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Ulrika the Vampire #3
Bloodsworn (3)
Returning to Nuln after her adventures in Praag, Ulrika finds the Lahmian vampires preparing for war. Across the Old World, their rivals, the sinister von Carsteins, attack their strongholds and lead the witch hunters to their hidden lairs. Spurned by her sisters, Ulrika forms an uneasy alliance with the von Carsteins in a plot to destabilise the Empire by striking at its very heart – they plan nothing less than the assassination of Emperor Karl Franz. With enemies on all sides and the Empire in flames, Ulrika must decide whether her future will see her living among the humans, or as their enemy.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 29, 2012
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234 people want to read
About the author
Nathan Long
81 books164 followersNathan Long is a screen and prose writer, with two movies, one Saturday-morning adventure series, and a handful of live-action and animated TV episodes to his name, as well as eleven fantasy novels and several award-winning short stories.
He hails from Pennsylvania, where he grew up, went to school, and played in various punk and rock-a-billy bands, before following his writing dreams to Hollywood - where he now writes novels full time - and still occasionally plays in bands.
His latest novel is Jane Carver of Waar, available March 6th from Night Shade Books. Visit his blog at www.sabrepunk.com.
He hails from Pennsylvania, where he grew up, went to school, and played in various punk and rock-a-billy bands, before following his writing dreams to Hollywood - where he now writes novels full time - and still occasionally plays in bands.
His latest novel is Jane Carver of Waar, available March 6th from Night Shade Books. Visit his blog at www.sabrepunk.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 11, 2012
Ulrika Magdova, heroine of Nathan Long's Vampire Trilogy, a young Kislevite noble woman, first appeared in William King’s Daemonslayer (Games Workshop 2003), and should be familiar to all readers of the Gotrek and Felix novels. Alive, she is brave, beautiful, and maddening, especially for Felix. In death, she is still brave and beautiful but now also ruthless and deadly.
The trilogy is now complete and ready for a summing up. Bloodborn (Games Workshop 2010), Bloodforged (Games Workshop 2011), and Bloodsworn (Game Workshop 2012) are together both a Bildungsroman and a Vampire tale, grounded in sword and sorcery. The Ulrika trilogy employs elements of horror, adventure, and the Bildungsroman to introduce us to a fascinating heroine. Irrespective of the novels' vampire characters and setting or the fact they are a Bildungsroman, a novel of education, they ultimately succeed as adventure tales set in a horrific Gothic environment, where sword and sorcery rule the day.
The first novel, Bloodborn (Games Workshop 2010), begins a few weeks after the events of William King’s Vampireslayer (Games Workshop 2004). Ulrika’s abductor, Adolphus Krieger, dies at the hands of Snorri Nosebiter, and Ulrika, a fledgling vampire, tormented by an insatiable hunger and under the control of Gabriella, her mistress (figurative mother), is deserted by her friends. Gotrek and Felix, knowing they cannot help her, leave, as she struggles to come to grips with her destiny. Long shows us her maturation from death to her bid for independence. As a newborn (born of blood), she is, in every sense of the word, a child. At times she is petulant, demanding, selfish, reckless, and stubborn; and, throughout, her mistress, Gabriella, like a stern mother, has to rein her in and instruct her to focus and be disciplined and sensible. Ulrika and Gabriella are sent to the city of Nuln to investigate the very public and brutal murders of several vampires. The exposure of vampires in the midst of the city sets off panic in the streets and Long minutely describes the city and its inhabitants’ fears as well as their brutalities as days pass and the number of corpses increases. He also describes the social castes of the city and the various organizations that run it as well as the empire. Witch hunters follow the vampires and ghouls spring from the cemeteries. Long even sends his characters into the famous sewers of Nuln, the home of the skaven, to ferret out clues.
