Book Review: Road of Skulls - Joshua Reynolds

Finally a novel that makes Gotrek justice.

First of all it develops Gotrek while not going against the timeline already in place. But we also learn a lot about Gotrek grudge that surprised me. Felix was really interesting character here. More bold. More akin a remembrancer while elfslayer or zombieslayer was more boring duo. It didn't really gone anywhere. Althought here we see battles, we see dwarves, we see history, we see a glimpse of all.

The Chaos part were really interesting as well. We learn more about how a horde of chaos works. the politics, the champions, the mistrust - the lack of honor or good traits.

Enfin, really interesting. Josh Reynolds really surprised me here. Not since William King I enjoy more a Gotrek novel. 

Book Review: Zombieslayer (2012)

Zombieslayer by Nathan Long
My rating: 7 of 10 stars

This was the last book written by Nathan Long in the Chronological saga. There were four other books written by two writers that don't follow the story set in Zombieslayer and basically they are set in the 20ish years gap that exist between William King and Nathan Long novels.

For what I know Kinslayer (End of Times) is the sequel to Zombieslyer.

What did I like about it? Well Nathan Long is not William King and althought I didn't enjoy this novel as much as other from Nathan Long I was not disappointing. I read it in a week which is a good thing to me. The last one hundred pages were read in one night.

Basically this story follows Shamanslayer as they escape the undead horde to a keep where they must hold until reinforcements arrive. The story is not that special, there are a lot of characters, a lot of mystery, a lot of action and some parts were really tense. In the end nothing happens.... Kemmler is defeated and Krell is killed.

We also dwell a bit more about the Slayers grudge and doom. Gotrek is keen to make Snorri remember the reason he is seeking his doom. He shows, great friendship towards him and at times even putting his own doom on hold. This is very strange and I am eagerly waiting on why.... Maybe Kinslayer will dwell more on it.

We also learn more Gotrek and Felix "symbiosis". Max contemplate that several times they should have been killed (Gotrek should have died when he was cut by Krell's weapon) but didn't died. In the end Kat (the girl from the previous book) was rescued by the gang but she is on the brink of dying BUT if Gotrek's magic works on Felix it should work on her as well.

Again, good reading material but not on part of Daemonslayer and Beastslayer, both are two of my favorite books of all times...


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Book Review: Shamanslayer (2012)

Shamanslayer by Nathan Long
My rating: 7 of 10 stars

Another great novel by Nathan Long.

When William King left Gotrek and Felix many people that this couldn't be it to this duo. A lot of years had passed and Black Library made them start again. This time by the hands of Nathan Long. Unfortunately or he got sick of writing about Gotrek and Felix OR BL and GW said that he should stop. What happened I do not know. He started writing the Ulrika Trilogy.

Meanwhile, some other writers wrote Gotrek novels but they are not a continuation of the story made by William King & Nathan Long. Supposedly these tales are set inbetween other novels and mainly on that 20 years hiatus that Gotrek and Felix went missing...

I haven't read it, will read it in a couple of months...

Nathan Long is not William King. I loved William King Gotrek novels and way of writing but I also like Nathan Long. In my opinion William King is better. Daemonslayer and Beastlsayer are two of my favorite novels of all time. Well and they have Thanquol which helps a lot.

In this novel they've come back to the Old Worlde after dealing with the Dark Elves just to be sent to the woods fighting a massive horde of Gor and Ungors and the like. Supposedly a Shaman had the power to turn humans into beasts.

There are some subplots like Felix and Kat relation (a girl he had save 20 years previously) and we also learn more about the Slayers world. Snorri appears as well and it seems the 20 years he had spending afterward killing that Vampire he is now crazy as a bat and have forgotten the first reason to become a slayer. That shame and that's a crime to the slayers... If he is killed before finding it out he will not go to Grimgir halls...

Well, there is massive battles (mainly the last 50 pages).

This ends in a cliffhanger so beware reading..

This tale also ends with Snorri losing his foot and a new threat appears just before the novel ending... And we are dealing with Zombies (after all the next book is Zombieslayer).

