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Made in gb
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

So I've already gotten a few recommendations from the community, and I thank you all for that.

However I want to narrow it down a bit further as 1.) I'm not the fastest reader around, and 2.) I don't have enough time to spend reading hundreds of books, when I haven't even finished the classics yet. 3.) I have an issue with writing style. I'm not a fan of Tedium ad nauseam in the slightest (this goes for Tolkien as well - to a lessor degree who is usually just drawn long on story rather than minutiae, but don't crumb on his poetry, that gets a clear pass).

Now before you think there's just an attention span deficient here (which is reasonable to assume). I can certainly read through excessive description, the issue for me is that it kills my immersion as it feels like I'm no longer allowed to use my own imagination to fill in the blanks as I would automatically, so it becomes a battle between what the author is telling me verses what I'm already prepared to hear next. Essentially drawing out the concepts I'm very capable of coming up with and reading into on my own.

When it seems like an author is reaching for a diversity of words so as not to feel repetitive in their endeavor I get bored. For me it kills any mystery to it. I like a bit of unknown so that I can do a little pondering without a bloat load of deets covering everything from the pulse rate of the character to the mist coming off their breath after a sneeze. This sort of thing makes my eyes glaze over, and my mind will begin to wander.

I'm just hoping to avoid making the wrong purchases, I'm a little hesitant based on reviews because while many books get great reviews there's always a few who make a point of this (assuming they're not just trolls)

In example, I used to love Dritz, got Homeland (1990), and thought I loved RA Salvatore's work because of my initial memory of this first read way back when, which was probably just nostalgia, because I picked up one of his recent works and I just had to set it down because I found his writing style to be exactly this.

In final, if this type of writing is your thing I say GREAT! That's wonderful, and I'm honestly envious.


*I won't include my interests here because I'm looking for recs that broaden my view overall and increase my general understanding, so open to hearing what you liked rather than what's required, with the consideration of the above on style.


This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2023/04/22 22:11:55


   
Made in us
Brigadier General






Chicago

Eisenhorn Trilogy.

Chicago Skirmish Wargames club. Join us for some friendly, casual gaming in the Windy City.
http://chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/


My Project Log, mostly revolving around custom "Toybashed" terrain.
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Made in us
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

 Eilif wrote:
Eisenhorn Trilogy.


Great! That one was under my radar. Coincidentally as of this morning my interested in the Inquisition has been sparked.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2023/03/17 13:14:32


   
Made in de
Servoarm Flailing Magos




Germany

Warhammer 40k novels can be really great or really terrible, but in my opinion the medium where Warhammer stories really shine is short stories! Short stories usually curtail the worst of both thesaurus abuse and overly-long description, are great for people with no so much time for reading or short attention spans, and allow to shine a light in the odder corners of the 40k universe in a way that full novels just can't really sustain.

So, in my opinion, grab some of the short story collections, perhaps a classic like Let the Galaxy burn! or What price victory?
   
Made in us
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

Tsagualsa wrote:
Warhammer 40k novels can be really great or really terrible, but in my opinion the medium where Warhammer stories really shine is short stories! Short stories usually curtail the worst of both thesaurus abuse and overly-long description, are great for people with no so much time for reading or short attention spans, and allow to shine a light in the odder corners of the 40k universe in a way that full novels just can't really sustain.

So, in my opinion, grab some of the short story collections, perhaps a classic like Let the Galaxy burn! or What price victory?


Thank you! That will certainly save me some time!

   
Made in gb
Preparing the Invasion of Terra






For 40k:
Spoiler:
Pretty much anything written by Aaron Dembski Bowden. Helsreach was my second 40k novel and it's still absolutely stellar to this day.
The Gaunts Ghosts series is also very good.
Assassinorum: Kingmaker and The Infinite and The Divine by Robert Rath. Both are extremely good reads, with the latter being one of my favourite 40k books.
Huron Blackheart: Master of the Maelstrom and Brutal Kunnin' by Mike Brooks are also very good.


Although HH stuff isn't 40k it still has some really good reads:
Spoiler:
All of the White Scars novels by Chris Wraight.
First Heretic and Betrayer by ADB do the Word Bearers and World Eaters absolute justice with some very 40k lines from characters like Kharn, Argel Tal and Angron.


