Warhammer 40k Literature

So I just got done reading the first book in the Horus Heresy and I absolutely loved it. I plan on reading the series all the way up to Legion, the most recent release. I'm pretty engrossed, so I'll probably be done by the end of next week.

With that in mind, can anyone steer me in the direction of what else in the 40k universe is good. I know Dan Abnett's writing from the comic book world, so I'll probably read his Gaunt's Ghost and Foundling stuff. Is there anything else that is worth mentioning?

Thanks in advance, all!

Oh yes one book that takes a great look at a typical Imperial Guardsmen's life is a book called "Fifteen Hours" representing the life expectancy of any given imperial guardsmen I also think it gives a small hint at what normal society is like within civilian imperial space. Definantly a good read

The Eisenhorn series is the biggest MUST READ imo. Offers it all.

I'm about to start the Horus Hersey, but the only other books I've read were both Blood Angels books, Deus Sanguinus and Deus Encarmine. Both were really good and a pretty good look at what a space marine's life is like. Also, the Damnation Crusade comics were pretty good.

Hacksaw you are in for a treat as the ones you listed are widely considered the worst of what is out there.

So it's only going to get better.

Oh, and the twists in Legion are astronomical. Mindblowingly astronomical in fact.

I just finished The founding about Gaunts ghosts. I definitely suggest reading it. You really get a feel for the characters and you can taste the mud and muck and hear the las fire. Very good,

Yeah Gaunt's Ghosts is awesome, pretty much most things by Dan Abnett.

Along with Eisenhorn is the Ravenor series.

The Space Wolf series is pretty cool. And though its from the warhammer fantasy setting the gotrek and felix series of books are also a good read.

agree with Carl_Dillion, about on both and with Matt about the eisenhorn serises, and yea I agree with Gaunts ghosts. All of the big books(multi books made into one) I have liked includeing blackhearts(fantasy) and the one about the penal legion(forget the name)

last chancers bruce. I thought that one was ok...

All of the Bill King space wolf books are good. As are the UM ones.

Matt if you think that the blood angles books are the worst then you are insane. But Double Eagle is really good book. It is all about the air plane pilots of the armies and is actually very different then the rest, and very well written in my opinion.

The Dawn of War books are actually pretty good for books off games as well.

Tyler you don't read enough of the literature (or fast enough) to understand how good some of the other stuff is. Oh, another good book that has just started a series based off of Dark Heresy is Scourge the Heretic.

I had no idea the BA books were considered some of the worst books. I look forward to the even better novels, but is there a website that ranks the popularity of the books, or is it just word of mouth?

Scourge the heretic was good, gave me a lot of ideas for running my dark heresy campaign. Ciaphas Cain is both hilarious and insightful into warhammer. I'd suggest for fantasy the tales of old world. Its thick as hell but really really good.

Ciaphas Cain is hilarious. Well worth it.

The BA books being some of the worst is word of mouth. I spend a lot of time on forums, so read a lot of opinions (but after all that, they are still just opinions). The dawn of war books are also pretty much considered some of the worst.

I read a few pages in the store and felt like they were pretty standard "war porn" BL material, like a lot of 40k books

Double eagle was really good, that book really really made me want the thunderbolt pilot figure. Too bad he is expensive as hell to get a hold of now!

I should read Scourge of the Heretic. I'll get to that in a month or so... finally have some non-40k books to get through. If you want inspiration for a Dark Heresy campaign (or a look at the Underbelly of the imperium) then look no further than the aforementioned Eisenhorn series. It's not just a good 40k book... it's a good book period (which really can't be said for most 40k novels).

One of the scenes takes place on a giant walking city, They live all over the cities back and on the underbelly. As punishment in the city you are hung in a cage from the underbelly until you starve or bake in the sun! Yeesh!

why do people keep beating me to posting the best books , but yea cain is funny and worh reading(and rereading in my case). A pretty good warhammer fantasy book is fell cargo(about pirates)

on the flipside of this what do you guys think is our the worst books.....personally I thought Fire Warrior was really bad....I mean its some ramdom fire warrior who does
1)Destorys a Titian
2)Kills a Deamon Prince....oh four times

firewarrior is easily the worst of the worst

after that I think it's the Dawn of War ones

Then the Black Templar ones on Armageddon (damnation crusade and the other one)

and lastly the Blood Angels ones.

Anything Space Wolf is awesome!

I like the Bill King SW books, the other one was rough.

other 2(isnt the one were he gets the spear back written by the 2nd guy) and I thought they were both written good

"and I thought they were both written good"

-while reviewing a book. Bruce you slay me.

ok as I have said many times I can not spell and my grammer is at times worse than my spelling so.......well you get the picture, I just thought they were good books........anyways another good fantasy series is malus darkblade's(dont remeber is mentioned yet but oh well)

It's been mentioned before but hte Gotrek and Felix series are nuts! Completely love it. Has anyone read any of the new ones or any of the Bloodbowl?