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Review: Manslayer by Nathan Long

Title Manslayer

Author Nathan Long

Year 2007

Stand Alone or Series Gotrek and Felix IX

Pages 416

Reading Time August 02 to 09, 2012

Synopsis

Now back in the Empire following their sojourn overseas, Gotrek and Felix head north, to aid the men of the Empire in their fight against the invading Chaos hordes. Stopping off in Nuln, they meet up with dwarf engineer Malakai Makaisson, who is helping the Imperial war effort by transporting cannons to the frontline on his airship, The Spirit of Grungni. After a series of nasty accidents, it becomes clear that saboteurs are at work - can our heroes find the villains in time to save the day?

Review

The second book written by Nathan Long about Gotrek and Felix. As the previous one I enjoy it and read it quite fast. Gotrek and Felix are back in Nulm but this time the fiends are not the Skav... Beastmen as the officials say. The Skaven don't exist. It was the Beastmen that attack the city. The power of denial is strong on that city. 

Gotrek and Felix arrive to Nuln on their way to the north to fight Archaon. Fortunately they met Malakai Makaison that says that they can save a lot of time going on his airship that is due to leaving in a couple of days. Meantime things don't go as plan and it seems that someone doesn't want the airship and it's supplies to arrive there.

From there Gotrek and Felix try to find who are the culprits that have exploded the cannons, stolen gunpowder and destroyed half the lower part of the city.

This was an interesting reading because Ulrika is back and what a part she had on this tale. I start getting anxious to get my hands on the Ulrika Trilogy Nathan Long penned. The ending is quite good but the final battle isn't as good or difficult (even if the author says by via Felix that it is) as a Daemon or a Dragon or a full scale attack in Beastslayer. 

The epilogue is quite good because we get to see what is happening to Thanquol. That epilogue links to CL Werner trilogy about the skaven grey seer.

Although not as funny or good as William King I think it was a good choice making Nathan Long the writer of the trademark of Warhammer Fantasy even I would vote for CL Werner. 7/10

Review: Slayer of the Storm God by Nathan Long

Title Slayer of the Storm God

Author Nathan Long

Year 2009

Stand Alone or Series Gotrek & Felix #10.5

Pages 80minutes (32 pages)

Reading Time 1day (20 October)

Synopsis

Gotrek and Felix are in the port city of Marienburg when they stumble across a mysterious golden bracelet. Little do they realise that this is the very trinket dedicated to Stromfels – the ancient and evil Storm God – and he wants it back!

Our two heroes are attacked by the god’s minions and the bracelet is taken from them, but a stubborn and determined Gotrek refuses to relinquish it without a fight. Venturing deep into the Marienburg marshes in pursuit of the thieves, Gotrek and Felix find themselves confronting the embodiment of the Storm God himself…

Review

eing the only Warhammer audiobook ever publish I thought it was a good story even if I don't appreciate audiobooks.

In this book we follow the duo through their adventures. This book should have been read after Elfslayer but if not there is no foul in it. There are references from the book and also minor characters. 

From the brawl in a tavern, to the war in the marshes and the dock of Marienburg it's full of fight. It was nice to see (hear) the increasing of reading of Danny Webb in the fight scenes. It was also nice to see a distinguish of Gotrek and Felix voices as well as other characters.

This novel we see Gotrek battle Cthullhu I mean the herald of Stromfels, the god of the hazards of the see. Well to be precise he is not a new god but an aspect of Manaan the god of the great rivers and seas. But revered as different deities. (Of course Stromfels cult it's prohibited due to dark side inherited).

I really enjoy the battles scenes and the plot. There is some elements of humor in it. Mainly from the people being sacrificied.

Nevertheless a solid reading and plot.

Reccommend to anyone who enjoys Gotrek and Felix or just wants to hear 90m of battles and black humor. 8.5/10

Review: Orcslayer - Nathan Long

Title - Orcslayer

Author - Nathan Long

Year - 2006

Stand Alone or Series - 8th Gotrek and Felix

Pages - 416

Reading Time - 10 days


Review
This was the eight book in the Gotrek and Felix Saga. The first was Trollslayer, followed by Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer, Dragonslayer, Beastslayer, Vampireslayer and Giantslayer. They were all written by William King but unfortunally he left and for four years there wasn't a Gotrek & Felix book. And so Nathan Long appeared and start writing them. I've already read BlackHeart trilogy and I really enjoy his writing style so I start reading this one with the same professionalism expected but of course I knew it wasn't William King (whom for me is one of the best writers on role in BL). Beastslayer, Daemonslayer and Skavenslayer are on the top five books published by Black Library and probably in the top ten of all time favourites.

