[Angel of Blood]

I like it. I like to read more than bolter born. The philosophical thoughts and conversations if nothing else just show me the writer is actually very good and accomplished at writing and putting more complex literary ideas and concepts down. It's where other authors like Ben Counter and James Swallow fall short for me. Everything with them is just very obvious, blunt and uninspired. Any time they try to go for more complex or idiosyncratic ideas etc, they just don't pull it off.

 

[Angel of Blood]

I like the first person aspect. Eisenhorn by Dan Abnett is the same. Found it a little odd at first, took a bit of getting used to, but then I began to really appreciate it.

 

[Angel of Blood]

First book. Published last year. Author is ADB.

 

[Angel of Blood]

I have seen the books you mentioned and though about those a great deal, however, I wasn't sure if I really cared for imperial guard stuff, but the story line is more important to me.

Gaunts Ghosts is the only one of those that is Imperial Guard based. But it's imo a truly fantastic series. The beauty of it being that it is quite big, so you do end up knowing and loving the characters quite a lot as you go, which makes their triumphs and casualties that much more meaningful, or so I found anyway.

Eisenhorn, Ravenor, Bequin, are so good because they show you the side you never see of the Imperium. The actual worlds, cities, politics and behind the scenes machinations. These novels aren't set on battlefronts or in the middle of giant wars and campaigns. They're on the ground, investigating leads, getting amongst Imperial society and politics, but with good solid action mixed in.

The Night Lords trilogy is so good I suppose, because it really get's you attached to these traitors, and some of the most brutal ones at that, yet still makes them protagonists in there own way.

On that same note, I knew I was missing one book out, and it's a truly unforgivable miss. I would put it up there in the top spot with others as one of the best books BL have produced and overall one of the best books I have read myself. Like the Night Lords, it focuses on traitors, but makes them into very sympathetic characters somehow in some cases and just downright likeable. It is a must read in every way, and the series will no doubt only get better. That book?

The Talon of Horus.

 

[Angel of Blood]

Mixed reviews? I've never heard anything but praise for the series. I thought they were fantastic, some of the best books you will find in the Black Library, I would even say they are 'must reads'. On another note though, I wouldn't say you could read the series out of order or on their own.

The novels I believe everyone should read include:

The Night Lords trilogy
Eisenhorn, Ravenor and Bequin
Gaunts Ghosts
The Emperor's Gift(ideally read after Ravenor)
Certain Heresy novels, but only if you're reading the series.

A lot of reading material there, but it's the best of BL imo.