Warhammer 40000
Warhammer 40000 (also known as Warhammer 40k) is a future universe, created by Games Workshop in 1987. Originally created as a tabletop minature wargame to accompany Warhammer Fantasy Battle, before long expansion packs became available, and other tabletop games were created that were set in the Warhammer 40000 universe.
The Warhammer universe is set 38000 years in the future where Mankind is led by the all powerful "Emperor", keeping the hordes of chaos at bay with his supreme psychic powers. Born a normal man who possessed an incredible intellect and enormous physical strength, he was also the most powerful psyker (psychic warrior) that mankind had ever seen.
In an effort to unite humanity and defeat the powers of chaos, the Emperor created the Space Marines, elite human warriors with superhuman abilities created through genetic therapy. The Emperor also taught humanity how to travel to the stars through the use of the Warp.
When his own son Horus became a traitor, the Emperor fought him in single combat, mortally wounded the Emperor defeated Horus and was put on a life support device called the Golden Throne. There he has sat for ten thousand years with his shattered body, intact only in spirit, with his incredible psychic powers protecting mankind.
Along with mankind, the universe is populated by Orks, Eldar and a whole host of other alien races, along with the armies of Chaos. The Warhammer 40000 novels are written by a number of very talented authors and published by Games Workshops own publishing house, the Black Library, and the primary focus is on the lives of the Space Marines and the Imperium.
Books Reviewed
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![Butchers NailsAaron Dembski-Bowden]()
Science FictionWritten by Aaron Dembski-Bowden and voiced by Seán Barrett, Butchers Nails is a new and original Audio Drama set within the time of the Horus Heresy and focused on Angron, Primarch of the World Eaters legion - uber-violent, unpredictable and somewhat unhinged (he eventually went on to become a Daemo...
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![The Emperor's GiftAaron Dembski-Bowden]()
Science FictionThe legendary Grey Knights are all that stand between mankind and the horrors of chaos. Secret Guardians who journey into the very realms of the warp and beyond in pursuit of the enemy; to most they and their foes are nothing more than myth and legend, those are the lucky ones. The fortress of Titan...
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![Void StalkerAaron Dembski-Bowden]()
Science FictionThe Night Lords are being relentlessly hunted by the Eldar of the Craftworld Ulthwé, fleeing to the dark fringes of the Imperium in an attempt to escape their pursuers. The fickle hand of fate delivers them to the carrion world of Tsagualsa, a world where their Primarch died and the legion broken. H...
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![Path of the RenegadeAndy Chambers]()
Science FictionAsdrubael Vect has ruled the dark city of Commorragh for millennia, ruthlessly disposing of any who would dare cross him. His reach is long and his position unassailable... or so he thinks. The ambitious Archon (highest ranking member of a Dark Eldar Kabal) Yllithian thinks otherwise and joins force...
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![Chosen of KhorneAnthony Reynolds]()
Science FictionBack when I used to play Fantasy Battle Khorne was my favourite of the chaos horde, I had an army of bloodletters, fleshhounds and beastmen, all lead by a greater deamon. There is something primal about Khorne, the blood-red colours, the flames and the atypical looks that all speak of what a deamon...
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![PhalanxBen Counter]()
Science FictionThe gargantuan star fort of the Imperial Fists, the Phalanx is to be the host for half a dozen Space Marine Chapters. Along with Inquisitors, Sisters of Battle and agents of the Adeptus Mechanicus they will witness a darkly historic event - the end of a Space Marine chapter. After the events of Hell...
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![Architect of FateChristian Dunn]()
Science FictionArchitect of Fate is a Space Marine Battles Anthology which collects together 4 novellas that make up the series featuring the infamous greater daemon of Tzeentch, Kairos Fateweaver. A master of manipulation who schemes and uses his prodigious power to play with the fates of thousands, even the unwi...
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![Shadows of TreacheryChristian Dunn]()
Science Fiction38 000 years in the future and the greatest, most terrible war humanity has ever faced rages across the galaxy as the forces of chaos look to spread terror to every corner and man fights fellow man. On the home world of the human race preparations have begun to defend the Imperial Palace and get rea...
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![The PrimarchsChristian Dunn]()
Science FictionIt is a time of legends, the entire galaxy is one mighty battleground which see the indomitable space marines locked in a bitter civil war, divided by the heresy of Horus. Some chapters remain loyal to humanities greatest leader; the Emperor, while others have chosen the chaos tainted promises of th...
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![First and OnlyDan Abnett]()
Science FictionIt has been nearly 20 years since I first read a Warhammer 40K novel, way before Games Workshops publishing company Black Library was formed. I was and always will be a big fan of anything Games Workshop related, spending a vast amount of my formative years playing a myriad number of games and paint...