   
Made in pl
Horrific Hive Tyrant





I do not know what are your favourite factions, themes etc. from 40k but here are few of my favourite BL books:
40k: Bruttal Kunnin',Titanicus, Outgunned, Dead Man Walking, Pariah, Storm of Iron, Fabius Bile: Primogenitor, Eisenhorn: Xenos.
Primarchs: Alpharius: Head of the Hydra,
Horus Heresy: Horus Rising, Legion, Mechanicum, A Thousand Sons, The First Heretic.
   
Made in us
Brigadier General






Chicago

 Adeptekon wrote:
 Eilif wrote:
Eisenhorn Trilogy.


Great! That one was under my radar. Coincidentally as of this morning my interested in the Inquisition has been sparked.


40k books are all over the map quality wise. However almost any of them written by Dan Abnett are consistently at the top of the list. Further, IMHO his writing in Eisenhorn tops that list as it can almost be considered "literature". It holds up against other non-GW sci-fi writing and that's not something that can be said about most Black Library output.

The follow up trilogy "Ravenor" isn't quite as good, but it's very close and the concept of a handicapped hero with massive psychic powers both sets it apart and is very well executed.

Lastly, Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts novels are very good serial army-pulp.

Chicago Skirmish Wargames club. Join us for some friendly, casual gaming in the Windy City.
http://chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/


My Project Log, mostly revolving around custom "Toybashed" terrain.
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/651712.page

Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad!
https://chicagovalleyrailroad.blogspot.com 
   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






The Ciaphas Cain Novels.

They’re a slightly irreverent take on the 40K background. Fun, without being silly. Tongue in cheek without being a spoof. Satire within a satire without making a mockery of the source.

Whilst they’re my go-to, read again and again and again books? They also serve quite nicely as palette cleansers when reading more straight up 40K fiction.

   
Made in us
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

Awesome! This is great! Now I have some jump points!

   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





I am reading Kharn at the minute and enjoying it. Haven’t finished it yet
   
Made in us
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

Question anyone read Daemon World? Got the rec from A Border Prince on youtube. Supposedly this is a really good one that will teach me some stuff on the Chaos side of things.

Since I have Audible I was looking to pick up an audiobook that I could get on the side and was leaning towards Eisen, but that doesn't appear to have one...

Any of these have good audio narrators you like?

   
Made in gb
Incorporating Wet-Blending




U.k

I can second the Gaunts ghosts and eisenhorn trilogy. And ravenor books. Abnett manages to convey alien atmosphere of a world through a few tiny bit powerful details, sets the tone of a setting so well it becomes a character in the book but dies it through tiny touches. Sounds good for you.
   
Made in de
Servoarm Flailing Magos




Germany

Edit: disregard whatever i said, i mixed it up with an entirely different book.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2023/03/21 09:52:13


 
   
Made in gb
Leader of the Sept







 Adeptekon wrote:
Question anyone read Daemon World? Got the rec from A Border Prince on youtube. Supposedly this is a really good one that will teach me some stuff on the Chaos side of things.

Since I have Audible I was looking to pick up an audiobook that I could get on the side and was leaning towards Eisen, but that doesn't appear to have one...

Any of these have good audio narrators you like?


I have Daemon World. Its pretty bizarre, but does convey the feeling of fickleness of the warp. Definitely one that you don't want to think too deeply about whether any of it is logical or feasible or anything like that, and just chalk it all up to warp magic weirdness. However, I enjoyed it.


Please excuse any spelling errors. I use a tablet frequently and software keyboards are a pain!

Terranwing - w3;d1;l1
51st Dunedinw2;d0;l0
Cadre Coronal Afterglow w1;d0;l0 
   
Made in us
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

Tsagualsa wrote:Edit: disregard whatever i said, i mixed it up with an entirely different book.


ok what did you read?

Flinty wrote:
 Adeptekon wrote:
Question anyone read Daemon World? Got the rec from A Border Prince on youtube. Supposedly this is a really good one that will teach me some stuff on the Chaos side of things.

Since I have Audible I was looking to pick up an audiobook that I could get on the side and was leaning towards Eisen, but that doesn't appear to have one...

Any of these have good audio narrators you like?


