# Warhammer 40K Book Research
> • The Eisenhorn Omnibus is considered one of the all time classics and best beginner books to sacrifices lure innocent new fans into the abyss that is the universe of 40k. It provides a tour de force through all major points, from space horror to faction warfare, from investigation to large scale naval engagement, all stitched together with a great main antagonist and protagonist (and team). After that this picture will hit hard.
> • There are dozens of novels, comics, short stories, anthologies and omnibuses. Many of them focus on specific factions (Space Marines being the main focus), some of them are connected like the Horus Heresy series, some others stand alone. If have an area which interests you specifically, ask for novel recommendations for that specific area (like ... "I love stompy mecha robots" => Adeptus Mechanicus => "Go read Titanicus".
> • Some standard recommendation for great books who can stand on their own, even when they are connected with other books, and who capture the feeling of their specific faction and point of view in that universe perfectly:
> • Vault of Terra: Carrion Throne for why the Inquisition does both horrific and glorious work on Holy Terra (Inquisition).
> • Know no fear for the single book which turned the most hated Space Marines faction into actually cool dudes (Space Marines / Ultramarines).
> • Night Lords omnibus for their Chaos counterpart (Chaos Space Marines / Night Lords).
> • Watchers of the Throne: the Emperors Legion for why the personal bodyguards of the Master of Mankind are actually interesting gentlemen (Adeptus Custodes).
> • Titanicus for 100m big stompy deathmurderrobotmecha fun (Adeptus Mechanicus Titan Legions).
> • Forges of Mars for the grand adventure expedition (Adeptus Mechanicus and other factions).
> • The Infinite and The Divine for a chess game played over 10.000 years by undead robots (Necrons).
> • Gaunts Ghost: Necropolis for why simple men and women hold the line against the darkness for 10.000 years (Imperial Guard).
> • Double Eagle for when you want to read about the Air Battle of Britain ... but in grimdark air (Imperial Guard - Areonautics).
> • Magnus Calgar comics, as they are one of the better and newer WH40k comics about the Space Marines.
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> ... and as a guilty pleasure:
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> • Ian Watsons "Inquisition War" for the first book written for WH40k. When the lore was not yet set in stone and could be ... exotic.
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> Other points of interest:
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> • The actual codex books for the tabletop wargaming armies contain a lot of stories and flair, fluff and background + often great artwork as well. However they tend to be very expensive and most of their content is of course for the actual wargaming rules. But perhaps you can get older codex books for cheap in speciality shops for factions you are interested in.
> • Horus Heresy & Siege of Terra: sooner or later you will encounter references to this. These are around 200 novels and short stories set not in the year 40k, but in 30k, during the end of the Great Crusade, the age where the Emperor walked on Holy Terra & Sacred Mars. It is a series of interconnected storylines describing the many different aspects of the civil war. Personally I would not suggest starting with it, as it often assumes that you are already familiar with the lore of WH40k. Here is a recommended reading list for the HH/SoT. Note that not all books are well written. A cynical person might even say that most books are ok, some are absolutely stellar (Know No Fear) and some are ... a choice (Outcast Dead).
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> SYL
https://www.cbr.com/warhammer-40k-book-start-with/
https://spikeybits.com/warhammer-40k/best-warhammer-40k-books-beginners-guide/
https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/warhammer-40k-where-to-start-reading/