Ever have difficulty doing justice to a game when telling someone about it?

I was reading DH last night and that's the one thing that kept popping into my mind- There's no way I could explain this game to my players and do it justice. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words in this case and the artwork in the book can go a long ways toward conveying the feel of the game. But, then I got to thinking about the novels.

Back in high school, a large part of why D&D was so popular with my group was because we all read the Forgotten Realms novels. It really helped us feel as though we knew the world.

I'd love to be able to do the same thing now with DH.

So, of all the 40K novels, which (if any) do the best job of representing DH in all of its awesomeness?

My group are big Star Wars fans but I'd love to run a sci-fi/space game that wasn't Star Wars for once. My games lean into the dark and grim territory all the time anyway so DH is perfect.

Now, I just need to convince my players....

Well I haven't read it, but Scourge the Heretic is a 40k novel that appears to have been written specifically for Dark Heresy. It is about an Inquisitor's Acolyte cell so you probably can't go wrong.

I've also just started reading Ravenor by Dan Abnett (my first 40k novel) and it focuses on an Inquisitor's retinue. I'm nearly half way through and so far it has given me a really good idea of what it would be like to be an Acolyte under an Inquisitor. I highly recommend it. I hear the Eisenhorn trilogy (about another Inquisitor, set before the Ravenor series) is also required reading for Dark Heresy.

Eisenhorn and Ravenor FTW.

I'll disagree with Eisenhorn. While it does show a bit of how the Inquisition works, it lacks the hard and heavy down and dirty darkness of Dark Heresy. Psykers toss around psy powers with abandon and no regard for any kind of problems, Eisenhorn being Eisenhorn is always present, so the Alcolytes never function no their own but are always working with Daddy Inquisitor on their shoulder (when you see them in the book) and technology seems to be a lot higher and more reliable then in Dark Heresy. Still its a good read to understand the politics that occur within the Inquisition proper, but it lacks the grittiness of Dark Heresy in my mind.

Ravenor on the other hand I think is a bit more Dark Heresy. The Alcolytes work more on their own (simply because Ravenor can't be there all the time) so you get a better feel of how Alcolytes may work when their Inquisitor isn't always looking over their shoulder (but you never know when he or she actually is). Though I still think Dan Abnett has the same problem in Ravenor as he does in Eisenhorn with it being less dark and gritty, and more technological wonderful.

But that's my opinion.

Scourge the Heretic is the Dark Heresy novel and the only novel set in the Calixis Sector.

Some of the Commissar Cain novels, the ones where Amberly Vale is involved, have an Inquisitor and her Retinue fouling about trouble.

Im only a third way through the first Eisenhorn novel, Xenos, and so far Im thinking its pretty good. You get to see some of his retinue, but it is his story. Still read it.

Havent read Ravenor yet.

I still think Relentless is an excellent example of how people from different stations in life can work together when necessary,

Nightbringer, one of the Ultramar Space Marine Novels, has an Inquisitor and his small retinue in it, including him conscripting Space Marines and Arbites to work for him.

Check out the comic Exterminatus from Boom! comics, written by Dan Abnett.

I agree with Ripper and diagree with Xathess. Ravenor and Eisenhorn are the best novels that depict inquisition role in DH. And IMHO from all the WH40k writers Abnett is the greatest. His vision of the world is my vision of the world. Tech and superstition level are just right and empire is not as much totalitarian as it is in other novels (which is grate, because I'm from country that survived totalitarianism, and I'm telling you it sucks).

but again its just my humble opinion

For competant Acolytes but lower level games: I would agree Scouge the Heretic is a very good starting point, If your game involves the fate of worlds, the interaction between Inquisitors, then Eisenhorn and Ravenor

The Cain series often has Inquistor Vail turning up with her team and Duty Calls is especially interesting with how a fast food seller ends up being a member of the Inquisitonal Retinue! (yes really)...........

Lord of Night is also excellent for showing the interactions of a Inquisitonal Retinue and the power plays and problems within them........

Abnett's take on the setting, while generally good, always bugs me slightly in it's treatment of tech and downplaying of religion. Mitchell's stuff (Scourge, Cain) strikes me as being almost perfectly on the mark (though orks with bolters was retconned years ago, I think). I'm reading Crossfire at the moment, which is proving to be pretty good inspiration for Dark Heresy. It's centred on an Adeptus Arbites investigation and goes into alot of detail about subject matter acolytes would encounter - strange noble etiquette, religious ceremony and it's impact on day to day business, how the Arbites enforce the law and what it entails and a solid look at the web of politics that exists between the various Adepti and local institutions.

i'm new in the w40k world too and after buying my dark heresy copy i went to my gamestore and buy some novels to get more of the world feeling )).

I'd read eisenhorn trilogy and by now i'm reading the war of the inquisition (i'm starting chaos child just now). I can only say i love Eisenhorn trilogy and i felt i was very dark heresy ^^. It's true that the inquisitor is always with the acolites but, in my opinion, it gives a lot of info and flavor to the inquisition world and how it works. For the other part i'm a little disapointed with Jaq Draco trilogy...but at least it gives me info about eldars and assassins .

