# Best 40k Series of Black Library?



## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

After a suggestion by Baron Spikey I decided to make this poll to answer a question floating around the Black Library boards and has been asked many times. Which is the best 40k series currently available?, there is a lot of series at the moment and many are considered to be the best by a majority vote or a minority vote, some are liked and some are disliked but many series have been put forward as the best by different people. If this thread gets enough votes I may make a fantasy version just so we can have completeness, but for now just 40k options are available.


My favourite series is the Word Bearers series by Anthony Reynolds. I was fortunate enough to get _Dark Apostle_ and _Dark Disciple_ before they became hard to find and thoroughly enjoyed them, and once _Dark Creed_ was released I finished it on the very day I got it in the mail, I couldn't put it down and haven't done that with a book since. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships with each other, from Marduk and Burias's early camaraderie and later animosity, and Marduk and Kol Badar's barely contained hate for each other but their grudging respect for the other's skills was very interesting to follow, and later it showed that Kol Badar was the best ally Marduk had.

The Word Bearers had never really appeared in novels before this, and Anthony Reynolds did them justice, the Word Bearers rituals and their home base are described in visually stunning detail, the Infidus Diabolis is appropriately dark and foreboding to the reader, picturing it is quite enjoyable. The Word Bearers characterization as a Legion, how they act and how they make war was excellently done by Mr Reynolds and the acts of their religion and their chants are very cool, such as Marduk's flesh being covered in the tattooed scriptures of Lorgar and all the catechisms of hate and defilement that they speak as they slaughter the enemy are very well written.

My favourite was Burias, it was always great when he became Burias-Drak'shal, but by the third novel he had become whiny and despondent over not advancing in the Legion, and though it was good for the plot I found it annoying. Kol Badar is my favourite of the series now, followed by Marduk and then Burias.

From what Anthony Reynolds has said the series will continue in the future, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Marduk, now on the Dark Council, and perhaps one day he and Kol Badar will settle the score between them.


Ill say that if it had more books the Night Lords series would be my favourite, but with only one novel so far I don't think it counts as a full series yet. Though when _Blood Reaver_ is released it will very likely take the place as my favourite 40k series over the Word Bearers, which will become my second favourite. But until then the Word Bearers remains my favourite full series.


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## raider1987 (Dec 3, 2010)

I have NEVER read anything from 40k, only the Horus Heresy. However I have only started the whole thing about 3 months ago now, on prospero burns and I think I will start going through the omnibuses I have been accumulating. So I will be keeping an eye on this thread so I have a good idea where to go next.


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## gally912 (Jan 31, 2009)

My vote is for the

HERO OF THE IMPERIUM


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## raider1987 (Dec 3, 2010)

I think you should make Eisenhorn and Ravanor the same option, I think they are both in the same series.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

Voted for my beloved Ghosts. Never read a series that has made me invest so much in the characters that when some are killed off i am truely shocked and feel it. For me the Ghosts are just impossible not to like, all of them (well apart from Meryn perhaps) are all highly unique, all bring a different viewpoint for the Regiment and are charasmatic and likeable in their very own ways. Favourite series ever across all fictions, with Sabbat Martyr being one of the finest books i've ever read.


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## CursedUNTILLDEATH (Apr 25, 2010)

Well... im torn between Word bearers, Ultras, and Soul Drinkers. After some thinking though im going to have to go with Ultras.

McNeil is by far my favorite 40k author, I find that unlike many BL books I actually give a shit about the character (and I dislike the Ultras, so that's saying allot). Dead sky, Black Sun was just epic as epic could be, and the killing ground was very emotional. I haven't read the last two books yet but I hope for greatness.

I loved the word bearers (Kol Badar is badass) but I can't really find myself routing for the bad guys, and the soul drinkers got a bit stale. Then again Imperial guard books were all quite good (Gun heads was the best) I just feel like they don't have any scale to them.


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## ribbons69 (Mar 6, 2010)

My vote goes to the Tanith First and Only as well,a series so good it trancends the Black Library,and works perfectly well with no background knowledge of the 40k universe at all.


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## Chaosveteran (Aug 29, 2010)

Souldrinkers!!!

I love the way the book shows how fragile the Imperium really is and how easy for it is for something to throw it waaay out of balance. Rise and fall of a Chapter and, of course, the predetermined, prejudgemental Imperium that already condemns you no matter what (like the Inquisition in the Middle Ages)


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## Malcador (Nov 19, 2010)

Eisenhorn. Nothing can contend with such badassery.


