Matavampiros (Warhammer)

Gotrek & Felix #6

by William King

Gotrek irrumpió entre los enemigos como un toro enfurecido; su hacha dejaba un reguero de cuerpos ensangrentados con cada golpe. Félix vio como el Matatrolls acababa con otros dos adversarios para lanzarse después contra el grupo de hombres que intentaba abrirse paso a través de la puerta. Quienquiera que fuese el que deseara tener el talismán, se había hecho acompañar por un pequeño ejército y eso no resultaba nada tranquilizador. Félix gritó un desafío y se lanzó a la carnicería.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Audiobook, Horror, Dark Fantasy, High Fantasy, Novels

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Sud666 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wandering around my used bookstore, I stumbled upon an old paperback from 2001. The garish title said "Vampireslayer" and I thought, for the sake of vampires everywhere, I should take a look at what it was about. To my surprise it was a Warhammer book. I was not expecting much. I was mistaken. This was a good vampire story.

Taking place 200 years after the events of the Vampire Wars (Vlad, Konrad and Mannfred von Carstein's wars against humanity)- it is the story of one of the minor vampire players from that time period- Adolphus Kreiger. He shares the bloodline of the von Catstein stock.

But since the heyday of the Vampire Counts, the lot of the vampire has fallen considerably. In deep hiding, they are believed an exterminated threat from the past. Only in Sylvania do the people still believe.

With that being the background- a group of monster hunters, called Slayers, runs into Adolphus Kreiger. One of their members, Ulrika Magdova, is taken by the vampire. What follows is a grand adventure where Felix Jaeger, the mage Max Schreiber and the two dwarves Gotrek and Snori start an adventure to rescue their comrade and it turns into a huge crisis as Kreiger seeks to bring back the time of the Vampire Counts. He has managed to unearth an ancient amulet that belonged to Nagash the Necromancer.

While not the most original of Warhammer tales and lacking the polish of the modern titles-it nonetheless entertained. I like vampires and the vampires in this story were quite good. The motivations and the feelings they displayed towards vampirism and humans was quite appropriate. The story was fun and the descriptions of the magic was quite interesting.

A good vampire tale set in the Warhammer world. Any fan of the Vampire Count trilogy will enjoy this one as there are a lot of subtle references.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an incredibly fun listen. Probably the least action in the whole series but that was a good thing. Interesting vampire and tomb king lore. A good change of pace after the other books and the huge climax in the last book.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was torn on this entry to the series, there's loads of good bits about it, but plenty of disappointing parts as well. Vampireslayer serves as a good Draculaesque tale that sees our titular heroes chasing one of the afore mentioned undead across the eastern parts of the Empire, from where we last left them in the ruins of Praag to the dreary lands of Sylvania. During their travels we get loads of information regarding the history of Warhammer's Vampires, detailing how, like most things in the setting, a slew of complex motives drive them and not everything is simple black and white. The story culminates in a final hunt through the ruins of an ancient castle, perfectly topping off the other gothic homages throughout. My only main complaint, and why I was torn between giving the book a three or four star rating was the climax as a bit of a damp squib, with long standing series regulars being given rather unfitting and abrupt endings and no real resolution given to developments that really warranted such. Overall, however, I found it to be very enjoyable if you look past these issues.

[Kuba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dopiero po przeczytaniu tego tomu jest jakikolwiek sens zabierania się za osobne przygody Ulriki Straghov. Chociaż trzeba mieć na uwadze że jej postać jest rozwijana także w dwóch wcześniejszych książkach o przygodach naszych nieustraszonych śmiałków.

[Dirk Grobbelaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite its formulaic tendencies, this was another enjoyable read in the (still) continuing Gotrek and Felix saga. I don't know whether William King's novels are considered 'canon' as far as the Warhammer universe is concerned, neither do I particularly care, but there is a lot of interesting history in this one. Particularly concerning the origins of the vampires. King spends a goodly amount of time and effort fleshing out the main bad guy. Yes, a vampire. One of the refreshing aspects of this particular book was the way it touched on the not-so-glamorous realities of what it would really be like to be a vampire. There are large amounts of vampire novels being churned out these days, not all of them well thought out. So, as far as the plot is concerned, Gotrek and Co set out in pursuit of the fiend after he kidnaps someone they care for. The scene is set for a large showdown at a gloomy castle. This of course occurs in spectacular fashion as usual. If you've been reading Gotrek and Felix novels there is absolutely no reason to stop now. Read this!

