[Daemonetteboobs]

I read the first two novels in the series a couple years ago and thought they were kind of interesting. I know there's other posts that address this but I was warned they contained spoilers so I was treading very carefully. I find a lot of BL work to be written pretty poorly but wanted to read some exceptional heresy work and I was wondering what everyone's favorite books in the series are and if you think it would be possible to skip over some of the slop and get right down to the riveting, well-written tales?

 

[FORTHELION]

I personally enjoyed them all though some are more poorly written than others. I would read them all as it gives a great account of all the happenings of the heresy.
my personal favourites would be
1 A thousand sons
2 Fulgrim
3 Galaxy in flames
4 Fallen Angels

 

[Daemonetteboobs]

Yeah, chances are I'm just going to end up reading them all. Thanks for the input though, seems like your favorites pretty much coincide with everyone else so I guess it's safe to assume that the series is progressively getting better?

 

[FORTHELION]

yeah im really enjoying it. Cant wait for the next installments

 

[Baron Spikey]

It's not a case of each novel getting progressively better (Horus Rising was better than Galaxy in Flames after all) but as far as I'm concerned my favourite novels in the series (excluding the first 3) are the following:

Legion

Fulgrim

A Thousand Sons (got Prospero Burns coming out in Jan with the SW pov)

Tales of Heresy (excellent short stories, the best probably being Blood Games and The Last Church)

 

[Child-of-the-Emperor]

Chances are, if you weren't a massive fan of the opening novels, you won't be a massive fan of most of the series (perhaps with one or two exceptions). My personal favourites are Horus Rising (#1) and Legion (#7). If your looking to avoid some of the 'slop' - I would advise avoiding Descent of Angels (#6), Fallen Angels (#11), and Battle for the Abyss (#8), the latter especially. Its not that I didn't particually enjoy #6 and #11, its more that they can be viewed as a bit of a drag. I also wasn't a great fan of Galaxy in Flames (#3) but the plot is essential to the series as a whole.

But overall I have enjoyed every single book (bar #8), not necessarily for the writing or character development, but more for the plot and addition it makes to the series as a whole (with several exceptions which are just great sci-fi novels, Legion in particular).

 

[Dead.Blue.Clown]

Chances are, if you weren't a massive fan of the opening novels, you won't be a massive fan of most of the series (perhaps with one or two exceptions). My personal favourites are Horus Rising (#1) and Legion (#7). If your looking to avoid some of the 'slop' - I would advise avoiding Descent of Angels (#6), Fallen Angels (#11), and Battle for the Abyss (#8), the latter especially. Its not that I didn't particually enjoy #6 and #11, its more that they can be viewed as a bit of a drag. I also wasn't a great fan of Galaxy in Flames (#3) but the plot is essential to the series as a whole.

But overall I have enjoyed every single book (bar #8), not necessarily for the writing or character development, but more for the plot and addition it makes to the series as a whole (with several exceptions which are just great sci-fi novels, Legion in particular).

I should just pay you to speak my opinion for me. It's almost always the same as yours.

 

[World Eater XII]

Mechanicum is defo anohter good read, shows the less seen side of the admech bunch.

Adds an interesting twist to the 40fluff-verse too!

 

[Shadow Walker]

except Battle for the Abyss all of HH books are very good read [of course some more than the others]. my favourites so far are: Legion, A Thousand Sons, Mechanicum and Tales of Heresy.

 

[bobss]

For those installments in the Heresy that are rounded to-perfection in a wide spectrum of areas a novel of such requires, then anything bearing Dan Abnett`s or Graham McNeill`s name upon the cover its a more than safe bet.

My favorites thus far, being:

Fulgrim, for the interesting insight into the descent of Fulgrim and the Emperor`s Children from perfection to perverse, by narratives from the perspectives of various Remembrancers, the introduction of the Eldar and their awareness of Horus` fall to the Ruinous Power`s, and the sheer-bloody delight that is The Dropsite-Massacre in the finale.

Horus Rising is arguably the most rounded book I have ever read, with no flaws at all, and too many positives for me to begin to describe. I enjoyed Galaxy in Flames for the Virus-induced carnage, although with often the case of novels that are enjoyable, the supporting, non-action elements fail.

Loathed Descent of Angels, though I have faith Mike Lee can finish that dreadful duology off well, and The Flight of the Eisenstein and Garro`s final duel with a Nurglesque Death Guard on Luna, with the ''Terra-rise'' really instills faith in the Emperor`s divinity into you.

Haven`t read Legion, nor A Thousand Son`s, so I`m certainly not as well-read as the above...

 

[Daemonetteboobs]

Thanks for all your responses, you've convinced me to read the entire series. I think I'll start by re-reading false gods because I can't remember much of what happened.

 

[World Eater XII]

IMO thousand sons is alot better than legion, but they both do a different take/view on the heresy.

 

[gothik]

my favourites are

horus rising
purely for the insight into Horus and the Mournival in paticular Abaddon.
Fulgrim
which most of the guys at GW York seem to agree that it is one of the best books in the series and a bit close to the knuckle sometimes especially with the way prince mcneil wrote the gradual corruption of not just the leigon but some of the rememberancers too.
thousand sons
i actually felt sorry for the sons after this.
Galaxy in flames
for the sheer way it was written and not only the corruption of Horus but the leigon in general and the falling apart of the Mournival.

i didn't like either of the Dark Angels novels and i am not altogether keen on Battle for the abyss but i did enjoy flight of the Esienstien although not as much as the ones listed above.

 

[donskar]

I've read all those published so far and would rate NONE as "slop." Horus Rising and 1K Sons probably the best, but I read each book as another thread in the tapestry. We're privileged to see the unfolding of a vast and many-faceted narrative. Naturally, there are different styles, different levels of action -- physical and psychological -- but they all contribute to an engrossing whole.

 

[World Eater XII]

As much as i hate to admit it battle for the abyss, really is slop, it just doesnt really fit in that well.

I think what it needed was a close follow up to it and for the wordbearers to not look like cartoon villians....

The DA books were ok at best but only the second book added anything to the heresy!

My opinion only