Warhammer Books/Novels

[SolkaTruesilver]

(first, I would like to ask you to click on the link in my sig, in order for me to mug you in a rather immature - but quite amusing - game on the net)

I am a quite grand fan of Warhammer Fantasy Role Play, and a minor one of the Warhammer wargame itself. But I still bought 2-3 books of the latter just for the pleasure of reading the backstories, which I find really interesting.

I heard there were novels of Warhammer (either Fantasy or 40k), and I want to ask this gracious board:

1- Are they good?
2- Which one should I read?
3- In which order?

Any comments that may relate on the above topic is also welcomed.

[thorgrim29]

Get the Gothrek and felix omnibus volume one for a start, by william king, it follows our heroes all over the empire and even a bit beyond (ok, make that a lot boyond). It's very good, gritty, dark, just what you'd expect of a story about a slayer thats just too good to die and his unfortunate human henchman. Other then that, I liked grudge bearer by Gavin Thorpe, it's about the king of a dwrven hold, and you get a bit of interresting backstory on Grombrindal, the white dwarf, I just love the line from him:
Look for me in the unseen places. Look for me when the world is at its darkest and when victory seems far away. I am Grombrindal, the White Dwarf, the grudgekeeper and the reckoner, ans my watch is eternal.

[comicshorse]

Like most things the Warhammer novels rang from the excellent to the truely crap.
Personally I'd avoid the Konrad novels but heartily recommend the Genevieve novels. Those being 'Silver Nails', Beasts in Velvet', Genevieve Undead' and the excellent 'Drachenfels'.
I'vr read less of the 40k novels but a friend recently leant me the Horus Heresy series and I've loved every one of them

[SmartAlec]

The Eisenhorn Trilogy are my favourites of the things to come out of the Black Library, and all three books can be bought in paperback compilation form for a mere £7.99. A tale of the Inquisition, and one man's long life in its' service. Bargain!

[Revlid]

Due to the presence of Dan Abnett (and greater flexibility in what can happen), Warhammer 40,000's range of novels seems to have the larger number of truly good ones.

Warhammer 40,000
- Anything by Dan Abnett. Specifically Eisenhorn (cannot recommend this enough), the Ravenor series, and the Gaunt's Ghosts series.
- The Ciaphas Cain Series
- Some swear by the Soul Drinkers series.
- Others find further delight in the Horus Heresy series.

Warhammer Fantasy
- The Malus Darkblade series, unsurprisingly by Dan Abnett (with Mike Lee).
- The First Two Books of the Gotrek & Felix series, Trollslayer and Skavenslayer.
- Personal Favourites are Necromancer!, and The Corrupted.

[Bryn]

In addition to Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn series, I also reccomend 15 Hours by Mitchel Scanlon - both of these are set in the Warhammer 40000 universe. 15 Hours, as well as being a generally good book, stands out as being one of the few books not to have a plot-armoured, nigh-godlike protagonist (exaggeration). I'll say no more about it for fear of spoilers, but it's a great book.

[bosssmiley]

Anything with Jack Yeovil's name on it is worth reading (it's a pen-name of Kim Newman of "Anno Dracula" fame). Other than that, you're looking at pretty generic game fiction.

The Warhammer comic they did was fun. Basically the guys at Black Industries hired all their favourite 2000AD artists to do Warhammer fic. Heh, Kal Jericho.

[Kojiro Kakita]

Riders of the Dead.

Its a book that deals with one of the less recognized armies of the Warhammer World, the Army of Kislevites.

[Attilargh]

If you don't mind fanfic, Imperial Literature has some really good stuff. And there's a couple pieces by Yours Truly, as well.

[Manticorkscrew]

I'm a fan of Dan Abnett's Eisenhorn series.

And I'll add my vote to everyone who recommended Jack Yeovil's Genevieve series.

I used to be a fan of the Gaunt's Ghosts series of books, but they aren't as good as they used to be. It's fairly obvious that Dan Abnett is getting bored with them.

[thedavo]

The Horus heresy books have been hit and miss. Everything up to Flight Of The Eisenstein was great, Fulgrim was ok, and Descent Of Angels was poop.

I think Dan Abnett's writing the next one, so it should hopefully be pretty good.

The Malus Darkblade books are good aswell, as are a bunch of others that have been mentioned.

[Emrylon]

The Genevieive series is really good.

In 40k I like most of the Space wolf series except for Wolfblade.

I am a Space wolf player though so that may be wjy I like then so much...

[Prophaniti]

I definitely second the recommendation of any books by Dan Abnett. Eisenhorn is brilliant. I love the Horus Heresey so far, great stuff. I love space wolves but coulnt stand the novel series, the writing quality was simply too low for me.

I'm afraid I dont know much about the regular Warhammer novels, havent had a chance to read any yet.

[Inhuman Bot]

I can't suggest anything that hasnt been said, though all that have been are pretty good from what I'ce heard/read.

[evisiron]

I apoligise for not having time to read previous posts, so I am pretty sure my opinion will only reinforce others:

WF: All Gotrek and Felix Novels (____ Slayer) except Vampire Slayer

WH40K: Every Ciaphus Cain novel you can get your hands on!

[A Rainy Knight]

Definitely the Ciaphas Cain series. They're one of the few that can actually make you laugh. For example, Felicia Tayber was once whistling the children's hymn "The Tracks On The Land Raider Crush The Heretics."

[thorgrim29]

Hey, I liked vampire slayer.... Even though Gothrek WAS a bit out of character near the end.

[Hazkali]

Execution Hour is brilliant...just like a cross between Master and Commander and Battlestar Galactica.