[Hernan Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uno de los mejores de la saga, sin dudas.

[Heinz Reinhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable tale of one of the more memorable fantasy pairings. The adventures of the Dwarf Slayer Gotrek Gurnisson and his human ally, Felix Jaeger, who writes down the epic saga of Gotrek's quest to find his doom to atone for past sins, are always a blast to read.
William King was one of the foundational pillars of Black Library's early days, and this sixth novel in the saga, focusing around the aftermath of the Chaos siege of Praag, and the abduction of Ulrika Magdova (Felix and Max Schreiber's love interest) by an ancient vampire, is one of his very best works.
While this series is generally escapist, heroic adventure tales (with some heavy elements of morality tale thrown in to boot), there are occasional glimpses of some deeper philosophical discussion the author has with the reader, as told by the actions and dialog of the characters.
Pulp the Black Library typically is, ignorant or unintelligent it is most certainly not.
A lot of fun, and you probably can read it as a standalone as King writes it so it can be enjoyed both as a progression of Gotrek's quest to find his atoning doom, and as a standalone story.
Highly recommended.

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating of 4.75.

For my latest Throwback Thursday I continue my recent obsession with Warhammer Fantasy fiction by checking out another entry in the iconic Gotrek and Felix series by William King, Vampireslayer.

Following their victory at the siege of Praag, Gotrek, Felix and their surviving allies, have finally been able to relax after a never-ending series of battles. However, the ever-restless Gotrek is still determined to find a worthy death to fulfil his suicidal oath, and Felix knows it is only a matter of time before they journey out to face the rising hordes of Chaos that are building around the realms of man. But before Gotrek and Felix can head out, a new evil rears its head; one that is far more cunning and ancient than anything they have faced before.

After accepting a job from a wealthy Praag nobleman, Gotrek and Felix find themselves investigating a mysterious man who is attempting to steal one of their clients treasured artifacts. But the closer they look, the more apparent it becomes that their target is no ordinary man, but a powerful ancient vampire named Adolophus Krieger, who has been stalking the streets of Praag, feasting on the innocent. Determined to slay this beast, Gotrek and Felix’s confrontation goes poorly, when the vampire outsmarts them, steals the artifact and takes their companion, Ulrika Magdova, hostage.

Determined to save Ulrika and get their revenge on their foe, Gotrek and Felix, as well as their allies, Snorri Nosebiter, Max Schreiber and Ulrika’s father, Ivan Straghov, pursue the vampire lord. To kill Krieger, they will have to travel to one of the most dangerous places in the Old World, the haunted lands of Sylvania. Controlled by the Vampire Counts for generations, Sylvania is a wicked place where the dead never rest, and dark creatures lurk around every corner. Worse, their foe is powered by an ancient artefact forged by Nagash and has designs on becoming the supreme vampire ruler, leading them in a new war against the living. With the odds stacked against them, Gotrek, Felix and their companions must dig deep if they are to kill Krieger, rescue Ulrika and save the world. But after spending time trapped with the vampire, can Ulrika truly be saved?

King once again shows why his Gotrek and Felix books were the defining Warhammer Fantasy series with this epic and fast-paced read. Vampireslayer is easily one of the stronger entries in the series and takes its distinctive protagonists on an intense and captivating adventure that I deeply enjoyed.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2022/08/05/...

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

[Tomáš Drako · Rating 4 out of 5]

Po obliehaní mesta Praag vojskami Chaosu je za hradbami chaos a nepokoje. Akoby to neštačilo, po meste sa potuĺuje záhadný vrah, ktorý za sebou zanecháva obete s ranami na krku. Áno. Do zdevastovaného miesta prišiel upír hľadajúci mocný artefakt. Gotrek a Fenix proste nemajú kúska kľudu.
Tento diel knižnej série mi náramne sadol. Nebol prehnane epický, neprebiehal na každéj druhej strane nejaký boj, no keď už k nemu prišlo, stál za to.
Páči sa mi načrtnutie upírskej hierarchie v tejto fantasy série. Dúfam že ešte nájdem knihy s upírmi.

