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.

I've read a bit of 'current' happenings in the 40k universe, but I was wondering which Heresy book would be the best to start with?

I would say start with the first book, False Gods. Excellent intro to the HH.

Is "save your money and read real science fiction" an option? if not then yes False Gods is quite good.

Stop there.

I'm starting from the beginning myself, and plan on reading all the way through.

So far I've found False Gods, Fulgrim, and I think Fallen Angels -- #1, #3, and #5, not in that order. (I don't have them in front of me now, so I may have gotten the titles wrong. I know I have the numbers correct.)

I'll read just about anything once, as over 500 books on my bookshelf will attest to. I read the first of the series, and I'm pretty happy with them so far. I'm a huge fan of buying used books (for what should be obvious reasons) so if you want to get into them, I recommend rifling through a used bookstore until you find some -- I got mine at US$4 apiece which definitely makes it worth the money. So many people don't realize the gems you can find if you do a good patient search of a used bookstore, even if you end up missing a couple in the series.

Just don't read Mechanicum...

Start with Horus Rising, the first book in the heracy. It'll go to show you just how great the fall was.

Next is False Gods. IMO is the best that I've read so far.

Then go with Galaxy in Flames

Then you can start jumping around.

IMO you gotta read the first four. They really set the stage for the others and generally give you the picture for how everything starts. "Flight of the Eisenstein" was a seriously kick ass book too.

Is there a list of what order they go in?

IMO, go for:

Horus Rising, False Gods, Galaxy in Flames, Flight of the Eisenstien, then Fulgrim.

Then stop there. Only read Mechanicum if you hate your eyeballs.

BioRebel wrote:Is there a list of what order they go in?

Yes there is. Don't trust anyone else on dakka-all worshippers of the corpse emperor if you ask me. This is off the top of my head-(apart from the release dates).
Horus rising
False Gods
Galaxy in Flames
Flight of the Eisenstein
Fulgrim
Battle for the Abyss
Descent of Angels
Legion
The Lighning tower (audiobook-can be bought as a hardback in a chapbook, which includes the dark king)
The Dark King
Mechanicum
Tales of Heresy
Fallen Angels
Ravens Flight -(audiobook-released february next year)
A Thousand Sons (released March Next year)
Prospero Burns (released April Next year)
Nemesis (August next year).
We haven't had any news about the rest. Oh, and read Mechanicum if you want to. Don't let these people put you off-I myself thought it was half good.

So there is an order, amirite?

Why would you people say jump around if it was in order? I don't want to be reading ultramarines just got raped and then read horus be dead.

Karimabuseer's list is a good one, go by that. And don't listen to these haters, Mechanicum was actually a pretty good one, and it has a very nice twist at the end.