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![GhostmakerDan Abnett]()
Science FictionThe second novel in the Warhammer 40k Gaunt's Ghosts Series and written by that insanely talented author Dan Abnett, Ghostmaker acts as a reflection on the history of the Ghost's and focuses on telling the story of the major characters within the regiment. This is done through the use of connected s...
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![Know no FearDan Abnett]()
Science FictionI can't really imagine a more exciting sounding Warhammer 40K novel, a battle during the Horus Heresy conflict that depicts the Ultramarines (my favorite Legion) against the Word Bearers - told with energy and grace by that master of battles Dan Abnett. The Primarch of the Ultramarines - Roboute Gui...
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![Prospero BurnsDan Abnett]()
Science FictionThis is the third audio book to be reviewed within the pages of SFBook and again we are firmly within the realms of Warhammer 40k, this time during that tremulous period of the Horus Heresy. Dan Abnett is the author and Prospero Burns the novel, narrated by Gareth Armstrong on eleven CD's representi...
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![A Thousand SonsGraham McNeill]()
Science FictionThe Space Wolves, those fiercely loyal and dependable Space Marines are sent to Propsero to enforce the Emperors justice after the Primarch of the Thousand Sons chapter makes a serious mistake that puts the safety of the very birthplace of humanity at risk. The events of this story run parallel with...
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![Courage and HonourGraham McNeill]()
Science FictionThe fifth book in the Ultramarines series and the second in the newly released Ultramarines Omnibus II, which also includes several additional short stories and even a nice graphic short. Captain Uriel Ventris is once again in charge of the 4th company, this story is firmly rooted in Uriel's return...
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![Eye of VengeanceGraham McNeill]()
Science FictionThis is a first for SFBook, in it's 13 year history not once has an Audio book been reviewed, it's long before time this changed and I hope to review at least a few novels in this format over the coming months. Honour of the first goes to a specially created audio only book by the Black Library. Eye...
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![The Chapters DueGraham McNeill]()
Science FictionThe Chapters Due is the sixth novel in the Ultramarines series and the third in the Ultramarines Omnibus II, which also includes several additional short stories and even a nice graphic short. Once again we follow Captain Uriel Ventris as the Chapter goes up against their ultimate nemesis, the bruta...
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![The Killing GroundGraham McNeill]()
Science FictionThe Killing Ground is the first novel in the newly released second Ultramarines Omnibus, which also includes several additional short stories and even a nice graphic short. The story see's the Two Ultramarines Pasanius Lysane and Uriel Ventris escaping from the Eye of Terror after the events of Dead...
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![Corax Lord of ShadowsGuy Haley]()
Science FictionCorax Lord of Shadows is the tenth book in the pre-Horus Heresy Primarch series, featuring the leader of the Raven Guard. Set During the great Crusade, the immense void-cities of the Carinae must be brought under the control of the Imperium. Corax joins his Legion with an Imperial War Host to being...
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![Titan DeathGuy Haley]()
Science FictionThe 53rd and penultimate book in the epic Horus Heresy series and the brave soldiers of the Emperor attempt to hold back the armies of chaos from reaching Terra. The line is drawn on Beta-Garmon and god-machines of the Adeptus Titanicus are at the front. Horus has defeated all that have stood befor...
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![Space MarineIan Watson]()
Science FictionSpace Marine is a rare novel that is set in the Warhammer 40k universe, written by Ian Watson. Space Marine is essentially a piece of history in the Warhammer 40k universe, but one that Games Workshop doesn't actually agree with, and was never re-printed. The novel itself no longer "fit's in" with t...
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![The Buried DaggerJames Swallow]()
Science FictionSo this is it, the 54th and final book in the Horus Heresy series. But before you despair, it isn't the end of the story and the mad Titan Horus is only just knocking on the doors of Terra. The final battle will be played out over a series of novels called the Siege of Terra , presumably ending with...
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![PerfectionNick Kyme]()
Science FictionPerfection, an audio drama from those wonderful people at Black Library; this time we are welcomed with the words of Nick Kyme who writes about those colourful, chaotic characters of the Slaaneshi Space Marines. The warped warriors of chaos have beseiged the world of Vardask and things look pretty b...
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![Legion of the DamnedRob Sanders]()
Science FictionBerserker chaos marine chapter the World Eaters are blazing a path of destruction across the galaxy, following in the path of a weird, blood-red comet which holds portents of doom. The small cemetery world of Certus Minor is one such planet along this celestial bodies route and the Excoriators chapt...
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