Title - Sigmar's BloodAuthor - Phil Kelly
Year - 2013
Stand Alone
Pages - 128
Reading Time February 2014 (2 days)
Review
Well this was an interesting reading.
I don't know why but I last year was the year I read less Black Library books. I love the setting, so I really don't know. Maybe this year will change. There are a lot of books I want to read, Dark Disciple, 13th Legion, Skarsnik, Headtaker, Zombieslayer, Valkia, Wulfrik, The Red Duke and three hundred more. But as I said, it was not planned my away but things will change.
I read Dreadfleet in 2011 by the same author and I really enjoyed it. A novel in the seas, which is not the usual; the only one I can remember features sea battles was Fell Cargo by Dan Abnett in a time that Pirates of Carabean was in spotlights.
In this novel we follow several characters, each chapter a different one, that converge in the finale. We've got Volkmar the Grim the Grand Theogonist of the Cult of Sigmar, Von Korden a savage witch hunter and Sunscreyer a magic-user.
This book reads as a tabletop game, and that's where it fails. You've got Manfredd who has proclaimed himself ruler of Sylvania and the Emperor instead of sending some troops sends Volkmar, a bunch of zealots, state troopers, Knights of Blazing Sun, Reiskguard, three Gryphs, some musketeers and two artilery pieces. One Hundred guys to destroy one of the most powerful Vampire? Hard to assimilate. But as game rules each army Manfredd sent never had more than hundred skeletons, bats and the such. So, as you read this line, I say yes. Open a box of the Empire and the Vampire Counts and battle. It's the same.
Well, at least until the end it was not so good. Besides Von Korden most of characters are just there. Ok Volkmar is also displayed nicely and the magic-users could have been name Ricewind and his two pals. They are comic as hell.
The end was very interesting.
Usually when you read a warhammer or 40k book it's like, someone is wining but you know in the grand-scale of things nothing happens. No matter what armies orks, skaven or chaos throws against the Empire they are doomed to failed. The Empire just exists to protects his lands and thwarted the evil tribes. Kislev only exists to be destroyed again and again. Brettonia are almost no existence and the high elves help humankind, hate the dark elves (that are always scheming to destroy them) and then the dwarves - always fighting the skaven and orcs and helping the feeble Empire. The Tombkings exist to be there. Nothing more than that.
After reading this, you wonder so... what's go about it? Well you've go to read a book or two to understand and love. The setting is great. Grim and despair rules it's pages. There is always someone darker than you. There are few "white" knights. And most of all some books have the best portrayals of evil characters as main characters. That's really uncommon. C L Werner in that area is the lord and king.
But on this tale the finale blow me away... it's a spoiler so............... the book ends with the fall of Volkmar and he is captured by Manfredd who also had kidnapped several characters from different religions within the empire and a elf lady priestess and it ends saying that he will have his realm and then bit Volkmar... What a heck? A change... do you know anything about it? So Manfredd is really back with Sylvania..
Highly Advice to anyone who enjoys reading Warhammer novels. 9/10
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