The Horus Heresy gets messy about halfway in though. I still enjoyed them a lot but it's to the point I no longer recommend them for brand new beginners in this setting. Maybe the first three. Though there are individual gems that stand out here or there. The First Heretic was amazing for example. Made me actually pity and even like the Emperor's Children somehow. Argel Tal is such a good character. Aaron Dembski-Bowden is an incredible writer and his Night Lords trilogy is also must read IMO.
Gaunt's Ghosts are probably still my number one rec for that newbies here. More digestible and tighter storyline IMO. Ravenor is also great for smaller, more individual focused setting which some prefer.
I've been a huge fan of the Black Library since I read my first book in Iraq of all places. Omnibus of the Vampire Genevieve. Someone had left in behind in one of those take a book, leave a book things in Kuwait as I was transiting. Up past 300 novels last time I checked. I'm a bit of a fan....
ETA: I had written about this before and I think I remember recommending HH as well. Found it and I did. Funny how my perception drifted a smidge about that. It's still great but the middle to late slog I think became very prevalent over the last five years since I typed this below. At least enough to maybe not say it's the first place to introduce the setting. You have to eaaaaase people into this I have found.
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For anyone who may have the slightest interest in this universe. I will freely crown myself as one of the resident experts on Warhammer 40K, 30K, Fantasy, and even Age of Sigmar to an extent. My credentials are double digit years devouring this stuff and WELL into the four digits of cash spent. Closer to five digits than three if I were honest with myself. Video games, plastic miniatures, and the books. Ahhhh....the books. The recent surge of video game coverage is fairly recent. Warhammer is currently at the closest point of being "mainstream" than it ever has been before. As evidenced by this upcoming tv show. But still, I'd say 90+% of this universe comes from the novels and anyone with more than a slight passing interest needs to delve into them at some point.
Games Workshop, the creator of this setting, has it's own publishing arm called the Black Library. I have north of 140 of their publications to date. So if anyone is looking for recommendations on where to start....well that is a very subjective topic TBH. The problem is that their is a couple of "main" story timelines and several factions of equal stature and importance that all intertwine. There is no actual one "timeline" as it were but more of a web of storytelling. If yall are familiar with the Star Wars Expanded Universe....it is like this. Even different universes in a way. I mentioned 40K and 30K. These signify the year. 40000 and 30000 AD. 40K is the classic timeline and where most of the popularity lies. But you can't ignore the setting of the 30K world as it literally sets up the 40K world. There is a reason why the 40K setting is so dark. And that is because of the Horus Heresy. The major focal point of 30K.
Personally I would recommend:
- Gaunt's Ghost series by Dan Abnett - Story of ordinary soldiers fighting and trying to survive while carrying out their missions in an extraordinarily brutal universe. Fantastic series that is the classic "little guys" against the world.
- Eisenhorn - Dan Abnett - A warrior/secret agent fighting against heresy. And true heresy. Not stuff like not believing in the church but actual demoncraft and trying to overthrow/end human civilization. Probably an anti-hero type but even darker somehow.
- Ciaphas Cain series - Sandy Mitchell - A humorous more tongue in cheek approach to Average Joe Human. A commissar afflicted with general cowardice but even more cowardice in appearing to look like a coward. If that makes sense. So he does crazy heroic things because that is the image he has and he has to uphold that image.
- Storm of Iron - Graham McNeil - Older novel of Chaos Space Marines at their best. Brutal, unforgiving story of a warrior of the Iron Warriors Legion. Classic large scale siege warfare. Lots of grim dark stuff obviously. These dudes are NOT the good guys for sure. This is classic Warhammer IMO.
- Night Lords Trilogy - Aaron Dembski-Bowden - Another story of not good guys. Night Lords Legion and their story and ideologies. More of the grim and dark stuff. These dudes are straight murderers and terror specialists. It's not bad guy trope-y though. At all. A very original and fantastic story of dudes who are bad, but are also in a bad situation. One of my favorites.
Man, I realized that I am starting to type out a wall of death here. I can go on and on. Ultramarines, The Eldar Aspects novels....etc. There is just so much out there.
Let me truncate this.
Warhammer 40K: If you are new to this setting and want to dip your toes in on an individual in this setting. I would say Ciaphas Cain series. A little more light hearted series of a dude that is relatable that still introduces the setting of Warhammer 40K. Follow this with the Gaunt's Ghosts series and from there, this world is now your world. Go forth and frolic amongst the mayhem!
Warhammer 30K: No question here. Horus Rising. Book one of the Horus Heresy novels. Honestly, If there is ONE single book where I would say start in this entire Games Workshop creation....it is this. This is the origin story of Warhammer. Incredible series.
Sorry for the wall of text. I like this stuff.
TLDR: Start with Horus Rising
