Something worth mentioning for getting through Warhammer 40k novels is Audible. I have a looooot of models to paint, so it's hard to find the time to read my physical copy of 'For The Emperor'. However, with Audible I was just able to finish listening to Soul Hunter from the Night Lords trilogy and am about a quarter of the way through The Infinite And The Divine! Hood's right on both counts about these two books both being fantastic as well as *not* beginner friendly. If you're hell bent on wanting to read the first book of the Night Lords trilogy, I recommend looking into the lore of Konrad Curze, Abaddon the Despoiler, and Navigators first; as I believe these three topics will help you better appreciate the book.
Lots of them are on spotify too. The horus heresy books for example. And they are all included in the Abo. Not like audible where you have to purchase each book on top of the Abo costs. Just saying
THANK YOU! I've known about Warhammer for years but it just never seemed like my kind of thing. Played Space Marine 2 on a whim and it just clicked. Having it presented in a medium that puts you right there in the blood, entrails and spent casings is exactly what I needed. The very next thing I wanted to know is where to start, and it's taken about 10 videos to get the recommendation of those first 3 books. I'll be picking them up soon, thank you!
I recently started with First and Only after struggling to find an entry point 40k books. I’ve not been disappointed. I’m now well into the second book. I will also echo a comment I read elsewhere that the audiobooks make these stories way more accessible. I knocked out about 1/3 of First and Only on a long drive I recently had. It was very enjoyable.
I got into Warhammer on/off for the last 4 years. I'm at a point now where I'm INTO it and I've been starving for more black creators who are into it! So glad I found you today
thank you sir , you helped me a lot eventhough i'm familiar with the universe and i have read some books , i needed some good info for my transition from my language (greek) to an english translated book.We dont have too many greek translated warhammer books and i was searching a good english start.
One hard thing about getting into Warhammer novel is they bring up a lot of stuff that might seem hard to visualize if you don’t play a lot of tabletop like wth is a repulsor, what’s the supposed scale of a destroyer frigate or an overlord gunship? For that reason I think Graphical novels are very useful like Marneus Calgar or Lone Wolves. Oh and the book Nexus + Other stories is what got me really reading 40K great entry point. PS: Nice hoodie!! How can I get one
Personally I started with the Horus heresy, and I due course, when I was waiting for the next releases, I read the bloods angels omnibus, night lords omnibus, space marine battles, forges of mars trilogy, recently acquired the complete war of the beast, who’s I will read in due course, but once you’re down the rabbit hole, there’s no going back
As someone who's back into 40k after 31 years away, this is an amazing guide, cheers. So much has changed since I was originally a fan. I've listened to the first 3 HH books, and currently on FotE - really enjoying them. Funnily enough I also picked up Indomitus from my local charity shop, so will get into that next.
Great video. I’ve been a pretty hardcore 40K fan for about 25 years. I love most things 40K and haven’t read too many books that I didn’t like. I really enjoyed Legacy of Caliban (the Dark Angels Omnibus) and Dante. I’ve read most of the Horus Heresy (51 books in and counting) and can recommend a few. The first 5 are essential. I also loved Mechanicum, The First Heretic, Betrayer, Know No Fear, Vengeful Spirit, Angels of Caliban and Master of Mankind. Great content, liked and subbed.
I would honestly take the Horus heresy books all the way to fulgrim book 5. You get so much foundation for the heresy but also the warp and corruption.
Hood Guard! Man thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on where to start. I've gone down the long rabbit hole that is Warhammer 40k about a year ago. Luckily for me there's no shortage of information on this expansive world. Thanks to RU-vidrs like you, I've been able to learn a lot about this universe. I was interested in reading some of the books but I knew there were hundreds out there and had no idea where to start. Your list really helped. I went over to Audible and picked up Xenos and Avenging Son, the first books of their series. Prior to getting these books I did pick up The Emperor's Gift because I was intrigued by the whole Civil War aspect as well as the Gray Knights in general. I can hardly wait to dig in.
