I am wanting to get a better feel for the Warhammer 40k Universe to use for my descriptions. I know I can get some straight facts from the wikis but I really want to get a better feel for the atmosphere. Does anyone know of some good book series I can read to help me out with this?

Maybe the Space Marines codex could be interesting for you?

Eisenhorn, the Shira Calpurnia Omnibus, Gaunt's Ghosts: The Founding. Each of them is quite detailed in the various aspects of the Imperium.

Execution Hour, one of the BFG novels does an excellent job of describing "ship life" for the Imperial Navy. This book appears to be out of print so you might have to find it on Amazon. Or you can get it as "print on demand" with the sequel from Black Library .

I personally love the work that Aaron Dembski-Bowden does for the BL. His books are all good and he has an excellent way of using the english language. Though not really directly "Rogue Trader" I would highly recommend both Soul Hunter and Blood Reaver. Both detail the traitor legion Night Lords and are about the best 40k-fiction has to offer.

Go to your fav GW-handling store and ask them for every Codex they have to read through. Then dont buy anything .

I also suggest the CSM and Necron Dex's on how easy it is to kill a Space Marine. The Imperial Guard Codex gives a nice view on how worthless the life of a single person of the Imperium is.

But i havent read a whole lot of books though.

I second the Eisenhorn, Ravenor, Shira Calpurnia trilogies as all good and offering a view of imperial life away from the battlefield.

Thank you guys, I look forward to digging into these.

In the mean time, I am running a game and I want an NPC to have a really good, and warhammer sounding, insult for the Rogue trader. Preferrably something that belittles his lineage. My mind is just completely blank. Any help would be great.

mwagner626 said:

Well, you could always call him the illegitimate spawn of Abbadon and a Rak'Gol... Not exactly a subtle barb, but it gets the point across.

Cheers,

- V.

I might be worth getting some of the audios to listen to as they are a good way for both yourself and the players to get an idea of the setting with out giving away any possible plot ideas.

I have Fireborn by nick Kyme and Horus Rising by Dan Abnett on audio and they have helped me a feel of the 40K universe

I have also recently read the Eisenhorn Trilogy and found it very good insight in to the Imperium and in to the life of a Rogue Trader (with the fabulous Tobias Maxilla)

mwagner626 said:

"You thin-blooded, cowardly son of a Stryxis."

"YOUR family holds a warrant? It only goes to show that the High Lords may be uncorruptable, but they are certainly not infalliable"

"Above all others YOU bring shame to the profesion of Rogue Trader and I have met Jeramiah Blitz"

"If your heirs are as incompetant as you are, I might just wait fifty years and buy your dynasty, just for something to do"

"You are as useful as an Ork in the Enginarium"

"I'm led to believe that if your crew can put up with your prattling for another Candlemas, they'll officially be beaified."

"You smell so foul even a Kroot wouldn't touch your corpse"

"I understand that you save running costs by not having a Gelalr field. I'm led to understand that not even the Warp wants you"

"You make as much ense as an Eldar with the vocabulary of an Ork. How metropolitan"

"You couldn't organise a trade route between a room of ratings and a *****"

Those are pretty good!

L

If you're going for atmosphere, I'd also recommend reading in related fields. Its not just Warhammer 40k that will help you. Its the fields that inform/ are shared with Warhammer 40k. Get your hands into some of the old gothics; get your hands into some dark science fiction. Bone up on some good old fashioned horror. Movies like the one in your signature do a lot.

Its one thing to read some 40k novels and pick up some props to populate your world with. Its a whole nother thing to understand the themes behind the setting. Props can be used once or twice before they wear thin. Themes generate new an appropriate ideas forever.

professor_kylan said:

This is particularly good!