In Bloodforged, Long moves the action from Nuln to Praag, Ulrika's starting point. Like a petulant teenager now, she rebels against her Lahmian mother, Gabriella, and heads north, vowing to use her supra-human strength to fight the creatures of the Ruinous Powers. Her goal is to be a Vampire avenger, protecting the weaker humans, who she feels a closer affinity to than the vampires that now control and protect her. When she strikes out for home, she is seeking freedom, family, and friendship. Mr. Long brilliantly captures the anger and frustration of a young vampire (teenager), showing her virtually tearing apart her safe home in Nuln in a youthful rage and fleeing her sisters for her human home in Praag. Once there she makes contact with Snorri Nosebiter and discovers that Gotrek and Felix have disappeared. She also tracks down Max Schreiber, an ex-lover, only to discover that he is has taken another lover. This discovery results in unnatural paroxysm of jealousy, which demonstrates Ulrika's immaturity. "Quivers of rage made Ulrika's arms shake, and her claws dug deep into the bark of her branch. A growl started low in throat and she crouched forward like a hunting cat. How dare he take another lover!" (Bloodborn p.111)
Without friends and family, Ulrika, now truly alone, takes up residence in an abandoned and ruined bakery; however, because of her self-imposed rule--she can only feed on villains--she finds herself hungry most of the time. When she sees some abusive men, running a protections racket, rob a poor blind singer she quickly acts to avenge the wrong. However, in a scene, somewhat reminiscent of Aragorn's meeting with the Hobbits in The Fellowship of the Ring, she is seen by another vampire, a handsome and dashing male. This moment--this discovery by a male--acts as the exciting point of the story's main plot lines: the life and death struggle between the van Carstein vampires and the Lahmians, Ulrika's inability to tell friend from foe, Ulrika's acceptance that she is a vampire and no longer human, and Ulrika's sexual awakening.
Finally, in Bloodsworn,Ulrika has accepted her fate as a Vampire but this fact does not end her quest or her education. The world of Vampires is as nuanced as the human world and Ulrika must choose which group with whom to align. Like a troubled teenager, she has rebelled against the Lahmians, balking against their need to control her. She is torn between feelings of love and hate for her mistress, Countess Gabriella; whereas it was the von Carsteins, who initially entrapped her, turned her, and now threaten both the Empire's and the Lahmians' very existence. Her next move must be one of election: which Vampire group will she align herself. She must ask herself where she belongs in the world. Once again she is forced to evaluate the war against humans, her loyalty to her kind, and her own need for independence.
The three novels are exciting reads: well-plotted, with fully-developed characters. Mr. Long carefully delineates the definitive movements in Ulrika's character; she matures (very, very slowly) from a child-like creature in the first novel to a figurative teenager in the second and to a young, somewhat erratic, independent adult in the final installment. Throughout, however, the novels remain true to their sword and sorcery roots: they are rollicking adventure tales that roll along a fair clip like Saturday morning serials, never really pausing to examine the psychological manifestations that occur simultaneously with the full-throttle action of their full-bodied (and charismatic) protagonist.
Mr. Long is the master of what he calls sabrepunk; that is, an adventure tale similar to those written by Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Alexander Dumas, and Raphael Sabatini. To quote Mr. Long's own definition: "Sabrepunk is swashbuckling, street-wise sword and sorcery that draws from low fantasy, hard-boiled pulp, cloak-and-dagger thrillers, and old-fashioned romantic adventure. It is visceral and immediate. It is crude and sly. It is red and black and break-neck. The doings of sorcerers and kings may spark the action, but rarely are they the story themselves. Instead, the tales are of hard men and dangerous women whose lives are mauled by the whims of the powerful, and who must therefore draw swords and fight in order to survive. There are heroes here, but no saints."
Ulrika is definitely one of those heroes. And, although the trilogy is complete, I cannot believe Ulrika is finished. At the end of Bloodsworn, Ulrika is a powerful warrior but that cannot be the end of her education. I can imagine a series of novels where Ulrika grows, matures, and rises through the ranks to become not only a powerful soldier but also a wise and cunning leader.
The trilogy is now complete and ready for a summing up. Bloodborn (Games Workshop 2010), Bloodforged (Games Workshop 2011), and Bloodsworn (Game Workshop 2012) are together both a Bildungsroman and a Vampire tale, grounded in sword and sorcery. The Ulrika trilogy employs elements of horror, adventure, and the Bildungsroman to introduce us to a fascinating heroine. Irrespective of the novels' vampire characters and setting or the fact they are a Bildungsroman, a novel of education, they ultimately succeed as adventure tales set in a horrific Gothic environment, where sword and sorcery rule the day.
