I really enjoyed the Ravenor and Eisenhorn novels and they helped a lot running Deathwatch. I'm wondering if there's something so definitive for Space Marines? It looks like there are a ton of Space Marine novels and I really don't have the interest in reading them all-- is there any one that gives a good overview of Space Marines in general?

Warrior Brood and Warrior Coven (C.S. Goto) compiled together in Kill Team with a graphic novel are about a Deathwatch Kill Team.

They have a significant disadvantage, though: They're written by C.S. Goto.

Took me a while the name is actually Kill Squad . Thanks, if I can't find the out of print books locally, I may order the reprint.

Space Marine from Ian Watson

The Ultramarine serie with Uriel Ventris.

Shows how the Deathwatch are part of a unity but even other space marine would net respect the deathwatch. (i.e. codex astartes laws of engagement)

There is also a part of the Space Wolf serie with Wulfgard I think. At some point the Space Wolf honor guard (which is a nice variant of the kill team) as to work with a Dark Angel redamption kill team(another nice alternative to deathwatch kill team)(i.e they are after a Fallen Angel) a very nice read about chapter rivalities and cooperation.

Space Marines in general? You could try the Ultramarines novels by Graeme McNeill. Smurfs are about as "general" as you tend to get, though I do not attest to the quality of the material (quite the opposite, really, but opinions vary and you should make your own!).

Again an opinion, but if you want a good Space Marine novel, you could do worse than check out Soul Hunter by Aaron Dembski-Bowden.

Pretty much any novel that you read is either going to get a vote for how much it sucks or how much it rocks. Pick one up and see what you think.

Kage

Daemon world shows how a Word Bearer Kill team is trying to get to and kill a renegade Apostle.

I'll throw in my lot here with the Ultramarines series, I thought they were really good.

Not Dan Abnett mind you.. but still **** good.

Let's put it to you this way, the Horus Heresy books are the best books that the Black Library ever wrote about 40K IMO. If Graham McNeill is allowed to write one of them, then he's OK in my book.

SpawnoChaos said:

And to prove a point if nothing else, I believe that the Horus Heresy novels are weak with one or two notable exceptions. Notable exceptions include A Thousand Sons by Graeme McNeill. On the other hand, Storm of Iron , also by McNeill, is a novel that is commonly thought of in a positive light but which I consider to be one of the more... sprained Black Library novels out there.

Again, though, select one of the books, read it, then produce your own opinion. ON the forums you're going to see a little bit of everything, and for each book that someone lauds, another will decry it.

Kage

I recommend the two Space marine short story Anthologies, Hero's of the Space Marines and legends of the Space Marines. They are good stories plus they will show you multiple Space Marines from many Chapters in lots of different situations.

For full novels I would second the recommendation for Space Marine by Ian Watson, it is now available on Print On Demand from Black Library, it's a little out of date but most of the actual Imperial fist background is still valid. I would also recommend The Space Marine Battles Novels they are both good but I prefer Helsreach. They show space marines in contact with normal Humans both soldiers and civilians.

It's not a single novel, but the Soul Drinker series is better than average. The Blood Angels and Blood Ravens series are not recommended. The Ultramarines series is fairly good, and the Grey Knights and Space wolf novels are about average.

Really, most of the good 40k fiction is light on SM. Dan Abnett's IG and Inquisitor series are good. Ciaphas Cain stuff from Sandy Mitchell is good for a more humorous take.

crisaron said:

Wolf Blades , honor guard sent by the chapter to protect their allies, House Bellisarius of the Navis Nobillite. The specific book within the series to which you are referring is book 5; Sons of Fenris . The whole series is pretty good. Probably one of the coolest things mentioned in book 4; Wolf Blade , was a painting gifted to House Bellisarius of Lemen Russ and Sanguinius walking besides the Emperor, believed to have been painted pre-Heresy and preserved in a stasis field.

-=Brother Praetus=-

Another good one is Brothers of the Snake by Dan Abnett, which he wrote when he finally felt he could write a good book about space marines. I'm pretty sure that Ross Watson is a big fan of BotS...As he seems to mention it in a lot of the Deathwatch interviews in a 'first amongst equals' kinda way.

And yet that seems to be one of the books that is mentioned by some fans as not being a great one when it comes to Marines. And that's using delicate language.

More information, and more suggestion for making up your own mind.

Kage

As some have mentioned, there are certain authors that aren't known for being very good when it comes to sticking with the lore. Personal preference will vary of course.

