20 Best Warhammer 40k Books: Where to Start Reading in 2024
Do you want to read some Warhammer 40k novels but don't know where to start since there are so many of them?
Here is a List of 20 best Warhammer 40,000 book suggestions, from classic series to new releases!
These books were originally for fans of tabletop games, so they can be confusing for newcomers.
Unlike other series, Warhammer books don't have a single starting point. They are set in a universe that spans thousands of years.
Instead of following a specific order, the books are split into many mini-series and trilogies. These stories can happen at different times and don't always connect.
The Black Library, the publisher, has a page with suggestions on where to start.
This list focuses on recent events and books but also includes some classics. Let's start with those.
1. For the Emperor by Sandy Mitchell
A curated collection of novels celebrating the very best science fiction and fantasy set in the worlds of Warhammer.
On an Imperial outpost world on the fringes of tau space, the renowned Commissar Ciaphas Cain and his fractious regiment of Valhallan Guard, newly created from the remnants of two devastated units, find themselves in the middle of a war.
As the Astra Militarum struggles to contain worldwide civil insurrection, can the wily Commissar Cain identify the real villain before the planet is lost to the Imperium forever?
2. Horus Rising by Dan Abnett
This is the 31st millennium. Under the benevolent guidance of the Immortal Emperor, the Imperium of Man was able to expand across the galaxy.
This is a golden age full of new discoveries and glorious conquests. However, on the eve of the triumphant return, the Emperor withdrew from the forefront of the great expedition and entrusted the task of commanding the entire army to his beloved son Horus.
The idealistic Horus was promoted to Warmaster. Can he realize the emperor's grand blueprint? Will this promotion sow the seeds of rebellion among the brothers?
"The Rise of Horus" is the opening chapter in the legendary epic of the Horus Heresy, a horrific civil war that will push the human race to the brink of extinction.
3. Galaxy in Flames by Ben Counter
The great rebellion is just beginning to appear, and many stars of the Age of Emperors have all appeared on the stage.
The four primaries with luxurious plastic surgery: Warmaster Horus, Elder Angron of the Ax Gang, handsome Fulgrim, and Mortarion, who appeared in two appearances with no more than two lines, gathered in Istvaan III.
The stars of other warbands also appeared: Loken, Tarvitz, Garro, Torgaddon, and the future stars of Chaos Abaddon, Kharn, Lucius, Fabius, and Erebus also performed wonderfully.
The 40K stars and big names basically came. They are the current Horus Heresy One of the most worth reading.
Of course, the story is tragic, even tragic, and it happened in about two days. First, Istvaan was killed by a car, then virus bombs, orbital bombing, Warband brothers against cars, and Emperor Titan bombing.
Finally, He Shuai ordered the whole world to be bombed. up. Except for listening to the old magic stick Sinderman yelling at the beginning, there is no cold scene in the whole book.
Although the scene of saving the "saint" Euphrates is a bit boring, the essence of the magic stick is clearly seen. The fate of the warriors of Astatu was sealed the moment they dropped from orbit to Istvaan.
Tarvitz is desperate to expose the Warmaster's plot, Loken and Torgaddon fight to the last moment, and we are all invested in it.
And with the end of the Istvaan incident, the golden age of mankind is gone forever.
The rest of the story can only be handed over to Eisenstein, allowing Garro to continue his lonely odyssey in the vast space.
To those Warriors, May the Emperor Be With You ALL!
4. Fulgrim by Graham McNeill
It is the 31st millennium, and humanity is at the peak of its powers. As the Great Crusade, led by Warmaster Horus, continues to conquer the galaxy, Fulgrim, Primarch of the Emperor's Children, leads his warriors into battle against a vile alien foe.
From the blood of this campaign are sown the seeds that will lead this proud Legion to treachery, taking them down the darkest of paths of corruption.
Leading up to the carnage of the Drop Site Massacre on Isstvan V, this is the tale of Fulgrim's tragic fall from grace.
5. Legion by Dan Abnett
A Great War is coming, and it will engulf the Imperium of Man. The Space Marines of the Alpha Legion, the last and most secretive of all the Astartes brotherhoods, arrive on a heathen world to support the Imperial Army in a pacification campaign against strange and uncanny forces.