I have Daemon World. Its pretty bizarre, but does convey the feeling of fickleness of the warp. Definitely one that you don't want to think too deeply about whether any of it is logical or feasible or anything like that, and just chalk it all up to warp magic weirdness. However, I enjoyed it.



So going with little exceptions? Sounds right since I have none for chaos.

   
Made in us
Willing Inquisitorial Excruciator






Eisenhorn trilogy is probably the best 40k fiction around.

Fire caste is the most 40k book I’ve read I think. The name is misleading, it’s about a guardsmen regiment.

I’m a huge fan of the Ciaphas cain novels. They are light and fun reads. I’d recommend picking up the first one called “for the emperor”. If you like that one you can go on with others in the series.

His pattern of returning alive after being declared dead occurred often enough during Cain's career that the Munitorum made a special ruling that Ciaphas Cain is to never be considered dead, despite evidence to the contrary. 
   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






Also, depending on your passion for background and the depth of your pockets, maybe one for PDF?

Waaargh! The Orks!

Rogue Trader book. Zero rules. All background. On Orks.

I have a vintage copy and it is amazing. Some stuff has changed over the years as 40K grew into what it is today, but for getting the Sheer Joy Of Orks? You cannot beat this book.

   
Made in de
Servoarm Flailing Magos




Germany

 Adeptekon wrote:
Tsagualsa wrote:Edit: disregard whatever i said, i mixed it up with an entirely different book.


ok what did you read?




I read 'Dark Adeptus', which, contrary to what the title wants you to believe, mainly features the Grey Knights, and has a memorably bad ending. But still a memorable one. It's a good enough book if you like weird side corners of the setting and cool information and hints at the future of Warhammer 40k that have long since been superseded and replaced by newer stuff i guess

So going with little exceptions? Sounds right since I have none for chaos.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2023/03/22 18:18:59


 
   
Made in us
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

Nerak wrote:Eisenhorn trilogy is probably the best 40k fiction around.

Fire caste is the most 40k book I’ve read I think. The name is misleading, it’s about a guardsmen regiment.

I’m a huge fan of the Ciaphas cain novels. They are light and fun reads. I’d recommend picking up the first one called “for the emperor”. If you like that one you can go on with others in the series.


Added. Getting through Eisen first, then we'll see.


Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:Also, depending on your passion for background and the depth of your pockets, maybe one for PDF?

Waaargh! The Orks!

Rogue Trader book. Zero rules. All background. On Orks.

I have a vintage copy and it is amazing. Some stuff has changed over the years as 40K grew into what it is today, but for getting the Sheer Joy Of Orks? You cannot beat this book.



Not sure on the depth of pockets, but I assume I'd have to get that off ebay?


Tsagualsa wrote:
 Adeptekon wrote:
Tsagualsa wrote:Edit: disregard whatever i said, i mixed it up with an entirely different book.


ok what did you read?




I read 'Dark Adeptus', which, contrary to what the title wants you to believe, mainly features the Grey Knights, and has a memorably bad ending. But still a memorable one. It's a good enough book if you like weird side corners of the setting and cool information and hints at the future of Warhammer 40k that have long since been superseded and replaced by newer stuff i guess

So going with little exceptions? Sounds right since I have none for chaos.



Memorably bad, trying to recall a memorably bad ending that I've read. Closest I can think of is The Children of Húrin. Although it was the bad part that made it good while the rest was kinda unmemorable. I'll look into it.

   
Made in gb
Ridin' on a Snotling Pump Wagon






Yeah, Waaaargh! The Orks is most definitely an eBay job.

   
Made in ro
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

I've noticed lately with all the inflation over the last two years, vintage items have skyrocketed.

Which is kinda good for me should I ever consider selling out, since I have a lot of old school rpg modules aids.

   
Made in se
Willing Inquisitorial Excruciator






 Adeptekon wrote:
I've noticed lately with all the inflation over the last two years, vintage items have skyrocketed.

Which is kinda good for me should I ever consider selling out, since I have a lot of old school rpg modules aids.

The old fantasy flight stuff? Like dark heresy and such? That stuff was great.

His pattern of returning alive after being declared dead occurred often enough during Cain's career that the Munitorum made a special ruling that Ciaphas Cain is to never be considered dead, despite evidence to the contrary. 
   
Made in us
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

 Nerak wrote:
 Adeptekon wrote:
I've noticed lately with all the inflation over the last two years, vintage items have skyrocketed.

