Editing Warhammer 40,000 (section)

===Novels===
{{Main|List of Warhammer 40,000 novels}}

Following the 1987 initial release of Games Workshop's ''Warhammer 40,000'' wargame the company began publishing background literature that expands previous material, adds new material, and describes the universe, its characters, and its events in detail. Since 1997 the bulk of background literature has been published by the affiliated imprint [[Black Library]].

The increasing number of fiction works by an expanding list of authors is published in several formats and media, including audio, digital and print. Most of the works, which include full-length novels, novellas, short stories, graphic novels, and audio dramas, are parts of named book series. In 2018, a line of novels for readers aged 8 to 12 was announced, which led to some confusion among fans given the ultra-violent and [[grimdark]] nature of the setting.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hall|first1=Charlie|title=Warhammer 40,000 is launching a line of young adult fiction and fans are confused|url=https://www.polygon.com/2018/5/22/17380300/warhammer-40000-young-adult-fiction-black-library|access-date=23 May 2018|work=Polygon|date=22 May 2018|archive-date=22 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522185720/https://www.polygon.com/2018/5/22/17380300/warhammer-40000-young-adult-fiction-black-library|url-status=live}}</ref>

====''The Horus Heresy''====
{{main|The Horus Heresy}}

One of the most successful storylines to be produced by Black Library is ''[[the Horus Heresy]]'', a [[prequel]] series set ten thousand years prior to the main setting of the wargame and depicting the downfall of the Emperor of Mankind, setting the conflict between Chaos and the Imperium in motion. The storyline is divided across multiple series of novels and comic books.