10 Best Warhammer 40k Books UK 2024 | Horus Rising, Eisenhorn and More

The No.1 title on our list had to be another installment from Dan Abnett. The Eisenhorn trilogy is hands down the best entry point into the Warhammer 40k literary universe, largely due to the first person POV of the compelling titular Gregor Eisenhorn, who is a fan-favourite.

With a constantly shifting moral compass, it's a rollercoaster ride seeing how far Eisenhorn is willing to go to protect humanity while his own slips away. Do the ends justify the means, or is becoming what you fight against a greater evil? You'll have to make up your own mind while reading the best that 40k has to offer!

Narrowly missing out on our number 1 spot is the first entry into the hugely popular Horus Heresy series that's currently sitting at 54 volumes. Horus Rising takes the reader back 10,000 years to how the Warhammer 40k universe began.

This is a great entry point as it requires little prior knowledge in comparison to other entries, but even those who are familiar will find a lot of extra joy in seeing the seeds being sown for how the 40k universe develops and evolves. Simply put, for new and old fans, it's a must read!

If you've ever seen Sharpe, Band of Brothers, or any other war drama focusing on a small unit led by a celebrated commanding office, you'll be right at home with the Gaunt's Ghosts series. Ibram Gaunt and his squad are some of the most human characters in a terrifyingly violent universe, making them extremely relatable to the reader.

As it keeps the action focused on a small group, there is little backstory needed. Although the series is ongoing, this self-contained trilogy is a great read if you're not too concerned with the extended universe.

This is a difficult one to place as comedy is an extremely subjective thing, but the fact that Sandy Mitchells pulls it off in an otherwise depressing and grim universe deserves serious credit. An omnibus of the first three novels, Ciaphas Cain: Saviour of the Imperium is easily the most unique title on our list.

If you're familiar with the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett, or television shows like Blackadder, you'll have an idea of the kind of humour Mitchell writes. Sarcastic and farcical, this really is a 40k series that anyone can enjoy.

If you're looking at the list of 40k novels and are fed up with the overabundance of Imperial Guards and Space marines, this trilogy is the one for you. It's all about the the bad guys, traitors of humanity who've been warped by the daemonic forces of Chaos.

This isn't an example of good people on the wrong side, these characters are sadistic monsters, but it shows the twisted sense of honour and really dives into what drives the enemies of humankind. You may even find yourself empathising with the protagonist's powerful emotions.

Gideon Ravenor's body has all but been destroyed in an enemy attack, leaving him trapped in a life support system and cut off from the outside world. Thanks to his powerful psychic abilities, he is able to continue his intelligence work and hunt down the enemies who took away his physical form.

Although a stand-alone trilogy, this is somewhat of a follow-up to the Eisenhorn trilogy, so we'd recommend reading that first. You won't be completely lost, but there are details that you will pick up on that will add to your enjoyment.

Ragnar Blackmane is one of the most popular characters within the Warhammer 40k universe, and also one of the earliest. The Space Wolf series of novels follow Blackmane from his early years to legendary hero. 

Unlike other Space Marine chapters, the Space Wolves are inspired by Viking culture and Norse mythology, giving them a different feel. The only reason this isn't higher on the list is that it's only easily available as an eBook in the UK, so those without a suitable device are sadly out of luck.

Dembski-Bowden focuses on the darker side of the Warhammer 40k universe by turning his attention onto the enemies of the Imperium, showing how good men can lose their faith.

While it's a great take on the classic "fall" narrative, and can be read as a stand alone tale, new readers to the universe may be a little lost going into this as it's No. 14 of the Horus Heresy series. Like the previous entry, it's  a great book, but possibly not a great first read.

The first of many novels on our list by the great Dan Abnett, Legion carries many of Abnett's hallmarks, such as great action interspersed with intrigue, twists, turns, and espionage. His works almost read like political thrillers, which is a great feat when the setting involves immortal god-emperors and psychic daemons.

This is a difficult one to place as some consider it a good entry-point into the Horus Heresy series, but we don't quite share that viewpoint. This is one best read once you're familiar with the universe.

When anyone thinks of Warhammer 40k, the image that pops into their head is an Ultramarine. If you've played the tabletop game, you either love them or hate them as they're essentially the Manchester United of the Warhammer world.

Personal biases aside, this series is well written and features an interesting lead character in Captain Uriel Ventris. However, it requires a lot of prior knowledge about the universe and the Ultramarines simply don't have as many interesting nuances when compared to other factions and chapters.