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Gaunts Ghosts! The fact that I'm (and the characters themselves are) still heartbroken that 

Bragg
 is dead speaks for exactly how much you invest and empathise with Abnett's creations.

It's been close to 10 books now since the character died but I still crack open the next GG novel hoping it's all been some silly misunderstanding and he'll be there laughing and joking with Larkin.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Baron Spikey said:


> Gaunts Ghosts! The fact that I'm (and the characters themselves are) still heartbroken that [spoilers]-----[/spoilers] is dead speaks for exactly how much you invest and empathise with Abnett's creations.
> 
> It's been close to 10 books now since the character died but I still crack open the next GG novel hoping it's all been some silly misunderstanding and he'll be there laughing and joking with Larkin.


Do you really need spoiler tags to hide 

Bragg's
 death, I think that every single Black Library fan knows that he was killed, even those who haven't read the novels.


Lets not be an ass like that please. - darkreever


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

Lord of the Night said:


> Do you really need spoiler tags to hide ----, I think that every single Black Library fan knows that he was killed, even those who haven't read the novels.


Well I've corrected my spoiler tags so they're actually tags.

No LotN, just because you know doesn't mean every one does and I actually mind if I ruin something for someone else...


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

Indeed i thankfully hadn't found out he died before reading it, but due to someone else on here not adding spoilers did find out another one of the main characters was going to die before it happened. There is no sense in not putting the tags in, doesn't effect you in anyway


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## March of Time (Dec 4, 2009)

Ciaphas Cain is far and away the best 40k series.


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## Thyr (Oct 25, 2010)

My vote goes to the Salamander series. I love it and can't wait to get my hands on Nocturne. 

I also love the Blood Angels and Ultramarines series. 

I also read the Eisenhorn series and while it wasn't bad at all I didn't really care for any of the characters. But that's probably just because I despise the Inquisition.


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## darkreever (Apr 3, 2008)

Baron Spikey said:


> No LotN, just because you know doesn't mean every one does and I actually mind if I ruin something for someone else...


In complete agreement with this, just because you know doesn't mean everyone else does.

When I was reading the series I didn't see it coming or know that was gonna happen, and when it did I needed someone else to confirm it for me because I didn't believe it.


Its like the people who ruined the end of Hellforged for me. I haven't read the fucking thing so I didn't know how it was going to end, but its people like you who have this baseless assumption that everyone reading black library books seems to already know that managed to spoil the end of that book for me. Same goes for the end of Blood Pact, didn't know that one but people assumed such (even after I mentioned that I hadn't read the book) and ruined that for me.


Show some courtesy and don't be an ass, not everyone knows or cares to have things spoiled. Other people are not carbon copies of you, don't fool yourself.



Personally, I went outside the box for this one and chose other: Let the Galaxy Burn. In the end, I know the point is a series of novels, by the same author about the same thing, but I rather like the series of short stories by various authors much more than any one series by any one author.

I get a taste of different works from different people. And should I come across a story I don't care for, well its a short story so I won't have to trawl through it for terribly long. If theres something I like, well then I have to hope the author does more on that in the future, and in some cases they have.


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## Doelago (Nov 29, 2009)

darkreever said:


> In complete agreement with this, just because you know doesn't mean everyone else does.
> 
> When I was reading the series I didn't see it coming or know that was gonna happen, and when it did I needed someone else to confirm it for me because I didn't believe it.
> 
> ...


:goodpost: I agree with the above!


My vote went to Gaunt's Ghosts, and I dont really need a reason for that...


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## Roninman (Jul 23, 2010)

Eisenhorn, followed by Ciaphas Cain.


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## Flayed 0ne (Aug 29, 2010)

OTHER!

Night Lords anyone?..."Soul Hunter" is such an awesome book...followed by "Throne of Lies" and "The Core" (Fear the Alien)...with Blood Reaver on the Horizon...ok so its still a relatively "new" series but -soooo- well done...ADB really delivers!

:yahoo:


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

Ciaphus Cain for me. I look forward to this series more than any other just for the light relief that comes with it while still being set in one of my favourite universes.


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## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

Well now, I'm going to go with _Gaunt's Ghosts_. They were the first Imperial Guard novels that I read and I enjoyed them greatly. Heck, I even thought about starting a Tanith army once. .