I haven't read Ravenor yet bur....give me time. I just love how D. Abnet writes ^^ ( althought the way he can mutilated or kill the main characters sometimes makes me very sad U_U...)

Well it's true that i haven't read many novels but i vote for Eisenhorn Trilogy

There`s actually a thread regarding Scourge the Heretic on the forum where people state their opinions on the book, just to get that one covered. I personally didn`t find that book very intriguing character-relation wise, but descriptions were ok. I also used the plot as the start of the campaign.

I`m an Abnett fan, so Eisenhorn and Ravenor is WH40k DH-wise for me. I use these books to create the mood and feeling.

Snidesworth said:

"Role of religion and technology in WH40k universe" should be separate topic on this forum, but I think it would quickly become eternal flame

Eisenhorn trilogy is nipple-explodingly good, with some good inquisition flavour, but it's a little more grand than people's earlier adventures will be in DH. Maybe when they climb the ranks a bit....

Ravenor's a sort-off sequel to Eisenhorn, and it's definitely grittier and more representative of Dark Heresy. It's also not a bad little trilogy at all. My advice? Read both trilogies. That'll do.

The characters from the rules examples in DH are the characters in Scourge the Heretic.

I'd reccomend the original Inquisitor novels based around Jaq Draco and his retinue, am assasin, an ogryn, a squat, a space marine and a few others besides. They were retitled as Inquisition Wars i think, and are mostly considered out of date compared to the recent revisions of the system, bearing in mind they were written around the Rogue Trader & 2nd ed era they contain other things long missing from the setting. Buts thats something that crops up in some of the other book related theads.

Also, i'd reccomend the fluff book called The Inquisition: An Illustrated Guide to the Secretive Protectors of the Imperium (ISBN: 1844164918), which covers quite a lot of useful info and is well illustrated as well.

According to the Black Library website The Inquisition War is going to be reprinted in February 2009.

So long as its not the RetConned version, where Grim the Squat suddenly became a Marine TechPriest...

The Squats were a part of the 40k setting, and retconning them out of it is simply silly. I know GW were trying to get away from the whole WHFB in Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaace! when they started some of their retcons.

Excuse me while i wander away for a little while grumbling at GW's actions..

DH is FFG property now, and i praise the saviours of or beloved setting, much anticipated after so many years!

You will be wanting Squats in the new Creature book next

I think the Inquisition War - whilst worthy, is again (like Eisenhorn) suited to higher levels of play than many play DH - not that you can not or should not play higher (thats usually where I play) but the larger stage depicted may be a little different to some peoples experiences?

Sadly the Squats were eaten by the 'nids.

Apparently each and every last one of them.

But i hold out hope for the Tau allies who're essentially the same thing, short beardy people who mine and live on clan ships..

Yes well, I personally meld the two together - the Demiurg and the Squats - the survivors of the invasion - but thats just how I like to see it.........

But i hold out hope for the Tau allies who're essentially the same thing, short beardy people who mine and live on clan ships..

I am glad you put that ' in your Tau allies who're - a bit too close to Slaaneshi cultists me thinks

Da Boss said:

You're not the only one.

The Tyrant Star as a Demiurg mining clan being chased by 'nids (thus the whole death & destruction in its wake...)

But yes, the Squats i think Would have sided with the Tau, given the fact that te Tau let people alone so long as they join up For the Greater Good.

The Tau dont force peopel to fight, just ask them to let trade routes go via their space, on ther planetsd and the like, all for a slice of the pie..

I'd have to say the Eisenhorn series. In fact, I've made it required reading for the players in my campaign. True, it deals with Eisenhorn himself, and focuses less on his acolytes, but this provides a glimpse in the the WH40K universe through the eyes and mind of an actual Inquisitor, which I feel is essential for players to help understand the why and what of they are doing. It also shows just how short and cheap life can be in the grim far future. . .

I'm reading Eisenhorn as of now, halfway through Malleus. It's a must IMO because it shows some insides to the =][= but mostly because it shows a lot of the more non-war life in the 41st millenium.

Ripper.McGuirl said:

I entirely agree with Ripper.McGuirl, when ever I want to point someone to some idea's for dark heresy, or get some of my own idea's, I return to my trusty Eisenhorne Novels, and the Ravenor ones are excellent for extra ideas

Eisenhorn IMO is the best trilogy, I just didn't think Ravenor was as good, although in its own way, it deals better with acoyltes than Eisenhorn, as Ravenor was a cripple.

Either or preferably both will give players a good insight.

Eisenhorn because it goes into depth about life for normal inhabitants of the Imperium.

Eisenhorn because it shows the political issues involved in working for the Inquisition.

Eisenhorn because it shows the perils of facing humanity'e enemies and becoming seduced by their heretical ways.

And, most importantly, Eisenhorn because it's the best written and a good book is more likely to hook your players on the universe than a fact-packed but crappy one.