Best Novels for SMs

[NuclearSnowyOwl]

I think I need to add one more Chapter: Crimson Fists. What's the definitive novel to read to decide if I like their fluff best?

And as far as building a fluffy army list, what types of units would the CFs take/not take, other than what the codex points out about veterans and Sternguard…yay or nay on bikes, dreads, flyers, tanks, etc.

[Houghten]

Brothers of the Snake, by Dan Abnett. Pretty much the best space marine book ever despite not being based on a first founding chapter. It's fantastic.

Also the first Black Library book I ever read.

If it had been Deus Encarmine, I might not have kept reading...

I think I need to add one more Chapter: Crimson Fists. What's the definitive novel to read to decide if I like their fluff best?

The Crimson Fists only have two full-length novels - Rynn's World and Traitor's Gorge. Everything else is short stories, and not many of those either. Well, and one audio drama, but The Madness Within could have contained Space Marines from literally any chapter and still read the same, it's really about the daemon and the psyker.

[George Labour]

One of the soul drinkers novels (the third or fourth one IIRC) has a Crimson Fist element in it and their captain gets quite a bit of screen time, and even has a minor role in the last novel in the series. Sadly I forget the specific title of it but it's the one where they kind of team up with the Dark Eldar. Kind of.

[Darren Richardson]

EDIT: Stay away from Legion of The Damned though. While not bad, it has almost nothing to do with the Legion itself.

Though it does portray the Legion in an interesting way when they do show up, and that Visitor who keeps showing himself to the main character is damn creepy.....

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for an assortment of varied stories (and of varying quaility) I highly recommend the " ....... Of The Space Marines" anthologies (heroes/ Victories etc), quite a few different chapters get an appearance and the Chaos Marines got a volume all to themseleves (Treacheries)

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I'll also second the first volumes of the Ultramarines saga as well (i've read books 1 to 4 only).

And yeah, the BA ones by James Swallow really arn't that good, unless SPOILER:




you like to see Fabius Bile screw them over

[Harbinger Rising]

I do though *strongly* recommend Betrayer, and a bit less so Know No Fear. The former makes a couple of the least interesting characters actually the most interesting, and the latter gives a lot of feel to what the Space Marines can be at their best in the larger universe, beyond just battling.

Interesting. I've always wanted to read a more fleshed-out world-buildy type of story involving Space Marines, instead of just more bolter fire and sharpnel. I'll give it a shot.

[Tyrsday]

Anything by Dan Abnett, Brothers of the Snake and Salvation's Reach have two of the best, and most human, portrayals of Space Marines. Aaron Dembski-Bowden is second in my book, The Emperor's Gift and the Night Lords trilogy are amazing. I didn't like the Night Lords until those books. As a side note, after Vulkan Lives I came to the realization that Curze is what would happen if the Joker was playing Batman.

All Graham McNeill's books are good and he was my second favorite until being replaced by Dembski-Bowden.

The only one that I've read that I'd avoid is Sons of Dorn, or something along those lines. The writing was trite and the characters were just three different historical cultures thrown into the far-future without any independent thought thrown in.