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## MuSigma (Jul 8, 2010)

Lord of the Night said:


> My favourite series is the Word Bearers series by Anthony Reynolds. I was fortunate enough to get _Dark Apostle_ and _Dark Disciple_ before they became hard to find and thoroughly enjoyed them, and once _Dark Creed_ was released I finished it on the very day I got it in the mail, I couldn't put it down and haven't done that with a book since. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships with each other, from Marduk and Burias's early camaraderie and later animosity, and Marduk and Kol Badar's barely contained hate for each other but their grudging respect for the other's skills was very interesting to follow, and later it showed that Kol Badar was the best ally Marduk had.
> 
> The Word Bearers characterization as a Legion, how they act and how they make war was excellently done by Mr Reynolds and the acts of their religion and their chants are very cool, such as Marduk's flesh being covered in the tattooed scriptures of Lorgar and all the catechisms of hate and defilement that they speak as they slaughter the enemy are very well written.


This may be a point for a different post - but reading your OP I couln't help but be reminded of a nagging thought. After reading Marduks novels and recently "The First Heretic" - I keep thinking perhaps Mr Reynolds could have done a better job of Lorgars fall than ADB, being that Lorgars fall is the most important of the Heresy, I think the Marduk series properly captures the true style of the Legion.
The intelligence and power portayed by the WB's in the Marduk series is a better image then the weakling images of the TFH book.
To me Lorgar is the equal of Horus in importance and ADB doesnt capture this point in any way.
In some ways to me at least if the Corpse god is a false emperor them Lorgar is the true emperor, he wrote the whole belief system of the imperium now used in 40k and also the whole belief system of the CSM - he is the architect of boths sides of the war, the whole basis of both sides existance in 40k was written by Lorgar. Yet sadly ADB has left the image in the minds of most posters of a Primarch and a Legion who are weak and pathetic.
Maybe Reynolds could have give the plot and charactors most dignity and deserved respect.


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## AK74Bob (Oct 2, 2010)

GD this is a hard choice. I love my Ultramarines, but the latter novels aren't as good as the earlier ones, so I went with Ciaphas Cain. All of the Cain stories are awesome. Plus he's THE HERO OF THE IMPERIUM ffs. Gaunt's Ghosts has killed off too many of my favorite characters (you know who I'm talking about). If Dan kills Larkin I will stop reading them and may use the novels as target practice for my ak74. Thankfully Cain and Jurgen are safe from such things.

Surprised that the Last Chancers aren't one of the choices.


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## Anfo (Jul 17, 2009)

The Horus Heresy is by far my favorite; but it isn't 40k.

So for 40k I'd go with the Soul Drinkers.


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

MuSigma said:


> This may be a point for a different post - but reading your OP I couln't help but be reminded of a nagging thought. After reading Marduks novels and recently "The First Heretic" - I keep thinking perhaps Mr Reynolds could have done a better job of Lorgars fall than ADB, being that Lorgars fall is the most important of the Heresy, I think the Marduk series properly captures the true style of the Legion.


Let us not forget that 10,000 years seperates _The First Heretic_ from the _Dark Noun_ series. The Word Bearers as a Legion are vastly different when comparing both time periods. 



MuSigma said:


> The intelligence and power portayed by the WB's in the Marduk series is a better image then the weakling images of the TFH book.


Firstly I would refute you referring to the Word Bearers and Lorgar as 'weaklings' as they were portrayed in _The First Heretic_, I don't think that was the case at all.



MuSigma said:


> To me Lorgar is the equal of Horus in importance and ADB doesnt capture this point in any way.


Personally I think Aaron did a fantastic job of portraying Lorgar's fall to chaos. May I ask how he apparently doesn't capture Lorgar's importance to the Heresy?



MuSigma said:


> and also the whole belief system of the CSM


Only the Word Bearers really. He doesn't really have much influence at all (especially in the theological/philosophical sense) beyond his own Legion as it stands.



MuSigma said:


> he is the architect of boths sides of the war, the whole basis of both sides existance in 40k was written by Lorgar.


He helped to indirectly establish the fledging faith in the God-Emperor pre-Heresy, but ultimately had nothing to do with the establishment of the Ecclesiarchy or other official Imperial institutions based on the Imperial Cult. So I think you are over-exaggerating his importance in that regard. 



