My 5 Warhammer 40,000 Starter Books

Recently I found myself watching some YouTube videos of folks recommending books if you want to start reading Warhammer 40,000 (WH40K) fiction. I noticed the element those videos share in common is expertise. They are either readers deep into the books or heavily into the games or both. There's nothing wrong with that. Their selections are often pretty good, and I have even read some of those books. I figured that I could make a list, especially since I came to the books as a true neophyte. I just picked up my first book, liked it, and I have kept on reading since. Here are then five books that trace my reading journey so far in Warhammer 40,000. Note the list does not include Horus Heresy titles; that could be another list for another time. 

My entry point book was Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium (link to WorldCat). It does not have to be your entry point, but the lighter tone and humor hooked me in. I just picked the book up in a bookstore some years back, read the description, and it sounded good enough for me to read. I had a very basic familiarity with WH40K, so as a reader I was taking a chance in picking up a new to me series and spending the money to buy the book. I am glad I did. I admit I may not have gotten one or two points of the lore right away, but I persevered and kept on reading. At times I could relate to Ciaphas Cain. He is not a coward, really, for he is a skilled fighter and will fight if necessary. He just wants what many of us want: an easy life where we get out alive and in one piece. It helps that he can also be very practical. He has a bit of everyman not found in other WH40K characters that adds to his charm. Additionally, if you are choosing a faction to focus your WH40K reading, and you choose the Astra Militarum (also known as Imperial Guard), the Ciaphas Cain series is a pretty good entry point. I also enjoyed the novel's framing. An inquisitor is reading the Cain Archives and editing the stories so her colleagues can read them. Cain kept a journal, but Inquisitor Vale often interjects in the narrative to clarify, add details from other sources, and overall fill any gaps. The librarian in me finds that fascinating. 

Some time after the Cain omnibus, I read the Eisenhorn trilogy in another omnibus edition (link to WorldCat). I head someone tell first time readers that the Eisenhorn series was like a detective story, so if you like detective stories you might like this Well, sort of, kind of, not quite. It has been a while at this time since I have read it, but I do remember liking it even if it is a bit more complex than a "detective story." The Eisenhorn series did lead to two spin offs, the Ravenor series, which I read the trilogy but did not like as much, and the Bequin series, which I have not read yet at this time. If you choose the Inquisition as your faction to read, Eisenhorn is a solid choice. I am thinking a reread may be due. 

If you are interested in the Space Marines, there are plenty of choices. For me, the Space Wolves first omnibus (link to my review) can be a good starting point. I enjoyed the overall story of Ragnar rising from a recruit to eventually becoming a veteran. Each Space Marines Chapter has a sort of angle, trait, or gimmick. The Space Wolves are a bit like Norsemen or vikings in space. In addition, the tales have moments of humor within the group that readers may appreciate. I certainly enjoyed moments where Ragnar and his peers were joking with each other, teasing each other, or just trying to brag more than the other guy. The stories are filled with action and just fun to read. 

Another Space Marines tale I often recommend these days is Helsreach (link to my review). This might not be a first choice for an entry point, but if you want to read a good action tale of Space Marines at war against seriously bad odds led by a reluctant leader, this may be the tale for you. Chaplain Grimaldus of the Black Templars Chapter, comes to Helsreach as ordered by his superiors. He is convinced he will die a meaningless death while his brothers gain glory battling elsewhere. Yet he does his duty, rallies his marines and the local forces to fight until the end. It has action, drama, and some very moving moments. This may be one of the best individual Space Marines stories available. It is well worth reading it, and for me one I will enjoy rereading. 

Now if you want an actual detective story, you may want to consider looking into the relatively new Warhammer Crime series. It is still WH40K; it mostly takes place in the very corrupt city of Varangantua. I entered the series with the novel Bloodlines: an Agusto Zidarov Novel (link to my review). Zidarov is a detective with the city's Adeptus Arbites (police force) investigating a case some would rather never be solved. It has a WH40K coating, but this is a somewhat noir detective tale. If you enjoy noir detective tales, this may be for you. The Warhammer Crime series gives you a look at the 40K universe behind the battlefront. While the Astra Militarum, Space Marines, and other combat factions are out there, these are the folks behind in the home front , the ones who live the daily life in an old Imperial city, and it definitely is not glamorous. I've read other titles in the Warhammer Crime series, but as an entry point I still recommend Bloodlines. In reading it, helps if you know the setting a bit, but if not, it still works as an easy entry point into WH40K as it is not seriously heavy in the lore, and the book even offers a glossary of terms. 

These are my five books that can be entry points into the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Feel free to comment with titles you would suggest and/or a list of your own.