Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Looking for people's opinions/recommendations on the best Warhammer 30k/40k fiction they've had the pleasure of reading - this includes Horus Heresy, Warhammer 40k novels in general, White Dwarf short stories, codex fluff - if it's great, post about it.

One of my favorite (and one of the best written I've read in the series) is Armageddon by Aaron Demski-Bowden. Superb setting and story-telling, and a wonderful rendition of Grimaldus, quite possibly the coolest Chaplain in the 40k universe. Can't recommend this one enough.

For the Horus Heresy, my vote for best in the series goes to Fulgrim by Grahm McNeil. The climax at the end of the novel with Fulgrim and Ferrous literally had my heart pounding, with the lead-up masterfully written. This is the book that made me fall in love with 30K, though it's debatable if many of the books written since have lived up to this one (again, my opinion).

Storm of Iron remains one of my most favourite WH40k pieces.


I'm also going to play the easy card and call Gaunts Ghosts, sure some of them are better than others and occasionally they descend into mindless bolter porn, but they are still pretty good.

Night Lords omnibus is great. Aaron Dembski Bowden is my favourite Black Library writer.

Ravenor and Eisenhorn series.

Gaunt's Ghosts (especially if you can find them in Omnibus, they make fr better readings).

The first three novel of the Horus Heresy and First Heretic has a prequel.

The trilogy of the Night Lords.

Path of the Eldar (But NOT the Dark Eldar one).

Faith and Fire and Hammer and Anvil.

Hellsreach and its sequel were pretty damn good too.

That pretty much sums up my personnal choice and I dare say that many of them will be mentionned several times by other poster. In my opinion you should stay clear of McNeil work since he can't help himself but ruin his books at one point or another with something really stupid. I would also avoid Andy Hoar for he seems to be incapable of writting characters (he makes nice codex, but he isn't a good novel writer).

Honestly, the best 40k pieces I've read is largely older stuff. The intro that's in every book is a great example, that goes on about "laughter of thirsting gods" and all that. Also the RT era story of the development of the Ork Waaagh and how Gork and Mork slowly awake and then eventually inhabit the forms of Gargants built for them. The Inquisition War trilogy from 2E, etc. Most of the newer stuff is of dramatically lower quality, especially the stuff making it into the actual game material, most of it's total garbage.

Gaunt's Ghosts and Ciaphas Cain, by far.

Seconding Eisenhorn/Ravenor. I haven't gotten around to Gaunt's Ghosts yet, but I've heard nothing but gushing praise, so I suspect I will eventually.

I've read the first five Gaunt's Ghosts novels, as well as the three Eisenhorn novels, and they're ALL fantastic. The GG novel set in Vervunhive is by far my favorite, with the first Eisenhorn novel being my favorite in that series. Dan Abnett...he's the man.

The last church was pretty riveting

A long time ago there was a 40K comic included in a White Dwarf and it showed a battle between Chaos Space Marines and Orks. Both sides were tasked with securing a bridge. Both sides fling themselves at the enemy, intent on claiming the bridge, no matter the cost. The last page of the comic the Ork Nob and Chaos Marine Squad leader finally make it into close quarters combat The comic zooms back in the final panel as the two leap at each other, and you see that not only are they the only two left alive on the bridge, but all the firepower the opposing forces unleashed on each other they closed in destroyed both sides of the bridge.

So i dont know if this counts, because it's kind of a fanfiction ( not the dirty kind), It was called "tinyhammer" and their are probably many different versions of it now, but i really enjoyed it. Basically one day, 40k "models" appeared in this dude's house, alive and stuff, and apparently they had tried to do something with the warp i think, and it transported them to a differnet dimesnion, was a fun good read.

 ShieldBrother wrote:
Night Lords omnibus is great. Aaron Dembski Bowden is my favourite Black Library writer.

I agree with this.

By a decent margin I think Path of the Dark Eldar is the best 40k series I've read.
Several HH books are great too.

