Book Review: Bloodstorm - Dan Abnett & Mike Lee - Malus Darkblade II

Author : Dan Abnett & Mike Lee
Book : Bloodstorm (Book II of Malus Darkblade)
Publisher: Black Library
Pages : 413

Synopsis

Send a monster to kill a monster...

Murderer, betrayer, warrior beyond compare. Yet by the cruel standarts of the dark oelves, Malus Darkblade still has a lot to prove. Possesed by the foul daemon Tz'arkan, Malus only has a year to find five magic artefacts or his soul will be forfeit. To retrieve the Idol of Kolkuth, Malus will have to call on all his cunning and wits to survive a magi labyrinth and defeat its fearsome guardian.

The second instalment in the darkblade series, bloodstorm delves further into the twisted psyche of the cruel malicious Malus Darkblade.

This is the second book of five books about Malus Darkblade. I read in one interview that will be only 5 books about this character. Damn.. only five? This is probably the best series I've ever read or knew that exist where the main character is a evil character. He is evil and as a daemon inside him.
I remenber to well when I read the comic book (which the story is a bit different of this one) when Malus kills his father and the daemon upon hearing malus saying "goodbye father", the daemon ask... "You killed your own father? Somethimes you even scare me.. and I am a daemon." and the dark elf responded "Good!"
That sentence never left my mind and from that point on I've loved Malus Darkblade.

So in this book the dark elf returns to his hometown. He is not received well. Captured and beaten (well there were too many ways of punish to put here..) by his father. His father would dare to kill him 'cause of his mother so he try to punish him beyond limits so Malus could give up.. That don't happen. He find out that he must go to some (daemon)-forsaken isle to retrieve the second artifact. To do this, Malus must betray, double cross, and even triple cross his dark elf siblings as he uses them to locate an island belonging to their enemies, the Skinriders.

When I say triple cross I should say fourth and fifth cross eheh.

Just to give an example. Malus has several brothers. In this case enters 4 of them so he must plan with each and everyone to do what they want. They all want another of his brothers dead so it will be difficult to him to deliver what everybody wants.

One of the characters I like most (besides malus) was his new retainer Hauclir. I just like him. And I wanted him not to die. He's a good character. Someone I see as an dark elf but that dark. He respond back to Malus and never did he kill him. Well threat him a lot.

Well... The final conclusion is this.. In the first book you see a lot of fights. Here we see a well conceived plot with a good knowleadge of the dark elf court and principles (or lack of them). But don't be alarm. The blood in this book flows in every page. One thing I like is the humans. They are slave and seen as pure livestock. Exclent. 9/10

Book Review: The Cold Hand of Betrayal - Anthology

Pages : 252

Author : Anthology

Publisher: Black Library

Reading Time: Abril/May 2006

Synopsis

In the grim Old World, the bloodthirsty followers of the Chaos Gods ravage the land. It is a dark age, a bloody age, an age of daemons and of sorcery. It is an age of battle and death, and of the end of the world. Amidst the fire, flame and fury, it is a time too, of mighty heroes, of bold deeds and great courage. Packed with grim fantasy tales from the gothic Warhammer world, The Cold Hand of Betrayal is a great collection of Warhammer fantasy short stories penned by some of the Black Library’s favourite authors. A terrific collection that will appeal to all lovers of dark, gritty fantasy.

