The Ciaphas Cain books are so good. Reminds me so much of the Blackadder series with Rowan Atkinson. Also the Ragnar Blackmain series. Follows him from being a young Fenrisian tribesman and then becoming noticed by the sky people and then all the phases of becoming a space marine.
I agree. Ill add Stand alone "Helsreach" brought 2 of my friends into the hobby. Great battle novel. For series, "The lords of blood" trilogy of Dante, Devestation of Baal and Darkness in the blood. And the plague wars trilogy Dark imperium, plague war and God blight. Those if you have an understanding of the world already but never dove in to the lore.
My recommendations for things Winters didn't mention : - The Ragnar Blackmane series : it's really cool, shows you how space marines are made from their infancy to captainship. I am NOT a fan of the Space furries but I love these books to bits - Helsreach : the best bit of bolter-pron you'll read. It's Black Templars VS Orks, what else do you need ? - Titanicus : Dan Abnett strikes again, Titans walk and I cry every single time I read, which is quite often
Jonathan Keeble's "Booms" are worth the price of audible along. The Solar War is absolutely my favourite series. Every book hits you with shocking moments, awesome action, intense drama and the most mind bending imagery.
For listening while painting there is nothing better than Ciaphas Cain. Awesome Readers: Stephen Perring, Penelope Rawlins. Of course it is quite humoristic, but then again perfekt for listening to in the Background.
The other answer is to start with a book about a faction you are interested in. I started collecting and building a death guard army and that got me interested in digging deeper into the lore about them. That led me to the Lords of Silence book, which I really enjoyed reading. It was a great read and got me even more excited about the Death Guard! My Brother plays Salamanders and I got him one of the books about Vulcan or Adrax (I can't remember) to help him get a better understanding for his faction of choice. Now I'm working my way through Gaunt's ghosts, and you're right; it gets better and better with each novel.
Agree 100% with the recommendations Winters. My special mention is The lords of silence again gives an insight into the lives of chaos warbands and in particular a plague marine warband. Siegemaster Vorx is a G and made me want to repaint my plague marine army. But I have too many points to justify that
Having read the all of these suggestions (currently on book 14 of gaunts ghosts), I can concer with these choices... also the horus heresy. I have a night lords army but that was pre night lords books and have started a guard army which was a result of the books. I was also very unaware of the change in narration in gaunts ghosts and it massively threw me off especially larkin sounding like scrooge mcDuck. Can recommend ciaphas cain books as lighter fun but they do get quite samey after a while
Not as a first book, but for those interested in chaos I would highly recommend Fabius Bile series. The first book is basically Fabius Bile and his friends going on an adventure to raid a craftworld, and wacky hijinks ensue.
Have to recommend Ciaphis Cain! The Omnibuses are fantastic and a more humor focused entry into the grimdark. Loved the night lords trilogy, I'd have to reread the word bearers and iron warriors trilogies to see if they're any good. Now we need an OG warhammer novels list!!
HH series but start Horus Rising, False Gods and Galaxy Burns. Or a standalone book, something different, Naval Void battles in “Relentless”, life onboard a ship in Imperial Navy. Or Titan related “Titandeath” or Dan Abnetts “Titanicus”
Oddly enough, I feel the opposite about Gaunt's Ghosts. I got through the first 3 books alright, but kinda felt meh the further I went and stopped after book 4 or 5. Reads too much like a real war novel I think. Now Ciaphus Cain actually made me want to play Guard. :D
Big fan of reading devastation of Baal as a stand alone, also dark imperium as a series is great, especially godblight. The ultramarines series is fine, with some better books and some not so good ones.
I agree with your first and last takes. Never read the Night Lords trilogy as mainly I now listen on Audible as I paint. Gaunt's Ghosts and Eisenhorn are wonderful reads and listens and give you the sense of how much fun 40K can be.
Listen to Night Haunter if you haven't. Makes the trilogy better. If you have find Vox in the void and listen to his short story reading Prey sight 1 and 2 on UA-cam.
