I like a little realism in my pretend. It is just as simple as that statement.
When I read the Black Library books, I want to be able to use the information in the books as being just as valid as the information in the GW rule books and army specific codices (I think that is the plural of codex) and WFB army books. While there is certainly a modest (bhaha) amount of exaggeration and literary license used by the authors, is the 'fluff' in the books to be taken as canon, law, whatever for the Warhammer and 40k universe? Can we legitimately use the content of the BL books as a primary source in arguments in our make-believe? Just to be clear, I am discussing using the books for rules discussions but rather just general background and fluff.
(might be a bit of spoiler here)
In the books Incubus, the author talks about the Arhra the Phoenix Lord for the Incubi. I wonder if lore described by the author is usable in a discussion about the Eldar/Dark Eldar or can we only use what is written by GW specifically?
*tried to fix the spelling. I suck. Thanks Kyban.