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Hey guys, basically I'm looking at the possibility of picking up some 40K books, focused on the Space Marines but if at all possible - The Blood Angels. I had a look around Amazon and I found this one but I don't know if that's considered a good collection at all. Also after reading through some stuff on the various 40K wikis, I'd like to get a bit deeper into the Horus Heresy though, so do you guys have any recommendations?

Thank you!

If you want Blood Angels, the Omnibus would be a pretty good starting point. The Warhammer 40,000 universe is an unfolding text, without a beginning or an ending, so you're as well starting anywhere. If you'd like another suggestion, 'Let the Galaxy Burn' is a hefty and cheap anthology which contains a broad selection of short stories to introduce the universe.

While on the subject of Black Library, how many books are there in the Horse Heresy?
*I didn't misspell

18 or 19 right now.

To OP:

Blood Angels omnibus is a great read, but focusses on something completely different then current codex etc. (it's quite old). There also been 2 more books in that series.

As for horus heresy. Start at the start, no exceptions. The first 4 books (IMO) are a must read before going off to the rest (which aren't in a clear time line, just showing all the important stuff that happened). Though the authors have stated that they will be moving the story line up again soon.

Sorry for my stupid question, but... Which would be the first books in the Horus Heresy?
And thank you everyone for your help!

Read age of darkness just for the 2nd last book in there iron without ITS EPIC

1) Horus Rising 2) False Gods 3) Galaxy in Flames 4) Flight of the Eisenstein

Cracking books!

I have read Horus Rising, False Gods and Galaxy in Flames, and I must say, the are awesome books and give you a detailed insight into the Horus Heresy... If you like Blood Angels then you should look at the Blood Angels Omnibus, although I have not read it myself.

Beautiful, thank you so much guys! I'll probably start with the Horus Heresy ones and then pick up the Blood Angels ones at a later date (Or if I can afford it, all at once! )

Why has no one mentioned CIAPHAS CAIN! HERE OF THE IMPERIUM!

Namica wrote:Why has no one mentioned CIAPHAS CAIN! HERE OF THE IMPERIUM!

Because he just doesn't measure up to Gaunt!

As another Space Marine recommendation, try Brothers of the Snake - it's a Dan Abnett marine book and, IMO, one of the best portrayals of Marines our there.

Most of the SM BL books I've read are just childishly cartoony violence, with no character to the Marine characters at all. Dan Abnett actually manages to make them believeable people.

The best starting point (in my opinion) is the short story collection Let the Galaxy Burn. It's a huge collection with tons of stories. Not only will it give you a good idea of subjects or authors you might want to check out (that you didn't even know you would like), the parts you aren't that big a fan of will be over quickly, and you won't have wasted an entire book finding out that you didn't like a particular subject or author.

ArbitorIan wrote:As another Space Marine recommendation, try Brothers of the Snake - it's a Dan Abnett marine book and, IMO, one of the best portrayals of Marines our there.

Most of the SM BL books I've read are just childishly cartoony violence, with no character to the Marine characters at all. Dan Abnett actually manages to make them believeable people.

For these same reasons, I'd recommend ADB's Helsreach.

I'd recommend anything ADB

kronk wrote:

ArbitorIan wrote:As another Space Marine recommendation, try Brothers of the Snake - it's a Dan Abnett marine book and, IMO, one of the best portrayals of Marines our there.

Most of the SM BL books I've read are just childishly cartoony violence, with no character to the Marine characters at all. Dan Abnett actually manages to make them believeable people.

For these same reasons, I'd recommend ADB's Helsreach.

See, I found Helreach to be EXACTLY the sort of mindless, no character action I dislike. I know Grimaldus is meant to be grumpy, but that's pretty much all he did all the way through that book.

Much as ADB is better than a lot of other authors, I think quite a lot of it is style over substance. He uses a lot of tricks, jumping back and forth through time, etc, but his characterisation is nowhere near Dan Abnett, Graham McNeill, Matthew Farrer etc

Weird. I found Helsreach to be about Grimaldus coming to terms with his promotion, his gakky assignment, and finally understanding what and whom he is supposed to protect and serve. If anything, it made a space marine seem more Human than in many of the other books I've read.