I haven't read a ton of 40k novels thus far, but I have to say that Ciaphas Cain holds a special place in my heart for being hilarious at times. I really enjoyed the "Of Mars" trilogy being the Admech fanboy that I am. That's Priests of Mars, Lords of Mars, and Gods of Mars.

My favourite stuff:

Heresy:
The First Heretic.
Aurelian.
Angel Exterminatus(Because IWs).
Betrayer.
Pharos.
Heart of Pharos.
Atheme.
The last Church.
Dark King.
Mechanicum.
Cybernetica.
Vengeful Spirit.
Angels of Caliban.
Deathfire.

40k:
Word Bearers Omnibus.
Fall of Malvolion.
Night Lords Omnibus.
Titanicus.
Forge of Mars.
Xenology.
Uplifting Primer.

Comics:
Damnation Crusade.
Godmachine.

Misc:
Liber Chaotica.

I haven't read many myself but my favourite so far is betrayer. I've got a bit of a soft spot for the world eaters (not sure if "soft spot" is the right term there )

Haven't read a terrible amount, but I'd go with Double Eagle.

Battle for Armageddon was pretty great. Steel Legion and Black Templars vs. the Ork WAAGH of Ghazgh'kull

Eisenhorn series, and anything by adb

Mechanicum and A Thousand Sons (both HH)

I've only read the opening "trilogy" of the Horus Heresy. Really enjoyed Horus Rising and the other two were... okay.

Actually trying to decide where I want to go from here to be honest.

Heresy - most of it
but of 30/40K a few tops:
A Thousand Sons
Night Lords trilogy
Deathwatch
Mars trilogy by Graham McNeill
Battle for the Fang
Eisenhorn trilogy
Betrayer
Legion

Praetorian of Dorn just out now is really ing good.

Fulgrim AND I got to tell Graham McNeill that in person too!

THe scene at the opera is one of the best described scenes I've ever read in a GW novel. If I could ever direct a scene for a movie, that would be the one I would want to.

I asked him if he had to remove any of the more sexual stuff and he said it was only ever a word here or a line there (verbatim).

Again, as has been said before, the Cain omnibuses always make for entertaining reads, as did TSOALR. The one that always sticks in my head is the Christmas watch short story, whose author escapes me.

I'll not repeat some of the excellent suggestions already made.

But I enjoyed the Heresy novel The Unremembered Empire. I hope I'm not alone in this.

I loved Unremembered Empire, was rooting SO HARD for Kurze to finally die...then I rememebered how he finally does, and felt like a goof. Excellent read.

Pretty much anything from Dan Abnett has never gone wrong for me.

I really enjoyed the books on the "Soul Drinkers" it was brutal showing how a loyal chapter gets "blessed" with mutation and the mayhem ensues.

The original Space Marine novel by Ian Watson.

Some of the short stories from 2nd Ed codexes have stuck with me for a long time. One about a squad of Eldar Jetbikes, another about an Imp. Guard squad getting ambushed by a Lictor. A battle ending with an Avatar and Keeper of Secrets going head to head. Noise Marines blasting away at an armored column. Grey Knights prepping for battle. Stuff like that.

From what I've read so far and in no particular order:
Night Lords trilogy
Rynn's World
Helsreach
Bloodquest (ok, graphic novel but still- good stuff!)
Talon of Horus

 angelofvengeance wrote:
From what I've read so far and in no particular order:
Night Lords trilogy
Rynn's World
Helsreach
Bloodquest (ok, graphic novel but still- good stuff!)
Talon of Horus

Yes! Glad someone mentioned Talon of Horus. When Master of Mankind comes back from the printer I expect incredible things from that book. The fan in me squeed a wee bit when editor L.G. wrote to ADB Facebook (ADB posted this on his) "You git, this is easily the best thing you've ever written." For HH and ADB fans, this heralds...