizz**

rdlb wrote:

Automatically Appended Next Post:
I forgot Phillip K Dick!!!!

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?!?!?!?
Solar Lottery !?!?!
Man in the High Castle??!!?

Please some one post and tell me you at least read these authors as well...

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?!?!?!
Really, does that even exist?
On second thought, i don't really think i wanna know.
I didn't read the guy, and by the titles you mentioned here, i don't think i ever will

**Lint**

aka_tizz wrote:
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?!?!?!
Really, does that even exist?
On second thought, i don't really think i wanna know.
I didn't read the guy, and by the titles you mentioned here, i don't think i ever will

Ever hear of a little movie called "Blade Runner?"