Book List

Here is a list of all the books I own that I have basically purchased or acquired specifically as research to help me more fully develop and realize the Dark Swords.

The Black Library books I intend to read to get a better "feel" for the 40k universe, how to write and characterize the Space Marines and how the 40k universe works on a day-to-day and page-to-page basis. Unfortunately the Black Library books tend to vary in quality; some are really good and some really suck. But I will trudge through them nevertheless.

Some other books deal with strategy and warfare in the real world. I do not intend to write Space Marines that are supposed to be tactical geniuses but blunder about like idiots. If I ever get around to writing fanfiction for the Dark Swords, they will be going about things in a way that makes sense and does not insult my intelligence.

Some other books don't have anything to do with 40k, but if I can get even a shred of inspiration from reading them, I'll consider it worthwhile.

Books that have already been read are denoted with an 'X'. Books will be added as I dig them out and recall them.

EDIT 11/12/2011 I have begun to annotate some of the books I own. This will necessitate having to go back and skim some previous books.

Art of War / Lionel Giles

Art of War / Ralph D. Sawyer

Black Crusade / Fantasy Flight Games

Dark Heresy Core Rulebook / Fantasy Flight Games

Dark Heresy: Creatures Anathema / Fantasy Flight Games

Dark Heresy: Inquisitor's Handbook / Fantasy Flight Games

Dark Heresy: Radical's Handbook / Fantasy Flight Games

Deathwatch Core Rulebook / Fantasy Flight Games

Deathwatch: Rites of Battle / Fantasy Flight Games

Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos / Fantasy Flight Games

Rogue Trader Core Rulebook / Fantasy Flight Games

Rogue Trader: Battlefleet Koronus / Fantasy Flight Games

Rogue Trader: Into the Storm / Fantasy Flight Games

Rogue Trader: Lure of the Expanse / Fantasy Flight Games

CthulhuTech Core Rulebook

CthulhuTech: Ancient Enemies

CthulhuTech: Damnation View

CthulhuTech: Dark Passions

CthulhuTech: Mortal Remains

CthulhuTech: Unveiled Threats

CthulhuTech: Vade Mecum

Codex Blood Angels

Codex Chaos Marines

Codex Daemon Hunters

Codex Dark Eldar 5th Ed.

Codex Eldar 4th Ed.

Codex Grey Knights

Codex Imperial Guard 5th Ed.

Codex Space Marines 5th Ed.

Codex Space Wolves

Codex Tau

Codex Tyranids 4th Ed.

Codex Witch Hunters

Imperial Armour Vol. 1

Imperial Armour Vol. 2

Imperial Armour Vol. 3

Imperial Armour Vol. 4

Imperial Armour Vol. 4

Imperial Armour Vol. 5

Imperial Armour Vol. 6

Imperial Armour Vol. 7

Imperial Armour Vol. 8

Imperial Armour Vol. 9

Imperial Armour Vol. 10

Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer

Liber Chaotica

Realms of Chaos Slaves to Darkness

Xenology

Warhammer Fantasy Brettonia

Warhammer Fantasy Daemons of Chaos

Warhammer Fantasy Dark Elves 6th

Warhammer Fantasy Dark Elves 7th

Warhammer Fantasy High Elves

Warhammer Fantasy Lizardmen

Warhammer Fantasy Orks

Warhammer Fantasy Skaven

Warhammer Fantasy Tomb Kings 7th

Warhammer Fantasy Tomb Kings 8th

Warhammer Fantasy Vampire Counts

Warhammer Fantasy Warriors of Chaos

Warhammer Fantasy Wood Elves

Horus Rising / Dan Abnett

Path of the Warrior / Gav Thorpe

Path of the Seer / Gav Thorpe

Ultramarines Omnibus / Graham McNeill

Storm of Iron / Graham McNeill (X) I thought this was okay.

1st Space Wolves Omnibus / William King

Hunt for Voldorious / Andy Hoare (X) Really bad, would not recommend.

Helsreach / Aaron Demski-Bowden (X) Pretty good, a little wordy in some places

Dead Men Walking (X)

Soul Hunter / Aaron Demski-Bowden (X) Quite good, but I'm not really sure what the central plot thread was supposed to be.

Blood Reaver / Aaron Demski-Bowden

Salamander / Nick Kyme

Fire Drake / Nick Kyme

1st Ciaphas Cain Omnibus / Sandy Mitchell

2nd Ciaphas Cain Omnibus / Sandy Mitchell

Brothers of the Snake / Dan Abnett (X) Okay, but there was some things that made me scratch my head or roll my eyes.

Generation Kill / Evan Wright

Legionary: The Roman Soldier's Unofficial Manual / Philip Matyszak

The Heart and the Fist / Eric Greitens (Currently reading 11/2/2011) Very good book, autobiography of a humanitarian-minded man who enlists in the Navy SEALs. I don't know if I really have a personal hero, someone who I know personally or someone I read about and look up to, but I think Eric Greitens is fast becoming a personal hero for me. He is the perfect model for my ideal Astartes.

How Wars are Won / Bevin Alexander

A Manual for American Servicemen in the Arab Middle East / William D. Wunderle, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army

Combat Leader's Field Guide 13th Ed. / Sgt. Major Brett Stoneberger, USA (Ret.)

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Learning Latin 3rd Ed. / Natalie Harwood

The Ultimate Guide to US Army Survival: Skills, Tactics and Techniques / Dept. of the Army - Edited by Jay McCullough

Band of Brothers / Stephen E. Ambrose (X) Very good, would highly recommend. This is the model I would like to follow for writing stories; no ridiculous save the world, or rather, save the galaxy or Segmentum, no stupid prophecy that my Astartes are the only ones who can save the day, no supercool spaceships or weapons that only my Chapter has, none of that. Just good old two-fisted Space Marine arse kicking action, and brothers in arms who grow and develop and become a family.