[Joshua Scherer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fun High Fantasy read. Enjoyable and gripping narrative arc.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know, my aim is to read LESS books this year, and here I am four days in and two books finished already. Gotrek and Felix versus vampire - the opening, where Felix laments the horrible trials he has undergone in the previous volume then promising that things then immediately got worse are becoming funnier and funnier.

[Yszky the Goblin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Co tu dużo mówić, porządna dawka Warhammera posypaną Gotrekiem, Snorrim i odrobiną Felixa.

W tej części poznajemy nieco Sylvanii.

No i to chyba najlepsze w tej serii, poznawanie tego czym jest świat Warhammer Fantasy.

[Ignacio Senao f · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lo más cercano a la literatura palomitera de “calidad” siempre serán las novelas de Warhammer. Y esta no es menos.

Seguimos las aventuras del enano y el humano en sus andanzas de buscar una muerte honrosa haciendo el bestia. Ahora contra un vampiro en su castillo, con algún otra sorpresa que tendrán que amputar nuestros amigos.

Esta saga siempre sigue el mismo patrón: un monstruos atrayente, el 90% en busca de ese/esos monstruos, organizándose como matarlo y finaliza con una batalla épica. Son como relatos pero con extensión de novelas. Y aquí el error, tendrían que ser libros de en vez de 300 páginas para una historia, trescientas para 4 relatos, en cada uno unos monstruos y pelea épica. Omitiendo la gran mayoría de la preparación para el final.

[C.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm six books into this series and closing in on the end of the William King run. Have yet to write a review for any of them and that needs to change right now.

This review will mostly be praise because I am six books into the series and the ending of this installment has left me wanting more in the best possible way. I will be biased. I am not ashamed.

Gotrek and Felix are two characters that are very near and dear to my heart. Their travels and adventures together tickle a particular craving I have, one that wants me latched onto some great heroes and follow them around for comfy reading for the rest of my natural and unnatural days. I like being with a group of characters for a long time even if their adventures will eventually steer into formula and deja vu. It's comfortable reading. It's nice.

And Vampireslayer is definitely a formula-heavy book that launches straight from the heels of Beastslayer while barely even missing a beat. Things get quickly under way in a wonderful example of economical storytelling, and from there it's all fun and games all the way to the end. Lots of wonderfully gothic atmosphere, a lot of vampire history, and the most developed villain the series has seen thus far.

I loved every moment of this. I loved Ulrika and her particular plight. I loved moody, sick Felix, even if his afflictions don't lead anywhere except to some on-page angst. I loved Max, Gabriela and Adolphus. After none of the sequels managed to entrance me quite as completely as the original Trollslayer did, this one was refreshing in how straightforward and dense it proved to be.

If I have a criticism for it, it's that Gotrek is pretty much a passenger in his own novel, relegated to boogeyman status and very few character-specific moments. Felix more than makes up the slack, but Felix has been at the fore for a good while now and I'd appreciate him taking a backseat for a time soon so we may enjoy more Gotrek wit and gore.

Rich in atmosphere, history, action and character, I can't ask for a better winter novel. The audiobook, especially, is a treat. Jonathan Keeble almost never disappoints, and he was fired up in this. Wonderful, wonderful stuff that I have yet to get tired of.

If you've made it all the way to the sixth novel, you know why you're here. William King does too and he delivers in spades.

I'm almost sad that the next one will be the last of the original run, but all good things must ultimately come to an end.

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful vampire is seeking to get his hands on an artifact that will let him control all of the bloodsucking fiends of the night, and only Gotrek, Felix and their friends stand in his way. Their efforts will bring them out of Praag into the frightening land of Slovinia where centuries before vampires ruled and where those creatures of the night are still far more powerful and influential than any opponent of chaos would want to believe.

There’s a lot of tragedy in this novel as characters that King has developed over many books are all threatened with death and worse. There are also some great battles and one of my favorite moments in the entire series leads to the destruction of this latest peril. Fans of the series will love this book and fans of vampires will find a lot to enjoy in this novel as well.

