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  1. #1

    Default Gotrek and Felix

    So has anyone read the Gotrek and Felix novels, and if so, do you think they are worth reading? I think I read the first one or two and while I vaguely recall enjoying them I never felt particularly inspired to read the rest. But having read and loved Bloodborn which is a G&F spinoff I'm wondering if I shouldn't catch up with the whole series.
    Ask not the EldarGal a question, for she will give you three answers, all of which are puns and terrifying to know. Back off man, I'm a feminist. Ia! Ia! Gloppal Snode!

  2. #2

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    I would say yes. Have read the series up to elfslayer. I thought the first one was the weakest. The reason I kept going was I had originally bought the first omnibus. The series after that was an enjoyable romp through the WFB universe of the Empire. Later novels became slightly formulaic, although given the format and that there are at least 9 in the series it is difficult to see how this could have been completely avoided, but there were new characters, twists to the plots to keep it interesting. A fun read.

  3. #3

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    Thanks, will read them then.
    Ask not the EldarGal a question, for she will give you three answers, all of which are puns and terrifying to know. Back off man, I'm a feminist. Ia! Ia! Gloppal Snode!

  4. #4

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    Book 1: Trollslayer: Collection of short stories, about half are pretty good (the actual troll slaying, a goblin wolf raid and a female champion of chaos on the rampage). the other half not as much, especially the one where gotrek goes nutty after a bonk on the head, which seems especially silly given what happens to them in later books.

    Book 2: Skavenslayer: Collection of individual episodes with an underlying theme of a skaven invasion of Nuln. Not as dramatic as later entries, but easily the funniest with its celebratiopn of skaven cowardice and backstabbing. The only one I've re-read more than once.

    Book 3: Daemonslayer: First continuous story novel that introduces the other main characters like Max, Ulrika, Snorri etc. They take the dwarf airship, which is really well described, into the chaos wastes to retrieve an ancient dwarf heirloom. Pretty good although it drags a little in some of the middle places.

    Book 4: Dragonslayer: They come back from the chaos wastes and have to deal with the skaven who have occupied Ulrika's home and a chaos dragon. Starts off really well but the second half is a bit boring.

    Book 5: Beastslayer: Basically about the siege of Praag. There are some good bits in here but not the best of the lot. If you want a good siege book, the last of the Malus Darkblade series is much better.

    Book 6: Vampire slayer: Ulrika gets kidnapped by a vampire. Lots of tension when I first read this but a later series you are probably familiar with gives the ending away.

    Only got as far as the end of the first two omnibuses. Book 2 to the end of the first half of book 4 are great, the rest are only OK. Stil good by warhammer fiction standards though. As artificer says, the main joke/plot theme wears thin fairly quickly.

  5. #5

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    Thanks for the detailed write up Isotope. I didn't realise Ulrika was such a prominent character, I thought she just turned up in Vampire Slayer. That makes Bloodborn a little sadder.
    Ask not the EldarGal a question, for she will give you three answers, all of which are puns and terrifying to know. Back off man, I'm a feminist. Ia! Ia! Gloppal Snode!

  6. #6
    Adeptus Custodes
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    In my opinion they were written for children, Its only in the last few years that the black librarys works have taken a more "adult" turn. If you can get your hands on any of the Jack Yeovil (Kim Newman) books, they're audlt, despite being older BL works.

    Bill King didn't write them all, about half way through someone else came in and replaced him. It's the same with the Ragnar books.
    More Necromunda please.

  7. #7

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    Yep, Nathan Long who also writes the Ulrika series took over. I don't mind the less adult nature of some of the early BL stuff really, it is quite in keeping with GWs early humorous take on their IP.

    Also, I'm an idiot, I have the Gotrek and Felix warband with diorama base stashed in a drawer somewhere which included an Ulrika model. Managed to forget it existed.
    Ask not the EldarGal a question, for she will give you three answers, all of which are puns and terrifying to know. Back off man, I'm a feminist. Ia! Ia! Gloppal Snode!

  8. #8
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    Continuing from where isotope left off, as I've read the whole series:

    Book 7: Giantslayer: A very odd story that has Gotrek & Felix fall through a portal of some sort in Sylvania into a series of extra-planar tunnels that link together places in the world and were apparently built by the Old Ones. The problem is that in places these ancient tunnels have "caved in" allowing all manner of critters entry. Also exploring the tunnels to see what use can be made of them is no less than Teclis himself, who Gotrek dislikes immediately (he is an elf after all) and Felix is in awe of (this is the very same elf who taught humans magic hundreds of years before and Felix knows his history). This is the last of the series written by William King and frankly it's not very good, though it does tie up a loose end from Beastslayer.

    Interlude: Death & Dishonor Anthology: A short story by the new author of the series Nathan Long, has the pair on a caravan travelling through the Badlands after Gotrek has become convinced that there is nothing in the Old World that can kill him. A pretty solid story and the rest of the tales in the anthology are fairly good too.

