# Fantasy novels, where to start?



## kujwa (Dec 19, 2012)

i'm interested in reading more warhammer fantasy but really don't know where to start. i've read the first gotrek omnibus and will read the others but i'd like to try something different. thinking that maybe the sigmar collection looked interesting but that could be cuz i'm a sucker for oversized collection books. any suggestions fellas?


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## Hachiko (Jan 26, 2011)

kujwa said:


> i'm interested in reading more warhammer fantasy but really don't know where to start. i've read the first gotrek omnibus and will read the others but i'd like to try something different. thinking that maybe the sigmar collection looked interesting but that could be cuz i'm a sucker for oversized collection books. any suggestions fellas?


From what I've seen of reviews for the Sigmar trilogy, the feedback is a resounding meh. I am not touching any more of Graham MacNeill's WH Fantasy after the first Ambassador book.
So what kind of fantasy do you want? There are some good series, you are already familiar with G&F. There is Abnett's well-received Malus Darkblade (dark elf) five book series.
If you want to follow a hero for a few books I'd recommend C.L. Werner's books. Brunner The Bounty Hunter is a great series, all collected into a nice fat omnibus, as is his Matthias Thulmann witch hunter series (a nice Warhammer take on Robert E Howard's Solomon Kane stories). He has some solid fantasy standalones as well.
I've heard great things about the Sword of Justice duology.
If you like rank and file stories (like the Imperial Guard books) there is the Empire Armies series. Reiksguard was good, and I heard good things on Warrior Priest and Iron Company.
Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.


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## Worldkiller (Jun 16, 2010)

I second Malus Darkblade.


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## The Scion of Chemos (May 24, 2013)

kujwa said:


> i'm interested in reading more warhammer fantasy but really don't know where to start. i've read the first gotrek omnibus and will read the others but i'd like to try something different. thinking that maybe the sigmar collection looked interesting but that could be cuz i'm a sucker for oversized collection books. any suggestions fellas?


I would recommend getting the Time of Legends omnibuses, as well as the Malus Darkblade series.
Also William Kings elf series, Tyrion and Techlies? I have no idea how it is spelled.
I thought all of those were awesome!


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

I third _The Chronicles of Malus Darkblade_, absolutely fantastic series and the series that actually got me interested in fantasy as a genre, if not for that book I would never have read things like _A Song of Ice and Fire_, _The Demon Cycle_, and other fantasy works that don't involve lasers.

Hachiko is right about _Matthias Thulmann_ and _Brunner the Bounty Hunter_, both some of the best works in Warhammer Fantasy imo and ones that I dearly hope C.L Werner returns to soon. He has promised us more of both, but when is another matter.

_The Swords of the Emperor_ duology is brilliant, _Sword of Justice_ is a bit slower but _Sword of Vengeance_ makes up for it by having one of the most epic battles in the Warhammer setting, and for showing why the men of the Empire kick ass.

I would not recommend the Tyrion and Teclis books. They are very weak plot wise, the characters feel either wooden or one-note, and the dialogue is so unmemorable that George Lucas could have done a better job, yes the same guy who gave us "NNNNNNOOOOOO!!"

I would recommend the _Thanquol and Boneripper_ trilogy. Excellent series and some of my favourite novels overall, each one is hilarious and fun to read especially when Thanquol really gets going on the megalomania and paranoid delusions of grandeur and conspiracy. A must for any fan of the Skaven.


LotN


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## kujwa (Dec 19, 2012)

isn't brunner in the gotrek series?

i am curious bout the skaven stories due to enjoying their story from the gotrek book.

thanks for the input so far.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

kujwa said:


> isn't brunner in the gotrek series?


I don't think so no. And that is something i'd notice.


LotN


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## kujwa (Dec 19, 2012)

i vaguely remember in one of the stories in the 1st omnibus there was another dwarf slayer that annoyed the hell out of gotrek and was kinda a bumbling idiot but was dangerous out of sheer luck/chance that i thought was brunner.


