# What to read prior to "Know No Fear"



## Ultra1 (Mar 10, 2011)

As my name suggests i'm a big Ultramarine fan. To all of you who don't like us you're just missing out on the fun that is cleaning your bolter every 8 minutes!

Anyway, I only started reading the Heresy books a little less than a year ago, so needless to say i've not read them all. I've read everything i think prior to "Mechanicus". I REALLY want to read "Know No Fear", but don't want to skip anything important that has to do with the Ultramarines. 

My question is this: What novels should I make sure I read BEFORE I read "Know No Fear"?

If i miss out on stuff that has to do with other chapters i'm ok with it, I can always go back and catch up. Although I don't think i'll ever catch up, they keep putting them out faster than I can read them!


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## sadLor (Jan 18, 2012)

I posted this in the Know No Fear spoilers thread. In response to someone asking if it's okay to read it without reading any book past #8.



> I think you will be fine... but I HIGHLY suggest you read the First Heretic first. It would make a lot more sense if you did. You get an appreciation for the reasons behind Lorgar and his Legion's actions. If you don't really care about the Word Bearers and you just want to see Ultramarines in action, you can probably ignore the First Heretic.


The other books after Mechanium don't really have much, if any, to do with what happens in Know No Fear. There are some short stories in Age of Darkness/Tales of Heresy that have the Ultramarines in them but nothing major; nothing that would spoil Know No Fear for you. So my recommendation is to read the First Heretic and then Know No Fear.


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## Ultra1 (Mar 10, 2011)

Sweet thanks! I've actually read first heretic as well, looks like it's game on.


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## Shattertheirsky (May 26, 2012)

Reading 'Battle for the Abyss' is kind of a prequel to know no fear. Either way, its a VERY good book and I would recommend reading it


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## Akatsuki13 (May 9, 2010)

Yeah 'Battle of the Abyss' and 'The First Heretic' more or less set the stage for 'Know No Fear'. There are some interesting short stories in 'Tales of Heresy' and 'Age of Darkness'. Haven't read 'The Primarchs' yet but that doesn't have Guilliman in so that may not interest you. Personally after my favorites 'The First Heretic' and the opening trilogy I love 'Legion' and the Thousand Sons-Space Wolves pair, 'A Thousand Sons' and 'Prospero Burns' all of which I highly recommend.


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## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

Urgh battle for the abyss is horrendous and although a precursor, has such little bearing on future actions its not funny.

the first heretic has no bearing on the storyline - youll see that when you read knf, and anyone who knows anything about the heresy wont be fooled as you have the gods eye omnipotence of knowing of the fall of the word bearers.

you dont need to read anything before. the scene is set played and finished in one.


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## Shattertheirsky (May 26, 2012)

I agree with you on the small amount of relevance to the overall story, however I though BFTA was a brilliant read, especially the parts about Skraal the World Eater, and overall the story was action-packed and fast-paced.


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## Apfeljunge (May 1, 2011)

You will find very little love for BftA on this forum (or others) because:
1. Many people don't like Counters writing (myself included).
2. All Characters are 1 dimensional stereotypes of their respective legions. Skraal and Mhotep are enjoyable despite this but the Ultras are really boring, the Wolf is just an annoying parody and the Word Bearers are the worst kind of stupid cliché villains.
3. The whole plot has no bearing on the rest of the heresy at all and is not good enough to compensate for this.

This being said, I still don't think the book is terrible, just very mediocre. There are some nice moments and as said earlier Skraal and Mhotep are not that bad.

@OP, Vaz: 
I think you need TFH to relate to the Word Bearers' reasons for the betrayal.
It adds a lot of depth to them e.g. Gulliman refers to the Monarchia incident and you can't understand the impact it had on the Word Bearers and their decision to attack Calth without that novel.


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## Cowbellicus (Apr 10, 2012)

Mandatory : A Thousand Suns, The First Heretic, Deliverance Lost.

Optional, but worth it : Prospero Burns, The Outcast Dead.

The short story books are ok, but there's really only one standout story. And it _is_ a whopper of an awesome one - After De'shea.


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