Which is kinda good for me should I ever consider selling out, since I have a lot of old school rpg modules aids.

The old fantasy flight stuff? Like dark heresy and such? That stuff was great.


Not those, but even older, D&D, basic, expert (maybe), 1st ed advanced, etc. I think I might have one on Star Frontiers, if not then the choose your own adventure books. My friend got us into Warhammer with this:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/228084/Warhammer-Fantasy-Roleplay-First-Edition-Core-Rulebook

Used to play Car Wars, and Top Secret too. Another friend passed me down some of his Citdel Old Hammer Orks and Chaos, but I foolishly let most of them go way too cheap on ebay some years back. Kicking myself.

   
Made in se
Willing Inquisitorial Excruciator






Damn, quite the treasure trove you got there. Sorry about the old hammer stuff and such .

His pattern of returning alive after being declared dead occurred often enough during Cain's career that the Munitorum made a special ruling that Ciaphas Cain is to never be considered dead, despite evidence to the contrary. 
   
Made in us
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

Yeah I'll probably hang on to the rest, I bet that person that bought them was really happy. Really large lead minis on hex bases, would have been great to paint up. Still got a few more boxes too, but mostly Grenadier lead, a dwarf and a elf army, trolls... etc... I need to take an inventory!





   
Made in us
Banelord Titan Princeps of Khorne




Noctis Labyrinthus

Try to find writers you like or try to read about the factions you like.

Some like Dan Abnett are at least usually good but admittedly have some real stinkers (like Know No Fear or especially Unremembered Empire), but his Eisenhorn trilogy is among the best you'll find in Black Library.

Aaron Dembski-Bowden showed some promise at first but these days is mostly pretty awful. The First Heretic is worth a read but is part of the larger HH narrative. Helsreach is more standalone and pretty good. The Emperor's Gift, Betrayer, and Echoes of Eternity are awful so try to avoid them.

Graham McNeill has some good works but mostly in the HH series. If you're willing to give them a try A Thousand Sons and Angel Exterminatus are good, though the latter admittedly probably requires reading Fulgrim first which is at least FUN in a gross meme kind of way.

The Ahriman Exiles trilogy is one I rather enjoyed and it is by far the weirdest thing I've read by BL to the point where I still am not sure I fully understand what went on in it.

I recently read The Emperor's Legion by Chris Wraight which was cool for shedding some light on a curiously previously unexplored facet of the setting; that of Terra itself. Pretty good.
   
Made in gb
Perfect Shot Black Templar Predator Pilot





The Dark Imperium

Yeah I'm on Eisenhorn now. I figured with how many people recommend it I couldn't go wrong.

I watched an hour long interview with Abnett last week in the spare time. Apparently he uses primary sources from war records, writings of soldiers and such so I'll probably steer towards his stuff later.


   
Made in se
Willing Inquisitorial Excruciator






 Adeptekon wrote:
Yeah I'm on Eisenhorn now. I figured with how many people recommend it I couldn't go wrong.

I watched an hour long interview with Abnett last week in the spare time. Apparently he uses primary sources from war records, writings of soldiers and such so I'll probably steer towards his stuff later.

Dan Abnett has been in the game writing warhammer fiction for… about 25 years now? Longer pre warhammer books. Wikipedia tells me he started out as a writer in 1988, making it about 35 years. Eisenhorn is one of his earlier works. The first book was published in 2001. And it’s definitely his peak. Not to say the other stuff is bad, he mostly keeps a good quality.

Edit: I think I’ll shoehorn in a book question myself. Does anyone have a recommendation on books featuring primaris? I don’t really find the primaris appealing but I’d like to give them a good fiction chance.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2023/03/29 11:50:22


His pattern of returning alive after being declared dead occurred often enough during Cain's career that the Munitorum made a special ruling that Ciaphas Cain is to never be considered dead, despite evidence to the contrary. 
   
Made in gb
Leader of the Sept







His non 40k stuff is good as well. Not sure how much he’s done, but Embedded is excellent.

Please excuse any spelling errors. I use a tablet frequently and software keyboards are a pain!

Terranwing - w3;d1;l1
51st Dunedinw2;d0;l0
Cadre Coronal Afterglow w1;d0;l0 
   
 
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