trope: Grimdark

Inhibitor Phase

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Inhibitor Phase
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Miguel de Ruyter is a man with a past. Fleeing the ‘wolves’ – the xenocidal alien machines known as Inhibitors – he has protected his family and community from attack for forty years, sheltering in the caves of an airless, battered world called Michaelmas.

The slightest hint of human activity could draw the wolves to their home, to destroy everything … utterly. Which is how Miguel finds himself on a one-way mission with his own destructive mandate: to eliminate a passing ship, before it can bring unwanted attention down on them.

Only something goes wrong. There’s a lone survivor. And she knows far more about Miguel than she’s letting on . . . Ranging from the depths of space to the deeps of Pattern Juggler waters, from nervous, isolated communities to the ruins of empire, this is a stealthy space opera from an author at the top of his game.

Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days (revelation space) Alastair Reynolds

Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days
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Just when you thought it was safe to go back into interstellar space …Alastair Reynolds burst onto the SF scene with the Arthur C. Clarke Award-shortlisted REVELATION SPACE, British Science Fiction Award-winning CHASM CITY, and REDEMPTION ARK.

Now experience the phenomenal imagination and breathtaking vision of ‘The most exciting space opera writer working today’ (Locus) in these two tales of high adventure set in the same universe as his novels. The title story, ‘Diamond Dogs’, tells of a group of mercenaries trying to unravel the mystery of a particularly inhospitable alien tower on a distant world; ‘Turquoise Days’ is about Naqi, who has devoted her life to studying the alien Pattern Jugglers.

 

Collect two novellas set in the revelation space universe

Revelation Space: The breath-taking space opera masterpiece

Revelation Space
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“[A] tour de force… Ravishingly inventive.”-Publishers Weekly The highly-acclaimed first novel in the Revelation Space universe-a debut that has redefined the space opera with a staggering journey across vast gulfs of time and space to confront the very nature of reality itself… Nine hundred thousand years ago, something annihilated the Amarantin civilization just as it was on the verge of discovering space flight. Now one scientist, Dan Sylveste, will stop at nothing to solve the Amarantin riddle before ancient history repeats itself. With no other resources at his disposal, Sylveste forges a dangerous alliance with the cyborg crew of the starship Nostalgia for Infinity. But as he closes in on the secret, a killer closes in on him. Because the Amarantin were destroyed for a reason, and if that reason is uncovered, the universe and reality itself could be irrevocably altered…

In the same universe :

 

  • the direct follow up novel to the original trilogy published in 2021
  • two short novellas
  •  a collection of short stories : deep navigation not on amazon unless you want to pay 250$ in which case its here
  • a stand alone novel
  • a new trilogy with last book coming in 2024 contrary to the space opera of the original trilogy it’s a crime thriller in space

For The Emperor (Ciaphas Cain Book 1) warhammer 40k

For the Emperor
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Commissar Ciaphas Cain, hero of the Imperium, respected by his peers and an inspiration to his men, is simply looking for an easy life and to serve his time as Commissar without getting killed. But fate has a habit of throwing him into the deadliest situations. Original.

New to warhammer 40K universe? go there for a recommended reading order

Unusually humorous take on the warhammer 40k universe starring Cain a cowardly commissar who’s actions keeps getting him ever more dangerous duty assignments

Omnibus version :

book one, book two, book three

Also a shorts series anthology here   

 

 

Horus Rising (1) (The Horus Heresy) warhammer 40k

Horus Rising
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Re-release of the mass market edition of the first novel in the best selling Horus Heresy series Under the benevolent leadership of the Immortal Emperor the Imperium of Man has stretched out across the galaxy. On the eve of victory, the Emperor leaves the front lines, entrusting the great crusade to his favorite son, Horus. Promoted to Warmaster, the idealistic Horus tries to carry out the Emperor'sgrand design, all the while the seeds of heresy…

After thousands of years of expansion and conquest, the human Imperium is at its height. His dream for humanity accomplished, the Emperor hands over the reins of power to his Warmaster, Horus, and heads back to Terra. But is Horus strong enough to control his fellow commanders and continue the Emperor’s grand design, or will such incredible power corrupt him?