If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.

[Gally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vampires aside, this is my favorite Gotrek & Felix novel in the series thus far. Slower paced, but all the elements and arcs felt balanced and well utilized. A grimdark adventure that appreciaties its themes enough to maintain a sense of gravity, but not so serious as to shy away from cheese. A few of the dialogues and monologues are a bit long winded, but they are engaging enough to bring a bit of life, or unlife, to both the characters and setting. The romance is still lacking, and Ulrika continues to spend much of the story sleeping, but at least there is a romance or two.
I rather enjoyed King's vampires, though they land flatter than they deserve. I wish Felix were more reflective in this novel, as he as he used to be in earlier in the series. There are some meaningful conversations to be had here, but Felix proves about as shallow and dense as he deems his Slayer companions to be.
At times, the vampire narratives approach telling surprisingly engaging queer narratives. Almost.

[[Name Redacted] · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent vampire story -- but in the end it's merely a good Gotrek & Felix story. The threats and world-building are strong, and it clearly sets up future conflicts which promise to be fascinating. On the other hand, it suffers from the absence of Thanquol (the absence of any Skaven, really), and the corruption of Ulricka feels...abrupt. I can't tell whether that latter point is a consequence of the setting's take on vampirism, or simply the writers deciding they'd done about as much as they could with the character.

It does get some bonus points for clearly ripping off 1990s-era "Vampire: The Masquerade" for parts of its vampire lore, though. I'm 100% supportive of things that reference V:TM.

[David B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is it about: Well, the title says it all.

Prose: Simplistic and repetitive. I've lost count of how many times Gorek slid with a finger ofer his axeblade. This guy must have no nerve endings left in his thumb. Not optimal for a warrior, one would think.
Characters: It took this series six books to have an ambivalent character. The rest is still very one-dimensional.
Pacing: Quick.
Plot: Straightforward.
Magic: Yes.
Worldbuilding: It's Warhammer.

For readers of: Pulp Fantasy.

Recommend: Look, it's not great literature, and it will never be. But if you like the Warhammer world. and reading without thinking too much, this is for you.

[Brent Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book pivots the storytelling into something more akin to gothic horror, although definitely in mind of a Penny Dreadful.

A race against time to save a compatriot from a vampire, this book delves deeply into the lore of the Undead. It helps to have an understanding of the weight of the great necromancer before going in since his influence is felt throughout the novel.

This one might have been my favourite in the series so far. The characters have had the chance to grow, they aren't caught in trilogy spanning machinations of outside forces. This is just a pure adventure to save a friend.

The only downside is no ratmen

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series is definitely getting tired, but this book was pretty solid. The vampire villain was great and the stakes were pretty good. I liked how vampirism is described as something predatory and irreversible.’
My only problem was how rushed the ending of the book was. Characters die in a sentence, and all of the emotions the book spun went almost unresolved. Also, Gotrek could fight a blood thirster, but not a vampire? The power scaling seems a bit off.
I decided only to read the William King books of this series, and I didn’t really want to read this one yet. However, I dont know what to read next. Lmk if any of yall have suggestions.

[Israha · Rating 5 out of 5]

V podstatě brakový Dracula ve Warhammer světě, okořeněný dotekem howardovské sword and sorcery o temných čarodějích, ovládajících armády mrtvých pomocí prastarých artefaktů. William King se po předchozím díle ságy vrátil k větší přímočarosti, osekal množství postranních dějových linií, a naplno vsadil na temnotu, syrovost a depresi, a funguje mu to skvěle. Zabíječ upírů je nefalšovaná horrorová fantasy s vynikající atmosférou klasických gotických horrorů, která nenapádně, pod rouškou potoků krve, chodících mrtvol, opuštěných hradů, zanedbaných středověkých vesniček a intrikujících aristokratických upírů i docela vkusně prohlubuje a posouvá charaktery protagonistů, aniž by příliš ztrácela čas vykecáváním. Výborná záležitost.

