Eisenhorn and Others
Upon the urging of some at SF Signal (although they may deny it), I took a look at the fiction set in the game universe known as Warhammer 40,000 (produced by Games Workshop). Some further research yielded recommendations from science fiction authors such as David Drake (who is going to be writing a "blurb" for one of the upcoming books) and John Lambshead (researcher, game designer, science fiction author who somehow finds time to play the game).
Well...with recommendations like those...
The big problem is that the game has been around since 1987. So you've got this big massive backstory that hangs around...are the books approachable by somebody who is not familiar with them?
After reading one novel (and most of a second) and several short stories, the answer is mixed. Some authors (Dan Abnett) are good enough on their own that you can work past the pseudo-Latin, the handwavium, the unobtainium, and the other wacky bits to enjoy a good story. (The same can be said for any "media-derived" novel: if the characters are good, if the story is good, then it can rise above any "taint" of being associated with such a "non-intellectual" item...but I bet those that decry media-derived works wish they got the money those works did!)
So, will I play the game? Not sure about that. I haven't done any gaming in years. But I am itching to pick up some of the miniatures and see if the hands have recovered sufficiently to do some painting!
Dan Abnett: Eisenhorn (Black Library Publishing; 2004; ISBN 978-1-84416-156-0; cover by Clint Langley). Omnibus made up of the novels Xenos, Malleus, and Hereticus and the short works Missing in Action and Blackcloth for a Crown Additional. Counts as (so far) one contribution to the 2008 Year in Books and one addition to the 2008 Year in Shorts.
Marc Gascoigne & Christian Dunn (editors): Let the Galaxy Burn (Black Library Publishing; 2006; ISBN 978-1-84416-342-7; cover by Jim Burns). Collection made up of the following short works: Editor's Introduction (Marc Gascoigne); Words of Blood (Ben Counter); The Black Pearl (Chris Pramas); Angels (Robert Earl); Unforgiven (Graham McNeill); In the Belly of the Beast (William King); Hellbreak (Ben Counter); Small Cogs (Neil Rutledge); The Fall of Malvolion (Dan Abnett); Children of the Emperor (Barrington J. Bayley); Deus ex Mechanicus (Andy Chambers); Business as Usual (Graham McNeil); Salvation (Jonathan Green); Hell in a Bottle (Simon Jowett); Tenebrae (Mark Brendan); Daemonblood (Ben Counter); Know Thine Enemy (Gav Thorpe); Nightmare (Gav Thorpe); Ancient History (Andy Chambers); The Tower (C.S. Goto); Loyalty's Reward (Simon Jowett); Raptor Down (Gav Thorpe); Defixio (Ben Counter); Ancient Lances (Alex Hammond); Ork Hunter (Dan Abnett); The Raven's Claw (Jonathan Curran); Emperor's Grace (Alex Hammond); Acceptable Losses (Gav Thorpe); Pestilence (Dan Abnett); Barathrum (Jonathan Curren); Suffer not the Unclean to Live (Gav Thorpe); The Lives of Ferag Lion-Wolf (Barrington J. Bayley); Playing Patience (Dan Abnett); Snares and Delusions (Matthew Farrer); Apothecary's Honour (Simon Jowett); Unthinking Justice (Andras Millward); Battle of the Archaeosaurs (Barrington J. Bayley); Wrath of Kharn (William King); Into the Maelstrom (Chris Pramas). Counts as three (3) entries in the 2008 Year in Shorts.
Addendum (September 22, 2008): A collection of quotes from the game that started it all.
Posted by Fred Kiesche at September 19, 2008 08:33 AMDon't do it!!!
With WH40k, you'll find lots of opponents, and will spend lots of cash. But 3 months later, they put out a better, more effective, and cheaper (points-wise) set of models that costs only 50% more than the ones you paid for. If you don't upgrade, you'll start consistently losing. Unless you get the new Ubertroops 3 months after that...
Then every few years, they completely re-write the rules, and about half your army doesn't exist any more. And so it goes...
GW are the Microsoft of Games. I mean that in its most perjorative sense.
If you want real fun, look at all the orphan GW games that exist, "Battlefleet Gothic" and "Epic", both of which have existed in various incarnations, and have some excellent games mechanics.
Did I mention that with every edition, they re-write the history too? Whole Alien races no longer exist, and new ones are constantly being added. Just Google "Zoat Slann Squats"
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_40,000
And if you really must... try to get a copy of Rogue Trader, WH40k First Edition. That was the one where it was free-form, and there was room in the Universe for some diversity.
In the meantime, have a look at
http://www.geo cities.com/roguetraderheresy/quotes.htm