Cool video mate. Loved to see Titanicus on your list. Been reading Warhammer for many years and Titanicus is one of my all time favourites. The balance between small personal dramas and epic scale Titan battles is perfect.
I was more interested in the Xenos, the Kroots the Ork boiz, the necrons to begin with... I got in WH40K through passive listening of lore vids and the war in heaven had me so intrigued I wanted more of the tin guyz. I got Mechanicus and soon after decided to get more in the hobby, when I found the infinite and the divine I jumped on it immediately and I have 0 regrets. Honestly Trazyn and Orikan are killing me, I'm having a blast reading this but I understand the 3 months of passive listening to lore vids really helped.
Just found this today thanks to the algo, got my sub. My favourite 40k book is The Death of Antagonis by David Annandale, the tale of the mutated and tormented battle-brothers of the Black Dragons chapter and how they must face enemies from without and within in order to prove their devotion to the Emperor.
EXCELLENT video Man! I just recently jumped back into the Warhammer books. Currently reading Legends of the Dark Angels Omnibus. Will be watching this video multiple times! 😎
I started the Heresy last summer after some nonstop peer motivation to get into the universe as he had known that I was a big sci-fi fan. I put the last two books in the Dune saga and hold and I haven’t picked up many books outside of the Heresy since. I’m currently on Mark of Calth after about 16 months of consistent reading. There’s a bit of a hiatus in that span of time due to my having to wait for a reader copy of Outcast Dead to arrive in the mail. This has been the most daunting undertaking in my reading experience. I only wish that I had known about it sooner! The availability of some of the books can definitely become an issue especially if you’re a physical copies rather than listen to the audiobooks. Overall I have generally enjoyed every book thus far and look forward to finishing the Heresy and moving onto Siege!
Glad you brought up Eisenhorn. I just started reading 40k. My first book was Dark Imperium and although I enjoyed it, I felt lost with all the names, factions, chapters, and lack of general 40k background. Eisenhorn seems a much better entry point so far.
The Horus heresy books you can get for their original price point, the other stuff is pricey I admit but it’s worth it even if you only go in on the Heresy novels
Definitely recommend Audible for beginners! Hundreds of titles, many of those you recommended, and if you're not a committed book reader & collector Audible is the way to go. Books are ridiculously expensive and in a digital age, this is best way to go. Last before you jump in the deep for the lore there are a number of awesome youtubers you can listen to for free! They have narrations and easily digestible short firm content 👌 This is how I got started, now I have over 100+ Audible titles. Best part is you read or listen to one title, fir example space marines battling an alien faction, and Your next interest may be to explore that faction. Not all titles are available digitally however hundreds are especially collections that give you a series of stories in one book covering a specific set of stories on space marines, chaos space marines, xenos ( aliens 👽), the guard, etc. Start with youtube on the lore and after listening there select titles. Great 📹 vid!
>lords of silence >the first heretic >word bearer ominbous >brothers of the snake >blood angels angels encarmine >horus rising These are imo the best wh40k books av read. But then again, I am heavily space marine coded.
This was my first video of yours. I became a subscriber. I like the way you present your information, and your list had a few that I hadn't seen on other lists. I'm new to 40k and am more interested in getting immersed in the lore of it. Not ready for game play yet. I think next I'll do the painting and learn what goes into setting up an army. So far the lore that interests me most is Custodes, Salamanders, Space Wolves, and Grey Knights.... the characters that interest me are Eisenhorn, Gaunt, and Cain. I'm very interested in origins so the horus heresy will be thrown in there. Keep up the work on your channel. Stay consistent.
Other options for many of these books are audio or ebook versions Audible often includes many in their members sales Whilst I thoroughly recommend the Ciaphas Cain series, along the more relatable titles is the Warhammer Crime imprint that offers mostly urban stories that might be more familiar to many folks
I’m reading 3 books at the same time. I’m on the fourth book in the hours heresy, I just finished a book on the Adepta Sororitas, the next will be a book on the Eldar and some war hammer 40k horror and the Eisenhorn series. I don’t watch movies or TV any longer I’m just not interested any longer after watching the new castlevania I’m done. My friend gave me the entire digital library of the warhammer and warhammer 40k.