This is a book about ... you got it.. Betrayal. Well let us begin, there are several stories... The first it's Kinstrife by Graham McNeil. This is a story which the two main characters are brothers and high elves. This is the way a betrayal should begin since in the warhammer world there wasn't a more act of betrayal than Malekith and the Druchii did to the High Elves. Well, you see a story about two brothers who are seeking vengeance for their late father who died by poison from a dark elf assassin. The story it's divide in two parts. The first it's the current time and the other it's some flashbacks from the main character Lord Eldain. I didn't expect for this kind of end... It's like a plot within a plot.. a betrayal within the betrayal.. I guess it won't hurt if I tell you. The flashbacks take you to know why they are there in druchii land . Besides that another plot starts to unfold in which we begin to realise that not everything is well between the brothers. Rhianna, to be bethroned as everyone expects to Eldain comes to close to his brother Caelir. He already loves her and she loves him too. So before they part Caelir promises himself to her. Eldain becomes aware of that by Rhianna who tells him days before they part. This we only know in the last 10 pages or so. Then the flashbacks ends and the high elves start to war the druchii making great damage to their warships and one Ark. When they are fleeing after causing so much chaos and mayhem and death Caelir is injured and Eldain stands his hand to help him but sees his ring. The ring of the marriage between his brother and Rhianna. In a act of betrayal, yes this is the main betrayal, he leaves the scene. Then the author presents a final chapter which is a flashback in which Caelir asks his brother to look after her if he dies. Well this shock me. I never thought that High Elves had such .. qualities.. It's horrific :I a dissapointed. Oh well.. There is a part when the druchii slave masters are chasing a pack of humans and the high elves could save them. Caelir and the Shadow Warriors wanted to kill the druchii but Eldain forbades him saying "They were only humans" ... " Do not trouble yourself with them." It's kind of brutal.

The second history is call Small Mercy by Richard Ford. This is a begins with with two bounty hunters arriving at a village with a norsc prisioner. They bring it to a tavern where they are going to pass the night. The patrons here the tale and a child is beddazzled by these norsc one blue eye soldier. Well the betrayal here it's kind of sad. Well the "friends" of the norcs arrive and kill all habitants excpet this boy. Later we see the same boy a captain in the mist of Storm of Chaos war. We don't see much of the fight except we know they are running away and they are rallied by a charismatic, suicidal, valiant general. Well they start running and there are several skirmishers. One time they encounter a Chaos Knight Champion and the captain try to attack the knight but falls. The chaos knight remove the helmet and voilá. Yes. The northmen. The northman smiles at him and tries to give a hand but meanwhile the general kills the chaos knight and... afterwards... they imprisoned the captain for treason. I like it but.. there's something not right... the story has only 18 pages which doesn't benefit the writer. I think he is a good writer and the plot is well employed.

The third it's from Nyck Kyme and it's called Perfect Assassin. This a story about an assassin as he tries to best a unknown assassin that is threating his "kingship" as king of assassins. The last case that will decide which is a better thief it's a case that already 7 assassins died. Well this a good story. The plot it's good. And the ending is well know before he even attempt to best the last case. This story has 24 pages.

The fourth it's from the author of Brunner Triology, C L Werner and it's called Sick House. I had read a story written by CL Werner in the Swords of the Empire but not a novel. This is about another personage of him. A bounty hunter named Brunner. This story has a good concept and I like it. The writing it's complex. It's the best written story of the book. He gives a lot of time creating the plot and use adjectives abundably. I like the story but the end was for me too quickly. This is the second biggest story with 38 pages.

The fifth is In the Service of Sigmar. This story was written by Adam Troke. I am not familiar with this writer but that never stop me from reading someone's work. I like the main story and the end was forthcoming. This kind of similarites to Christian church upsets me but okay. (Btw: I am not christian. I am pagan.) I am not saying that is the writer's fault. It is the warhammer world story inself. For some actions I wish all humanity vanish. lol. The main story is about a man who wants to progress in his career and do a job where the church of sigmar tell him if he do it correctly he will be allowed into knighthood.

The sixth is Blood and Sand. Well here it is. The writer Matt Ralphs. I didn't knew him either. The plot itself reminds me of the crusaders. They went from france, england and german to strike at the infidels and convert the heathen. Very well. But... something i don't understand... Why striking so far away from home when they have within their borders reference to other gods? In tilea there is another god. In bretonnia there is another. Argh.. I don't understand... but okay.. I like the crusades in our history. I don't like the reasons but I like the wars. As I said I am pagan. The story inself it's good and the end was predicable as we seen over and over in human history in the crusaders... The crusaders didn't come to jerusalem and other lands to convert. They really didn't care about the muslins or heathens as they call it. So the writer has to read some books about the crusades i think. I like the story. But...

The Seventh is Son of the Empire Robert Allan is the writer. The concept here of betrayal is something diferent. We are presented here with a incoming invasion of some northmen and a pristess of shallya invoked some knight to fight them. Nothing out of normality. But in the end we see why this book is about betrayal. It's not a betrayal of a friend but a soul-betrayal.. a god-betrayal i might say... I think anyone should read this story. It has a beautiful concept.The Eighth is The Daemon's Gift. This was my least favourite story. It was hard to follow. The plot itself it's good but... there's something not catching. I didn't feel anything for the characters and they didn't give anything new to me. I hope this happens only to me.