The first novel, Bloodborn (Games Workshop 2010), begins a few weeks after the events of William King’s Vampireslayer (Games Workshop 2004). Ulrika’s abductor, Adolphus Krieger, dies at the hands of Snorri Nosebiter, and Ulrika, a fledgling vampire, tormented by an insatiable hunger and under the control of Gabriella, her mistress (figurative mother), is deserted by her friends. Gotrek and Felix, knowing they cannot help her, leave, as she struggles to come to grips with her destiny. Long shows us her maturation from death to her bid for independence. As a newborn (born of blood), she is, in every sense of the word, a child. At times she is petulant, demanding, selfish, reckless, and stubborn; and, throughout, her mistress, Gabriella, like a stern mother, has to rein her in and instruct her to focus and be disciplined and sensible. Ulrika and Gabriella are sent to the city of Nuln to investigate the very public and brutal murders of several vampires. The exposure of vampires in the midst of the city sets off panic in the streets and Long minutely describes the city and its inhabitants’ fears as well as their brutalities as days pass and the number of corpses increases. He also describes the social castes of the city and the various organizations that run it as well as the empire. Witch hunters follow the vampires and ghouls spring from the cemeteries. Long even sends his characters into the famous sewers of Nuln, the home of the skaven, to ferret out clues.
In Bloodforged, Long moves the action from Nuln to Praag, Ulrika's starting point. Like a petulant teenager now, she rebels against her Lahmian mother, Gabriella, and heads north, vowing to use her supra-human strength to fight the creatures of the Ruinous Powers. Her goal is to be a Vampire avenger, protecting the weaker humans, who she feels a closer affinity to than the vampires that now control and protect her. When she strikes out for home, she is seeking freedom, family, and friendship. Mr. Long brilliantly captures the anger and frustration of a young vampire (teenager), showing her virtually tearing apart her safe home in Nuln in a youthful rage and fleeing her sisters for her human home in Praag. Once there she makes contact with Snorri Nosebiter and discovers that Gotrek and Felix have disappeared. She also tracks down Max Schreiber, an ex-lover, only to discover that he is has taken another lover. This discovery results in unnatural paroxysm of jealousy, which demonstrates Ulrika's immaturity. "Quivers of rage made Ulrika's arms shake, and her claws dug deep into the bark of her branch. A growl started low in throat and she crouched forward like a hunting cat. How dare he take another lover!" (Bloodborn p.111)
Without friends and family, Ulrika, now truly alone, takes up residence in an abandoned and ruined bakery; however, because of her self-imposed rule--she can only feed on villains--she finds herself hungry most of the time. When she sees some abusive men, running a protections racket, rob a poor blind singer she quickly acts to avenge the wrong. However, in a scene, somewhat reminiscent of Aragorn's meeting with the Hobbits in The Fellowship of the Ring, she is seen by another vampire, a handsome and dashing male. This moment--this discovery by a male--acts as the exciting point of the story's main plot lines: the life and death struggle between the van Carstein vampires and the Lahmians, Ulrika's inability to tell friend from foe, Ulrika's acceptance that she is a vampire and no longer human, and Ulrika's sexual awakening.
Finally, in Bloodsworn,Ulrika has accepted her fate as a Vampire but this fact does not end her quest or her education. The world of Vampires is as nuanced as the human world and Ulrika must choose which group with whom to align. Like a troubled teenager, she has rebelled against the Lahmians, balking against their need to control her. She is torn between feelings of love and hate for her mistress, Countess Gabriella; whereas it was the von Carsteins, who initially entrapped her, turned her, and now threaten both the Empire's and the Lahmians' very existence. Her next move must be one of election: which Vampire group will she align herself. She must ask herself where she belongs in the world. Once again she is forced to evaluate the war against humans, her loyalty to her kind, and her own need for independence.
The three novels are exciting reads: well-plotted, with fully-developed characters. Mr. Long carefully delineates the definitive movements in Ulrika's character; she matures (very, very slowly) from a child-like creature in the first novel to a figurative teenager in the second and to a young, somewhat erratic, independent adult in the final installment. Throughout, however, the novels remain true to their sword and sorcery roots: they are rollicking adventure tales that roll along a fair clip like Saturday morning serials, never really pausing to examine the psychological manifestations that occur simultaneously with the full-throttle action of their full-bodied (and charismatic) protagonist.
Mr. Long is the master of what he calls sabrepunk; that is, an adventure tale similar to those written by Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Alexander Dumas, and Raphael Sabatini. To quote Mr. Long's own definition: "Sabrepunk is swashbuckling, street-wise sword and sorcery that draws from low fantasy, hard-boiled pulp, cloak-and-dagger thrillers, and old-fashioned romantic adventure. It is visceral and immediate. It is crude and sly. It is red and black and break-neck. The doings of sorcerers and kings may spark the action, but rarely are they the story themselves. Instead, the tales are of hard men and dangerous women whose lives are mauled by the whims of the powerful, and who must therefore draw swords and fight in order to survive. There are heroes here, but no saints."