But what drives the Alpha Legion? Can they be trusted, and what side will they choose when the Great War begins?
Loyalties are put to the test, and the cunning schemes of alien intelligence are revealed in this latest installment of the groundbreaking SF series, as the fate of mankind hangs in the balance.
The first 40k series of novels I read is hard and full of pictures, which can really make up for movies.
The huge world and extraordinary time span create an epic background, and the small perspective brings that crushing sense of fate.
The war scenes and the universe are spectacular and charming, but the conspiracy and conspiracy are not perfect. The colonel and the characters at the beginning are basically useless.
From the point of view of the future, all this will look like a "harlequin", Horus will rebel, be killed by the emperor, and chaos will mix into the hearts of the people...
6. The First Heretic by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Amidst the galaxy-wide war of the Great Crusade, the Emperor castigates the Word Bearers for their worship.
Distraught at this judgment, Lorgar and his Legion seek another path while devastating world after world, venting their fury and fervor on the battlefield.
for a new purpose leads them to the edge of the material universe, where they meet ancient forces far more powerful than they could have imagined.
Having set out to illuminate the Imperium, the corruption of Chaos takes hold and their path to damnation begins. to the Word Bearers, their quest for truth contains the very roots of heresy…
Lorgar, as the instigator, is also the most humble and pitiful Primarch. From Old Faith to the Emperor, he was spurned by the Emperor and then turned to Chaos.
Lorgar's attachment to the meaning of faith itself has surpassed the attachment to the believer, as revealed in his firmness Cowardly, persistent, and betrayal, ADB's writing, and plot handling techniques are really superb.
I look forward to reading novels about the Forbidden Army in the future.
7. Hero of the Imperium by Sandy Mitchell
The Flashmanesque adventures of wily Commissar Cain, his malodorous aide Jurgen, and the 296th Valhallans have proved great favorites among Black Library fans.
This omnibus edition is an attractive introduction to a very popular series.
8. Xenos by Dan Abnett
The story characters and all kinds of knowledge involved are very extensive. The plots are interlocking and turbulent.
If you are a fan of suspense and detective novels or are particularly interested in the characters of the Inquisition, there is almost no better choice than the entire series related to Eisenhorn!
The whole process uses first-person memoirs to tell about Eisenhorn's detective, hunt, and adventure experiences.
The sense of substitution is particularly strong, and some details also attach great importance to humanistic care.
While Dan Ab occasionally writes brisk, hilarious memes, this story is destined to be tragic.
Part mystery, part thriller, slammed together in the war-torn Warhammer universe. Nicely paced with lots of action, but it has more of a detective vibe overall.
9. A Thousand Sons by Graham McNeill
A long-lost masterpiece, a sad epic. Arrogant and advocating knowledge, Cthulhu, and Egyptian-like cultural background.
The whole galaxy is involved in the flames of war. No matter whether loyalists or rebels, they are all facing a common enemy. He can only struggle to escape, and beg for mercy—this enemy is fate.
Pride is an original sin. Ahriman also made this mistake in the end... The whole book seems to be a very good person... Alas, it turns out that the emperor really had a big game of chess when he returned to Earth, but unfortunately, the rhythm was destroyed.
This story is written a bit like a running account. The foreshadowing and suspense are a bit lacking, but the scene description is still very beautiful, and the concept is also written...
10. The Founding (Gaunt’s Ghosts) by Dan Abnett
In the Chaos-infested Sabbat System, the massed ranks of the Astra Militarum - more commonly known as the Imperial Guard - stand shoulder to shoulder as they counter an invasion by heretical forces.
Amongst the defenders of the Imperium are the troops of the Tanith First -and-Only, a displaced regime forced to flee their home planet before it succumbed to the unrelenting assault of Chaos.
Nicknamed 'the Ghosts', their specialist scouting role sees them thrown into the thickest of the fighting.
Led by Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt, they must evade the treacherous scheme of rival regimes and the lethal firepower of the enemy if they are to have any hope of achieving victory over the forces of Chaos.
