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So I've been a fan of warhammer for 18 years now, and I have read alot of fluff, background and the like. I've read a couple 40k novels recently, flight of the Eisenstein and another. While they are good books, I find it hard to find a good starting point. I'm not really into the hours heresy, reading flight of Eisenstein confirmed that. Looking through non Horus heresy novels is a feat in itself. Anyone know some good series to start at? Even stand alone novels? I'm not into imperial guard at all. I like some marine chapters, such as ultramarines and black Templars. I'm open to xenos themed books as well, especially anything with orks or dark eldar.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks all!

I recommend the Ultramarines, Ravenor, and Eisenhorn Omnibi.

Andy Chambers Path of the Renegade is a fantastic look at life of the Dark Eldar in Commoragh, its honestly brilliant, one of the best black library series out there.

Betrayer (Angron, Lorgar and Guilliman) and Angel Exterminatus (Perturabo and Fulgrim) are the two horus heresy audio books that really held my attention

If you can get over your dislike for IG, the Ciaphas Cain books are fantastic and serve as a great starting point. Prior to reading the first one, I also had no interest in Imperial Guardsmen.

Of all the novels I've read Deff Skwadron is the best one. It is much better than you find in the codex (which I think is really good) while being funnier than the 4chan ork wiki page.

The dark eldar path books ( P O T renegade, P O T Incubi, later P O T Archon) are simply amazing. Really great storyline and very interesting characters. I have really enjoyed them. I can vouch for Cain books being a good, if repetitive, release from all the grim darkness.

Only bad books I read where the elder path books by Gav Thorpe, which I found quite boring for the most part, and it made little sense at others. Not to mention the horrible habit of building a character half way through the book then instantly erasing him from history because he put a different set of armour on....

You like Black Templars and Orks? Get Helsreach. It´s a great book and i would even consider it a good sci-fi book even if you are not that much into 40k.

tommse wrote:
You like Black Templars and Orks? Get Helsreach. It´s a great book and i would even consider it a good sci-fi book even if you are not that much into 40k.

I agree with this, Helsreach was awesome

I have enjoyed the HH series of books but some are pure pulp fiction (not great in other words).

However, I recommend the Night Lords series by ADB.
I do not like all of this novels/stories but for me (as a semi avid reader of 40k books)

Soul Hunter
Blood Reaver
and
Void Stalker

were imho, really awell written.

A couple of scenes he wrote (Jain Zar Vs the elite NLs and Talos in VS, the space battle orchastrated by the Exalted - great character imho and Blood Reaver - infiltration scene) are genuinely brilliant.
The aforementioned Exalted Space Battle description was amazing.

See every novel by Aaron Dembski Bowden. Then, read Storm of Iron. If this interests you, the main character is tied into the Ultramarines series as well.

I know its guard, but 15 hours is one of my absolute favorites, plus quite a few Heresy novels. I must say however that "Flight of the Eisenstein" isn't the best example of the HH. The first 3, then Fulgrim, Thousand Sons, Prospero Burns, Angels Exterminatus, First Heretic, and Betrayer all stood out as mind blowing to me, plus a few others I'm probably missing.

So keeping in mind your preferences, I'd say Storm of Iron, the Soul Hunters and Ultramarines series, and the Night Lords trilogy.

 jifel wrote:
See every novel by Aaron Dembski Bowden. Then, read Storm of Iron. If this interests you, the main character is tied into the Ultramarines series as well.

I know its guard, but 15 hours is one of my absolute favorites, plus quite a few Heresy novels. I must say however that "Flight of the Eisenstein" isn't the best example of the HH. The first 3, then Fulgrim, Thousand Sons, Prospero Burns, Angels Exterminatus, First Heretic, and Betrayer all stood out as mind blowing to me, plus a few others I'm probably missing.

So keeping in mind your preferences, I'd say Storm of Iron, the Soul Hunters and Ultramarines series, and the Night Lords trilogy.

I actually really liked flight of the Eisenstein. A lot.

Also highly recommend Steve Parker's Deathwatch novel. Great stuff.

Guy Haley's Baneblade is a good read as well!

Storm of Iron, the Night Lords Books and the Tainth First adn only Series.

Titanicus is a solid read if you like the Mechanicus, failing that you will like it just for the sheer amount of time it talks about massive killing machines pounding one another at point blank range
.

I've read a few 40k novels and I pick them mostly at random by quickly getting the jist of the storyline. Some of the books I've read off the top of my head: Armour of Contempt, Dark Apostle, Brothers of the Snake, Mechanicum (horus heresy), fall of damnos.

Each of those books did a good job of telling their story while expanding upon life in the 40k universe. I chose mechanicum from the heresy as it is about the civil war on mars and doesn't require you to read the other heresy novels to enjoy it.

if you like space marines then i'd say the obvious choice would be the space marine battles series. most of the books are well written and are decent entertaining reads.

as above if you like Black Templars there is no reason not to read "Helsreach". be sure to check out "wrath of iron" next and then go into the series at your own pace.

seriously though Helsreach is a novel you should read.

I've read the Ultramarines books by Graham McNeil, and they're either solid airplane reading or disturbingly misogynistic depending which one you're reading. My god, the third book in that series is dumb as all get out.

I recommend anything and everything by Aaron Dembski-Bowden and almost everything by Dan Abnett. My least favorite Dembski-Bowden book I've read is Helsreach (which would scratch your Black Templar itch), and it's still a rollicking good time. His Night Lords books, on the other hand, are books that I hold above other Black Library books. They're legitimately good books and not just bolter porn.

The only Dan Abnett I haven't really liked is Brothers of the Snake. I know this book is popular with a lot of people, but it didn't do a ton for me. His Horus Heresy novel Know No Fear, on the other hand, is excellent. There's a bit too much of it devoted to things falling out of the sky, but it's a really good read. Coincidentally, it makes for a great one-two punch with The First Heretic by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

 Brother SRM wrote:
I've read the Ultramarines books by Graham McNeil, and they're either solid airplane reading or disturbingly misogynistic depending which one you're reading. My god, the third book in that series is dumb as all get out.

I recommend anything and everything by Aaron Dembski-Bowden and almost everything by Dan Abnett. My least favorite Dembski-Bowden book I've read is Helsreach (which would scratch your Black Templar itch), and it's still a rollicking good time. His Night Lords books, on the other hand, are books that I hold above other Black Library books. They're legitimately good books and not just bolter porn.

The only Dan Abnett I haven't really liked is Brothers of the Snake. I know this book is popular with a lot of people, but it didn't do a ton for me. His Horus Heresy novel Know No Fear, on the other hand, is excellent. There's a bit too much of it devoted to things falling out of the sky, but it's a really good read. Coincidentally, it makes for a great one-two punch with The First Heretic by Aaron Dembski-Bowden

I agree with everything here. All but one statement. There wasn't ENOUGH stuff falling out of the sky in Know No Fear! If I were a rich man I'd make a table just to have Baneblades hanging by strings above it!