The last one is from Mr Steven Savile's "Death's Cold Kiss". This is a good story which will further increase the great plot that begin with Inheritance. This is a story about a priest of Sigmar called Guttman that turns into a vampire.For those who knew and have read the book from the same author Inheritance we see this same personage in the prologue when the former count of sylvania is dying in the year 1797. The the book jumps to the year of 2009. Here in this small story we see one of the following events in 1797 where the priest is followed and turned into vampire and the main story is about is two brethern trying to deal with that transformation. I loved this small story and it was my favourite after the first one Kinslayer. The writings are fluid and are of easy read. I like it a lot.There is only one problem or situation... The priest is alive in year 1797. From that time he is bitten to the time when he is killed by Skellan and Fischer pass only one month aproximedly. But this two personages are presented in the book at 2009. There is a time gap here that is wrong.Well apart of that the story is great. 

7/10

Book Review: Zavant - Gordon Rennie

Pages; 285

Publisher: Black Library

Author : Gordon Rennie

Synopsis

Zavant is a "must-own" book for any true fan of the Warhammer World, providing a clutch of gritty detective short stories featuring the enigmatic Zavant Konniger and his reluctant Halfling servant Vido, providing a darkly humorous reflection of the classic Sherlock Holmes stories.

Contents

The first is called Buried Secrets, or the Affair of the Araby Exbiit. (26 pages)

The second is Red Moon over Altdorf, or the Case of the Morrsliebnacht Murders. (26 pages)

The third is The Politics of Shadow, or the Case of the Tilea Widow. (82 pages)

The fourth is The Horror at Alt Krantztein, or the Case of Twisted Man (with 142 pages has half of the book's pages.

This books is one of the more catching books I've ever read. I like it a lot and read it pretty quickly I must say. My favourite story it was the third and the fourth. The third is about a vampire who is attacking the city. But as the metal band Iron Maiden said in the music "Rime of the Ancient Mariner", " wait but there's two". The evil personage reminds me of Erzebeth Bathory the hungarian countess of the XV century

The last part is about the plague of chaos who is strenching to the most secured imperial places in Altdorf. This is the only story which Zavant has to leave Altdorf and go to the field. Here you see Zavant not only as Sherlock Holmes but as a fighter. (And a good one.)

In this tale we see two important characters which I think they will appear in other books like the CrimeLord Vesper klasst and the Imperial High Assassin Vaul Steiner. This one I would like to read a book about him.

"Gordon Rennie pens the stories with an elegant touch, providing equal amounts of suspense, dark humour, bloodshed and a plot that makes this book a real page-turner. Great characters, utterly believable settings and an atmosphere that can best be descibed as “Warhammer Noir”. This is Warhammer fiction at its finest, and a book that you can read through time and again. "

I read the review above and I cannot tell with better words what he is saying here. He got it right.10/10

Book Review: The Daemon's Curse - Dan Abnett & Mike Lee - Malus Darkblade I

Author : Dan Abnett & Mike Lee

Book : Darkblade - Daemon's Curse (Book I)

Pages : 383 plus glossary

Warrior. Betrayer. Monster. Even among the treacherous dark elves, Malus Darkblade stands out as a study in utter ruthlessness. When he steals a map that leads to a secret power hidden deep within the Chaos Wastes, Malus collects his cut-throat warriors and sets off to seek his fortune. Their journey takes them into the madness of Chaos and horrors that cause even a dark elf to quake in fear.

This is the first book I've read about Dark Elves. What to expect? A lot. I bought this book and read it all together in a few days.

I've already have seen/read the comic book of Malus DarkBlade. And what a book it was. I was all interested to see this book and my interested not only was fulfilled but increased. I've got here the second book and after reading the one I am reading I am starting that one. As I read it somewhere there will be five books.

This book is about a anti-hero Malus Darkblade. A dark elf. The plot is this of the books is that of Malus who is an ambitious dark elf warrior learns the location of a powerful relic and decides he wants it for himself. Possessed by a powerful daemon, he must undertake an epic quest to save his very soul.

