Where to brush up on Warhammer 40K lore

The Warhammer 40,000 universe is as wide as it is deep and diving in can be a daunting task. This guide will offer some of the best sources for Warhammer 40K lore to kick off your journey.

As big fans of Warhammer 40K ourselves, one of the most exciting things that can happen is when someone asks “Where do I start?”. That’s usually followed up by an immediate sense of dread because that can be a very tough question to answer.

With the release of Space Marine 2 in 2024, the Warhammer 40K universe got some tremendous exposure with the game being one of the most played Warhammer titles ever. Our review outlines how it functions as a love letter to fans and the game is chock full of references that veterans of the hobby and setting will recognize.

As much of the media related to Warhammer 40K is however, parts of it might be a little incomprehensible to newcomers. For this reason, we decided to drum up a list of the best sources for Warhammer 40K lore so you can take your first tentative steps toward understanding this behemoth. Here they are.

Lexicanum – The Warhammer 40K Wiki

This might seem like a bit of an obvious answer but Lexicanum is a fairly comprehensive Wiki that houses a treasure trove of Warhammer 40K knowledge and lore. When looking to get a basic understanding of the universe, sometimes it’s easiest to just google a character, concept, or faction that has piqued your interest and go from there.

Any term you don’t understand will likely have its own link for you to follow and you can continue down whatever rabbit hole you choose to. Want a complete timeline of the 40K universe? it’s here, want to know how a Boltgun operates? Find it on the Lexicanum.

Sometimes just reading about topics is enough to help get a grasp on things but it can also be a little daunting when terms like The Horus Heresy or Omnissiah are loosely thrown around. If you aren’t predisposed towards lengthy reads, perhaps hearing about Warhammer 40K lore from content creators is more your speed.

Majorkill

Majorkill is a Warhammer YouTuber that covers content related to both Warhammer Fantasy and Warhammer 40K. The reason we’ve suggested them is because they create easily digestible content that rarely exceeds 20 minutes in length.

When you’re just starting out, investing more than an hour into learning about fictional space fascists and their myriad enemies might be a bit of a turn-off. Majorkill provides solid information in a cliff notes format that should be enough to get you up to speed without overloading you.

They’re also known for injecting plenty of humor into their explanations with stuff like their ‘Explained by an Australian’ series which offers a unique perspective from the land down under. You’ll also become well-versed in 40K memes which usually contain a grain of truth and might help contextualize things as you dive deeper into the lore.

Leutin09

For us and many other fans of the franchise, Leutin09 is the gold standard when it comes to the dissemination of Warhammer 40K lore. This fellow has what must be the equivalent of a PhD in the setting.

Expect to find videos stretching beyond an hour in length that give a thorough and comprehensive breakdown of whatever topic is in the title. You’ll often get more than you bargained for with tangents regarding related fascets of whatever faction or event is being discussed.

Jumping straight into a Leutin09 video regarding a topic that interests you can be a little daunting due to the amount of time they’ve been detailing 40K lore and the assumed knowledge that exists within that. Fortunately, there are some pretty good jumping-off points.

Their ‘WTF is Warhammer 40K’ video breaks down the core narrative background of Warhammer 40K, as well as the associated hobbies that encompass the fandom. For our money though, there’s no better way to get stuck in than Leutin09’s series on the Emperor of Mankind. As the lynchpin of the Imperium, learning about him will illuminate many other areas of the lore.

The Black Library

Finally, we have the one true source of Warhammer 40K lore which is of course the official works of Games Workshop. These are the actual stories taking place within the setting from which a vast majority of the information discussed by others in this list originates.

There are a few reasons we’ve placed it at the end of this list, however. Firstly, the works comprising The Black Library are almost beyond counting. The Horus Heresy series contains 64 full novels each of which spans over more than 400 pages. That is just the backstory for Warhammer 40K and it requires years of potential investment.

Secondly, books cost money and the other sources we’ve mentioned only require an internet connection. Yes, you pay for that too but it helps with more than just 40K lore (presumably).

If you can get over those hurdles or you’re just fully committed to diving into the fandom, there’s no better way to experience the stories of Warhammer 40K than by actually reading them. Or listening to them as those 64 Horus Heresy books, and many more besides, are all available on Audible.

Our best recommendation for first-timers is Horus Rising, the first in the Horus Heresy series and deliberately catered to newcomers. For content that takes place in the year 40,000 and beyond, we’d recommend Space Wolf by William King. It details the journey of someone who doesn’t know the imperium exists becoming a Space Marine which lets you learn a lot of things alongside them.

Games Workshop

This list should have something for every persuasion of prospective Warhammer 40K lore junkie. After a few videos or an hour or two of reading, you’ll understand why we just likened it to an addiction.