Ulrika is definitely one of those heroes. And, although the trilogy is complete, I cannot believe Ulrika is finished. At the end of Bloodsworn, Ulrika is a powerful warrior but that cannot be the end of her education. I can imagine a series of novels where Ulrika grows, matures, and rises through the ranks to become not only a powerful soldier but also a wise and cunning leader.
June 29, 2012
Shadowhawk reviews the final novel of the Ulrika the Vampire trilogy for Warhammer Fantasy Battles, one of the best series to come from Black Library in recent years.
“Bloodsworn is a stunning conclusion to an epic series and is full to the brim with no-holds barred Vampire badassery, political intrigue, introspection, betrayal and heroism as only a true Warhammer novel can be.” ~The Founding Fields
You know that feeling when you’ve been following the stories of a particular character or characters for a while, and then one da you hold what is ostensibly the last novel in the series? You feel a bit sad, a bit exhilarated, a bit tense, a bit excited. All because the series is coming to an end and all those little plots are coming together and the big promised showdown is right around the corner; but also because this will be the last you see these characters. That’s exactly how I felt when Bloodsworn arrived in the mail a few weeks back and when I finally got around to reading it earlier this month. With Nathan being one of my favourite writers and Ulrika being one of my favourite fantasy characters, reading Bloodsworn was like a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
When Bloodforged ended with Ulrika deciding to return back to Countess Gabriella in Nuln, and her just-concluded encounter with one of the villains who had led her on a merry chase through Kislev, my expectations for Bloodsworn were quite high. There had been ample build-up of an event on the horizon, one that could really change the balance of power for the various Vampire bloodlines between themselves and with respect to where they stood with the Empire. Ulrika was also, quite frankly, fairly ticked off at having been endlessly manipulated by her enemies. So I was quite ready for Ulrika to come back to her mistresses and start kicking some Vampire posteriors.
And what can I say, Nathan pretty much upped the ante to eleven and gave me a novel that was everything I expected and wanted of it, and then some.
The story this time has to do with the enemies of the Lahmian vampires plotting to kill Emperor Karl Franz himself and implicating the sisterhood in his assassination. A bold and ambitious plan that is most definitely going to rock the Empire’s foundations and bring civil war to the lands at least. And being Warhammer Fantasy, things don’t end just there, for the assassination itself is a cover for bigger, more momentous events.
One of the defining aspects of the trilogy is Nathan’s strong characterisation. Whether its the minor characters or the major ones, they all behave true to their nature and to their purpose in the narrative.
In that respect, Ulrika was a true surprise for me. She has so far been quite a rebellious Lahmian in the previous two novels since she was born to a warrior household, and served as a soldier before she was turned against her will. That particular facet of her personality still holds true when she returns to Nuln and finds that the Lahmians are engaged in self-defeating politicking rather than actively combating the threat to their bloodline, which serves to frustrate her to no end. Bloodsworn is where Ulrika comes into her own, and really shows her badass (excuse the word) vampire side in a way that’s only possible in Warhammer Fantasy. She sticks to her decisions, no matter how misguided they may be, but she also shows a certain deftness for politicking on her own. She is a product of two Vampiric bloodlines, the war-like von Carstein and the scheming, deceptive Lahmians. Nathan explores both sides of her inherent nature and that was fantastic. About time if you ask me because in the previous novels we only get teasers of this.
The other main character in the novel is the mysterious lord of the von Carstein vampires who has been stirring unrest against the Lahmians all over the Empire. His entry into the novel isn’t exactly much of a surprise if you know what signs to look for. Still, when he does reveal himself to Ulrika, it is still a chilling moment because this guy is a classic vampire in the vein of Dracula and the vampires from Matt Forbeck’s Carpathia. To really get that reference, beyond the general badassery of his character, you have to read the novel to understand what I mean. Suffice to say, it was a good moment. That aside, he is a strong character in the novel in his own right. His motivations are real and he is not too much of the shadowy, manipulative type either. He isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and I like that in a villain. It makes them more real and more enjoyable to read about. My only gripe with him is that he isn’t as clever as he is made out to be, in the end. Adversity has a negative effect on him a little too much. Still, a character I can appreciate and even root for to a degree.
You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:
http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/05/...