I bet that if you read the book you will hate and have feelings to kill him but you won't. Not 'cause you can't but 'cause you are going to be so connected by his story that you will not gonna be able to put it down and curse the writers for making him that way and by not published the all books in one time.

I like it a lot. You see Malus fighting every type of race/creature you would imagine. You see the world of Dark Elves, treachorous and evil place. You see what ambition does to a person. I began to like the determination of Malus and his band. This is a prelude to the comic books. The comic starts with the last battle in the place where malus is getting the prize is so desirous.

Afterwards he kills his band. The reason is ... Malus don't want them to see what he became. I think the band would follow him to the end of the world but the feelings were so great that he became totally berserk. Well now he's got the get 5 relics to save is soul. And only have one year to do that.

In the end of the book we see him capture the first of that relics which was in the possesion of a beastman.

Now.. let us see and read the second book...

Of course this is a book by Dan Abnett (with Mike Lee) and as all books of him their are no words to describe but "Fabulous". This is a new concept that I never exprience in other books. An Evil main character with no good feelings whatsoever. This is a different between many books which an evil personage turns to good or has a good act. Here... don't trust your life on him or else he will kill just because he likes to see the blood flowing out of you. 10/10

Book Review: The Broken Lance (II) - Nathan Long

 Author: Nathan Long
Series: Second in Black Hearts

Editor : Black Library
Pages : 251

Synopsis
In the second book of the Blackhearts series, Reiner and his band of reprobates are given a new mission. All communications with a vital Imperial border fort have been lost, and they are sent to find out what’s going on – has the commander gone rogue or are more sinister forces at work?

Review

After the last book several companions died.

It remain the Captain Reinier Hetsau, the two pikemen Hals and Pavel, the tilean crossbow Giano and the she-he Frank(a) Shoentag, which Reiner discovered she was a girl and they fell in love.

Now a new story begins in which they've got to go the border princes and see if the general who commands there the forces are a treachorous bastard or not.

They are given new companions. Karelinus, Abel Halstieg, Jergen Rohmmer, Dag Nuller and Helgertkrug. Every one of them are villains. Again as the same book not all of them are evil.

This is another great book by Nathan Long which gives us something to read and he made us not only like the characters but to admire them... to see in them heroes not vilains. And I personnally did. In one part I had tears in my eyes as one of the old friends die in a tragically but heroic dead. I am looking forward to read the third book which is arriving in June. Which I will have in May eheh 8.5/10

Book Review: Valnir's Bane (I) - Nathan Long

Author : Nathan Long
Series: First of Black Hearts
Pubilsher: Black Library
Pages : 254

Reiner Hetsau once made a bad decision and now he's been condemned for the rest of his life, and that doesn't look like it's going to be very long. Sitting in the stockade, his only thoughts are of escape and a return to a simple life of card-sharking.The appearance of Captain Viert changes all that. Reiner and his fellow prisoners are given a simple choice; volunteer for an ‘errand’ or be executed right away. Now Reiner must try and survive a suicide mission whose purpose just gets darker and more sinister whilst the only people to watch his back are cutthroats and murderers.

This book is a cliche. Lol. This is my first word to came to my mind. This is a book about men who are about to die and they are given a chance to be free again... Now.. Tell a movie where this happens? Dirty Dozen.. That's right.

Now the story begins with the main character Reiner a man of noble birth contemplating which of the prisioners would do well in a attempt to escape. Afterwards he and others ( the ruthless and bloodthirsty Knight, the pair of villanous pikemen, the cowardly savant Artilleryman, the downtrodden Engineer, the malicious Barber-Surgeon, the plucky young archer and the unfortunate Tilean Rogue)

I didn't like one thing only... the knight. He has no character and he sounds like a stupid person. If that is the point Nathan Long wanted to made then he is okay too. lol

The story itself it's a good one. The main story focus on the attempt to recover a banner which will help the empire won the battle that is coming.

The book also focus on betrayal and the instability of the whole pack. Several of the characters die. Some I didn't feel any remorses others I did. Another good thing was their mismatched personalities leading to good dialogues and thoughts.

Even if they are carcerated they are not in the whole ideia evil.