11. The Flight of The Eisenstein by James Swallow
Having witnessed the terrible massacre of Imperial forces on Isstvan III, Death Guard Captain Garro seizes a ship and sets a course for Terra to warn the Emperor of Horus's treachery.
But when the fleeing Eisenstein is damaged by enemy fire, it becomes stranded in the warp – the realm of the Dark Powers.
Can Garro and his men survive the depredations of Chaos and get his warning to the Emperor before Horus's plans reach fruition?
The series has somewhat exposed some problems in this work:
- First, Garro's journey is too much like Loken's, will all loyalists fall into this routine?
- Secondly, the appearance of the Primarch of the Emperor Fist, the Sister of Silence, and even the Custodian are really exciting, but Dorn always feels that it lacks convincingness from anger to calmness to painful acceptance.
The magnificent battlefield and the gentle dialogue description are interspersed together.
Apart from potential loopholes, the writing technique can be said to be the best among the black library novels I have read so far.
12. Storm of Iron by Graham McNeill
In a dark and gothic future, humanity fights a constant battle for survival in a hostile universe.
Now hell has come to Hydra Cordatus, for a massive force of terrifying Iron Warriors, brutal assault troops of Chaos, have invaded the planet and lain siege to its mighty Imperial citadel.
But what prize could be worth so much savage bloodshed and destruction?
13. Ravenor by Dan Abnett
In the war-torn future of the 41st millennium, the Inquisition fights a secret war against the darkest enemies of mankind - the alien, the heretic, and the daemon.
The three stories in this omnibus tell the tale of Inquisitor Gideon Ravenor and his lethal band of operatives, whose investigations take them from the heart of the Scarus Sector to the wildest regions of space beyond, and even through time itself.
Wherever they go, and whatever dangers they face, they will never give up until their mission succeeds.
Contains the novels Ravenor, Ravenor Returned, and Ravenor Rogue, plus two short stories and an introduction by the author.
14. Fallen Angels by Mike Lee
The Horus Heresy is the Black Library's premium SF series, telling the story of the civil war that nearly tore the human Imperium apart, ten thousand years ago.
This latest title sees the triumphant return of the Dark Angels, by Darkblade co-author Mike Lee.
The two main lines of Caliban and Diamant straighten out the cause and effect of the Dark Angel's split; no matter whether it is true loyalty or not, the Lion's use of arms to win over Perturabo is not very popular.
I personally think that even if Horus does not rebel, Lion will still be the original body One of the most disturbing factors in Caliban's storyline is a bit more exciting.
15. False Gods by Graham McNeill
The great expedition to let the human race gallop across the stars has not stopped. The Emperor of Humanity has entrusted the command of the army to his beloved son, Horus the Warmaster.
However, there is a crisis hidden in the imperial army. Horus still had to deal with the jealousy and resentment of his brothers, and when he was wounded on the battlefield of Planet Devon, he had to fight his own inner demons.
Facing all kinds of temptations created by chaos, can Horus, who is physically and mentally exhausted, resist?
The book continues the saga of Horus Heresy. The fate of the entire galaxy now rests on the simple choice of a single person: loyalty or rebellion.
16. Soul Hunter by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
The Night Lords are one of the most feared legions of Chaos Space Marines. Remorseless hunters and killers, they relentlessly battle the Imperium of Man to avenge the death of their Primarch Konrad Curze.
Their dark crusade takes them to the valuable world of Crythe Primus, where they will fight Imperial forces to claim the planet.
But will the allegiance with their cohorts in the Black Legion last long enough for them to be victorious?
It is very long but reads extremely smoothly, even better than ADB's later Talon of Horus series, with excellent rhythm and atmosphere;
The Exalted is a contradictory and complex individual, twisted, cruel, selfish, and cowardly, but at the critical moment it is a general who is very good at warp war;
the protagonist Talos takes into account the multiple identities of apothecary, company commander, and prophet--First Claw's full personality is enough to support the emotional elements required by the entire series.
17. Titanicus: Warhammer 40,000 by Dan Abnett
Black Library’s best-selling SF author Dan Abnett takes his talents to a whole new level by recounting an epic tale of Titans, the massive war machines of Warhammer 40,000.