“Bloodsworn is a stunning conclusion to an epic series and is full to the brim with no-holds barred Vampire badassery, political intrigue, introspection, betrayal and heroism as only a true Warhammer novel can be.” ~The Founding Fields
You know that feeling when you’ve been following the stories of a particular character or characters for a while, and then one da you hold what is ostensibly the last novel in the series? You feel a bit sad, a bit exhilarated, a bit tense, a bit excited. All because the series is coming to an end and all those little plots are coming together and the big promised showdown is right around the corner; but also because this will be the last you see these characters. That’s exactly how I felt when Bloodsworn arrived in the mail a few weeks back and when I finally got around to reading it earlier this month. With Nathan being one of my favourite writers and Ulrika being one of my favourite fantasy characters, reading Bloodsworn was like a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
When Bloodforged ended with Ulrika deciding to return back to Countess Gabriella in Nuln, and her just-concluded encounter with one of the villains who had led her on a merry chase through Kislev, my expectations for Bloodsworn were quite high. There had been ample build-up of an event on the horizon, one that could really change the balance of power for the various Vampire bloodlines between themselves and with respect to where they stood with the Empire. Ulrika was also, quite frankly, fairly ticked off at having been endlessly manipulated by her enemies. So I was quite ready for Ulrika to come back to her mistresses and start kicking some Vampire posteriors.
And what can I say, Nathan pretty much upped the ante to eleven and gave me a novel that was everything I expected and wanted of it, and then some.
The story this time has to do with the enemies of the Lahmian vampires plotting to kill Emperor Karl Franz himself and implicating the sisterhood in his assassination. A bold and ambitious plan that is most definitely going to rock the Empire’s foundations and bring civil war to the lands at least. And being Warhammer Fantasy, things don’t end just there, for the assassination itself is a cover for bigger, more momentous events.
One of the defining aspects of the trilogy is Nathan’s strong characterisation. Whether its the minor characters or the major ones, they all behave true to their nature and to their purpose in the narrative.
In that respect, Ulrika was a true surprise for me. She has so far been quite a rebellious Lahmian in the previous two novels since she was born to a warrior household, and served as a soldier before she was turned against her will. That particular facet of her personality still holds true when she returns to Nuln and finds that the Lahmians are engaged in self-defeating politicking rather than actively combating the threat to their bloodline, which serves to frustrate her to no end. Bloodsworn is where Ulrika comes into her own, and really shows her badass (excuse the word) vampire side in a way that’s only possible in Warhammer Fantasy. She sticks to her decisions, no matter how misguided they may be, but she also shows a certain deftness for politicking on her own. She is a product of two Vampiric bloodlines, the war-like von Carstein and the scheming, deceptive Lahmians. Nathan explores both sides of her inherent nature and that was fantastic. About time if you ask me because in the previous novels we only get teasers of this.
The other main character in the novel is the mysterious lord of the von Carstein vampires who has been stirring unrest against the Lahmians all over the Empire. His entry into the novel isn’t exactly much of a surprise if you know what signs to look for. Still, when he does reveal himself to Ulrika, it is still a chilling moment because this guy is a classic vampire in the vein of Dracula and the vampires from Matt Forbeck’s Carpathia. To really get that reference, beyond the general badassery of his character, you have to read the novel to understand what I mean. Suffice to say, it was a good moment. That aside, he is a strong character in the novel in his own right. His motivations are real and he is not too much of the shadowy, manipulative type either. He isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and I like that in a villain. It makes them more real and more enjoyable to read about. My only gripe with him is that he isn’t as clever as he is made out to be, in the end. Adversity has a negative effect on him a little too much. Still, a character I can appreciate and even root for to a degree.
You can find the full review over at The Founding Fields:
http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/05/...
August 25, 2013
*sigh of relief*
I contemplated actually abandoning this series half way through this book. I felt like ulrika was being really weird and immature and insufferable and to be honest her haywire emotions seriously confused me. Thankfully I persisted and was rewarded by the ending: she seems to have finally repented and - though she is still independent to her core -lost some her more unreasonable and volatile feelings.
Accordingly, I enjoyed the latter part of the book significantly more, though throughout Long maintained the speedy pace, the intriguing writing style and the on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense that are present in all three books.
I can only hope this continues in the next book - the foundations for which have been set by the ending of Bloodsworn, I'm looking forward to seeing more of the old world - and can only hope the impulsive and heady decisions don't.
So, although I was prepared to give up on the series halfway through, and although I am still anxious about Ulrika's behaviour, I am otherwise pleased with the exciting content of Bloodsworn and am very much anticipating the fourth novel.