I read afterwards the second book of this series... So you can say I like it a lot. 8/10

Book Review: Vermintide - Bruno Lee - Warhammer

Author : Bruno Lee (C L Werner)

Publisher: Black Library

Pages : 252

This is the first book of Bruno Lee (aka C L Werner).

I had received this book and read it right way. I thought that we could enter the mind of Skaven and the main characters were the skaven but it wasn't. We see some parts where we can see the human side and others the skaven.

The main story is this.. We've got skaven stealing dwarvish machines which are held in the empire museuns. We don't know at away what is their plan but later we know that the skaven are trying to get the humans and dwarves fight eachothers.

We've got a plausible but very one face main character. I think he should be more researched and add some minor characteristics which would help the plot.

Well... the story unfolds quickly and the book is very easy to read.

The end was my least favourite part for two reasons.. first we see a areal combat. I didn't like it. I mean.. don't get me wrong but for me fantasy we stick in the ground or in air with the help of dragons or such but to have semi-helicopters with machine guns and ballons which remind me of the zeppelins was too much for me. Sorry Mr Bruno Lee. This is not a fault on you but on the world of course...

The second thing is the plot itselfs.. what a hell happens to Rudolf Alberich? He is a treachorous bastard (lol) .. is he arrested? Does he flee to the underworld among the rats? I don't know.. What happen to the fragile Elector count Graf Alberich?

Oh well... nevertheless it is a good book for reading specially for those with Skaven armies... 6.5/10

Book Review: TrollSlayer (I) - William King

Pages : 315

Publisher: Black Library

Author : William King

This is the first book of the Gotrek and Felix Saga and this was the first book of warhammmer I bought.

I was reading at the time some book of Dragonlance or Forgotten Realms. I try to read it and I quit after reading about 50 pages or so. Some time afterwords after reading the GILEAD'S BLOOD I try it again.. this time I didn't stop. Some of the previews before say it all. I like a lot of the dwarf with his bound-code of honor. It's nice to see a character not following some human characteristics. I mean... I've read some books with dwarves and elves and some of them put human characteristics in it or the other way around. They follow and never leave the general characteristics of a race. In general I like it a lot. Something didn't feel right although. Gotrek it's almost invincible. I don't like that in a character. But besides that everything fits alright.

(This is what I wrote before I knew what were the Slayers)

Now that I know about them I think it is good that he don't die lol

He is the least well succeeded slayer. The one who wants to die and cannot.

Well this is not a novel in the way of continuous story but several stories combined.

There are 7 stories.

The first is when we meet the adventures and know why they are together. This story it's about a cult operating in the woods who try to run over the slayer. They follow the carriage and go after the cultits. (This is where he loses his eye)

The second story they follow a caravan of a doom baron. Here they fight undead and goblins and wolfs.

The third they follow a templar, a mage and a ranger to a dwarf city where they fight orcs.

There are more 4 stories. I think every one that likes dwarves would like this book. Or everyone who wants to read about a guy who is a total failure. He cannot even die. (kidding)

Before each battle the Trollslayer passes his finger in his axe making it bleed. I bet his fingers are full of scars lol. 9/10

Book Review: Gilead's Blood - Dan Abnett & Nik Vincent

Publisher: Black Library

Author : Dan Abnett and Nik Vicent

Pages : 288

Rating: 10/10

Gilead's Blood it's a combine of several stories. VI to be precise.

The main character in our story it's Gilead te tuin Lothain, ut Tor Anrok...
Well let us call it only Gilead. Gilead has a Twin that we watch him die in the first story while saving Gilead from some robers. We get to know that the brothers are so linked that the fall of his twin Gilead becomes totally apathic.

From then on it's how Gilead face the rest of his life alone. Well not alone in the term, cause he has his faithful retainer Fithvael, but alone in soul 'cause ever since his brother died he lost some part of his soul.

Here you don't see an elf from Lord of The Rings nor Forgotten Realms. (He is still beautiful, look at the cover of the book). You see an elf with existencial problems. He is a Shadow of a being. I don't think he has ever smile in this book.

After passing his mourning time he follows(leads) his retainer and look desperly to find another of her kind. As anyone who follow Warhammer world, the elves are gone from the Old World. The high elves to be precisely. (only a handful of them remain) Only the wood elves remain in a forest near Bretonnia. The first book we see someone telling a tale of Gilead.

