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Warhammer
Dead Winter
More than a thousand years after the Age of Sigmar, the Empire he struggled to create rests on the edge of destruction – the reign of the greedy and incompetent Emperor Boris Goldgather has shaken down the great and prosperous edifice of his erstwhile realm. Without warning, a terrible and deadly plague strikes, wiping out entire villages and leaving towns eerily silent through the long frozen months. As the survivors struggle to maintain order and a worthy military presence, vermin pour up from the sewers and caverns beneath the cities, heralding a new and unspeakable threat – the insidious skaven!
A thousand years after the Age of Sigmar, the Empire is struck by a deadly plague which decimates the population. In its wake, the foul skaven move to lay claim to the land of men.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 2, 2021
For all their vaunted prowess, for all their supposed woodcraft, the soldiers of Middenheim and Middenland had proven incapable of crushing the latest uprising of beastmen in the Drakwald. Perhaps old Ulric, god of wolves and war, had been caught napping.
Recent worldwide soft launch of Warhammer: Odyssey MMORPG for Android and IOS devices, and my resulting addiction to it, reminded me I have something like hundreds of Warhammer books here waiting to be read, so, having been six years since reading my last Time of Legends novel, the time had definitely come to start one of the three trilogies gathering dust on my overcrowded bookshelves.
Abhorrence of the dead was instinctual in all men, but the fear was magnified if death was brought by some strange and unknown cause. The plague was something new to Sylvania, something unknown in that land of green hills and dense forests. The people cowered before the malignant disease, seeing it as a horror inflicted upon them by supernatural powers
Having read and appreciated the Thanquol and Boneripper trilogy a few years ago, an excellent spinoff from the Gotrek and Felix series, I was not unacquainted about mr. Werner’s proficiency in writing tales starring Skaven, but this opening book of the Plague Wars definitely surpassed all my expectations.
The Black Plague they were calling it. Spread by evil
vapours, some said, while others claimed the hex-
magic of witches was responsible. Whatever the cause,
one thing could be agreed upon. Wherever the disease
established itself people died. Not one or two, but by
the bushel. The pyres outside the walls of Wurtbad, it
was said, could be seen days before a ship came within
the harbour.
Dead Winter is a page-turning, horrific and brutal tale set in 1111 IC, when the Empire is suffering under the heel of greedy and incompetent Emperor Boris Goldgather and the insidious Skaven unleash a decimating plague on the population and move to lay claim to the land of men.
Yet, as he walked away from the tannery, as he turned his back on the little stone house engulfed in flames, the rat-catcher's mind mulled over what such a nightmarish creature could mean to him.
There was a lot of money to be made catching normal rats. How much more might there be in hunting down a giant?
A twisted, bloody and dark tale of doom and despair, filled with action and political intrigues in no way inferior to the Game of Thrones ones, with multiple plot storylines and characters switching from chapter to chapter, depicting the fall of the Empire from the point of view of desperate rebels, ruthless villains, a rat-catcher at the peak of his job career, a plague doctor selling false cures and hopes, a priest of Morr on the edge of losing his faith and family, a prince trying to do what is right against reason and his father's will, vile and treacherous ratmen plotting the demise of humanity and much more.
Kreyssig nodded his head. 'The Emperor has ordered an attack against the Altgarten rebels,' he said. 'It appears there are traitors within the Reiksknecht who intend to stand with the rebels.'
Fuerst's eyes went wide with shock, his mouth
gasping in disbelief. 'What... what will you do?'
There was a cold glint in Adolf Kreyssig's eyes.
'Kill them all,' he said.
And some scenes about the Empire crumbling under the deadly plague outbreak, mirroring the historical real one occurring in Afro-Eurasia from 1346 to 1353, are very horrific and visceral ones with strong death metal vibes.
Faith can move mountains,' Frederick countered. The plague doktor's eyes narrowed with anger. Using his rod, he shoved the priest out of his way.
'How is faith at curing plague?' Havemann asked as he stalked from the home.
Frederick turned to watch the doktor's retreat. 'Harm my family,' he said, his voice a hollow whisper, 'and you will find out what a man's faith can do.
Just grimdark at its best, no surprising at all since the term was inspired in 1986 by the “A grim world of perilous adventure” tagline of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st edition (1986), followed in 1987 by the more popular "In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war" from tabletop strategy game Warhammer 40,000.
The young knight reached down to his sword, his heart sickening as he felt the pommel between his fingers. He could not easily forget the motto engraved upon the blade of his sword. 'Honour. Courage. Emperor.'
Today he would betray one of those solemn oaths.
He would ask the knights under his command to break faith with the vows they had undertaken.
A perfect pitch black dark read on these current COVID-19 pandemic days, highly recommended to all fans of Warhammer, Game of Thrones and Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death that are not afraid about their fantasy readings going bleak.
'He will be well looked after,' the Graf promised.
Mandred shook his head at his father's statement.
"And what about the people down at the foot of the Ulricsberg?' he demanded. 'Will they be well looked after?'
The beastkin will soon solve that problem,' von Vogelthal said, then immediately regretted his snide remark when he found Mandred glaring at him.
April 15, 2020
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths.
My rating is 3.5 stars.
Warhammer fantasy is a setting built on rich lore; a world so similar yet so very different from our own. A place where magic and chaos swirl around everything. Titanic battles and earth-shattering wars are fought. Great heroes and vile villains arise. Triumphs are won. Mistakes are made. Good doesn’t always win. And, many times, it is difficult to tell who is actually good and who is evil. In other words, it is a magical world which feels real, exudes a sense of familiarity yet still remains fantastical. And while all The Time of Legends novels have focused on bringing this world and its lore to life, few have done it as well as C.L. Werner’s Dead Winter, which reads so much like historical fiction that at times you might truly believe all this did, in fact, really occur.
The setting for Dead Winter is the Empire, which Warhammer fans will already know is the greatest kingdom of mankind in the world; Sigmar Heldenhammer having created this bastion for his people over a thousand years in the past. But in 1111, a cascading series of events is about to bring the Empire to its knees, possibly toiling the bell on humanity’s continued existence!
Told through many different point of view characters, this novel goes on to focus in on the Great Plague, showcasing the horrors of an invisible disease spreading uncontrollably through the Empire. Quickly, a reader sees civilization begin to pull apart at the seams. Every layer of society from nobility down to the lowliest peasant attempting to escape the clutches of the pestilence, trying to hold on to their sanity as everyone and everything they love is destroyed. Added to this are companion stories, tales of a greedy, power-mad Emperor and his ruthless minions, a growing insurrection against said Emperor, as well as the diabolical scheme of legendary ratmen. All of these divergent people, places and problems revolving around the Great Plague, melding together to create a gritty, realistic, and very dark story which will evoke strong emotions, both good and bad.
