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Hey guys I for the most part have only read a limited amount of 40k sanctioned fluff (I read wiki's when I'm at work and I have down time). I've read almost all of Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphas Cain novels but they only feture guard (almost always fighting either Gene stealers or Chaos cults) and wanted to branch out and start reading some other novels.

I was wondering if you guys might be able to give me some advice on some cool series or stand alone books. I'm supper interested in the Horus Haressy novels and I think that'll be my next stop. Do you guys think I should read them in order of publication? Any other suggestions are welcomed and greatly apreshiated

Read HH in order (thats how I started my 40K reading). Then pick up books featuring armies you like. Gaunt's Ghosts are supposed to be good but I have too much on my plate to get to it. Damn you Charles Stross!

I just started the Horus Heresy series but I have heard great things about it. The priests of mars book is also very good from what I have heard.

If you're interested in the HH series, then I recommend that you read the first 4 in order. After that, some of the later books jump around a little in the storyline, so reading them in order isn't as necessary. I've read most of them, but am only now reading the two Dark Angels ones because I don't care about Dark Angels. The first dark Angels HH book did NOTHING to forward the HH storyline, but if you like DA, then you'll like the book (I guess).

Best of luck!


Also, what do you like about 40k? That will help people recommend other books. Helsreach is my absolute favorite Black Library book that isn't an HH story, for example.

I honestly like variety in my 40k, deep stories, epic battles, that sort of thing. I have admittedly gotten a little board with all the counter cultist/genestealer stuff. I would like to see some bigger battles with diffrent antagonists/protagonists.

I play Chaos myself and would love to read a few books from their perspective, but also like reading about any of the other races.

Orks how could I forget how often they fight orks. A book from the orks perspective might be really cool but if I see another ork vs IG story *shakes fist*

Helsreach is about parts of the 3rd War for Armageddon. It features Black Templars and Orks and was written by Aaron Dembski-Bowden, a newer Black Library author that REALLY gets the Grimdark of 40k IMHO.

For books from the Chaos perspective, you might like the three Night Lords novels by ADB (I guess I sound like a fan boy).
Soul Hunter, Blood Reaver, Void Stalker. They sound like what you're looking for.

If your interested in on offs, Try Savage Scars, its pretty Boss.

Thanks guys for the load of suggestions and the how quick you guys respond, you may sound like a fan boy but it's awesome to see a lot of passion IMHO it makes me want to read them even more

Are there any good books about Eldar and Tau? I'm really interested in some of the races you don't get to see as much. Conflicts with necrons are always cool but I feel like it'll take time for them to incorperate them into BL with anything more than the old killbot fluff.

There is a new Eldar trilogy that some people are pretty happy with.

Path of the Warrior (July 2010)
Path of the Seer (September 2011)
Path of the Outcast (September 2012)

I've only heard bad things about the earlier Eldar books, though.

Storm of Iron is a great Iron Warriors book by Graham McNeill.

Also, if you want excellent Eldar-perspective novels, read the Path of the Eldar books (Path of the warrior, Path of the Seer, Path of the Outcast) by Gav Thorpe, they're amazing reads if you don't know much about the Eldar.

I also second Helsreach (Andrej the Stormtrooper ) and would recommend Gaunt's Ghosts (more serious and powerful than Cain, it's like reading Band of Brothers in the future, but it's still mainly Chaos cultists, so you might not be into it)

As an aside however, your posts are almost unreadable from spelling mistakes. Most browsers come preset with automatic spell-check, and I highly suggest you use it. People take more kindly to well-written posts.

Elector wrote:Storm of Iron is a great Iron Warriors book by Graham McNeill.

Also, if you want excellent Eldar-perspective novels, read the Path of the Eldar books (Path of the warrior, Path of the Seer, Path of the Outcast) by Gav Thorpe, they're amazing reads if you don't know much about the Eldar.

I also second Helsreach (Andrej the Stormtrooper ) and would recommend Gaunt's Ghosts (more serious and powerful than Cain, it's like reading Band of Brothers in the future, but it's still mainly Chaos cultists, so you might not be into it)

As an aside however, your posts are almost unreadable from spelling mistakes. Most browsers come preset with automatic spell-check, and I highly suggest you use it. People take more kindly to well-written posts.

Sorry about the mis-speelings. For whatever reason my work computer doesn't give me spell check and I need to cut and past into word to get any form of spell check. Thanks again guys, looks like I've got a list to work down

Here are some books I enjoy from the 40k universe

Helsreach
Gaunts Ghosts
The Ultramarine omnibus(Yes I said it)
Dead men walking
HH series and particular Mechanicus