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Apologies if this has been asked, but which books feature Primaris Marines, and which ones are worth reading? I’m looking to start a space marine force, primarily Primaris based, and I’d like some inspiration. Anything dealing with their integration etc would be good. I’ve mostly been reading Horus Heresy stuff lately and I’ve got a bit behind with the 40k side.
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Dark Imperium, by Guy Haley, imho really lays down the foundation of the Primaris, if you hadn't picked it up yet.  It actually changed my mind about the Primaris, because it showed them as not being universally accepted, making them more interesting to me.  In fact, this novel inspired the Indomitus Crusaders Specialist Detachment in the 1st Vigilis campaign book.

 

Its sequel, Plague War, also by Guy Haley, actually follows a Primaris who was assigned to the Novamarines.  In fact, iirc there was a whole chapter about his integration into the Chapter.  I think while Dark Imperium gives the important setting-wide background information, that one chapter in Plague War is laser-focused on that integration process.

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I can only agree on what N1SB has said!

Plague War also has a scene where the effects of the Belisarian Furnace is described from the point of a Primaris Marine himself.

 

As an addition:

Get yourself a copy of Aaron Dembski-Bowden's Emperor's Spears Novel as soon as you can.

It features:

The Adeptus Vaelari (Emperor's Spears, Celestial Lions and a bit of help from the Black Templars) and their history and culture.

A Mentor Legion Marine and his 3 Assistants, showcasing how this Chapter works.

A really mysterious, but tragic enemy - with the main antagonist being a magnificent bastard of a villain.

An Imperial Assassin's Short Visit.

Our very first look into a part of the Imperium Nihilus, "behind" the Scar torn through our galaxy, and the desolate, horrible state it is in.

Generally a very amazing plot with many unseen twists and turns and quite a few memorable scenes!

 

But more importantly to your topic:

1. It indirectly shows how the Emperor's Spears adapted to the new Implantation Process of making Primaris.

After they got the technology to make Primaris Marines of their own (= they never got Primaris reinforcements themselves, only the tech to make some) , they had to resort to Trial and Error to get it working properly.

One of the protagonists finds a "crypt" of the Chapter, where dead Marines lie, with even their bones wearing scars of former battles- or broken bones that never healed, the last wounds that killed them.

 

But further down is a row of Marines, larger than the others, with bones that never had to heal because they never were broken in battle. Instead they have huge growth deformities and a single wound that shows they all were put down with a single bolt shot.

These are the "First" Primaris, those who failed, but died so that the Chapter could live on.

 

They are guarded by the last survivor of their lot, Serivahn, who himself is a cripple and has a hunch due to the deformities.

...but he turns out to be a very respected, likable and badass character.

 

2. It shows the Change of an "Old" Marine into a Primaris, the Calgarian Rites.

The main protagonist undergoes this procedure shortly after being saved from weeks-long heavy torture under Chaos forces, that would have made him effectively useless.

 

The whole process is a week long operation by an Apothecary, an Ad Mech Magos and dozens of assistants. During this he dies (in the form of being clinically dead for a second or two) quite a few times, until his newly implanted Belisarian Furnace kicks in and restarts his hearts.

Then he falls into a coma for a long period - during which his assistant can feel the pain he's going through, because his bones break and shift, by pure force of his own muscles, to heal bigger in turn.

After that he has to re-train everything that has to do with physical movements. He has to re-learn to control his power when grabbing things, his aim is off when training with a bolter, etc. His muscle memory is still there, but for a body he doesn't possess anymore.

 

3. The Emperor's Spears are all Primaris Marines (by now), but still retained their chapter culture and their own modus operandi.

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Thanks N1SB. The Dark Imperium ones are definitely on my list.

 

And thanks Riku, I maybe should have mentioned that I picked up Spear of the Emperor at warhammerfest, I’m about a third through it atm. Hopefully your write up is useful for other people so it isn’t wasted!

 

The Space Marine Conquests, are they all about Primaris marines? Which of those are worth reading (not heard great things about the Dark Angels one, for example).

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Blood of Iax is about twin Primaris Space Marine brothers, a Chaplain and an Apothecary.

 

Shroud of Night is (partially) about an Alpha Legion warband encountering Primaris Space Marines of the Imperial Fists for the first time - you also see the Firstborn* Imperial Fists' attitudes towards their new brothers a bit.

 

Of Honour and Iron has quite a lot about Firstborn Space Marines encountering Primaris for the first time (in fact, not even knowing they exist until some of them arrive as reinforcements), but fair warning: it's marred for a lot of people because it portrays Ultramarines as believing in the God-Emperor.

 

War of Secrets features a cadre of Primaris Dark Angels and goes into how they're manipulated by the Inner Circle to keep them pliable and away from the chapter's secrets. An interesting quirk is that it suggests (some?) Primaris tend to follow the rites and habits of the Cult Mechanicum due to their long period of training on Mars.

 

* It isn't used much yet, but this seems to be an in-character term for "Space Marines of the old type", which is the term Guy Haley uses instead in Dark Imperium).

Edited by Ascanius
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Not all Conquest books are about Primaris.

Ashes of Prosperro is about regular Vlka venturing and confronting Thousand Sons. The Baal one, as well, is about "regular" Marines.

Haven't read either of them, just my assumption.

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Dante single-handedly made me genuinely interested in the Blood Angels, so I recommend it! The Devastation of Baal isn't as good but it's still very good.

 

Dante had no Primaris in it, only Devastation of Baal did

Yeah, he only mentioned it because I did :)

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Blood of Iax is about twin Primaris Space Marine brothers, a Chaplain and an Apothecary.

 

Shroud of Night is (partially) about an Alpha Legion warband encountering Primaris Space Marines of the Imperial Fists for the first time - you also see the Firstborn* Imperial Fists' attitudes towards their new brothers a bit.

Are the Fists featured much? I'm not a fan of chaos marines but I might pick it up if it's got some good primaris scenes? Thanks for the info in your post btw, good summary

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