Without a doubt, the most compelling part of Dead Winter is the realistic portrayal of societal collapse as experienced through the eyes of its many victims. From unjust Emperor Boris “Goldgather” to ratcatcher Walter Schill to Prince Mandred of Middenheim to Priest Frederick van Hal, the spread of the plague and its deadly effect on every layer of society in the Empire is shown. Tough choices are made. Many, many people die. Charlatans arise to prosper on the suffering of the many. Vile things are done, some in the name of righteousness. And, ever so slowly, a new, darker world arises where all the societal norms are being questioned, because why hold on to beliefs that didn’t stop everyone from dying!
The only criticism I have with the book is the Skaven sections. To be completely transparent, I have to admit not being particularly fond of ratmen; they bore me actually. But, even with that said, the Skaven sections here were just not very compelling, since they had little to do with the other point of view characters and were too far removed from what was going on in the Empire. Certainly, the machinations and political infighting of these ratmen added a new nuance to the Plague, explained why and how it was began and for what purpose, but beyond that, I did not see anything very interesting about these sections of the book. In fact, I have to admit skimming most of them.
To sum up, Dead Winter is a Warhammer book I’m glad I didn’t miss; the story delivering an emotional reading experience, running the gamut from horror to disgust to anger to rage to contempt to sadness. The plight of the Empire and its people truly bothering me, because, quite simply, the Great Plague evoked a memory of the real horrors our own world has went through so many times with pandemics of the past, and to see such an event played out in a fantasy realm with such emotional and disturbing outcomes was something I won’t soon forget.
My rating is 3.5 stars.
Warhammer fantasy is a setting built on rich lore; a world so similar yet so very different from our own. A place where magic and chaos swirl around everything. Titanic battles and earth-shattering wars are fought. Great heroes and vile villains arise. Triumphs are won. Mistakes are made. Good doesn’t always win. And, many times, it is difficult to tell who is actually good and who is evil. In other words, it is a magical world which feels real, exudes a sense of familiarity yet still remains fantastical. And while all The Time of Legends novels have focused on bringing this world and its lore to life, few have done it as well as C.L. Werner’s Dead Winter, which reads so much like historical fiction that at times you might truly believe all this did, in fact, really occur.
The setting for Dead Winter is the Empire, which Warhammer fans will already know is the greatest kingdom of mankind in the world; Sigmar Heldenhammer having created this bastion for his people over a thousand years in the past. But in 1111, a cascading series of events is about to bring the Empire to its knees, possibly toiling the bell on humanity’s continued existence!
Told through many different point of view characters, this novel goes on to focus in on the Great Plague, showcasing the horrors of an invisible disease spreading uncontrollably through the Empire. Quickly, a reader sees civilization begin to pull apart at the seams. Every layer of society from nobility down to the lowliest peasant attempting to escape the clutches of the pestilence, trying to hold on to their sanity as everyone and everything they love is destroyed. Added to this are companion stories, tales of a greedy, power-mad Emperor and his ruthless minions, a growing insurrection against said Emperor, as well as the diabolical scheme of legendary ratmen. All of these divergent people, places and problems revolving around the Great Plague, melding together to create a gritty, realistic, and very dark story which will evoke strong emotions, both good and bad.
Without a doubt, the most compelling part of Dead Winter is the realistic portrayal of societal collapse as experienced through the eyes of its many victims. From unjust Emperor Boris “Goldgather” to ratcatcher Walter Schill to Prince Mandred of Middenheim to Priest Frederick van Hal, the spread of the plague and its deadly effect on every layer of society in the Empire is shown. Tough choices are made. Many, many people die. Charlatans arise to prosper on the suffering of the many. Vile things are done, some in the name of righteousness. And, ever so slowly, a new, darker world arises where all the societal norms are being questioned, because why hold on to beliefs that didn’t stop everyone from dying!
The only criticism I have with the book is the Skaven sections. To be completely transparent, I have to admit not being particularly fond of ratmen; they bore me actually. But, even with that said, the Skaven sections here were just not very compelling, since they had little to do with the other point of view characters and were too far removed from what was going on in the Empire. Certainly, the machinations and political infighting of these ratmen added a new nuance to the Plague, explained why and how it was began and for what purpose, but beyond that, I did not see anything very interesting about these sections of the book. In fact, I have to admit skimming most of them.
To sum up, Dead Winter is a Warhammer book I’m glad I didn’t miss; the story delivering an emotional reading experience, running the gamut from horror to disgust to anger to rage to contempt to sadness. The plight of the Empire and its people truly bothering me, because, quite simply, the Great Plague evoked a memory of the real horrors our own world has went through so many times with pandemics of the past, and to see such an event played out in a fantasy realm with such emotional and disturbing outcomes was something I won’t soon forget.
May 3, 2012
Original Post:
http://reading-lamp.blogspot.com/2012...
Having thoroughly enjoyed C.L. Werner's The Red Duke, my anticipation for Dead Winter has been huge. A plague, ratmen, the mighty Empire brought to its knees... What is not to appreciate about that scenario? Being the latest entry to the Time of Legends series, I was sure to pick it up anyway - more Warhammer Fantasy is a good thing in my book.
Now that I finished the book, I need to get in touch with a Plague Doktor. I think I might be contaminated...
The Story:
"More than a thousand years after the Age of Sigmar, the Empire he struggled to create rests on the edge of destruction – the reign of the greedy and incompetent Emperor Boris Goldgather has shaken down the great and prosperous edifice of his erstwhile realm. Without warning, a terrible and deadly plague strikes, wiping out entire villages and leaving towns eerily silent through the long frozen months. As the survivors struggle to maintain order and a worthy military presence, vermin pour up from the sewers and caverns beneath the cities, heralding a new and unspeakable threat – the insidious skaven!"
General Information
Dead Winter is the latest entry to the Time of Legends series, which is trying to explore the origins of the Warhammer world as fans know it. Being blessed with a rich lore, Warhammer is certainly a treasure trove for epic battles, reformations and tragedy beyond measure. From the founding of the Empire of man by Sigmar Heldenhammer over the civil war that tore the race of elves apart to the rise of the undead under the reign of Nagash, the Time of Legends series has seen a fair share of epic events that have only been shortly addressed in armybooks before. The Black Plague trilogy is no different, yet it marks a vital timeframe for the Empire. Cross-referencing to the Sigmar and Nagash trilogies, the novel can stand well on its own, and manages to feel like real history more often than not.