MuSigma said:


> Yet sadly ADB has left the image in the minds of most posters of a Primarch and a Legion who are weak and pathetic.


I would say to any such individuals that they failed to grasp the true perception of Lorgar that _The First Heretic_ actually established. I would also love to see some reasoned arguments as to why such people perceive him as weak or pathetic.



MuSigma said:


> Maybe Reynolds could have give the plot and charactors most dignity and deserved respect.


The _Dark Noun_ series was great, don't get me wrong. But let's look at Reynolds' only contribution to the Heresy series so far; _Scions of the Storm_. I know it was only a short-story but it failed to grasp the sheer importance of Lorgar's chastisement, nor it's far reaching consequences. All it did was regurgitate what was already established from the Index Astartes article (for one example) in novel format in regards to Lorgar's chastisement. How exactly did AD-B not portray Lorgar with respect or dignity? And what makes you think Reynolds would have done better?


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## AK74Bob (Oct 2, 2010)

Well Lorgar did get his ass kicked by Corax, so he is weaker than him in fighting ability anyway. I remember Curze calling him a craven weakling too. In fighting ability he is most likely the weakest primarch of all.


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## raider1987 (Dec 3, 2010)

I don't think he is genetically weaker... he may well be weaker but I believe that he simply has no passion for combat, where as Corax and most other primarchs live for it and it comes naturally to them. Corax was easily dodging most of Lorgars blows where as Lorgar simply did not have the skill to fight as well.


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## increaso (Jun 5, 2010)

I haven't read any from the Ultramarines Series, the Dark XXXX series or the most recent Blood Angels novel, but of the rest it's easily Gaunt's Ghosts.

I read Eisenhorn (which is doing well on votes here) after the omnibus came out. I read it on the back of the hype, but without any spoilers. I didn't immediately think that it was amazing and I am curious as to why people rate it so high. 

Don't get me wrong. Eisenhorn is enjoyable, but I preferred Ravenor.


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## MuSigma (Jul 8, 2010)

Child-of-the-Emperor said:


> Let us not forget that 10,000 years seperates _The First Heretic_ from the _Dark Noun_ series. The Word Bearers as a Legion are vastly different when comparing both time periods.
> 
> *I guess I was wishing 30k Lorgar was as dark and as moody as Marduk.*
> 
> ...


*Hmm I can only conjecture using very limited comparisons. In brief I would have liked to have seen Lorgar portrayed with a darker stronger charactor. When his favourite planet was bombed by guilliman, he could have secretly sworn oaths of vengence and the seething unexpressed rage could have easily led him to chaos in a stronger way. Instead he succumbed to despair and soul searching, all acceptable under the circumstances, but he did not draw strength from it, so much as fall gently into Erebus's way of thinking.

For example on Cadia watching the Chaos ritual his Captain says something like "Any god that asks these things of its worshippers is unfit to be worshipped." Lorgar replies "That's the first intelligent thing anyone has said since we landed here." As though they can see chaos is not the right chioce but they will do it anyway. There seems very little decisiveness about any of the Primarchs fall to chaos - just a shrug and a "whatever" sort of attitude.
Perhaps ill finish off with one final attempt to explain my point of view of whats been lacking in all the books for me. In the Star Wars 3 film the fall to the dark side of the chosen one anakin skywalker, the process is very dramatic and everyone is aware that its a massive dramatic event. None of Primarchs fall to the "dark side" so far have captured any drama at all so far.*


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## AK74Bob (Oct 2, 2010)

Hmmm thats true MuSigma, good points.


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## Dead.Blue.Clown (Nov 27, 2009)

MuSigma said:


> *Hmm I can only conjecture using very limited comparisons. In brief I would have liked to have seen Lorgar portrayed with a darker stronger charactor. When his favourite planet was bombed by guilliman, he could have secretly sworn oaths of vengence and the seething unexpressed rage could have easily led him to chaos in a stronger way. Instead he succumbed to despair and soul searching, all acceptable under the circumstances, but he did not draw strength from it, so much as fall gently into Erebus's way of thinking.
> 
> For example on Cadia watching the Chaos ritual his Captain says something like "Any god that asks these things of its worshippers is unfit to be worshipped." Lorgar replies "That's the first intelligent thing anyone has said since we landed here." As though they can see chaos is not the right chioce but they will do it anyway. There seems very little decisiveness about any of the Primarchs fall to chaos - just a shrug and a "whatever" sort of attitude.
> Perhaps ill finish off with one final attempt to explain my point of view of whats been lacking in all the books for me. In the Star Wars 3 film the fall to the dark side of the chosen one anakin skywalker, the process is very dramatic and everyone is aware that its a massive dramatic event. None of Primarchs fall to the "dark side" so far have captured any drama at all so far.*


Nah, I find that a bit unoriginal. Bad stuff immediately leading to oaths of vengeance is a bit trite, in my view.

