This post was originally published on Audible.com.
Warhammer 40,000, known to most fans as Warhammer 40K, is a tabletop war game set in the distant future—the year 40,000 CE, to be precise. Its unique setting, extensive backstory (further explored in the Warhammer books), and fantastical elements have made it one of the most popular miniature tabletop war games in the world. The game debuted in 1987, and its popularity is only growing stronger. The world of Warhammer offers fantasy and sci-fi fans ample opportunities to engage: There's the game itself, the painting of miniatures used in gameplay, various spin-off video games, and, of course, hundreds of Warhammer audiobooks that offer listeners a deeper look into the game's lore.
How is Warhammer played?
The game is played with miniature models; players set up their armies, take turns rolling dice, and move their warriors around the table, battling the opposing player's army. Players can assemble their armies with characters, creatures, and weaponry of their choosing. Games consist of a series of moves and attacks; at the end of five turns, the player with the most points wins.
What is the basic premise of Warhammer?
One of Warhammer's biggest draws is its unique setting and complicated world-building. The game is set in the year 40,000 and incorporates elements of fantasy, including magic, supernatural creatures, and demons. Human civilization is failing, and mankind is engaged in a ceaseless war with hostile aliens and supernatural creatures. These otherworldly forces fight with a blend of dark magic and futuristic weaponry and technology. The game's tone has a lot in common with grimdark sci-fi and fantasy. The gods are mostly evil and magic is wielded as a weapon. The remaining humans, known as the Imperium of Man, do not hope for victory, but only to delay their eventual doom for as long as they can and gain a bit of glory along the way.
What are the best Warhammer books?
Whether you're a sci-fi and fantasy fan looking for some great new listens or a longtime player in search of recommendations for the best Warhammer books, we've got you covered. This list provides an excellent place to start, highlighting books featuring various characters, story arcs, time periods, and settings. Many of these books are the first in a series, so if you find one you like, you can look forward to hours of good listening. Here are just a few of the best Warhammer 40K books you'll find in audio.
This is the first book in the Eisenhorn series, which follows the exploits of one of the most popular characters in the Warhammer books: Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn. Eisenhorn is part of a network of inquisitors who fight the enemies of humanity throughout space. In this action-packed novel, Eisenhorn faces two seemingly undefeatable foes—an interstellar cabal and a legion of daemons. This is a great audiobook to start with if you're totally new to Warhammer, as narrator Toby Longworth perfectly sets the tone and makes it easy to follow along with the many characters, battles, and settings.
If you enjoy classic epic sci-fi stories about the ancient clash between powerful forces, this is a great listen to start with. Trazyn the Infinite and Orikan the Diviner are both Necrons—an ancient, mysterious race of robotic warriors. They're enmeshed in a millennia-spanning rivalry with catastrophic implications for the whole Necron race, and the entire galaxy. Richard Reed gives these two powerful beings distinct voices as they chase each other through space, pursuing their own ends.
Narrator Toby Longworth has lent his voice to dozens of Warhammer books and has read them all brilliantly. This novel, the first in the Horus Heresy series, is set in the 31st century and explores some of the fascinating backstory of the Warhammer 40K universe. Under the leadership of a powerful emperor, the Imperium of Man has finally begun to conquer the galaxy. When the emperor's son Horus suddenly becomes the Warmaster, it sets off a chain of events that will change the galaxy—and humanity—forever.
This audiobook, superbly narrated by Andrew Wincott, explores one of the key events in the Warhammer universe, the Long War, from the perspective of the villains—the Night Lords. These powerful warriors were once members of the famed Space Marines. After being exiled from the Imperium for betrayal, they turned their most powerful weapon—fear itself—back on their former comrades. Now they're engaged in a brutal war, determined to spread their gospel of death and terror wherever they go.
Another audiobook that puts Warhammer villains front and center, The Lords of Silence is a grim and bloody novel about the Death Guard, a group of monster-warriors who once fought for the Imperium and are now bent on bringing about its destruction. Though there's no shortage of battles in this, it also explores the darker side of human nature and the ways in which the past haunts the present. John Banks's narration is top-notch, with excellent character voices and just the right amount of tension.
Narrator John Banks does some dazzling vocal feats in this dark character study where serial killer thriller meets military space opera. Fabius Bile is the best kind of bad guy—he's utterly terrible, but it's impossible to look away. This novel follows his rise and downfall, from holding a prized position in the Imperium to becoming a dangerous outcast willing to put his deep knowledge of genetic manipulation to evil use.
The Space Marines are a group of superhuman super-soldiers who fight for the Imperium of Man in high-tech mechanized suits of armor. There are several Warhammer series about the Space Marines and their exploits in different times and places. This one, with stellar narration from Gareth Armstrong, kicks off the Space Marine Conquests series, which features the Blood Angels Chapter of the Marines. The Blood Angels face a vast alien army with the power to destroy all of humanity in one corner of the galaxy, and perhaps beyond it.
The first book in a duology about the Necron race, this is a great Warhammer book to start with for listeners who are drawn to the fantastical and magical elements of the game. The Necron have just awoken from their crypts after millennia, only to discover that their empire is swarming with enemies. The formerly disgraced Lord Oltyx will do whatever it takes to restore the Necron empire to its former glory.
The first book in the Watchers of the Throne series, this is an ideal listen for fans who enjoy classic heroic fantasy novels. It centers on the Custodian Guard, an elite fighting force that has protected the Emperor's Palace since the long-ago founding of the Imperium of Man. While their armor makes them nearly invincible, a new threat is brewing that could destroy not only their defenses but the Imperium itself. Seasoned Warhammer narrators Gareth Armstrong, John Banks, and Emma Gregory team up to offer a top-notch multivoice performance.
Set on an Imperial outpost beset by war, For the Emperor is the story of Commissar Ciaphas Cain, a commander willing to do anything to protect his planet, even as he finds himself fighting threats from both within and without. This is the first book in the Ciaphas Cain series, which follows Ciaphas through dozens of dangerous quests.