But what can you expect from this book? Gotrek and Felix return from travelling to Ind, Cathay and Araby and are back to the Olde World. I really wanted to read about their adventures on that distant lands but that won't happen. They arrive in a Dwarf port and there they find out that the Empire, Dwarves and Elves are fighting Archon so Gotrek want's to travel north but due to the invasion of the Orcs and Goblins they can't leave the port of Barak Varr. There they met Hammir, a long friend (now feud) of Gotrek. Gotrek treats Hammir as an Oathbreaker (the worst name you can give a Dwarf) but Hammir enlists Gotrek help due to an old pledge made by him. With the help of several hundred dwarves they travel to Karak Hirn to take back the hold from the Orcs.

From this moment on we are present with several tries made by the duo and several other characters to open the gates to let the main army in but the Orcs are behaving almost un-orcish style giving the dwarves trouble after trouble.

I think for a being (Gotrek) that defeated Daemos or Dragons - orcs aren't that hard but Nathan Long brought an ancient being to life. This being remind me of HP Lovecraft deity but maybe I am wrong.

With this novel we don't get the humour William King gave us with each book but there is a change to the grim world Warhammer is and we get to see a lot more interaction from Gotrek with Felix. We also learn more about Gotrek past before Felix. 

The ending was good, the main evil character, as I said was in my opinion not has hard as other beings and Gotrek is still invicible and I wonder if anyone can defeated him because he already survived a single combat with a Bloodthirster of Khorne, being hit by a stone hurled by a trebuchet, being catapulted into an orc ship and falling three hundred feet off a cliff (these last ones were on this book).

Would I recommend it? Yes. Of course. It's not William King but Nathan Long is quite a good writer 8.5/10

Review: Dragonslayer - William King

Title Dragonslayer
Author William King
Publisher Black Library
Year 2000
Stand Alone or series Series (4 book in 12 books so far)
Pages 288
Rating 10/10
Reading Time 16 days (October/November 2007)

Summary
Dragonslayer is the latest epic instalment in the death-seeking saga of Gotrek and Felix. After the daring exploits of Daemonslayer, the fearless duo find themselves pursued by the insidious and ruthless skaven-lord, Grey Seer Thanquol. Dragonslayer sees the fearless Slayer and his sworn companion back aboard an arcane Dwarf airship in a search for a golden hoard and its deadly guardian.

Review / VerdictWilliam King is indeed one of the best writers I had the pleasure of reading. All his books were done greatly. Great plots. Great characters. Great situations. Great evil doers. It was excelent. This great series began in Trollslayer, then Skavenslayer and Daemonslyer. I also reviewed the fifth book Beastslayer. As you can see all books have a rating of 9 or 10. So this tells us something no?

Slayer Gotrek Gurnisson is a dwarf on a death quest. He roams the land searching for the mightiest of evils to fight and slay until he is finally rewarded with a glorious death that will long be remembered and talked about for generations to come. Felix Jaegor is sworn to accompany the Slayer, however long it takes, even though it could end in his own death. Should he survive, it will be Felix's job to record and report the heroic dwarf's many battles, as well as how Gotrek fell in combat. This book continues just after Daemonslayer. It's not imperative you read it but you will only enjoy reading it.

This tale they are after mighty dragon Skjalandir that has awaken after centuries of sleep. Being a novel of Gotrek of course the dragon was not the only enemy. Orcs are massing and attacking the olde world by the hand of the orc leader Ugrek Manflayer and of course Grey Seer Thanquol, skaven) and Lurk want revenge against their arch enemies. This novel brings not only several battles and comic situations with the dwarves there is as well a love situation between Ulrika, Felix and Max the magician. The ending is pretty darn interesting... The one who kill the dragon was not Gotrek but Felix. The sword he carries has some interesting qualitites. If this was dungeons and dragons the sword would be something like Dragonslayer +5 or something like that.

In the end I enjoy the book. This one along with Daemonslayer and Skavenslayer are the best books in the warhammer universe. View the covers. Go read it. NOW!

