# Help me with WH novels



## Shadow Walker (Jun 10, 2010)

I have never read anything from Warhammer fantasy except some Gotrek shorts [which I did not like because of King's. his writing style is just terrible for me.] mainly because I always held WH background as inferior to WH40k. but recently I got little bored with 40k [probably because some dissapointed for me novels like Salamander, Nemesis or Shira omnibus] and I thought about starting some WH for a change. till now I checked BL's fantasy offer and found below listed titles that could be something for me. please tell me if there is good choice for new fantasy reader or maybe I should choose something else.
Mathias Thulmann, Witch Hunter omnibus
both Grey Seer novels
Malus Darkblade omnibuses


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

Shadow Walker said:


> I have never read anything from Warhammer fantasy except some Gotrek shorts [which I did not like because of King's. his writing style is just terrible for me.] mainly because I always held WH background as inferior to WH40k. but recently I got little bored with 40k [probably because some dissaponted for me novels like Salamander, Nemesis or Shira omnibus] and I thought about starting some WH for a change. till now I checked BL's fantasy offer and found below listed titles that could be something for me. please tell me if there is good choice for new fantasy reader or maybe I should choose something else.
> 
> Mathias Thulmann, Witch Hunter omnibus
> Both Grey Seer novels
> Malus Darkblade omnibuses


First off you are dead wrong about Fantasy being inferior to 40k, at times its far better then 40k ever could be, and vice versa.

As for fantasy anything by C.L Werner is a good choice, he is the king of fantasy and a fellow servant of the Horned Rat like me, but the _Chronicles of Malus Darkblade_ is a good choice as well. I would recommend buying _Mathias Thulmann: Witch Hunter_ while Black Library still sell it, and getting _Grey Seer_ and _Temple of the Serpent_. _Brunner the Bounty Hunter_ is also a good choice.

For me anything that involves the Skaven is an automatic buy, they are the greatest, funniest and most entertaining race in Fantasy.


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## Baron Spikey (Mar 26, 2008)

C.L Werner in my opinion is the Ben Counter of Fantasy, some fairly ok books but at least 1 complete piece of crap (_Blood for the Blood God_).

Gav Thorpe and Graham McNeill's _Sundering_ and _Sigmar_ series, respectively, are some of the best books in Fantasy with Nathan Long taking over from William King with the _Gotrek & Felix_ series (and doing a much better job with the characters) and making a great spin-off with the _Ulrika the Vampire_ series which is arguably much, much better than G&K.

Unlike with 40K's Dan Abnett there isn't a clear 'King of Fantasy' so it's just a matter of finding some authors you like as every person's view will be markedly different (as evidenced with mine and LotN's appreciation of Werner).


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

Baron Spikey said:


> C.L Werner in my opinion is the Ben Counter of Fantasy, some fairly ok books but at least 1 complete piece of crap (_Blood for the Blood God_).
> 
> Gav Thorpe and Graham McNeill's _Sundering_ and _Sigmar_ series, respectively, are some of the best books in Fantasy with Nathan Long taking over from William King with the _Gotrek & Felix_ series (and doing a much better job with the characters) and making a great spin-off with the _Ulrika the Vampire_ series which is arguably much, much better than G&K.
> 
> Unlike with 40K's Dan Abnett there isn't a clear 'King of Fantasy' so it's just a matter of finding some authors you like as every person's view will be markedly different (as evidenced with mine and LotN's appreciation of Werner).


Fair enough but with _Blood for the Blood God!_ you can't read that book expecting layers of subtlety and deep character development that rivals a series.. after all its called _Blood for the Blood God!_... what do you think its about before you read it?.

As for those series, _Legend of Sigmar_ and _The Sundering_ I have not read them, not felt any inclination to go out my way to read them. They do not really appeal to me since with Sigmar, if I wanted to read about humans in fantasy i'd read Sword of Truth. And The Sundering.. its just not the same without Malekith as the Witch-King. But perhaps _Caledor_ will change my mind, after all its got dragons in it, and who doesn't like dragons?... (Anyone who says they don't is a heretic and must burn!)

Spikey is right though, opinions do differ. For example I don't think Abnett is the King of 40k, I think Graham McNeill is... though soon Aaron Dembski-Bowden may usurp his throne. But I do believe that C.L Werner is the King of Fantasy, with an second-in-command in Mike Lee.


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## Vaz (Mar 19, 2008)

Baron Spikey said:


> C.L Werner in my opinion is the Ben Counter of Fantasy, some fairly ok books but at least 1 complete piece of crap (_Blood for the Blood God_).
> 
> Gav Thorpe and Graham McNeill's _Sundering_ and _Sigmar_ series, respectively, are some of the best books in Fantasy with Nathan Long taking over from William King with the _Gotrek & Felix_ series (and doing a much better job with the characters) and making a great spin-off with the _Ulrika the Vampire_ series which is arguably much, much better than G&K.
> 
> Unlike with 40K's Dan Abnett there isn't a clear 'King of Fantasy' so it's just a matter of finding some authors you like as every person's view will be markedly different (as evidenced with mine and LotN's appreciation of Werner).