Of course, Dead Winter is founded on actual historic events. Humanity has survived the Plague many centuries ago, and I am sure most of us have learned enough during history lessons to realise that it was a dark time for all involved. Yet that was history, and those history books hardly manage to give us an insight on why we should care. Dead Winter, however, shows the reader a conclusive view on all layers of society and how they cope with their fear of getting afflicted with the Plague. From the lowliest peasant over soldiers, counts, priests and even princes, C.L. Werner makes clear that everybody is involved and in danger once the disease spreads.
Add to that the presence of a greedy, incompetent Emperor, leading his realm into ruin, the forming of resistance against this unjust ruler, and of course a bit of necromancy and plotting ratmen, and you get a very promising, dark and unforgiving story that keeps you on edge.
Structure & Plot
The book follows multiple plot-lines, which switch within chapters, neatly arranged to make for a compelling read. All those plot-lines are based around the novel's leading topic - the Black Plague. As C.L. Werner put it himself, the disease itself is the star of the book, the focus everything comes back to. They are only loosely connected throughout the novel, but are sure to meet in the inevitable sequels. Some of them might even shake more than just the Empire of man.
We see the unjust reign of Emperor Boris Goldgather, his overtaxation of the Empire's provinces and his schemes to enflame the rivalries between his subjects to keep them at bay. After having disbanded the armies of the Empire and removing the exemption of the Dienstleute, men employed by the provinces, towns and cities to secure their lands and defend their people, from taxes, resistance against Boris forms. From protest-marches of the discharged soldiers to the plans of the noblemen to dethrone the tyrant, a conflict ensues that involves all of the Empire's people and demands sacrifices from all of them. There can only be one solution to the Empire's misery - a coup against Emperor Boris!
Earning his living by catching rats in the city of Nuln, Walther Schill lives an easy life, shunned by society for his choice of work. Wishing to be with his love, a tavern maiden of the Black Rose, he quickly acquires plenty of coin due to the surge of rats on the streets of Nuln after the outbreak of the Plague. One day, however, a body is found, and the rat-catcher quickly realises that the man's throat had not been slit with a blade, but gnawed open - by a giant rat! He makes plans to catch the beast and make a good fortune off it, but little does he know what he might attract through his deeds, and what sacrifices his short luck would demand. I particularly liked this plot-line; it had a surprisingly human tone, realistic and comprehensible, sprinkled with hope and joy that presented a nice balance to the depressing reality of the spreading disease. But in the end, nobody is safe, and reality catches up...
Cold reality also holds Graf Gunthar of Middenheim in its grips. The ruler of Middenland has to face hard decisions that would earn him the disrespect of his son, prince Mandred. Having to decide between accepting refugees of the surrounding lands or barring Middenheim's gates to everyone, Graf Gunthar decides to protect his subjects from outside influence by shutting them in. Being forced to watch the refugees in front of the city-state die from their diseases and by the claws of beastmen, his son decides to help smugglers to get refugees into the city, against all reason. Courage and a good heart lead the young prince from one foolishness to the next, but even he will have to face the sad truth sooner or later...
While Middenheim is still looking at the bright side of things, the town of Bylorhof has already lost the battle against the Black Plague. Priest of Morr, god of the dead, Frederick van Hal struggles to keep his people sane and pious while they descend into the depths of human despair and return to the worship of old idols. When his own family is in grave danger, Frederick has to make decisions that will change his life forever. He steps into a realm of powers he should never have learned about - the vile art of necromancy. When the charlatan Plague Doktor Bruno Havemann damns his family at last, van Hal is struggling to keep even his own desires for vengeance in check...
All the while, deep below the surface, the Skaven are busy trying to betray each other, with Puskab Foulfur, Poxmaster of Clan Pestilens being the leading character on his way to claim a seat at the Council of Thirteen. Betrayal and counter-betrayal with a following counter-counter-betrayal are the most essential part of this plotline. Despite being so obviously skaven in nature, I found it quite difficult to make out which rat was actually double-crossing which other rat or clan. It really draws you deep into the abyss of skaven malice and makes you appreciate just how mean and evil this vile race truly is - and how it is possible that they haven't overrun the surface already. However, that might yet come to pass, thanks to Puskab's own creation - the Black Plague.
Final Words & Verdict
If you read this to make up your mind whether or not you should buy this novel, let me answer the question straight away: Hell yes, you should. Why haven't you already? This novel is bloody awesome, it is just that simple. It is dark, it is bloody, it evokes the whole spectrum of emotions, from fear and courage over hope to despair and love and hate. It is exciting, addictive and makes me craving for the sequel already. History is being written in Dead Winter, so close yet so different from our real history, it makes you wonder 'what if?' from beginning to the bitter end. The book lays the founding for two further installments to The Black Plague, and let me tell you, you'll want to read them after finishing Dead Winter. From one who knows quite a bit about the Warhammer lore, let me tell you that this is just the start to epic events yet to come. Some scenes and characters really made my fanboy-heart squeal in anticipation.
The only negative aspect to the book, if you ask me, would be the way the Skaven-plot was handled. Of course, they're the ones behind the Plague and use it to decimate mankind before engaging them in force, but I felt like their side of the story was, while excellent and exciting, a bit too detached from the events on the surface. Admittedly, though, they simply don't care about the human-meat as long as they don't have to face it at full strength. While the Skaven did have a paw in the events around the Revolution, the plot-line's lead character, Puskab Foulfur, followed his own path. It is also regrettable that the Grey Seers did not really appear in the novel apart from the opening chapters.
Without a doubt, the skaven-side of the story will be much more prominent in the sequels, but their presence in Dead Winter felt a bit lacking, which isn't a fault of the book, as it presented them quite fitting- and satisfyingly, but an issue you'd find in almost any series. Some parts of the story simply had to get sown before they can be reaped in a later installment, and there's nothing wrong with that. It just makes me wish I already had the sequel in my paws...