And I've never seen anyone legitimately claim that Anakin's "LOL DARK SIDE" fall was compelling or well-paced. To me, it was as unbelievable, abrupt and unfounded as things can get.

I prefer the idea that Lorgar was a soulful, contemplative seeker, who didn't find himself until after he became a traitor. The Lorgar we see in _The First Heretic_ is at the lowest ebb of his entire existence - a soul at its literal nadir. He's an incredibly strong individual, but that strength only shows as he develops, becoming the person he was born to be: the Archpriest of Chaos. During _The First Heretic_, he's not that person. This is his journey to become it.

I think it's infinitely more powerful that the visionary seeker will turn out to be the charismatic minister of Horus's rebellion - the first time we'll see Lorgar post-Istvaan will be when he's deeper in his true calling. It felt much more powerful, realistic and resonant to me that the first time we'll see Lorgar really, truly acting as a charisma-resonating, confident, mighty uber-warlord is when he's chosen the path of corruption and is now one of the rebellion's main commanders. _The First Heretic_ was never going to be that novel. It was about the first steps. The next time we'll get to see the Word Bearers in detail, yep, then we see Lorgar as the primarch he always wanted to be, and unrestrained by doubt and the need to hunt for the truth.

EDIT: You mention the primarchs' weak falls, and to a degree, I'm on your side. That's one of the main reasons Lorgar_ isn't_ the flawless, powerful demigod his brothers all are. Because those incredible beings falling to Chaos often has an element of "...wait, what?" when they do it. It can seem sudden, or unbelievable. Lorgar isn't the equal of them in all ways back then. He falls because even the unpalatable truth matters more to him than anything else, and after the Dropsite Massacre, when he's the guy saying "Horus Needs You!" and raising more cultists and daemons than anyone else to serve the Warmaster's plan, only then is he the strong figure that all the other primarchs have always been. He finds his calling, at last. But we've not got to that part. Frodo doesn't destroy the ring in the first movie.

So, really, you can't always have it both ways. I still contend that Lorgar's fall was by far the most realistic and believable one so far: he was lost, beset by doubts, found his father was lying to the whole species, and spent X time in the Eye of Terror itself, learning that gods were real all along. That's what will make him strong in the rest of the series, and turn him into the Lorgar we all know as the Archpriest of Chaos. He needed to be "weak" in some ways, for that to be more believable than yet another mighty, mighty badass know-it-all coming undone or choosing to be a bit of a tool to his own family, rebelling out of some vague desire.


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

:goodpost:



MuSigma said:


> In brief I would have liked to have seen Lorgar portrayed with a darker stronger charactor.


I started an epic reply, but then realised that Aaron had portrayed it much clearer and stronger than I ever could. My opinion falls in line with his in this regard.


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Night Lords series. I generally enjoy Aaron Dembski-Bowden's style. I believe its fresh but still bears aspects of that Gothic tradition rooted within the lore. Something I feel many Black Library authors fail to grasp or capture sufficiently. He is perhaps the only ever author in my usually bias mind that fully captured the sheer-scale of war in all it's slaughterous, brutal and logistical glory in _Helsreach_ - the Third War for Armageddon. 

I would have voted the Salamander's series as _Firedrake_ was a masterpiece. But that's the point: I felt the book was too good. It seemed like something taken from the table-top, not from a dark, unrelenting galaxy of the future like _Soul Hunter_. Yes, _Soul Hunter _had mistakes, too much emphasis on X instead of Y unfortunately causing Z; with the curious Eldar epilogue - but once again, imperfection makes perfection. Oddly.

Edit - Kyme, maybe if you have a Dreadnought battle or maybe some Titans in _Nocturne_ I'll become *your* adoring fanboy.

Edit take 2 - Infact, I'd like to see him write a full-length Heresy novel. Let him go wild over some Legion and show true greatness. I know the guy has it locked up somewhere...