Review: Daemonslayer (III) - William King

Title Daemonslayer
Author William King
Pages 285
Year 1999
Publisher Black Library
Reading time 12 days (August 2007)
Rating 10 / 10

After reading Skavenslayer I waited for a couple of months to read Daemonslayer. Well I read it and love it. It was as good as the previous novel. This was the first book as a all novel thingy... I enjoyed it and ended up so good as Skavenslayer.

In this book the duo is travelling north to Karag Dum one of the mightiest dwarf cities. It was lost over two centuries ago in the last incursion to chaos. Since there is no news from them and now due to a new machine they can reached without going insane or mad or die by the Chaos Wastes.

Our heroes travel to a Tower where they join other dwarves and by Borek Forkbeard (the one leading the expediction). Some of them will be recurring characters such as Snorri Nosebiter and the Mad Inventor Malakai Makaisson. There they travell by a zepellin to the mightiest of the northern citadels.

In this book Thanquol and his lackey Lurk Snitchtongue appear yet again with Snitchtongue travelling north inside the machine.

William King can really make us flop each page full of battles, strategies and traveling. If the last book we learn about Skaven Society here we learn about the Dwarven Society.

So what's they after? Well besides trying to figure out about the lost dwarves they want to find as well the Hammer of Fate and the Runemaster's Axe.

In this book Gotrek fights a Bloodthirster of Khorne (Greater Daemon of immense power). In the end Gotrek established as quasi-invicible. What in the name of Sigmar is more powerful that a Greater Daemon? Well at least he loses and eye on this novel.

Here you find more about Felix developning as a character. He is becoming a different person from the first novels and there is also love involved on this book. Also Felix is starting to becoming more and more akin to Gotrek....

Review: Skavenslayer (II) - William King

Title Skavenslayer
Author William King
Pages 310
Year 1999
Publisher Black Library
Reading time 15 days (Mars/April 2007)
Rating 10 / 10

This was the second book depicting the adventures of the Dwarf Gotrek and his human sidekick Felix. Of all the seven books William King penned this was my favourite. Well I loved them all too much but this one was the better because it introduced Thanquol, one of my favourite character along Gilead's (Gilead's Blood). William King could really write good books... It was a shame that he stop doing it.

Well as the previous this was a compilation of short stories but all tied-in together. They were all in Nuln and depict Skavens. Interesting or not each "adventure" or short story was a battle against one clan of skavens. It was in the end a great place to read about skavens. I learned a lot about the society and the way they think.

C L Werner penned a book with Thanquol as the main character and I think he understood how William King did it. I have failed to read any of the Nathan Long books by Gotrek but I really hope that he has done a great job as C L Werner did. Well he already wrote 4 books so I think someone liked it.

Well within this book we get to learn a bit more about Gotrek and Felix. One thing that is common in all 6 books I read is that William King starts in the first couple of chapters tell the story so far. We learn how come Felix is hanging with Gotrek and we still don't know why Gotrek is looking for a glourious death.

Each book he fights a different kind... We have already Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer, Dragonslayer (Well that was Felix doing but okay), Vampireslayer, Beastslayer and Giantslayer. Then with Nathan Long's Gotrek goes around with Orcslayer, Manslayer (Which he had killed before), Elfslayer, Shamanslayer and now the next book coming out Zombieslayer. How many species more can they kill? It leaves us what? Mummieslayer, Dwarfslayer (well Chaos Dwarves), Goblinslayer, Lizardslayers? What else? No matter what I would read it...

Now coming again to the book...

Well now for the stories themselves...

Skaven's Claw - They are working in the sewers of Nuln hunting goblins and we find out more about Felix family (which will feature in later novels)

Gutter Runners - They are attacked by skaven assassins of clan Eshin as they work as bouncers at the Blind Pig.

Night Raid - In this story Thanquol helps our two heroes as he warns them about an attack at the college of Engineering (doing so also helps himself). Here we find more about Thanquol character. Good story.

Plague Monnks of Pestilens - Again Thanquol warns our duo that the Clan Pestilens are trying to spread a disease with the Caldron of a Thousand Poxes.

Beasts of Moulder - The Clan Moulder has another tactic. Starve the human city by releasing rat-like monsters into the city eating the food supplies within days. As they are arriving at the port our duo is helped yet again by the mysterious stranger.