    Book 8: Orcslayer:
    This is set some 20 years later after Gotrek & Felix have been all over the Warhammer World seeking Gotrek's doom without any luck. They return to the Old World via the seaport of Barak Varr where they encounter a group of Dwarves heading to re-take a minor hold to which Gotrek owes a debt. This was Nathan Long first story of the pair and it shows, as the characterisation isn't quite there in some parts. That said it's a good story with a nice twist in it.

    Book 9: Manslayer:
    Following on from Orcslayer this sees the duo arrive in Nuln en route to joining the war against Archaon's army at Middenheim. there they run into their old friend Malakai and his airship, who is transporting cannons to the Empire forces. They also run afoul of Chaos cultists who are determined to see to it that the cannons never arrive to aid Middenheim. A very solid story, though I'll admit to a touch of bias as I love Malakai, such a great character, a borderline insane genius engineer Slayer with a scottish accent. Brilliant! Oh yes, they also run into the now vampiric Ulrika!

    Book 10: Elfslayer: After the injuries suffered in the climactic battle of Manslayer, this book finds our duo nursing their wounds in Altdorf where they encounter old friend Max Shrieber who enlists them to help him. His colleague Claudia is a prophetess and has had a dire vision of the cities destruction, strangely though the source seems to be far out to sea. Taking a ship out into the ocean the pair have to battle first the skaven (who have a Clan Skyre submarine!) and then the dark elves (who have a Black Ark!). This is easily one of the best novels of the entire series and to say any more would be to spoil it.

    Interlude: Slayer of the Storm God audio drama: This takes place immediately after the pairs return to Marienburg, following on from something dreadful that Felix found out from the skaven they fought in Elfslayer. It is pretty good and I'm not usually a fan of audio books, but the sound effects and the voices in this are very well done.

    Book 11: Shamanslayer: Hearing that the remnants of Archaon's armies are causing trouble in the north, the pair set off to battle them, accompanied by a old knight and his squire of the same order that Aldred Fellblade (from way back in Book 1) belonged too. Along the way they defend a town from Beastmen and from itself, and meet other old friends, Katrina (also from way back in Book 1) and also the trollslayer Snorri (who has lost his memory, a most serious offense for a Slayer as he can no longer remember his shame that led to him taking the Slayer oath) who joins them as they follow a massive beast herd heading south. This culminates in a huge battle and a terrific cliffhanger.

    Book 12: Zombieslayer: This is another of the best entries of the series as Gotrek, Kat and Snorri have to help defend Reiksgard Castle against a massive horde of the undead led by two legends of the Warhammer world: Heinrich Kemmler & Krell! As siege novels go, they don't get much better than this.

    Book 13 is another anthology of short stories and will be out later this year (in April I think). Very much looking forward to it. I would reccomend the Gotrek & Felix saga to anyone who likes grim fantasy with a heavy dose of carnage and some black humour thrown in.
    Last edited by Brakkart; 03-31-2012 at 08:43 AM.
    Either there is life in the universe more intelligent than us, or we are the most intelligent form of life in the universe. Either way, it's a worrying thought!

  9. #9

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    Thanks Brakkart, didn't realise there were so many books hehe. I had best start reading those anthologies soon.
    Ask not the EldarGal a question, for she will give you three answers, all of which are puns and terrifying to know. Back off man, I'm a feminist. Ia! Ia! Gloppal Snode!

  10. #10
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    Heh yeah it is a pretty daunting list of books. I know Nathan Long is working on Book 14 which will be another full novel and pretty sure when that comes out (either later 2012 or early 2013 would be my guess) that a 4th Anthology will come out too.

    Ohh and in addition to the spin-off trilogy featuring Ulrika (which rocks and I'm so looking forward to book 3 this summer), there is another spin-off series by C.L. Werner which features Thanquol & Boneripper and is again set in the 20 year period between Giantslayer & Orcslayer. They are:

    Book 1: Grey Seer:
    Thanquol is tasked with going to Under-Altdorf and retreiving from there an artifact that belongs to Clan Pestilens called The Wormstone. Much treachery and typical skaven paranoia ensue, as thanquol has to contend with not only a Grey Wizard and his followers, but also Lord Skrolk!

    Book 2: Temple of the Serpent:
    This sees Thanquol "recruited" by Clan Eshin via a memorable encounter with the Deathmaster, to aid their efforts to assassinate the prophet of Sotek, Tehenhuin. There is a great sequence where the skaven go about getting themselves a ship to sail to Lustria in, and Lustria itself is vividly brought to life as the "green hell" of myth.

    Book 3: Thanquol's Doom:
    Here Thanquol is sent to aid the efforts of Clan Skyre to take a dwarf hold. He has to deal not only with having another Grey Seer along with him, but also with the mad genius of Ikit Claw.

    All three books are fun reads, with some great recurring comedy like just how long a particular Boneripper will last for (I think 17 pages is the current record for shortest lifespan), and the delusions of grandeur Thanquol suffers whenever he takes some of the warpstone snuff he is addicted too.
    Last edited by Brakkart; 03-31-2012 at 08:42 AM.
    Either there is life in the universe more intelligent than us, or we are the most intelligent form of life in the universe. Either way, it's a worrying thought!

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