I'm of a different opinion, myself. Personally, there's none better than Bill King, although as with everything, that's subjective. I wasn't that much of a fan of Nathan Longs work - and Shaman Slayer was... disappointing, if I'm honest. Neither was I a fan of Ulrika, or Vampire Slayer as a book itself.

A nice anthology I'd get is War Undending. Had a quick read of this at a mates. 

Time of Legends is a must. I think that the Nagash series is the best - Sigmar never really got my interest, and I've not yet got Malekiths series. (The Sorceror is the first, Unbroken is the second).

I've ordered Werners "Wulfrik" - if he does justice to one of my favourite characters, then I'd agree to get him.

My personal favourite is Bill King, but you should also check out Robert Earls "Florin" series, Graham McNeils "The Ambassador" series, Jack Yeovils "Genevieve". Also, there's Marks of Chaos, and Fell Cargo - both are on order, and I've heard good things.

Al


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

Ive never read Bill King in Fantasy, im still waiting on more news about his upcoming _Tyrion and Teclis_ trilogy. Ill probably get the series though, if just to see Malekith in action.


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## Shadow Walker (Jun 10, 2010)

Big thanks for all of you. I think I will start with Witch Hunter omnibus and than I will see if fantasy is for me. please tell me also if Liber Chaotica would be good buy?


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

To be fair, from what I have read, and heard, of Werner, his name, reputation and blood-type should not be stained by categorising him with Ben Counter, in any way. However, just to remain neutral, here, I thoroughly enjoyed _Galaxy in Flames_ and _Grey Knights_.

I'm not to keen by the slandering of the_ Legend of Sigmar _and _Sundering_, Time of Legend's series, here. I feel that Graham McNeill and Gav Thorpe are far superior to Mike Lee in the theme's their novels contain, portrayel of protagonists (and antagonists) and the pacing of their novels. (Nagash The Sorcerer... seriously?) I just as easily ''wrote off'' Werner and Long, but from what I have read (_Grey Seer, Bloodborn_) I was wrong to do such.

King... is hit-and-miss... His ''hits'' truly capture the essense of the Warhammer world (As AD-B does to 40k) within mediocre prose, and his misses border upon Goto-esque madness.

Just, the Bobss' opinion, guys.:grin:


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## Barnster (Feb 11, 2010)

Werners ok, until you try to read with hunter omnibus without a break, he gets abit tedious, and you need a break. his writing style seems very samey. With some weird geographical events such as they randomly end up in sylvannia,even though they were nowhere near. Thullman is a solid character though with a cool hat, the hat is important. Hopefully Thullman will return for a second trilliogy 

I really don't understand why Counter is daemonised as much as he is I've enjoyed most of his books other than the last grey knights one, but I haven't read battle for the abyss yet. I mean hes about 10000 times better than Goto's Eldar prophecy.

1 book I would add to your to read list is the Vampire Wars trilogy by Steven Savile, It's a brilliant book, especially the way it deals with the main 3 von carsteins. Konrad clearly had the potential to be a 2d character, but hes a believable and detailed character

Liber Chaotica is a good book, but a bit hard to read as its written as a series of diary esque entries, with handwritten style to text so it doesn't really flow. It is pure chaos though and does include bits of 40k, personally I prefer collected visions to Liber but its still a nice book


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## Xenocide (Aug 19, 2010)

Read Palace of the Plague Lord. Werner is Robert E. Howard reborn. Also, Sword of Justice is a current release and a good introduction.




bobss said:


> King... is hit-and-miss... His ''hits'' truly capture the essense of the Warhammer world (As AD-B does to 40k) within mediocre prose, and his misses border upon Goto-esque madness.


His early stuff is... pain. After reading the first Gotrek and Felix omnibus I curled up into a ball muttering "the horror, the horror". I'd call King the Dan Abnett of fantasty, but I don't hate him that much and Dan's a better writter anyway


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

Xenocide said:


> Read _Palace of the Plague Lord_. Werner is Robert E. Howard reborn. Also, _Sword of Justice_ is a current release and a good introduction.
> 
> His early stuff is... pain. After reading the first _Gotrek and Felix_ omnibus I curled up into a ball muttering "the horror, the horror". I'd call King the Dan Abnett of fantasty, but I don't hate him that much and Dan's a better writter anyway.


_Palace of the Plague Lord_ is out of print though, finding a copy would be very difficult.

I haven't read _Gotrek and Felix_ and if I ever did it'd be to read more about Grey Seer Thanquol, my favourite fantasy character of all time. I can't get enough of that paranoid, cowardly, megalomaniac Skaven.


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## Xenocide (Aug 19, 2010)

Lord of the Night said:


> _Palace of the Plague Lord_ is out of print though, finding a copy would be very difficult.


Sadly  BL print runs are minimal. I'm sure I picked up one of the three copies available in Dublin. Still, there's e-bay and second-hand shops. One to look out for. I've stacked my copy beside Realms of Chaos: The Lost and the Damned, which had a print run of about ten.


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## Barnster (Feb 11, 2010)

Realm of chaos, L &t D, supposidly the holy grail of books to look out for & the liber necris, I will find ye both one day!


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