That being said, the book is amazing, vivid, moving and at times infuriating when confronted with blatant human failure. It gets you as close to the Black Plague as you can possibly get without getting afflicted, and makes you glad you are just watching the events unfold. Once again, C.L. Werner managed to capture me with his grasp on the grim darkness of Warhammer Fantasy and the depths of the human mind. I am itching to squeeze Wulfrik into my reading list already, and am browsing various stores for a copy of the Matthias Thulmann: Witch Hunter (Warhammer) Omnibus. There are plenty of books written by Clint which I haven't yet have the pleasure to read, but if The Red Duke and Dead Winter are anything to go by, I cannot wait for his next contribution.
For the time being, however, I'll have to be content with Blood Reaver's imminent arrival and C.L. Werner's Black Plague tie-in story featured in Age of Legends - fittingly, said story is called Plague Doktor...
http://reading-lamp.blogspot.com/2012...
Having thoroughly enjoyed C.L. Werner's The Red Duke, my anticipation for Dead Winter has been huge. A plague, ratmen, the mighty Empire brought to its knees... What is not to appreciate about that scenario? Being the latest entry to the Time of Legends series, I was sure to pick it up anyway - more Warhammer Fantasy is a good thing in my book.
Now that I finished the book, I need to get in touch with a Plague Doktor. I think I might be contaminated...
The Story:
"More than a thousand years after the Age of Sigmar, the Empire he struggled to create rests on the edge of destruction – the reign of the greedy and incompetent Emperor Boris Goldgather has shaken down the great and prosperous edifice of his erstwhile realm. Without warning, a terrible and deadly plague strikes, wiping out entire villages and leaving towns eerily silent through the long frozen months. As the survivors struggle to maintain order and a worthy military presence, vermin pour up from the sewers and caverns beneath the cities, heralding a new and unspeakable threat – the insidious skaven!"
General Information
Dead Winter is the latest entry to the Time of Legends series, which is trying to explore the origins of the Warhammer world as fans know it. Being blessed with a rich lore, Warhammer is certainly a treasure trove for epic battles, reformations and tragedy beyond measure. From the founding of the Empire of man by Sigmar Heldenhammer over the civil war that tore the race of elves apart to the rise of the undead under the reign of Nagash, the Time of Legends series has seen a fair share of epic events that have only been shortly addressed in armybooks before. The Black Plague trilogy is no different, yet it marks a vital timeframe for the Empire. Cross-referencing to the Sigmar and Nagash trilogies, the novel can stand well on its own, and manages to feel like real history more often than not.
Of course, Dead Winter is founded on actual historic events. Humanity has survived the Plague many centuries ago, and I am sure most of us have learned enough during history lessons to realise that it was a dark time for all involved. Yet that was history, and those history books hardly manage to give us an insight on why we should care. Dead Winter, however, shows the reader a conclusive view on all layers of society and how they cope with their fear of getting afflicted with the Plague. From the lowliest peasant over soldiers, counts, priests and even princes, C.L. Werner makes clear that everybody is involved and in danger once the disease spreads.
Add to that the presence of a greedy, incompetent Emperor, leading his realm into ruin, the forming of resistance against this unjust ruler, and of course a bit of necromancy and plotting ratmen, and you get a very promising, dark and unforgiving story that keeps you on edge.
Structure & Plot
The book follows multiple plot-lines, which switch within chapters, neatly arranged to make for a compelling read. All those plot-lines are based around the novel's leading topic - the Black Plague. As C.L. Werner put it himself, the disease itself is the star of the book, the focus everything comes back to. They are only loosely connected throughout the novel, but are sure to meet in the inevitable sequels. Some of them might even shake more than just the Empire of man.
We see the unjust reign of Emperor Boris Goldgather, his overtaxation of the Empire's provinces and his schemes to enflame the rivalries between his subjects to keep them at bay. After having disbanded the armies of the Empire and removing the exemption of the Dienstleute, men employed by the provinces, towns and cities to secure their lands and defend their people, from taxes, resistance against Boris forms. From protest-marches of the discharged soldiers to the plans of the noblemen to dethrone the tyrant, a conflict ensues that involves all of the Empire's people and demands sacrifices from all of them. There can only be one solution to the Empire's misery - a coup against Emperor Boris!
Earning his living by catching rats in the city of Nuln, Walther Schill lives an easy life, shunned by society for his choice of work. Wishing to be with his love, a tavern maiden of the Black Rose, he quickly acquires plenty of coin due to the surge of rats on the streets of Nuln after the outbreak of the Plague. One day, however, a body is found, and the rat-catcher quickly realises that the man's throat had not been slit with a blade, but gnawed open - by a giant rat! He makes plans to catch the beast and make a good fortune off it, but little does he know what he might attract through his deeds, and what sacrifices his short luck would demand. I particularly liked this plot-line; it had a surprisingly human tone, realistic and comprehensible, sprinkled with hope and joy that presented a nice balance to the depressing reality of the spreading disease. But in the end, nobody is safe, and reality catches up...
Cold reality also holds Graf Gunthar of Middenheim in its grips. The ruler of Middenland has to face hard decisions that would earn him the disrespect of his son, prince Mandred. Having to decide between accepting refugees of the surrounding lands or barring Middenheim's gates to everyone, Graf Gunthar decides to protect his subjects from outside influence by shutting them in. Being forced to watch the refugees in front of the city-state die from their diseases and by the claws of beastmen, his son decides to help smugglers to get refugees into the city, against all reason. Courage and a good heart lead the young prince from one foolishness to the next, but even he will have to face the sad truth sooner or later...
While Middenheim is still looking at the bright side of things, the town of Bylorhof has already lost the battle against the Black Plague. Priest of Morr, god of the dead, Frederick van Hal struggles to keep his people sane and pious while they descend into the depths of human despair and return to the worship of old idols. When his own family is in grave danger, Frederick has to make decisions that will change his life forever. He steps into a realm of powers he should never have learned about - the vile art of necromancy. When the charlatan Plague Doktor Bruno Havemann damns his family at last, van Hal is struggling to keep even his own desires for vengeance in check...
All the while, deep below the surface, the Skaven are busy trying to betray each other, with Puskab Foulfur, Poxmaster of Clan Pestilens being the leading character on his way to claim a seat at the Council of Thirteen. Betrayal and counter-betrayal with a following counter-counter-betrayal are the most essential part of this plotline. Despite being so obviously skaven in nature, I found it quite difficult to make out which rat was actually double-crossing which other rat or clan. It really draws you deep into the abyss of skaven malice and makes you appreciate just how mean and evil this vile race truly is - and how it is possible that they haven't overrun the surface already. However, that might yet come to pass, thanks to Puskab's own creation - the Black Plague.