Read it because
It all begins here. Witness Horus the hero, humanity’s greatest champion and the Emperor’s favoured son, before it all goes horribly, tragically wrong…

The eBook edition includes integrated illustrations of characters and events from the story, and an afterword that places the story in context within the series.

 

YES 54! the numbers of novels in this serie, telling the story of the betrayal of the emperor by Horus 10 000 year before the current warhammer 40K setting.

For a less daunting introduction to the grim far future universe you can try  (starting from the books that dont require prior knowledge of the 40k setting to enjoy):

Eisenhorm trilogy follow the inquisitor Eisenhorm on his hunt for heretics and demons, doesnt require knowledge of the universe

The space wolf omnibus best for an introductions to the world through the eyes of the infamous space marines. Follow the recruitement/creation of those human war machines.  no prior knowledge of warhammer needed

Gunt’s ghost follow Comissar Gunt as he lead an imperial soldier company. Good for giving the perspective of more ordinary soldiers on the  40K universe

Also : Ciaphas Cain : unusually comedic for the 40k universe follow Cain a cowardly commissar who’s actions keeps getting him ever more dangerous duty assignments

After that :

Ravenor the omnibus : follow Inquisitor Ravenor and his followers as they investigate a daemonic conspiracy that stretches across space and time

The Uriel Ventris chronicles  : Uriel Ventris takes command of the Ultramarines Fourth Company, more space marines goodness also a warhammer 40K beginner friendly serie

Cadian Blood more imperial soldiers grunts pitted against the unspeakable horrors of a Nurgles plague

Bloodlines : a kind of hard-boiled detective thriller in a hive city

Warhammer Horror serie : 30 books collecting horror novels/novellas set in the Warhammer 40k universe

Necromunda : a serie of unrelated books by various author also set in a hive city

Requiem infernal for a single novel following a chapter of the Adepta Sororitas a female only division of the Ecclesiarchy the state church of the imperium of man

Nights lords trilogy : for a view from one of the traitor legion having betrayed the emperor during the horus heresy to worship the chaos gods

Word Bearers omnibus : another serie centred on a chaos space marines chapter

The siege of terra serie : for the final stage of the horus heresy storyline (7 books)

The beasts arise set in warhammer 30k like the horus heresy but 2 millenium later ; the orks forces invade the imperium 12 novels collected in 3 omnibus

The Talon of Horus : two books set in the year 41999, the rise of Abaddon, successor to Horus and Warmaster of the Black Legion.

The Infinite and The Divine for a single novel spanning 10 000 years from the viewpoint of the necrons the oldest humanoid race of the galaxy turned into undead robotic skeletal long in the past

 

There is more on the site if you search the 40K universe tag

The Space Wolf Omnibus (Space Wolves Book 1) warhammer 40k

The Space Wolf Omnibus (Space Wolves Book 1) warhammer 40k
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New to warhammer 40K universe? go there for a recommended reading order

The howling fury of the Space Wolves is about to be unleashed! On the grim death world of Fenris, the sparse population faces a daily battle for survival against lethal monsters and rival tribes. But Fenris is also home to the mighty Space Wolves Chapter of Space Marines, the Emperor’s elite warriors in a universe full of aliens, heretics and mutants. The adventures of Ragnar begin when he is revived from a savage death in battle and inducted into the ranks of the Space Wolves. But can the ferocious Ragnar conquer the beast within and fulfil his destiny on the battlefields of the 41st millennium?

Read it because
Every hero starts somewhere, and this is the origin story of Ragnar Blackmane. He’s the youngest warrior ever to become a Wolf Lord, but how did he come to join the Space Wolves in the first place? Find out here.

