Okay so a more proper write up of the “If you like this character in 40k/horus heresy you might enjoy this character in fantasy/AoS”. The book recommendations are often just what I have personally read, I welcome additions other people have. Characters and book recommendations under the cut!
I’ll add to this if I have more ideas.
Uriel Ventris - Vandus Hammerhand (The Realmgate Wars) - you enjoy straight laced soldiers that try to do the best they can, that have a second in command completely devoted to them, so far so they’d follow them beyond the boundaries of death, that slowly get changed by their duty to become more unfeeling and brutal? Well, you’re in luck! Vandus also comes with a dracoth (a Demi-dragon to ride) and a haunted look in his eyes!
Jaghatai Khan - Sathphren Swiftbale (Hallowed Knights) - you like speedy boys who laugh a lot, are generally positive but are seen as barbarians by many people due to their background and are really bad with their record keeping and requisition orders? Have a Sathphren! He comes with a gryphcharger named Gwyllth and a propensity to do stupid shit!
Rogal Dorn - Lorrus Grymn (The Realmgate Wars, Hallowed Knights) - you like strait laced men that appear cold but are internally softies? Have a Lorrus! He also comes with a doggo he adores and is constantly petting or carrying around, and a habit of building hospitals to make his best friend happy.
Sanguinius - Gardus Steel Soul (The Realmgate Wars, Hallowed Knights) - you like your men with more than a bit of Jesus imagery, who’re considered the main “favorite” of their respective god/totally not god who have a physical manifestation of what other people consider a sign of their proximity to divinity, who’re deeply uncomfortable with it? Gardus in addition to this is also a former doctor who hugs kids, takes care of the elderly and is absolutely fucking unhinged.
Magnus the Red - Teclis (Tyrion & Teclis, Giantslayer, pretty much most warhammer properties that feature high elves at least mention him) - you like magic boys better than all other magic boys with a side of tragedy? And an abusive father who treats them better than their siblings but still only cares about their magic abilities? Who feels ostracized and alone? You might be interested in Teclis! His story also deals with the fact that he’s physically disabled in a society that is incredibly ableist, and his complicated but (mostly) loving relationship with his twin brother.
Perturabo - Balthasar Gelt/Balthas Arum (Soul Wars) - you like socially awkward geniuses that never feel good enough, like to hide their emotions and can’t handle their own failure? Balthas here also comes with a side of trauma from having thrown in his lot with Nagash before!
Ciaphas Cain - Felix Jaeger (Gotrek & Felix) - you like kind of pathetic men that think they suck but are actually heroic as fuck? You like men that pretend they’re selfish but can’t stand for injustice? Well, Felix also happens to be a socialist poet. Who also tends to fuck up all his relationships with women because he’s 21 and let’s be real, who was good at dating at 21.
Corvus Corax - Cado Ezechiar (The Hollow King) - you like gothic heroes that reference literature (Cado’s powers are literally Dracula’s from the book - including the silly stuff)? You like men that look dark and broody and anti-hero-y but are good people that have a desire to help others? You like it when they’re still despite that hypocrites? Well, do I have the sad vampire boy for you! And he even works on actually doing smth about overcoming his hypocrisy and hopefully becoming less pouty about admitting that he’s a good person.
Roboute Guilliman - Alarielle the Everqueen (Tyrion & Teclis, Realmgate Wars) - you like leaders that are suffering under the weight of what is expected of them? That suffer under awakening to a world that is not for them anymore? That have to look strong for everyone, even when they aren’t? Alarielle also comes with a really cute romance!
Constantin Valdor - Yndrasta (Yndrasta: The Celestial Spear) - you like spear users that see themselves as only a weapon, depersonalize themselves, refuse to admit they have emotions, and would genuinely prefer to be automatons? Yndrasta is also a bisexual woman with wings!
Cyrion - Mannfred von Carstein (Realmgate Wars, Hallowed Knights, but most death and vampire books have him lurking around somewhere) - you like snarky assholes that are evil backstabbers but still pitiable who work for a cause they lost all belief in? Mannfred also comes with a best friend he can’t let go off and hallucinates about, daddy issues, and a skeletal dragon.
Marazhai - Malus Darkblade (Malus Darkblade) - you like edgy emo evil dark elves? Yes? Well. Have a Malus. He’s pathetic and he whines a lot.
Nefertari - Maleneth Witchblade (Gotrek & Maleneth, Shades of Khaine) - you like brutal evil elf women that could kill you, are contractually obliged to work with a man who certainly does not deserve a goddess like her, has some sort of issue with her people back home, and is the biggest badass to ever badass? Maleneth also has mommy issues.
Sometimes I’m genuinely wondering whether black library authors are aware how… simpable some of their characters are.
Like I know Bill King was aware that Ragnar and Teclis were hot. But I’m reading the Cado Ezechiar books rn and is John French aware that when he created his flexible, Byronic, tortured vampire antihero that I’d sit on the edge of my seat and swoon every three seconds?
Is ADB aware of what he created with Sevatar? Was he aware of my facial expression when he wrote into The Carrion Lord of the Imperium that Constantin Valdor can sing and has stubble? Was Josh Reynolds aware that his soothing babies, taking care of the sick, smiling softly, gentle 9ft tall giant would haunt my dreams? Was Gav Thorpe aware that he wrote Asurmen to appeal to everyone who really found Pedro Pascal in the Mandalorian and The Last of Us hot?
The way the stormcasts treat Mannfred makes me uncomfortable.
Yes, he’s a monster. Yes, he’s single handedly responsible for a lot of pain and suffering, more even than he himself remembers. But. Idk. It’s not a reason to treat him only with violence, pain, and things that are anathema to his nature.
The Stormcasts claim they’re better but I really wish they’d add deed to word. I thought Hengst, the Anvil of the Heldenhammer who Cado frees and who responds to that with trying to kill him just for the crime of being a Soulblight Gravelord without even knowing whether he did anything bad (which he didn’t, Cado would prefer death to harming an innocent by drinking from them) was an exception but like… idk.
Gardus actively tortured Mannfred and I won’t say that Mannfred deserves kindness or compassion, but to me those things aren’t about what’s deserved by the person who receives them, but by what the nature of the person who gives them reveals.
The stormcasts treat Mannfred the same way Nagash does. Gods, it seems, are not kind, and neither are their instruments.
