Sure, shooting zombie hordes and tossing whole boxes of grenades is fun, but when the dust settles, there’s nothing like curling up with a book about the horrors of a chaotic universe far in the future. Warhammer 40k infamously has dozens and dozens of books, particularly for their Horus Heresy series, but jumping into the lore can be the start of a whole new adventure. Here are some of the best Warhammer 40k books for players who just can’t get enough of Darktide.

1. Xenos

As part of the plot of Warhammer 40k: Darktide, players are conscripted into the Inquisition,the secret police of the Warhammer universe. Xenos is the first book in one of the most popular trilogies in the entire Warhammer 40k “Black Library”. Written by the fan-favorite author Dan Abnett, the book follows a veteran inquisitor named Gregor Eisenhorn as he tries to recover the Necroteuch, an extremely evil and incredibly powerful book. There’s fighting, shooting, subterfuge; everything readers need to stay on the edge of their seat from page to page. This action-packed story is brilliantly written and overall a perfect introduction to the expansive Warhammer 40k lore.

2. Soul Hunter

Players who have been enjoying prisoner life, crawling through derelict ships to clear out hordes of enemies, will find a lot to love in Soul Hunter. This book is the first in the Night Lords series and follows the titular traitorous space marines. These ex-space marines are seriously violent and always out for blood. Another book that focuses heavily on action, there is some character building that gives a unique perspective on the night lords, providing insight to their somewhat barbaric existence.

Warhammer 40k fans who are already somewhat familiar with the lore surrounding the Horus Heresy will especially appreciate this fresh look at this much-discussed group of super soldiers.

3. The Uriel Ventris Chronicles: Volume One

Most of the Warhammer 40k books are so gigantic that they could be used as a deadly weapon, making it tough for new fans to just pick up a story and get invested in the world-building. The Uriel Ventris Chronicles: Volume One solves this problem by combining three books and three short stories in less than 1,000 pages.

Each story takes readers to the frontlines against the various enemies of the ultramarines, from the tyranids to dark Eldar to human politics! The story Dead Sky, Black Sun offers a glimpse into a hellscape of chaos, so players can seamlessly transition from Darktide’s Tertium to another horrific place called Medrengard, which is literally a demon planet. Have fun envisioning the horrors of future space between rounds with this convenient compendium book!

4. First and Only

Another Dan Abnett book, First and Only is an excellent sci-fi action book even for readers who have never heard of Warhammer. The story follows Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and his 2,000-strong regiment trying to stop an assassination plot.

Along with this promising premise, Dan Abnett’s writing once again delivers. Fist and Only is just the first book in a trilogy called Gaunt’s Ghosts, a series often lauded as the very best within the Warhammer 40k Black Library. This book does a good job of showcasing how segmented the Imperial military is, with each regiment acting fairly independently, similar to how Roman soldiers operated. Players trying to glean more information about the Imperials definitely need to pick this up!

5. For the Emperor

Darktide players who have already read the Gaunt’s Ghosts series can move on to this more tongue-in-cheek series about another leader in the Imperial army. Framed as a posthumous biography, the story covers the legacy of Ciaphas Cain, a secret coward who just so happens to be the guy in charge when battles are won and soldiers are saved. A reluctant hero, he’s tasked with solving a murder to prevent a civil war, all while dealing with a new, antagonistic regiment.

While there are certainly more humorous elements to this story than other Warhammer 40k books, it isn’t lacking in Warhammer’s signature violent action. There are plenty of battle scenes pitting humans against aliens, plus the skillful writing elevates the story beyond the basic sci-fi action fans may be used to reading.

6. Horus Rising

The ultimate deep-dive into Warhammer 40,000 lore is the long-running series The Horus Heresy. The first book in the series, Horus Rising begins the tale of how the warmaster Horus betrayed the emperor and let chaos engulf the empire. Essentially a backdrop for the entire Warhammer 40k universe, this tome pairs gun-blazing action with deep, heavy lore that honestly might not be for everyone. However, the author is again Dan Abnett, so it’s not difficult for sci-fi action fans to thoroughly enjoy this book.

This book is best for players who have really enjoyed the grimdark setting of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide and want to experience more of this hellish universe. While it did come to a close in 2019, be warned: there are over 50 books in this series!

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More: Things Only Pro Players Know You Can Do In Warhammer 40,000: Darktide