My opinion: Avoid anything by CS Goto or Ben Counter. Read anything by Dan Abnett, Graham McNeill or Aaron Dembski-Bowden.

Some of note:

Ultramarines/Warriors of Ultramar: Good series overall, but some may find it a big "generic". I think these are likely the best "overall" marine books though.

Horus Heresy Series: Most of them are good. These are really for the marine lovers though. They do a good job of explaining the Heresy and what it meant.

Helsreach: Black Templar book that is pretty good. Does a great job of showing the trouble that marines have when dealing with normal humans.

Soul Hunter: Chaos book, but very very good. One of the best 40k books you can read. If you like traitor legions at all of course.

Heroes/Legends of the Space Marines: I love short stories, they give a good view of many different chapters/situations.

Tomes of fire Trilogy book 1: Salamander is a pretty alright read.

The Anthology books already mentioned will probably be your best bet, some good and some bad writing in them, or rather not to my tastes as opposed to bad.

None of the books really go in to the background/leadership of the marines. they're all about the marine that isnt quite right, or is More Chapter than Chapter is some way. The leadership are portrayed as npc's that either secretly support the main character or secretly oppose them and thus they have a bit of a downfall.

For example, Uriel Ventris from the Ultramarines novels is a codex marine from a codex chapter but ends up being chucked out and sent on a pilgramage for not being codex enough by being Too codex in some aspect or other (i think he made an honour pledge and Had to keep it or thus lose his faith in the Chapter & the Imperium or some such, not read it for a while). through various routes he ends up working alongside/against the Tau, Renegades & Chaos Marines and other such Gribblies, and is eventually redeemed but still looked on in a bad light and "Watched" by the chapter heads. Which leads on to the next trilogy.

Not a bad read, quite predictable in places but still ok.

Fans all have their pet chapters and pet authors, and if something isnt how they want it to be they QQ and slam the book for its uncharacteristic portrayal of marines/chapters, as already evinced by comments in this thread

Brother Praetus said:

Another benfit of the Space Wolf series is they start with the "recruitment" and training of the new Space Marines.

If you want to read about Space Marines, you should check out Heroes of the Space Marines or/and Legends of the Space Marines . Heroes contains a wonderful mix of Loyal and Chaos Space Marines and is written by several Black Library Authors, is a good read all around. On the other hand, Legends is one that I have not read yet but from various reviews I have read it has been called 'disappointing' and 'uninspiring' as well as lacking Chaos, which was promised.

Still, Heroes is what I recommend.

Storm of Iron ... now that is a fantastic book.

Angles of Darkness .. that book sucks.

miss dee said:

And just to prove the point, I would assign these books the other way around. Storm of Iron gave us Vauban fortresses as the height of "seige technology" and Imperial defensive alterations, and tried to represent 20th-century tactics as being just the bees-knees. If you don't mind being patronised somewhat then this might be the book for you.

Angels of Darkness (or Angles?) gave us bendium and the idea that the information that you are presented with in the somewhat simple publications of the 40k universe might not be the absolute truth. Everything else is imperfect observer and confirmation bias.

On the other hand it might be the other way around.

Kage

Basically ignore anyone that didn't reply with Brothers of the Snakes. It is the most fully realized book about space marines. It shows how they can operate alone in small units and in large scale war. It shows training and the rituals that make chapters unique. The Marines actually feel like they would be able to fight off the enemies of man even with small numbers. They're also written believably. It is the book that best shows the space marines in their full range.

First of all sorry for any gramatical error, english is it not my mother lenguage, i can read it with no problems...but to write it is more complex

My recomendations:

Books that i enjoyed:

Space Wolf series (first four books)

Ultramarines series (the first two and the last one "Chapters Due" have great battle scenes )

Brothers of the snake

Storm of iron (some great characters, but Kage have a point about the "tipe" of warfare)

Hellsreach

Soul Hunter

The Grey Knigth series (the third book, "hammer of deamons" es great)

Best Avoid:

Space wolf series (the last two books, five and six)

Anithing wrote for Gotto

Sons of Dorn

Iron Hands

"Meh books":

Blood Angels series (although very good battles)

Soul Drinkers series

Jude Order said:

Except isn't Brotherhood of the snake pre-Heresy? They completly re-did Space Marines after that.

Darq said:

I haven't read Brothers of the Snake, but I do know its about the Iron Snakes. They are a successor chapter, so couldn't possibly be pre-heresy.