I contemplated actually abandoning this series half way through this book. I felt like ulrika was being really weird and immature and insufferable and to be honest her haywire emotions seriously confused me. Thankfully I persisted and was rewarded by the ending: she seems to have finally repented and - though she is still independent to her core -lost some her more unreasonable and volatile feelings.
Accordingly, I enjoyed the latter part of the book significantly more, though throughout Long maintained the speedy pace, the intriguing writing style and the on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense that are present in all three books.
I can only hope this continues in the next book - the foundations for which have been set by the ending of Bloodsworn, I'm looking forward to seeing more of the old world - and can only hope the impulsive and heady decisions don't.
So, although I was prepared to give up on the series halfway through, and although I am still anxious about Ulrika's behaviour, I am otherwise pleased with the exciting content of Bloodsworn and am very much anticipating the fourth novel.
May 18, 2014
The third book of the Ulrika Trilogy and I had hoped that by now we'd see some growth and maturity from the main character. Unfortunately that isn't the case and Ulrika is back making the same mistakes, and terrible decisions without thinking things through. Ulrika should be known as oathbreaker because I can't count the amount of times in this series that she has given her "word" only to go back and break it.
There's lots of action in the book and it is entertaining, but Ulrika comes off as a petulant child.
There's lots of action in the book and it is entertaining, but Ulrika comes off as a petulant child.
March 7, 2025
The third and final book of Ulrika triology. Much like the two previous books it touch upon the same struggles and character challenges for Ulrika. After being disgusted by the Lahmians society and their many rules and restraints going against everything she lived as an human Ulrika eventually decide to return to them after the events of the second book. Not out of love for the Lahmians , but out of love for her Mistress and “mother” (as in the vampires perception of parents) Gabriella and her only and true friend in this only-females vampire society, Famke Leibrandt.
Ulrika is the child of one of the Kislevite march boyars and as such, despite being a female, was raised as a warrior and a leader of men on the battlefield. The vampire culture and society her mistress belong to is one of heavy duplicity , sensual and sexual seduction slash magical manipulation and backstabers. The Lahmians represent the archetype of the female vampire in fiction, strong and dangerous but mainly succeding by pulling the strings from the shadows or behind illusions. Ulrika deeply struggled with that and still does in this book.
When she try to rejoin her mistress she cannot bear to suffer the restraints and rules declared as a punishement for her previous actions and she once again end up on the run. The difference being that this time the vampires are actively trying to kill her.
She at first tries to gain once again her place (without the resctritions) and her mistress aproval by trying to deal on her own with the ennemies of the Lahmians , the Von Casteins. But via a serie of manipulations unkown to her ends up joining those very same sworn ennemies of her society after developing a deep hate for humans after they burned badly Famke and other distributing events during this book , she was disgusted by their actions and what she perceived as their nature and wanted only vengeance. Which is very interesting considering one of her traits in the previous books was her heavy moral code toward the humans. Now Ulrika rejected her beloved mistress for good in her mind and declared the rest of Lahmians her ennemies and was pretty much willing to kill them just as much as she was with humans. (With the exception of Famke)
She then end up rising through the ranks of the bad guys (they want to invade and conquer the empire, reforging the old vampire empire of Vlad Von Castein, to do that they must kill the Emperor and put the blame on the Lahmians ) which was the most interesting part of the book. The followers of Vlad Von Castein legacy are at first glance much more alike to her. Just like her they are much more oriented toward a warrior-culture ethos as opposed with Lahmnian way. They are a violent culture of conquerors and warriors, who consider themselves the rightful rulers of the world and want to overthrow humanity and eventually bring down all the rest of the various races after them under their empire.
This part of the book is the most interesting to me and offered a good deal of character developement and epic battle scenes. Having Karl Franz fight one one the Leader of the vampires who was a very mighty warrior for vampire standards was one of the most surprising and epic part of the book. Ludwig Schwarzhelm also fitted very well in his part of the plot of the story as the mighty protector of the emperor and a man who can strike fear even into vampire nobles with centuries of combat experience.
The book also offer a deep and very interesting developement of the Lahmians. We encounter the diverses cultures which compose it and characters which are far from the stereotype of “femme fatale vampire” and very much like Ulrika herself while still adaptating realisticly with the rules and codes of the society of Lahmians despite (just like Ulrika) coming from a culture very warrior-oriented.