[Peter Cox · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had been enjoying the series up until this point, but I found this entry almost unreadable. I think one of the things I've enjoyed about the series so far is how entertaining the villains have been. In vampire slayer the main villain is as boring as dry toast and the interactions between the main characters is also very dry. The worst part though was the way in which the mind control of Ulrika was represented. Done almost entirely from the perspective of the vampire it made me deeply uncomfortable as it felt like it fetishised the enslavement of Ulrika.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

+ Nice to finally switch up the theme from the last three books, which felt very similar, to facing down undead in haunted Sylvania.

+ Introducing the Countess and the concept that not all Vampires are inherently evil is welcomed nuance.

+ No pointless Skaven scenes that are completely unrelated to the current plot.

- At times it reads a little too much like a dry Warhammer Fantasy Vampires 101 textbook.

- Ulrika's send off doesn't seem well written and I didn't find it a satisfying exit for her character.

[Michael Haase · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok vampire novel and a fairly good Gotrek and Felix book. The titular vampire of the novel, Adolphus, is an interesting character: strong and commanding, as a vampire character should be, but also emotional, driven by human desires. He isn't feeble and pathetic like most of the creatures Gotrek and Felix go up against (at least he doesn't go down with a single axe blow to the head *cough* boneripper *cough*). There's a real sense of peril in this one as the heroes must race against time to save their friend while facing battles and internal conflicts of their own. Unlike some of the previous titles, the heroes actually feel somewhat real and vulnerable. Felix is beset by worries, torn between mixed feelings towards his companions, even falls ill at some point. Gotrek faces a foe he can't just cut through like butter. There's a feeling of tension and foreboding throughout the book.

The problems I have with it are mainly that it feels too short and its ending straight up sucks (as always with this series). It feels very rushed. Very, VERY rushed. Basically, there's an epic, climactic battle that ends in the lamest of ways and then that's it, show's over. The climax happens on the last couple of pages and there's all of one or two pages of resolution, where the heroes are just standing around all like "now what?". And then nothing. Lame.

[Domien · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride!
I think this is my favourite Gotrek & Felix novel yet, perhaps tied with Dragonslayer.
It's a gothic extravaganza, oozing atmosphere everywhere, full of grotesque monsters, epic action and surprisingly gentle and deep character moments in between.
I loved every moment of this audiobook, especially with Jonathan Keeble's absolutely brilliant narration. Seriously, he is the best narrator and voice actor I've ever listened to.
Loved it!

[Christos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Οι περιγραφές σε όλη τη διάρκεια της ιστορίας, μέσα στην Πραγκ και μέχρι το Ντρακενχοφ ήταν αρκετές να σε κάνουν να νιώθεις πως ήσουν μεσα, μαζί με τους χαρακτήρες. Ο Κινγκ κατάφερε για μια ακόμη φορά να τα ανατρέψει όλα μέχρι την τελευταία παράγραφο. Οι χαρακτήρες (βασικοί) με επαρκές βάθος και με μεράκι στην σύνδεση τους με αυτό που φαντάζομαι πως είναι προοικονομία για επόμενα βιβλία (πχ. Άγνωστη side story-Τριλογία, Ulrika the Vampire από τον Nathan Long).

[Krzysztof · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kolejna część cyklu. I ponownie mam wrażenie jakby autor tracił rozpęd przy tej części serii. Jest zdecydowanie mniej epicko, ale i sama akcja jest znacznie wolniejsza i całość sprowadza się właściwie do schematu: bohaterowie jadą przez niemal całą książkę do celu podróży a na jej końcu zabijają głównego złego tej części....

[Gordon Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine Gotrek and Felix adventure, which benefits from returning to a good old-fashioned quest plotline plus the overdue inclusion of a villain of the fanged nature and neat subversion of the damsel-in-distress trope.

Alas there is no Thanquol and a little too much Snorri Nosebiter, but even so this is a welcome return to form after a slightly pedestrian previous effort.

[Peter Bobovsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly well made introduction to the scary lands of Sylvania, although it does feel a little bit hastened along in parts. That said, there is no slow crawl and there are hints of the typical vampire mystery, along with hints towards the future.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

We leave the ever escalating tension of the main story for a trudge through the forest after a bland villain in a standard vampire story. Boo. The next story has started well so I'm hoping this was a one-off flop.