Final Words & Verdict
If you read this to make up your mind whether or not you should buy this novel, let me answer the question straight away: Hell yes, you should. Why haven't you already? This novel is bloody awesome, it is just that simple. It is dark, it is bloody, it evokes the whole spectrum of emotions, from fear and courage over hope to despair and love and hate. It is exciting, addictive and makes me craving for the sequel already. History is being written in Dead Winter, so close yet so different from our real history, it makes you wonder 'what if?' from beginning to the bitter end. The book lays the founding for two further installments to The Black Plague, and let me tell you, you'll want to read them after finishing Dead Winter. From one who knows quite a bit about the Warhammer lore, let me tell you that this is just the start to epic events yet to come. Some scenes and characters really made my fanboy-heart squeal in anticipation.
The only negative aspect to the book, if you ask me, would be the way the Skaven-plot was handled. Of course, they're the ones behind the Plague and use it to decimate mankind before engaging them in force, but I felt like their side of the story was, while excellent and exciting, a bit too detached from the events on the surface. Admittedly, though, they simply don't care about the human-meat as long as they don't have to face it at full strength. While the Skaven did have a paw in the events around the Revolution, the plot-line's lead character, Puskab Foulfur, followed his own path. It is also regrettable that the Grey Seers did not really appear in the novel apart from the opening chapters.
Without a doubt, the skaven-side of the story will be much more prominent in the sequels, but their presence in Dead Winter felt a bit lacking, which isn't a fault of the book, as it presented them quite fitting- and satisfyingly, but an issue you'd find in almost any series. Some parts of the story simply had to get sown before they can be reaped in a later installment, and there's nothing wrong with that. It just makes me wish I already had the sequel in my paws...
That being said, the book is amazing, vivid, moving and at times infuriating when confronted with blatant human failure. It gets you as close to the Black Plague as you can possibly get without getting afflicted, and makes you glad you are just watching the events unfold. Once again, C.L. Werner managed to capture me with his grasp on the grim darkness of Warhammer Fantasy and the depths of the human mind. I am itching to squeeze Wulfrik into my reading list already, and am browsing various stores for a copy of the Matthias Thulmann: Witch Hunter (Warhammer) Omnibus. There are plenty of books written by Clint which I haven't yet have the pleasure to read, but if The Red Duke and Dead Winter are anything to go by, I cannot wait for his next contribution.
For the time being, however, I'll have to be content with Blood Reaver's imminent arrival and C.L. Werner's Black Plague tie-in story featured in Age of Legends - fittingly, said story is called Plague Doktor...
May 4, 2021
This was an engaging and intriguing Warhammer novel set in the time of the tyrannical Emperor Boris Goldgather. It combined political conspiracy with the dark atmosphere of an evil plague. There are several point of view characters and a lot of subplots braided together (think Tolstoy's *War and Peace*). This is not a compressed, narrow story, focusing on a single conflict. Instead, this is on an epic, multi-character scale. There is a political rebellion plot. There is a psychological study of a priest of Morr who is trying to save his family from the plague. There is a coming-of-age plot about a prince and his disenchantment with his father's leadership pragmatism. The Skaven are used as point of view characters. Their struggle to create and disseminate a plague is explored as well as their internal bickerings. And there is a touching and tragic story of a rat catcher and his attempt to be good in a degraded, degenerate world. To summarize: this is less a character-study and more in the spirit of a "historical novel" examining the various crises associated with the crucible of a plague, an incompetent regime, and a hidden diabolical enemy. I have read several of C.L. Werner's *Warhammer* novels and he has not let me down once. Although his *Mathias Thulman: Witch Hunter* novels are more to my taste (they are organized around a single character), this was still excellent. I gave it a 4/5 because this broad scale of storytelling isn't my preferred approach but nevertheless, I am happy to have read this and will read the other novels in the series.
March 25, 2016
Oh man what a book!
it took me a little while to finish with Fallout 4 getting in the way, but man was it a good read! Mr. Werner crafted a twisted tale of death and political intrigue that I haven't seen done so well in a warhammer novel before, and it was a joy to read, be it the traitorous plot in Altdorf or the Murderous events in Skavenblight, it was a ton of from from start to finish!
it took me a little while to finish with Fallout 4 getting in the way, but man was it a good read! Mr. Werner crafted a twisted tale of death and political intrigue that I haven't seen done so well in a warhammer novel before, and it was a joy to read, be it the traitorous plot in Altdorf or the Murderous events in Skavenblight, it was a ton of from from start to finish!
April 7, 2012
Awesome, and very grimdark. A firm addition to the ToL series, and I cannot wait for book two already. Reccomended.
July 2, 2017
Two stars is my 'disappointing' rating, and I think that in this case a lot of the disappointment comes from how easily the book could've been better than it is. Certain aspects of the plot were undeniably intriguing, and kept me reading, but the story was consistently let down by weakly-defined characters, disconnected plot strands and simple errors which I would suggest can be blamed on poor proofreading. Perhaps adding to the sense of disappointment is that this is the first Black Library book I've read in over a year.
The book follows the events of the Great Plague of 1111, with a disparate cast of characters ranging from a Morrite priest to a Skavan Plague Monk to a prince of Middenheim. The large cast adds a lot of diversity to what's covered, but seems to stretch Werner rather thin. with some characters seeming to lurch through their arcs without sufficient development. The plots also suffer from disconnection - the Morrite priest has essentially nothing to do with the other characters, there's little which can be drawn together between the events around the Skaven and the events on the surface. Especially in the former case, this makes it hard to care very much about what's going on in those arcs. A pruned cast and more specific remit would've helped here, especially given the author has a series to write the other elements in.
Along a similar strand of complaints, some of the characters are really quite odd. Mandred's blindness to his father's obvious intentions is literally incredible; Boris Goldgather's efforts to gain personal wealth seem calculated to destroy the Empire rather than that being a side-effect and van Hal's progression from unwitting necromancer to 'use evil for good' to wearing the skull of his foe as he marches at the head of an army of the undead is rather, uh, rapid. A little oddity is all in the flavour of Warhammer, but this just smacks of poor writing. On the counterpoint, the rat-catcher seemed to develop quite well, only to be disposed of in rather an anticlimactic demise.
