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I'm looking into getting a few books as a Christmas gift for a friend who has played some of the table top game, fan of the Space Wolves, but doesn't have a lot of knowledge of the background fluff. Would like to know any recommendations that are well written and preferably involve the Space Wolves (but IoM focused books are fine) and that work well as stand alone reads or at the beginning of a series. Quality of writing is definitely the most important aspect. Thank you in advance for any suggestions or insights.

Obligatory Horus Heresy books 1-5 suggestion

But if you dont wanna start him there, look at the series by William king, cant give any opinion on if they are good but there are like 6 books in the series. starts with this one

http://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/space-wolf-ebook.html

list is here. http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Space_Wolf_(Novel_Series)

The beast series. Surprisingly addictive.

The William King books are fun, but the fluff is a few editions old. They are a good starting place for someone who is new to the setting. Alternatively, the Chris Wraight book Battle of the Fang is well written and exciting, but a lot of the new, post-Abnett's fluff is a little grating. If you want to start at the beginning, there is a Prospero omnibus that combines the heresy novels A Thousand Sons and Prospero Burns. Warning: that duology may make him a bigger fan of the T-Sons than the Wolves.

usmcmidn wrote:
The beast series. Surprisingly addictive.

Ewwwwwww the beast arises

I'd recommend Betrayer, from the HH serie. Even though it's set in the middle of the serie, it works quite well as a standalone IMO.

personal top three IoM book tips:

1: Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett. First book is called Xenos. There's a triology collection book of all three. Easily the best book to get into the 40k setting/lore. Probably the best book written to date in a 40k setting. Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn hunts heretics, xenos and deamons through the wastness of the Imperium.
2: Comissar Cain by Sandy Mitchel. First book is called For the Emperor. I'm biased on this 'cause of fanboyism. It's pretty much an easily frightened yet surprisingly competent commissar who's constantly tries to slick talk his way out of everything but ends up in the worst situations possible. Probably the funniest 40k books you can find. A bit of 40k satire, great for light reads.
3: The last chancers by Gav Thorp. First book is called Thirteenth penal legion. The story of convicts who, instead of being executed, are sent to war in the Emperors name. If they surive they go free. Hardcore Imperial guard action. Probably has the toughest damn Colonel you'll ever read about.

While I havn't read it (so I can't recommend it) I've heard good things about the Space Wolfs omnibus by William King, so maybe look out for that. Fun facts, if you look around the black library you'll find theese authors here and there. All of them debuted in the 40k scene with the above mentioned books.

 Backspacehacker wrote:

usmcmidn wrote:
The beast series. Surprisingly addictive.

Ewwwwwww the beast arises

Say whatttt you be trippin!

Personal top three from recent memory:

1: Predator Prey, Throneworld, The beast must die and the beheading: these are the best books of the beast arises series and deserve reading. The only downsides are the crap books between those

2: Titanicus: Big titan action and a very human story line beside it. Great read.

usmcmidn wrote:

 Backspacehacker wrote:

usmcmidn wrote:
The beast series. Surprisingly addictive.

Ewwwwwww the beast arises

Say whatttt you be trippin!

Depends on what experiences he has with his own beast rising perhaps?

Gaunts Ghosts. Oldie but good. In particular I would recommend necropolis, which can almost stand alone. Dead men walking is also one of my favourites, giving background for the Death korps.

One of the short story anthologies might be a good start. They are varied, typically IoM centered, and often well written. That way, he gets a broad exposure without running the risk of getting bogged down in one book. Or, not liking the one book. Deathwing has stories from waaay back, but they are good ones. Alternately, Bill King's Space Wolf series is well written for 40K. Unless your friend is REALLY serious about literary excellence. Then, you have to go with Ian Watson. Which is really seminal stuff. And, out there. And, excellent. Not just excellent for 40K.

Thanks for the information everyone. There are some good bits of info in here to work with. It's looking like Eisenhorn and a toss up between starting the HH or the Space Wolf series.

New Question: Anybody know if any of the audiobooks are well narrated? While my friend is able to sit and read, I tend to find myself too restless and prefer to listen to audio while doing stuff like running, building/painting, or driving.

 Vankraken wrote:
Thanks for the information everyone. There are some good bits of info in here to work with. It's looking like Eisenhorn and a toss up between starting the HH or the Space Wolf series.

New Question: Anybody know if any of the audiobooks are well narrated? While my friend is able to sit and read, I tend to find myself too restless and prefer to listen to audio while doing stuff like running, building/painting, or driving.

Prince of Crows is maybe one of the best narrations I've ever heard. Keeble voicing Sevatar was incredible!

The Ciaphus Cain novels are quite fun
They are written from the hero's point of view via vague recollections and misremembered actions. The joke being he either is the hero he portrays himself as or he is a liar who has falsified everything to cover up what he was or wasn't supposedly doing at the time.

If you can get hold of the Deathwatch Omnibus it might be a fun read - lots of fluff for different factions.

Legion of the damned is suitably GrimDark and pretty well written imo.

The new Space wolf books by Chris Wraight are pretty good too - builds on the HH SW fluff quite well. If you want a bit more old school then the Ragnar series from Bill King is well worth reading (the first 4 or five anyway).

Two recommendations.

Let the Galaxy Burn ed. By Marc Gascoigne and Christian Dunn - Huge collection of short stories from a variety of factions. This will show your friend some factions he likes and some authors, characters, and factions he might not otherwise have known he liked.

The Emperor's Gift - Aaron Dembski-Bowden - Although it's told from a Grey Knights POV, the real show stealers in this novel are the Space Wolves. The novel tells the conflicts leading up to the Space Wolves' finest moment in the 40k fluff. It's pretty rad.

 Jimsolo wrote:

Let the Galaxy Burn ed. By Marc Gascoigne and Christian Dunn - Huge collection of short stories from a variety of factions. This will show your friend some factions he likes and some authors, characters, and factions he might not otherwise have known he liked.

This book is what really got me into 40k lore. The stories cover so much, multitude of races, warzones and factions. In one story the main character is actually a servitor. There's no book quite like this one to glance on the various aspects of 40k. That is not to say all the stories are good though but they really give a broad view of things and it's pretty well balanced with wins and losses of diffrent factions.
-Not another "victories of the Space marines".

For someone who doesn't know a lot about the Background? I have to say G aunts Ghosts. It presents the 40k universe from the regular old soldier's perspective. So, for someone not familiar with stuff, it gives them characters they can identify with. Every book is a different theatre of war too, so it keeps story fresh.

Alright, if you want something that can really give you someone to root for, Caiphas Cain.

If you want a story that begins with suffering and ends with vengeance or implied vengeance, I'm a collector of Chaos Space Marine stories.

I've read the Night Lords trilogy, I've read the Word Bearers trilogy, I've read the Grey Knights trilogy (for the villains), and I've just recently finished the Ahriman trilogy, in addition to over half of the one-offs that Black Library has released centering around Chaos Space Marines.

To date my favorite Warhammer 40k book is the Siege of Castellax. It's Iron Warriors defending against an Ork invasion, and it's non-stop madness from beginning to end. It's like if Alice in Wonderland was about pain and suffering but with orks mixed in.... It's weird, but in a great way. Very depressing, and the orks are the good guys, even though they're shown through an antagonist lens.