Ulrika (series) Thread

[eldargal]

Bloodsworn

By Nathan Long

Spoiler free review:
Bloodswordn is the third book in the Ulrika the Vampire series that chronicles the events of Ulrika, former companion of Gotrek and Felix, after she is turned into a vampire. Both the previous books have been very good and in my opinion Bloodsworn is the best of them. The pacing is excellent, Ulrika continues to develop nicely, and there are some genuine twists and tragic thingamies throughout. Notable cameos by Ludwig Schwarzhelm and Karl Franz are pretty damned epic. This seems to be perhaps the end of a 'Nuln' story arc as most if not all the loose ends from the first book (Bloodborn) are resolved.

In my opinion not just a great Warhammer novel but a great novel.

5 Bloody Puncture Marks out of 5.


Random Spoiler review:


Turn away now already.


Ok, don't say I didn't warn you.

Highlight:
Ulrika is great as always. Rushes back to Praag to defend her mistress form the Sylvanian plot uncovered in the previous book (Bloodforged) only to go off in a huff within hours when they decide to lock her away as penance for running off. So naturally she runs off again, with tragic consequences. Ulrika gets some real badass moments though, like blowing the head off a centuries old Vampire with a pistol she stole from some witch hunters she slaughtered (with silver shot) and riding a zombie griffon through a fusillage of gun & cannon fire to crash on aship in the middle of a melee between the Reiksguard and Sylvanian forces. Her vow to be a 'good' vampire preying only on the wicked goes awry after another bunch of witch hunters get their hands on her friend Famke.

Poor Famke totally doesn't deserve what happens to her, but hopefully it sets up the plot for a future book if Ulrika goes off in search of a cure.

Some good insights into the Lahmians in this book, their sheer variety and the fact that there are miliant Lahmians just like there are scheming ones. Likewise the Sylvanians/von Carsteins are showns as being more thab just bloodthirsty warriors.

Karl Franz, Ludwig Schwarzhelm and the Reiksguard make some pretty epic appearances towards the end of the book. The Reiksguard are really shown to be a superior brand of cavalry.

Nathan Long does a great job at depicting the mix of religious zealotry and human nobility that makes up the Empire and through the depictions of unremitting persecution does actually make the vampires, even the Sylvanians, into almost sympathetic characters.

The teacherous ***** Otillia and the horrible Witch Hunter Meinhart Schenk all get their comeuppance.