Put Down the Codex: Introducing the Wildlings Book Club
Let's be honest. Most of us already read an awful lot. Codexes, rulebooks, FAQs, errata, the errata to the errata, and the occasional 40-page balance dataslate at midnight before a tournament.
So we thought it was time to read something with an actual plot.
Introducing the Wildlings Book Club. It's a relaxed, no-homework reading group where members pick the book, everyone reads at their own pace, and then we get together to talk about it over a brew. Join the club with a free RSVP and we'll keep you posted on every pick and meet-up.
Why is a gaming club starting a book club?
Because stories are why most of us fell into this hobby in the first place. Somewhere along the line, every one of us read something that made a faction click, a character stick, or a whole universe feel worth painting another 60 Termagants for.
A book club is also a brilliant excuse to hang out with people in a different way. Not everyone wants to spend three hours on a tournament table, and not everyone can make club nights every week. Reading fits around shifts, kids, commutes and the sofa. All you need is a book and an opinion.
Why reading is good for you
Reading is one of the most underrated things you can do for your head. It isn't homework. It's a bit of self-care that happens to come with dragons, detectives or the occasional Inquisitor.
It helps you switch off. Getting lost in a good book is one of the best ways to step away from screens, notifications and the day's worries. Twenty pages before bed beats an hour of doomscrolling.
It builds empathy. Spending a few hundred pages inside someone else's head, whether that's a hive-city enforcer or a Victorian orphan, helps you see the world from angles you'd never get to otherwise.
It keeps your brain sharp. Following plots, remembering characters and spotting clues is a proper workout for your focus and memory. Ask anyone who's tracked a Horus Heresy family tree.
It sparks your imagination. A great book can inspire a paint scheme, a narrative campaign or a whole new army. Plenty of Wildlings' best projects started with a story.
Why sharing it is even better
Reading on your own is great. Reading together is a whole different experience, and that's where a book club comes into its own:
You notice twice as much. Someone always spots the clue you missed, the theme you skimmed past or the character you completely misjudged. Every chat makes the book richer.
It gets you reading things you'd never pick. The best book of your year might be one you'd have walked straight past in the shop.
It's a great way to connect. Talking about a book gives you something to chat about that isn't small talk. People open up about what moved them, what annoyed them and why, which is how good friendships get built.
It keeps you going. Knowing a group is reading alongside you is the friendly nudge that turns "I keep meaning to read more" into actually doing it.
Disagreeing is half the fun. One person's favourite story is another's "what was that ending?!" Friendly arguments over a brew are the best bit.
First up: Broken City
Our opening pick is Broken City, an anthology from Black Library's Warhammer Crime range. Forget Space Marines and planet-wide battles. This is the 41st millennium at street level, set in Varangantua, a vast, crumbling city where the crime never stops and the enforcers are often as bent as the people they're chasing.
Think noir detective stories with an Imperial twist: rain-soaked alleys, corrupt officials, desperate citizens and the odd heretic. The collection brings together stories from several Black Library authors, including Chris Wraight, Robert Rath and Gareth Hanrahan.
We reckon it's the perfect starter for a few reasons:
It's short stories. You can read one on your lunch break, so there's no 600-page commitment needed to join in.
You don't need to know any lore. If you've never touched a Warhammer book, crime fiction is a great way in. If you've read dozens, it's a very different side of 40K.
Everyone gets a favourite. With a mix of authors and styles, there's guaranteed to be a story people argue about, and that's half the fun.
After that? Honestly, anything
Broken City has a 40K flavour, but it's only the starting line. We want the Wildlings Book Club to read an eclectic mix, and we mean properly eclectic. Over the coming months the shortlist could include any of these:
Classic sci-fi and fantasy that inspired the games we play
A gripping crime thriller or a creepy horror novel
That literary classic you've been pretending to have read since school
Graphic novels and comics
Non-fiction about history, science, real-life battles or how games are made
Something funny, something heartbreaking, or something nobody expected to love
If it's got pages (or an audiobook), it's fair game. We'll look at a wide range of suggestions and let the group vote, so every book is a club choice.
Got a book in mind? We want to hear it
This is the bit that matters most. Anyone can suggest a book, and we really do mean anyone. Long-time member or brand-new face, avid reader or someone who hasn't finished a novel in years, your suggestion counts just as much as anyone else's.
There's no such thing as a wrong pick. It could be your all-time favourite, a book you've always wanted to try, something a mate recommended, or a weird one you spotted in a charity shop. The more varied the suggestions, the better the club.
How it works
Suggest. Drop a book suggestion on the WAW Discord, or in the comments below.
Vote. The group picks the winner. Democracy, but with fewer Chaos cults (probably).
Read. Take your time. Paperback, e-reader or audiobook all count.
Natter. Once the group has finished, we meet up for a coffee and a chat about what we loved, what we didn't, and who saw that twist coming.
There's no pressure to finish, and there's no test at the end. If you only got halfway, come along anyway. We'll mark spoilers before we get into them.
Get involved
Whether you're a seasoned bookworm or haven't picked up a novel since school, there's a seat for you. Here's how to get started:
RSVP to the Wildlings Book Club so we can keep you in the loop
Hop on the WAW Discord to suggest and vote on future picks
Grab a copy of Broken City and get stuck in
Meet-up dates will be announced on Discord as each book wraps up. In the meantime, get the ball rolling: if you could put any book in front of the whole club, what would it be? Tell us in the comments. It might just end up on the shortlist.
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