 

First and Only: Gaunt’s Ghost, Book 1

First and Only: Gaunt’s Ghost, Book 1
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New to warhammer 40K universe? go there for a recommended reading order

In the Chaos-infested Sabbat Worlds, Imperial Commissar Gaunt must lead his men through as much in-fighting amongst rival regiments as against the forces of Chaos.

Listen to it because: First and Only was one of the first books published by Black Library and is the most read Warhammer 40,000 novel ever, an absolute classic. This story begins the saga of Colonel Commissar Gaunt and the Tanith First and Only that has since grown into a multi-novel epic. It all starts here.

The story: For a thousand years, the Sabbat Worlds have been lost to the Imperium, claimed by the dread powers of Chaos. Now, a mighty crusade seeks to return the sector to Imperial rule. And at the forefront of that crusade are Colonel-Commissar Ibram Gaunt and the Tanith First and Only – better known as Gaunt’s Ghosts. Trapped in the grinding trench warfare of Fortis Binary, the Ghosts find themselves drawn into a conspiracy to assassinate the crusade’s leader, Warmaster Macaroth.

With enemies all around them and no one to trust, Gaunt and his men must find a way to save the warmaster and prevent the Sabbat Worlds Crusade from falling into anarchy – even if it means waging war on their supposed allies.

The audiobook can be found here :

first book

second book here

third here

 

https://amzn.to/487ONUo

 

 

Xenos (Eisenhorn trilogy Book 1) warhammer 40K

Xenos
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New to warhammer 40K universe? go there for a recommended reading order

The Inquisition moves amongst mankind like an avenging shadow, striking down the enemies of humanity with complete ruthlessness. Inquisitor Eisenhorn faces a vast interstellar cabal and the dark power of daemons, all racing to recover an arcane text of supreme and abominable power – an ancient tome known as the Necroteuch. Book I in the Eisenhorn trilogy sets a new standard in action and adventure.

omnibus here

One of the 3  inquisitor centric serie with :

ravenor

and

vault of terra

Blackhearts The Omnibus (Warhammer Chronicles)

Blackhearts: The Omnibus
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Classic collection of stories from the Warhammer Fantasy universe. Under threat of death for their crimes, Reiner Hetzau and his fellow prisoners are given a choice: they can either be executed or work for the very people that have imprisoned them.

Forced to carry out the most desperate and suicidal secret missions, all for the good of the Empire, the Blackhearts encounter Chaos cultists, ratmen, dark elves, rogue army commanders and more. Time and again they are pitted against impossible odds and survive – yet what they most desire they cannot have: their freedom.

The Forgetting Moon (The Five Warrior Angels Book 1)

The Forgetting Moon
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A massive army on the brink of conquest looms large in a world where prophecies are lies, magic is believed in but never seen, and hope is where you least expect to find it. Welcome to the Five Isles, where war has come in the name of the invading army of Sør Sevier, a merciless host driven by the prophetic fervor of the Angel Prince, Aeros, toward the last unconquered kingdom of Gul Kana. Yet Gault, one of the elite Knights Archaic of Sør Sevier, is growing disillusioned by the crusade he is at the vanguard of just as it embarks on his Lord Aeros’ greatest triumph. While the eldest son of the fallen king of Gul Kana now reigns in ever increasing paranoid isolationism, his two sisters seek their own paths. Jondralyn, the older sister, renowned for her beauty, only desires to prove her worth as a warrior, while Tala, the younger sister, has uncovered a secret that may not only destroy her family but the entire kingdom.

Then there’s Hawkwood, the assassin sent to kill Jondralyn who has instead fallen in love with her and trains her in his deadly art. All are led further into dangerous conspiracies within the court. And hidden at the edge of Gul Kana is Nail, the orphan taken by the enigmatic Shawcroft to the remote whaling village of Gallows Haven, a young man who may hold the link to the salvation of the entire Five Isles. You may think you know this story, but everyone is not who they seem, nor do they fit the roles you expect. Durfee has created an epic fantasy full of hope in a world based on lies.