Great selection of books. I have been reading the 40k novels since they started producing them. My to read pile is about as big as most peoples to paint pile lol. I have two bookshelves dedicated to just to Black Library.
Thanks for this. I needed it. I have read the 1st Horus books. I have tried a couple others in the universe but I get lost in them. I will give this a go. You rock!!
Great video - I would disagree with starting with the Horus Heresy, however; half the fun of those initial three novels is having the knowledge of the events to come; and the dramatic irony of knowing that all these stalwart, Imperial Truth-toting secular marines are going to be descending into the mire of religious zealotry some 10,000 years later. Instead I would go with the Eisenhorn Omnibus (Xenos is the first novel) - it's a detective story with plenty of action, and slowly introduces the various aspects of the 40k universe; from Space Marines to what Chaos is etc. For Guard players, start with Ghostmaker and then Necropolis (both by Dan Abnett). He's their best author and brings a lot humanity to the 40k. I would skip First and Only because it was Abnett's first novel, and Ghostmaker is an anthology of short stories that introduces the initial line up - don't get too attached, the attrition rate for characters is in keeping with the Astra Militarum.
Youre right on re the Night Lords. They are boring af in the heresy, except for sevatar of course. But having read all that and then getting the omnibus, my opinion changed big time. Their helms look goofy af tho fr
Bro, it's so refreshing and frankly relieving to find your channel! It's hard to want to get into a new fandom or community and when you look around... You're the only brown spot... It makes me really happy to see other black men diving into the dark future of war!🧑🏾🚀🥰
Great video man, thank you for the recommendations. Currently reading Eishenhorn and loving it! But the more I learn about the lore the more I'm falling in love with the Sororitas and Necrons, do you have any recommendations for these factions?
For Necrons, The Infinite and The Divine and The Twice Dead King books are a great place to start, not read any Sororitas books yet though so cant help there 😂
Great video mate! Good suggestions. I am a bit passed a beginner guide but can u tell Me what book tell the story of girlymans resurrection? Is it the Avenging son? Thank you
There isn't a novel really that tells that story but the Gathering Storm campaign books are where Guilliman comes back. The Dawn of Fire novels are very good and show the beginnings of the Indomitus Crusade, pretty close in time to when Guilliman returns.
I just ordered Fulgrim. I've watched a bunch of lore videos, played some games including space marine 2. Is Fulgrim a good book to read without a background of the other books?
I personally would start with Horus Rising if you're intent on reading the Heresy but no, it doesn't really require anymore background than the first 4 books do.
I’m new to the whole 40 K universe because of the space marine two game and they got me super interested I bought about eight books within the last couple days (Horus heresy, false gods, galaxy flames, Dark imperium trilogy, Leviathan, and indomitus) because I wanna really read some stuff and in regards to the horse heresy do I have to read all 54 books or can I just read like the first three or four to get a whole understanding of that event?
40k isnt that big of a franchise. Star Trek is 100 times bigger, but 40k's organization is practically non-existent. too many people with their hands in it, with different objectives. also, if youre new, dont watch Leuten or read the Lexacunum. go with Bricky and Majorkill.
@hood_guard I'm sorry, the colour of the skin doesn't matter. I didn't mind anything wrong, I was just happy, but I see that my post looks like a troll post XDDDDD we march for macragge* should be
I Disagree, when I startet with 40k i found lutin way way harder to follow than baldemort. In some of lutins Videos you have to have much knowledge of the universe to really understand. This is not the case with baldemort since his focus on entertainment. Therefore I would say much more suited for beginner, whom you target with this video. Independed of preference.
@@Jharlax we’ll just have to agree to disagree lol. A lot of my friends as well as myself all started with Luetin with no prior knowledge and had no issues. Again, personal preference.