Perhaps the most jarring aspect of the book was the poor quality of the copy. I was brought up in an early chapter by an 'and' which should be an 'a', noticed a number of points where the tense drifted inexplicably, saw needlessly clumsy dialogue and much more, including errors in climactic scenes which I would've expected to get a lot of attention. Such errors are inevitable in an author's first draft, and as such I don't really blame Werner for them - this to me smacks of poor editorial control and a lack of attention from the proofreader.
The best aspect of the novel is the way it gives some on-the-ground flavour to the known background of the time, though it should be approached with caution even there: My knowledge of this area of WHF isn't the greatest, but the Lexicanum summary of Van Hal's history points to this section of the story being a complete rewrite, rather than meshing with what's been established. Highlights might also include the handling of the plot to depose Goldgather, which has some of the best writing of the novel embedded in its twists and turns, and is mostly what kept me reading, although it still pales in comparison to some of the domestic WHF writing I've seen on fan fora.
In summary, I reiterate that this is something of a disappointing book to read. Those interested in this area of WHF should probably still read it, but I advise them to go in with lowered expectations.
July 26, 2022
Dead Winter marks the beginning of CL Werner's Skaven Black Plague trilogy. An important part of history in the human empire where all was almost lost to scheming Skaven and a terrible Emperor.
The main plot of the book follows a few renegades as they attempt to overthrow the emperor and his corrupt henchman Adolf Kreyssig. There are alliances formed, various back room dealings, betrayals, etc all to be expect in medieval intrigue novel not too far off from a Game of Thrones. One area where it does fall short, though, is the characterization. It wasn't just difficult to follow because of the various names and complicated alliances, but because few of the characters truly stood out amongst the cast. Prince Mandred and Erich the knight stood out the most because amongst this very bleak story they were the only ones who seemed to act with honor. There's also side stories about a necromancer and a rat catcher, but one of those kind of goes nowhere ultimately and the other only got started in this book.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. CL Werner is a master at hitting the right tone and atmosphere for the Warhammer fantasy universe, and in that sense he is at the top of his game here. It truly feels hopeless for the cast and it is difficult to see how they could even turn the situation around, so it does keep you reading just to see if there is any light at the end of the tunnel.
It's also worth noting that he is great at writing skaven. Giving them their own personalities while still behaving far from anything resembling human society or ways of thinking. There's no delusion that maybe one of the skaven might turn good, or there is something more complex than pure evil going on under the surface. Skaven are what they are, and to that end it is fun to read about their treachery and scheming.
I plan to finish the trilogy. Even though it didn't grip me 100% of the time it did pull me in enough to want to know what happens next.
The main plot of the book follows a few renegades as they attempt to overthrow the emperor and his corrupt henchman Adolf Kreyssig. There are alliances formed, various back room dealings, betrayals, etc all to be expect in medieval intrigue novel not too far off from a Game of Thrones. One area where it does fall short, though, is the characterization. It wasn't just difficult to follow because of the various names and complicated alliances, but because few of the characters truly stood out amongst the cast. Prince Mandred and Erich the knight stood out the most because amongst this very bleak story they were the only ones who seemed to act with honor. There's also side stories about a necromancer and a rat catcher, but one of those kind of goes nowhere ultimately and the other only got started in this book.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. CL Werner is a master at hitting the right tone and atmosphere for the Warhammer fantasy universe, and in that sense he is at the top of his game here. It truly feels hopeless for the cast and it is difficult to see how they could even turn the situation around, so it does keep you reading just to see if there is any light at the end of the tunnel.
It's also worth noting that he is great at writing skaven. Giving them their own personalities while still behaving far from anything resembling human society or ways of thinking. There's no delusion that maybe one of the skaven might turn good, or there is something more complex than pure evil going on under the surface. Skaven are what they are, and to that end it is fun to read about their treachery and scheming.
I plan to finish the trilogy. Even though it didn't grip me 100% of the time it did pull me in enough to want to know what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2020
Werner was my introduction to the world of Warhammer novels, and he remains my favorite voice in the Warhammer realms with Kim Newman being a close second. This book is a fantastic example of why.
Nothing that gets mentioned or detailed in this book is done so just for the sake of embellishment; every character description, scenery detail, and even the seemingly only flavor text is there to weave a tapestry of setup and payoffs, the kind that make you go ‘oh, so THATS why ***** was brought up earlier!’ Even the parts that haven’t been laid off yet I have every confidence will be, since there’s two more books to go.
No other Warhammer author writes gross and disgusting quite like Werner. You can almost smell the putrescence emanating from Poxmaster Puskab Foulfur, feel the musky heat of the Altdorf sewers, and will unconsciously itch your skin at the Black Plague symptoms described throughout. Werner doesn’t shy away from visceral beheadings and taking things from bad to worse for most of the characters involved. This book is not for the weak-stomached (though nowhere near as abhorrent you disgusting as Chuck Palahanuk ‘shudder’)
I thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride of a book, and am greedily eyeing the next volume as I type this. Highly recommended.
Nothing that gets mentioned or detailed in this book is done so just for the sake of embellishment; every character description, scenery detail, and even the seemingly only flavor text is there to weave a tapestry of setup and payoffs, the kind that make you go ‘oh, so THATS why ***** was brought up earlier!’ Even the parts that haven’t been laid off yet I have every confidence will be, since there’s two more books to go.
No other Warhammer author writes gross and disgusting quite like Werner. You can almost smell the putrescence emanating from Poxmaster Puskab Foulfur, feel the musky heat of the Altdorf sewers, and will unconsciously itch your skin at the Black Plague symptoms described throughout. Werner doesn’t shy away from visceral beheadings and taking things from bad to worse for most of the characters involved. This book is not for the weak-stomached (though nowhere near as abhorrent you disgusting as Chuck Palahanuk ‘shudder’)
I thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride of a book, and am greedily eyeing the next volume as I type this. Highly recommended.
October 12, 2021
An awesome piece of fantasy—exceptionally well written, managing to tell an interesting story without getting bogged down with over-the-top action scenes and extravagant descriptions of mythological phenomena. Dead Winter is an excerpt from Warhammer lore that focuses on the human aspect, remaining grounded in the situations and internal conflicts that its characters undergo; characters who are not super-powered gods, mind you, but mere mortals, subject to the same physical and psychological limitations as all ordinary living beings. It's a story that never slows down for a second, weaving an intricate network of subplots and character-arcs that have you constantly wanting to know more.
I have but one problem with this book. Namely: WHY DID THE AUTHOR HAVE TO END IT IN A CLIFF HANGER?!