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

I would have voted for the Night Lords series as it is my favourite 40k novel but with only one novel it just doesn't feel like a full series yet, once _Blood Reaver_ comes out then it'll become my favourite series over the _Dark Word_ trilogy.

What I enjoy about the Night Lords series, and about ADB in particular, is that his characters feel so much more real then others. Talos and First Claw are far more likeable then other characters like Marduk and Honsou, and even more so then some loyalists like Uriel Ventris or Rafen. And with those much more real characters the stories become so much better, you can actually root for the traitors to win and get behind their cause since their argument is passionate and you can see why they do what they do and how they feel about their situation.

Once _Blood Reaver_ is out ill be able to make the Night Lords my favourite series, but I just don't feel that one novel constitutes a series. Favourite 40k novel, _Soul Hunter_ hands down.


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

Lord of the Night said:


> I would have voted for the Night Lords series as it is my favourite 40k novel but with only one novel it just doesn't feel like a full series yet, once _Blood Reaver_ comes out then it'll become my favourite series over the _Dark Word_ trilogy.
> 
> What I enjoy about the Night Lords series, and about ADB in particular, is that his characters feel so much more real then others. Talos and First Claw are far more likeable then other characters like Marduk and Honsou, and even more so then some loyalists like Uriel Ventris or Rafen. And with those much more real characters the stories become so much better, you can actually root for the traitors to win and get behind their cause since their argument is passionate and you can see why they do what they do and how they feel about their situation.
> 
> Once _Blood Reaver_ is out ill be able to make the Night Lords my favourite series, but I just don't feel that one novel constitutes a series. Favourite 40k novel, _Soul Hunter_ hands down.


What if you don't like _Blood Reaver_? I find it amusing that you will vote the Night Lords series as your favourite as soon as _Blood Reaver_ is released regardless, you seem certain you will like it because you enjoyed _Soul Hunter_ and adore AD-B. Although that will more than likely be the case with you, may not be with all of us.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

Eisenhorn, just the right amount of novels, a lot of character development, absolutely awesome read. Gaunt Ghost's has gone on for to long and that lets it down.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

bobss said:


> Night Lords series. I generally enjoy Aaron Dembski-Bowden's style. I believe its fresh but still bears aspects of that Gothic tradition rooted within the lore. Something I feel many Black Library authors fail to grasp or capture sufficiently. He is perhaps the only ever author in my usually bias mind that fully captured the sheer-scale of war in all it's slaughterous, brutal and logistical glory in _Helsreach_ - the Third War for Armageddon.


Abnett does a particularly good job of conveying the scale of the Imperium at war i think along with the logistics that go with it, both in the Ghosts series and particularly in the second Eisenhorn novel in which we are witness to a crusading army triumphantly marching though a city. It was the first book i read that truely shows you the scale of an Imperial Army, with compliments of Guard, Astartes, Titans and everything that goes with that, the scale was simply mind blowing and i don't even think it was a particularly large crusade force my comparison and wouldn't have been as large as when it started. But yeah in both series Abnett does a very good job of portraying the scale of war. But i agree ADB does a very very good job at doing so aswell.


In regards to the Ghosts series going on to long, i don't agree. I still can't get enough of the Ghosts, even with some of the best main characters being killed off. The killing of main characters is one of the better aspects of the series, in that its more realistic then most series of its size. And some of the new characters are very very good aswell, from the old-new like Criid, Hark, Daur Curth and Kolea, to the much newer like Baskevyl, Eszrah and Maggs. And even then plenty, plenty of the older characters are still around and at their absoloute best. Spoilers on whose still alive and not ahead all the way up to the end of Blood Pact 

You still have Gaunt (obviously), Rawne, Varl, Beltayn, Bonin, Mkoll, Brostin, Dorden(although on his way out) Larkin, Domor, Meryn(every series has to have a dick, he does it well enough whilst still being an excellent trooper) along with a multitude of minor characters i still like to see mentioned who have been in right from the start. 

Sure Corbec, Bragg, Feygor and Caffran(particularly Caffran) being killed was a shock to the system, but i don't think it made the books any worse, sure i still miss them like hell and when re reading the books feel a sense of dread and longing when i read their scenes, but that's part of what makes Gaunts Ghosts so great.


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## donskar (Apr 8, 2010)

#1 Gaunt's Ghosts
#2 Eisenhorn
#3 Ravenor
Do we perceive a common thread here?


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