The revelation of Mistress Gabriella hidden capacities was a welcome surprise. She was always presented as a powerful witch and excellent manipulator but not at all the physical warrior type, the fight between her and Ulrika in the end of the book was very well written and emotional.
Great book.
Ulrika is the child of one of the Kislevite march boyars and as such, despite being a female, was raised as a warrior and a leader of men on the battlefield. The vampire culture and society her mistress belong to is one of heavy duplicity , sensual and sexual seduction slash magical manipulation and backstabers. The Lahmians represent the archetype of the female vampire in fiction, strong and dangerous but mainly succeding by pulling the strings from the shadows or behind illusions. Ulrika deeply struggled with that and still does in this book.
When she try to rejoin her mistress she cannot bear to suffer the restraints and rules declared as a punishement for her previous actions and she once again end up on the run. The difference being that this time the vampires are actively trying to kill her.
She at first tries to gain once again her place (without the resctritions) and her mistress aproval by trying to deal on her own with the ennemies of the Lahmians , the Von Casteins. But via a serie of manipulations unkown to her ends up joining those very same sworn ennemies of her society after developing a deep hate for humans after they burned badly Famke and other distributing events during this book , she was disgusted by their actions and what she perceived as their nature and wanted only vengeance. Which is very interesting considering one of her traits in the previous books was her heavy moral code toward the humans. Now Ulrika rejected her beloved mistress for good in her mind and declared the rest of Lahmians her ennemies and was pretty much willing to kill them just as much as she was with humans. (With the exception of Famke)
She then end up rising through the ranks of the bad guys (they want to invade and conquer the empire, reforging the old vampire empire of Vlad Von Castein, to do that they must kill the Emperor and put the blame on the Lahmians ) which was the most interesting part of the book. The followers of Vlad Von Castein legacy are at first glance much more alike to her. Just like her they are much more oriented toward a warrior-culture ethos as opposed with Lahmnian way. They are a violent culture of conquerors and warriors, who consider themselves the rightful rulers of the world and want to overthrow humanity and eventually bring down all the rest of the various races after them under their empire.
This part of the book is the most interesting to me and offered a good deal of character developement and epic battle scenes. Having Karl Franz fight one one the Leader of the vampires who was a very mighty warrior for vampire standards was one of the most surprising and epic part of the book. Ludwig Schwarzhelm also fitted very well in his part of the plot of the story as the mighty protector of the emperor and a man who can strike fear even into vampire nobles with centuries of combat experience.
The book also offer a deep and very interesting developement of the Lahmians. We encounter the diverses cultures which compose it and characters which are far from the stereotype of “femme fatale vampire” and very much like Ulrika herself while still adaptating realisticly with the rules and codes of the society of Lahmians despite (just like Ulrika) coming from a culture very warrior-oriented.
The revelation of Mistress Gabriella hidden capacities was a welcome surprise. She was always presented as a powerful witch and excellent manipulator but not at all the physical warrior type, the fight between her and Ulrika in the end of the book was very well written and emotional.
Great book.
October 8, 2024
Vampire wars
Starting right after the events described in Bloodforged , the last volume of the trilogy takes Ulrika back in Nuln, to her former mistress Gabriella, tangled in a war of power between Vampire factions.
A final novel quite difficult to read, as its protagonist keeps making the most childish choices every time!! On the other side, the various antagonists facing her are mostly two-dimensional characters that do not help salvaging a series that had all the opportunities to explore the Old World through a different angle than the Slayer series, but mostly failed.
Ulrika will be back for a short cameo in the Slayer’s saga in Manslayer .
Starting right after the events described in Bloodforged , the last volume of the trilogy takes Ulrika back in Nuln, to her former mistress Gabriella, tangled in a war of power between Vampire factions.
A final novel quite difficult to read, as its protagonist keeps making the most childish choices every time!! On the other side, the various antagonists facing her are mostly two-dimensional characters that do not help salvaging a series that had all the opportunities to explore the Old World through a different angle than the Slayer series, but mostly failed.
Ulrika will be back for a short cameo in the Slayer’s saga in Manslayer .
February 21, 2020
CAUTION MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
A good end to a damn good trilogy, it had its ups and downs but on the whole I liked this book. For the most part.
It had the recurring theme of Ulrika promising to follow someone and give then her word only for her to question it and wonder if she should or could keep her word.
The first half of this book was its strongest part of this book, the second half where she leaves the city and joins a rag tag group of treacherous vampires all trying to out do one an other. Dont get me wrong if was still good but it just took a different turn.
