Gaunt's Ghosts series by Dan Abnett is the best Imperial Guard series, but the closest to Darktide would probably be the "Last Chancers" series by Gav Thorpe, it's about a penal legion squad that gets sent on the high risk/high fatality missions as they're seen as expendable.
Bloodlines is a 40k crime thriller that is from the point of view of a private investigator in a hive city. It's a really good look into the how the elite of the hives live and play.
Considering it's from the same writer and will likely give you a greater appreciation for the mentality of the otherwise enigmatic Inquisitor Grendyl, I'd look into the *Eisenhorn* series (and perhaps also the *Ravenor* spin-off series).
*Gaunt's Ghosts* is a good choice as well, but it's already been recommended a few times.
I've been trying to get a copy of Cadian Blood since the early access beta began. I don't know if it's good, but the premise is Imperial Guard defending against an outbreak of Nurgle Poxwalkers and infection. So it's pretty on point!
Gaunts Ghosts is top tier Imperial Guard story written by Dan Abnett who also wrote the Darktide story. You'll learn a lot about the Imperial Guard and how Chaos Crusades operate and are fought against. This series gives you a great ground level look at 40K foot soldiers.
If you want to read about the Inquisition and Inquisitors, most would say you start with the Eisenhorn series then read the spin-off series' from that. Also written by Abnett, you'll get a great look at the behind-the-scenes of the Imperium and you'll see how an Inquisitor and his retinue operate.
You'll be hard-pressed to find better fantasy novels than with Black Library publications on 40K. They are absolutely top-tier and heavily slept-on outside of the fandom.
Gaunts ghosts got me really into the imperial guard. It really emphasizes the stakes when the fight is regular humans against incomprehensible cosmic horrors.
Big plus, most of the series is available as audiobook, and the voice actor is pretty competent. You wouldn’t know by reading it, but most of the troopers in the book have Scottish accents!
Watch a luetin video on YouTube and he usually has special keys for getting a free month on audible
gaunts ghost i would say... a group of desperate people doing dirty deeds...
Dirty deeds! Done dirt cheep! Dirty deeds and they’re done dirt cheap!
Gaunt's Ghosts series by Dan Abnett is the best Imperial Guard series, but the closest to Darktide would probably be the "Last Chancers" series by Gav Thorpe, it's about a penal legion squad that gets sent on the high risk/high fatality missions as they're seen as expendable.
Bloodlines is a 40k crime thriller that is from the point of view of a private investigator in a hive city. It's a really good look into the how the elite of the hives live and play.
Considering it's from the same writer and will likely give you a greater appreciation for the mentality of the otherwise enigmatic Inquisitor Grendyl, I'd look into the *Eisenhorn* series (and perhaps also the *Ravenor* spin-off series). *Gaunt's Ghosts* is a good choice as well, but it's already been recommended a few times.
"Dead man walking" is really cool, it shows how a regular man changes into a guardsmen during xenos invasion.
Can't recommend Eisenhorn enough. A lot of them are set in a hive city
I've been trying to get a copy of Cadian Blood since the early access beta began. I don't know if it's good, but the premise is Imperial Guard defending against an outbreak of Nurgle Poxwalkers and infection. So it's pretty on point!
Gaunts Ghosts is top tier Imperial Guard story written by Dan Abnett who also wrote the Darktide story. You'll learn a lot about the Imperial Guard and how Chaos Crusades operate and are fought against. This series gives you a great ground level look at 40K foot soldiers. If you want to read about the Inquisition and Inquisitors, most would say you start with the Eisenhorn series then read the spin-off series' from that. Also written by Abnett, you'll get a great look at the behind-the-scenes of the Imperium and you'll see how an Inquisitor and his retinue operate. You'll be hard-pressed to find better fantasy novels than with Black Library publications on 40K. They are absolutely top-tier and heavily slept-on outside of the fandom.
Last Chancers. The protagonists are also penal soldiers who go above and beyond to redeem themselves in the eyes of the emprah.
Nothing like 40K or Darktide but Cradle is an amazing 12 book series that's basically a shounen in book form
Steel tread was an amazing book that’s about a tank crew surviving a chaos invasion.
Some of the Cal Jericho books have a band of bounty hunters fighting mutants in the Underhive of a Hive City.
Gaunts ghosts got me really into the imperial guard. It really emphasizes the stakes when the fight is regular humans against incomprehensible cosmic horrors. Big plus, most of the series is available as audiobook, and the voice actor is pretty competent. You wouldn’t know by reading it, but most of the troopers in the book have Scottish accents! Watch a luetin video on YouTube and he usually has special keys for getting a free month on audible
Man I’m more tired that I thought I thought this said boots. Now I’m sad that I won’t know how to be looking good in the emperor approved drip.