I have but one problem with this book. Namely: WHY DID THE AUTHOR HAVE TO END IT IN A CLIFF HANGER?!
October 20, 2025
Hey, what do you know, the first CL Werner book I honestly enjoyed! I think what helps here is almost the entire novel consists of short vignettes. Werner I think can too often feel like they're dog peddling, nothing to say, just trying to fill up space. That was never the case here. I'll admit, did I get lost with what eventually became the 'main' plot? Sure. I couldn't keep most of the long German names straight or recall who wanted what. But I got the broad strokes, and had fun along the way.
Very curious to see what Puskab Foulfur gets up to next.
Very curious to see what Puskab Foulfur gets up to next.
April 18, 2018
I am a huge fan of the Skaven and this was a pretty good novel with them as adversaries. Admittedly they were mostly in the shadows and the humans didn’t even know they existed until the very end, but still, they were the ones pulling the strings.
No one can write the skaven like C.L. Werner can! If you like Warhammer fantasy, then you will love this book.
Check it out!
No one can write the skaven like C.L. Werner can! If you like Warhammer fantasy, then you will love this book.
Check it out!
June 29, 2017
This is a vivid and exciting entry into the War hammer world.
I never played the games in any form but I have enjoyed hearing
about them and reading the off cuts as a casual fan.
This book certainly makes me want to read more about the universe.
I never played the games in any form but I have enjoyed hearing
about them and reading the off cuts as a casual fan.
This book certainly makes me want to read more about the universe.
October 22, 2022
Pretty solid for a Warhammer novel. The skaven aren't too ridiculous (looking at you, Gotrek and Felix) and the various side plots are nice.
December 7, 2023
It's like reading Plague Tale, only set during the 100 year war. Highly recommend.
January 26, 2025
The Emperor Boris Goldgather is right at home in a book about the Skaven, and somehow it gets worse for the denizens of the Empire
March 4, 2025
Not my favorite book in this universe. Focused way more on the medieval-esque humans than I wanted. I wanted more skaven. I hope that will be expounded on later in the series
June 29, 2012
Shadowhawk reviews the first novel in the new Black Plague trilogy, part of the ongoing Time of Legends series for Warhammer Fantasy Battles.
“A sweeping saga of how the Empire is about to be plunged into one of its darkest moments, Dead Winter is not a novel to be missed.” ~The Founding Fields
Back when it was first announced, I wasn’t really all that interested in the Black Plague trilogy. Not much of a fan of Skaven, and the story itself didn’t strike me as being exciting or anything. I enjoyed the first Sigmar novel, Heldenhammer, and I’ve enjoyed the first two Sundering novels, Malekith and Shadow King, but Nagash the Sorceror just didn’t work for me. It was unexciting, bland and dragged on far too much in too many places. So my reaction to the overarcing Time of Legends series was a bit lukewarm. There were only two points of interest that motivated me to read Dead Winter: the first was that it was C. L. Werner writing the novel, an author I’ve enjoyed in the past and been fairly impressed by; second was that I really enjoyed his tie-in shorts Plague Priest and Plague Doktor, both of which I’ve reviewed before here and here respectively. My curiosity had been quite piqued after reading those two excellent stories and I wanted to see just what was so special about Dead Winter.
To begin with, Dead Winter is a break from departure in terms of the narrative style. It is very similar to Kevin J. Anderson’s Terra Incognita novels, which I recently reviewed for the site. There are five main stories being told in the novel which, while they are loosely connected with each other, really give a true feel for how much the Black Plague is devastating the Empire and how widespread the effects and the fallout are as this is a disaster that does not care about whether someone is a noble or a commoner, an Emperor or a simple, struggling rat-catcher. What makes them all really work is that each story has a credible sense of danger attached to it and they are told with excellent pacing, ample reveals, great twists and some really evocative prose.
The tale of Frederick Van Hal, the lone surviving priest of Morr in the distant Sylvanian town of Bylerhof, was for me the most emotional of the four that Herr Werner tells in the novel. He is portrayed as a man struggling against some great odds, odds that serve to impress on the reader that Warhammer Fantasy Battles is not a setting where there are happy endings. Its all about the grimdarkness of the Old World. By the end of this narrative, I was really invested in Van Hal’s character and his circumstances and Herr Werner has really set his story up to be a powerhouse in the sequel when it comes out next year.
The “quiet” revolt of the nobles against the economical tyranny of Emperor Boris Goldgather was also a moving story but with this one, it was more about the narrative being akin to that of a dark political thriller rather than one where you can emotionally sympathise with the characters as much as you do with Van Hal. I hesitate to use the word beautiful when describing this story but I really can’t think of a better word. This was a perfect story.
The characters, all the various lords of the Empire, the Emperor himself, his new right-hand man Adolph Kreyssig, various knights of the Empire Knightly Orders and all of them are just fantastic. They are credible characters who truly live and breathe the story. My favourites would definitely be Prince Sigdan of Altdorf and Captain Erich von Kranzbeuhler of the Reiksknecht Knights. These two really stood out for me, caught between a rock and a hard place for most of their narrative and sticking to their ideals and being good, proper heroes.
On the flip side, Adolph Kreyssig is a character I absolutely loathed throughout the novel. I’ve read some great minor villains (at least they appear to be so initially) over the years but this guy really stands out above the rest of them. I’m really hoping that Herr Werner gives him the most atrociously torturous death in the next novel. This bastard of a peasant who is wreaking absolute havoc in the Emperor’s council deserves it.
You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:
http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/04/...
“A sweeping saga of how the Empire is about to be plunged into one of its darkest moments, Dead Winter is not a novel to be missed.” ~The Founding Fields
Back when it was first announced, I wasn’t really all that interested in the Black Plague trilogy. Not much of a fan of Skaven, and the story itself didn’t strike me as being exciting or anything. I enjoyed the first Sigmar novel, Heldenhammer, and I’ve enjoyed the first two Sundering novels, Malekith and Shadow King, but Nagash the Sorceror just didn’t work for me. It was unexciting, bland and dragged on far too much in too many places. So my reaction to the overarcing Time of Legends series was a bit lukewarm. There were only two points of interest that motivated me to read Dead Winter: the first was that it was C. L. Werner writing the novel, an author I’ve enjoyed in the past and been fairly impressed by; second was that I really enjoyed his tie-in shorts Plague Priest and Plague Doktor, both of which I’ve reviewed before here and here respectively. My curiosity had been quite piqued after reading those two excellent stories and I wanted to see just what was so special about Dead Winter.