18. First and Only by Dan Abnett
In the nightmare future of Warhammer 40,000, the galaxy-spanning Imperium is riven with dangers.
In the Chaos-infested Sabbat system, Imperial Commissar Gaunt must lead his men through as much in-fighting amongst rival regiments as against the forces of Chaos.
First and Only is an epic saga of planetary conquest, grand ambition, treachery, and honor.
First and Only was one of the first books published by Black Library and is the most-read Warhammer 40,000 novel ever, an absolute classic.
This story begins the saga of Colonel Commissar Gaunt and the Tanith First and Only which has since grown into a multi-novel epic. It all starts here.
19. Descent of Angels by Mitchel Scanlon
This is the next novel in the ground-breaking, bestselling series that tells the story of the Horus Heresy - the civil war that nearly tore the human Imperium apart, ten thousand years ago.
This novel explores the early history of the Dark Angels Legion and their Primarch Lion El'Johnson.
When news of Horus' treachery reaches Caliban, the loyalties of this proud and mysterious Legion are tested to the limit, with tragic consequences.
The storyline jumps back to Caliban in the early stage of the Great Crusade.
It was not until DA built an army and attacked Sarosh in P4 that the long-hidden Chaos forces appeared before they got on the sidelines with HH.
The writing and story description are average, especially compared with the previous Fulgrim.
20. Betrayer by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
Led by their primaries, the Word Bearers and World Eaters Legions ravage the realm of Ultramar
The Shadow Crusade has begun. While the Ultramarines reel from Kor Phaeron’s surprise attack on Calth, Lorgar and the rest of the Word Bearers strike deep into Ultramar.
Their unlikely allies, Angron, and the World Eaters continue to ravage each new system they come across – upon the garrison planet of Armatura, this relentless savagery may finally prove to be their undoing. Worlds will burn, Legions will clash and a primarch will fall.
The experience of returning to Desh'ea, the bloodbath of Nuceria, and the accusation of Guilliman's life experience are enough to show that Angron is the least likely to get back on the "right track".
Under the "redemption" of Lorgar, it may indeed be the best to become a demon way out.
Argel Tal and Khârn's friendship is unexpectedly sincere, but it has to be constrained by Erebus' so-called fate, and the whole novel is shrouded in the atmosphere of this Greek tragedy.
Conclusion:
This article will suggest some good starting points for new readers. It will focus on well-known and respected authors to ensure enjoyable reading for sci-fi fans.
It's also important to know that while the Warhammer setting stayed the same for 30 years, there have been big changes since 2017.
The timeline has advanced, but you don't have to start with the newest books. There are still many books set throughout the 41st millennium.
You May Also Like:
- Anarch- Dan Abnett
- Pariah- Dan Abnett
- Night Lords- Aaron Dembski-Bowden
- Space Wolf- William King
- Deliverance Lost- Gav Thorpe
- Ghostmaker- Dan Abnett
- Traitor General- Dan Abnett
- Watchers of the Throne: The Emperor’s Legion- Chris Wraight
- Enforcer: The Shira Calpurnia Omnibus by Matthew Farrer
- Prospero Burns by Dan Abnett
- The Talon of Horus by Aaron Dembski-Bowden
- The Uriel Ventris Chronicles: Volume One by Graham McNeill
FAQ:
What are some of the best Warhammer 40k books out there?
According to our research, "The Founding", "Legion" and "Fulgrim" are the best Warhammer 40k books. If you are looking for a good book, we recommend that you start there! However, if you're a die-hard and love a good sci-fi adventure, we recommend ordering the complete Horus Heresy series (which is 93 books in all!).
Where can I find the complete Horus Heresy series?
You can start with Amazon, but they only added about 50 books to the series. However, if you scroll down to our header, click on the "series" tab, and search for "Horus Heresy"... You'll find exactly what you're looking for :)
Which Warhammer 40k book should I read first?
We recommend the same order as this list, so our answer is "The Foundation." It got the most votes and top ratings and contains the opening arc of this great sci-fi series.
