Can anyone recommend a good book or books that provide backstory to the 40k Universe?

Before asking this question I searched around and found the official 2014 Games Workshop 3 hardcover edition books ($70); this doesn't fit the bill as I would only want one of the three books (the middle "fluff" one, which tells the history of the universe).

This old EN Worlds thread (2014) recommended some earlier edition fluff books (all on Ebay now), but concluded that there is nothing comprehensive. It also pointed the OP to FFG's 40k roleplaying book line . BellOfLostSouls reports how scattered the backstories are (various codexes, the Black Library, Forge World, fan wikis, etc).

Can anyone make a recommendation for me? I'm just looking for something to give me more favor/backstory whilst playing Forbidden Stars.

Cheers

I'm liking the previous edition rulebook, a big lavish hardcover with tons of art and fluff, now on sale from various amazon vendors for ... < $10 USD. It's funny reading the reviews on how everyone says GW is such a price gauger; the book went for almost 10x its used price now before the 2014 edition came out :-)

The lexicanum is a site I like and have seen others recommend.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Main_Page

Ty!

Found this awesome 40k in a minute video on youtube :-)

I read books 1 and 2 of the Horus Heresy and am now reading Gaunt's Ghosts. I keep the tablet handy to look up references on the WH40k wiki. I think I have a pretty good handle on it.

No need to go nuts, because as someone else mentioned, GW changes the lore quite a bit and recently obliterated their entire WH fantasy realm.

If you actually want to read full on fiction novels, you won't go far wrong with any of the Gaunt's Ghost books, they are brilliant, although told from the perspective of the imperial guard only, they give you the feel of the 40K universe from a human perspective, with plenty of chaos thrown in. Then for space marines any horus heresy book.

I could go on forever, but that is because I love the world that has been created by all the fiction written about 40k, and will carry on reading it long after I stop playing.