To begin with, Dead Winter is a break from departure in terms of the narrative style. It is very similar to Kevin J. Anderson’s Terra Incognita novels, which I recently reviewed for the site. There are five main stories being told in the novel which, while they are loosely connected with each other, really give a true feel for how much the Black Plague is devastating the Empire and how widespread the effects and the fallout are as this is a disaster that does not care about whether someone is a noble or a commoner, an Emperor or a simple, struggling rat-catcher. What makes them all really work is that each story has a credible sense of danger attached to it and they are told with excellent pacing, ample reveals, great twists and some really evocative prose.
The tale of Frederick Van Hal, the lone surviving priest of Morr in the distant Sylvanian town of Bylerhof, was for me the most emotional of the four that Herr Werner tells in the novel. He is portrayed as a man struggling against some great odds, odds that serve to impress on the reader that Warhammer Fantasy Battles is not a setting where there are happy endings. Its all about the grimdarkness of the Old World. By the end of this narrative, I was really invested in Van Hal’s character and his circumstances and Herr Werner has really set his story up to be a powerhouse in the sequel when it comes out next year.
The “quiet” revolt of the nobles against the economical tyranny of Emperor Boris Goldgather was also a moving story but with this one, it was more about the narrative being akin to that of a dark political thriller rather than one where you can emotionally sympathise with the characters as much as you do with Van Hal. I hesitate to use the word beautiful when describing this story but I really can’t think of a better word. This was a perfect story.
The characters, all the various lords of the Empire, the Emperor himself, his new right-hand man Adolph Kreyssig, various knights of the Empire Knightly Orders and all of them are just fantastic. They are credible characters who truly live and breathe the story. My favourites would definitely be Prince Sigdan of Altdorf and Captain Erich von Kranzbeuhler of the Reiksknecht Knights. These two really stood out for me, caught between a rock and a hard place for most of their narrative and sticking to their ideals and being good, proper heroes.
On the flip side, Adolph Kreyssig is a character I absolutely loathed throughout the novel. I’ve read some great minor villains (at least they appear to be so initially) over the years but this guy really stands out above the rest of them. I’m really hoping that Herr Werner gives him the most atrociously torturous death in the next novel. This bastard of a peasant who is wreaking absolute havoc in the Emperor’s council deserves it.
You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:
http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/04/...
October 4, 2025
Amazing job by Werner creating a vast amount of characters within the Empire.
June 21, 2012
The wonderful thing about the world of Warhammer Fantasy is that it is rich in characters and the potential for different fantasy stories. "Dead Winter" by CL Werner is part of a sub series called, "The Time of Legends", which deals with incidents from the history of the Warhammer universe. Among the unique features of this franchise are the giant ratmen called the skaven. CL Werner has made a name for himself writing about these creatures and he does a great job here as well.
This is not one story, but actually three. On the one hand, you have the skaven trying to introduce a plague into the human population so they can conquer the upper world. At the same time the different rat-factions are battling each other. In another theme, the nobles of the Empire are chaffing under the tyranny of the current Emperor Boris Goldgather and are planning to overthrow him. On the lowest level there is a human story of a rat catcher. Werner does a great job in weaving these stories together where they merge and diverge at various points in the story.
This is the first of a three book series and unfortunately it ends with a lot of loose threads. I think cliff hangers are good, and as long as you go to the next book you can find out more. More than often we expect all stories to be neatly wrapped up and that is not always the case, but in reality that is also true. The important thing is, the story itself is engaging and keeps you wanting to read more. It you enjoyed it you will go to the next book, if not it might not matter.
If you like heroic fantasy that is slightly different, you will enjoy this book. CL Werner has a good clean style and keeps you interested in the stories and characters. If you have a chance to pick up some of his earlier works - "Brunner the Bounty Hunter" or "Witch Hunter" you can see the influences of western gunslinger stories that are often woven through his works.
This is not one story, but actually three. On the one hand, you have the skaven trying to introduce a plague into the human population so they can conquer the upper world. At the same time the different rat-factions are battling each other. In another theme, the nobles of the Empire are chaffing under the tyranny of the current Emperor Boris Goldgather and are planning to overthrow him. On the lowest level there is a human story of a rat catcher. Werner does a great job in weaving these stories together where they merge and diverge at various points in the story.
This is the first of a three book series and unfortunately it ends with a lot of loose threads. I think cliff hangers are good, and as long as you go to the next book you can find out more. More than often we expect all stories to be neatly wrapped up and that is not always the case, but in reality that is also true. The important thing is, the story itself is engaging and keeps you wanting to read more. It you enjoyed it you will go to the next book, if not it might not matter.
If you like heroic fantasy that is slightly different, you will enjoy this book. CL Werner has a good clean style and keeps you interested in the stories and characters. If you have a chance to pick up some of his earlier works - "Brunner the Bounty Hunter" or "Witch Hunter" you can see the influences of western gunslinger stories that are often woven through his works.
June 12, 2012
As sinister a read as I think you're ever likely to pick up in the Warhammer settings, Werner has pitted human heroics, political and strength against skaven underworld vile warfare tactics, magic is almost equivalent to chemical warfare here and the tale told is about as dark as it gets, I have had the pleasure of reading other novels by Werner before this one and even though his general writing style normally seems to contain a certain amount of black humour, this is completely absent here, this is by no means a complaint though as it is replaced by powerhouse characters and phenomenal delivery of scene setting, warfare, brilliant dialogue and political history belonging to this empire written about. It is a little hard to keep track of who is who for the first short amount of this one but very much worth the effort. An absolute stormer of a novel and a real must for anyone who likes a tale to get their teeth into.
November 3, 2020
Second time reading this. Good book and epic scale, which is my favorite part. The writing style feels like that of a TV series with many characters, not unlike game of thrones. My only critique is that when any action starts something happens in the narrative so that we sont get to witness the whole battle...very un-warhammer like! Other than that, its a very fun read.
March 17, 2016
pretty good I thought there was too many characters a lot of them were inconsequential and it was hard to keep track of the plot however some of the characters like Frederick and some of the scaring were really cool Boris is also very evil and I read the second book first which is actually better than this one
July 11, 2013
Not bad, typical Werner stuff. You really come to dislike the main human antagonists. The fall of the priest of Morr was a little quick and abrupt though, especially for the 180 degree route he took.
January 21, 2014
Was quite boring and struggled to get half way this book was abandoned
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