The Eisenhorn series is Dan Abnett’s Warhammer 40,000 trilogy about Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn, and it’s the book that convinced a lot of people that tie-in fiction could be genuinely good. It follows one man’s long slide from puritanical servant of the Imperium to something much greyer.
What the trilogy actually is
Three novels, published in quick succession in 2001 and 2002: Xenos, Malleus and Hereticus. They’re crime and horror stories wearing a science fantasy coat, with Eisenhorn and his retinue chasing heretics, cults and daemons across the Imperium.
The hook isn’t the case-of-the-week stuff, though that’s plenty of fun. It’s that Eisenhorn keeps having to use the enemy’s methods to win, and the books never let him off the hook for it.
- Xenos (2001): the hunt for a heretic leads Eisenhorn into something far older and nastier.
- Malleus (2001): the fallout from Xenos, and the first real cracks in his principles.
- Hereticus (2002): the reckoning, decades down the line.
The omnibus and the extras
If you’re buying it today you’ll almost certainly get the Eisenhorn omnibus, first published in 2004. It collects all three novels plus two short stories, Missing in Action and Backcloth for a Crown Additional.
There’s also The Magos, a 2018 collection that gathers more Eisenhorn short fiction around a new novella. It includes The Definitive Casebook of Gregor Eisenhorn, a run of prequel shorts. Worth reading after the trilogy, not before.
Where it sits in Abnett’s Inquisition saga
Eisenhorn is the first of three connected trilogies. Ravenor follows Eisenhorn’s former pupil Gideon Ravenor, and the Bequin books (Pariah, Penitent, and the long-awaited Pandaemonium) pull both strands together.
You can read them out of order, but the payoffs land harder if you don’t. Ravenor in particular assumes you know how Eisenhorn ended up.
| Trilogy | Books | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhorn | Xenos, Malleus, Hereticus | 2001-2002 |
| Ravenor | Ravenor, Ravenor Returned, Ravenor Rogue | 2004-2007 |
| Bequin | Pariah, Penitent, Pandaemonium | 2012-present |
Adaptations and other media
Eisenhorn: Xenos, a third-person action-adventure game by Pixel Hero Games, adapted the first novel. It hit Steam in August 2016 and got a mixed reception at best.
In 2019 Frank Spotnitz was announced as showrunner on a live-action Eisenhorn TV adaptation. Nothing came of it, and by the time Amazon started negotiating for Warhammer 40,000 rights the option had lapsed. There are also audio dramas, Thorn and Talon and The Keeler Image, if you want the stories in your ears instead.
Key facts
- Written by Dan Abnett, published 2001-2002.
- Three novels: Xenos, Malleus, Hereticus.
- Follows Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn and his retinue hunting heretics and daemons.
- First of three linked trilogies, followed by Ravenor and Bequin.
- Adapted into the 2016 video game Eisenhorn: Xenos.
- A 2019 live-action TV adaptation was announced but never happened.
FAQ
Do I need to read Eisenhorn before Ravenor?
Not strictly, but you’ll get more out of Ravenor if you do. The two are connected, and the Bequin books assume you know both.
Is Eisenhorn a good starting point for Warhammer 40k novels?
It’s one of the best. You don’t need any prior lore, and it’s a genuinely strong crime story regardless of the setting.
Is there an Eisenhorn TV show?
No. A live-action adaptation was in development around 2019 with Frank Spotnitz, but it never got made and the option lapsed.