The Horus Heresy is one of the largest series in modern fantasy and sci-fi, stretching across a staggering 54 volumes as of writing this. The Horus Heresy series follows not just the titular character, but a swathe of other characters that are involved in his story. The only issue is, how does someone find the best novels out of a group that's nearly five dozen long?

Naturally, the best place to start is with book one and work your way up, but that isn't always an option we want to take. If you're looking for some of the best novels in the Horus Heresy franchise, we're here to offer our assistance. Here are our recommendations for the best Horus Heresy novels for fans of the franchise.

Another point to note is that this list is not in reading order and merely features the best books about the Horus Heresy.

As we'll be discussing books further into the series, the simple description of some will constitute as spoilers. If you don't want any spoilers, we strongly suggest you pick up the books in chronological order. If you don't mind them, read on!

Horus Rising is the first story in the franchise and the natural starting point for anyone attempting to get into the Horus Heresy. This story lays the groundwork for Warmaster Horus, his rise to power, and how he begins to find himself embroiled in the battles to come. No matter where you intend to go in the franchise, we strongly recommend starting with this novel so that you have an understanding of who Horus is and why his trials are important. Afterward, you're free to move forward chronologically or hop around.

Horus is great, and we're all big fans of his heresy, but it's not always about him. The Horus Heresy has large scale implications for the lore, and if you want to know how it affects humanity, a good option is to hop to Book 14 in the series, The First Heretic.

This novel follows a character named Lorgar and his journey with his Word Bearers as they travel to the edge of the known universe. There, they intend to investigate on a mission for truth. This is a great story for people who love the Horus Heresy as a setting, but would prefer to see more varied stories in the franchise.

We just can't get enough Lorgar, partially due to how fun his name is to say aloud. Book 24 continues to follow Lorgar on his journey, still following along with his Word Bearers. There's not much we can say about this story without deeply spoiling a great deal of both the novel and the series as a whole, so we'll keep this short. This is a good story for fans of the Shadow Crusade or anyone interested in the events of Ultramar.

Swapping to another commander, The Thousand Sons follows Magnus the Red and his legion of soldiers by the same name. This novel focuses on the betrayal of Horus in previous novels and the impact that had on the legions across the universe. If you've ever been curious to know more about how Warmaster Horus's actions affected those around him, this is a good novel to explore that thread.

Jumping back to one of the earlier novels, Galaxy in Flames is the third novel in the franchise. This novel takes place shortly after Horus's harrowing experiences on Davin, now healed from his nearly fatal wounds. In this novel, the Warmaster finds himself amassing an interesting and unexpected group of allies to deal with a rebellion that threatens to unravel his Imperial forces.

The second novel in the franchise isn't just great because it's early on. False Gods is one of the most humanizing and intense stories on Horus's life, following his experiences on Davin. Severely wounded and struggling both with his internal demons and the struggle of holding his forces together as primarchs begin to show dissatisfaction, this novel sets the stage for much of the rest of the franchise. We recommend this book no matter what reading order you've chosen.

FAQ

Is The Horus Heresy All The Warhammer Books?

Not at all! There are dozens and dozens of Warhammer books. The Horus Heresy franchise is a large chunk of them, but you'll have a much larger reading list if you intend to find them all. Here's a brief listing of some of our favorite Warhammer 40K books.

Where Can I Find Horus Heresy Books?

Some of these books have gone out of print and are much harder to find in a physical copy. Because of that, we've listed many of these as audiobooks, as that's simply the most reliable way to find them. Check online retailers and publishers to see if you can find a copy of your chosen novel.

Are These Books Available As Audiobooks?

Yes, and we've linked quite a few of them here! Audiobooks are a more reliable way to find many of the older novels due to them being out of print. It also helps you avoid scalpers that are charging five times the price of the book.