The Battle for Nuln - This was the last story and it has a great ending. Thanquol finnally reveals himself and tries to take over a ball held by the Elector Countess. As the leaders of the other skaven who had their plans stoped, learn that Thanquol was the one to blame, they make their own plans...

Don't know why but I feel that Thanquol and Boneripper are based on a cartoon I watched a couple years back about a mouse who wanted to take over the world... Can't remember the name of the rat but... Oh well...

In the end I was pretty darn interested on these novel and these short stories worked out perfectly. They didn't felt like short stories but as chapters... I would hope that William King would return but I bet he isn't going to come back.

Review: Beastslayer (V) - William King

Title: Beastslayer (2001)
Author: William King
ISBN: 1-84416-052-1
Publisher: Black Library (Games Workshop)
Pages: 288
Reading Time: 8 day (20/01/2008 to 27/01/2008)

Note: 10/10

This is the fifth book in William King's ongoing epic series (after Trollslayer, Skavenslayer, Daemonslayer and Dragonslayer) about the Dwarf Gotrek who has vowed to find his death in glorious battle in order to pay for past misdeeds, and his human companion Felix who has sworn to accompany him on his quest and record his bravery. If you liked or seen Helm’s Deep siege or Pelennor Fields in LOTR then this book is for you.

Trollslayer or Skavenslayer could be read separately but the next four are to be read one after the other… First Daemonslayer, Dragonslayer, Beastslayer and Vampireslayer. Each starts immediately where the other end. (that’s why some persons say the end was anti-climatic or so… It’s not imperative to read any of the previous but it helps... Each book of the Saga (and this one is no exception) the first couple of chapters have a brief synopsis and the reason why Felix follows Gotrek and other loose ends...

Several familiar characters from previous books are back. After defeating a Daemon and a Dragon I wondered what a heck could be more difficult than them. This book showed me that… but I think that they weren’t harder than the Daemon. The Vampire in the next book wasn’t harder also.

Now the Main plot of the Saga: Slayer Gotrek Gurnisson is a dwarf on a death quest. He roams the land searching for the mightiest of evils to fight and slay until he is finally rewarded with a glorious death that will long be remembered and talked about for generations to come. Felix Jaeger is sworn to accompany the Slayer, however long it takes, even though it could end in his own death. Should he survive, it will be Felix's job to record and report the heroic dwarf's many battles, as well as how Gotrek fell in combat.

Now the main plot of the Book: Our two main heroes, along with Ulrika Magdova (female warrior),Max Schreiber (battle mage), and the Dwarves Bjorni, Ulli, Snorri reach the legendary city of Praag by a mighty flying ship to bring word of the invasion and orders from Ice Queen Katarina. A huge Chaos army led by Arek Deamonclaw is approaching and all blades are needed. This means the group must put up with many fanatic bigots and blow-hards within the city too. No force such as this has emerged from the Wastes in two centuries.

There are several sub-plots…

Grey Seer Thanquol, a cunning Skaven, has a secondary role in the story this time. His mutated minion, Lurk, has turned upon him. Lurk is now worshipped and has amassed his own army of followers.

The love triangle between Felix Jaeger, Ulrika and Max.

And another interesting sub-plot involving traitors within the city which never really seems to live up to its potential.

There are two things that bothered me (made me thing). First it’s the Felix and Gotrek likeness. They are becoming with each book more alike. It’s understandable since they are travelling together and I think Felix is becoming influenced with Gotrek’s doom. The other it’s own it ends… William King builds the plot so nicely and in the end you can’t help feeling a bit of anticlimax. Maybe the book should have more 100 pages…

I hope to read some more stories with the evil twin mages Kellmain and Lhoigor as we are reading with the Skaven Grey Seer Thanquol. William king shows us that not all the bad guys have to die.

I can’t decide which one was better… If I had to choose I would choose Skavenslayer because of Thanquol. He is my second most favourite character after Gilead uth Lothain (in Gilead’s Blood).

Currently I will being reading Giantslayer (the follower of the Vampireslayer) and I already know that it will be the last book by William King in the Gotrek Saga. Afterwards it will continue with several more books written by Nathan Long.