I read the 4 first Gaunt's Ghost books and the first one was the best after which the quality dropped. It seemed Abnett was inspired writing the first, it was really good for a book based on a license. The next ones, though, looked like the main motivator for writing them was the money.
Ciaphas Cain, all the way. Not only do you get to know quite a bit of lore, you even get to snigger from time to time. Dan Abnett’s combat descriptions are so drawn out, they turn me off.
Dan’s Know no fear is my favourite 40k of all time. Possibly my favourite sci fi of all time.
I started collecting in 2019 and painting models while listening to your battle report's was my favorite thing to do
Cheers dude
The Ciaphas Cain books are so good. Reminds me so much of the Blackadder series with Rowan Atkinson. Also the Ragnar Blackmain series. Follows him from being a young Fenrisian tribesman and then becoming noticed by the sky people and then all the phases of becoming a space marine.
The Cain books are based on the Flashman papers, have a read, they are very good!
@@Bushpig_ thanks I’ll look them up 👍
Betrayer and Lords of Silence are top notch!!
I agree. Ill add Stand alone "Helsreach" brought 2 of my friends into the hobby. Great battle novel. For series, "The lords of blood" trilogy of Dante, Devestation of Baal and Darkness in the blood. And the plague wars trilogy Dark imperium, plague war and God blight. Those if you have an understanding of the world already but never dove in to the lore.
Add Rynns world to that
Infinite and the Divine for me. Wonderful overview covering so much of the setting all in a single highly entertaining book
the Soul Drinkers series is fantastic seeing the perspective of a outcast legion
My recommendations for things Winters didn't mention :
- The Ragnar Blackmane series : it's really cool, shows you how space marines are made from their infancy to captainship. I am NOT a fan of the Space furries but I love these books to bits
- Helsreach : the best bit of bolter-pron you'll read. It's Black Templars VS Orks, what else do you need ?
- Titanicus : Dan Abnett strikes again, Titans walk and I cry every single time I read, which is quite often
The Night Lords trilogy is why I play them. Absolutely my favorite! Great vid! Ave Dominus Nox!
I started the Eisenhorn anthology after hearing Winters talk about it. It's great!
10/10 agree with Tony being goated
Came here for the thumbnail, stayed for the video. Nice work.
❤
Jonathan Keeble's "Booms" are worth the price of audible along. The Solar War is absolutely my favourite series. Every book hits you with shocking moments, awesome action, intense drama and the most mind bending imagery.
For listening while painting there is nothing better than Ciaphas Cain. Awesome Readers: Stephen Perring, Penelope Rawlins. Of course it is quite humoristic, but then again perfekt for listening to in the Background.
Kingmaker is an amazing book Assassins and Knights really cool
The other answer is to start with a book about a faction you are interested in. I started collecting and building a death guard army and that got me interested in digging deeper into the lore about them. That led me to the Lords of Silence book, which I really enjoyed reading. It was a great read and got me even more excited about the Death Guard! My Brother plays Salamanders and I got him one of the books about Vulcan or Adrax (I can't remember) to help him get a better understanding for his faction of choice. Now I'm working my way through Gaunt's ghosts, and you're right; it gets better and better with each novel.
Agree 100% with the recommendations Winters. My special mention is The lords of silence again gives an insight into the lives of chaos warbands and in particular a plague marine warband. Siegemaster Vorx is a G and made me want to repaint my plague marine army. But I have too many points to justify that
Nailed it. I didn’t expect to enjoy the Night Lords books, but ADB somehow pulled it off (his HH books are also great)
Having read the all of these suggestions (currently on book 14 of gaunts ghosts), I can concer with these choices... also the horus heresy.
I have a night lords army but that was pre night lords books and have started a guard army which was a result of the books.
I was also very unaware of the change in narration in gaunts ghosts and it massively threw me off especially larkin sounding like scrooge mcDuck.