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## Hachiko (Jan 26, 2011)

kujwa said:


> isn't brunner in the gotrek series?
> 
> i am curious bout the skaven stories due to enjoying their story from the gotrek book.
> 
> thanks for the input so far.


Werner is the master of skaven. Enjoy the Thanquol/Boneripper books.
Skaven figure heavily, but not exclusively, in the second Matthias Thulmann book.


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## Sequere_me_in_Tenebras (Nov 11, 2012)

I'll echo the other guys here, either _Malus Darkblade_ series or any of _The Time of Legends_ novels.


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Hachiko said:


> Werner is the master of skaven. Enjoy the Thanquol/Boneripper books.
> 
> Skaven figure heavily, but not exclusively, in the second Matthias Thulmann book.


They feature heavily in the third one too. Werner is the undisputed king of the Skaven, he has done every kind of them. The funny and madcap Skaven in his _Thanquol and Boneripper_ series, the devious and cunning Skaven in his _Time of Legends_ series, and the terrifying and malicious Skaven in the novel _Vermintide_. Seriously, read that last one. It has Gnawlitch Shun, probably the scariest Skaven ever penned.


LotN


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## Hachiko (Jan 26, 2011)

Lord of the Night said:


> They feature heavily in the third one too. Werner is the undisputed king of the Skaven, he has done every kind of them. The funny and madcap Skaven in his _Thanquol and Boneripper_ series, the devious and cunning Skaven in his _Time of Legends_ series, and the terrifying and malicious Skaven in the novel _Vermintide_. Seriously, read that last one. It has Gnawlitch Shun, probably the scariest Skaven ever penned.
> 
> 
> LotN


That's good to hear. I had just finished the second one (and loved it). Totally forgot about Vermintide. That's the one he did as Bruno Lee, right?


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

Hachiko said:


> That's good to hear. I had just finished the second one (and loved it). Totally forgot about Vermintide. That's the one he did as Bruno Lee, right?


Yes it is, and it's a damn good novel. If you haven't read it I advise you find a copy somewhere. Werner really changes the face of his Skaven in it, they show the side that makes them terrifying enemies, both physically and mentally.


LotN


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

Time of Legends series, Sigma was brilliant, but i would have to say...the Felix and Gotrek series, dark humour gotta love it


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Lord of the Night said:


> I would not recommend the Tyrion and Teclis books. They are very weak plot wise, the characters feel either wooden or one-note, and the dialogue is so unmemorable that George Lucas could have done a better job, yes the same guy who gave us "NNNNNNOOOOOO!!"


King is a generally weak writer, especially when you go beyond the level of fare G&F represents. So this doesn't come as a surprise.

My 'issue' with Fantasy is that I feel the wrong thing is being explored. High Elves, Dwarves, Orcs - it's standard fantasy no matter how you slice the cake. The Empire and Borderlands; Naggaroth's relationship to and the Chaos Wastes themselves; the Skaven's relationship with... everyone - that is what makes the world rich, unique and clustered with interesting dynamics and cultures.

I've heard Wulfrik's novel is good, and I recently bought the Valkia novel (because I know I'm going to love it no matter how it turns out; it'll either be delicious cake or delicious cake with icing and cherries).


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

i think i liked the way that Thangol managed to get himself out of trouble, i personally hate rats, horrible things that make me wanna crawl into a dark corner and hide, but Thangol is deffo one that even makes me laugh, how he gets away with shit if it means saving his own hide...brilliant


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## Sequere_me_in_Tenebras (Nov 11, 2012)

gothik said:


> the Felix and Gotrek series, dark humour gotta love it


I really need to read that series. Shame on me.


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## gothik (May 29, 2010)

i didn't think much of the skaven until after i read those books, laughed so hard i almost cried at Thangols antics but was good and i really need to reget them cause i lost them years ago


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