About the chapters precisely. The first we see how Gilead come to be what he is. It's a good beggining. The second it's about him after completing his vengeange (to annihalete completly the attackers and killers of his brother) and his retainer trying to make him understand that he cannot just lay down and die. He must do something. Here in this story it's my favourite phrase of all times (Well except the phrase where Raistlin says "Hope is the denial of reality")
Page 40 Gilead thought fast. He faced certain death unless he tried to evade, but death... death was what he wanted! At that moment he could do anything. Even if he failed, he would still be rewarded with the thing he most craved. Calm swept through him.
This summarize everything that this book represents... I've read it a long time ago and I never forgot this sentece. There are three more stories before the last. One about a dream. A dream he wanted so badly to believe. Other about a rescue of a girl and another about respect. My favourite story it's the last one (The biggest one). It has everything you will find in every warhammer books. You've got norse, elves, knights, common humans, kieves.. etc. The story begins with an half-elf recruiting adventures to defend a village. Along with Gilead and the retainer are 10 or so. It has carnage and blood. It has honor in death and brave acts.

The resume : it's the first book I would recommend to someone who wants to enter not only warhammer world but fantasy. I wish Dan Abnett and Nik Vicent would write more books about this character. I WISH.. I WISH.. I WISH...

Book Review: Riders of the Dead - Dan Abnett

Title Riders of the Dead

Pages 416

Publisher Black Library

Author Dan Abnett (better known as the writter of the ten books of Gaunt's Ghosts, Eishorn & Ravenor among many other books in the black library company... He also hav(x-men and other several comics)

The Year that no one forgets...

The book was about two demilancers of the Empire who went to war and got separeted. It was the year of 2521 and a full scale war was goin' on.

One of the empire armies march north and face the northern tribes. The northern tribes were more and outnumbered then and most of them fell. Some were made captives to their own sports and others fled south. And this is how our story begins.

Warhammer fantasy is a bit different from the sort of light-touch fantasy common in the American market. The emphasis is on the intricacy of the Warhammer setting, and the endless wars that plague its inhabitants. (As one person I knew said, Forgotten realms it's for juvinile and Warhammer / Warhammer 40k it's for young adults and adults...)

Games Workshop draws heavily on the history of Europe for its setting's richness, and Abnett does the same with RIDERS OF THE DEAD.

Dan Abnett portraits exclently the Viewpoint of Empire, of the Kislevian's (who are the empire allies but seen as under-developed people), and the Northers (Norsca) who are the antognists of the empire. The bulk of the novel takes place in Kislev, Warhammer's fantastic analog not only for medieval Russia but somethings by poland and the golden horde (mongol) and knowledgeable readers will find many familiar names and concepts buried among the sheer invention.

Dan Abnett made a story about two different friends,(Karl Vollen and Gerlach Heileman) if you can call them it. Gerlach is a young man of privilege destined for great things. His boyhood friend, Karl, had the benefit of patronage by Gerlach's household, but his low birth means he'll never amount to much in the scheme of things.

In the book they go to drastic changes. Karl, captured by the barbaric Kurgan, is initiated into dark rites and the religion of bloody slaughter. Meanwhile, the arrogant Gerlach becomes an enlightened warrior in the company of a humble troop of Kislevite lancers. Abnett takes his time progressing these parallel tales, and though the journeys both men undertake are those of internal transformation, there's plenty of gory battle to punctuate the introspection.

Dan Abnett portraits exclently the Viewpoint of Empire, of the Kislevian's (who are the empire allies but seen as under-developed people), and the Northers (Norsca) who are the antognists of the empire.

In the end I personally admire each and every other kingdom. The norcsa who aren't that all chaos and mayhem, the kisvelians who live in the stepps and aren't that under-develped but rather code and faith followers. I like the all book. If there is a part where I don't feel so excited its the end. I guess it was rather precipated. But the end after the last battle was tottaly unpredictable. (It remind me of Dan Abnett's Double Eagle)

If you want to start reading Warhammer you can start anywhere since they are all great books. But Abnett's book are just marvelous. I would recomend this one to people who love a book about war (and not afraid of and character development. 9.5/10