Can recommend ciaphas cain books as lighter fun but they do get quite samey after a while
Not as a first book, but for those interested in chaos I would highly recommend Fabius Bile series. The first book is basically Fabius Bile and his friends going on an adventure to raid a craftworld, and wacky hijinks ensue.
Have to recommend Ciaphis Cain! The Omnibuses are fantastic and a more humor focused entry into the grimdark. Loved the night lords trilogy, I'd have to reread the word bearers and iron warriors trilogies to see if they're any good.
Now we need an OG warhammer novels list!!
Don’t think I’m ready for the night lords and the kittens, Eisenhorn will be the one to go for next I think
Give it a try! I'm a Blood Angels fan but absolutely had to start a Night Lords army due to this trilogy. It is fantastic!
HH series but start Horus Rising, False Gods and Galaxy Burns. Or a standalone book, something different, Naval Void battles in “Relentless”, life onboard a ship in Imperial Navy. Or Titan related “Titandeath” or Dan Abnetts “Titanicus”
Your so spot on here, +horus heresy and ravenor
I always recommend Double Eagle. It's great!
Ben Counters Soul Drinkers omnibus's are amazing. As are Graham McNeils Ultramarine series.
Classic recommendations, can’t go wrong there at all.
I did love the eisenhorn books but for a one off the infant and the Devine is great.
Good recommendations Winters. I would recommend Pandorax, I really enjoyed that one too. Also Alpharius and Perturabo were good in my opinion.
Rynns world baby
Dunno who that guy talking is but the thumbnail’s incredible
Oddly enough, I feel the opposite about Gaunt's Ghosts. I got through the first 3 books alright, but kinda felt meh the further I went and stopped after book 4 or 5. Reads too much like a real war novel I think. Now Ciaphus Cain actually made me want to play Guard. :D
Seconded, definitely swap out Guant's Ghosts for Ciaphas Cain.
Added all of these to my "want to read" list thanks Winters
Enjoy
Big fan of reading devastation of Baal as a stand alone, also dark imperium as a series is great, especially godblight. The ultramarines series is fine, with some better books and some not so good ones.
I agree with your first and last takes. Never read the Night Lords trilogy as mainly I now listen on Audible as I paint. Gaunt's Ghosts and Eisenhorn are wonderful reads and listens and give you the sense of how much fun 40K can be.
The Night Lords books are all in audible, and the reader absolutely nails it
winters is an influential gentleman - campaign to re-record those 2 Ghost books!!!
Talon of Horus and Black Legion are good books if you like Chaos!
The Primarchs book series they are great 😁
Easy answer:
Eisenhorn
Ciaphas Cain
Horus Heresy
Vino legion are the reason I played since 1993
superb! thats a sultan thumbnail if ive ever seen one.
👀
I have listened to the night lords trilogy 4 times. Ave Dominus Nox
Listen to Night Haunter if you haven't. Makes the trilogy better. If you have find Vox in the void and listen to his short story reading Prey sight 1 and 2 on UA-cam.
@@BloodBuffalo I have listened to night haunter and it is indeed awesome. I listen to anything night lords related.
@@sylntghost007 then upmnext for you. Vox in the void, prey sight 1 and 2
You never want to run out of penguins! 😂
If they reprinted the Ravenor omnibus, I'd be a happy puppy!
I read the 4 first Gaunt's Ghost books and the first one was the best after which the quality dropped. It seemed Abnett was inspired writing the first, it was really good for a book based on a license. The next ones, though, looked like the main motivator for writing them was the money.
Hard disagree mate, some of the best 40K fiction I’ve read has been the last few books of the GG series. So many twists and turns!
Eisenhorn omnibus
Helsreach is amazing
Gaunts ghost is the best series, change my mind
The Dark Coil Saga?
I started Horus Heresy with End and the Death. Please don’t judge me. Actually judge away I kinda deserve that…
🤣 that's amazing dude, life hack 😎
That audio is tough
Viii
Ciaphas Cain, all the way. Not only do you get to know quite a bit of lore, you even get to snigger from time to time.
Dan Abnett’s combat descriptions are so drawn out, they turn me off.