Warhammer 40K: 10 Essential Reads From The Black Library

The Warhammer 40,000 Universe has spanned over three decades and amassed such a collection of books and lore that it could fluster even the most diligent librarian. From dusty, radiation-soaked forge worlds to the sprawling heights of hive cities, there are hundreds of stories told across thousands of worlds.

Whether you want to take an overview from the eyes of an Imperial General tasked with the defence of entire sectors of the galaxy,or understand the suffering of the average guardsman then the Black Library, the publisher of Warhammer books, will have a tome for you.

However, when faced with such a mass of options it can be a challenge to find which books will tickle your fancy and keep you wanting more. Instead of pouring blindly through the Black Library let these essential reads guide you into the darkness of the 41st Millennium.

Starting off with the finest Inquisitor the Imperium of Man has ever known. The Eisenhorn tale follows Gregor Eisenhorn as he roots out Heresy and plots to undermine the rule of the Imperium of Man across the Galaxy.

Although he is blessed with psychic powers and wreathed in fine armour, he is but one man trying to stem the tide of encroaching daemons. Eisenhorn is not some gigantic super soldier; one wrong move and the game is over.

This really adds to the sense of danger as this futuristic Sherlock Holmes entangles himself in a plot so large that it could tear the very fabric of reality apart.

Dan Abnett uses a wonderful mix of misdirection and intrigue to keep you on the cusp of understanding but enough in the dark to allow this trilogy to grip you from start to finish.

This series is the perfect introduction to the setting of Warhammer 40,000. Unlike many on this list, it does not expect you to have any prior knowledge of the Universe at large. It is an excellent detective novel in its own right and will leave the reader curious of the wider setting.