The Good Stuff
- we see more of bow the Lahmian society works and its organisation, and how they work.
- Poor Fmake, enough said.
- well actually not enough said, if your familiar with the Gotrek and Felix novels then you'll know that in the novel Manslayer when they return to Nuln they meet up with Ulrika and meet Mistress Hermione and Mistress Withers, they give a little backstory into who Mistress Withers is and I actually had to find that chapter because I thought it would be Famke but only at the end does it all wrap up. A great piece little bow to tie up a loose ends.
- as I've said I wanted to read this book because in Kinslayer Ulrika is a cild blooded monster void of all humanity and feeling and I wanted to know what happened to make her that way and this book does it all, betrayed by the Vampire counts of Sylvania, cast out from Lahmian society, hunted by witch hunters and almost killed by a mob. Yea now I get it.
The Bad Stuff
- as I said, how many times must we sit through Ulrika promising herself to someones agenda and to follow them and be subservient to them and round and round we go. Its unnecessary and it doesn't need to keep happening in three books.
To be honest these books were great, despite the constant need for her to travel at people's feet, i loved the intrigues and I loved her fall from grace. And honestly who doesn't love a good vampire novel? 🙌🏻🙏🏻
A good end to a damn good trilogy, it had its ups and downs but on the whole I liked this book. For the most part.
It had the recurring theme of Ulrika promising to follow someone and give then her word only for her to question it and wonder if she should or could keep her word.
The first half of this book was its strongest part of this book, the second half where she leaves the city and joins a rag tag group of treacherous vampires all trying to out do one an other. Dont get me wrong if was still good but it just took a different turn.
The Good Stuff
- we see more of bow the Lahmian society works and its organisation, and how they work.
- Poor Fmake, enough said.
- well actually not enough said, if your familiar with the Gotrek and Felix novels then you'll know that in the novel Manslayer when they return to Nuln they meet up with Ulrika and meet Mistress Hermione and Mistress Withers, they give a little backstory into who Mistress Withers is and I actually had to find that chapter because I thought it would be Famke but only at the end does it all wrap up. A great piece little bow to tie up a loose ends.
- as I've said I wanted to read this book because in Kinslayer Ulrika is a cild blooded monster void of all humanity and feeling and I wanted to know what happened to make her that way and this book does it all, betrayed by the Vampire counts of Sylvania, cast out from Lahmian society, hunted by witch hunters and almost killed by a mob. Yea now I get it.
The Bad Stuff
- as I said, how many times must we sit through Ulrika promising herself to someones agenda and to follow them and be subservient to them and round and round we go. Its unnecessary and it doesn't need to keep happening in three books.
To be honest these books were great, despite the constant need for her to travel at people's feet, i loved the intrigues and I loved her fall from grace. And honestly who doesn't love a good vampire novel? 🙌🏻🙏🏻
December 21, 2024
Nope nope nope. It fell flat on its face...The story is predictably stupid and only explains why the awesome looking vampires in the Warhammer universe never got anywhere. Her character goes backwards and unlearns everything she new.
Even the amazing battles and characters along the way couldn't save this book. A shame.
This book makes the entire trilogy not worth the read.
Even the amazing battles and characters along the way couldn't save this book. A shame.
This book makes the entire trilogy not worth the read.
May 20, 2021
Celkom fajn zakončenie trilógie. I keď Ulrika s tou jej dôverčivosťou a prezliekaním kabátov ma už štvala, stále to bolo dobré dark fantasy z Warhammer univerza
August 11, 2022
Utter toss. It's like Nathan Long has set out to make Ulrika a blithering idiot incapable of making a rational decision. It's a crying shame she wasn't killed off in this book.
May 14, 2023
Massive bore.
December 25, 2023
I want more
January 30, 2024
Jak na zakończenie trylogii to niestety, ale spodziewałam się czegoś więcej.
July 19, 2012
A good book overall, but I'm losing interest in Ulrika at this point. I understood her impulsiveness and bad decisions in the first two books, but aside from a competent turn with some unexpected allies in the latter half of the book (the best part I think) it seems like she never learns from her mistakes. Hopefully she'll see some significant growth in future books.
January 9, 2014
This series is a spin off from Gotrek and Felix books and written from the point of view of Ulrika who was turned into a Vampire several years and volumes ago.
Its a good romping read, fun, exciting with an interesting plot and characters.
Its a good romping read, fun, exciting with an interesting plot and characters.
September 28, 2012
Good third book, a few twists and turns along the way
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